by Alexis Davie
Avison won’t come here, Lisa told herself. We’re in the middle of nowhere, and he would never be able to hide among the other guests… would he?
A prickle of nervousness coursed through her.
And what if he shows up right in the middle of the ceremony? How am I supposed to keep him distracted then?
Her nervousness became a sense of panic that coursed through her, and Lisa wished she had not agreed to stand as a look-out for her friend.
“We’re about to get started, Lisa!” Jasmin called from the back of the church.
Lisa waved her over. Once Jasmin was before her, Lisa spoke. “You have to stand in for me.” Jasmin’s face contorted in shock, and she started to shake her head.
“No!” she protested. “Angie will freak out!”
“She won’t,” Lisa said with more calmness than she possessed at the moment. “Tell her I’m taking care of what we talked about last night!”
Jasmin stared at her, mouth agape. “I don’t know, Lis—”
“Trust me!” Lisa cried confidently. “You’ll do a great job!” She forced a smile and hurried away before Jasmin could argue any further.
Her mind whirling, Lisa looked about at the dozens of cars, wondering how she could ever even start looking for Avison. After a few minutes of looking about unsuccessfully, Lisa realized there was only one thing she could do: hold sentry at the back of the ceremony and keep a keen eye out for any disruption. She stood near the back of the lawn, ignoring the curious looks of her friends, parents, and groomsmen, who were most likely questioning what she was doing so far away from the party.
If I stand right here, I should be able to see anyone who looks suspicious, Lisa told herself, but she wasn’t sure how true that was. There were many people she didn’t know personally; friends and family of Brian’s and extended family of Angie’s.
Besides, Lisa didn’t know if she would even recognize Avison.
I barely saw him, she grumbled silently. How much of him could I recognize if I had to? I highly doubt he’s the only blond guy with blue eyes out there. Why do I feel so compelled to watch out for him? Likely, nothing is going to happen.
She felt slightly foolish about standing conspicuously, but she had made a promise to Angie, and she intended to keep it.
At least I got to wear the dress, she thought wryly, cautiously perching on the edge of a chair.
“Here Comes the Bride” started to play inside the church, and Lisa craned her neck to watch as Angie walked down the aisle, her grin beaming like the Cheshire Cat’s as the flower girl illuminated her path with rose petals.
Lisa exhaled slowly as Angie made her way to where Brian stood. She hadn’t even realized she had been holding her breath until they clasped hands. Everything was going to be just fine. Avison was not going to show up and ruin the entire evening.
He’s not crazy, Lisa told herself. Is he?
Then again, she had no way of knowing all that much about him. Not even Angie herself seemed to know all that much about him! What if he was a crazy stalker? What if he was even more than that? What if Brian had just downplayed his argument with him so that Angie wouldn’t worry about it? What if—?
Suddenly, Lisa lifted her head and turned to stare toward the church, as if someone had guided her head in the direction. She knew what she was about to see even before her blue eyes registered the figure there: standing at the back door, looking straight at her, was Avison.
Lisa gasped aloud, and the guests in the vicinity turned to look reprovingly at her, but she didn’t pay them any attention as she jumped from her seat.
Everyone immediately turned to look at her, and Lisa froze, unsure of what to do. She caught Angie’s scathing look, and then she glanced desperately toward the church doors. But when she turned back to them, Avison was gone.
Am I imagining things? she wondered, offering Angie a weak smile and sinking back into her seat. She still continued to look over her shoulder, expecting the pale stranger to be there. However, she did not see him again.
As the ceremony progressed without incident, Lisa willed herself to remain calm.
You’re acting paranoid for no reason, she thought, shaking her head at the realization. You need to keep it together for Angie.
Still Lisa could not shake the feeling that she was not fantasizing. Avison had been there, she was absolutely sure of it—for some reason, though, he had decided not to interrupt the wedding.
Of course, there was always the reception.
* * *
In the reception hall, Lisa headed straight for the bar.
“What the hell happened at the wedding?” Angie hissed as the brunette chugged down a glass of champagne with one sip.
“He was there!” Lisa whispered, her eyes darting around. “I saw him there, but then he was gone!”
Angie stared dubiously at Lisa. “Are you sure? Why would he come here if he wasn’t looking for Brian or for me?”
Lisa shook her head, since she had no answer for her friend. As the party continued, she could not let go of the sensation that Avison was still nearby.
That’s ridiculous, she chided herself. He’s not here, and it’s not like you can feel his presence or anything crazy like that. Just forget about him. Angie and Brian are married now, and the crisis has been averted. There is security here if anything happens. I can finally exhale and enjoy the party.
“You look very gloomy, considering you’re at a wedding,” Jasmin commented, approaching her. “Come on and dance. I love this song!”
Reluctantly, Lisa followed the bridesmaid.
Dancing always makes me feel better, she thought, and the two headed onto the floor, the effects of the alcohol beginning to make their way into Lisa’s body. She allowed the music to take over her, and she was soon rocking her slender body to the music, closing her eyes to embrace the feeling.
Someone snaked his arms around her waist, pressing his frame against hers, and Lisa allowed herself to melt back into the arms currently holding her, partially turning her head to look up at the stranger’s face.
She immediately stepped away, putting as much distance as she could between herself and the stranger on the crowded dance floor.
“You are more beautiful than I thought you would be in person,” Avison said, smiling gently at her.
“You shouldn’t be here,” Lisa muttered through clenched teeth. “I won’t let you ruin this wedding.”
Avison rolled his eyes. “I’m not here for Brian or Angie, and I’m not here to ruin anything.”
Lisa glared at him. “So why are you here?”
He smiled again, and his expression made Lisa feel like she had nothing to worry about, like he hadn’t come here with the purpose of getting back at his old friend and his now wife.
“I’m here for you, Lisa,” Avison answered.
Something about the way he said her name sent shivers down Lisa’s spine. She suddenly wondered if Avison being there was really as bad as Angie had made it out to be. Lisa kind of wanted to keep dancing with him, like she had been before realizing who he was, but the promise she had made to her friend was still in her mind. She had to make sure neither Angie nor Brian saw Avison here.
I need to get him out of here, Lisa thought.
“C’mon,” she told Avison, grabbing him by the arm and leading him away from the dance floor. He followed her without complaints, and soon they were standing in the far end of the hall, away from all the other wedding guests.
Lisa turned back to Avison, but whatever words she was going to say died in her throat when she saw how close he was standing to her. Seeing him this closely, she realized how attractive he was, and she vaguely recalled what Angie had said yesterday about wanting to introduce Avison to her.
Avison took a step forward, closing the distance between them. He lifted his hand to gently caress Lisa’s cheek with his knuckles, and Lisa almost melted into the contact.
“I have been waiting for you,” he murmured, once m
ore sending shivers down Lisa’s back. Avison’s gaze bore into hers, and Lisa trembled beneath the depths of his iridescent blue eyes.
She felt drawn to him, like she was meant to meet him at some point, and circumstances had forced them to find each other here.
When Avison leaned forward, Lisa did as well, and when his mouth touched hers, Lisa threw her arms around him as sparks ignited within her, setting her body on fire. Her lips parted to let his tongue lick into her mouth, his hands gripping her hips and squeezing at her flesh beneath the fabric of her dress.
Lisa moaned as Avison pulled away to kiss at the soft, exposed skin of her neck. Goosebumps erupted over Lisa, and Avison’s palm peeled her dress up along her thigh. He embraced her more tightly, and Lisa’s head fell back, sighing softly as his kisses on her skin grew more urgent.
Avison’s other hand still gripped tightly at her waist, but the one on her thigh made its way between her legs, and his fingers teased at the pulsating nub at her center through her thong. Lisa moaned aloud, jerking forward to try to rub against his crotch, feeling his erection through his pants. She grew lightheaded from the erotic sensations flowing through her.
When his first digit slid beneath her underwear and entered her, Lisa gasped, her arms tightening around his neck. She leaned back against the wall, pulling him with her, and Lisa cried out as his one finger became two, his strokes becoming more deliberate. They were entangled in a passionate embrace as Lisa’s body began to shake with pleasure.
“Let yourself go, sweet Lisa,” Avison whispered, his mouth brushing hers, creating an instant flow of her release between her legs and over his thrusting fingers.
Still breathing heavily after her climax, Lisa’s hands reached for his pants, fumbling to undo them. Her legs buckled underneath her, and she fell to the ground, Avison following right behind her. The hand he had been using to grip at her waist moved to her back, his fingers playing with her wet middle.
Lisa got to her knees, spreading herself wide as she felt Avison mount her from behind, his erection rubbing against her bare buttocks. She pressed her face to the coolness of the floor, pushing her hips back against him.
Avison plunged inside her, deep and fast, keeping with the pace of her already fired desire, and she knew that she would climax again within seconds. As she suspected, she spilled against him, and her body was about to collapse against the floor when Avison wrapped an arm around her and pulled her up to press her back against his chest, his other hand firmly holding her hips, determined to finish as hard as she had.
“I have waited so long for you, Lisa,” Avison moaned. “Oh, you were worth the wait. Every painful moment—” His words trailed off as Lisa felt him release inside of her, quivering in jerking, hard movements.
Avison slowly pulled out of her, nuzzling his face into the back of her neck, softly kissing her skin. Lisa shivered against him, and he helped her to her feet so that she could turn around and stare at him.
A small part of her couldn’t believe what she had done, but the bigger part of her mind wondered why she hadn’t done it before. She remembered the words Avison had spoken in the midst of their passion, as well as the ones he had said earlier.
“You were looking for me,” Lisa muttered. She meant for her sentence to be a question, but she didn’t need to ask to know the answer.
“I was, and I’ve finally found you,” Avison said, lovingly cupping her cheek. He smiled tenderly at her, his eyes alight with desire. “Unfortunately, now I must go.”
“What?” Lisa demanded.
She was about to ask him why, but then she recalled exactly where she was, and the answer became obvious: she was in Angie and Brian’s wedding, where neither the groom nor the bride wanted Avison to be there, and he should probably leave before either of them encountered him.
But Lisa didn’t want him to go, and she couldn’t find the words to express why without sounding silly and unbelievable.
Avison seemed to read her disappointment. He grasped her hands in his and kissed the back of her palms.
“I will see you again very soon,” he said.
“Will you?” Lisa pressed.
Avison nodded his head.
“Now that I’ve found you, it won’t take me as long to do it again,” he promised, kissing her cheek. His fingers trailed across her face, and then he disappeared in the blink of an eye, leaving Lisa to stare after him, her mouth agape.
“Lisa!”
Lisa turned toward the source of the voice to see Jasmin running up to her.
“Oh, my God!” she squealed when she was in front of Lisa. “You just vanished from the dance floor! I could’ve sworn you were right behind me, and then you were gone!”
Lisa let out a small laugh, holding her head with her hand.
“Sorry,” she replied. “I just… needed some fresh air.”
Her eyes scanned the room, as if she expected to see Avison. But she realized that he had indeed left, and she had no idea of when she would see him again.
She would, though. He had promised her as much.
“Oh!” Jasmin gasped suddenly, her mouth parting in worry as the smile faded from her lips. “What happened to your neck?”
“What?”
Jasmin reached out to touch the spot where Avison had been sucking on her skin, and Lisa cringed at the feeling. Her own hand flew up to touch, and she could feel two puncture marks at the base of her throat.
The women stared at each other, with Jasmin waiting for a response while Lisa could only hear Avison’s words echoing through her mind.
I have been waiting for you. I have waited so long for you, Lisa, he had told her. Now that I’ve found you, it won’t take me as long to do it again.
That was why she had felt so drawn to him as soon as they were alone. They had been meant to find each other, and now they were bound together, ensuring that he would keep his promise to her.
Lisa turned away from Jasmin, dizziness flooding through her as a small smile formed across her lips. When she moved, she felt her gums begin to throb, and her eyes grew sharper against the dim lighting of the hall.
Senior year is going to be epic, she thought, striding toward the bar. I wonder if Kappa Mu Pi has ever had a president who is immortal.
* * *
THE END
14
Fated Encounter
The waves lapped toward the shore in slow, rhythmic splashes, creating a melody that apparently only Betty could hear above the din of the beach. She had fallen into a trance-like state, listening to the serene sounds around her. Somehow, she had managed to block out the other beachgoers without effort.
She felt as if it was the first moment of peace she had gotten since returning home from school, and although she knew it was fleeting, she did not want to let the rarity diminish the warmth her body was currently absorbing.
Betty also knew she shouldn’t be so far away from home, but the thought of staying near the her Dad’s house on a day off from the three jobs she had at the moment… well, she didn’t feel the need to explain herself to anyone.
There will be plenty of time for groveling and apologizing later, she decided. Today is minimally for enjoying the Gulf of Mexico and forgetting about my woes.
She sat up on the worn towel to glance around. Of course, Biloxi Beach was jammed on a July afternoon, but Betty had selected a less populated area—with reeds and grass jutting from the sand—to ensure she would not be bothered by others.
It was difficult not to notice Betty, no matter how much she tried to slink into the shadows and divert attention from herself. She was a strawberry-blonde beauty with vivid green eyes and a sensational figure.
Despite the excess flesh on the beach, Betty easily stood out among the others, as if her dignified aura caught the attention of anyone in the vicinity. Her sweet and demure disposition did not match the potential for fire that seemed to emanate from her lithe frame.
She lowered her cheap sunglasses to the edge of her
nose, looking for a drink cart. She was thirsty, and she had drunk her last bottle of water an hour earlier.
Truthfully, Betty didn’t want to spend money on a beverage, but she didn’t see a water fountain nearby to fill her empty bottles of water, and she could not deny that she was parched.
Off in the distance, she saw a young boy pedaling a cart near the road, and she jumped to her feet to catch him before he disappeared into the throng. Betty waved her arms to catch the boy’s attention, but he seemed distracted by another patron approaching, and she relaxed slightly when she realized he wasn’t venturing far.
As she neared the cart, she watched the boy reach into his cooler and retrieve a bottle of water, handing it off to the man who stood just a few feet away.
Betty could almost taste the liquid on her tongue. She jogged forward, her shorts riding down over her flat stomach as she threatened to spill from her simple black bikini top. It was the same swimming attire she’d had for five years, and it was obviously starting to become too small for her, but how could she justify spending money on clothes when there were so many other more pressing needs to be tending to?
The man turned away as Betty drew toward the peddler, smiling softly at the boy.
“Just a bottle of water, please,” she said, her voice gentle. The boy looked pained as he shrugged, pointing at the retreating stranger.
“I’m sorry, ma’am, but he just took the last bottle,” he sighed, and Betty stifled a moan of despair.
“Anything will do,” she told him. “Soda? Juice?”
He shook his head and glanced furtively around.
“I have beer,” he offered, but Betty shook her head. The last thing she needed was alcohol.
“It’s all right,” she murmured, disappointed. She would have to use the beach bathrooms and fill up her bottles. The thought made her cringe slightly as she thought about how unkempt the facilities were, but she had a long way to go on the bus before she could get home, and she would never make it without a drink.