Page 56 of Served
He started walking toward me and I still couldn’t move my feet, but I finally blinked my eyes and that sent the tears running down my face. As he got closer, he stopped, and his face went from catching his breath to tormented. I already felt like I was being torn apart, but his face that way made it worse, and even more tears came. I felt my body start shaking with sobs. He picked up his feet and took long, quick strides to me and suddenly his arms were around me and I was lifted up off the ground.
As soon as his body made impact with mine everything started moving in real time again. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and dug my face into his neck, breathing in his scent. My ache had turned to tingles in every muscle of my body. But my mind was all over the place. Was he really here? Holding me? I didn’t know any answers and I couldn’t control the sobbing, but it only made him squeeze me tighter.
“Shh, shh, shh. Calm down. I got you.”
I still had my face in his neck but started blubbering, “It is really you? You’re here?”
He put me down and grabbed my chin, forcing me to look up at him.
“It’s me. I’m here,” he said as he wiped the tears from my face.
I didn’t know what to do or say but still had my arms around his shoulders, so I gently squeezed my fingers into his skin to test that I truly felt him, but then he came down to my mouth fast and hard. Our tongues found each other, and more tears squeezed from the corners of my eyes. I squeezed my fingers tighter on his shoulders, still unsure he was really there in front of me. After an intense minute of kissing, he pulled away and I was trying to catch my breath.
“Luce, I’m so sorry I left the other day. I was a jerk and a coward and,” he was still speaking but I put a finger up to his lips.
I was still crying so my words were broken and shaky, “No, I’m sorry. I was selfish and didn’t show you what you really meant to me, but I promise I won’t make that mistake again.” I stopped to keep from breaking down again. I took a few good breaths then continued, “You’re not a crutch, and I shouldn’t have made you feel that way. And I didn’t mean to choose Amy, or anyone over you. I choose you, Jason. I want you.”
He smiled with tight lips and a tear rolled down his cheek. I reached to wipe it away and he turned his face into my hand then softly grabbed it with his, kissing my palm.
“Speaking of Amy, she’s at the top of the steps. Oh and here, you need to take better care of your papers.” He handed me the pages he caught so I leaned down to shove them into my bag.
When I stood back up, I looked over his shoulder and when I saw Amy, she started walking down to us on the beach.
I looked up at him and he smiled then motioned for me to go to her. I turned to go to her but turned back and grabbed his hand and pulled him with me.
We met halfway and I wrapped my arms around her.
“You sneaky bitch, what did you do?” I asked into her ear.
“I fixed it. I’ll fill you in later. Now don’t mess it up bitch,” she said back into my ear before she pushed me away. “I’m gonna go get some pizza at your brother’s. Y’all don’t take too long. And remember, this is a public place. No wild kingdom out here.”
I turned back to him and wrapped my arms around him again.
“This is crazy. You’re here. I don’t understand. I texted you last night.”
He was rubbing his hands up and down my back.
“I had been staring at my phone for a couple of days, not knowing what to say. Or if you’d want to hear it. But when you sent that to me, I knew I had to see you. Except, when I got to your apartment nobody was there. I waited a while and neither of you were there,” he paused and kissed my forehead. “I found Amy at The Lounge but that didn’t go so well.
“So, I went home and passed out on the couch. When I woke up this morning, I went back hoping you’d come home. But Amy answered and swore you weren’t there. I even checked your room. I begged her to know where you were and at first, she wasn’t having any of it. But I told her I could stay all day.
“I didn’t think she would buckle, but finally we talked a while. Then eventually she said she would take me to you, but to pack a bag. The next thing I know we’re on the road here. She didn’t exactly fill me in on where we were going until a half hour ago. Sorry I didn’t have a better opening line, or shorts.”
“She’s a tad dramatic. It’s the artist in her I think.” We both let out a small chuckle.
“I meant what I said. I shouldn’t have left the way I did. I was feeling insecure I guess and just, blew up. I should have been there for you, even if it wasn’t at the courthouse. I’m so sorry I did that to you.” His voice was trailing off at the end and he tilted his head down, but I reached up and lifted his chin.
“In my defense, I told you I was bad at this.” He smirked as I said that. “But I promise I’ll do better. I meant what I said, too. I do need you, but I want you, too.”
He pulled me back to him and pressed his warm lips to mine, then we stood holding each other as the sun went down on the beach. Eventually he pulled away.
“Why don’t we go up before your brother comes after me.”
I laughed at the thought of my brother coming after Jason. But it was getting late. I put my cover up back on and grabbed my towel and bag. Jason grabbed the beer bottles and chair and handed me the pen and book. I shoved them into my bag on top of the pages he saved, then we walked back to the house.
We could hear laughing before we got inside. I opened the door to find Ann and Amy were sitting at the kitchen table drinking Blue Moons and eating pizza. My brother walked over and stuck his hand out.
“Hey man, Ethan, Lucy’s brother. Nice to meet you.”
