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  she didn’t like the comparison. “Just because we’re friends, doesn’t mean we have the same

  moral fibers. I’m not the same kind of girl as Heather. I don’t do the things she does.”

  “You mean that you and Heather are best friends, and you don’t do it?”

  “Surprised!? You don’t even know me. What makes you think that just because you’re

  sleeping with my best friend, you know the first thing about me?”

  “I’m sorry,” answered Todd after a moment of silence. “I just assumed that since you and

  Heather were such good friends, you were probably alike. I shouldn’t be so quick to judge. Will

  you accept my apology?”

  Laura just sat there, still in shock from his revelations. He seemed just the opposite of

  what she expected. Laura didn’t know very many guys, and she judged them more on actions.

  His honesty confounded the feelings of guilt within her. She felt bad for labeling him without

  once holding a conversation with him. Honesty didn’t make itself apparent in most of the guys

  she had gone out with, and this new insight gave her dreams more hope. There were still some

  good guys out there.

  “Yes,” Laura finally answered. “I guess I should apologize too. I had you pegged as just

  another guy. All the guys around here are the same. I haven’t dated anyone in months because I

  kept having to fight them off at the end of the night. I was beginning to get tired of walking

  home after I ended my dates. I hope that when I do decide to make love to someone, it means as

  much to him as it does to me.”

  Laura instantly went beet red when she realized what she had just said. She couldn’t

  believe that such a personal thought just slipped out of her mouth. She had little time to regret

  her words before Todd replied.

  “So that’s why you quit dating. Some of the guys thought you might be...” There was a

  hesitation in Todd’s voice. Laura could sense that he was thinking twice about finishing the

  remark.

  “The guys thought I might be what?” she questioned.

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  “Well, they thought maybe you liked girls more than guys. There’s been talk that several

  girls at school are...”

  “That is so typical,” Laura growled. The red color of her face changed from the softness

  of embarrassment to the deepness of anger. “A guy thinks that just because you’re not putting

  out, you like girls or something.”

  “I never thought that,” Todd defended himself. He felt bad for speaking without thinking

  first, and wanted to ease her anger. “You know how rumors start sometimes. Don’t be upset, it’s

  just that you quit dating all together. You’re a really sweet girl, and you have standards. There’s

  a lot of guys out there who are kind of old fashioned, and would consider you the light at the end

  of the tunnel. You can’t just drop out of the social game completely. You might think you’re

  protecting yourself from some over-sexed lunatic, but you might be passing up the chance to

  meet the right guy for you. You know, if I would have met you six months ago, I don’t think I

  would be dating Heather right now,” he smiled.

  “No,” answered Laura angrily. “You think you would be having your way with me

  instead, right?”

  “I never said that,” Todd contested “Why do you think that’s all I’m interested in. I

  would give up all the sex just to have some substance between Heather and I right now. You’re

  so quick to stereotype all men into one class. Who placed the big chip on your shoulders. I’m the

  one who’s being cheated on right now, not Heather.”

  Todd was right. She had treated him harshly, and taken her frustrations out on an

  undeserving target. She felt sorry for falsely accusing him, and wanted to clear the air.

  “I’m sorry, Todd. I just can’t wait to get away from this place. It gets worse every day. I

  get so tired with all the routine and boring qualities this town has that I don’t want to see the few

  good things that are here.”

  “Why are you so determined to leave? I love this town. I would hate living in a big city.

  We used to live in a city when I was little. I hated it there.”

  “What is there to hate about the city? There’s always something to do or see.”

  “There are good things about it too,” replied Todd. “I mean, come Monday, I’m gonna

  wish nobody knew who I was. The whole town was there to watch me lose the game tonight, but

  I like walking down the street and having people know my name. Nobody cares about you in a

  big city. A person’s just another face that you’ll never see again.”

  “But there’s nothing to do here. It’s so pathetic. I want to experience life. Everything here

  is so bleak and dead.”

  “You just need to learn how to create your own excitement,” suggested Todd. “The city

  sounds glamorous, but there’s only so many things you can do. Before you can have fun

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  anywhere, you must first know how to have fun. You don’t need a city for excitement. Loosen

  up a little bit and enjoy what’s here and now. You can’t live your life for the future.”

  “You mean it doesn’t bother you that people are going to be cold and harsh towards you,

  probably for the next few weeks, just for something that was beyond your control.”

  “It upset me at first,” confessed Todd. “I admit it bothered me, but I know that in time

  they’ll remember all the touchdowns I made and the good plays I completed. Then they’ll forget.

  Right now I just want to get on with things.”

  The teenagers sat quietly staring at the night sky. Laura wore a sweater over her

  cheerleading outfit and wrapped herself up in a warm blanket. Her thoughts became tangled up

  in what Todd had just revealed to her. She felt betrayed, knowing what the guys in her

  hometown thought about her. For a moment, she forgot he was even there. She felt so alone. The

  two remained in silence until Todd finally spoke up.

  “So who’s she with?”

  “I don’t feel right telling you this,” Laura spoke with reservation. “She’s still my best

  friend.”

  “She’s my girlfriend,” Todd argued. “I think I have the right to know who she’s with. I

  deserve to know.”

  “I don’t really think you want to know,” Laura proclaimed.

  “Please, Laura,” he pleaded. “I have to know.”

  Laura sat quietly for a long time while struggling with her conscience. She knew that he

  would not take it very well. Finally, she looked at him and smiled a heart felt smile. She spoke

  with hesitation.

  “She’s with one of Jefferson’s football players.”

  Laura watched as all the color drifted from Todd’s face, leaving only a deathly white. He

  brought his hands to his face and ran his fingers through his hair as he clasped them behind his

  head. He sat motionlessly for some time while staring at his feet.

  “That really hurts,” he finally responded. “Do you think she’s sleeping with him? I mean

  she’s your best friend. You know her a lot better than I do.”

  “She’s just upset, Todd,” Laura reassured him. “I’m sure she wouldn’t go through with it.

  Your relationship
means more to her than that.”

  “Who are we kidding. I’ve only known her for a short time, but I would bet my life that

  she’s rolling in the sheets with him right now. They’ve probably already done it twice. I knew

  this would happen eventually.”

  “You’re right,” Laura giggled at the remark, still trying to act respectful. Todd was no

  fool, he could think for himself. You didn’t need to know Heather very long to understand that

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  she often strayed. “I’m afraid she doesn’t need much of an excuse to cheat on one of her

  boyfriends. I’m really sorry, Todd, you don’t deserve this.”

  “I thought it would be different this time,” Todd began, still staring at the ground. “She

  told me she loved me. She and I promised we would never even date another person without

  telling the other first. What do I have to do to get a girl who will remain faithful?”

  Todd looked up at Laura. She could see his deep blue eyes in the moonlight. They

  glistened brightly from the stream of tears which had formed. It angered her that Heather could

  do such a thing, and she wished Heather were here now, to see the consequences of her actions.

  A feeling of pity for the broken hero came over her. Todd deserved better, and in a way she

  wished she had met him before Heather did.

  “It’s sort of cold out here,” Laura spoke. “I’ve got a lot of blanket here that I’m not using.

  Feel free to warm up a little, I don’t mind sharing.”

  Laura opened her arm with the blanket to Todd. He glanced over, as if she had uttered the

  unthinkable, but a soft smile soon appeared over his face. He scooted over a little bit and leaned

  up against her, sharing in her warmth. Laura sensed that he held back the tears. Sitting next to

  her, he didn’t seem as large as when he was on the playing field.

  “Some guy I am,” Todd declared. “I’m lying here on the shoulder of my girlfriend’s best

  friend. I might as well just break out and cry so that you can have absolutely no respect for me.”

  “I wouldn’t lose respect for you if you cried. I wouldn’t mind crying a little bit myself. I

  mean, half the school thinks I’m a lesbian. I bet the girls are afraid to shower in the locker room

  with me. All my life I’ve tried to maintain some respect and now I find everyone thinks I’m

  queer. Sometimes I just wish I could escape this dreary pit right now.”

  The sudden shattering of her own self image burned like a fire in her stomach. She had

  always thought that her reservations with boys would force them to respect her self worth,

  instead it had betrayed that, and brought about a false conclusion. She had never felt so alone

  before. Why had Heather never mentioned that the other students thought she liked girls? Surely

  she knew. Laura felt no guilt for sharing the evening with Todd. They shared more than just the

  passing time, they shared a common sorrow, and a feeling of self pity. Laura couldn’t predict the

  revelations just made to her, and it wasn’t the sort of spontaneity that yearned within her heart.

  For a moment, she wished Todd had never come here tonight, bringing a reality she didn’t want

  to accept. At the same time, she welcomed a friend. His presence brought about a new desire, to

  prove her burden of truth.

  “I wouldn’t mind running away myself right now. We all have to escape from ourselves

  now and then.”

  “You’re a really nice guy, Todd,” Laura assured him. “I’m glad Heather isn’t here right

  now. I kind of enjoy your company.”

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  Todd looked over at the beautiful girl next to him. He smiled as he reached up to touch

  her soft cheek. Why couldn’t he share moments like this with Heather? He really didn’t care at

  this point. He began to utter something, but stopped before he could as Laura placed her finger

  over his lips.

  “Don’t say anything,” she uttered softly as she leaned forward and touched his lips with

  her own. The softness of her kiss made his troubles subside as he relaxed and enjoyed the warm

  sensation that traveled through him. He dropped his arm from her cheek and placed it on the

  small of her back as he drew her nearer to him. Laura placed her hand on his chest and he could

  feel her trembling fingers.

  “You are so beautiful in the moonlight,” Todd spoke softly as he opened his eyes to look

  into hers. He hesitated as a cold feeling of guilt overcame him. “Maybe I should go, I didn’t

  come here with this in mind. I don’t want to destroy your image of me.”

  “No, this is right, I can feel it.” Honesty had never come so easily to Laura. This was

  what she searched for, the spontaneity that she dreamed about. She took his advice seriously. It

  was time she lived her life for the present, and guilt wouldn’t hold her back now. “Don’t leave

  right now, I feel comfortable in your arms. I really need to be held right now. I’ve needed this for

  some time, to make this town more bearable. You know you need it too. Let’s forget who we are,

  and where we are.”

  Todd reached forward and gently kissed her neck. His lips tenderly caressed her soft skin.

  His movement seemed to parallel her desires, as if he knew what she enjoyed. Could it feel any

  better? She didn’t even know what she enjoyed, but this certainly fit the expectations. She found

  his touch stirring pleasures she had never known. Laura’s thoughts drifted aimlessly into

  oblivion as she relaxed in his arms. She felt his slow breathing pattern as the exhaled air from his

  lungs warmed her neck and face.

  Todd’s arms were large and solid. Laura felt them as she advanced her touch to place her

  arms around him. Drawing him closer still, Laura utilized his body heat to warm her own. The

  temperature of her own body rose swiftly as years of passion released itself from her inner self.

  In the moment of satisfaction, she decided that she enjoyed escaping the complexities of her

  existence, and she didn’t want to turn back.

  Todd removed his jacket while never allowing his lips to leave the soft skin of her neck.

  Laura continued to pull Todd closer to her, so that his chest pressed tightly against hers, and she

  felt the racing of his heart. She slowly moved her hands down his back, all the while bringing

  him nearer and nearer to her, wanting him closer still.

  Laura swung her head around and met his lips with her own. Todd’s full lips were soft

  and moist, his breath smelled of warm cinnamon. She brought her hand up and firmly held the

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  back of his head. She opened her mouth wider to kiss him. The sudden movement caused the

  blanket to fall from her shoulders, exposing what she wore.

  Todd knew that she would soon grow cold in the chilly evening air. The sweater she

  placed over her outfit would keep her upper body toasty, but the cheerleading skirt and bloomers

  she had on beneath it would not do much on this autumn eve.

  “Here,” Todd uttered. “Put the blanket over your legs so you can keep warm. It’s too cold

  out here for your cheerleading outfit.”

  “Actually,” Laura whispered softly. “I’m burning up out here.”

&n
bsp; Laura forced Todd to lean back against the steps. She climbed up and grabbed the blanket

  from the porch beside her. Laura sat down over him and pulled the blanket over her shoulders.

  She brought the blanket around his back and squoze him tightly while she slowly nibbled on one

  of his ears. In the back of her mind, a brutal struggle occurred. An ever triumphant moral right

  had suddenly tasted defeat from the restlessly aggressive sprite which had sprung out at this

  unexpected event. This was something she might regret later, but the whole thing had a fresh

  appeal. Laura enjoyed the new feelings she experienced. This was a new taste that satisfied a

  starved appetite, and she needed something fresh to fulfill her cravings.

  “You smell great,” Laura whispered in his ear. “I could do this all night, if you’d like to?”

  “What about your parents,” asked Todd. He suddenly felt extremely nervous, and usually

  didn’t like abrupt introductions to angry fathers. He did not wish for an unexpected

  confrontation. “I don’t want to startle them.”

  “They think I’m out here alone,” Laura assured him, she seemed irritated at his lack of

  concentration. “I come out here all the time, and they never come out and check on me. We’re all

  alone.”

  “But they’ll hear us.”

  “No they won’t. Trust me, they’ll never know.”

  Laura reached down and undid the buttons on his shirt. Her lips never left his as she

  carefully pushed the shirt out of her way to expose his bare chest. She grabbed one of his hands

  which rested in the small of her back and guided his fingers up and under her sweater. He

  caressed her warm skin softly, exploring her features.

  Todd’s hands roamed freely about the soft skin hidden beneath the warm sweater. Her

  kisses grew more feverish, and she failed to realize where her desires took her, or maybe, failed

  to care anymore. Her skin slowly grew rough with thousands of small bumps, not caused by the

  cool temperature outside, more a result of some inner excitement. She could tell that he felt the

  same, and their carelessness pushed them further towards an unescapable goal. She felt the

  tension in her hands as she clasped his skin tightly, brushing hard against him.

  A Novel by Brett Barney Remember Me?