She was more than ready.
I took both of her hands in mine, lifting them to eye level. Our fingers locked, and I pushed her back softly. We fell together onto the bed.
I slid into Holly, her warmth welcoming me in.
Our hands stayed together, arms by our heads as we resumed kissing.
I thrust softly, slowly. Nothing was rushed.
I kissed her neck, her ears, her cheek, her nose. Everything my lips could find, they kissed.
Our bodies began to sparkle with sweat, causing them to slide together in an even better rhythm.
I rested the side of my head just beneath her shoulder and closed my eyes. My ear was against her, and I could hear her heart beat, feel it beat through her skin.
Holly stretched her legs out and slid them behind mine, pulling me into her even more tightly.
I raised my head up and looked down at her. Her eyes were open, and she was looking up at me. They had that glaze, but there was more.
“I love you, Holly,” I said.
Our lips met again.
I could feel the pressure building up in my body. It wouldn’t be long now.
“I love you, too,” she said, her eyes never wavering.
The thrusting got more intense, but softer at the same time, our bodies gliding together to the finish.
“Oh my god,” she began saying. Over and over.
Her eyes shut, and she turned her head to the side.
“Oh god,” she said again.
Her body arching, she let out a cry.
And I came.
We came together for the first time.
As Holly slept peacefully next to me, I couldn’t help but replay all that had happened over the previous few weeks. It seemed like only yesterday that the school year had started and Robin had come down with an illness we all thought would pass in a day or two. April’s arrival had seemed like a godsend, in more ways than one, and I remember wondering where they would move April once Robin returned. I certainly had wanted her to stay.
April awoke something in me I hadn’t even known was there—a desire to have something serious in my life for the first time in a long time. Whenever Holly and I had ventured into serious territory, one or both of us would get spooked and the momentum would be squashed. Who was I kidding, though? I had probably been the one to squash it every time. And Holly had simply responded accordingly.
I never had a single complaint with Holly. She was beautiful, sexy, fun, responsible, hardworking, and kind. These were all things I noticed and responded to, but somehow I had still managed to take them for granted. I guess I just saw Holly for who she was in the very beginning—someone I was dating in an attempt to move on from Carrie and try again. I was obviously not ready for anything serious then, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t the right one the whole time. Carrie had always said I was too stubborn to see a good thing even if it was standing right in front of me.
But, April had stirred those desires for something serious. I felt the need to protect her from Marco, from anything bad that life would throw at her. She had been stunning, and witty, and I was under her spell before I knew there was a spell to be under. But, my gut had tried to warn me. Sometimes you have to learn the hard way.
Charm is deceiving, and beauty fades. And when it does, all you are left with is who that person is at their core. And, Holly’s core was just as beautiful as the surface. I only wish I had spent more time examining April’s core before ever starting anything. It would have kept me from doing anything stupid.
Holly had been in front of me the whole time. And I had almost lost her. Now, she was sleeping right next to me, and there was no way I would ever let her go again.
April didn’t show up to work on Friday. I hadn’t expected her to. The illness she had acquired the night before was apparently still ailing her.
I wondered if she would ever come back. Marco would have a thing or two to say about it, I was sure.
Classes slowly crawled by that morning, and by the time lunch came around, I was exhausted and hungry and ready to eat any and every fried food the cafeteria could offer up.
As I was about to leave my classroom to head downstairs, the intercom buzzed overhead.
“Mr. Harper?”
It was our secretary, Carla.
“Yes, ma’am?”
“Could you come by the office? Principal West would like to have a word with you.”
“Sure thing. I’ll be right down.”
The noises of rowdy teenagers filled the hallway as I headed to the office. Kids were already excited for the weekend, and I knew trying to control the Friday afternoon crowd would be damn near impossible.
But, when I got into the office, the mood shifted entirely.
Carla sat at her desk, in a mood much more serious than I had ever remembered seeing.
“Is he...?” I asked, pointing toward Mark’s office.