Change of Perspective

**Aliana’s POV**
It’s been almost two weeks since that day in Torrid. Vincent has been distant but not unloving. Only pecks and short embraces. He sleeps on the floor in my room, now. He says it’s because if my mom comes in he can jump up and be in the closet without disturbing me. But I know it’s because he’s scared of going too far. But why can’t he see that I love him beyond anything? I want to share myself with him. Jess is spilling over with sexy stories about her and Zane. But I want the real thing with Vincent. My heart in torn in two. I want to respect his space and give him time to see but I also want to go to the next level of our relationship. I can feel his emotions which makes this even harder. He wants the same but doesn’t want to hurt me. It’s sunny today so he has to avoid the sun most of the time so he sits in a different spot in chemistry because he has the window seat. He’s sitting five seats diagonal from me and I can see him bent over his desk like he’s asleep. Of course that’s when the student teacher calls on him to answer some ridiculously hard question. Without even moving he replies correctly evidently because the student teacher is so shocked she can’t say anything. The bell rings and everyone jumps up and runs out the door. I gather up my stuff and shove it in my bag. Vincent waits for me at the doorway. I make my way through the desks and grab his hand. He squeezes it and smiles at me.
“You seem tired today?”
“Yeah, Ronnie kept me up texting. I guess Jess and Zane were going at it all night.” He says adjusting his backpack.
“What do you mean?” I ask confused. What?
“Think about it hun… What could two people possibly do to keep another person in the same household awake at night?” He says smiling wide.
I was dumbfounded. I mean yeah sure Zane and Jess were getting really friendly with another but all night? Then it hit me… They finally had sex.
“Yeah… When mates do that it goes on for hours on end and get this they aren’t even tired today, shitheads.” He laughs.
“Hey I was going to ask you, something about that.” I say.
“Okay?” He says apprehensively.
“How do we—you know—say we are mates? Do we just say it or do we have to do a ritual?” I ask as we head to our next class, art.
He smiles and chuckles a little bit.
“Yeah, there is a ritual but it ain’t that extraordinary.” He laughs
“What do you mean?” I ask getting a little frustrated.
“The two people who are mates have to consummate the relationship.” He says plainly.
Oh….. That means Jess and Zane are truly mates. I’m kinda shocked but I guess I shouldn’t be considering how attracted I am to Vincent and he is to me.
“You okay?” Vincent asks stopping at the base of the stairs.
I nod and we continue to our class. We get settled in behind our canvas’ and I put in my headphones. I start listening to Halestorm. The lyric ‘I’m in love with somebody but it’s not you’ stands out to me. I love Vincent but he’s not himself. I love you but not this version, the version that has barely any passion for anything. The man I love isn’t afraid of anything. I’m about to cry so I switch it to some Lana Del Rey. I send Vincent a text.
Me: Hey, I think we need to talk.
Vincent looks at his phone then me with a look of worry.
Vinnie: About what?
Me: That day in Torrid……
I look over at him and his hands are running up and down his face.
Vinnie: Yeah…You know I feel horrible.
Me: And you know you shouldn’t.
Vinnie: I hurt you Ali. Besides, I want you to decide to be with me with a clear mind not just out of lust.
Me: OF COURSE I WANT TO BE WITH YOU!!!
Vinnie: Will you say that later in life?
Is that what he is afraid of? Of me regretting my decision?
Me: The only thing I will ever regret is not meeting you sooner, hun.
Vinnie: I love you
Me: I love you, too. Are you still going to remain a good Christian boy and not touch me?
I hear him chuckle a bit.
Vinnie: Let’s see how it goes.
Me: I can handle that.
He starts working on his painting and I follow suit. I’m done with the dream painting, now I am working on a fall landscape of Italy. I found a gorgeous photo online a couple days ago and I wanted to do it for Vincent so he could finally have some color in his room. I look over at Vincent and see him hard at work, looking very intense with his tongue sticking out and everything. Trying not to laugh, I stretch to try and see his mystery painting. He has been keeping it secret from me, so I have no idea. I see just a little bit but not enough to make certain what it is. I sigh and look at mine. I just don’t have the motivation today. It’s barely even started, just a mere sketch on canvas. I ask my teacher to go to the bathroom and she gives me a pass. Instead of going there, I went and found Jess in her chemistry class. I see her through the window and motion for her to get out here. She gets a pass and comes out.
“Are you crazy??!!” Jessie yells in a whisper.
“Maybe, but we need to talk.” I say dragging her away from the door.
“Like what?” She asks in a whisper.
“Like you and Zane consummating your mate-ship.” I say to her once we get to the door of the bathroom.
We enter the bathroom and make sure no one is in there.
“Who told you that?” She says clearly embarrassed.
“Vincent heard that you two going at it all night.” I say as gently as I knew how.
Then she starts laughing.
“Why are you laughing?” I ask trying to remain serious
“Cause ‘we were going at it’.” She says doing air quotes with her fingers.
I laugh with her. I sounded so immature. Once we calm down I ask her what I really wanted to ask.
“What is—what is it like?” I stutter kinda ashamed I asked such a personal question.
She smiles, “At first, it was sorta sore at the beginning. But the connection is beyond anything else. It’s like you have finally woken up from a long dream. The rest of the times were just for lost time HA!” She bust out into laughter again.
“I’m serious, I want to take that step with Vincent.” I say in a hushed voice.
“He doesn’t? Why?” She stops laughing now.
“Remember the Torrid dressing room thing?” I ask.
“What’s so bad about that?” She asks confused to all hell.
“Well I left out that Vincent—well his beast nipped me enough to draw blood. For the past two weeks he has avoid any real intimate act because he’s scared he will hurt me.” I say
Jess looks a little bloodthirsty, now.
“Jess?”
“I know, he has a tough time hun, but right now I want to strangle him.” She says pacing.
“Well, to tell you the truth…. I kinda liked it..” I say almost a whisper.
Jess stops dead.
“Well, well, well, little miss Aliana is freak in the sheets.” She says with a smirk.
“Shut up! I want to help him see that I am ready for this. Mentally not just physically. Trust me, my body is like dying to do stuff.” I say chuckling.
Jessie is hysterical. She’s laughing so hard she has to go in a stall to pee.
“I’m serious, Jess. I need your help.” I plead.
She comes out and washes her hands.
“Alright I will help you. But don’t knock my methods, kay? These things worked on Zane, they may not work on Vincent. He is very strong willed. Zane is literally a horny teenager.” She says giggling, “not that I mind that at all. Oh the stamina.”
“Ok enough with the details of you and Zane.” I say completely grossed out by her.
“Meet me in gym, walking on the balcony, ok. We will talk more then, now I have to learn about atoms and shit.” With that she leaves me alone in the bathroom.
I make my way back to class to a very concerned Vincent.
“Where have you been? There’s like five minutes of class.” He asks in a hushed tone.
“I had to pee. I drank a lot of water.” I say shrugging.
He looks at me strangely but returns back to packing up his stuff.
“So what do you want to do after the noon dismissal?” I ask.
“What would you like to do?” He retorts back.
“I don’t know…Maybe a picnic someplace with some shade?” I suggest.
“That sounds good. I think I know the place.” He says just as the bell rings.
“Good.” I reply and we walk to gym.
We go to our separate locker rooms and I jog a little to find Jess. I don’t, all I find is a small looking tank with some smaller spandex capris, with a note saying:
Where this. Don’t argue. Do.
~Jessie
Oh boy. I quickly strip and change. Then take a look. The clothing is not as small as it seemed but it didn’t leave much for the imagination. I walk through the locker room and all I hear are whispers. My face gets hot. I walk as fast as I can to the balcony where I see Jess.
“Oh, damn that’s going to work better than I would have imagined.” Jess exclaims while I fidget with the fabric, “Oh stop you look fucking great.” She smacks my hands away.
“This was your idea?” I say questioning her methods already.
“Just watch. When he comes out and sees you I will have to supervise you two. Let’s get to walking.” She says whisking me away.
“So what’s the plan?” I ask curious to what she has in mind for me.
“Well you two need to get on the same playing field. Get the intimacy back that I once was so jealous of. Then we go lingerie shopping. If he’s as naughty as you are, then you definitely need something over the top sexy. I’m thinking a black all lace teddy with a cheeky bottom.” She says almost talking to herself.
“Wait, lingerie shopping? Shouldn’t a person have sex before lingerie?” I ask totally not ready for that.
“I wore lingerie last night, my first time. And let me tell you it’s all about the presentation. He already loves you now it’s time dress up what you got.” Jess says, “Looky, looky… Looks like someone was right.”
She indicates over to our right. There Vincent is in a muscle shirt and shorts looking straight at me. I could feel his heartbeat quicken. A couple others had stopped to stare as well. Vincent quickly dispatched them and continued staring while I walked.
“You were right.” I submit to her almighty knowledge.
“Yep now are you going someplace private with him today?” She asks being all nosey.
“Yeah, going on picnic. Why?” I have a feeling of dread coming on.
“You need to lay it all out on the table. Tell him that you are ready and want to be with him. In all ways.” She looks at me, her eyes piercing me.
“Got it. Confess my feelings.” I say, making a mental note.
I steal a peek at Vincent, who has never taken his eyes off me, lift weights like they were nothing. I wave a little at him and he just smiles. Time to take the lead, Ali. He already loves you. You have nothing to lose. The Gym teacher’s whistle blows signaling for us to head down and change into normal clothes. Vincent was waiting for me. Jess abandons me once we get on the ground floor and leaves me and Vincent.
“I haven’t seen you wear that before…” Vincent says, almost like he didn’t know what to say.
“Jess let me borrow these. They are little tight.” I say, putting my hand in his.
“No, they look great on you. “ He says, shocking the hell out of me. He hasn’t complimented me in so long.
“Thanks.” I say blushing.
We go down to the locker rooms and we go into our separate rooms. I rush over to Jessie and gush about Vincent while I change. Before I know it we are in his new forest green Miata driving to this place he has in mind. He loves this car almost more than the Audi’s sitting in his garage. We finally reach the destination and it’s gorgeous. Dogwoods are everywhere with Willow trees spread out here and now. We get out with our Popeye’s chicken and he leads me to an old willow tree that would provide him with enough shade. We move the branches and enter the little private area by the base of the tree. He lays out a blanket for us. We start eating and I couldn’t help it but I chowed down. I love fried chicken. He smiles and continues eating. We get fairly quick and I find some wet naps I found in my backpack. I wipe all the grease and stuff off myself. I handed Vincent a wet nap and he did the same. The funny thing is we did everything in silence. We just enjoyed each other’s company. I take a deep breath and decision now is the best time as any.
“Hey, Vincent. I need to tell you something. It’s all good.” I blurt.
“Okay, go on.” He says looking at me.
“I love you, Vinnie. It’s crazy and a little scary but I fell for you hard. Now—now—I am ready for the next step with you. I’m not saying now or tonight or tomorrow but when you feel like the time is right, I want you to know that I choose you. I want to spend every minute with you. Please don’t leave me hanging on this.” I say, leaving my heart on the table.
“I love you too, Ali. Are you sure about this?” He asks questioning me
I nod and he scoots over to hold me in his arms. Finally, I am at peace in my mind.