She waited for a few seconds before she started putting her things away, she knew better than to expect much a reaction from the kids on Friday, last period.
“Are you coming to the game tonight, Miss Evans?” a voice asked from the back of the room.
“Yes, I am, Jack… and you better not fumble the ball like you did last weekend or I’m failing you on the test before you even take it. “ she replied, smiling so he’d know she was just teasing.
“What about your boyfriend? Are you gonna see him tonight?” one of the girls up front asked.
India moved around to the front of her desk, perching herself on the edge. “Tosha, he’s not my boyfriend…”
“But you’ve seen him every weekend for the past month!” Tosha interrupted, the group of girls sitting around her all nodding their heads.
India sighed, sometimes she wished the students didn’t keep such good track of what was going on with her. She’d made it a ritual every Friday to discuss the upcoming weekend with her students, and on the following Monday ask for a run down of what had happened. She shared with the kids as much as they shared with her… and she knew the other teachers would never have the rapport with the kids she did.
“Just because I’ve been seeing him doesn’t mean he’s my boyfriend… we’re just… dating. And if he wants to see me… he’s either going to have to come to the game or wait until after the game… because I am not about to miss the game.” She said, and smiled when the football players in the room cheered, she knew they liked that she was quite possibly the team’s biggest fan and never missed a game- home or away.
Before there was time for anymore questions, the bell rang, and the students immediately dispersed… all yelling they’d see her later at the game. She waved as they ran out the door, joining the noisy stampede in the hallway. She busied herself by straightening her desk until the halls cleared, thinking about what she’d told Tosha. No, technically Nick was not her boyfriend… they had yet to have a discussion about where their ‘relationship’ stood, but she felt it was progressing nicely enough that she could indeed call it a relationship.
When she was sure she wouldn’t get trampled stepping out into the hall, she grabbed her things and headed for the parking lot, debating whether or not she should call Nick and invite him to the game. She stuck her hand into her bag, digging for her keys as she walked out of the building, trying her best to peer into the depths of the bag to see if she could locate them. She finally fished them out and looked up to see where she’d parked her car, to see Nick sitting on the trunk of her car, holding a bouquet of brightly colored flowers. A smile immediately lit up her face at seeing him.
Nick had been watching her since she’d walked out of the building. He’d gotten there a few minutes earlier, unsure of exactly when she got out… but he wanted to be sure to be there to surprise her. He grinned in return of her smile, glad that she was obviously happy to see him.
“To what do I owe this pleasure?” she asked, walking past him to unlock her car door and toss her things inside, then go back to stand just in front of him, lean into him and press her lips against his.
He kissed her back and smiled again. “Couldn’t wait any longer to see you.” he said, handing her the flowers.
India giggled a little at his complete cuteness. She took a deep breath, inhaling the sweet scent of the flowers, then asked, “So, what are you doing tonight?”
“I was planning on being with you.” Nick told her, reaching out to pull her closer to him so he could wrap his arms around her shoulders.
“Good… then you can go to the football game with me.” she said, turning around in his embrace to kiss his cheek.
“The game here?”
“Yeah… is that okay?”
“Yeah… I’ve never been to a high school game.” he said.
She looked at him in shock, “You’re kidding!”
“Nope… never had the chance.”
“That is so not cool… you’re so coming with me tonight.” She laughed a little, “Ohhh…I can be there for your first time.”
Nick chuckled, “For this, at least. You’re a few years too late, otherwise.”
“Oh, damn. Here I was hoping Mr. Celebrity was still a virgin.”
“You aren’t, why should I be?” Nick asked.
India tilted her head, “How do you know I’m not?”
“Why would you be? You’ve had boyfriends…” Nick was suddenly very curious about this… they’d never talked about it.. he just assumed… he didn’t know… anyone that was still a virgin.
“What’s that supposed to mean? Just because I’ve been in a relationship that automatically means I’ve had sex? I guess it does work that way for some people…” India stopped talking, thinking that perhaps she’d have a little fun with the totally perplexed expression on Nick’s face. “Why don’t we move this discussion somewhere else?”
“Uh… okay…” Nick slid off the back of her car, his mind still trying to process what she might or might not be saying. “Where are we going?”
“Why don’t you come over to my place… we can hang ‘til it’s time for the game.” India said, her fingers sliding down Nick’s arm, then grasping his hand in her own for a moment.
“Are you actually going to let me come inside this time?” he asked, a faint smile on his lips.
“Yes, but only if you promise to behave.” India said, though her expression seemed like a flat-out invitation for misbehavior to him.
“No guarantees.” he said, pulling her to him for a quick kiss before helping her into her car, closing her door, then getting in his Escalade to follow her home. As he drove, he tried to figure out more about the conversation they’d been having. She’d had three boyfriends- he’d gotten the impression they were serious… so if she HAD had sex… it would have been with them, because he was sure he knew she wasn’t the one-night-stand kind.
At a stoplight India glanced in her rearview mirror, chuckling at what she could see of Nick… his face set in an expression that showed he was deep in thought, and she was sure he was still guessing at whether she was or wasn’t a virgin. She pulled into the driveway of her house, pressing the button to open the garage door, then parking her car in the garage. She got out and waited as Nick parked and walked into the garage, following her through the door into the kitchen.
They’d barely walked through the door when Nick blurted out, “Are you or aren’t you??”
India had to laugh out loud, she’d guessed it was driving him nuts, but apparently it was bothering him more than she thought. “Would it bother you if I was?”
Nick thought for a moment, a wide range of thoughts quickly flashing through his mind… if she was… there’d be a lot for her to learn… but then again… he could teach her what he liked… “No, it wouldn’t.” he said, after a moment.
India smiled and slipped one arm around his waist, the other around his neck to bring him down to kiss her. She gave him a quick, teasing kiss, then said, “I’m not… but the point is, never assume anything about me.”
“No kidding.” Nick pulled her back against him, lifting her up just enough so that her feet weren’t touching the ground as he kissed her- slowly and sensually… drawing out the tension from the game she’d been playing with him. She was always going to keep him guessing… and he enjoyed it… it was a change, not to have a girl ready and willing to hand him anything he wanted.
A few moments later, he set her back on the ground, “All three?”
India laughed again, “One, actually.”
“Which one?”
“Logan.”
“The one from college?”
“Yeah. In high school I just wasn’t ready to deal with it… then there was college and Logan… which was… fine… but we’d have been much better off if we hadn’t had done it… we were just meant to be friends, and sex fucked up a lot of things for us… but we’re cool now… and then in grad school… Brandon and I didn’t last long enough to get to that point. We probably would have done it eventually… but he had… issues… and we never got around to it.” she said, shrugging.
“Oh…” Nick wasn’t sure that he necessarily wanted the entire story on that, so he just let it go, thinking that he could still probably teach her a lot.
“So, you want to see this place… something other than the outside of it?” India asked, holding her hand out to him.
He took her hand and let her lead him out of the kitchen, “Yeah… I know the outside and the front door really well… but the rest is a mystery.”
She took him through the living room, smiling to herself as he admired her diplomas hanging on the wall, through the game room where he was impressed with the Buccaneers décor, and then into her bedroom. She paused at the doorway and let him walk in by himself, her eyes trying to follow his so she could tell what he was looking at. She watched him look at the navy blue walls… then take in the silver starbursts and swirls that had been painted on the ceiling… making it look like a dreamy version of the night sky.
He glanced around at the furniture, assessing it in relation to how it fit into what he would and wouldn’t expect from her. All-in-all the house didn’t really surprise him… it seemed to be a perfect mix of her personality and the things she loved. “I like it.” he told her, when he turned and noticed her watching him.
She smiled and thanked him, then lead him back into the living room before he got any ideas about ditching the game in favor of staying in her bedroom.
They sprawled on the couch, taking for the next few hours, until it was time to go to the came. Nick had suggested getting food, but India dismissed his idea, telling him to wait until the game. Since he’d never been to a high school game, she wanted to make sure he got the full experience.
“I’ll drive.” India said as they headed out the door to go back to school.
“Okay…”
“Those kids see an Escalade in the parking lot, you’re going to have to peel them off of it before you can drive off. “she explained, getting into the car and scooting the passenger’s seat back so Nick wouldn’t have to fold himself up to get in.
“I’m glad you don’t have one of those damn girly cars.” Nick said as he slid inside and pulled the door closed.
India chuckled, “I did until my sister totaled it… then I decided it was time to be a little more practical.”
As India drove, Nick fiddled with the radio, testing the sound system’s bass capabilities, then checked out the collection of cds she kept in the car.
When she parked the car in the lot, she glanced over at him, flipping through her collection and asked, “Do you approve?”
He turned to her, smiling, “Yeah… you’ve got a lot of the same ones I do.”
“Obviously we both have good taste.” she remarked, getting out of the car.
“We’re together, aren’t we?” Nick asked, looking at her over the roof of the car as he shut the door.
She looked at him curiously, “What do you mean?”
“We have good taste… like we found each other… we’ve got good taste in music and… people.” he explained, unsure of how to phrase the last part of that statement… yeah, they were people, but they were more than that… but what were they?
“Ah-ha… you’re right… we do and we are.” she slipped her fingers through his when he offered his hand to her as they began walking across the parking lot. She knew she was going to open up a lot of questions for the kid’s to ask, but she hoped they’d at least wait until Monday to do it, rather than ask all of them in front of Nick.
As soon as they stepped onto the field area, the students appeared, surrounding India, barely paying attention to Nick as a group of girls clamored for India’s undivided attention on an issue with one of their boyfriends. Nick stood back a little, still holding onto India’s hand, amused with the situation. He’d seen the looks the students were giving him as they walked by, but he realized they couldn’t really care any less about who he was, though they recognized him… all they cared about was that he was with their favorite teacher… and if they talked about him, it was going to be for that reason… not who he was to the rest of the world… he found that he immediately liked that… no being the center of attention. He was just ‘the guy Miss Evans is with’… and that was cool somehow.
When India was done dispensing information to the group of girls, she started to apologize to Nick, but noticed he appeared to be enjoying just watching her in her element… surrounded by the students she cared so much about. She took him over to the Parent’s Association booth, grabbing hot dogs, nachos, and sodas, then directed him to her favorite spot in the bleachers, just across the track from the 50 yard line- and seven rows up.
They’d just barely gotten situated- sitting down, arranging food, and getting comfortable, when more students- some of the girls she’d been talking to earlier, a few different ones, and a whole group of boys plopped down around them, completely surrounding them. As Nick glanced around at the group, India whispered to him that they were sort of an unofficial pep club… they always sat with her… they were the group that never missed a game, and neither did she.
Throughout the game the support coming from India and the students, parents and other fans in the stands became contagious, and by the end of the game- a hometeam victory- Nick was shouting just as loud as anyone else. Several times Nick found himself a little sad- simply because he knew he’d missed out on so much by living the life he had… not going to football games and getting all those experiences in high school… but as soon as the thoughts came, they went… because he was happy now… happy to be where he was- in life and at that moment… and happy about the girl he was with- for wanting him to be involved in her life… and just for being who she was.
~~~
“You want to come in for a while?” India asked, as Nick walked her to the door of her house when they’d gotten back after the game.
“Yeah…” He followed her in the door, his eyes straying to her ass as she walked in front of him. He’d been trying his best to be sneakier… but sometimes he just had to get a peek in.
“So, how was it for you?” India asked, dropping down onto the couch, patting the space next to her in suggestion of where Nick should sit.
Nick flopped down on the couch, putting his arm around India and drawing her close to him. “It was awesome! The crowd, the game was good… made me kinda feel like I missed out on a lot not being able to do that stuff myself.”
India lay back, her head resting on Nick’s shoulder, “Yeah… I think that’s definitely an experience everyone needs… but then again… at that age… you had your own crowds… people screaming for you…that had to be awesome, too.”
“Yeah…”
When he didn’t say anything else, India figured it best to probably just leave the subject alone.. he’d tell her more later if he wanted to. She turned a little, her hand slipping across his chest, and tilted her head just enough so that she could take a little nibble at his neck. She giggled at the shudder she felt pass through his body and the surprised gasp of air she heard when her teeth came in contact with his skin.
Nick’s hands slid to her waist, gently grasping her and moving her on the couch to face him, to bring her closer to him so he could kiss her… or return her teasing. He just looked at her for a moment, his eyes meeting hers… he could feel chills running along his spine… partially from her fingernails dancing lightly along the back of his neck, and partially just from the way she was looking at him. He didn’t want to blink, but he wanted to kiss her… so badly… she seemed to know what he wanted though, her eyes closed just as his did, and their lips met in a passionate kiss- full of desire and discovery.
As they kissed, Nick could feel the longing building in his body… but wasn’t sure just how far he could go to act on it tonight. He ignored it for as long as he could, trying his best to be satisfied with her kisses- which he was quickly coming to love- but eventually he could take it no more. His hands moved up from her waist, slowly, hesitantly slipping up under her shirt.
India knew what he was doing… and exactly where he was planning on going if she let him… and just as he was about to get there, she pulled away from him, abruptly ending their kiss, and removing his hands from under her shirt.
Nick looked at her, confused, feeling like a child being chastised for some wrongdoing.
India held his hands in hers as she said, “When we have sex, it will be because you want ME, not because you want to get laid and think I might be willing.”
“I do want you…” Nick said, wondering who the hell else she could think he’d possibly be wanting.
India knew that he didn’t get what she was saying. She let go of his hands, and placed hers on either side of his face, looking directly into his eyes. “I want you to want to get inside me because you want me so bad you feel like you NEED to be inside me. Not because you just want to fuck.”
Nick held her gaze, his mind trying to wrap around what she’d said. He thought he got it… but didn’t really understand it… He knew he’d never felt that way about anyone before… he usually got sex whenever he was horny and that was the end of it… it was always there whenever he wanted it.
India bowed her head to softly kiss his lips, then moved off of him. “I think it’s time for you to go home for tonight.”
Nick got up off the couch, feeling like he should say something, but what… he didn’t know. He walked to the door, with India right behind him. He turned to her just before he reached for the doorknob, “Thanks for tonight.”
She smiled at him, “You’re welcome… I’m glad you enjoyed it.”
“I always enjoy being with you.” he said, quietly, still reeling a little from the rejection.
“I want you to.” She knew he wasn’t ready to leave, and felt bad that she’d seemed to have hurt him in some way, though she realized it was probably just that he didn’t ever really get turned down. “I’ll call you, okay?”
He nodded as he walked out the door, into the darkness. He knew she would call… he knew she liked him. He knew he liked her… and he knew that was why he felt so bad all of a sudden. It wasn’t even that he wasn’t going to get any… it was just that she wasn’t going to let him stay… he just wanted to be with her.
I'm the only one you know/ that can put you on cruise control /
I'm the only one you'll find/ that won't waste all my time on nothing
My will is stronger than most/ I will not let you get close/ until I think that you deserve me
I'm gonna hold out, so in the meantime/ don't expect much from a strong mind/ until I think that you deserve me
A little time then we can do/ all them nasty things you want to do"
("the only one"- limpbizkit)