Another Now

Prologue

Prologue

High school is finally over.

I smile as I make my way down the stairs to the pool area to rejoin my friends, a can of beer in hand. This might be the last summer we will be spending together as we're moving to different places in two months--making our own way into the world and our future. Branson and I will be going to the same university, University of Pennsylvania. Maxon recently accepted an academic scholarship at Columbia, and Knoa will be attending community college here in Bluefield. He's the only one of us staying in town, but he's promised he will work his butt off to join us in the Ivy League. And we are all counting on that, because I can't stand the thought of leaving one friend behind. After all, it is our rite of passage as high school graduates to get out of town and explore the world.

"Kalen! Come on now, you're missing the fun!" Branson calls from the pool. "Alright, I'll be there!" I shout back.

I pull out my phone and text Elyse, my girlfriend since sophomore year, to hurry and come over before she'll miss out on all the fun. Then I throw the phone with my towel on the pool bench and recklessly dive into the pool. Water splashes over to where Knoa and Maxon are sitting on the edges. They laugh and dive in, soon we're just running around the pool, diving, and splashing water at each other; laughing and high from all the excitement and happiness of the thought that finally, a new chapter is upon us.

But first, party all summer is the agenda.

Elyse finally arrives with Cheryl, Branson's flavor of the week. The former doesn't look too pleased. "Remind me not to strangle you later," I say to Branson as we both climb out of the pool. "Do not strangle me, brother." He smirks.

"You owe me fifty bucks, Brans." Elyse murmurs as she approaches us ahead of Cheryl. "Later, and thank you Els," he passes her, smirking. I laugh a little as she eyes me, "I'm sorry Branson asked you to play chauffeur for Cheryl," I kiss her forehead and lead her to the pool bench. "It's fine. You can make it up to me, later," she winks.

My body heats up as my mind conjures images of my naked girlfriend pinned under me with legs widespread. We've only done it a couple times, as we're kind of new to the deed. She'd only just allowed me to touch her at the beginning of senior year and since then, we've been trying to sneak around, getting some time alone but we're often successful. Mostly because we're almost always busy with school work and studying for the SATs, and luckily for me, we are both on the same page when it comes to our dedication in school. I'm not complaining though, our restrains paid off. Although we're attending different universities, we can still be proud that we're going to Ivy League schools. Elyse will be joining Maxon in Columbia University, and it's just approximately three hours from Pennsylvania. It's quite sad that we won't be sharing an apartment, that is why we're dedicating this summer to spend every single day together. Starting now.

"Hey do you wanna go upstairs to my room?" I casually ask her as I dry myself with the towel.

"Sure," she chirps nervously.

We still get pretty nervous about this, because admittedly, she is my first girlfriend, and I am her first boyfriend. We are each other's firsts: first love, first kiss, first sex, and so on. "My parents are away tonight, so.." I let the sentence hang there. Elyse always feels a little bit more comfortable knowing that we're alone in the house, with no lingering adults wondering what we're doing up in my room. And when she's relaxed, things are more pleasurable. If you know what I mean.

I grab her hand and we make our way around the pool, trying to ignore the teasing whistles from Knoa and Maxon. I see Branson and Cheryl have gone on ahead, I just pray that Branson hasn't mistakenly occupied my parents' room this time. The last time he brought a girl in my house, he was too drunk to lead her to the designated boys' room I reserve for my friends, and instead ended up getting laid in my parents' room. Imagine the torment I suffered throughout the entire month.