Rookie in Love [SYTYCW 2013]

Rookie in Love [Chapter Seven]

Chapter Seven

            This might be the longest five-minute car ride of my life.  Jackson has his hand resting high on my thigh and he keeps looking at me every chance he gets.   I am so nervous my heart is racing and I feel almost buzzed from the high of being with him.  He is gorgeous, dark hair framing his ruggedly handsome face, and his blue eyes standing out against his tanned skin.  I am still trying to figure out what his tattoo is because it only peeks at me from under his sleeve. 

            We pull up to a small four-plex on the back of Frat Row.  Clearly his spot in the driveway is kept open for him, which is wonderful given that the street is overcrowded with cars, many pulled partway into driveways parked three cars deep.  There are a few college students walking home from bars and I notice that there has been some partying taking place here as a couple kicks one of many red Solo cups back and forth between them. 

            I know better than to try to open my own door, so I wait for Jackson to make his way around the truck and open it for me.  He reaches up for my hand and I hold his tightly and scoot myself to the edge of the seat.  I think it might be impossible to exit this truck gracefully, wearing heels and a short skirt; as I think about where to put my legs so that I minimize my exposure, I notice Jackson smiling up at me. 

            “What’s the problem, Rookie?” he asks very mischievously. 

            “I am just taking a minute to pray to God that my pantie choice for this evening is appropriate since you are about to be acquainted with them real quick when I try to get down from here.”

            “Amen.” Jackson says enthusiastically and I roll my eyes and then laugh as I conclude that indeed I am going to flash him.  Our interactions are so playful and full of heat that I can’t get too wrapped up in what I am supposed to say or how I might look.  With Jackson, I am the real me and it feels amazing. 

            “Come on, Rookie, nothing I haven’t seen before.”  Jackson winks at me and I remember dangling from a trellis above him.  I give up and let him wrap his hands around my waist and help me down. 

            “See, Rookie, I can be a gentleman.” Jackson says in reference to the way his eyes never left mine as my legs flail about on the way down from the seat.    He grabs my hand again and we walk up a staircase to one of the top apartments.  There is music playing inside and I feel nervous seeing his friends on top of being jittery about spending time with him.  Jackson opens the door and we walk into a small living room housing two mismatched couches, a broken coffee table and various athlete and swim suit model posters taped on the walls.  There is also a pretty impressive collection of beer tops nailed to the wall around the door. 

            “Sorry about the mess, Rookie.  We are all on the team and don’t have a lot of time to keep things tidy. “  I recognize his two roommates from the bar and give them a small wave as Jackson pulls me past them on the way to his room. “Hey guys you remember, Maddy.  Maddy, you remember Trevor and Aaron.”  We all exchange some mumbled hellos and I stumble behind Jackson as he pulls my hand relentlessly to his room.  “Now say goodnight to Maddy.” Jackson says over his shoulder as we approach his room.

            “Goodnight, Maddy,” Aaron and Trevor say in unison, turning their attention back to the TV and their beers. 

            The second we are in Jackson’s room he closes the door and locks it behind us.  It may seem childish, but I feel a thrill being locked in a room with him.  I have never been allowed to have boys in my room or even be alone near a bed with one.  My father and brothers would be having a fit if they knew where I was right now.  Jackson closes the distance between us and lightly kisses my lips.  His hands rest on the sides of my face and my body begins to heat up again with his touch.