Dear Maria (on hold)

Part 10

It was warm, we were laughing, talking, nothing could have been easier or more lovely. We were sitting across from each other at Maria's kitchen table, drinking coffee, wearing tank-tops and jeans, discussing everything from current events to people we used to date, from our favorite foods to our own odd little habits. Then, just as Maria was describing the most elaborate dessert she'd ever had at a restaurant while I alternately laughed and drooled hungrily, we heard a tentative but persistent knock at her door. Maria paused mid-sentence, and frowned at me in confusion, clearly not having the faintest idea as to who might be at her door at five on a Sunday afternoon. She rose from her chair and walked to her front door and peered out of the peephole at whoever it was that was standing on her doorstep. She gasped, covering her mouth with her hands, and quickly spun around to face me.

“I don't believe it! It's this guy that I got set up with once, he won't leave me alone! He doesn't believe in homosexuality or something, so he won't get that I'm gay!” Maria quickly explained, her hands darting around frantically as she spoke in a hushed whisper. My eyebrows were making their way up my forehead in disbelief as she continued. “Please help me, I need to get rid of him once and for all, otherwise he'll never leave me alone!” she pleaded desperately. Not quite sure what she wanted me to do, I obligingly nodded, eager to help Maria.

“Sure, what do you want me to do?” I asked, my voice matching hers.

“Okay, so here's what we're gonna do...” she went on to explain her plan as my eyebrows crept higher and higher.

Moments later, Maria opened the door to reveal a rather greasy looking dork-guy in a suit that seemed expensive, carrying a bouquet of bright red, if wilted, roses. My arm was wound tightly around Maria's waist, pulling her close to me, and her arm was slung lovingly around my shoulders.

“Oh hey, Derek! What are you doing here?” Maria asked in a falsely bright and casual tone, looking up at him in puzzlement. Derek took stock of our arms around each other, and Maria pretended to notice for the first time. “Derek, this is my girlfriend, Holly!” she introduced, smiling hugely as she tilted her head towards me. The poor man looked terribly confused as he looked back and forth between us. Wow, Maria hadn't been exaggerating, he really didn't get it... After sighing under her breath at his reluctance to see the obvious, Maria plastered another smile in place and turned towards me, and after hesitating for a brief second, she brought her free hand up to rest on my neck as she kissed me. Kissed me. And it wasn't just a quick peck either, nor was it her pressing her lips to mine to make it appear as if were kissing, it was full on kissing. I hadn't been kissed like this before, and to my immense surprise, and most likely to Maria's as well, I kissed her back. That incredible girl took it in stride of course, and so the kiss continued for nearly a minute before poor Derek snapped, coughing loudly, embarrassed, his face now matching the color of his sad roses. Maria and I broke apart; I too was blushing some, and I could tell that even Maria was thrown. But we just kept our arms around each other, now facing Derek, smiling brilliantly.

“Um, uh, M-Maria, I'm sorry but I h-have to leave now, goodbye,” he announced, stammering slightly, looking terribly uncomfortable. He abruptly turned around to head back to his car, taking his wilted roses with him. Maria shut the door decisively, and shifted her body so that she was facing me again. We hadn't relinquished our hold on each other yet; our arms were still wrapped around the other.

“Thanks,” Maria said breathlessly, her free hand finding it's way back to my shoulder.

“Anytime,” I replied, before I placed my other hand on her waist. We leaned in together and were once again kissing, thoroughly absorbed in each other.