A LIE AT THE BEACH

Chapter 22: Athens.

"So that's the whole explanation?" I ask Jill who's looking so ashamed of herself right now. She deserves that for hiding all this stuff from me. "I didn't tell you everything, A and I'm sorry but that's for Sid to tell." She replies. "Don't say his name." Why is it I always have bad luck with men? This is why I find it hard to accept just anyone and Sid falls into this category now. It all depends on his explanation though because damn me if I'm wrong but I really like him. I hate myself for that but I don't regret it. Though I still have to forget him if his explanation doesn't convince me well. Jill has only told me like twenty percent of the story so it doesn't really add up until I hear from Sid. I check my phone and it's eleven pm.

"I need to sleep now." I say to Jill who came back to my room with tears in her eyes after I chased her out an hour ago. "Goodnight Athens." She says and closes the door on her way out. I take half the cup of milk Jill brought with her for me and start dozzing off in my bed. I'm almost out when I hear a shrill noise and I groan when I see someone's calling. I wonder who ugh. I just slide to receive without checking the caller id and....

"Come outside." I hear Sid's voice and now I'm fully awake. I remain silent and he continues "Please."

"No." I reply. "Athens I'm begging you. It's urgent. Please come out for like five minutes." I sigh and end the call as I stand up in my hoodie and sweatpants and grab my slippers from the door way. I slowly walk down the stairs so that no one awakens. I put my phone in my hoodie's frontpocket and it vibrates with an incoming message. I curse under my breath and put my phone on silent. I tiptoe through the foyer and step out of the door. I'm stopped by the gatekeeper kindly saying "Miss Athens. Don't you think its too late to step out?" I return the smile and reply "Oh no. I'm just walking a little to cool off. I need some air." "But..." "Don't worry, sir. I'll be fine." I cut him off and step out to meet Sid.
I open the door to the passenger seat before he notices and sit inside Sid's car. "Damn. What if this was a kidnapper's car." Sid says startled. "Well it ain't. What are you here for? Forgot something with me?" I ask in a calm but aggressive way and Sid lets out an agitated sigh. "Athens I'm here to speak to you." He replies sternly.
"About?"
"You know what's it about. I'm here to explain so please stop being stubborn and give me a chance to." I nod slowly for him to continue. "This isn't easy to say, trust me." He says with a deep sigh as he clenches and unclenches his fists. I see that he is panicking and I want to hug him and say it's okay but I can't because it's not okay. I need answers.

"I know Jill. " He looks at me but I give off no reaction. He blows out another breath like he's really struggling. "I knew her from freshman year when she and Jake begun dating. I also...had uh a girlfriend by then." He sucks in a breath and it pierces me in my heart to hear him talk about another girl but I'm alright.

"She was Delilah." Of course.

"She and I were so much in love-" So what?

"Our couple and Jill plus Jake were the two most popular couples in freshman year." Oh get to the point!

"Until....until...until...fuck I'm sorry." He lets out a shaky breath. I can see his hands shake but I need to know after all he's the one that decided to come fess up. "Until I got her pregnant..." Okay what? I say to myself in shock. I remain silent trying to keep a straight face until it's my turn to speak. "It was at houseparty and we were both drunk. We did it in the bathroom and damn, don't I regret it all." He continues "After like two months, she knocks at my door with a positive pregnancy test and I went bizarre. I wasn't exactly happy about it because I've principled parents plus we were so young but I didn't chase her or anything. She begun leaving with Jake and I at the house we share. It wasn't easy at all. We used to skip classes and I was flanking badly. I had to stay home and care for Delilah and the baby and Jake was really helpful. He would help with cleaning, cooking and shit. Everything went well till the eighth month..." He sucks in another breath and I'm almost crying...almost but I have to stay strong for his sake and mine respectively. "We lost the baby." Now he's crying and I don't know what to do. Oh no. I rub his knuckles soothingly and he relaxes a bit and continues.
"I had gone out to buy some groceries and she had promised she would be fine without me. Jake was out for a drink so Delilah was alone at home. I come back home to find her on her belly in the kitchen in a pool of...blood. She had slid and fallen right on her belly. I rushed her to the hospital but the baby was already dead." Fuck.
"Delilah got fine after three weeks and she was depressed. We went to therapists and landed on one who helped us until we were in sophomore year. The rest is history. As we speak, Delilah is in New York with her fiance probably getting married next month. She went away after the whole saga." He finishes.

I've no words to explain how I feel right now for this man who has gone through a lot before even leaving campus. I hug him and he tenses out of surprise but later relaxes and hugs me back.

"I'm so sorry for your loss, Sid." I whisper and he pulls back looking at me.

"Athens you don't need to apologise. I didn't come all the way here for pity. I really need to know whether I've answered all your questions." He says as he holds my hands in his.

I observe him for a few seconds and reply "No. You've answered enough for now. We shall get back to this later." I say because with the way he is right now, I don't think he can make it through revisiting his past so I let him off the hook....for now. We stare at each other and there is pure adoration mixed with confusion in the air right now. He looks me in the eyes before moving his eyes to my lips and I involuntarily do the same. Before I know it, our faces are getting closer eyes still connected. We're so close that I can feel his breath fanning my lips. "Sid..." I'm cut off by his soft lips taking over mine and I swear I lose my senses. We both groan at the same time and continue to taste each other's lips. His lips are perfect and they move skillfully against mine. His kisses are even better than I always imagined. He pulls me over the car console and I straddle him in the driver's seat. He licks my bottom lip asking for entrance and I allow him as our tongues begin to dance together in unison. I never want to quit this. We break apart for air and Sid starts kissing my throat as he goes towards my neck. This elicits a moan out of me and I impatiently grab his head pulling him to kiss me again as my hands go to his soft hair. I begin to rub against him but he stops me between our rapid breaths. "Athens if we don't stop now, it might be never." He says. I realise that too so I nod and hug his neck instead, he hugs me back. We remain like that for what feels like forever until Sid breaks the comfortable silence.

"As much as I hate to say it, I think you should get back inside your house. It's now midnight, Athens." He says after checking his glowing wrist watch. "Yeah. I should go." We reluctantly let each other go and I move back to the passenger seat. "So I'm guessing we're seeing each other again soon...you know to answer all my questions.?"
"Yes...yes we are. How about tomorrow?"
"I'll get back to you." I reply. He nods and leans over to kiss my forehead goodnight and I smile a little. "Night, Sid." "Goodnight, sunshine." He stays parked at the street until I'm inside the gate and back to my room. I peep out of the window and he's still there...confusing. I text him.

Me: I'm safely in my room, caveman :)
My Hero: Damn right I am a caveman...your caveman ;)
Me: Someone's grown wings over a kiss.
I reply jokingly.
My Hero: Maybe I have, after all. Loved it tho.
Me: I'm not blushing. Not a kid.
I reply goofily.
My Hero: Yeah sure, I believe you..your pink cheeks too.
Yapp he knows I'm blushing.
Me: Go home, Sid.
My Hero: I'll text you when I get there.
Me: Nice try but I'm not staying up for you.
My Hero: Owww...you're mean.
Me: And you're a ten year old.
I smile.
Me: I'm going to sleep now. Drive safe.
My Hero: I will. Sleep tight, princess.

That's the last I see until I'm into a deep peaceful slumber.