The Boy Next Door.

21. First Kiss

Jared:

When I reach the exit of the hotel, I turn left onto the highway, going back towards Wilderness. I'm going to ride to Leentjiesklip Beach in Wilderness. It's quiet there this time of night, and no one will bother us. Smoking pot isn't illegal anymore, but I don't like to advertise the fact that I'm smoking.

Once on the highway, I open up. This time pushing 200km/hr. Cassy has moved right up to me, her torso one with mine. Going around the bends with her on the back is a breeze. She leans with me into the bends no matter how low I drop the bike. Riding at this speed is already a rush, but having her trust me like this just does something to me. The need I feel to protect and possess her, completely foreign to me.

At the bottom of Wilderness Heights, I gear down to turn right into a small neighborhood. Riding slowly through the neighborhood, so as to not wake everybody, we eventually get to the small parking area. I park at the far side, next to the steps leading to the beach.

The minute I cut the engine, Cassy gets off the bike.

"Wow, that was awesome!" she says, taking her helmet off.

"Yeh?" I ask, watching her walk off the adrenaline rush.

"Yeh!" she says, laughing softly.

"I'm glad you liked it," I say, getting off the bike.

"Come, let's go sit on the beach," I say, taking her hand and walking toward the steps.

Once on the beach, we walk away from the houses to a secluded spot, where we sit down. The moon's out and leaves a bright strip on the water. The only noise, the constant roar of the ocean as the waves crash on the beach, only to be sucked back into the sea.

"Would you mind if I smoke a joint?" I ask, hoping it won't be a deal breaker.

I know that if I want whatever is between us to work, there can be no secrets between us. She has to accept all of me.

"Looking at me with a surprised expression on her face, she says, "Only if you smoke alone."

For a second, I thought I heard wrong, but then she laughs, "Why are you so surprised that I might enjoy smoking a joint with you?"

"I don't know. You are always so reserved. I guess I just didn't see you as the rebellious type," Jared says, laughing with me.

"I don't see it as rebellion. Some people drink, I smoke," she gives me her simple explanation and then elaborates a bit, "I have a cousin who smokes."

Watching her talk, I can't believe what a lucky bastard I am to have met her.

"Can I tell you a secret?" I ask her.

When she nods her head, I confess, "When you just moved in, I used to refer to you in my head as Miss Goodey Two Shoes."

"Ooch!" she laughs, "I used to refer to you as Man Whore," she also confesses.

"Double Ooch!" I say making another confession, "I haven't slept with as many girls as people think. They made assumptions about me and I just let them believe it."

"I'm really happy to hear that," she says looking out over the ocean.

Turning to face her, I take the joint out.

Holding it up between us I ask, "Shall we?"

"We shall," she says, giving me permission to light it.

Once lit I take a long drag, before passing it to her. Taking the joint between her thumb and index finger she takes a drag, "Hmm this is good stuff," she says, confirming that she knows her shit.