First Kiss (Heavy Influence) (26 page)

“So you’ve told each other
I love you
.” I lurched forward shaking her knee so she would look at me. “Shut the front door! Who said it first?”

“Dude, I’m totally and completely head over heels for him and he said it to me first, in so many words, not actually –
I love you
...but then he came over late one night and spilled his guts.” Nicole explained.

“Wow. You guys have been hanging out
forever!
I’m so happy for you!” Nicole smiled. Her eyes sparkled for only a second. Something else was on her mind. She kept looking down playing with her bracelet. “What’s wrong?”

She shrugged. “Besides Grant, it’s just this thing with Nadine and my brother. It’s
kinda weird now, that Nadine is actually
seeing
him. It’s bummin’ me out. I feel in the middle, then left out, not knowing if she’s here to hang with me or Chris.”

“If it makes you feel better, this entire thing is killing me.
You with Grant, Nadine and Chris…and Jake and me. It’s crazy how fast things changed.” I remarked with amazement.

“So what about you and Jake, what’s he up to?

“I won’t see him until Friday, unless I see him late tonight, when he gets back from the studio. How am I going to live without seeing him for weeks when I feel like it’s already been a life time?” I wondered out loud, looking at Nicole for enlightenment. She reached out and squeezed my hand.

“It’ll be fine, time will go by fast and then you’ll be together again. We’ll keep you busy,” she assured, smiling. “So, Friday, that’s when you’ll see him huh? Dude, tell me what it’s like, with him, has he tried to get in your pants?” Nicole asked eagerly.

“Ha, sadly no, he hasn’t, he’s been awfully, how should I say it…gentlemanly about it. He hasn’t felt me up or anything, really we
just
kissed, like serious tongue action mind you, for the first time the other night,” I said. I sighed deeply and grabbed my chest, collapsing on the bed. “You have no idea how I just want to crawl all over him. I had no idea how revved up you could get, it’s all I think about.”

“You’re telling me!” Nicole agreed, lying back next to me.

We laid there in silence staring at the ceiling and I relived my first kiss for the millionth time.

“If he wanted to do it with you, would you do it?” Nicole whispered.

“Oh my God, I would just die if he asked me or tried anything. I don’t think I’m ready for that. I’m scared to death it would hurt and that I’d get pregnant.”

I rolled over to face her.

“Yeah, me too.” She replied looking at me with a serious expression. “Dude, it’s different for me though. Grant hasn’t done it with anyone else, he’s still a virgin,” she said pausing. “I’d be nervous if I were you too, I mean, can you imagine how many girls he’s been with?”

“I know of two
, he’s never said anything else about more,” I divulged.

“He told you that?” she asked surprised.

“Only after I asked.”

“Ok, you have to fill me in! Stop being a hold out!” she exclaimed, sitting up. She brushed the blonde hair from her face. “Spill the beans bitch.”

Nicole just about died when I gave her the Jake play by play, especially when I admitted to staying the night with him more than once. She admitted some things of her own, sure she and Grant may not have done
it
but they might as well have.

Grant showed up with Greg and Matt. My heart ended up in
my throat and I was shaking. Matt immediately stopped walking towards us when he noticed me, his reaction made my stomach drop. I wanted so badly for things to be carefree like they were just a few short weeks ago.

“Go talk to him,” Nicole urged, pushing me toward him.

I slowly walked toward him, imagining him gunning me down like in one of those gangster movies. He seemed taller than he did a few weeks ago. His green eyes stood out against his tanned face.

“Hey,” I said sheepishly.

“What’s up,” he replied coldly.

“Matt, I don’t want this weird thing bet
ween us, I hate it,” I whispered softly.

His face drooped.

“Well, you should’ve thought of that before you decided to ignore me, oh wait, you totally blew me off for your rock star boyfriend, that’s it.” He berated me, looking down at his feet.

“Matt, come on, how long have we been friends?” I asked and he looked up at me not saying a word. “I know i
t’s not…look can we go outside. I really want to talk to you.”

I walked toward the door looking back and was relieved to see him following me. Stepping outside, the warm air filled my lungs. We walked out to
the street and stopped under a tree.

“
Alright, what?” he said sharply, still not looking at me.

“I’m sorry. I don’t know what to say, it’s not like I planned this.”

“Whatever Aly, it’s over. I’ve moved on.”

“But I don’t want any weirdness, you say it’s over but then you stiffen up when you see me, and I’m pretty sure you would have ignored me if I hadn’t come up to you.”

His posture loosened up and he looked me up and down. “Aly, I’ve liked you for a long time, and I thought you liked me too. I’m pretty sure you did, and then bam, right when I get the balls to ask you out, you disappear, stop taking my calls.”

I was embarrassed, he was right. I was a jerk.

“What happened?” he asked shaking his head. “Jake Masters, fuck, of all people Aly? Come on, he’s just using you.”

Nuclear bomb detonation
.

“You know Matt, shut the fuck up, you an
d everyone else for that matter,” I growled, pointing my finger at him.

“Whatever Aly, you’ll see, just don’t get caught up in all the bull shit and forget your friends, we may not be here for you when it comes crashing down.”

“You’re an asshole, Matt. I just wanted to say I was sorry for hurting you, and you’re just being a dick, it’s not like I planned it, it just happened.” I explained, hurt and irritated by his coldness.

He rubbed his forehead with his hand and started pacing. “A
ly, whatever. I’ll get over it. I hope for your sake he doesn’t screw you over.”

Just as more face slapping words came out of Matt’s
mouth, Jake pulled up a few feet away from us in his truck. I almost passed out when our eyes met. I looked back at Matt and his mouth gaped open. His eyes went tight and his mouth pursed shut. Then he smiled, falsely amused.

“What are the odds? You probably planned this to s
how off,” he spat under his breath and abruptly walked away back into the house.

Matt slammed the door so hard it echoed of the neighboring houses.

I stood there with tears welling up in my eyes. I didn’t want to turn around for Jake would see me crying. I took in a deep breath looking up at the blue cloudless sky. I blinked and let the tears spill down my cheeks, wiping them away as quickly as I could.

“Aly, hey!” Jake shouted out the passenger’s side window.

“Hey.” I turned to face him and his smiled faded from his face.

“Are you ok?”

“Yeah,” I said walking to his car leaning against the door.

“Why are you crying?

“It’s nothing, no big deal,” I said trying to blow it off. “What are you doing here? I’m surprised to see you.”

“I’m just getting back from the
studio and wanted to see you,” He said, smiling that brilliant smile that made my knees go weak. “I need to catch some Z’s for a few hours before heading back at 6. Wanna come over?”

My insides lit up. “Yeah, sure.”

“You need to tell someone you’re leaving?”

“No, I’ll text Nicole.”

“What about Matt? That
was
Matt wasn’t it?” He said, leaning back in his seat, as I crawled in the cab.

“Yes, it was.” I shut the door and t
he cold air-conditioning blasted me in the face. It felt good and dried the perspiration that had accumulated on my forehead. I wiped my eyes again. The last thing I wanted was for him to think I was being a baby.

“Now that I have you held captive, why were you crying?” He asked glancing over at me and grabbed my thigh, squeezing it.

“Ouch,” I yelped and laughed. I sighed, looking out the window as we turned into Jake’s driveway. As I got out of his truck, my sister just so happened to pull into our driveway. Just great, I thought. Jake came up next to me and we both stared at Allison. We were all frozen there, silently mad-dogging each other, as if waiting for the other to say something. She just glared at us and walked on disappearing into the courtyard.

“She f
ucking hates me, doesn’t she?” he said, resigned. “Man, I really can’t cut a break with you can I.” He placed his hands on my shoulders looking down at me. “I don’t care what anyone thinks or says, just so you know. I love being with you, I love how I feel when I’m with you and I love how inspired I’ve been since you’ve come back into my life.”

“Ditto,” I agreed
, smiling. “So you wanted to know why I was crying? Matt said you would screw me over, and he reminded me not to forget who my friends are.” A lump in my throat started to build with the sting of impending tears. What the hell? Taking a deep breath for the millionth time, I walked away.

“As much
as it pisses me off to hear that, you should be stoked you have so many people who care about you,” he said, “to my detriment, unfortunately.”

He grabbed my hand, giving it a comforting squeeze and led me into the house. I heard Kate’s voice in the distance, and then another
voice I’d never heard before: a male voice, with a British accent. I loved British accents. The smell of food wafted through the air making my mouth water.

“Oh, hey,” I said pulling him to a stop. “Before I forget, I invited Marshall Lawrence to come to Rachel’s party with me, I hope you don’t mind.”

Jake looked stunned. “The little flamer that lives down the street? Why?” he asked half laughing.

I huffed, appalled at his reaction and comment. “What?” I asked loudly. My face must have sai
d it all. Jake immediately backpedaled, stammering.

“Well, come on, he’s not exactly trying to hide the fact that he’s gay.”

“And, that’s a problem?” I asked, miffed and offended.

“I’ve never given him any thought, Aly, but I see him around town and it’s…I don’t think he’ll have very much fun, that’s all I’m saying.”

“I think he’s the sweetest ever, so there. I’m bringing him. I hope you’ll give him a chance.” I blurted out passionately, taken aback by his ignorant comments.

Jake gave me a mild grin. “You’re
right, fair enough, now come on. I’m starving.”

We came around the corner into th
e kitchen and a tall handsomely rugged man with dark hair and tattoos all over his arms flashed us a huge smile. I began to wonder if and when Jake would begin his permanent etchings, as it seemed a requisite to being in or dealing with a rock band.

“Aw, hey Nott
ing, I didn’t expect to see you,” Jake said slapping the man’s back. Kate placed a clear glass bowl on the counter and Jake grabbed a handful of chips.

“Jake, we mustn’t be rude, aren’t you going to introduce me to this beautiful young lady?” Notting said, spilling over with flattery as he approached me.

“Oh, yeah, I’m sorry. Notting this is Aly, Aly Montgomery. She lives next door.”

Notting and I shook hands. I admired his rough, hands
ome features.

“It’s lovely to finally meet you, Aly. Jake has had nothing but wonderful things to say about you.”

I felt the heat rising higher in my face with each kind word. I shot a look in Jake’s direction, but he either ignored Notting or didn’t hear him as he placed a mound of what looked like hot pastrami on his piece of rye bread. My mouth watered even more. I was so hungry.

“Honey, would li
ke to join us for lunch?” Kate said looking at me all sweet and motherly.

“I’d love to, thank you.”

“Help yourself,” she said, sweeping her arms in the direction of the food.

I was a little self-conscious.

As we ate I learned Jake had the potential for a huge tour a couple months after school started, and that he may have to do home schooling for his senior year. This made me anxious and excited all at the same time.

“Would home schooling be only when he’s on tour?”

“Well, that’s what we’ll have to figure out,” Kate explained.

“Mom, you know I’d rather stay enrolled here and just work it out with my teachers.” Jake broke in – obviously this had been a topic of past discussions.

“We’ll do what’s be best for everyone in the band, Jake. It’s not only you we have to worry about.” Notting added. “We’ve much to discuss. Where are we at with the studio schedule? You boys are to finish by today if I remember correctly.”

“One more night in
the studio, we’ll be finished tonight. I’m stoked on the new tunes. The only one givin’ me shit is Mike.” Jake admitted coldly, stabbing a fork in the left over pastrami on his plate.