Soooo, I caught what is known as the Ao3 Curse (I cross-post there as well). When I was poised to update, I landed in the hospital and came out after 3 days without a gallbladder. I'm still on the mend and trying to press forward is helping me to keep sane.
As always, thanks so much to Morrowsong for your unwavering support. Also thanks for the review, Nicyonce. Hi, welcome!
Night came in swiftly after the sun had set. Adam and Heather were outside on the back deck as Heather peered into an expensive telescope her old man had bought her a few years ago.
Heather pulled away with an enthusiastic grin on her lips. "Do you see that cluster of stars there?" she asked pointing into the night sky. "The one that vaguely resembles the letter W? That's Cassiopia, the vain queen in Greek mythology. If you look southward you can find her daughter, Andromeda," she informed him. "If you focus between the two, with more proximity towards Andromeda, you will be able to glimpse the Andromeda Galaxy."
Adam glanced up towards the sky skeptically and it almost caused Heather to recollect the ambiguous manner in which a certain goliath squinted dubiously up at the heavenly bodies that she was endeavoring to inform him of. Heather tamped the memory down hastily and motioned for Adam to step towards the telescope. "Here, see for yourself," she implored him timidly as she pointed at the device. "I have it perfectly focused here."
Adam stepped to the telescope. Bending over he peered through the lens. He could see it now. "Oh wow. Damn, that's crazy," Adam confirmed. It was neat, but nothing too special if you asked him.
Heather could feel herself imploding a little. She felt as though he was being insincere. Yet, she wanted him to esteem her for some reason. To deflect these emotions, she began to raddle off some information. The name Andromeda means ruler of men," she stated sheepishly. "The galaxy is also cataloged as Messier 33, M31, and NGC 224. Our galaxy – The Milky Way Galaxy – and the Andromeda Galaxy are on a collision course, and in approximately four billion years, they will collide!"
Adam straightened and gazed at her. "At least we'll be long gone from this God-forsaken hunk of dirt," he deadpanned.
Biting her lip, Heather imploded inside herself a bit more. She now felt foolish over her enthusiasm. She couldn't help but contemplate that at least someone had once the courtesy to entertain her ramblings. Heather released a subtle sigh. Perhaps that was quite enough star gazing for tonight? Silently Heather disassembled the telescope and folded the tripod. She carefully deposited the different sections on the cushions of the nearby patio furniture.
Heather walked over to the edge of the swimming pool. She stared at the tranquil water that was dimly illuminated by the underwater light fixtures built into the walls of the pool. The filters over the lights caused the water to change to different colors. It always looked rather magical to Heather.
Apparently, Adam thought so too as he sauntered up beside her. "That looks pretty freaking sick," he commented. "You ever go swimming in here at night?"
"Oh, yes. Quite frequently, to be frank. It may be unorthodox, but this is my preferred time for a swim," Heather admitted bashfully. "The temperature is exquisite as the heat absorbed throughout the day has yet to dissipate. Also, the absence of the Sun eliminates the risk of sunburn and damage to the dermis."
"Do you wanna go swimming right now?" Adam questioned.
"Oh," Heather was caught off guard by his query. Folding her hands together, she bit her lip and gazed down at her Converse. "I…I believe my mother will be instructing me to bid you a good evening soon…"
Adam chuckled at her reply. "That's why we should go now," he quipped and then shot Heather an odd sort of grin that left her somewhat bewildered.
Heather lifted her eyes towards him, her expression even more perplexed. "But you do not even have a suit," she stated logically.
"Oh well," Adam shrugged.
"But how –" Heather's quandary had turned into a surprised yelp when Adam seized her around the waist and launched them both into the deep end of the pool. Heather thrashed about under the water for a moment before gaining her bearings. She broke the surface sputtering and coughing.
Heather removed her glasses which were obscured by water droplets and carefully placed them on the concrete edge of the pool. Her gaze fell on Adam with a most displeased visage. "What would possess you to do such a thing?" she questioned in the closest disposition to outrage that she held. "Our clothes are now sodden," Heather lamented as she thought of her favorite Converse, now water-logged. The only silver lining was that the canvas was machine washable so they should not suffer damage too greatly.
Adam merely simpered back at her. "It's just clothes," he retorted flippantly.
That did not assuage Heather's indignation and she slapped the water, sending a small wave splashing into the boy's face. Heather immediately released a gasp, stunned by her action.
Adam wiped the water from his face and glared at her in feigned anger. "Hey," he said before he used both hands to return the gesture, the water crashing into the girl's face.
"Excuse me," Heather griped at him following her momentary astonishment. Her hand on the ledge of the pool, Heather attempted to maneuver herself away in order to create distance between them.
Adam lunged forward, closing the gap as he grabbed Heather up and pulled her tiny body against his own. Before Heather could register what was taking place, Adam's lips were vehemently pressed against her own. Heather found herself arrested by the unanticipated kiss as they bobbed in the pleasantly warm water.
Adam pulled away and assessed her countenance. She looked to be utterly stunned and flummoxed. "Sorry. I kinda wanted to do that for a while now," he confessed with a faint smile.
Heather's doe eyes gaped at him while she was undecided as to whether she wanted to tear herself from his hold or not. Her heart was beating wildly in her chest in response to these divided emotions.
"Can I do it again?" Adam whispered slowly into her ear, as they drifted in the water.
When Adam's embrace tightened around her, Heather's brain seemed to short-circuit and she nodded silently. Heather's lips parted slightly of their own volition as Adam's mouth met hers once more. The kiss had started out cautiously but deepened after a few moments. Heather's few faculties were reeling; her emotions bordering on guilt. She had only ever shared this experience with one person – that is if one excluded Brandon Bedson that Fourth of July in the stables. That kiss hadn't felt authentic, however. What terrified Heather at this moment was that this kiss did.
Heather desired to break away but found that she could not. She found herself longing to stay here as much as she longed to tear away. Adam pulled her body flush against him as they floated toward the center of the pool. Almost instinctively Heather's arms encircled his neck. Adam's hands left her waist and brushed over the curve of her hips. Moving to the front of the girl's body, Adam grasped the button on her shorts and popped it open.
Heather's brain having been reduced to utter pottage and the internal conflict that was waging inside her, she barely registered Adam tugging on the zipper of her shorts. It wasn't until Adam peeled back the waistband of her panties and tried to slip his fingers inside that Heather reclaimed her senses and tore her lips from his.
"Wh-what are you doing?" she asked incredulously. She broke free of his grasp and swam to the wall of the pool, gripping the ledge. Heather found that she was shivering now, despite the water still being warm.
Adam swam towards her again. "Are you a virgin?" he questioned with a peculiar sort of glint in his eye, as though he were a prospector who had just struck gold.
"No," the reply came as though Heather had incurred some type of affront within his quandary.
Adam narrowed his eyes at her in a skeptical manner that indicated he didn't believe her. "Hmph, who have you had sex with?" he demanded coolly.
Heather should have been greater offended by his uncouth inquiry. However, she had become too distracted by the anguish that bloomed inside her chest. Heather remembered that night. His searing kisses. His hands that blazed over her skin with each and every touch. The manner in which someone of his hulking stature should have mercilessly fractured her in half. Yet, he displayed the utmost care and gentle affection towards her.
Heather craned her neck, her gaze traveling towards her bedroom window that overlooked the backyard. Not too much had taken place in that room. But in the adjacent room on the other side of the hall, it was a different story.
"It was…" Heather dropped her gaze but didn't turn back to meet Adam's eyes because the tears were threatening to well inside her own. "Just some guy," she murmured with an ache in her chest.
"Just so –"
"What the fuck are you two doing in the pool?" a voice cut through their conversation. The teens' heads swiveled to gaze up at the blonde young woman. Her icy blue eyes bore a hole into them as she crossed her arms over her chest. "It's almost eleven. Mom said Adam should have been gone forty minutes ago," Reves informed her sister, although she had little concern with following any sort of instruction.
Heather's visage flared with mortification. "Yes. Yes, of course. Time must have gotten away from us," Heather replied obediently as she began to swim towards the stairs to climb out of the pool.
Reves watched her sister with scrutiny as she lumbered out of the pool. "Why are you wearing your entire fucking outfit?" Reves demanded as she gestured towards her sister's sopping wardrobe.
"I…I fell in," Heather fibbed as she witnessed the blonde's eyebrows raise in disbelief.
"With your shorts undone?" Reves scolded her as though she were her parent rather than her sibling while she scowled at the other girl's lower half.
Heather's gaze shot down to her compromised bottoms. She yelped in humiliation, tears springing from her emerald orbs as she hastily attempted to make herself dignified once more. This was utterly mortifying and Heather wished that she could evanesce into thin air.
Heather rushed to pick up her glasses and nearly sprinted to one of the back doors. Before she entered she swiftly turned and bid goodnight to Adam before scurrying inside.
Reves' scrutinizing glare followed Adam as he drudged out of the pool. She eyed him to ensure that his fly was not undone or anything of the sort – not that she was keen on seeing anything. "I suppose you fell in too? Or did you jump in to save her?" she asked scathingly.
Adam didn't answer. He merely shot her a half sneer that challenged her to try and say anything at all. He sauntered off of the deck, going the long way around the house to his car.
Another Monday had rolled around and Heather was at her locker. She had a Trigonometry test this afternoon. She had wanted to get in a bit of extra studying just to ensure that she would do well, so she had parted ways with Jeremiah when they entered the courtyard. Of course, he had teased her about how unnecessary that was, but he allowed her to go on without much fuss.
"Hey, Pigeon."
A voice startled her and she gave a tiny yelp. Heather's eyes averted to her left to see Adam standing there. He had taken to calling her Pigeon because he would rib her about how effortlessly she would get flustered and get her feathers ruffled, as he would put it.
"Oh, hello. You gave me a fright," Heather admitted sheepishly.
"You're so easily frightened. Boo!" Adam joked.
A pink tint came to Heather's cheeks as she dropped her head and released a little giggle.
Adam smirked. She always had a sweet laugh. Adam eyed the books in her arms. "Watcha doing?" he asked casually.
"I am set to do some last-minute studying for my trigonometry exam this afternoon," Heather replied.
Adam openly rolled his eyes at her. "There are more things in Heaven and Earth, Horatio."
"That are dreamt of in your philosophy," Heather finished the quote and sent him a pointed look as she closed the door to her locker. She couldn't help the slight smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.
Adam shrugged. "Whatever. The point still stands."
"Does it?" Heather asked as she began to walk towards the library. She had approximately thirty minutes before the school day commenced and she wanted to make the best use of it.
"Are you trying to get into Harvard or something?" Adam asked in a genuinely curious voice.
Heather didn't extrapolate on his inquiry. Yet she did chide him, "It is a travesty that you have some of the highest test scores on the state standardized examinations, yet your class work is so abysmal."
"Ouch. Damn, are you out for blood today?" Adam feigned insult.
After a moment Heather realized how biting her statement was. "I do apologize," she offered after the guilt settled over her. "It is simply that I loath to witness you wasting your potential. You know you fritter away all of your opportunities by not applying yourself in your studies."
Adam laughed sardonically. "Pigeon, I ain't going to college. You think I got the money for that?"
"There is a plethora of scholarships available," Heather commented.
"Yeah, that's what I need. To be a charity case," Adam grumbled.
"It is nothing of the sort," Heather countered. "I have applied for several myself."
"Good for you. I'm sure you'll get something," Adam stated half in earnest, half sarcastically.
As they reached the door to the library, Heather bit her lip, momentarily mulling over how to dismiss Adam so that she may study. Of course, she wasn't adept at such things. She would constantly feel as though she was going to cause someone to be affronted or that she may injure their feelings. Although she knew deep down it was only her that was so sensitive to such things.
"Well, I have exactly twenty-six minutes until the first bell rings," Heather stated as she dropped her eyes to her Chucks, praying that he would be in tune with her insinuation.
It was apparent that he was not. "Cool," Adam replied, "I wanted to show you something."
Heather bit her lip apprehensively. "My apologies, but truly I do not have the time to spare."
Adam rolled his eyes at her yet again. "Oh come on. It's not like you won't ace that damn test anyway." Adam nudged her playfully.
Flattered by his statement, Heather felt herself flush at his words.
"You don't have to be going balls to the wall all the time. Do you really think an extra twenty minutes of studying is going to make or break your whole test? Or your whole GPA for that matter?"
Heather pondered this for a moment. "N-no I don't suppose it will," she murmured. Truth be told she had reviewed and performed more practice equations than she could recall. Heather frowned before inquiring, "What was it that you wished to show me?"
"You'll have to follow me out to the parking lot," Adam informed her.
"Why?" Heather plainly wondered.
"You'll see," Adam assured her.
With a sigh, Heather resigned herself to his cryptic behavior. "If you insist," she grumbled with a shake of her head.
"I do." Adam made a display of giving a little bow which almost made Heather crack a smile and then he offered up his arm to her, which she timidly took after a moment's hesitation. With that, they made their way out to the student parking lot.
"What is it that you intended to present? This is merely your vehicle," Heather observed.
Adam chuckled at her. "Of course, it is. Get in."
"For what purpose? School is set to begin shortly," the dark-haired girl stated in a tone that was teetering towards exasperation.
That mischievous glint came to Adam's eyes again. "You ever played hooky, Pigeon?"
"Certainly not," Heather replied in a voice that suggested that she was most appalled by the quandary.
That was a rhetorical question of course. Adam knew she was too straight-laced to ever think of doing something so dastardly as skipping school. She probably quaked with fear every time she pictured her old man blowing a gasket at the very idea of her doing something so irresponsible. Despite all of that, however, today was going to be different. "Guess there's a first time for everything." Adam shrugged.
Heather's jaw dropped and her eyes bulged in disbelief. "There most certainly is not," she protested.
"Oh come on, Pigeon. It won't take that long. I was even going to give you a little driving lesson," the boy added attempting to persuade the reticent girl.
"I do not believe that would be wise," Heather argued meekly. "I am not very adept at operating a motor vehicle."
"Have you ever even been behind the wheel?"
"I have," Heather proclaimed with an oddly defensive tone.
Adam raised an eyebrow in skepticism.
"Once or twice…" she murmured, feeling suddenly self-conscious due to her inadequate skills. A prolonged silence settled over the two of them. It made Heather feel extremely ill at ease until she extrapolated. "I narrowly avoided careening into the garage door on more than one occasion. My father was livid – as I am sure you could imagine. Following the second admonishment, not only had I relinquished any desire to hone that particular skill, I must confess that I am also absurdly frightened of the very prospect of operating a vehicle."
Adam chuckled at her once more. "That's because nobody gives you enough of a chance to do anything. Am I right?"
Heather nodded her head. "I suppose that is true," she conceded.
"And what did you tell me about getting back on the horse?"
A horse and a vehicle were not quite the same, but Heather could see the comparison. "Sound advice. Have you considered it in regard to yourself?" The words tumbled from Heather's mouth before she realized what she had uttered. Immediately, she flushed with mortification and averted her eyes.
Adam shot her a smirk. "Touche, Pigeon. Are you really that much of a goody-goody, or is it all an act?"
Heather's countenance conveyed both humiliation and indignation as she stood there shifting the stack of books from one arm to the other.
"Tell ya what, Pigeon," Adam started as he regarded her coolly. "Come with me, and I'll let you teach me how to ride your Pinto." Adam struck the deal, although truth be told he had little idea of how much he would actually follow through. Those animals scared him shitless, but of course, he wasn't going to admit that to her.
A queer expression came to Heather's visage. "He is an Andalusian," Heather corrected.
"A horse is a horse," the boy shrugged, dismissively.
"Well, not precisely…" Heather started.
"Clock's ticking, Pigeon. Wouldn't want Officer Martin to come out and find us, wouldn't we?" Adam reminded her ominously.
As though it were waiting for his cue, the first bell rang, signaling the start of class. Even if Heather returned now, she would be marked as tardy. Wearing a cross expression, she glanced at Adam as she begged the question which was worse, being a few minutes tardy, or being absent for the duration of the entire period?
If she were absent for the entirety of the class, her instructor may surmise that she was ill. Perhaps she was suffering from a severe case of menstrual cramps? At one point, around age fifteen, she was plagued with episodes so dreadful, that she would be so ailing, that she truly would have to forego attending school. The fact that she had never received a Perfect Attendance award, since the commencement of her menstrual cycles made the functions all the more loathsome and inconvenient.
"Hello, anybody home?" Adam's voice called her from the ponderings.
Guilt settled over Heather at her mind's deceitful rationale. Heather turned back to glance at the school building. It loomed over them like the ever-present and watchful eye of an eldritch god, knowledgeable of their every deed.
Steeling herself against the indecision, Heather yanked open the door to the old jalopy and scrambled inside as if there were a horde of zombies on her tail.
"Hey, you're supposed to be the driver," Adam reminded her as he entered the vehicle.
"L-let's quit the premises first, sh-shall we?" Heather rejoined as a trembling hand fumbled for the seat belt.
"As you like it," Adam quipped as he shifted into gear and rolled the car out of the parking lot.
Breathing heavily, Heather ducked down in her seat, frightened that someone may recognize her.
Adam glanced at her with a scowl. "Will you chill? It's not like you're breaking out of prison," after a moment he added, "Actually, I take that back. Yes. Yes, it is."
"Well, I don't find it quite so humorous," Heather retorted as she sat up straighter now that they had cleared the parking lot.
Adam chortled at her freak-out. "If it's such a problem, why did you come along?"
His tone was not accusatory, yet it still set Heather on the defense "I-" she started near shouting out, then ceased. "I am not sure," she murmured as she dropped her head.
"It's okay, Pigeon. Trust me, you wouldn't get expelled over playing hooky one damn day," Adam assured her.
"It's j-just, I've n-never committed such an act as th-this," Heather stuttered. She noticed that the impediment had made its return, much to her chagrin.
Recalling recent events, Heather acknowledged that she had in fact committed such acts. In truth, ones far more brazen than this. Employing a false identification card to attend an establishment far too mature for her. Embarking on a journey with three grown men. Men who were virtual strangers at the time, but had become quite endeared to her before she had realized it. Venturing into the chamber of a sleeping goliath who was on a sojourn in her home and the deeds that they had engaged in…
"Are you going to get out?"
Heather had sunk so deep into her recollections, that she hadn't even noticed that Adam had pulled the vehicle into a half-empty parking lot. "I…" Heather was apprehensive, to say the least. "Are you positive that this is a wise initiative?" Heather questioned biting her lip.
"Sure. You can't hurt anything. These old cars are built like a fucking tank," Adam promised. "Although, it's a stick shift. You'll have to be careful."
"That is certainly reassuring," Heather deadpanned.
"Don't worry. Everything will be fine." Adam got out and walked around to the passenger's side. He opened the door motioning for Heather to get out.
Apprehensively, Heather made her way around the vehicle and sat in the driver's seat. It seemed to be quite an odd position that she found herself in. Heather was further lamenting that she had made the irrational decision to abandon school.
Remembering all of the necessary steps from the Driver's Handbook, Heather was sure first and foremost to buckle her seat belt. Next, she went through the process of adjusting her seat and the mirrors and was sure to take a preemptive glance about the perimeter of the vehicle.
Adam rolled his eyes at her and if Heather didn't know any better, she would say that he appeared mildly irritated by her preparations.
Timidly, Heather stared at Adam for a long moment. Finally, she pointed out, "You have not engaged your seat belt."
"It's cool," Adam said unconcerned.
"But it is an important part of vehicle safety," Heather argued meekly.
"I hate wearing the damn thing. Geez, everything will be fine, Pigeon." Adam playfully nudged her arm. "You ready?"
"I would say not. If you would like to know the truth of it, I feel scarcely prepared at all," Heather stated.
"Don't worry." Adam's hand came to Heather's thigh, giving it a gentle squeeze. The unanticipated action caused her to startle and Adam gave a smirk. "I won't let you kill us."
Adam's statement did little to instill confidence within her. If anything, it rendered the opposite effect.
"Okay, so first things first. This is the shifter," Adam said and pointed at a rod that was sticking out of the middle of the console. "That's the parking break." He pointed to a device that resembled a lever. "Unlike automatics, manuals have three pedals. You have the clutch on the left. The break is in the middle and on the right is the accelerator. We're in neutral right now," Adam said jiggling the gear shift back and forth. "As the RPMs get to a certain range you will shift gears."
Heather was listening intently, wishing she could take meticulous notes, but her backpack with her notebook was in the back seat.
"Whatcha wanna do first is press the clutch with your left foot and the break with your right," Adam told her.
Peering down at the floorboard to ensure her feet were placed on the proper pedals, Heather placed them correctly and depressed the respective pedal with each foot.
"Now you need to crank it."
"Crank it?" Heather repeated in a bewildered tone.
"Turn it on, silly." Adam shook his head at her.
"I see," Heather murmured although she hadn't the slightest comprehension as to what she was doing. As she reached up to turn the key in the ignition, a sudden wave of apprehension washed over her. What if they were involved in a horrific accident? What if her parents learned that she had been absent from school? She didn't assume that much worse could happen to her than already had, but the very thought was enough to fill her with even greater trepidation. "I don't think I can do this," she squeaked. "P-perhaps we should simply return to school?"
"I told you. Everything is going to be fine, okay? Do you think I would let anything happen to you?" Adam asked in a soothing tone as he placed a hand on her shoulder.
"It is more so my own ability that I have little faith in," Heather divulged.
"See that's the problem. How do you know if you don't try? Didn't we just go over this conversation, Pigeon?" Adam raised an eyebrow at her.
"We most certainly did," Heather confirmed as her head hung in embarrassment.
"C'mon, you can do this," Adam reassured her, gently poking at her side.
"I pray you have enough faith for the both of us then," Heather commented.
"I don't know about all that," Adam muttered, displaying his aversion to her references to prayer and faith.
Heather drew in a deep breath and her hand tentatively came to the key in the ignition as she turned it forward. At first, it didn't seem to react and then Adam inquired whether or not she was on the clutch. Heather realized that she had neglected that and pressed her feet down again. The vehicle turned over this time.
"Shift into first gear. Then you wanna take off the parking brake. Keep your foot on the clutch." Adam told her.
Although the steps weren't complex by any means, Heather felt herself already becoming overwhelmed and they had not even truly started.
Adam's next sentence piqued Heather's anxiety even further. "This part is a little tricky to get down. In order to get going, you have to lightly press the accelerator while slowly releasing the clutch."
"Oh my," Heather murmured. Removing her foot from the brake, Heather placed it on the right accelerator pedal. She tapped it gingerly with her foot, unsure of how much force to give it. As she let up on the clutch the vehicle lurched forward suddenly and then stalled. Heather gave a tiny cry as the jerking motion startled her. "Goodness! Wh-what happened?" Heather questioned.
A look of irritation flickered over Adam's face but disappeared as quickly as it came. "It's okay. It just stalled. It happens all the time when you are getting a feel for it. Just turn it back on and try again."
Heather wasn't certain that she wanted to attempt it again. It was said that driving a manual vehicle was notoriously difficult, yet she hadn't anticipated that it would be this challenging!
Following three more horrendously failed attempts, Heather finally managed to get the vehicle in motion. That is when the true gauntlet began: exiting the parking lot and venturing onto the roadway, where other traveling vehicles were.
Heather felt the knot coil in her stomach as her fingers gripped the steering wheel at ten and two. That is the proper position for the hands according to the Driver's Handbook, after all.
"Pigeon, if you wait for the road to be completely clear, you will never go," Adam chided her gently as car after car passed along with several opportunities to pull out.
"It is better you should lose a minute of your life than your life in a minute," Heather rejoined.
Adam snorted at that. "When I tell you to go, just go okay?"
"I d-do not th-"
"Go!" Adam shouted abruptly.
Heather was so frightened by his outburst that she gave a tiny yelp and slammed on the acceleration as the vehicle lurched onto the street. They felt a small bump as the rear right tire went over the curb and crashed down.
"Oh, gosh. Sorry!" Heather instinctively glanced behind her as the vehicle began veering to the left.
"Don't worry about that. Watch the road!" Adam snapped as he grabbed the wheel correcting the course of the vehicle.
A green Ford Taurus then passed as the man driving shouted at them, "Pick a lane!" and then offered up an obscene gesture.
"Same to you, pal," Adam retorted and returned the gesture in kind.
This did nothing for Heather's disposition. Her heart was thumping like a war drum inside her rib cage. Her hands trembled as tears began to obscure her vision. Reducing her speed considerably, Heather wanted nothing more than to be free of this situation. She was massively regretful that she had allowed Adam to persuade her in such a course.
"Uh, Pigeon. There is a speed limit ya know," Adam reminded her.
"I am well aware," Heather replied.
"Well, you know you can get in trouble for going too slow don't you?"
"Why, that seems utterly ridiculous. Yet, I surmise it is to prevent interruptions within the flow of traffic."
Heather glanced at Adam for the briefest of moments before Adam shouted abruptly, "Look out!"
A terrified shriek tore from Heather's throat as she whipped her head around to see that they were careening dangerously close to the vehicle in front of them.
"Brake! Brake!" Adam cried but Heather's mind was vacuous and her reflexes nonexistent. Swiftly, Adam grabbed the wheel and was able to steer them into an adjacent parking lot – by the skin of their teeth. The car jolted as they went over the curb again.
Heather, having finally regained control of her faculties, slammed on the brakes and the car jerked to a halt. Ironically, their saving grace had been the fact that Heather wasn't driving at any exuberant speed. Otherwise, they would have surely collided with the vehicle ahead of them.
Adam quickly pulled the lever on the parking brake. "Holy fucking shit!" he expelled breathlessly.
Heather sat in the driver's seat, hands still clutching the steering wheel for dear life. Her entire frame was wracked with sobs as the tears streamed down her cheeks.
Adam turned to Heather with a look of concern and frowned. "Hey, Pidge, you okay?"
After a few more moments of uninhibited wailing Heather spoke. "I…I told you that was a horrible design," Heather choked out between gulps of air. "I ruin everything. I can't do even the most menial tasks correctly and I nearly murdered us!" Heather lamented.
While Adam couldn't exactly argue that last statement, he did realize that this whole thing was really his fault and that he shouldn't have forced her out onto a busy roadway with so little experience.
To Adam driving had always seemed like second nature. He had been doing it since he was ten, either joyriding with other kids from the trailer park in his mom's old junker or he would have to walk to the local bar to drive his mom home when she was too shitfaced to do it herself. He realized Heather probably never had to do anything like that either.
Adam sat in silence just observing Heather for a minute. It was obvious she was still visibly distressed as her weeping had not ceased. Adam unbuckled his seat belt and leaned over, pulling Heather into his embrace. "Hey, it's alright. We're okay. Everything is okay."
Heather clung to Adam, burying her face in his shoulder. "Y-yes, but what if something horrific had h-happened?" Heather hiccupped.
"I didn't know you were that nervous. I'm sorry. Please don't be upset," Adam tried to soothe her with his words as he ran his hand over her back. With his other hand, he lifted Heather's chin and placed a chaste kiss on her cheek. Her cheeks were wet with tears and he could taste the salt from them.
Adam then moved on to her lips, pressing gently against them. He was testing the waters, seeing how she would react. Heather stiffened a bit from the contact but didn't pull away. Adam took this as a cue that he could deepen the kiss, so he did for just a few moments.
Not wanting to lay on too much at once he reluctantly pulled away. He watched Heather's countenance explode with color. She was blushing profusely and immediately turned away once their eyes met. Geez, she was so shy.
"Was it okay that I did that?" Adam questioned in a sort of sly voice as his hand gave her thigh a gentle squeeze.
Heather glanced at him momentarily and then jerked away again. Folding her arms across her chest, she felt the heat in her cheeks flare up once more. "I…I suppose…" Heather muttered. She bent her head, hair falling over her face like a veil.
It was then that Heather acknowledged that she had kissed Adam another time – or rather she had allowed him to kiss her. Even more troubling, was the fact that she had mildly enjoyed it. Before Heather could ruminate further on these prospects, Adam pulled her from her thoughts.
"I didn't mean to scare you, Pigeon. I shouldn't have put you out there like that. I know of some back roads outside the city. They're usually empty. That would be a great place to practice. I can get us there if you want.
Heather shook her head. "I want to go back to school," she snapped, tears threatening to fall again.
"Yeah," Adam said the word in a long and drawn-out manner. "I don't really think that is going to be possible now."
"Come again?" Heather gaped at him.
"Well, I mean we can't just go waltzing back into school after being gone, can we?" Adam rubbed the back of his neck, attempting a sheepish expression.
"Well that is just lovely," Heather groused her earlier fear being replaced by agitation.
"It really won't kill you to miss school for one day, ya know?" Adam chided her playfully and before she could respond he added, "Here, I'll drive for a little while."
Heather still hadn't been able to reply as he had gotten out of the car and made his way around to the driver's side. She then came to the realization that Adam truly had no intentions of returning to school. Heather was indignant, but she certainly couldn't drive them back to school herself. Therefore, she reluctantly exited the vehicle to take her position in the passenger's seat.
As they set out again, Adam demonstrated the proper technique for handling the vehicle. The proper amount of force to apply to the pedals and how to decipher when the gears needed to be shifted.
"Why don't you pick some tunes?" Adam suggested as he pointed to the glove box in front of Heather.
Pulling the latch which seemed to stick like every other item on the car, the door to the glove compartment flew open. It was apparently broken at the hinges and an array of cassette tapes sailed out and clattered onto the floorboard.
"Sorry," Heather murmured sheepishly at the mess she had made while Adam hummed a furtive response. Gathering the tapes up, she deposited all but a few back into the glove compartment. Perusing thoughtfully over the few options, she read the titles. Heather decided on Deftones' White Pony and returned the others to where they were housed.
Heather realized how sporadically she used Cassette tapes anymore as she pushed it into the opening that resembled a hungry mouth. Tapes were becoming more and more obsolete what with the rise of the compact disc in the 90s. Rewinding to the beginning, the tape started off on side A.
As they headed towards the outskirts of the city, Heather began to feel more at ease with Deftones' progressive and otherworldly sound bleeding from the stereo speakers. Before she knew it, they seemed to have left any trace of urban life behind as Adam turned onto a deserted back road lined with trees. At the end of October, it was still quite sweltering. The windows were rolled down and the wind whipped their hair as Adam punched it, shifting gears expertly, and Heather thought how effortlessly he did so.
"You know this route well?" Heather questioned over the sound of the wind blowing into the car. She had to lean in towards him in order to be heard – as if it weren't difficult enough.
"I like to come out here just to drive around and think sometimes when shit's on my mind," Adam told her with a grin.
Biting her lip to keep from giggling for some bizarre reason, Heather glanced at him bashfully. Adam had a sort of boyish charm underneath that fierce exterior. At times, Heather saw a melancholy in his eyes that she felt stemmed from being misunderstood and coming from a family that was certainly dysfunctional and far from encouraging and affectionate. Meeting his parents for the first time, Heather understood where the sense of isolation and neglect came from.
"Hey, I wanna show you a spot I like to go sometimes," Adam spoke, breaking into the momentary silence that had fallen between them.
"Oh?" Heather murmured in curiosity. "Alright."
They drove for about half a mile before Adam turned down another side road. The road was narrower and like the previous, seemed to be largely deserted. Traveling for a few more miles, Adam turned right and down a dirt road that resembled more of a trail. Trees flanked the vehicle so closely on both sides, that it gave the illusion of a tunnel. After a minute, it opened into a clearing with a small pond at the center.
Heather took in the sight of the pond and the sun cutting through the treetops in stunning rays. It was quite a serene display. "How gorgeous!" Heather tilled as the car stopped and she hopped out to observe the scenery better.
"Yeah, nobody really knows about this place," Adam said as he slammed the car door and trailed up behind her. He neglected to tell her that it was private property and that the sign just so happened to get knocked down during a particularly bad storm. The owners never came to put it back up and besides it wasn't like they ever came out here. Like Heather's family, they had so much land it wasn't like they would know if someone was hanging out here.
"I like to come out here and smoke a few joints every once in a while and just chill," Adam added, watching Heather's nose wrinkle when he mentioned smoking.
He couldn't really get what her problem was with it. It's not like it was hurting anyone. And it wasn't some hard shit like heroin. Maybe if she tried it at some point she would loosen up a bit. Unfortunately, he didn't have any pot on him, so Adam took his cigarettes out of his pocket and lit one. Heather's expression wasn't any less judgmental as she stepped a few feet away from him and focused on the pond. Adam shrugged and exhaled a cloud of smoke.
"You wanna sit down?" Adam asked a couple of minutes later as he finished up his cigarette. He wanted to flick the butt off into the grass but he knew that would earn him a reprimanding scowl from the girl. "I got a blanket in the trunk," he added.
Heather ignored his improper grammar. "Um, sure," Heather mumbled. Her hands clasped behind her back and began rocking on her heels as she waited for Adam to retrieve the blanket and spread it out over the grass.
Once it was laid out, Heather removed her Converse, not wanting to soil the blanket with her footwear. She sat down, cross-legged on one side of the blanket. Heather was relieved that she had worn her tights as per her normal routine. On the contrary, it was atrociously humid today, even for late October. Heather was loyal to her home state of Texas, but she could never prevent herself from longing for more temperate and varied seasons. The prospect of a New England Autumn was divine to her.
"It would be lovely to bring a book and spend the day reading here," Heather noted.
Adam flopped down beside her, propping himself up on one elbow. "It would be lovely to have a fat blunt to smoke on," Adam commented with a smirk, knowing that would rile her virtuous sensibilities.
Turning away, Heather could scarcely conceal her moral affront. "I certainly wouldn't know about anything of the sort," she muttered as she looked up at the treetops rustling gently in the breeze.
The minuscule gust of air came as a blessing when the temperature was so ridiculously high and the humidity nearly unbearable. Letting go of Adam's comment, Heather laid back and gazed up at the clear, blue sky. A few puffy clouds were wafting in the air. Heather noticed the sound of birds chirping and the buzzing of insects that seemed to make the earth hum. She was supposed to be at school, in her Sociology class to be precise. On the contrary, she was here in this secluded and undisclosed location staring up at the sky as if she hadn't a care in the world.
Without warning, the clouds suddenly opened up, releasing a drizzling shower. Heather bolted upright. "Oh, goodness," she exclaimed as she scrambled to her feet.
Following suit, more for Heather's sake than anything, Adam hastily gathered up the blanket and they sprinted for the safety of the car. They both scrambled inside and slammed the door.
"Damn that came outta nowhere," Adam cackled with a grin as he wiped the dripping water from his eyes.
Removing her raindrop-obscured glasses, Heather managed a tiny giggle. "There is a wedding today," she supplied with a slight beam.
"Huh?" Adam gawked at her in bewilderment.
"Not an actual wedding. Forgive me," Heather said shaking her head. "A sun shower is a phenomenon where the wind often carries precipitation from miles away despite there being little to no clouds in the sky. A number of different cultures hold folktales in regard to the phenomenon, many involving the wedding of a witch, or a fox, or even the Devil."
Adam chortled at the absurdity of it. "Is that supposed to be good luck or something?" he questioned cynically.
"Well, the sun's presence does increase the likelihood of seeing a rainbow. So I suppose one could surmise that in theory," the girl supplied.
Adam laughed sardonically again. I could use some fucking luck, he thought as he leaned in to capture Heather's lips.
Heather's entire body seized. That certainly wasn't the first time that he had done such a thing, yet the unanticipated action reduced her to a state of arrest. Adam slid closer to her, his arm wrapping around her shoulder as he drew her in. Adam pressed further into the kiss and Heather felt a shudder run through her. She wasn't certain whether it was due to Adam's kiss or the chill from her sudden dampened state.
Abruptly Heather's memory was struck with the recollection of sprinting through the rain like an insolent fool and the goliath that pursued her, grudgingly. Even within Adam's embrace, it was a memory that seemed a lifetime away and yet, so close that it crashed into her like a tidal wave.
Heather broke away from the kiss with tears welling in her eyes. "I'm sorry. I don't think I can…" Her already muted voice trailed off as she turned away.
"What's wrong? Do you just not like me?" Adam questioned in a dejected tone.
"N-no," Heather mumbled. "I mean to say that," Heather blurted out after she realized how her response would be perceived. "I-it is simply that…" Heather's words faded again as she refused to meet Adam's gaze. She noted that her cheeks were blazing with heat. Yet they were blazing more from shame than any sort of mortification.
How could Heather reveal to Adam her tragic affair with a man twice her age? The man whom she still very much esteemed. The man whom she was still consumed by thoughts of on the daily. She hadn't released her yearning for him. She had merely taught herself to refrain from speaking of him.
"I really like you, Pigeon," Adam stared at her, his deep brown eyes boring into her. "I know you're shy, and you're not used to all this, but I really enjoy being around you." Adam inched closer to her and drew her further into his arms. "Do you like me? Even a little?" he asked her in a low timbre.
Refusing to meet his gaze, Heather felt her cheeks flare with greater intensity despite her resistance. "I…" Heather didn't know how to respond. Certainly, she didn't dislike Adam. He was witty and intelligent, traits she admired without question. She could not deny that she sensed herself responding physically to his touch and his kiss. He was also reasonably attractive – not that such things had ever been of true consequence to her. These aspects should have greatly endeared Adam to her and ensured her affections. "W-well, y-yes I…" Before she had the opportunity to complete her thoughts, Adam's mouth sealed over hers, pressing into a deep and searing kiss.
Heather was confounded. Again she found herself wishing to tear away from his grasp while simultaneously pressing into his embrace. Pulling away first, Adam tucked a strand of hair behind Heather's ear. "Do you want to move to the back?" Adam asked in a soft pant.
"Th-this is fine," Heather croaked.
"Nah, c'mon this will be much more comfy," he leered at her as he got out and climbed into the back seat motioning her to do the same.
Far beyond her better judgment, Heather found herself fulfilling his request as she joined him in the rear of the car. Adam's arms came around her just as before as he pressed his lips to hers once again and she gave herself over to it tentatively. Heather's body seemed to act of its own accord when her arms encircled Adam's neck. Taking her action as a cue, Adam's kiss grew fervent, almost savage in a sense.
Heather could concede that Adam certainly did hold a fair amount of practice in comparison to herself. And yet, Heather could not help but take account that he was by no means as adroit as the goliath whom she severely longed for. The giant possessed an innate ability to send her mind reeling and drive her physical being to the brink of ecstaticity with one simple kiss. It stood to reason, however. Adam was merely a teenager, her own age. Of course, he wouldn't possess the sage expertise of a man twice his age.
Tears pricking the corners of her eyes, Heather felt the faith that she had been carrying for the past several months beginning to dissolve. She had clung to the prospect of seeing Kevin again with every ounce of allegiance she could retain. And yet, Kevin had long been absent from her life. She was well aware that this was due to no culpability of his own.
Still, Heather grudgingly acknowledged that resentment was slowly beginning to bloom in the corners of her heart. He had abandoned her to battle all the devils and monsters of this world on her own. He was so far away, utterly unreachable. In the face of those insurmountable odds, Heather's faith that they would ever one day reunite was gradually slipping away.
As Heather was drowning in her conundrum she had scarcely registered that Adam had gingerly laid her down across the seat. They were still locked in a heated kiss, Adam's tongue now intruding into her mouth. Heather's faculties heightened when she sensed Adam reach underneath her skirt and drag her tights off of her hips. Heather felt as though she were walking in a lucid dream. Was she truly poised to engage Adam in such an intimate act?
The instant she felt Adam press against her center, Heather's heart shattered inside her chest as a sickening grief gripped her entire being. Tears sprang forth from her eyes and she cried out, "No! Stop! I can't. I can't!" Heather pushed against Adam's chest as she shoved him off of her and then pulled herself into an upright position as a horrific wail tore from her throat. Her body wracked as she sobbed hysterically.
Hands trembling, Heather yanked up her tights attempting to restore what little dignity she felt remained. She had nearly betrayed the man she loved. Yes, she loved him. She still loved him. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," Heather keened, beseeching forgiveness from a man who could not hear her cries.
After fixing his trousers, Adam sat there in bewildered silence and observed her frenzy. Following a minute he raised an eyebrow and asked her, "Are you sure you're not a virgin?"
"I am not," Heather whispered only giving him a fleeting glance.
"Okay, it's just, most people don't freak out like that. It's just sex. It's not that big a deal." Adam shrugged with near indifference.
"It is to me," Heather divulged, her cheeks streaked with her tears.
Adam dropped his gaze. He didn't understand why she could possibly be so upset. Maybe she really just fucking hated him? He should have known better than to think she would want anything to do with his ass. He knew now he could never be good enough for her. "I'm sorry," Adam spoke again after some time. "I'll take you home."
My apologies that this chapter was heavily OC-centric and ended up an ungodly length for some reason. Go figure.