Authors Note: This may be my last update for a while because I'm about to head off for college on Wednesday so I'll probably be kind of busy. I'll do my best to update as soon as I can. :)
Chapter 41: Bring on the Rain
(Trace’s POV)
I don’t know what in the hell happened tonight. All I know is that I have never seen Elli so angry before. I was proud of her for standing up to Justin and Elisha. She sounded so confident and sure of herself. That was until we got outside. She kind of fell apart as soon as we left the restaurant. She got all shaky and started breathing all hard”I just know she was about to cry. I’ve seen it happen enough that I’m able to distinguish the warning signs by now. I think the tears were out of frustration and embarrassment, but mostly anger.
Hey, I would be furious if I were her. She explained the whole thing to me before we left to go back home. Justin and Elisha had come running outside after us but I escorted Elli away from them so that we could talk. I don’t know how far we walked but she explained the whole situation to me and I think she was feeling better by the time we got back to the car. At least she agreed to ride in the same car as Elisha and Justin which, at first she swore she would not do. While on our little walk, Justin called my cell about twenty times. I only answered once to tell him to just give us some time so that I could calm her down and we would be back soon. He sounded really worried and guilty as he should. I don’t know how he comes up with these harebrained schemes of his but he really should learn to run them by me first or something. I mean, I understand where he was coming from and all but he should have just talked it out with Elli like a normal person.
The moment we were stepped back to the pair Elisha was all over us asking if we were okay and apologizing up and down. Justin just sort of stood there looking much like someone just killed his dog. Knowing Justin he had a million and one thoughts in his head about what to say to Elli and just couldn’t decide on one. So instead of getting in the car and working things out then he tells us that he’s going to walk home to clear his head. I don’t think I’ll ever forget the look on Elli’s face when he walked away from us. She looked…..I don’t even really know how to describe it; hurt maybe or disappointed. But if I know Justin, he’ll come back to the house with a solution to fix this mess he’s gotten himself into.
I tried to explain to Elli that if he didn’t ‘clear his head’ he would wind up saying something stupid and making things ten times worse. She said she understood but I can never be sure with her. She’s so hard to read.
“Oh God Trace, I feel so bad about dinner.” Elisha whines, flopping down on my bed dejectedly. I kick off my shoes and join her on the bed. “I just couldn’t not say something.”
“I know.” I whisper, pressing a wet kiss to her temple. As much as I blame Elisha for all this mess I know that she is sincerely sorry and feels really terrible. She just has a bad habit of opening her mouth at the worst times. But I know that she was just sticking up for Elli and trying to help. Elli understands this and has forgiven Elisha…or at least that’s what she said on the way home.
“Where is Elli?”
“Last time I saw her she was laying in the living room. She probably fell asleep by now.” Leaning back against my headboard I motion for Elisha to come lay with me and she does. She holds my middle as I run my fingers through her blonde locks. God, I’ve missed this. When Elisha broke up with me I thought we would never be like this again.
“Do you think Justin is back yet?” She yawns, snuggling even closer.
“He better be…..”
~*~(Justin’s POV)~*~
Well l don’t think I could have f**ked up tonight anymore than I did. Have ya’ll noticed that whenever I get in trouble like this Elisha is normally involved? I mean I realize that Elisha is not all to blame. I never should have started that whole thing with Elli. Like Elisha said, Elli is shy and I know that and if she were ready to make the first move she would do it. It’s just that sometimes I forget how inexperienced she is. I’m not used to being with someone who is scared to even hold my hand. Most girls I go out with are ready to give me a blow job within the first couple hours of meeting. There are times when I’m with Elli that she seems so laid back and comfortable with me, like that first night she was here so I just don’t get it when she suddenly acts all shy when I go to kiss her. We’ve made out numerous times for god sakes!
I am really sorry about tonight and I would give anything for a redo. Running my hand over my head I move to open the front door but realize that it’s locked and Trace has my key. Sighing unhappily, I walk around to the back of the house, silently crossing my fingers that Trace left the door unlocked. I stop short at the sight of the young woman sitting at the edge of the pool. I make my way towards her and can’t help but smile at the sight before me. She’s got both feet dangling into the pool while she leans back on her elbows and gazes at the stars much like we did on our first date. She’s changed into her black lounge around pants and a matching black t-shirt”still beautiful.
I wonder if I should just let her be and talk about this tomorrow morning. Tomorrow she leaves. Her mom’s flight is getting in at twelve thirty so she’ll be here to get Elli around one or one thirty. This week went by way too fast. I haven’t really gotten to enjoy Elli fully”I mean that in a nonsexual way. It’s my fault though.
“Justin,” Elli croaks groggily, stretching her arms above head.
“Are you awake enough to listen to me apologize?” I grin, rolling up my pant legs before sitting next to her. She laughs lightly but nods her head and sits up off her elbows to give me her full attention.
“I was a jerk at dinner and before that too.” I explain lamely. “Not only did I talk about you as if you weren’t there but I also tried to pressure you into doing something that you aren’t ready for. I’m sorry about all of that. I was just afraid that you weren’t feeling the same way that I do and that you didn’t really want me kissing you or””
She holds up her hand to me, instantly halting my long apology. “When have I ever pushed you away?”
I scratch my head nervously as I think back to the many kisses we’ve shared. The only time I can remember her pushing me away was that one night I was helping her with her physics and she pulled back to tell me the answer. Of course right after that we went back to making out. I shrug my shoulders and a pout takes over my face. I guess my reasoning really made no sense huh?
“Even though I was really mad about Elisha saying all that stuff to you,” She prompts, “You deserved it and she was right. I can’t be like you Justin, but I’m trying and I thought I was doing better….”
“You are.” I assure with an almost wistful smile. “And I realize that I was wrong to push you like I did. When you’re ready, you’re ready.”
“Thank you,” She mutters, brushing one of her legs against mine in the water. The booming of thunder startles me enough that I actually jump. I hate thunderstorms. Ever since I can remember I’ve been scared of them. “You okay,” She giggles.
“We probably shouldn’t be out here if it’s going to storm.” I say swallowing hard as more thunder sounds in the distance.
“The storm is still a ways off.” She answers coolly and to my surprise and delight takes my hand off the cool pavement and cups it in hers. This is more than she could give me at dinner. I smile so wide I feel like my cheeks are going to crack and intertwine our fingers. “Are you scared?” She whispers.
I don’t know if she intends that question to have a double meaning but it does for me. “Yeah.” I find myself answering.
“Thunderstorms never bothered me much.” She says quietly. I guess she just meant to ask if I was scared about the storm. I took it more as being scared about us and our relationship. Scared about feeling something so strong for someone I’ve only just met and someone so much younger than me. I’m scared about what will happen when someone finds out about us and someone will”it’s inevitable. I’m freakin’ scared shitless.
Raindrops begin to fall slowly at first but quickly pick up until its all out pouring. I jump from my sitting position, lifting Elli with me and pulling her along to the covered back door. I pull her soaked body under one of my arms and reach for the door handle. Shit”it’s locked. We’re locked out. Elli laughs wildly once she realizes what I already have. She crouches out from under my arm and grabs my hand and pulls me back out into the yard, still laughing.
“What are you doing?” I yell over the pounding rain and creeping thunder that sounds a lot closer now.
“Waiting for you to kiss me.”
(Elli’s POV)
Did I really just say that? Oh my. I don’t know what’s come over me or where this sudden confidence has come from. I just blurted that out without thinking. Maybe that’s been my problem this whole time. I’ve been thinking too much instead of just acting or reacting. But then again, from the way that Justin is staring at me right now I’m thinking I should have thought that last move out a bit more. He’s just staring at me with this look of shock on his face. At least I think its shock. I mean I’m shocked I said that so he must be too. I just hope it’s a good shocked. It should be, he said he wanted me to want it and I just told him that I wanted him to kiss me.
The next thing I know he’s pulling me into his chest and his lips are covering mine. Our bodies stick together from the wetness of our clothing only making the kiss all the more intimate. The moment his lips begin to move against mine all the rain and lightning and the sound of the thunder disappears and all I can focus on is him and how much I’ve missed this. I knew I missed his affectionate side but I hadn’t truly realized just how much until this very moment.
We part momentarily to catch our breath before Justin leans back in. He cups the back of my head, entangling his fingers in my wet hair and runs his tongue along the seam of my lips. I don’t know if I feel ready to try the whole French kissing thing yet. I mean it has been quite a while since we first did it and I accidentally bit him but still…. I’m just afraid that I would do it again. After a few more strokes of his tongue over my tightly sealed lips he takes it upon himself to part my lips for me. Hey, if he’s willing to take another chance who am I to stop him. I sneak my fingers up his chest before siding them around to press into his upper back. He slides his tongue against mine once more before pulling away to speak against my lips.
“Would you be my girlfriend?” He whispers, his hot breath tickling my lips. My stomach does that flip-flop thing it always does when he’s around and I try to set my breathing back to a normal rate. Wait”did he just ask me to be his girlfriend? No one has ever asked me that before”shocking, I know. His girlfriend? I would be Justin’s girlfriend? If we ever went out somewhere were I needed to be introduced he would say, ‘this Elli Montgomery, my girlfriend.’ Of course I’m sure he would never be able to even take me anywhere because we have to hide our relationship. I guess my dream of being introduced like that isn’t very realistic. That is until after my eighteenth birthday”if we’re still together.
Justin pulls away from me and suddenly it occurs to me again that it’s still pouring down rain and the thunder is louder and I can see lightning now. It probably isn’t very safe to stand by a pool with lightning like this. Justin yanks on my hand and pulls me back under the covered part of the yard near the locked door to the house. I’m shivering now. It didn’t seem as cold when it was still raining on me. Ugh, I must look like a drowned rat”how unattractive. Now Justin on the other hand, well let’s just say that wet is a good look for him. Then again, what isn’t a good look for him?
“Isn’t that a song?” (Would You Be My Girlfriend) I half grin, realizing that I hadn’t answered his question yet. I know he probably felt like a dork asking me something like that but I thought it was sweet”no”beyond sweet. He furrows his eyebrows and looks at me strangely. “Isn’t it by the Backstreet Boys or something?” I proceed to hum a bit of the song and recite some of the chorus to him.
“That is not even funny.” He blinks. What did I say? I wasn’t trying to be funny. I remember hearing that song once at Liz’s house and she said how the Backstreet Boys could never sing that song…as well as NSync. Oops. I didn’t mean that as an insult. I was an honest mistake. Liz told me about the rivalry between the groups and to never mention them around Justin. I guess I kind of forgot that part.
I bite my lip out of a nervous habit and open my mouth to say something but come up short. Why did I have to go and ask something like that and ruin the moment. Of course if the lightning hadn’t gotten worse Justin never would have pulled me over here and I would never have had time to think that his question was part of a Backstreet Boys song. I blame the lightning.
“Yes.” I say rather randomly now.
“What?” He asks, again furrowing his eyebrows.
“I’m answering your question.” His eyebrows pop back up and a small grin breaks out on his face before turning into a full fledged smile. He acts like he thought I was actually going to say no to him. He hugs me to him and presses a wet kiss to my already wet forehead.
Guess what? I’m Justin Timberlake’s Girlfriend….
TBC.....
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