The Gift

Dark eyes watched from the only dry spot along the entire street. Rain overflowed from the clogged gutter overhead, spilling into a puddle on the sidewalk, but his pants remained relatively dry. He chose this spot almost an hour ago, when the rain had yet begun to fall. When a white umbrella with legs raced up to the door across the street, the black-haired youth took off after it, dodging the deepest puddles, but still managing to come ankle-deep in some areas. So much for dry pants. Oh well, if everything went as planned, he wouldn’t have to deal with them long anyway.

“Eraline,” he said into the umbrella, but the rain easily drowned him out. “ERALINE!”

The figure in front of him jumped and whirled, and he was greeted by two wide amber eyes, full of fear and shock. They turned to surprise, and then frustration upon seeing his toothy smile. Her mouth moved, and he shook his head, pointing to his ears. She nodded, turning her back on him, and he stepped back to avoid getting sideswiped by her umbrella. Once she’d gotten the door open and shut behind them, she greeted him with a fresh frown, shaking water off onto the fake wood floors.

“Didn’t you have a game today?” she asked, voice tinged with more than concern. There was some passive anger in there, as well. He could guess the reason.

“Now, why would I possibly go to a game instead of being with my beautiful, amazing girlfriend?” he asked, pulling a small package from his pocket. Eyes widened again. “Happy four month anniversary?”

“Bishop!” she said happily, ripping off the wrapping paper with about as much grace as a two ton gorilla. A gorgeous two ton gorilla. His smile broadened as she gasped, pulling the cord from its case.

“It’s leather, and the design itself is bone.”

“How cool,” she murmured, holding it up for a moment to inspect it. A flat disk with a shape like a deer’s hoof print spun in the hall light. She held it out to him, smiling, “Here, put it on!”

She held her hair up as he made his way behind her, fingers shaking as he worked the clasp. Tonight. It had to be tonight. He wasn’t sure when he’d get another chance.

Once the clasp was fastened, his fingers lingered on her neck. He leaned down, pressing a kiss against her hairline. She didn’t move. Heart pounding, he ran his hands down her sides to rest on her hips, bringing his lips up to press against the spot beneath her ear. She spun in his loose grasp to face him, and looked at him for what felt like an eternity. His breath caught in his throat, and he swallowed. But she was already leaning toward him, and he could feel her breasts pushed against his chest. Her shirt was wet, and cold, and when their lips met, she tasted like strawberry lip balm. He was gentle, so gentle, exploring her mouth tenderly as he ran his hands up along her back. Too short. She drew away, still smiling.

“Wow… that felt just like our first time,” she laughed quietly, biting her lip.

He pushed himself back up against her, pressing his lips with more force against hers, and she responded in kind, working her tongue against his. Demanding. He could match this. His hands ran up along her back, ghosting along the inside of her shirt, which stuck to their skin and made strange sucking noises. She laughed into his mouth, breaking away, and his eyes snapped open, worried.

“Come on, we can’t do it in the hallway,” she chided, and his heart stopped beating. She took his hand, enjoying his shocked expression, and pulled him upstairs to her bedroom. “You have such good timing. My parents went out to see a movie tonight. They won’t be back for hours.”

He didn’t bother telling her that he knew. That he’d been the one to recommend the movie. The time. And even the restaurant they’d be going to afterward.

Still, she snapped her bedroom door behind her, locking it with a secure click. Unnecessary, but cute. He watched as she pulled her shirt slowly over her head, taking a deep breath as the bottom of her bra appeared, and she lavished in the attention, swaying her hips and turning in circles to deny him the satisfaction of a good view.

He pulled off his own soggy shirt in one smooth movement, and now it was her turn to stare back across her shoulder, eyes trailing down an exercise-fit physique. They met in the middle, all hands and mouths and wet clothing. He slipped a thumb beneath her bra as she struggled with her shirt, and she snorted, disapproving of his priorities. When she’d finally detangled herself, she pulled him by his belt loops over to the bed, giving him a look that was probably supposed to be coy, but he could see the questions in her eyes. She was still insecure. It made him ravenous.

They made short work of the rest of their clothes, hurried by boyish urges and the knowledge that they’d forgotten to turn the lights off, disappearing quickly under the warm, dry covers.

---

It wasn’t as awkward as he’d expected it to be. The moments after. They were tender, involving hands and movements that lacked the rush he’d felt earlier. He felt content with the world, and, aside from his buzzing cell phone, didn’t have a care in the world. Unfortunately, his cell phone was too important to ignore. He dragged his feet off the bed and onto the floor, dragging a hand back through his still-damp hair.

“You leaving?” she asked, and he could hear the disappointment and resentment in her voice. The bite that said, Did you really come all the way here just to sleep with me? Really?

“Your parents are probably gonna be home soon. They didn’t even know I was coming over, right? Won’t they be pissed?” he asked, facing her with logic. He looked over her shoulder, and while this hadn’t managed to wipe the pout off her face, she wasn’t arguing, either. “Sorry, Dove. I’ll see you tomorrow though, right?” But by that point, you probably won’t want to speak to me.

“Yeah,” she sighed, flopping onto her back. Her breasts jiggled, and he felt the heat rising in his chest again. No. He had to leave now.

“Don’t be mad,” he whispered, leaning in to press a kiss to her cheek, and she huffed, rolling her eyes, as he gathered his clothes and headed out the door. The rain had let up, and was now a gentle mist rolling down from the heavens. Soon, another storm would come.

His phone vibrated again, this time originating in his back pocket, and he flipped it open, holding it up to his ear.

“Hey,” he said, making his way to the bus stop.

“Holy shit, Rook!” a very familiar voice yelled. So familiar, it could’ve been himself on the other end. If he were beyond angry. “Where have you been? We’re getting creamed out here!”

“It was raining,” he said dismissively, as if this explained everything.

“Coach said rain or shine. Did you forget?”

Rook shook his head, as if his brother could see it. “Yeah, must’ve. Sorry, I’m on my way now.”

“Shit man, just hurry up. I covered for you, but I don’t know how much longer they’ll take my ‘he has diarrhea’ excuse.”

A click, and he numbly replaced the phone in his back pocket.