(no subject)

[bythethroatx]

TITLE: Objects of Affection

DATE: 06/18/05 - present

GENRE: drama

RATING: PG 13, borderline R

SUMMARY: It’s the little things that always matter. It’s the little things that help us remember. It’s the little things that she took with her whenever they parted. It’s the little things that fill the old hat box that sat in the dark corner of her closet. And now, years later, it’s the little things that tell the story of the love she held on to.

Author's Note: Influenced by real life events.



| Prologue / Introduction | | 1 | | 2 | | 3 | | 4 | | 5 | | 6 |

+ Chapter Seven : Boyfriends in Black and White +

“More stories!” the little girl chanted as she pulled her mother into her bedroom and walked directly towards the open box. Veronica smiled to herself, loving that she enjoyed what she was sharing with her. Again, she was young, but that didn’t seem to matter. She was beginning to think that sometimes the youngest of minds were the best of listeners. The little girl was intrigued, it was plain as day. And, it seemed to Veronica, she actually understood the concept behind the stories. Or, at least, she understood that with every item she pulled out of the box, a story would follow. And that was all Veronica could ask for. “Who’s this??” Abby asked, her voice high with curiosity as she shoved a strip of glossy paper in her mother’s face once she’d sat down.

“Oh wow,” Veronica breathed, laughing, her eyes moving down the long strip. “Wow,” she repeated, dragging the word out, pure amazement flowing through her as her daughter hopped into her lap, excited and ready.

“Story, story!” she chanted, bouncing slightly as Veronica wrapped her arms around her and pointed to one of the faces smiling up at her.

“Well, that’s mommy…”

“No math, no English, no History,” Veronica mumbled to herself as she threw her books into her locker and peered into the top section, going through her schedule in her head, trying to figure out if she had any homework. She’d done so much the night before due to her hectic, sleepless weekend that she couldn’t even imagine having to do more. It seemed to be one of those weeks where every teacher in the school was ready to give a test on one specific day. She’d had two tests earlier that day and she knew there were more coming, but she didn’t feel like studying any longer. All she wanted to do was relax and sleep.

Saturday she had worked all day and Saturday night had been the football game and Bobby’s visit. When he left, she hadn’t known how to feel. She was filled with so much doubt, but at the same time, she was overwhelmed with hope. She hated being in the position she was in. She hated knowing that her love life depended on and was put on hold for someone else’s decision. Why couldn’t she ever be the one in control? How come she was never the one who had to sleep on it or figure out what she wanted? She’d thought about this late into the night as she cuddled with the hoodie he’d left behind, turning it in her hold when she felt as if she’d inhaled all of his scent from a certain part. When she’d finally fallen asleep, the sun was high in the sky and she could hear her family moving around on the floor above her. Three hours later, she was woken up by her mother, who reminded her that they had to be at the hall for her sister’s bridal shower only an hour and a half later.

The shower, itself, had been one big party of mixed emotion for Veronica. She was beyond exhausted and had decided that her mood from the night before hadn’t lifted. As uncomfortable as she was in the dress she’d bought for the occasion, she was ten times as much with the conversations she kept being pulled into. People she hadn’t even known she was related to or hadn’t seen in years pulled her this way and that, telling her how much she had grown and how beautiful she looked. Every person at the shower wanted to know what grade she was in, how school was going, how work was going, if she had a boyfriend. She was a junior. School was fine. Work was fine. And she wouldn’t lie, she didn’t have a boyfriend.

That thought still sort of depressed her.

It wasn’t until she felt her phone vibrate in her purse that her mood adjusted. He called her not only once, but three times throughout the whole time she was at the bridal shower. Each time, she answered and rushed out of the room onto the balcony, where she leaned on the banister surrounding it and stared down at the flowing river and green scenery below. Each conversation was longer than the last. No one seemed to notice she was even disappearing time after time again until she hung up for the last time, about an hour before the shower was supposed to end.

“Boyfriend?” Tracy, her mother’s youngest sister, had asked.

“Just a friend,” Veronica said, sitting down at the table beside her and sighing. She knew she didn’t have to hide her emotions in front of Tracy. She decided right then that she’d rather talk to her about everything.

“Movie boy?” Tracy asked.

“Yeah…” Veronica said, her voice slightly saddened as she thought back to their first date and the panic attack she’d nearly suffered from while shopping with her mother and aunts. It felt like so long ago, but really, it had only been a couple of weeks. “I don’t know where it’s going, Trace. It’s like, I don’t know. I’m just… waiting for him.”

“Normally if a boy needs to decide what he wants, it’s best that you just avoid him completely, ya know? Like, if he has to think about if he wants to be with you, then you shouldn’t even bother to get involved. If he likes you, he likes you. It should be that simple,” Tracy told her, watching her play with the tea cup at the setting in front of her.

Veronica watched the single drop of tea swirl around the bottom of the cup. She felt she could relate to that drop. She, too, felt as if she was going round and round in an endless circle. He liked her, or maybe he didn’t. Well he said he liked her, but then his actions said otherwise. He liked her, but she had to wait. It seemed like she was passing the same point over and over again. She thought she had him and then all of a sudden, she thought she didn’t. It appeared to keep happening. And she was growing tired of it.

“I know I shouldn’t be waiting around for him, but I feel like if I don’t, I might be missing out on something amazing,” Veronica said, her stare never breaking from inside the glass tea cup. “I just… right now. I don’t know. I don’t know what’s going to happen. But I hope he decides soon. Real soon. Because I absolutely can’t stand having to tell everyone that asks that we’re just friends.”

“Are you just friends?” Tracy asked.

“I honestly don’t know,” was Veronica’s reply.

She still felt that same way as she slammed her locker shut and threw her purse over her shoulder. She really didn’t know what was going on anymore. When she thought she’d figured it out, something happened and she knew she hadn’t. Therefore, she decided to stop herself. She’d simply wait. No more deep thinking. No more fantasizing. No more expectations. She’d control her hope. She’d control her thoughts. She couldn’t stand how she’d handled everything so far. She shouldn’t have let him affect her like he had. She knew this now. After she’d done all of the homework she’d had, she had laid in her bed and decided she needed to get a grip.

That was her new goal. And she’d done well that day, she thought.

He’d been waiting at her locker when she arrived at school that morning. Though she wanted to grin and let her heart flutter, she didn’t allow herself to get too excited. She was polite, she was normal, but she wasn’t going to put herself out there for him anymore. She wasn’t going to show him just how vulnerable she’d become. There was life without him. She wanted to make sure he knew that. He wasn’t her God. He was just a boy. An incredibly gorgeous, insanely wonderful boy. A boy that she wanted to call hers more than she’d ever thought she would. A boy whose laughs, smiles, glances, and touches made her swoon. But, again, he was just a boy.

A boy she was going to meet at a locker.

She pulled both hands into the sleeves of her hoodie as she walked through the halls, a slight bounce in her step. She didn’t know where her sudden burst of energy was coming from, but she was sure it had something to do with the day being over and relaxation within her reach. Soccer was over for her. Football was coming to a close for him. She hoped he’d want to spend more time together. She promised herself that if he didn’t, she wouldn’t be hurt. Sure, she’d allow herself to be disappointed for a short amount of time, but she told herself that she’d be able to get over it. She was determined to achieve her newest goal, since her last one no longer appeared to be attainable.

She could hear his voice as she approached the corner of his locker hall. She licked her lips as she grew closer, trying to key in on who he was talking to. Figuring out that the other person was a male, she felt herself relax, assured that she wouldn’t be interrupting anything too important. She didn’t know what he did with his free time. She wasn’t sure she even wanted to know anymore.

“I dunno, man. I mean, it would cause a lot of shit to go down, you know that, but…” she could hear the other boy saying as she rounded the corner, immediately thinking that maybe she should’ve walked just a tad bit slower. This wasn’t something she was supposed to hear, most likely. “But I personally don’t care, man. Long as you’re happy, it’s cool. I think it’s cool,” the taller boy said, placing his baseball hat on his head and nodding to her, having noticed her before he’d finished speaking.

Bobby turned around, following his friend’s eyes, and smiled when he saw her standing there. He reached out behind him and ushered her closer as he turned back to his friend and tried to put an end to the conversation. “Thanks, man. But seriously, Mark, I’m gonna do whatever the hell I want to do and I’m gonna like whoever I want to like, ya know?”

“Oh, I understand that. I’m not saying any one else’s opinion should matter,” Mark was quick to defend, “but I am saying that Missy won’t be too happy. And you know it.”

“Yeah, well,” Bobby shrugged, slipping a hand around Veronica’s shoulders and pulling her to him, squeezing her tight. “Missy can go fuck herself,” he said, smart ass grin gracing his face as he rubbed Veronica’s arm quickly and watched Mark say his goodbyes and walk away. “So how’re you?” he asked her, letting go of her and shutting the open locker behind them.

“I’m alright. Actually, I’m kind of tired,” she told him, biting her lip and falling into step with him as they started down the hall, heading towards the stairs.

“I’m pretty good, feeling kind of awesome. Last week of practice, ya know? It’s gonna be a joke,” he said, going on to explain that now that they were at the end, they really had nothing to practice for. They weren’t going to any play offs, they weren’t going to any championships. It was just a regular end of the season game that they were preparing for and their record was neither anything to be ashamed or proud of.

She tried to listen as they left the building and descended the front steps, but the only thing she was hearing was the conversation he’d just had with Mark. Deciding to follow his trademark advice, she gathered just the right amount of courage and interrupted him, knowing that if she didn’t ask him the question on her mind, she’d be kicking herself later that day when the chance she was haunting her.

“I’m sorry,” she apologized, cutting him off mid-sentence and continuing when he shut his mouth, allowing her to speak. “Do you really care what everyone has to say? Like, about… me. And you. And.. whatever,” she asked, not wanting to use the word ‘us’, knowing that it might trigger something in him that might cause him to be uncomfortable.

“I’m not gonna lie, I think I did at first. But now I really don’t care about what they think or say at all. What kind of person would I be if I let other people’s rude remarks - not saying there has been any made ‘cause if there were, someone would be walking around with a black eye,” he waited for her cheeks to turn a slight shade of a darker pink and then continued, “if I let other people’s remarks and opinions alter my decisions and the way I live my life?” he asked, knowing she was nodding in agreement without having to look over at her.

“So you’re not like, ashamed of me or anything, right?” she asked, staring down at the ground as she spoke, feeling stupid for even having to ask such a question. Even if he was, he wouldn’t admit it. No one would admit something like that to someone’s face. But he’d promised not to lie, so if he was ashamed of her, he’d at least sugarcoat it, she hoped.

“Baby!” he exclaimed the second the question was asked. Shocked at not only his sudden vocals, but also at the pet name, she looked up at him and realized he’d stopped walking. “Are you serious?” he asked, surprise evident in his own tone.

She bit her lip. She knew it was a stupid question.

“Wow, who the hell do you think I am?” he asked, his attention being taken away from their discussion for a second while a few elementary school students that attended the school down the street walked in between and around them. “Why would I be ashamed of you?”

“I don’t know,” she said, her voice quiet, her eyes again on her shoes. She knew he wanted an explanation, but how could she tell him what she really thought without making him sound like the jerk she knew he wasn’t? “I really don’t know,” she repeated, not wanting to tell him that she thought maybe she wasn’t pretty enough for him, maybe not smart enough, loud enough, experienced enough. In her mind, she didn’t believe that she was up to par with who he would normally date. But she didn’t want to tell him that. She couldn’t tell him that.

“Well, I’m not,” he said, his brows furrowed as he ran a hand through his hair and blew out a hard breath, not bothering to take notice to the cloud it formed in the air in front of him. “I’m not at all. I don’t understand why you would think that, but I’m really not. I promise.”

“Ok,” she said, her voice still soft, her eyes still looking anywhere but at him. He may not have been ashamed of her, but at that very second, she was ashamed of herself. She needed to stop doubting herself, stop doubting him. But he really didn’t give her any reason to not doubt him half of the time. She was still so confused. She wished she knew what was going on, she wished he knew what was going on. If he wasn’t ashamed of her, then what was the problem? Why didn’t he know if he wanted to be with her? Why was she still waiting around?

“If I put you under that impression, I’m so sorry. I don’t know what I did to make you think that, but I really am sorry. I’m not ashamed of you; I consider myself lucky to be this close with you,” he told her, stepping towards her and wrapping his arms around her. “I’ll prove it to you if you really want me to,” he told her, an idea clearly forming in his head.

“How?” she asked into his chest, enjoying the warmth his body was giving off and the protection from the cold it was providing.

“Mall tonight after practice. Me, you, and my closest friends. We’ll have a good time,” he told her, pulling away and making her look up at him. “Ok?” he asked, knowing she’d agree. She wanted him to prove this to her. He knew she did.

“Ok,” she barely got out before his lips landed on hers.

“You ready?” he asked immediately after she answered the phone.

“Yeah, pretty much,” she replied, checking her reflection in the mirror. The whole point of the night was not for him to prove to her that he wasn’t ashamed of her, but she knew that it was more for her to prove to herself. If she wasn’t ashamed of herself, then he had no reason to be ashamed of her, she figured. Therefore, she dressed for the occasion - comfortably, but presentable. Jeans, cute zip up, and her newer shoes. She did her hair the way he liked it - half up, half down - and applied little make up. She wanted to look nice for these people. She felt that she had to.

“Alright, we’re turning down your street now. We’re in a green SUV,” he told her, hanging up before she could reply. With a deep breath, she shoved her phone in purse and shut her light off. Up the stairs she went, her hands growing slightly clammy as her body temperature rose and fell at the same time. She could feel the heat in her cheats while a nervous chill went through the rest of her. When she heard the beep of the horn, she knew the night had begun. This is it, she thought to herself after yelling goodbye to her parents and opening the front door.

Biting her lip, she walked quickly to the awaiting vehicle, smiling when the back door opened and Bobby hurried her up.

“It’s cold, c’mon,” he urged when she approached him. He helped her in, reached across her, and pulled the door shut. She inhaled as he returned to his spot in the middle of her and the other guy in the backseat. As his familiar scent soared through her, she felt her muscles relax somewhat. If anything else, she was with him. Maybe it didn’t matter what the others thought of her.

“Hello,” the boy in the front, who she recognized from her History class as Scott, greeted her, turning to look at her and smile. “I know you,” he said and she nodded in reply.

“I know you, too,” she said, peering at the driver, who she realized was Mark.

He caught her looking at him in the mirror and nodded to her. “You know me,” he said.

“And this one’s Nick,” Bobby told her, pointing to his left as the kid next to him waved. “The jerks you usually see me with are like… well, jerks,” Bobby laughed, shrugging and going on. “But you know that already,” he said and she nodded. She knew who they all were, by name, of course. She knew these were the guys he considered to be his closer friends. They were on the football team with him and they were in most of his classes. The others, he had explained after their first date, were friends of Missy’s who had somewhat taken him under their wing when he had dated her. He didn’t particularly like being with them, but once in a while he gave them the benefit of the doubt and gave them a chance. Sometimes he enjoyed himself, but most of the time, he wished he was somewhere else. She had to admit, she already liked this group better and she had only been with them for a matter of minutes.

“Music?” Scott asked, not waiting for an answer before shoving a CD in the player.

As music and accompanying head bobs and finger taps filled the SUV, Bobby pulled something out of his pocket and slipped the item to her. She immediately knew what it was the second she took it into her possession. Smiling, she unwrapped the lollipop and smiled at him before placing it in her mouth.

“Thank you,” she whispered and he nodded.

“You’re welcome,” he told her, giving her knee a small squeeze and leaving his hand there after. “She’s not going to be here, by the way. I made sure of it,” he assured her, knowing she knew who he was referring to.

“Good,” she got out around her candy, knowing that she didn’t have to hide her thoughts of Missy anymore. Most of them were shared with him, anyway. She disliked the girl for so many reasons. They both did. Not having her lurking around would be nice for a change. It seemed like everywhere they went, she wasn’t too far behind. She was always coming around the corner in the halls at school and neither of them liked it.

“Lemme try?” he asked, opening his mouth and looking longingly at the candy she’d pulled out of her mouth. Grinning, she shoved it into his mouth and waited until he allowed her to pull it back out before placing it back in her own. “Mm.. cherry,” he smiled, winking at her and rubbing her leg.

She nodded and looked down at his hand on her. So far, so good, she decided. Not only did she like his friends, but he didn’t seem to mind showing her attention and affection in front of them. She wondered if it was part of his way of proving that he wasn’t ashamed of her, wondered if it was all on purpose. As the song changed and the ever too familiar first few seconds of Boston’s “More Than a Feeling” blasted out of the speakers, her thoughts were cut short and replaced by laughter as the four boys began to sing at the top of their lungs. It was obvious that this was a favorite among this specific crew and as they squeaked and shrieked out the high notes, it was clear that shame wasn’t an option.

A few songs and a dramatic rendition of “Ain’t No Mountain High” later, they were climbing out of the vehicle in the mall’s parking lot. As she fixed her hoodie, she felt his arms enclose around her and she allowed herself to be pulled close to him.

“Try to stay this relaxed, ok? They like you as long as I like you. And I like you more than just a little. So everything’s cool,” he told her, pulling her away and looking down at her. “Ok?” he asked and waited for her to nod and smile before putting an arm around her shoulder and directing her towards the rest of the group.

She walked silently next to him, laughing at the conversation the guys got themselves into. She didn’t feel the need to put an opinion in at all, she found herself happy just listening. His hand had slipped from her shoulder to the small of her back and then to her own hand. His fingers laced with hers and he gave her a little squeeze as they wandered into a sneaker store. The others went on to examine the new track shoes when he stopped her and put his hands on her hips.

“Do you want to split from them for a little bit? They’re going to end up going in and out of every store and then I know they’ll finish off in the food court,” he told her, his voice quiet as she looked around him at the others, who were picking up shoe after shoe and pointing out what they thought was cool about each style. It wasn’t the most exciting thing, therefore she knew they wouldn’t miss much if they went their own way for a while. “I mean, we don’t have to if you’re having a good time. It’s just an idea,” he told her when he didn’t get an immediate answer.

“Oh no, it’s ok. If you want to leave them, we can. Either way, I’m good,” she told him. She wanted to be alone with him. She always did. But she wanted only what he wanted. She wanted him to be hers, and in that actually happening, he needed to be happy with her. Hence the reason she always found herself agreeing with him and letting him get his own way. Not to mention, she really didn’t care what they did, as long as she was with him. She wasn’t sure if she was being pathetic or not, but she knew she wasn’t the only girl who thought that way.

Less than a minute later, he had taken her hand and pulled her out of the shoe store. Together, they strolled the strip, stopping and looking at window displays, making humorous and serious comments about the people that passed by them, and enjoying each other’s company. It didn’t seem any different than any other time they’d been at the mall. Nothing ever seemed to change. The same stores were always there, the same people were always working, the same songs were always playing overhead, and the same type of couples were always walking by happily engaged in conversation with each other, blocking out the rest of the world and knowing that at that moment, only the other mattered.

She sighed as one of these couples walked by them, holding hands and laughing. She watched the girl look up at the guy she was with, obvious love not only in her eyes, but in his, as well. She wanted that. She wanted to be like that. She wanted to feel like that. Sure, she was holding hands with Bobby right then. Yeah, they laughed and had a good time. But he didn’t look at her like that. And she knew that she didn’t look at him in that way, either. She wouldn’t allow herself to. Not unless he was looking back at her with the same thing in mind and the same feeling in heart.

He noticed her change in mood the second it happened and he knew exactly why she was looking at the floor instead of at him. He knew why she wouldn’t catch his eye, he knew what she wanted. But he also knew that he couldn’t give it to her. Not then, not there. Therefore, he knew he had to find another way to cheer her up, to get her back into the state she was in minutes before. As they entered the last part of the strip before the food court, he knew exactly how he would do so.

Dropping her hand, he reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet, extracting a few dollar bills from it and placing it back in his pants before taking her hand once again and pulling her towards the middle of the floor.

“No,” she refused, seeing where he was leading her and stopping dead in her tracks. “No,” she said, shaking her head and trying to turn and run away.

“Oh yes,” he laughed, wrapping an arm around her waist from behind and forcing her towards the photo booth. “C’mon, it’ll be cool,” he told her, trying to push the curtain to the side and keep her in his hold at the same time.

“But I hate these,” she whined, allowing herself to be pulled into the booth and down onto his lap. “I always end up looking really stupid and like, 12.”

“Well if you look 12, then I look 13 and all is well,” he told her, shoving his money in the slit and waiting for the options to come up on the screen in front of them.

“Ugh, I hope no one’s watching outside,” she sighed, peeking out the curtain nervously, praying that no one would stop in their tracks and watch their pictures being displayed on the monitor outside of the booth. She knew people did it all the time. She’d watched them do it. Hell, she’d even done it herself. She didn’t know how anyone else dealt with it, but she knew she’d be more than just a little embarrassed if she stepped out a few minutes later and there was a group of people grinning at her.

“Who cares, we’ll give them a show,” he grinned, wiggling his eyebrows and slipping his hands around her waist. “Ready?”

“No,” she grunted, pouting, unaware that a picture had been taken until a flash went off and her pushed out lower lip showed up on the screen in front of them. Her jaw dropped while he laughed and another picture was taken. “What the fuck! Stop it!” she shrieked, trying to get up from his lap while he held her down.

“Smile for this one,” he laughed, knowing that she could do nothing but what she was told; she was laughing too hard the way it was. Quickly after the flash went off, he grabbed her face and pressed his lips firmly to hers. The kiss deepened as his hand dropped, tongues pressing against one another. The flash went off, but neither of them seemed to notice. Her hand was on the back of his neck, sending chills throughout his body as one of his hands slipped up to the small of her back and the other pressed down on her leg. She felt his hand move up her thigh toward her hip when something hit the back of her leg. Pulling away from him to take a breath, she glanced down to see that the strips of black and white photos had dispensed. Wiping her mouth off, she reached down for them. She gave one to him and looked down at hers as he breathed hard a few inches away from her ear.

She grinned, loving how each one was real. She was miserable in the first one and he was looking up at her, an idea brewing in his eyes. She was shocked in the next one, her jaw dropped and her eyes wide, as he laughed hard next to her, his mouth open and his eyes shut tight. The third was the nicest, she decided, their heads bent toward the other, smiles not only playing on their lips, but in their eyes. The last one, however, was her favorite. Even though it was a still, it was plain to see that there was passion in that kiss. And that’s what she loved. She loved passion, romance, and the likes. And he seemed to know that.

She climbed off of his lap and out of the booth, relief passing through her when she realized no one had stopped to watch and their pictures were no longer on the monitor above the booth. They were safe.

“I really like these,” she said, looking down at the strip in her hand before placing it carefully in her purse.

“I really like you,” he said, grinning at her and stepping toward her, pressing his chest against her own.

“I really like you, too,” she whispered, smile not leaving her through the numerous gentle kisses he placed randomly on her face.

“Ok, lovebirds, we’re going,” Mark announced, coming up from behind them and putting an end to the overwhelmingly perfect time they were having.

“How ‘bout we have him drop us at my house and we’ll drive back down to yours and hang out for a little bit? I don’t have to be home until 11 and it’s only 9,” Bobby suggested as they walked to the car, arm strongly around her as he tried to keep her warm in the freezing cold.

“Sounds like a plan,” she nodded, smiling up at him and happily accepting the kiss on the forehead she received.

“Tonight was fun,” Veronica said, bouncing onto her bed and settling onto a pillow as she watched him pull his hoodie over his head and toss it onto the floor beside the bed before crawling on and laying beside her.

“Me, too,” he said, staring up at the ceiling and sighing. “But that’s only because I was with you,” he added, rolling onto his side and propping his head up on his hand.

“Smooth,” she laughed, watching his eyebrows raise in question as he hovered over her.

“Smooth?” he repeated. “What? You don’t believe me?”

“Should I?” she teased.

“Well, yeah,” he said, “I don’t lie to you…” he drifted off when she raised an eyebrow at the statement. “Anymore… shut up,” he said quietly, hanging his head and sighing, feeling somewhat stupid that she could still hang the Halloween party incident over his head and it was nearing Thanksgiving.

“Excuse me?” she questioned, unaffected by the guilt she knew was still inside him. He was right in feeling the way he did. He still knew how he’d hurt her and that what he’d done was wrong. She held no sympathy for him concerning the subject.

“Shut up,” he repeated, evil taking over his guilty innocence as his eyes sparkled in the moonlight that seeped in from the half of window on the far side of her room.

“Make me,” she challenged, hoping he’d accepted and not turn her down.

“Surely,” he grinned, swinging a leg over her, taking her arms, and pressing her wrists to the mattress above her as he kissed her. Words weren’t exchanged as the kiss grew stronger, easily passing the intensity of what they had in the photo booth earlier. Still keeping his hold on her arms so that she couldn’t squirm out from under him, he pushed her cheek, silently telling her to turn her head, and traced her ear lobe with his tongue when she had done so. Her breath grew hard as he teased her, breathing deeply next to her ear, his tongue snaking out every so often. He kissed down the side of her neck, grinning when she shuddered as he got closer to the bottom of her neck. She giggled as he licked and kissed his way across her collar bone, her body squirming beneath him as she desperately tried to escape his hold. She couldn’t take anymore. Physically or emotionally.

“I have a question,” she breathed into his ear as soon as she got the opportunity.

“So ask it,” he whispered, adjusting himself on top of her and looking down at her.

“Are we still just friends?” she asked, surprised with how easy it was to speak.

“I want you to be my friend,” he told her, letting go of her arms and rolling off of her, ending up on his side as she rolled onto hers, waiting to see if he had more to say. “But,” he went on, entirely sure of what he was saying, “I want you to be my girlfriend, too.”

That was it. That was what she’d been waiting for the past month or so. Those few words had finally come out of his mouth. He finally knew what he wanted. And she finally had what she wanted. That was it. Her heart swelled at this realization. That was it.

“I wanna be,” she whispered, unable to find her full voice.

“Be my girlfriend?” he asked her, smiling at her, not a doubt in his mind that it was what he wanted.

“Ok,” she replied, unable to fight the grin forming on her face as he leaned in to kiss her, his hand on her face, just the way she’d told him she’d once liked it. The rest of the night, to her enjoyment, went slowly, as they spent it in her bed, in the dark, kissing and whispering, cuddling and laughing.

When it came time for him to leave, she walked him up the stairs and to the front door, secretly excited about their first goodbye as a couple. Would he kiss her on the forehead, say goodnight, and leave? she wondered. Before she could come up with an alternate scenario, she was being pushed roughly against her front door, her arms pinned to the cold door, her chest against his. He pressed his lips to hers and her eyes closed, the world around her slipping away.

A minute or so later, she was watching him walk quickly to his car while she stood in the front doorway, the cold, fall air merely affecting her. He waved to her after he’d started the car and sped down the street a few seconds later. More than satisfied with the night, she shut and locked the door and hopped down the stairs to her room, where she put a heart around the 17th on her calendar, making a promise to herself that she’d never forget that date as long as she lived. Because that day - that night - was it.

Veronica studied the strip in her hand. It was still glossy. She was impressed with herself for managing to keep it so perfect all of these years. A smile formed across her face as she stared into the eyes of the boy next to the younger version of her. She’d forgotten how beautiful he was in his teens. His hair was perfect, and his eyes were captivating, even in black and white. She stared down at the third picture and found that she still felt the same about it. It was real. What they had was real. He was the first real love of her life. She turned the picture over as a memory came to mind and smiled again when she read what was written in the corner on the back in her old, loopy handwriting:



“This is where it all began,” she sighed, flipping it back over and taking another look at the people in the picture.

“Ooh,” Abby cooed in fascination and Veronica couldn’t help but laugh. She loved the time this box was enabling her to spend with her child. She loved that it gave them something to do other than chase each other around the house, take naps, and watch her creepy little baby cartoons.

“Pick something else,” Veronica told her daughter, bringing the box towards them and allowing the girl to pick through it until she pulled out something that every girl dreamed of having from Abby’s age to Veronica’s. “Oh boy,” Veronica laughed, watching her daughter play. “Well I guess you take the good with the bad, right?” she asked, wishing she was as happy when she’d found it as Abby was right then.

now let's see how long
8 takes me .... ;]

ps. i forget which groups ive been posting in
so i didnt bother this time. i'm
too tired to figure it out =X