These Are the Fast Times

Jack

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

I wake up to the sun in my face and Victoria next to me with her bangs covering her eyes. I move my arm from around her waist and stretch.

I let out a wide yawn and just wait for her to wake up for a few minutes.

I lean over to blow at her face when she stays sleeping, watching her frown in her sleep as wisps of hair rearrange themselves on her face when I stop.

I laugh to myself and she rolls over, pulling the blankets over her head. I smile and slip out of her bed and out to the hallway.

It’s my first night over since we got back together, but it doesn’t feel any different than it used to.

In the kitchen, Lila’s mixing herself a cup of coffee.

“Hey,” I say, barely stifling a yawn. She briefly glances at me and nods slightly in acknowledgement.

“Coffee?” she asks absently, her mind obviously on other things.

“No thanks,” I reply, but sitting across from her at the table anyway. “Are you coming to my band’s show tonight?” I ask, out of some compulsive conversational demand I tend to get.

Victoria’s already warned me that Lila hasn’t exactly been herself lately, but I can’t help myself.

“Isn’t it in Maryland?” she asks, raising an eyebrow quizzically.

“Yeah, me and Victoria are driving out there after lunch,” I answer. She doesn’t say anything, but at least she doesn’t look so zombie-like anymore. She sips her coffee. “I thought it might help to have a change of scenery, that’s all,” I add, shrugging.

She glances at me at the comment, but doesn’t question what I mean by it.

She doesn’t ask what a change of scenery might “help.”

And then Victoria enters the room, crossing the kitchen to kiss me good morning before she pours herself some coffee. Lila glances at us.

“I’ll come with,” she agrees.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

After the show, we all head to Rian’s place for the after-party.

We haven’t been here that long before Victoria squeezes my hand and nudges me in the side. I lean down slightly to see what she wants.

“I really missed us,” is all she says, smiling.

“I love you,” I wrap an arm around her shoulder and kiss the side of her head in response.

“Love you too,” she replies.

I look up and catch Lila’s eyes. She quickly looks away and turns to start a conversation with Zack.

It’s obvious that mine and Victoria’s attempts to take her mind off things aren’t exactly working.

“I’m going to head out,” Lila announces to Victoria and I an hour later.

“Head out where?” Victoria asks, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “You’re not staying with us at Jack and Alex’s?”

“I’m going back to New York. Matt is heading that way,” she motions over her shoulder to one of my friends. “I don’t know. I feel like I should go back. You guys stay.”

Victoria glances at me doubtfully for help before she looks back at Lila.

“Don’t worry,” I assure her, practically reading her thoughts. “Matt will get her there in one piece.”

“Are you sure?” she asks Lila.

“Yes, Mom,” Lila replies sardonically. “Really, it’s fine. You’ll have more fun without me, anyway, I’m tired,” she adds, walking back over to Matt.

A few hours later, we’re in my room, trying to keep quiet because Alex is in the living room, watching a movie.

Victoria suppresses laughs while I alternate between kissing her neck and whispering things in her ear.

“You should stay here for the week,” I suggest, knowing her classes ended a week or two ago. She trails a hand through my hair, smiling up at me for a few seconds before she answers.

“I didn’t bring enough clothes,” she points out.

“You don’t need clothes,” I answer. “In fact, no clothes are better. I vote for no clothes,” I add, grinning. She laughs.

“Let’s talk about it tomorrow. We can talk about the rest of the summer tomorrow,” she says.

“We can save the talking for tomorrow,” I quickly agree, playing with the hem of her shirt.

“Now, what was that you were saying about no clothes…?”