The Balcony Scene

Chapter 5
I felt awkward after that kiss. I knew as soon as Mike started drinking, he'd just forget that he was my first kiss, I didn’t like how that sounded. I had no choice in kissing him, I did it only out of fear. I told myself I didn’t feel anything, and for the most part it was true. I felt nothing for Mike, but now I felt like an attachment, like that kiss made us friends or something.
It wasn't long before Mike was drunk again, and everyone went back to normal. "Hey, were leaving," Vic said interrupting my train of thought. They had all left and I hadn't even noticed. "Okay," I said getting up and walking away, I walked beside Vic. "Why do you have an apartment in Texas if you live in San Diego?" I asked. I'd wondered that for a while, but I never asked. "We like to come here a lot" Vic said and that’s were it stopped. Vic had a way of telling people half of the story, and leaving the rest to the imagination, he was mysterious, and I was determined to get the full story.

We didn’t ride the same bus this time, it was a tour bus it was huge and I climbed in and sat at one of the tables. I had my legs across the seat until Vic sat down beside me and Mike sat in front of me. I still felt a little awkward around him and still had the urge to say Michael in every sentence, Mike was completely drunk now and was babbling. "Cherrie," he said. I pulled my eyes up from the ground and looked at him, "Yeah?" I responded admiring his ‘Pierce the Veil’ tank top "Are you a virgin?" he asked loudly. The whole bus got quiet, Mike always found a way to bring up touchy subjects "Yeah..." I said in a very quietly, "That’s hot," Mike exclaimed biting his labret piercing and tugging at it.

I grimaced, I hated to admit how inexperienced and naive I was. Vic sensed it, "Cherrie, how about you come with me?" Vic asked, shooting Mike a look. "What?" Mike asked defensively, there was a back room with a curtain separating it from the rest of the bus. "Cherrie, I worry about you," he said bluntly. I was shocked, I really didn’t expect him to say that. "Why?" I asked even though I already knew what he'd say. "I.... you... I don't want you to leave," he blurted looking as if he were about to cry. "Why do you care?" I asked. I was asking a lot of questions, but I wanted to know the whole truth "I..." he stopped cold in his tracks, he didn’t blink. A single tear rolled down his face "Because, I know you won't hurt me like all the other ones do," he whispered. I wrapped him in my arms. I couldn’t let him go. We were alike in so many ways, I was starting to fall hard for him.

"Vic... I'm not used to this," I admitted. He pulled away slowly, "Used to what?" he said wiping his eyes. "I've never crushed over anyone or had anyone think I was remotely pretty, all of this is so different," I explained pulling him back into the hug we'd started, "Cherrie you’re not pretty," he stopped and I felt my heart sink. "What..?" I trailed off. "You’re beautiful," he said even quieter than before. I leaned in, my whole body was shaking, and I kissed him. It was soft at first but as soon as I got used to the motion, I attacked his smooth lips as if they were my only source of oxygen. I ran my fingers through his straight hair, my fingers slid through with no trouble. I always wanted hair like his. I finally released him with a breathy "Wow," I'd never felt anything like this before. My heart felt like it was exploding, and my stomach had enough butterflies to fill the sky for years. Vic gave me another hug, but something had obviously changed between us, "I'm going back to the table, you want to come?" he said smirking "Umm, wait." I said chuckling. He returned to the padded bench, I ran a napkin across his lips "Sorry," I said showing him the deep purple lipstick napkin, he chuckled and it pierced my soul.

I followed him back to the bench "Are you still a virgin?" Mike joked I just gave him the go to hell look. "We just talked," Vic retorted winking at me I smiled it'd be our little secret.