**FOREVER OURS - Excerpt** Chris hasn’t played a gig in over a month. He’s been recording a demo at a local studio up until last week. My freshman year at UNC ended just over a week ago, so I haven’t been able to go to the studio with him. Normally, this wouldn’t bother me. But I’ve been getting a weird vibe from Chris whenever he talks about this demo and his trips to the studio. I don’t think Chris would lie to me, but I don’t know what else to think. All that matters today is that he’s here with me. We’re back in a familiar place, physically and mentally. And I have a strong feeling that, by the end of this trip, we’ll be back to the way we were emotionally. We get to the campsite around seven p.m. and Chris quickly sets up our tent, then we skip stones on the lake for a bit while we talk. Chris has tried teaching me to skip stones plenty of times, but I can’t seem to get the angle or the right amount of spin on it. I think my record is three skips, while Chris’s record is probably a thousand. His rocks dance across the surface of the water as if his touch has embedded them with music. “I’m going to visit Senia next week. She’s picking me up since she’s just a couple of miles away.” He smiles as he tosses another stone that skips four times before it sinks into the water. “Why don’t you just drive there?” “I can’t drive your mom’s car. I don’t have a license.” “So get a license and drive your own car.” I laugh as I toss another stone that immediately sinks below the surface. “Great idea! I’ll go get a driver’s license next week. Then I’ll hop in my imaginary car and go to Senia’s.” He turns to me with a sly smile curling his lips. Something about the way the setting sun makes the flecks in his brown eyes turn bright gold takes my breath away. “I wanted to save this surprise for when we get home, but I might as well tell you now. I got you a car.” “You what?” “I got you a car. Nothing fancy or new, but it will get you to and from home and school on the weekends next year.” “Why do I need a car for that? I already have Chauffeur Chris.” He chuckles, but it’s brief. His face gets very serious all the sudden and I get a pain in my stomach. “Chris? Why do I need a car?” He forces his face into a smile, then he grabs my waist and pulls me against him. “I considered getting myself a car so I could go back and forth from the dorm during the rain and snow without freezing my ass off. But then I thought I’d just buy the car for you and I’ll keep using my bike.” He buries his face in my neck and I get lost in the sensation of his lips on my skin. I don’t question his response. Chris builds a fire and we eat some roasted hot dogs for a late-night dinner. Then we unzip one of the sleeping bags and lie down in the middle of the campsite to watch the stars. Though Chris says all the right things and he holds me when I get a little emotional about my mom, something feels different. I can’t seem to get rid of this knot of pain in the pit of my stomach. This feeling that our opportunity to be Chris and Claire, the way we were before I went to UNC, has passed. The next morning, we go for a quick swim in the lake. But, by the time we get back to the campsite, my backpack with all our clothes is gone. Luckily, Chris brought his wallet with us to the lake, but now we don’t have any clothes to change into for the ride home. Chris knows how much I hate getting on the bike without jeans. If he takes a turn too fast, and I’m wearing shorts or a skirt, sometimes I’ll burn my leg on the muffler. Nothing serious, but enough for me to be leery of climbing on his bike in a red bikini. He smiles as he nods over his shoulder and I climb on behind him. “I’ll go extra slow and I’ll be extra careful,” he assures me. Something about his words, and the feeling of my half-naked breasts pressed against his wet skin….
Posted on: Fri, 23 May 2014 23:55:51 +0000
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