March 5th, 1984

I shut my locker and walked into last period, which for me was English. My English teacher was the kindest. She had only been teaching for four years but was basically the therapist that I didn't need.

I think it's because she's so young, I feel like I can communicate with her easier than most of my teachers. She was like a friend to me not during school hours. I preferred to go to her rather than the actual guidance counselor.

"Hello, Miss," I said.

"Hey hey, Donna Joe."

"One more time, and I'll do everything in my power to switch classes." I noticed I was the first one in the classroom.

"You wouldn't do that anyway." She winked.

If we were that close, I'd flip her off.

Students poured in and I watched Jeena slide into the seat next to me. "Hey."

"Hello there." I pulled out Macbeth, and reread the last few lines from our homework. We were almost done and soon would actually go see the play live.

"Alright everyone, open up to act five, and our last scene." Miss Smith pulled out her own copy and held it out in front of her. "Do you all remember your roles?"

She always did this thing where she stuffed us with work, and then sometime in the week, we would have a free day since we were so caught up. It was so. smart. It was a love/hate relationship her students had.

When the bell rang unexpectedly, people packed up as fast as they could. Except for me, I wasn't in a hurry.

"Tomorrow is our free day! Remember, Friday is the day we go to the theater. Bring money and a snack for yourself. Nothing too big, or they'll make you throw it away."

I waited for everyone to leave the classroom, and Jeena said she would be at her parent's house for a while. She said they went on a trip for the next week, and her mom asked to take any food that was gonna go bad by the time they came back.

"So, how is George?" Miss Smith asked after she shut her door, then started erasing the chalkboard.

"I've only been talking to him over the phone for a while. I was going to ask if he could hang out sometime, though."

"Do it." She sat down. "If I were you, tonight, I'd really push for, you know..."

I cocked my head sideways. "No, I don't know."

She scoffed and slumped down in her seat. "Come on, you're eighteen, have a little freaky fun."

My eyes stretched and I laughed. "Your brain is way more interesting than I thought," I admitted. "I better go before I hear the details on how I should do this." I waved her goodbye.

"Oh come on, I haven't been getting any recently." She called to me before I stepped out. "My boyfriend is doing it on purpose."

"Then go beg like a dog." I said, then finally left.

I drove into the parking lot and couldn't wait to meet my bed. Thinking about George now was making me feel some kind of way...

We were still only talking, taking things "slow".

Although we never had a conversation about it. I just assumed.

I nearly screamed when I saw a familiar face in my apartment. "Oh, hey Andy. I didn't expect to see you here."

"He brought someone you fantasize about too," Jeena said while she walked up to me, and right on cue, George walked out from the hallway with a puzzled expression.

I could feel my face heating up when my jaw dropped. I looked at her while she laughed at my reaction.

"You are going to get it later." My tongue licked around the inside of my bottom lip. "I mean it. You're laughing now, but when they walk out that front door, I am finding the thickest shoe I have and you are going to get it."

She snorted, and I couldn't even look in George's face. Andrew stood up and went over to Jeena to roughly kiss her. "You are real polite for doing that, you know?"

"I know." She said as a matter o' factly, then aggressively kissed him back.

I groaned. "We get it, you're cute. Now get a room."

"Gladly." Andy's voice got deeper. Then he slapped Jeena's buttocks and walked into the hallway to her bedroom. Jeena followed close behind which she then the door closed loudly. I listened to Andrew and her's obnoxious giggling.

"She better have oiled her bedsprings." I sighed, finally getting the courage to look at George in the face. Those fantasies came flooding back.
"I have a tv in my room, do you want to watch something in there?" The only reason I could afford that is that Jeena had a pretty high-paying job, and She's always very generous with her money.

"Sure, sounds fun."

Then my heart dropped just before we went into my room, which the door was closed almost all the way, thankfully.

That poster is still beside my bed. I wouldn't have minded as much if it was anywhere else in my room, but right where I...

I didn't worry too much about the one of him and Andrew on the far side of the room. I'm sure he wouldn't find it strange.

"Wait... right here. Please." I said.

I awkwardly squeezed through the door so he couldn't see, until I got inside successfully. I quickly, but carefully pulled the poster off of the wall, thankfully not ripping any corners. After rolling up, I put it under my bed, so he didn't see that it even existed.

I opened the door to my toasty room, good for a winter day. I made sure he didn't ask any questions as to what I was doing. "What do you want to watch?"

"Doesn't matter to me." He sat on my bed and picked up the remote. "Mind if I surf?"

"Not at all." I sat next to him.

I was doing my best to not get too comfortable around him. Sure, I wanted to scoot closer to him and cuddle, or something. But I would've somehow found a way to make it awkward even if he'd let me.

I did a double-take on the large window on my left and smiled.  "It's snowing."

He turned his head. "It's pretty heavy. I love watching the snow fall. It's... mesmerizing. "

"And peaceful," I said. "Why don't we watch that instead? I can pull out the couch right here."

"That's a wonderful idea." He said.

I had a couch next to the bed, which I had in case people stayed over. I personally don't like sleeping in the same bed as someone unless it's a family member, or special someone.

Haven't had many of those.

The couch was light, so I could push it around easily.

I grabbed a large wool blanket for the two of us. It was coming down very hard now, but it coated the pine trees in the distance, almost like Christmas all over again.

"Aw, don't be shy, DJ. Come here." George waved his hand slightly, inviting me to get closer.

I didn't hesitate and laid my head on his shoulder while his arm wrapped around mine. I felt safe there. "I wish Christmas hadn't ended."

"Me too." He sighed. He still smelled so darn good.

"What did you do for the holidays?" I asked.

"The usual. Went to see my family, and ate a ton of food. Plus, exchanging gifts. What about you?"

"Oh, I just stayed here while Jeena went to see her family. She brought back food and gifts for me though." I said.

"Why didn't you go with her? Or, at least go to see your family?" He looked into my eyes to read my expression.

I sighed. "I'm adopted, and I don't know my real parents. I... don't have the best relationship with my adoptive family. I didn't go with Jeena because I wasn't feeling good."

"I'm sorry." He hugged me. "I didn't know that."

"It's alright, I just never told you.

"Jeena's brother actually got me this." I held up my hand to show a ring. Obviously, it wasn't a real diamond.

"That's nice." I could tell his mood shifted.

I felt bad, so I continued on. "Jeena told me that he likes me. Jimmy. But I'm really not interested. I have my eye on someone else."

"Oh yeah?" He looked at me and smiled, but had his face was very close to mine. "Who would that be?"

My heart was pounding, and my lips parted as I went to lick them. "Oh, I don't know if I should tell you."

"I have time." He took his hand and brush my hair out of my face, making my insides go wild.

"Well, he has almost blond hair with fantastic volume. Although, it's naturally dark and curly," I started, studying his face. "He's got eyes that melt my heart, a perfect voice and face that every guy dreams of having... and an accent that makes the girls go wild." His nose was basically touching mine.

"It couldn't be me, could it DJ?" He asked, somehow thickening his accent more.

I giggled stupidly. "Gee, I wonder."

"You gonna snog me?" I asked doing my best attempt at an English accent.

"I just might." He grabbed my face with one hand and kissed me, once again making my insides go crazy. I dug my hands through his hair. He had so much of it for me to explore, and it made me pull his head somehow closer to mine. Now I was sitting with my back against the armrest of the couch while one of his hands rested on my leg.

"Hey DJ where did you put-" The door opened without warning. "Oh shoot, sorry!!!"

George and I looked up. I groaned throwing a pillow across the room to hit her. "Jeena! Knock??"

Before I could yell at her further, George turned my head and continues kissing me, simmering me down.

Someone whistled. "Damn George, get your girl."

George pulled off quickly and frowned angrily. "Shut up, Andy."

Andrew winked and walked away.

George looked back at me and pecked my lips one more time. "I guess we better go."

"Do you have to?" I asked a little worried.

He laughed noticing. "Do you want me to stay the night?"

I cleared my throat and sat up. "I mean, if you can."

He stood up. "I can, I'll just go see if Andy is up for it too."

I nodded and watched him walk out of my room, putting my fist out in front of me and pulling down. "Yes!" I whispered to myself.

Jeena walked in. "I'm so sorry for cock blocking you-"

"Jeena!" I shushed her. "It's been less than a month since we met, we just kissed today. We're far off from having sex-"

She gasped. "I just interrupted your first kiss with George?!"

I shushed her harder and put my finger to her lips. "This apartment isn't that soundproof you know."

"Sorry, I'm just so happy!" She lowered her voice.

"If you Andrew did anything, thank you for being quiet," I said, patting her shoulder.

She rolled her eyes. "No. I wanted to but then I felt bad to disturb you both."

"Do you still want to?" I teased.

"Yes, DJ, absolutely. I'm basically throbbing." She whined.

My face got serious. "Ew. Okay, George and I will go on a walk down that path. And we'll let you... whatever." I grabbed George's jacket that he gave to me and put it on while walking into the living room.

"George?" I called.

"Yes?" He walked out of the kitchen with Andrew.

"Let's go on a walk," I said. "Andy?"

"Hmm?" He looked up.

"Go check on Jeena. I think she needs your help." I winked at him.

He nodded to show that he understood. "Got it."

"Why are we going on a walk?" George asked me when we got to the sidewalk. It was still snowing, but not nearly as hard as before.

"Because," I said. "Jeena needs some help from Andrew."

"With what?" He was still clueless. It was kind of cute.

"You know..." I made a circle with my thumb and index finger then used my other hand to put one finger through the hole.

"Ohhh." He said. "I see."

"Yeah." I bit my lip, but he couldn't see it.

"I like your jacket." He said.

"Thank you. You gave it to me." I said as if he didn't know.

"You look great in it." His hand brushed mine, so I figured he wanted me to hold it. Unless, they just ironically touched at a moment like this.

"I appreciate the compliment." I said

We were quiet for a while, just admiring the snow. I watched my breath turn into clouds and warm my freezing nose every few seconds.

"Are you cold?" He asked when we found a bench to sit at.

"Well, my nose is a little," I admitted.

"How about I fix that?" He pecked my nose a few times with his lips while I giggled. Then George finally cupped my face and kissed my lips. "Better?"

I rubbed my nose back and forth on his. "Much."

Original Publish Date: July/August 2021