Rules on Relationships

Apparently, the first kiss in the relationship makes a difference.
Well, that's what Lia told me, she told me last night that when she had her first kiss with Derek, it was like fireworks because she knew she was going to be with that person for a while. I mocked her because it sounded like it came straight out of the romance movies and novels she was so interested in, but she said that when it happens to me, then I'll know what she meant. She retaliated the mocking with her own teasing by saying that after a week and a few days of dating Michael Phelps, we haven't kissed. She and Derek shared their moment after one week.
It was true.
Though we've had moments where it felt right to just plant our lips together and kiss, but neither of us took the extra mile to actually do it. Like the time when he walked me home, I tripped over on my way to hug him goodbye, he caught me, I looked up and our noses were barely touching while our lips were just a push away. Nothing. That was followed by a date to the cinema, we watched a movie, there was a sweet moment, we both looked each other, there was a bit of a spark, but we just smiled and nervously looked back at the screen.
Every time that happened, I always wondered why he was stopping himself. Was there something on my face?
I spoke to Lia if he said anything about it, and she said that Michael was probably nervous. But why? I probably wasn't his first girlfriend, and I swear he's kissed someone before. What makes me different? Did I smell?
Whatever it was, I was getting a bit agitated.
Brunette A and Brunette B made it worst for me when I met them at the Library, and they said that I should stop having staring contests with Michael and actually have a make out session with him, and they mocked me for not kissing him yet. Then they made me uncomfortable by talking about having sex. I'm a virgin, they knew it, and so they're being total bitches about it. But deep down, I felt they were right.
I guess my next mission would be to kiss him - even though I wanted him to do it first.

Making the first move.

With his victories in the University Swim Meets, and my shameful losses at the Carnival shooting games, Michael was set on taking me out on a proper date, he planned it on a Friday evening, right after work, he said that he would pick me up. Lia was off from work today because she had a test coming up so she had to study, but she made me dress up for the occasion because she didn't want me to be too casual. So she made me wear one of her dresses, but I chose the more casual one, a yellow knee-length summer dress that had thick straps and a straight cut on the chest so I won't expose myself too much. She told me to wear heels or wedges, but rebelling against her wishes, I wore sandals to match. Though, the weird thing was that Michael asked me to bring a towel, spare clothes and my swimming gear. A night out and wearing my swim wear?
So while closing down with Jesse, I was dressed in a more girly manner. It felt weird.
"You know, if you go through with this guy, what are you going to do on your one month anniversary?" Jesse asked.
I narrowed my eyes at him. I never thought about it. So then I had to things to think about, the first was kissing and the second was what if I lasted a month with him? Would that be the time to start calling him my boyfriend?
That was probably my next mission, but at the moment, I just wanted to kiss him.
"Speaking of which, look who's here," Jesse beckoned to the door while he continued to wipe the windows, I was at stacking chairs when Michael walked into the store.

He was wearing board shorts and a shirt. Casual. I told Lia it wasn't going to be fancy.

I let smiled at him as I asked, "Aren't you a bit early?"
"Am I?" He nervously chuckled as he looked at his watch. "Oh yeah, I am."
"Don't worry, Roxanne, I've got you covered," Jesse quickly added in as he continued wiping the windows, he said that he was too afraid to look Michael in the eye or even speak to him, that was why he didn't do anything when Michael walked in. I gave Jesse a back hug before I followed my date out the door. His black SUV was parked right at the front, and it looked like it just got washed for the occasion.
On our way to wherever he was taking me that evening, he suddenly said, "I have a feeling that you'll like where we're going. Did you bring what I asked you?"
"Yeah, but I don't understand, are we going to a swimming pool?"
"Yep, I have the keys to the Swimming pool anytime, and Bob gave the swimmers Friday and the whole weekend off, so no one's allowed in the pool, except for me and you."
Me and You.
I looked out the window the moment he said that, I could just picture him in his board shorts again and felt rather nervous just thinking about it. Brunette A made things uncomfortable for me since she interrogated me at work, and it was distracting when I watched him swim on Wednesday. It was more distracting when after the event, he told me to wait for him and when everyone was gone, he came from the locker rooms with nothing but a pair of sweats on. His torso was exposed that I was practically sweating, and avoided his gaze a lot, and my eyes were so attracted to staring at his body, I made myself uncomfortable during that short time we were together.
I felt like an ass. No, I felt like a pervert.
"Ah, but I'm not as fit as you are, I have love handles for crying out loud," I bluntly thought out loud. It made him chuckle, it was embarrassing for me, but humorous to him. I covered my mouth and mentally whacked myself at the back of the head just to tell myself how moronic I sounded!
I turned my eyes his way and noticed he was still smiling.
"You're perfectly fine the way you are," He complimented. "I prefer dating someone who isn't so muscly or has no curves," He confessed while turning red. I was turning red too. Did he say I had curves? That meant he looked me up and down! He eyed me, he looked at my figure.
AH!! Wait, I'm not the only pervert, hah!
"Thanks for making me feel normal," I teased trying to ignore the truth as we shared a laugh in the car.

Being on Campus at night was weird, but it wasn't my first time, though it was my first time coming to the swimming pool facility. Michael told me that it was okay, the swimmers take their dates or some would go in after hours to train. But Bob told them no one was allowed in, and apparently, Michael told the security man to leave the pool area for an hour so he and I could be alone.
I was, honestly, getting nervous.
"So, after this, where are we going?" I asked in a whisper, afraid that we might get caught.
"Well, we can't go anywhere else smelling like chlorine, so I was thinking we can head back to my place and clean up, that's why I asked you to bring spare clothes."
"Don't you have a roommate?"
He shook his head as he unlocked the door. "I only have my Herman," He calmly replied as he opened the door and beckoned me inside. He looked around before he followed in and locked the door behind him. The lights flashed on as I couldn't help but feel so shaky, I held onto my bag tight and wandered to the bench nearby to put my belongings down. Michael placed his bag on the other side of the bench and all I could see was the back of his head and his skin slowly becoming visible, I tried not to be obvious that I was staring, so I quickly looked down and also began to take off the dress. It may sound a bit perverted, but we weren't up to anything else than swimming.
It may also come off that we were going to do something, but we weren't, well I haven't slept with anyone before, so I doubt I would want that. I want that moment to be special.
Anyway, once I was only in my bikini bra and swimming shorts, I felt naked, I was even wrapping my arms around myself to not seem so exposed. All the while, Michael turned around and his body was like, well, have you seen his body? It was wow, and seeing it this close had made it hard for me just to not let my jaws drop from the amazement. It was like he came straight out from his magazine cover shoots. I could feel his eyes just scanning me, and I was pretty much doing the same, but he was happily showing off his body, while I was trying to hide myself. I don't have a muscled body, I have a bit of meat, but it's not to say its round, it's just normal. I guess I'm average, compare mine to Lia's, and then let's say I can be called a bit tubby.
But to Michael, I guess I turned out okay. He didn't seem disgusted, he just stared and smiled. "See, there's nothing to worry about," He spoke as he reached his hand out for me to hold onto. "You're perfectly fine."
I admit that I was a bit relieved that he didn't react.
I reached for his hand and he led me to the pool, it was the shallow end, but even then it was still deep. The depth of the swimming pool was about two Michael Phelps, I think, I don't know, it looked very deep, and I don't like the deep ends. I paused when we got near the ladder, he instructed me on a few things, but throughout the whole time, he didn't let go. He held a bit tighter. I gulped as he started going down the ladder, his hand still holding onto mine as to say that he was still there with me even when we go in. Once I saw him reach the water, he tugged me gently.
"Come on," He called as I could only swallow my fear and walked slowly down the ladder, I could feel the coldness of the water shiver up my feet all the way to my head, I probably got scared because I ended up slipping and falling straight into the water. But Michael still held onto my hand, and he pulled me up and wrapped an arm around my body to keep me steady. I could only laugh from the embarrassment. I wiped the water from my face and shiver, I forgot to tie my hair up so it was stuck onto me like glue and a few strands were covering my face.
I could feel his other hand release my hand and brush my hair away from my face and he welcomed my gaze with his usual smile. I couldn't help but smile back. We were so close at that moment, his body was pressed against mine, his arm around my waist and his head was very close that I could feel his breath against my skin. I didn't realize it, but I had subconsciously wrapped my arm around his neck the moment pulled me up.
I was practically clinging onto him.
"Are you okay?"
I nodded and met his brown eyes. There was that moment again. Like before, still nothing.
Michael had slowly released me to make sure I can float on my own.

I know how to swim. I really do. It's just the basic one, not competitive and not a lot of variety - just freestyle.
My first ever swimming move was the doggy paddle, yes, I know, why, you ask? My Dad thought it was funny to teach me it when I was five. Mom wasn't too happy about it though, especially when the dog decided to join in and we swam side by side with my dog swimming togs, but it helped me learn how to float and wade on my own.
Thanks Dad.

"Want to race to the other side?" Michael asked randomly after we splashed around for a bit. The water was no longer cold and he was as wet as I was. I looked at him with a confused look, was he joking?
"You'll beat me," I whined as I loosely tied my hair into a messy bun.
"I'll doggy paddle."
"You'll just mock me."
"I won't mock you."
"I'll lose again," I persisted.
Michael splashed water my way and said, "If I win, you'll have to give me a kiss on the cheek."
Did my ears hear that correctly? I want to kiss him on the lips... Why the cheek?
"But if you win," He paused. "Then I'll give you a kiss on the cheek. A win-win situation."
I laughed and nodded. I pretended like I wanted to say something before I just swam off ahead of him. I could faintly hear him call my name and followed in pursuit, and I swear he wasn't doggy paddling because the moment I reached the other side, his head came out of the water at the same time. I gasped for air and splashed water at him, "That's cheating, you didn't even doggy paddle!"
"I did," He lied. "Only at the beginning, but you got too far away," He confessed as he swam closer to me. I had my hand holding onto the side to keep me up, my other hand wiping the water and moving the strands of loose hair from my face. I playfully pushed him away when he came near and said, "You cheated."
"Fine, you win," He agreed and was right in front of me in an instant, one hand holding onto the side as his other cupped my chin and turned my head slightly to the side and leaned in to kiss my cheek. Not really my cheek, it was more like the corner of my lips.
I turned red.
I lowered my head once his lips parted from my skin and avoided his gaze, but I forgot that he still cupped my chin, so I didn't turn my head far before he gently pushed my head up so he could look into my eyes. Michael whispered something before he kissed me, I figured it was because he finally realized that there were so many moments where we could've had our first kiss and yet he didn't take it. Was he waiting for me too?
His wet, cold lips were pressed against mine, and they felt the way I imagined them to be - yeah, I imagined it. I closed my eyes and my lips began to part as soon as I did, his lips parted as well. Pretty soon our tongues had explored each other's mouths. Like Lia and the movies I've watched with her, the kiss felt like a jolt of energy surging through my body. Or how they described it -

Fireworks.