"It only hurts this much right now

Was what I was thinking the whole time

Breathe in, breathe through, breathe deep, breathe out

I'll be getting over you my whole life"

Abe sat on the sofa, already dry, but feeling uneasy. He couldn't express how hard he tried not to stare at her body while she was leaving the pound. Her wet t-shirt clinging to her body like a second skin, leaving little to the imagination as it contoured her curves. The fabric almost transparent letting the colors of her body apparent. She took his breath away.

And now, besides that image, he was fighting with the picture of her right now in the shower. Completely naked, her wet skin turning pink with the heated water. The foam of the soap traveling to her body, down each hollow and curve. A path he would die to follow with his hands.

And then there was the image of her coming out of the shower, wrapped in one of his soft towels, smelling like lavender and rain. All the soft parts of her body flushed by the hot water.

But even when she came out of her room. Dressed in comfy shorts and t-shirt, with her drying hair cascading down her back. Not in any way sexual, but made him feel like his widest, wettest dreams had come true.

After dinner, when it started getting cold, they went to the library and he started a fire. She sat down on a couch in the middle of the room, taking a book.

- What we used to do when we were together? I don't remember.

Abe swallowed hard. In those last months there was only one thing they did when they're together.

- Usually - he cleared his throat. - we would read, or listen to music, or talk.

- Ah.

He took a blanket and wrapped around her, covering legs that were the cause of his constant distractions.

They went to bed alone. But both took a while to fall sleep knowing that they were under the same roof, just a few steps apart.

- Let's have dinner together. - he says one day at the afternoon.

- I thought we have been doing that every day.

- Yes, but... I mean a special dinner. I want to cook for you.

- Aahn, you mean like a date? - she blushed and looked down.

- Yes, like a date.

- I would love too. But I have nothing to wear.

- I can help you with that.

She took his hand as he led her to the his room. Her heart was beating fast when she saw her old dress laying there, on his bed. The dress.

- I kept it. It brings me good memories. - he whispered in her ear from behind.

She bet it did. That was the dress she wore at that party. The dress he took off of her before they made love for the first time.

- I don't think it will fit me anymore. - she admitted.

- Just try it on.

She look up at him nervously.

- Indulge me.

- Okay. Okay. Shooo. See you later.

An hour later, she got out of her room, wearing the dress and nothing more. She didn't have any shoes to go with it, so she went barefoot. Much less jewelry. But she did put on light make up and did a ponytail on her hair.

The dress was kinda hard to put on, since it now gathers fabric around her hips where it fits tightly. Her breasts also looked fuller in the fabric. She took his breath away. She was looking like a goddess.

All the lights were off and some candlelight illuminated the path to the front porch. A table settled there.

- Why all of this? - she asks.

-Well, you told me you rarely go on dates and it's Friday. It's only fair I asked you. - he handles her a glass of red wine and clinks it with his before taking a gulp.

- Take a sit. - he holds the chair for her.

He is wearing a black button down with his sleeves rolled up and black pants. He looks nice cleaned up. They are sitting face to face, but very close. Sam looked him in his eyes and giggled.

- What is it? - he asked.

- This is weird.

- You've said that before. - he takes a bite of the food and looked annoyed.

- Sorry. I just... It is strange for me to hang out with you after such a long time as if nothing changed. It's like I don't know you anymore.

- Isn't that the point of a date? To get to know each other?

- Yes, but, at the same time, I know you already.

- Tell you what. Let's just start over as if we don't know each other. Like, if a guy on campus asked you out for the first time. What would you ask him? What would you talk about?

She bit her lip.

- I have no idea. Maybe that's why I don't go in dates.

He smiles.

- Okay. I'll start then. - he leaned in and took her hand. - Thank you for accepting my invitation Ms. Taylor. - he kissed the back of her hand. - You look stunning in this dress.

She pulled back her hand, waving it around.

- Not at all. - she answered. - I had nothing better to do anyway.

And she shrugged, taking a sip of her wine so she wouldn't laugh.

- I doubt that. A beautiful woman like you must have a line of suitors wanting your company on a Friday night.

She shrugs again. Damn. This confidence suits him.

- None of which interests me.

- Ah! What interests you Ms. Taylor?

- Samantha.

- Samantha. - the way he says her name makes her insides turn jelly.

- Many things interest me. But none originated by nineteen year old jocks. I prefer older men.

She looked away, playing her part beautifully.

- What do you study, Samantha?

- Occult literature.

- Interesting. What is it?

- Well, basically stories with some supernatural elements in it.

- Seems obscure.

- Well, that's what occult means.

He laughs.

- What about in you free time?

- I usually read or watch something. Hang out with my friends. Nothing out of ordinary.

- Any obscure past times?

It's her turn to laugh.

- Maybe. But I'm not gonna tell you tonight.

That was easy. Pretending to be a normal girl going on a date for the first time with a normal guy. It made her loosing up a bit. Or maybe it was the wine. But she crossed her legs very slow, brushing against his under the table and exposing a little more of her thigh.

- You know. - she said taking an olive and popping in her mouth. - I don't wear a dress like this for just any guy.

- Is that so? - he looked down to his plate, cutting his steak.

- Yes. Only in special occasions.

- Am I special to you then, Samantha?

She blushed and look down.

- It is an honor. I can't start describing how breathtaking you look tonight.

He took her hand across the table and started making lazy circles that for some reason she could feel in her thighs.

- Okay. Okay. I think that's enough. We can go back of being ourselves.

He laughed.

- Okay. So tell me about Blake.

- I told you about him already. He's gay!

- That's not what I mean. I just want to know more about him. That's all.

- Why the interest in him?

- Well, I am just curious to know about the man that stole my position as your best friend.

- Oh. That. - she rolled her eyes. - He's nice, funny, outgoing and I can be completely myself. No complications. No expectations.

- What about... ah... Emma?

- Yes. She is also very nice. She was my roommate in freshmen year. But she got tired of me and moved out. We kept in touch and became friends. Blake was our neighbor. Well, he is still mine anyway.

- What about Peter, your boyfriend?

- I've told you. He's not my boyfriend. Never was. It's just a way for Emma and Blake to vex me. They have a very... ahn... busy love life and are always insisting on me going out and dating. But, as I told you before, I'm not very much into it. So, I might have gone out with Pete some times so they would just leave me be.

- You seem bothered by it. Being not into it, I mean.

- Not in the slightest. It just bothers me that they insisted on it. Or that everybody on campus for that matter seems to enjoy this party life, which I don't.

- Don't enjoy or didn't try?

- Oh, I've tried the party girl life, believe me, not for me.

- Well. I think you should try to have fun in college.

- You sound just like Blake. - she rolled her eyes at him.

- Hum. I just think the college experience should be about more than studying, you know.

- You should try it then. I swear that getting wasted in parties and having bad sex in the bathroom with complete strangers is not what I'm into.

He laughed and she looked at him in disbelief.

- That's not exactly what I was meaning by college experience.

- Well, but that's what people do mostly. I met Blake because I couldn't handle all the sex noises coming day and night from his apartment anymore. Everyday a new guy! So I knock on his door to complain.

- Oh my!

- Do you know what he did? He opened and said to my face: "Sorry honey, I don't do pussy." And closed the door in my face.

Abe chocked on his wine. Sam raised her shoulders.

- Right. - he said cleaning his mouth on the napkin that was in his lap. - I think I had enough of hearing your college experiences.

He stood up. Taking their plates to the kitchen. While he emptied the plates on the trash, his back to her, he couldn't help but ask:

- Dance with me?

She looked up at him. Their eyes met and he walked to her. She put her napkin on the table and took his hand. He helped her up and held her in his arms. A soft Sinatra song started to play. She smiled at the choice. So classy.

- Was your experience like that? Drunk in parties and bad sex? - he said.

- Does it matter?

- Not really. But I'm curious. - his naked hand against her naked back, holding her to him.

- Can't we change the topic? - she sighed and looked away.

- Well, I just want to...

- What do you want, Abraham? Should I just give you the list of guys who fuck me over the years?

She stepped back, ready to leave but he held her by the wrist.

- Sam? I'm sorry. That was not what I meant. - she stopped and he pulled her in - I just... want to know about your life on these years we've been apart. Even the parts I wouldn't want to hear.

- Well, what about you? Are you going to tell me all of your experiences in the last four years? How many times have you fucked the princess?

He sighed and let her go.

- I told you before. Nothing ever happened.

- Right. - she looked away.

He took her by the forearms and held her facing him. Up at him since she was barefoot.

- I won't lie to you. I thought about it. More than once. Since you were gone and all... but I couldn't. It didn't feel right. I've never even kissed her again. The only time was the one you unfortunately witnessed.

Sam felt embarrassed.

- I... I... I couldn't either. - she confessed. - I'm sorry for the outburst. I just... I tried so hard to get over you, I thought I did. But Blake and Emma always told me I didn't. That's why, they say, I could never do it with anyone else.

He took her face in his hands.

- I wouldn't have matter if you had.

- I know.

- Do they know about me? Blake and Emma? - he asked frowning.

- Yeah. - she blushed. - That's the consequence of another college experience: getting falling in your face drunk.

She put her hands around his neck as he held her by the waist.

- What exactly did you tell them?

- Well, since we are exchanging confessions, do you really wanna know?

- Yes.

- I was pissed, cause I met a really hot guy at a party. But when we kissed and started making out, I couldn't go thru with it. It didn't feel good like... well, like us. So I left him and took a lot of shots at the bar, plus the drinks I had already gulped down. I don't remember much more. Next day, I woke up in the sofa and the first thing Blake and Em asked me was: who is Abraham?

The second thing was: Is he really THAT GOOD? But she wasn't telling him that.

He smiled sweetly at her and she dropped her eyes.

- Apparently, while they were dragging me home dead drunk and crying I was calling your name. So. That's my embarrassing college experience.

- Anything else I should know about?

- I think it's enough for tonight.

As he tried to kiss her, she pushed out of his arms.

- Just, one more thing, I... I don't know how to say this.

Sam walked away and sat on the sofa. Abe followed her and sat next to her. Rubbing her back assuringly.

- It's okay dear. Whatever you want to tell me.

- It's just. It was really ... really hard on me, these years. And I know it's partly my fault, but I did my best to move on with my life. I was sure we would never meet again and it took me a long time to make peace with that. I still don't know where this is going. You and me. But... what I'm trying to say is... I really need a time to process all of this.

She took a deep breath. And he held her hands.

- I just... don't think that I can just go back to being as if nothing had changed.

- But a lot has changed. You and me included. Whatever this is going, as you said, we don't need to rush anything. We just figure it out on the way, ok?

- Yeah, that's perfect. Thank you for understanding.

- I know I'm not Blake. But you are still my best friend and my love. You can be yourself around me. No complications. No expectations. I promise.

She smiled and bit her lower lip, a new trait of her, he noticed, putting her hands around his neck again she said smiling.

- You are the epitome of all my complications, Abraham Sapien.

"Oh, oh, I'm falling in love

Oh, no, I'm falling in love again

Oh, I'm falling in love

I thought the plane was going down

How'd you turn it right around?"