Jake had had a hard time getting away from his brother and friends that afternoon. He had eventually told them that he was meeting a girl, which was technically true, to shake them. He had been surprised by Cynthia's message the night before asking him to meet with her in the old place. It had come in, just after 23.00 about when he and Nicky had been on their way home from the beach which was pretty late for her, even on a Saturday. Something must be bothering her. He had discarded any thoughts of going to her, especially there, at first. Why should he, they weren't together anymore. He had even considered telling Nicky to go instead but had eventually discarded that idea too. How would he explain the message in the first place? It was only after practice, when he had seen Nicky talking to Kyle, that he had decided to go. He hadn't asked what they had been talking about, he could guess, and hadn't wanted to put Kyle in the position of betraying one of his friends so he had let it drop. But he knew that Nicky was going to ask him about Cynthia, and he knew he wouldn't lie, and so he found himself standing in the old boat house, waiting. He'd give her a heads up and then leave, that's it.
There were a lot of memories in the old place. The two of them had come here to be alone, this was where most of their relationship had been forged, lived and destroyed. He had gotten to know her here, spent hours with her, made love to her, all in this small room. Ahh man... He hated to be here after that. He considered leaving before she got hear but as he turned to go he heard footsteps on the front porch, grate. "Fuck! Too late genius." he muttered to himself.
Someone must have been using the place recently because he didn't hear the door squeak as she came in, but he could smell her. Her sweet perfume, her shampoo, once so sweet to him. Now he couldn't decide if it nauseated him or just made him nostalgic.
"Hay Jake." he turned to face her. She was dressed in a short yellow summer dress, her long brown hair curling and flowing down her back in waves. Oh man this was a bad idea.
"What do you want Cynthia?" He asked roughly. Best not to let things get too friendly.
"We need to talk.... about us, and where we stand." She looked so lost as she sat down on one of the old chairs left in the room, confused, like he felt inside. It made him curious, and in a way it ignited the old sparks that had drawn him to her in the first place.
"Cynthia, there is no 'Us'. You're with my fucking brother! How could you even think there would still be an us?"
"It's just....Remember a few months back, in your kitchen..." She looked as if she was about to cry and her voice came out in a whisper. He began to feel uncomfortable, more so than could account for the room they were in. Why did she have to do this now, and why the hell here?
"If I said no would you let it drop?" he asked skeptically.
"Jake, please I'm being serious." She looked at him pleading, tears now falling quietly down her cheeks.
"Yea," he sighed "I remember. I also remember that that wasn't my fault. You kissed me." He couldn't help laugh as she blushed deeply, like she used to. He wondered if she still did that when she was with Nicky. From what his brother had told him they had been together a few times, the first time being incidentally, on the same day she had kissed him. He wondered idly if that was because of what happened in the kitchen. The last he remembered, she had sworn that after him she would never sleep with another man until they were married.
