Military Love

Chapter 6- The Letter

We had gotten to his apartment by a cab and Jerry insisted on paying for it. We walked to this fancy apartment building, walked in, and walked to the elevator. He pressed the "11" button as the doors closed. For a moment, it was silent as watched the numbers above the doors go up after each floor we passed. Some strange feeling brought me back to when Derek was still alive and we were in an elevator...

I was laughing historically as we were running from the custodian and I was going to round a corner when Derek grabbed my waist and pulled me into an elevator. He hit the button to close the doors and then pressed the top floor button. Just before the doors closed completely the custodian saw us and I waved, "Bye" I managed to get out as I laughed.

Derek turned to me as I was leaning against the side of the elevator and started to walk towards me. I smiled, knowing full well what he was going to do, I mean we had been going out for a year, I know when he was going to do something or not.

He touched my cheek lightly with his hand, "You're so beautiful."

I smiled at him as I tugged on his shirt for him to come closer, and he did. The kiss was always so beautiful, no matter how many times we kissed. He put one hand on my waist and the other on my neck as my hands tugged on his shirt, slightly, inviting him in...

"Ding!" The elevator doors opened and I was no longer fifteen, backed against the wall, with lips on mine. I had again, like so many times, awakened to reality of the present day.

"C'mon, it's just this way." Jerry said as he walked out of the elevator.

He stopped at a door and opened it with the key.  The door opened to a large living room with big sofas, a plasma screen television, and modern interior designing. He took off his coat and threw it over the leather chair. I walked in slowly and did the same.

"I'll be right back. You want anything to drink? I have water, soda, vodka, bacardi..."

"Umm, I'll have whatever you're having." I answered.

"Bacardi coke it is then..." He said as he walked down the hall.

I sat down for a second when I looked over at a wall where there was pictures hung up. I got up and took my time looking at each of them. There were a lot of graduation, friends- some I recognized, and then I saw Derek. It was the same picture I had in my room of him in his uniform with the American flag in back of him. I had to take my eyes off of him. I then looked at another picture. I remembered it so well once I looked at it. It was of Derek, me, and Jerry. It was at the beach on the fourth of July, a year before Derek went into the Marines. We were all in our swimsuits and our arms were all wrapped around each other. I was in the middle, with the two guys on either side right in front of the water. We all had the biggest grins on our faces, having the time of our lives.

"I remember that day." I heard from behind me.

I jumped, not knowing he was right there, "Oh, Jerry you scared me."

"Sorry," He passed me a glass, "Here's your drink."

I looked back at the picture, "God, we were so young..."

"Without a care in the world." He finished

"I know, right?" I asked.

I turned back to him as he sat on the leather couch. I noticed how tall he was, even sitting down, with his legs spread out, bending as his feet nearly dragged on the ground. His jet black hair was shorter than it used to be, now in a crew cut, more mature. His green eyes looked at my face, searching for something.

"What?" He asked as he smirked.

"Nothing." I laughed a little.

"Come sit down. We need to talk. It's been too damn long." He said as he patted the couch.