IT ALL STARTED IN HIGH SCHOOL

Let's Be Friends

I follow behind him at close proximity. I am so close that if he should make a sudden stop we would bump into each other. "Get in." He says pointing to the passenger side of the door. I did not hesitate. Once we are inside I breathe a breath of relief. "Are you stupid or just crazy?" I looked at the boy across from me asking such daring questions. "What?" "Oh you heard me. You're new here. Do you even know how far you have to walk just to get home?" "But.." "There is no but. What if I wasn't passing here. You look smart but you don't act smart." He tells me putting the keys into the ignition. Oh so he does look at me in a positive way. "Dad wasn't gonna be here to pick me up. I don't have any money so what I supposed to do then?" "Well for starters we are neighbors so you could ask for a ride." I look over at him surprised. "Ask you what? To insult me some more? To act as if I am your sworn enemy? No thanks. I rather take my chance." "And how did that turn out?" He asks as if he is mocking me. I crossed my hands across my chest and sit back refusing to answer.

The ride is so silent I could hear the blood moving through my veins. I want to say something but there is just no words to begin with. I can see my dad pulling in our drive way. Caleb pulls over and I did not spare a minute to get out of his car. "Thanks." I say quickly making my way over to dad not waiting for a response.

"Honey am so sorry. I am gonna make it up to you." Dad tries to explain but I just wanted to get inside. "It's ok dad. I get it. You have to work." I say to him with a smile. We went inside the house and I head for the stairs telling dad I have school work to complete.
Inside my room I pull my chair out and turn my computer on. I just want to start doing something to get the fact that Caleb brought me home out of my head but first a shower would be better.

"Nessa dinner is ready." I hear dad say from the kitchen. "Coming." I answered looking at my phone time that shows 8:20pm. Time slipped away from me. I can't believe its almost 9 already.
We eat in silence. "You look just like your mom. Am sorry. I didn't mean to bring that up." Dad says quickly changing the topic. "It's ok Dad. I miss her too." I just want to clear the air. I want Dad to be at peace. I know I will never be but I want to see him happy. "She was my everything. I never looked at another woman the way I look at your mom. But it's just too late. I messed up Nessa." "Dad it's ok. Mom is in a better place now." I comfort him although I am dying inside. We finished eating and cleaned up the place. "Huh I am going out for a few hours. Got a thing I need to attend to." Dad says from behind me as I am making my way up the stairs to me room. "Oh ok. Want me to come?" "No its ok. You just go and finish up what you have to do." Then heads for the door.

Once inside my room I flopped across my bed and look through my mom on pics of mom and I. The one that caught my eyes they most is the one I had taken the day before she died. We were doing our usual home spa. I remember her asking me why I wanted a pic of her with face scrub on. I joked and said because I didn't know if it would be our last. I regretted saying that now. "Mom. Mommy. I miss you. I love you." I say as tears trickle down my cheeks.

     'Clank! Clank! Clank!'

The sudden noise startles me. Someone or something is hitting my window. Immediately the thought of the man from earlier is standing outside made me feel scared. I am about to call dad. I am about to dial his number but then I hear my name. "Nessa! Nessa! Are you awake?" That sounds like Caleb. I sprung from the bed and opened the window in a flash. "I wasn't sleeping. And the house comes with a door bell. What do you want?" I answered giving him attitude. "Am coming up. We need to talk." And without me saying yes or no well mostly no he already started climbing up my window.
I moved aside as he invites himself into my room. "How did you know that this is my room?" "Easy. Your lights are on and your dad left." "Are you watching me?" I am curious now. "Well I realize you are incapable of taking care of yourself so I decided to check on you." "What? Caleb what happened today won't happen again." I pointed out. He just stand there looking at me."Say it again." "Say what?" "My name." He requests. "Why?" I am now beginning to think he lost a screw. "Just do it." He walks up to me and says. He towers over me causing to slightly bend my head backward to look up at him. I can feel his breath hitting my face. "Do it." Fine. Caleb Carter I can....." before I could finish the sentence his lips are on mine.

A part of me wanted to to push him away but for some reason my arms rather holding him. 'My first kiss came from my nemesis.' I think to myself. What a story to tell my kids and grandkids. His lips are unbelievable soft. He parted my lips. His tongue is everywhere in my mouth. I squeeze my eyes shut a little tighter. I don't know how to respond to him. To this moment. I don't even know if I am kissing him right. What if it's terrible. "Wait....wait stop." I eased back pushing him away. "Ugh am sorry. I didn't mean to do that." He apologizes before running his hand through his hair.
I didn't know what to say. "It's ok. Am fine." I blushed in response. "You're a pretty great kisser." His compliment sent me blushing even more. "Your boyfriend must enjoy kissing you." "What? I don't have a boyfriend. Boys aren't all that." I rolled my eyes and walked towards my bed. "You must be kidding. With a kiss like that you can't be single." He says making himself more at home sitting on my chair. "Well I never kissed....." I refused to complete the statement. He looks at me as if he is in disbelief. When one quick move his lips are on mine again. "Caleb stop. I am not Bailey or one of the many girls you have your way with. Am sorry but I am not that type of girl." I pushed him away and moved from off the bed and lean against my closet door. "You're right. You're not. Am sorry. It's just that from the first time I saw you I can't get you out of my head. I can't even focus on being me. The more I try to resist you it's the more I want you. I have never experienced such attraction to anyone. I want to get you out of my head but I can't. I want to know you better." He tells me. My eyes wide open with shock. "Why? So you can do to me what you do to the other girls? Just forget it. My V-Card is staying till I say otherwise." I bluntly tells him. He paused for a while.

"You're a virgin?" Caleb looks at me unrealistically. "And so? You're looking at me as if I am crazy." "You're not. You're perfect. I want you." "Excuse me? Are you insane?" "No. I want you." He repeats. "Please leave. I don't have any time for this. I have a future to plan for and it does not involves a relationship."
He stand directly infront of me and stares at me without even blinking. "You are mine. I am not asking or debating." I refuse to accept his claim on me. "Get out Caleb. I will never be yours. I know all I need to know about you and I will never make the same mistakes those other girls made thinking you are the one. You should stick to Bailey." I stared back at him and put all emphasis I can on all I am saying.

"Am breaking up with Bailey tomorrow. After that there will be no other girl but you." This boy must have lost his mind. How can he just go around breaking people's hearts. "Do you think life is a joke? So you think you can pick choose and refuse just about anything or anyone because you find something else that attracts your attention?" I said pushing him out of my way to stand in the middle of the room. "Am not kidding. I want to know you better with no distractions." He follows up close behind me.
A part of me wants this but I can't bring myself to being used and then tossed aside like I never mattered. I hate the fact that I find myself attracted to this bad boy. "Caleb we don't need to do this. I don't want to get hurt. I am not a toy. Am sorry but we will never work out." "How can you say that? I am here in your room pouring my heart out to you. I have never done that to any girl before. I really am more than attracted to you." "Please don't make this difficult. I don't feel the same about you." I lie just for him to back off. "You're saying that now because you don't really know me. The real me." Even though his pleas are hitting my soft spot I have to protect myself from this womanizer.

I go and stand by the window. "It's time for you to leave. We're done here." I showed him the way out. As he makes his way to the window he runs a hand through my curly hair and down to the side of my neck. He pulls me in for another kiss and I can't believe I let him.

"Since you refuse me then let's be friends." He says. "Ok. But I am not expecting nothing more ok. Being friends is not so bad." I answered hugging myself. "Let the universe be the judge of where we end up. Good night Nessa." He gives me a last kiss and left.