Teenage Groupie XXIX

Lance and I sat in bed with our bodies astride and a huge slice of cake between us talking for the next four hours waiting on my birthday. And as we fed each other the chocolate cake I filled him in on the details of my past, the same story I had narrated to Nick not too long ago. However, with Lance it was different, I didn’t brush over the story like I did with Nick I was more detailed and more complex with him. I didn’t want him thinking I was keeping even the faintest detail from him.

Every time I would get to a story that involved sex, whether it was having sex with my father or giving sex in exchange of a place to stay I would watch Lance’s face tense up, stress lines would pile up on his forehead and his eyes would pace the room for a fixture to concentrate on for those few minutes as I spoke. I would stop and await his sigh of approval and he would kindly ask me to continue.

“Sure, you want to hear this…” I would question.

“Yeah, I do.” He would smile, courteously with his enthralling eyes, and I would continue my horrid narration of events.

By time I got to the chance meeting with AJ he looked a little relieved that I had found a place to stay, albeit with dodgy company but his face didn’t let up again when he asked me how long I had had to travel with AJ and the others.

After all this, I was so relieved to get to the part of the story that said, “And that was when I met you.” When I said this I could see Lance heave a sigh of relief that the unpleasant chain of events had somehow stopped. But then he knew there was more, after that afternoon I was arrested he wanted to hear it from the horses’ mouth how the ordeal with the police had transcribed.

So I continued. It felt good to watch him listening while I did the talking for once. All the time we had been together I had been the tight-lipped one while he jabbered about his life. I told him what went down at the police station, what they said mother had done to my father, and how they had found me through my altercation. And also how the guys had been quick to get their lawyer to bail me out that day. I told him about the intense therapy session I had had to undergo for months, how nice Nick was to let me use his apartment, and how kind his family had been to me through it all.

“You see…this was all their idea. They taught getting back with you would mark an end to my tragedy and sort of show full recovery…and it has…and they were right. I don’t know how I can ever repay them for being so nice to me,” I commented to seal up the end of my narration.

Lance’s face held many thoughts, but the notable one amongst them was sorrow.

“I’m sorry Nikki,” he said, solemn.

“Why?” I asked, stunned by that admission.

He took in a deep breath. “I wasn’t a very good friend to you. I should have been there for you when all this happened. I should have been a man and listened to you when you reached out to tell me things weren’t how they seemed. But at that moment I had thought of only my feelings and myself, forgetting that someone else’s life was more important. I should have been the one to come to the police to get you, I should have held you in my arms and told you everything was alright and I didn’t.” He tore himself up with anguish for not believing me that day when I begged him to.

His face creased up as he spoke. “It’s okay. It really is.” I touched his face with my hands, brushing over its creased lines. “I know you care…I do. I had been the asshole who had kept such important details about me from you. I was inconsiderate of your feelings towards me too.”

“But I’m the mean one who walked out on you. I always take care of people, and now that I should have, I didn’t,” he reiterated.

“And I love you all the same…and always will. That’s the power of what we feel, that we can pick up, forgive each other and move on.” I planted a soft kiss on his lips that calmed his anguish.

The chimes of the clock at 12 alerted us from the kiss.

“Happy birthday Nikki. I wish I could give you more than me but…” he began nervously holding my hands in his.

“I know…your love is all you have to give.” He nodded with a quaint smile.

“I’ll take that for now, okay,” I cheered. I brushed my nose against his tenderly and he reached over and dropped the empty plate saucer on the floor.

Lance started to undo my buttons and I winced every time a button flew open. I felt my blood rise again and my lips began to quiver with each faint brush against my bare skin.

“It’s okay Nikki, I’ll be gentle okay.” He whispered softly into my mouth to calm my heaving breaths. He could sense that I was nervous. He ran his fingers along my nipples and as he did goose bumps filled my pale skin. “I’ve never wanted someone as much as I want you now. Would you let me make love to you?” he asked politely, his gentle voice seeping into the intense atmosphere.

Part 30...