by Twyla Turner
“Um, Chase? Isn’t this place really expensive?” Daylen asked, a worried look crossing her face.
“Don’t worry about it, Pretty Day.” He waved away her concern. “I wanted to take you someplace nice for our first date.”
The place had been packed since it was a holiday. They’d barely been able to get a reservation, but Chase had turned on the charm over the phone. He’d let the hostess know that it was their all-important first date and he was trying to impress his lady. It had worked.
Their waitress came over and took their orders. Daylen’s hands trembled as she held up the menu, calling off what she wanted. Once the waitress was gone, Chase watched as his date looked at everything but him.
“Don’t be nervous, Day. Remember that no matter what it’s just me. We’re still best friends.” Chase soothed.
“I know. But I can’t help it. This all happened so fast. One minute you were my best friend that I was secretly in love with. And the next, we’re having sex and going on dates.” Daylen blurted out.
“And guess what?” Chase leaned in.
“What?” Daylen sat forward, following his lead.
“The sex is incredible and the date will be too,” Chase whispered, his sexy sideways smile gracing his lips.
Day threw her napkin at him and flushed shyly in response.
“So tell me…who’s your favorite old dead musical dude?” Chase asked, trying to pull her out of her shyness.
“You mean, composers?” Daylen giggled.
“Yeah, those guys.” Chase smiled brightly.
“I don’t know. So many people have a favorite. My favorite depends on my mood.” Daylen said, and then continued at Chase’s nod of encouragement. “Well… Mozart’s movements are happy and whimsical but fast paced. Like a funny chase scene in a movie. I like to listen to him when I’m in a good mood or trying to clean my room really quick. Beethoven is darker. He has these light moments and then it gets all dark and gloomy. I swear he must have had a split personality. Or maybe it was all the sadness in his life. You know he still wrote amazing symphonies after he went deaf?”
“I think I remember learning that at some point,” Chase answered with a smile. “Go on.”
“Well anyway, when I’m feeling down or moody, I like to listen to Beethoven. And then there’s Bach!” She leaned closer, getting really excited now. “I think Bach is fanciful. Like you should be dancing at a ball in sixteenth century England. But he does amazing cello suites, where I get to play all by myself, so that might put him on the top of my list. But I’m biased. Chopin is more of a piano guy, and soft like a lullaby. If I have trouble falling asleep, I can play his work.” Daylen sighed and got a faraway look in her eyes. Chase leaned in closer, just to watch the nuisances of her face, talking about something she loved.
“Are there more?” He asked, wanting her to keep going.
“Hmm… There’s Tchaikovsky. His concertos are grand, but can be sinister. But then they turn dramatic and heroic. I always imagine ballerinas leaping around the stage when his works are played. But I guess so, with the Nutcracker and Swan Lake and all. Vivaldi is great too. I always imagine a king walking into a grand ballroom when I hear him. A lot of it has to do with movies and TV. Their symphonies are used a lot in them. I bet you know a lot more music by old dead dudes than you think.” Daylen teased.
“You’re probably right.” Chase nodded in agreement. “Did you know that your entire face lights up when you talk about your music, though?”
“No,” Daylen said in a small voice.
“It’s…it’s… I don’t know. Breathtaking!” Chase said in wonder. “It’s like this whole other side of you that I never knew existed, came out after nine years of knowing you.” He watched as Daylen flushed with pleasure. “And you sound so mature talking about it. Like way more mature than I’ll probably ever be.” Chase chuckled.
“Oh, stop it!” Daylen shooed away his comment.
“It’s true. But that’s okay, you’ll be the smart one in the relationship. I’ll be the muscle.” Chase joked. “Just know that you can talk to me about this stuff whenever you want to and I’ll listen,” he said sweetly.
“Thanks, Chase.” Daylen smiled softly. “I guess I figured that if you knew, you’d think it was dorky or something. Most kids our age aren’t interested in classical music. And I don’t play anything cute and girlie like Amy with the flute. The cello’s all big and bulky, but…I do love it.” Daylen breathed.
“I can tell. If you talk about me half as fondly as you talk about classical music and your cello, I’d be happy.” Chase winked at her.
“I do.”
They both grinned at each other over the single candle on the table. Their first date off to a great start.
~~~
“Are you ready to go in?” Chase asked Daylen as they sat in his car out front of Miguel’s parents’ house.
“I have some really good and really bad memories of this house,” Daylen said, burrowing deeper into her black faux fur dress coat.
“I know. But we can always make new memories. All good this time.” Chase persuaded.
“True.” Daylen took a deep calming breath. “Okay, let’s go.”
“Is my face still okay?” Chase asked, holding up his chin to angle his face up to the dome light.
Before their date, he and Day had stopped at the drugstore to pick up some makeup concealer for his healing black eye. He didn’t want people asking questions, so Day had applied the makeup to his eye. The whole time she’d stood between his legs, applying the concealer, he’d sat there and stroked her thighs with the back of his knuckles, distracting her.
“Yeah, looks good. Can’t even tell.” Daylen said, looking him over.
Chase grinned, kissed her lips quickly, and then got out of the car. Daylen stayed put after he’d scolded her earlier for opening her own door. He wanted to play the gentleman, and she was gladly letting him. Chase opened the door for her and she heard the music from inside all the way from the street.
“Sounds like a rager,” Daylen commented, her nerves kicking in.
“You’ll be fine,” Chase said as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder and guided her towards the door.
Chase didn’t even bother to knock, considering the party was in full swing and no one would’ve heard it anyway. It was around ten-thirty, only an hour and a half away from midnight and everyone seemed suitably buzzed.
Miguel’s parents were the super cool, laid back type. The type that would let teens drink there as long as they stayed the night. Everyone at the party seemed to be taking full advantage of this fact. It was a sea of red cups as far as Daylen’s eyes could see.
She gripped Chase’s hand tightly, her anxiety starting to kick into high gear. He rubbed his thumb over her hand soothingly.
“Oh shit! Chase and Day made it to the festivities!” Miguel shouted after he spotted them
The partiers all cheered loudly. Daylen figured the cheers were more for Chase than her, which she was fine with. Miguel strode over and clapped Chase on the back happily. He then released him and moved in to give Day a massive hug. Miguel was going to Southern Illinois University, so he hadn’t seen Chase since August either.
“It’s good to see you guys. The gangs together again!” He said boisterously. “Amy is around here somewhere.”
At that moment, the girl in question found them and squealed in delight. She wrapped Daylen in a warm embrace and then gave Chase a hug as well. Daylen had been so wrapped up in Chase being home and falling in love with him twenty times over, that she’d forgotten to call Amy to give her all the details.
“I didn’t think you’d come,” Amy exclaimed. “Wow, it’s like old times again.”
“Here let me take your coats and I’ll put them upstairs in my room.” Miguel offered.
Chase shrugged off his leather jacket and then helped Day out of her fluffy coat. Miguel and Amy’s mouths dropped open at the sight of her sexy, yet classy dress.
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“Damn, Day! You get hotter every time I see you!” Miguel ogled her.
“Keep your eyes to yourself, man.” Chase scowled at his friend as he pulled Daylen into his side possessively. He kissed her temple softly and she looked up at him with a bashful smile.
“Wait a minute… Are you guys finally…together?!” Miguel asked, staring at them in disbelief. Then he looked at Amy to see if he was the only who’d noticed the intimate kiss and lovey-dovey gaze.
“Yeah,” Chase answered with a huge grin.
“No fucking way! It’s about damn time!” Miguel shouted and then high-fived Chase.
“No way! You guys are like a real life Joey and Dawson!” Amy exclaimed. The show Dawson’s Creek was their current obsession. The theme of the show had not been lost on Daylen.
Daylen’s face turned about as pink as her dress as Amy grabbed her arm and pulled her to the side.
“You have to tell me everything,” Amy whispered, excitedly. “Did you…you know?”
Daylen just blushed and looked away.
“You didn’t?!” She searched Day’s face. “You did!” She shouted at Daylen’s guilty smile. “Oh my God! I need details!”
A couple of spots on the couch became available and Amy dragged Daylen over to sit down. Day looked over at Chase. He winked at her and turned to continue talking to a very animated and wobbly, Miguel.
“So how was it?” Amy asked curiously, still holding on to her virginity until she found a more mature boy. At least that’s how she put it.
“It was…amazing,” Daylen told her softly. “It really hurt at first, but he was slow and gentle.”
Amy sighed wistfully. Then she began a full-scale interrogation, wanting to know everything there was to know about sex. Being a band geek herself, they weren’t always around sexually active teens or any that were willing to talk about it. Day immediately became her only source of reference.
Daylen hesitated at first, but under the pressure of incessant questions, she finally gave in. The tiny redhead rested her chin on her hand, completely absorbed in every detail. Like she was watching an episode of their favorite show.
They were still in the middle of their discussion when Daylen saw the sweep of familiar chestnut brown hair. She looked up to stare into the eyes of Whitney Taylor. Oh, great! Daylen breathed out a frustrated breath. Amy followed her eyes to where Day was looking and cringed.
“Yeah, she’s been here all night. I swear she’s had her eyes on the door all night, waiting for Chase to get here.” Amy said as they both watched Whitney smirk at Daylen, and then turned to walk over to Chase.
It was well known that Whitney wanted Chase since they were kids. She’d chased after him all throughout high school after the bathroom incident, but he’d steered clear of her. He had been afraid of hurting Daylen even more. Everyone also knew that Whitney had tried to get into U of I, but unless you were pretty damn smart or an amazing athlete, that wasn’t going to happen, so instead she’d went to ISU. One of the closest schools to him, without completely being in the sticks.
She had been a thorn in Daylen’s side since day one. Like a pretty little insect that just wouldn’t go away. Time to go kick the hornet’s nest. Daylen pushed off of the couch and walked over to Chase, Whitney, and Miguel. Amy followed closely behind, not wanting to miss any possible fireworks.
Chase saw Day approach them, and he smiled in relief. He lifted his arm to make a place for her against his side. She smiled up at him and he bent down to kiss her lips softly. The move was intentional and warmed Day from her scalp to her toes and everywhere in between. Miguel and Amy smiled brightly at them, happy to finally see them together. Whitney was another story. Her eyes narrowed and her face looked as if she’d sucked on a lemon.
“You’ve got to be kidding me?!” Whitney spat as she turned on her high heeled boots and stalked away.
“Thank God that’s over with,” Miguel said, rolling his eyes. “I mean, what she sees in you when she could’ve had me years ago, I’ll never know!” Miguel joke, feigning exasperation.
They all laughed and breathed a sigh of relief that the snobby girl had finally given up. If only it were that simple.
~~~
After a fun lesson in Salsa to the song Bailamos, as taught by a drunken Miguel. Chase left Daylen with Amy on the designated dance floor in the living room to go relieve himself in the bathroom. When he closed the door, memories assailed him from the party four years back. The recollections of his first BJ were not fond, at least not the fallout from it. Chase shook his head and flushed the toilet.
He washed his hands and checked his face in the mirror to make sure that the makeup hadn’t rubbed off when he a heard knock at the door. He grinned thinking it was Day, wanting to fool around a little. Chased reached for the door. As he opened it déjà vu hit him in the gut.
There stood Whitney. All confident seductress, in her little black dress and knee-high boots. Chase groaned inwardly.
“What do you want, Whitney?” Chase grumbled.
“That’s not a way to greet your old friend.” She pouted.
She placed a hand on his chest, trying to push him back into the bathroom like she’d done all those years ago. This time, though, he wasn’t having any of it. Plus, he was twice as big as her now and the only way she could push him anywhere was if he let her.
“Back off, Whitney.” He grabbed her hand and pushed it away. “I’m with Daylen now. You know that,” he said firmly.
“Aww come on. For old time’s sake. You know I can do it better than her.” Whitney offered, giving him a sexy smile. The look only turned him off. He realized there was nothing sexier than Day’s shy smiles.
She reached out to touch him again and a voice reached their ears.
“Touch him one more time and I’ll break every bone in your knobby little fingers,” Daylen warned quietly.
Chase smiled proudly at his best friend-turned-girlfriend. She may have been shy and reserved, but when it came to this particular brunette. She was all protective she-cat.
Whitney snatched her hand back. It was obvious she was having a flashback of getting her ass beat in the snow, one late afternoon years ago. They watched as she stormed off, back to the party to find her next victim.
Chase looked down at Day and she gave him the squinty eye. He held up his hands, palms out, swearing innocence.
“I swear, I didn’t do anything.” Chase quickly blurted out.
“I know. I was just checking.” Daylen gave him a small smile as she walked up to him.
Chase wrapped her up in his strong arms and breathed in her light powdery scent.
“Come on. Let’s get outta here. I’m over this party.” Chase leaned down to whispered in her ear.
“Are you sure? What about the countdown? We’ve only got about twenty minutes.” Daylen asked, looking up at him.
“Yeah, I’m sure. And don’t worry, we’ll have a countdown of our own.” Chase grinned slyly.
He ran up to Miguel’s room and grabbed their coats. They quickly said their goodbyes and headed out into the chilly night. It wasn’t as cold as it had been, which was why giant fluffy snowflakes were falling down around them.
“It’s snowing.” Daylen smiled as she looked up.
For the rest of his life, Chase would never forget watching as snowflakes landed on her rosy cheeks, pink lips, and curling eyelashes. Only to melt seconds later, making her face dewy and glistening. He was quickly coming to the realization that Day was the love of his life. Chase just hoped that love would be strong enough to be the glue that held them together through the coming separation.
“You’re so damn beautiful, it’s like getting sacked by a linebacker. I swear I can’t breathe sometimes when I look at you.” Chase confessed passionately and he rubbed his stomach, where it felt like he’d been hit.
Day’s cheeks grew even rounder as a radiant smile graced her lips.
“Come on.” Chase grabbed her hand and led her to th
e car.
He couldn’t wait any longer to be alone with her. It had been a few days since he’d been inside her, and he was jonesing for a fix.
Chase helped her inside the car and quickly got in the driver’s seat. He started up the engine and headed to the park. He found a fairly secluded spot, hoping they wouldn’t get caught by the cops and parked the car.
Chase left the car running to keep it warm inside and turned the radio on low so they could hear the countdown. They both awkwardly crawled to the backseat, after removing their coats. Chase immediately pulled Day onto his lap, until her knees straddled him on either side.
He raised his hand to gently brush back the braided tendrils that fell in her face. The pads of his thumbs stroked her plump cheeks softly. Daylen leaned her face into his palm and closed her eyes, absorbing his touch. Her long, curling eyelashes fanned against her high cheekbones.
“My Pretty Day,” Chase whispered softly.
He pulled her in for a kiss. He’d meant to take it nice and slow, but their hunger from their forced abstinence caught like wildfire. Chase gripped her face tightly as he plunged his tongue into her mouth. Day moaned and rolled her hips in time to the rhythm of his seeking tongue, against his straining erection.
Chase tugged at the straps of her dress and bra until they dangled near her elbows. Her breasts free and heavy, awaiting his attentions. He released Day’s lips and lifted her breasts to the perfect position for his hungry mouth. Chase wrapped his lips around her tightening areola and swirled his tongue around the peak. Daylen’s head fell back and she grasped his shoulders tightly in her hands.
“Chase!” She cried out as he moved to her other breast.
“Yeah? What is it, Pretty Day?” Chase panted against her flushed butterscotch skin.
“Please,” was all she was able to get out.
Chase vaguely heard the DJ start the countdown at ten. He quickly unfastened his belt and jeans, releasing his thick erection. And lifted her dress to bunch around her hips.