To Love And Back.

I watched as they talked like they knew each others since ever. I felt jealousy rushing all over my body as she kissed his cheek to wish him a happy birthday. I just couldn’t watch without saying or doing anything. I was afraid she was my new Jules, but this time she would have tried to get with John for real: I could have said by the way she looked at him.

“How were things in Europe?” John asked being the nice guy he was, turning to me and explaining she had the chance to study in Spain for her senior year.

“Fue una gran experiencia y espero volver pronto en Madrid” she spoke fluent Spanish and I knew John was a sucker for that language.

“Wow! That was great! I’d love to study Spanish again, I used to in high school”

“I can teach you something” that was enough.
I cleared my throat and get my spot in the conversation.

“Anyway I’m Andy, John didn’t introduce us” we shook hands and all I could feel was tension. I don’t know if someone else got it but her eyes told me she wasn’t there for anything.

“Nice to meet you, I’m Erin, I live next door” I always knew girls next door were the worst.

“Yes, I’m sorry, I’m such a rude person sometimes” John said “Andy, this is my old friend Erin –I used to baby sit her. Erin, this is Andy, my girlfriend” as soon as she heard that magical word, her smile changed to a disappointed grin. Score!

“I didn’t know you were a girlfriend type” she said “you always told me you weren’t”

“People change, and fall in love” John looked at me smiling and I smiled back “you’ll understand it someday. You’re still too young”

“Well not anymore. I’m legal now” John burst into a giant laugh, but a very embarrassed one.
I stared at her with fire in my eyes, hoping I could burn her with just a look.
That was too much. I was about to say something when John held my hand, pretending there was someone to greet at the door. We left the very obnoxious girl and we got into the house.
As soon as we were alone I spit it all out.

“I can’t believe what she said!”

“I know babe, I’m sorry… she tried in every way to make me like her, since she was 15, but she was underage, so I always told her I never got with her for that reason. I’m sorry, that was very inappropriate” he got closer and touched my hair softly “Let me handle this”

I nodded “I was so nervous”

“Jealous?”

“Hell yeah! How dare her?!” he laughed.

“You’re so sweet” he kissed me quickly “why don’t you give me my second present?”

I grinned, and thought of what I had in mind.

“I’ll see you in the guest room in ten minutes” I kissed him passionately, walking to the second floor and to the bedroom I had to sleep in.
I opened my bag and found the black baby doll I brought for the night and giggled.
Before I could change, I heard a knock on the bedroom door.

“John I told you to wait ten minutes! You really can’t wait, can you?”

When I opened the door, instead of seeing my handsome boyfriend, I saw Erin. That was bad sign.

“This is not the toilet, girl. I guess you have to ask someone else because I don’t know where it is”

“I’m not looking for the toilet”

“Can I help you then?”

“You know that John is like everyone else right? As soon as I will be able to be alone with him…”

I interrupted her “Listen baby girl, I don’t fucking care if you’re eighteen or forty now, but believe me, it’s better for you if you stay away from my boyfriend or I will personally kick your flabby ass out of this city, got it?”

She grinned “do you think I’m afraid of you? You’re just another one”

“And you will never be one. You don’t know anything about John and I so please leave us alone and don’t ever get close again to him. I saw the way you look at him”

“I live next door, you stupid bitch. I can see him every time I want”

“Well, too bad September is close and we’re going to go back to ASU”

“Well, too bad I’m starting at ASU in September as well” I couldn’t believe it. I was living a nightmare. “And who do you think I will ask help to?”

“I’m going to kick your ass so hard you won’t be able to sit for months, you little…” we both heard footsteps and we knew who it was. The blonde girl smiled with an evil grin on her face and disappeared into a room. I felt anger rushing in me like a wave.

“Hey, what are you doing out there? Waiting for me?” his voice suddenly changed my mood, but I was still nervous and even if I wanted to tell him what just happened, I was afraid he didn’t believe me. It was like living that party all over again. And this time Erin was even more serious and determined than Jules back then. She wanted John no matter what, without ifs or buts.

“Yes, I mean, what took you so long?”

“Austin being Austin” he got into the room, locking us in “but who cares, now it’s time for my second gift” he sat on the bed “so? Where is it?”

I tried to switch my mind off, at least for that night, and from the bad thoughts, getting close to him.
I kissed him and immediately his hands were on my B-side.

“You look very sexy with this dress, I guess it’s time you take it off though” I giggled

“Why don’t you do it instead?”

“With pleasure”

I turned and he unzipped the dress slowly, exposing my back and touching it with his soft lips. The dress slid down on the floor and there I found myself, basically half naked, with just my knickers and heels on. John stood up and managed to make me look at him. I unbuttoned his shirt and let it slid down too, touching his bare chest, making my way down to his jeans.
It seemed like the time stopped and we were acting in slow motion; every single move we made was slow and silent, like we didn’t want to ruin the atmosphere.
Our lips touched, while his hands started to run on my body, and mine onto his. He sat on the bed and I did the same, but on him. I could feel his excitement through the jeans and that made me impatient. The kiss heated up as our bodies got closer and I just wanted to feel him inside of me.
His breath went irregular as mine and I could tell he was enjoying what was happening.
I spread my legs wide open and helped him taking off the last clothes he had left on. Then it was my turn, and when I felt John’s hand touching me down under I felt my whole body burning.
He always knew how to make me feel alive, with just one smile, one touch, or one word.
Since the beginning, and I always knew it down deep inside. I just didn’t want to realize it.
He made love to me gently, but in a very sensual way. He always was a great lover, and now that we shared something more, sex –or whatever you want to call it- was even better.

“Happy birthday” I whispered under the sheets, hugging his naked chest.

“Well, thanks again” he kissed me once again “this was the best present ever”

“Don’t get used to it” he puffed and then stayed silent for a while.

“I’m glad you’re here” I nodded “not just for…this”

“It was the least I could do; it’s your birthday after all”

“Best birthday ever” we smiled to each others “I love you”

“Me too, old man” he laughed again and started tickling me “ok I got it!”

“I’m just 22 years old”

“Now you will have to change your lyrics” I said thinking about ‘Inside Of You’, the one I found under his bed.

“Nah, it will remain like that. I was 21 back then and that story is about something happened at that time. I don’t want it to change; it would be like changing the past”

“22 and still very cleaver. How did I get so lucky!?” he laughed.

“I am the lucky one, remember?”

“I dissent, Your Honor”

We kept on talking and joking, until his phone started to beep impatiently. He puffed and answered the call. Of course everyone was wondering where he was.

“I need to go back. What are you doing?”

“Coming in five minutes as well” he nodded and started to get dressed.
He kissed me while I still was under the white blankets before telling me he loved me, again.

“See you downstairs party boy” he winked at me and went out of the room.

I sighed and lied down for a little more, listening to the voices and laughter downstairs. I got up and dressed back up too, about to reach John as I told him. I looked at my figure in the mirror one last time before I went to open the door: apparently though, it was locked. I tried it over and over again and yes, I was locked in. I though it was kind of impossible, because John wouldn’t ever lock me in.
Then it hit me: she locked me in. Erin managed it all, and she was winning.
I took a deep breath and listed all the things I could have done to her: torturing was the least.
If she wanted to play, then I would have played. I wouldn’t have let her win again.
I wouldn’t have let her get between John and me, now that we were happily together.
No one would have dared to tear us apart; I would have protected my relationship in every way possible. Stupid or naïve, call me whatever you want, but I really thought it was possible for me and John to stay together without anyone getting through our story. I really did believe it.
On second thought, I should have thought I was just dreaming.