The Fourth of July and the Surrounding Events

CHAPTER 3

The next few hours passed relatively quickly, people coming and going, all of them teenagers I had known since preschool. Familiar faces, but yet I felt so alone. Since Jayde was being a social butterfly while attached to Mateo's hip, I hung out with Kate and her friends. It wasn't ideal, but I've gotten used to being the second choice, as stupidly cliche as that sounds. 

Quite a few drinks later, I felt Kate's hands wrap around my waist from behind as the firework show started. Her friends had left a while back because their parents were hosting parties at the beach, so it had been just us for a while. I didn't want Katelyn in the way that her touch suggested, but it felt nice to be wanted. Turning around to face her as the fireworks went off, I kissed her. In any ordinary situation with a pretty girl, this would be the most romantic experience ever, but it wasn't like that. It wasn't a gentle kiss, but more of one that begged for more. 

Kissing back with just as much passion and fire, she straddled my lap, holding my face in her hands. Grabbing her by the hips, I pulled her closer to me, feeling her chest against mine. My mind racing with all the different possibilities of this going wrong, I kissed her harder, disregarding all my intrusive thoughts. Her lips trailed down my neck while my hands roamed her body, just like they had in sophomore year, and everything felt ok. Not perfect, but ok. Kate made me forget about Jayde when we were like this. Maybe that's a shitty thing to acknowledge but it's the truth.

Breaking away from the kiss, I stood up, extending a hand down to my ex-girlfriend. I honestly didn't know what I was expecting her to do, but she took my hand. Helping her up, we ran to the house as the colorful fireworks exploded above us, similar to the ones going off in my body. 

Opening the first door we reached, I pushed her down onto the queen-sized bed as I locked the door. Propping herself up on her elbows, Katelyn looked at me just like she always had in this situation, with a questioning look of consent. Smiling at her, I nodded, and while she undid her halter top strings, I unclasped mine. Feeling the same fire I had back in sophomore year build back up, I brought her in for a deep kiss. Though I knew we were over each other, there is nothing like seeing your first like that again.

"Oh god, you haven't changed a bit," Kate stammered breathlessly. 

"You haven't either Katie," I said equally as out of breath, pulling the sheets over us. 

Rockland High was relatively inclusive for being in the middle of Maine, so when I publicly came out in freshman year it wasn't a big deal to anyone. That didn't mean I didn't get the occasional side glance or rude snicker, but the one or two girls constantly pining after me kinda ruled them out. While I could've dated either of them, Katelyn was the first girl to show any interest in me and do something about it. She was a grade higher and popular, so when she asked me out, I was shocked. Immediately we fit together due to our compatible passion levels, and in the months we were together, we learned everything and anything about that side of each other. 

Turning to face her, I asked my ex-girlfriend, "What was this?" 

"Honestly, Alexa? I don't know," her eyes closing slightly, "you're not over Jayde and well, I don't have feelings for you like that anymore. So a casual hookup?" Kate concluded. 

"Yeah, of course, we're mature, it doesn't have to mean anything," I chimed in, saying it for her sake, but also so that I would believe it.

Lying there for a bit longer, I moved my arm out from under Katelyn's sleeping body, making sure to cover her back up with the sheets we had definitely messed up. Pulling my shirt over my head and slipping on a pair of shorts, I crept out the door silently.

Walking to the kitchen was quite a feat in the dark, but I made it. The huge house with its many amenities, lacked in one department, visible light switches. Grabbing a random cup off the counter, I rinsed it, filled it with water, and downed it in seconds. I had no idea what time it was, but I do know that Kate and I took our sweet time. The kitchen was connected to the living room, from where I could hear Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone playing on the tv. Jayde's favorite movie. Walking to the noise, I saw Mateo and Jayde on the reclining couch. She was in his hoodie curled up, clearly dead asleep.

As I made to walk back to Katelyn, I heard Mateo whisper, "Hey Lex?" 

"Uh, hey yourself man," I hesitated. He's gonna wake Jayde. 

"Can we talk?" he asked. 

Oh shit, he knows, doesn't he? I was way too obvious around Jayde today. "Yea, but let's go outside, so we don't wake up Jayde, cool?" I stated, not really giving him a choice.