Head Above Water

Chapter 10

Kim glanced at the mirror pulling at his blue shirt hanging over his washed out jeans before he walked downstairs and saw his mother laughing by herself in front of the tv.

"Mom, I'm going to Chad's"

She turned around and got up.

"Do you want me to take you?"

He shook his head and chucked

"No, Roche will come get me"

He glanced at his phone and saw her text saying she was outside. Her cousin was driving. She uncomfortably greeted Kim as he climbed in the backseat.

Kim swallowed hard and Roche wrapped her arm around his pulling him inside the busy house with its loud pop music emerging. Deja vu kicked in as Kim entered. Chad pulled him aside and Roche's girlfriends pulled her aside. Kim declined drinks offered and realized he had nothing much in common with his friends when he was sober.

Yet at Chad's previous parties, he joined in the beer pong games, had a drink or two. It was at one of such parties that he first bumped into Roche coming out of the bathroom. She was giggling and did not notice when she bumped into him and the glass of beer he was holding spilled on her white t-shirt. He apologized repeatedly as she tried to cover up the stain and her pink bra becoming visible.

"It's okay" she let out "I have a jacket in my cousin's car"

She darted downstairs and he followed her with the intension to keep an eye on her or help her. She scrambled in the backseat suggesting he sit in front but he glanced in the rear view mirror as she took off her t-shirt. She struggled with the zip and climbed on the front seat next to him.

"Please help" she begged defeated. With trembling hands he moved the zip and it broke. They both gasp and then broke out in laughs. He pulled off his dark blue t-shirt and handed it to her. She glanced at his upper body and it was when her lips parted that he leaned in and kissed her. She kissed him back and when they eventually did go back inside she was wearing his t-shirt and he was wearing the broken zip pink jacket. It got everyone talking and commenting so much so that before he had time to figure things out, they were an item.

Kim dissapeared to bathroom and on his way back around the corner he eavesdropped on Roche's conversation with her girlfriends

"I take my hat off for you for coping with your boyfriend's attempt"

"Yeah, it's so selfish of him"

Roche bit down on her lips then frowned.

"He's not selfish" she cut back and walked away. She stood by herself for a while and composed a smile when she turned around and saw Kim.

"Lets get out of here" she suggested and he nodded scanning the room for her cousin. Roche whispered in her cousin's ear who gave her the keys to her car. She returned and dropped the keys in Kim's hand.

"She said she'll take a ride home with her friends"

Kim nodded and they left. He glanced back at his friends and had a brief vision of his past self taking part in their drinking game desperately trying to fit in and he played the part they wanted him to. He left and they drove to Roche's house. They sat in the car for a while not knowing what to do until she put her hand on his lap and their eyes met. She looked so wanting so beautiful he leaned in and kissed her realizing he missed her kisses and as their kiss intensified, she broke lose.

"Come to my room. My parents aren't home" she insisted and he nodded.

Kim looked up at the interior of the house. It always brought a certain warmth and family atmosphere to mind. Roche locked the door. She grabbed his hand and pulled him upstairs into her pink room. She wasted no time wrapping her arms around him and pressing her lips against his. She pulled him backwards and on her bed. As they made out they discarded of their clothes and made love. Afterwards he lay on his back staring at her ceiling as she lay her head on his bare chest. Her breathing was softly washing over him and he found himself twisting her blonde hair between his fingers. It was moments like these that made him think he loved her.

"I love you" she let out dreamily "I missed you so much"

He bit down on his lips. She lifted her head and lifted her eyebrows at him. He shifted out from under her and got dressed.

"I better go" he said.

She nodded confused and he left without looking back. He didn't live far from her so he just jogged home.