Bulletproof Love

A few hours later, the barbecue was in full swing, and their backyard was crowded with people. It seemed like everyone had shown up to welcome the boys home, there had to be at least fifty people scattered about, old and new friends, parents, and grandparents among them. Victor Sr., Mike and Vic’s father, was at the grill, because it was agreed by everyone that his burgers were the best, and Vivian, their mother, was in the kitchen putting together more veggie burgers for him to put on. Emily’s mother was helping Vivian, and her father was standing beside the grill talking to Victor. The last time she had seen Vic, he was joking around with a few people she recognized from high school.

Meanwhile, Emily was catching up with Delaney, and a few of their friends from high school. They hadn’t been the most popular girls, and they didn’t have tons of friends, but the friendships they had formed during the worst four years of their lives had been lasting ones. Jennifer and Carla were both tall, tanned and athletic, they had both been on the varsity volleyball team in high school, and had both gone to college with partial volleyball scholarships, they had also both been chosen to play the EVP pro beach volleyball tour this year. Most of the time Delaney and her referred to them as ‘the twins’, because although they weren’t actually related, they acted just like twins, going everywhere and doing everything together. They even looked alike, with their long legs, tan skin, and wavy blonde hair. They were what movies portrayed as the typical surfer girl, although they didn’t do much surfing themselves.

“This is awesome; your parties are always so much fun Em.” Jennifer said, looking around at all the guests and taking another sip of her beer.

“Thank you.” Emily smiled. In reality her parties were only great because the guys were always there. She wasn’t much of a partier by nature, she loved parties themselves, but she wasn’t big on drinking; but that was okay because if the occasion called for it Vic could drink enough for the both of them.

“I can’t believe how long you and Vic have been together, it’s been what, ten years? I can’t seem to keep a guy around for more than a few months with my busy schedule.”

“Nine.” Emily corrects Carla. “It’ll be ten in October, or well, December I guess.” Emily usually counted how long they’d been together from their first date, because from then on they had pretty much acted like they were together, although Vic hadn’t officially asked her to be his girlfriend until two months later.

“What I can’t believe is that he hasn’t popped the question yet. I mean, you’ve been together long enough.” Jennifer said. Emily was a little taken back by the statement, only because she hadn’t ever really given the subject much thought herself. She supposed most couples would be married by now, and have a kid or two, and it was only natural for other people to wonder when they were going to.

Truth was, she wasn’t sure if she even wanted to marry Vic. With their track record they would probably be divorced within a year, and then there’d be divorce court, and settlements, and there wouldn’t be any getting back together after that. It was probably easier on their relationship if they stayed the way they were. She would like a ring though, because really, what girl doesn’t? Of course, you never know, maybe if they got married they would stop fighting. Maybe they would go back to that honeymoon stage of their relationship, where they were so in love it was sickening. She severely doubted it, considering they had never had that honeymoon stage of their relationship.

“We’re not in any rush. The other aspects of our lives are just too chaotic to even think about getting married. The boys are going on tour again in a month and a half, even if we did get engaged we wouldn’t have time to enjoy being engaged. It’s just not the right time.”

“Don’t you ever worry he’s going to find someone else when he’s on the road?”

“You think getting married would stop him if he decided to cheat on me? If he wanted to he would, and having a ring around his finger wouldn’t make any difference.” Emily clarified for her friends, taking a sip of her rum and coke.

“I don’t think I could see you two getting married anyway.” Delaney shrugged.

“Yeah, why’s that?” Emily took another sip of her drink.

“Because Vic would have to wear a tux, and I think he’d look absolutely ridiculous.” Emily had to cover her mouth to prevent the liquid she had just consumed from spraying all over her friends.

“Oh my god Laney, seriously? You’ve seen Vic in a tux before.”

“No I haven’t.”

“He wore a tux when I brought him to our senior prom.”

“I didn’t go to senior prom!” Delaney argued.

“Yes you did, you were just too drunk to remember it.” Jennifer, Carla and her laughed at the memory, because Delaney was a really funny drunk, especially back then when she couldn’t hold her liquor very well.

“And what are you lovely ladies talking about?” Mike slung his arms over Emily and Delaney’s shoulders. Emily jumped at the contact, Mike having caught her by surprise. “Jumpy?” He laughed, looking down on her.

“No,” she pouted, “and we were talking about senior prom.” Mike had been in their graduating class, and had gone to prom with them solely for the reason of spiking the punch.

“Oh man, that was a great night. That table dance Delaney, feel free to repeat that anytime.”

“What table dance?”

“Emily!” Emily looked behind her to see who it was that called her name, only to have the breath knocked out of her by Vic. He had been running towards her, crouched down enough that when he was close enough he could wrap his arms around her waist. It was when her feet left the ground that Emily began to get worried. She screamed at Vic to put her down, but he only continued on his way. She gripped his floral patterned shirt tightly and squeezed her eyes closed, ready for the unavoidable.

Emily hit the water first, and by some magical circumstance, she felt a second body hit the water right after her. She had never managed to bring Vic down with her, so she was actually really proud of this accomplishment. Of course, that little bit of happiness was overshadowed by all the irritation she felt towards Vic in that moment.

“Every single time Vic, I swear.” Emily rung her hair out into the pool. Wonderful, she thought, now I’m going to smell like chlorine all night. There were a few people in the pool, but Emily wasn’t keen on smelling like chemicals, she always took a shower after she got in the pool, because not only did chlorine smell terrible, but it irritated her sensitive skin, making it all red and blotchy; but it wasn’t like she could take one now, during the middle of the party. She really should have expected this, because Vic somehow managed to push, pull, drag, drop, or throw her into the pool everytime they had a party; it was his ‘thing’, and what a stupid thing it was.

“You know you loved it.” He laughed, splashing her. Emily stared at Vic without emotion, blinking the water out of her eyes before turning around and wading her way to the pool stairs, weighed down by her waterlogged clothes. She could hear Vic following after her, but she paid no attention to him or the people who had gathered around the pool and were now laughing at the couple’s antics.

Emily trudged up the stairs and over to the patio door, sliding it open and stepping into the kitchen. She had lost both of her flip flops in the pool, so she had to try not to slip on the tile. She detested the fact that they were getting water everywhere, and considered making Vic clean it up, but she would probably still find little puddles scattered about if she did, so she tossed the thought aside.

As soon as she was in their bedroom, she began peeling the drenched clothes from her body, tossing them into the bathroom hamper. She grabbed a towel off the shelf in the bathroom, wrapping it around herself before going back into the bedroom to get some dry clothes. Vic was there, standing in the middle of the room in nothing but his underwear, which had become so wet they were slightly transparent. The rest of his clothes were sitting in a pile at his feet, and creating yet another puddle. Emily sighed, going over to stand beside Vic and bending down to pick up the pile of clothes before dropping them in the hamper with hers.

“I love you.” Vic wrapped his arms loosely around her waist and pressed a gentle kiss to the side of her head, his way of saying he was sorry without actually saying ‘I’m sorry’.

“I love you too, but sometimes you drive me crazy.” Emily turned around, wrapping her hands around Vic’s biceps and rubbing them up and down. Vic’s skin had always been surprisingly soft, and she loved it.

“It was just a little water! I don’t understand what the big deal is.”

“It wasn’t just water. It was chlorinated water, and you know it irritates my skin.”

“But can’t you just take a shower and wash it off?”

“No, not when I’m supposed to be hosting a party.” She rolled her eyes and collapsed into Vic.

“How about you just jump in the shower real quick, just to rinse the chlorine off; I’m sure no one will notice if you’re gone just a few minutes longer.” Emily thought about it for a moment, but eventually agreed, walking into the bathroom.

“Would you get some towels from the downstairs bathroom to mop up some of this water with?” Vic agreed, and went to go get the towels. Meanwhile, Emily removed the towel she had wrapped around herself and stepped into the warm spray coming from the shower.

After she had finished washing the chemicals from her skin, and from her hair, she stepped out of the shower and into the moist air that hung in the bathroom, wrapping the white, fluffy towel back around her body and gathering her chestnut hair into a bunch, bringing it to rest over her shoulder before walking over to the mirror and wiping the condensation from the glass so she could clean the eyeliner and mascara that had run from underneath her eyes; she had no desire what so ever to look like a raccoon.

When she was thoroughly satisfied with how she looked, Emily stepped out of the bathroom and into the bedroom. The air in the bedroom was a lot cooler than the air in the bathroom and it made goosebumps rise up all across her skin. She rubbed her arms in an attempt to get them to go away, but they refused. She looked up from the ground, to see Vic sitting on the bed, fully clothed once again. His hair was still wet, and curling at the ends, and he was sitting with his elbows resting on his knees, hands clasped together in front of his face. If it was even possible, the look he was giving her made even more goosebumps prickle her skin, and a shiver ran down her spine.

“Do you mind telling me why there’s a pregnancy test in the trashcan downstairs?”