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WitFit Jan/Feb 2013

90's Sex, drugs and rock-n-roll

Word Prompt: Series

During my time in Seattle, I'd learned a few things. One was that I absolutely loved the way the city looked, but especially at night. It was beautiful, almost raw; the twinkling lights of huddled buildings and skyscrapers ahead lulled me into a calm place as I ran over the events of the night in my head. The feeling of his fingers in mine again still lingered, the scent of him when he was so close, all whiskey, smoke and man, was one I clung to.

I could easily fall into the memories of him and I together naked in bed but didn't dare.

"You haven't said a word the entire way home and I'm about ready to squeeze it out of you." Rose looked at me sideways while she continued to drive. "You're not getting out of it," she reminded me.

There were things about my past she knew, but this was certainly not one of them. My tears those first few months were better off hidden in the dead of night. While I'd had a few casual dates here and there, they never evolved into anything serious. I didn't know if I was looking for more but, after being with Edward, I hadn't had the desire to forge anything with anyone.

I sighed, knowing she wouldn't give up. "It was right before I started school last year—before I met you. I'd gone back to Phoenix to visit my mom after graduation and I wanted more than anything to do something exciting. I mean, I'd kind of just existed through high school and here I was about to start college . . ." I sat up pulling my coat more tightly around me as if that would help.

I looked up to see the Space Needle disappear as we entered the Battery Street tunnel, and the sudden glare of the bright lights provided a little shock that prodded me to continue. "I met him through a friend of mine at a party on campus."

"So, obviously, you guys hit it off?"

"I'd say." I chuckled. "I boned him."

Out of the tunnel now, the car swerved and pulled to a stop on the side of the road, and the shock that registered on her face was classic. I wished I had my camera with me.

"Boned. You mean, like, slept with him?"

I responded to her like explaining something to a child. "We didn't really sleep. I left when he fell asleep."

"Wait. What the hell? I can't believe what you're telling me. You, Bella Swan, pulled a 'one-nighter'? I've barely seen you date anyone!"

"Actually it was three days . . ."

She stared at me from the driver's seat. "I'm fucking floored."

"It's really not a big deal," I said, more or less trying to convince myself. "It was supposed to be a random hookup. And I never guessed he'd end up here."

"Looked like it was a big deal to him. In case it slipped your notice, once he saw you, he could barely focus on anything else."

I turned back to look at her. "Rose, he has a girlfriend."

"That bitch? No one in the band can stand her."

"Doesn't matter. He's taken."

She sighed. "And how do you feel about that?"

"I don't exactly know."

-PoM-

Needless to say, I couldn't sleep that night. The covers kept getting tangled in my restless legs as I furiously turned everything over in my mind. At the time, when it happened, I didn't think about anybody but myself. What I thought was supposed to be a fun experience turned into a series of memories that repeated like a movie in my head.

The next morning, I was up early. I folded laundry, cleaned the kitchen and did anything I could to pass the time. If he didn't call me, I probably deserved it.

Just when I thought I couldn't take it anymore, I grabbed my book bag, thinking I'd head somewhere to read. When the phone rang, I dropped my keys and bag and headed straight for the kitchen.

"Hello?"

"Hey."

"Hi," I said, wrapping myself in the phone cord.

"Still want to meet for breakfast?"

I was surprised by the uncertainty in his voice. "I thought it was just for coffee?"

"A guy's gotta eat."

I giggled—typical male. "Sure. Where?"

"I don't even know where you live."

"Queen Anne."

"Perfect. Can you meet me at the Mecca in half an hour?"

"That'd be fine. See you then." I nervously put down the phone and panicked.

Maybe some people would think a random hookup didn't mean much—three days time wasn't really enough to get to know a person, after all. But with him, things were . . . different. I couldn't explain it if I tried.

Now, though, I had some explaining to do and I really wanted to see him—girlfriend or not.

When I arrived at the cafe, he was sitting in a small booth close to the front furiously writing on a spiral notebook. Silently I approached the table, watching as he concentrated on his whatever it was he was doing. His pen paused, and I took my cue.

"Hey," I said slinging my bag into the booth.

He looked up and his face broke into a wide grin. "Hey," he said, moving to stand up.

"You must live close if you got here that fast," I said.

"Just over on Eastlake. Not too far. How about you?"

"Eastside Queen Anne. Up on Galer."

The waitress approached our table. "Hey, Ed, how are you?" She leaned over and gave him a kiss on the cheek. I straightened, feeling the hackles go up on the back of my neck, but then chastised myself at my reaction; it wasn't my place to get annoyed.

"I'm doing great. Maria, this is my friend, Bella."

She turned to me. "Hi, nice to meet you."

I smiled and returned, "You too."

"So what can I get you?" We proceeded to give her our requests, I settled for coffee and a muffin due to the large set of nerves that had reappeared in my stomach.

When she walked away, he gauged my face. "She's Jasper's ex. And they've stayed friendly."

Surprised that he felt the need to even qualify her place in his life, I shrugged my shoulders. "That's cool."

"I'm glad you came last night. Kinda cool surprise to have you there."

"Yeah. Weird, right? I mean, I almost didn't go, but Rose talked me into it." Maria had delivered our coffees and I relaxed a bit. "So how did you end up here? I mean, when I met you, it was all about college."

He sat back and raked his fingers over the side of his head. "Well, Emmett's my cousin. He called early September and told me that they were looking for a singer who could write as well as play, so I left school to come and pursue the band. Felt like now was the time. It wasn't an easy decision but something told me I just needed to do this."

"Well, you guys sound like you've been together forever. No one can garner that kind of chemistry so quickly."

He laughed.

"What?"

"I forgot," he said, thoroughly amused.

Confused, I looked at him, the question on my face.

"How well versed you are in the Seattle music scene? A veritable encyclopedia if I recall."

"I only know from what I read and listen to. Besides, you know as much as me," I teased. "If not more."

"Just a fan," he said, shrugging it off. "What are you doing now?"

"I'm still in school, heading into my sophomore year at UW. Doesn't leave much time for anything else with a full load, really, and I've just been working this summer," I said, taking a sip of my coffee.

"What are you studying?"

"Journalism."

"How did I fail to get that out of you?"

"As I recall, I didn't really tell you that much about myself. "

"I guess you didn't. But then again, we didn't do a lot of talking."

The coffee I'd just raised to my lips went down the wrong pipe, and I sputtered and grabbed a napkin so I wouldn't embarrass myself more than his words already had. He grinned, clearly unrepentant, and sat back to watch me.

"No, we didn't." I wrapped my hands around the oversized cup and held them there—no way was I taking another sip until his unabashed teasing had settled down.

It was something I'd liked about him from the start—he was charming, and funny, but also a little bit wicked.

He tapped his cup a few times. "How come you left?"

Ah, here we went. Time to woman up. "I had to."

"Why?" He sat for a few moments watching me.

"If I didn't, I would have fallen for you." I looked out of the window. "And probably hard." A man ambled past, his dog trotting five steps ahead of him like there was nothing better in the world.

Everything from that last moment with him came rushing back as I watched the city around us: how hot tears had filled my eyes as I got dressed, spilling over when I looked back at the bed where he was sleeping soundly. I'd had little experience when it came to sex, but he'd touched something in me so deeply that it cracked my emotions wide open. I cried the entire way home, and my mom thought it was because I was leaving her; I cried on the way to the airport, and the tears continued on the plane. My heart broke with every mile. He'd left a silent, indelible mark on me that would be forever etched in my soul.

A tug on my hand brought me back to the reality of life now.

"Hey," he said, softly. "Don't you think I felt it too?"

I searched his face and fell willingly into the welcoming depths of grass green eyes. But only for a moment—today was for clearing the air and saying I was sorry. I pulled my hand away and tucked it underneath the table.

"I didn't think it would be that way," I said. "Besides, that was a while ago. Things are different now."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, with being in a band, I'm sure there's lots of girls who are pretty interested."

"Interested?"

"I definitely noticed one."

He sat back, eyes gauging me. "Meaning what?"

"Your girlfriend?"

"You mean Tanya?"

I nodded.

He sighed heavily and crossed his arms. "We've known each other for a while." He looked away and didn't elaborate, because I knew he couldn't. "I don't know if she likes the idea of us or being attached to a band."

The awkward silence that hung between us now felt like a door closing. He noticed my demeanor and said, "Hey, I did my best to find you. I never thought you'd be here."

"You don't need to explain. It was my doing and I'm sorry. I'd just never done anything like that before."

"I know."

I was about to ask him what he meant by that, but Maria appeared with a giant plate of biscuits and gravy for him and a blueberry muffin for me.

"You sure you don't want anything else?" she asked.

"I'm fine, thank you."

Unsettled, I picked at my muffin, tearing it to shreds first and then eating the berries first. Had my inexperience been so noticeable, then? That was really, really embarrassing to think about. I pushed my pate to the side and grabbed for my coffee.

We were silent as we ate, and I was glad for it.

After a few minutes, he sat forward, "You busy on Friday?"

I wondered if he forgot the conversation we just had. "Not really. Why?"

"Come to Bumbershoot with me. I have tickets for Soundgarden."

"What about . . ."

"She could care less. I want to go with you."

"She won't mind?"

"Does it matter?"

"Yes," I said. "And no." I paused for a second, trying to be honest with myself. "What time?"

Thank you for reading!

xo nic

Song: Nearly Lost You - Screaming Trees

There are no prompts on Sundays, so the next chapter will post Monday PM.