Categories > Original > Romance > The Keys
The next morning when Victoria woke up, she lay in bed and stared at her ceiling. She was supposed to be meeting Adam at the park today to do who knows what. She could hear her mom downstairs in the kitchen, bustling around. As she dragged herself out of bed and got dressed, her mind kept turning over yesterday’s events. Victoria took a big sigh, and then walked downstairs.
“Good morning!” her mom said cheerfully.
“Good morning”, Victoria mumbled.
“What’s wrong with you today?”
“Just tired.” That excuse never failed.
Victoria started making her way towards the door, skipping breakfast. She fully intended on meeting Adam, he intrigued her. Yet telling her mom her Sunday plans was not on her agenda.
“Where are you going?” her mom questioned suspiciously.
“To the park again. I don’t want to hang around here, besides we got a lot of unpacking done yesterday.”
“Victoria”, her mom said warningly, “remember what I said to you yesterday?” she raised her eyebrows and her expression said well?
“Yes. I’ll be by myself”, lie, “be back later.”
“Ok then…” her mom replied warily.
And with that Victoria walked out. A few wisps of hair falling from her ponytail tickled her face as a slight breeze blew by. Victoria saw as she approached the park that he wasn’t there yet, so she sat down on the same bench as yesterday and waited. It was just as warm as yesterday and her legs were starting to stick uncomfortably to the back of the metal bench. Victoria shifted, pulling her legs away from the hot seat. She lounged lackadaisically and glanced around looking for the familiar mess of Adam’s hair. As more time passed and the sun continued to beat down relentlessly, Victoria found herself humming her favorite song to pass the time. Just as she started to hum the second verse, she heard a voice behind her.
“I’ve been dancing on the tops of buildings. At the top of my lungs I’m singing you a song. Don’t leave me alone.”
Victoria turned around and an easy smile spread across her face when she saw Adam approaching, singing along as she hummed.
“My bones were shattered. My pride lays shattered. Well I’ll trample my pride and tell the whole world to dance with me.” Victoria sang, her voice effortlessly merging with his. At the chorus he came around and sat next to her, and they both continued singing.
“I’m falling more in love with every single word I withhold. I’m falling more in love with every single word you say. I’m falling head-over-heels for you again.”
Before continuing onto the bridge, Victoria stopped singing.
“I’m impressed.”
“Why?” he grinned.
“I never imagined a person like you knowing This Providence.”
“I do try to keep my musical encyclopedia updated.”
“You sing stunningly.” Victoria stated, in a somewhat mocking sarcastic way.
“Why thank you,” He replied with that same teasing tone, “and so do you.”
“If stunningly means like a deaf cat then yes, I sing stunningly.” Adam tilted his head back and laughed, the blue streak in his hair falling into view. Victoria reached over and took the strand in her hand and started to twirl it around her fingers, unsure why she took that action.
“Why do you have this?” She wondered out loud.
“Because nobody else does.” He stated firmly.
“Oh…” was Victoria’s reply, and her voice faded off. Something about the sureness in his voice shocked her. She expected him, Adam, a boy that while blessed with hotness, was shunned at school simply for his urge to stand out, to have at least some sort of self esteem issue. Yet the truth in his voice told Victoria otherwise, and she found herself admiring his self confidence. It was at that exact moment that she remembered her mom’s nagging voice, and her “warning”. The fact that her mom didn’t want her to hang out with Adam simply for the fact that he was supposedly gay made Victoria’s insides churn. Victoria slid over the bench and leaned up against Adam’s toned body. She wanted to get closer to him, both mentally and physically, as if to get back at her mom and say ha! Adam looked down at her with surprise, but didn’t move away when she came closer.
“Your mom doesn’t like me.” He blurted out. Victoria was a little shocked and lifted her head up from his shoulder to look him in the eye, but then again he never was one to hold back. It was at that moment that Victoria felt undoubtedly close to him, not in a sexual way, but in a best friend-I-want-to-tell-you-everything way.
“Well…no. She doesn’t,” Victoria tried to be as blunt as he was, “she doesn’t want me hanging out with you because she thinks you’re gay.” She sat there in silence; trying to ignore the awkwardness there so thick she could almost grab it as she lay draped across his black leather clad body. To her surprise, he started to laugh. It was when he looked down and saw the hurt in her eyes that he fell silent.
“Are you ok?”
“This is serious. My mom will flip shit if she knows I’m still hanging out with you.”
“Well I hate to break it to you,” his voice gaining a joking manner, “but I’m bisexual, not gay.” He reached down and brushed the hair from her face.
“We’re going to be just fine. I promise.” The two lay together for a while letting the silence wash over them and enjoying the fact that it wasn’t awkward.
“Ok, truth or truth?” Victoria broke the silence.
“What happened to dare? It’s always the idiotic dare that requires you to make a fool out of yourself that makes the game fun.”
Victoria ignored him and repeated, “Truth or truth?”
“Ok, truth.” Adam said, laughing at her persistence.
She mused, thinking of a question.
“Tell me about your family.”
“Out of all the question, even ones that would require me to spill my darkest secrets, you choose that?” he questioned feigning horror.
Victoria rolled her eyes. “Just answer the question; you said yesterday it was ‘your turn to tell your story’.”
“Technically that wasn’t a question.” Victoria glared at him and he laughed, before a more somber expression settled onto his face.
“I have two older siblings. My sister Catie is at college in California and my brother is living in Virginia with his girlfriend of three years.”
“Wow, what a quintessential family, what happened to you?” Victoria laughed, letting him know that she was joking.
“Anyway,” Adam huffed, pretending to be annoyed at the interruption even though his eyes shined with amusement, “it’s just me and my dad at our house now.” His eyes which were just scintillated with buoyancy clouded over. “My mom left us when I was 7. I haven’t seen her since. My dad’s had a tough time with me. He won’t say anything, but ever since my brother moved out he was hoping for another son to play catch with, and watch football games with. My sexuality came as a shock to him, but I know he tries his best.”
Victoria sat up and looked him straight in his deep multi-colored eyes she tried so hard to avoid for fear of losing herself.
“I’m sorry.”
Adam knew she meant it, and it wasn’t just the “I’m sorry” that was required by everyone when they heard news like that regardless of whether they truly were sorry or no.
“Ok, my turn,” he smirked, “truth or truth?”
“Hmmm…” Victoria pretended to think. “I’ll go with truth.”
“What’s the sleaziest thing you’ve ever done?”
She gasped and giggled nervously, though she trusted Adam completely.
“Well…” she started, and his eyes widened with faux raptness, like a young girl at the Twilight premier, causing her to giggle more. “I was at a friend’s party once, and I got a little tipsy. By midnight I was drunk. I don’t remember a lot, except for the god awful hangover, but my friend told me I ended up at second base with Spencer, the biggest jerk in the entire school.”
Adam was shocked. Not because of her slut story, he had always figured there was someone a little more naughty under her shy good girl exterior, but because she chose to share the story with him.
Teasing, he exclaimed, “You slut!” causing Victoria to slap him playfully and laugh. When Adam yawned, she looked at him and asked,
“Why so oscitance?”
“Long night.”
“Truth or truth?” He sighed.
“Truth.”
“What did you do last night?” Another sigh.
“You caught me.” Adam laughed, and Victoria narrowed her eyes suspiciously in a somewhat joking manner.
“Come on, tell me!” Victoria half-begged, but stopped herself when she realized she sounded like a spoiled child begging her parents for candy.
“If you must know, I was practicing. I’ve been asked to play piano at my sister’s college next month for some sort of arts exhibit or something. But it’s a big deal and I really want to impress. If I do a good enough job it will help me when I apply to her college in a couple years. I want to be a producer, and that school is great start.”
“I didn’t know you played piano! Why didn’t you tell me?”
“You never asked.” Hmph, Victoria thought, should have figured he would give me an answer like that. Adam looked down at his watch.
“It’s one o’clock and I have to be back by two. What shall we do during those glorious 60 minutes?” he pondered, stroking his smooth chin as if he had a long beard.
“Teach me how to play piano.” Victoria stated, sitting up straight and removing herself from his embrace.
“What?” Adam looked across the bench at Victoria, his eyebrows knitted. Victoria smiled to herself; she had finally managed to shock him with a blunt and straightforward question.
“We have an hour, teach me how to play the piano.” She repeated.
“Ok then,” a small grin settled across his face, “I know just the place we can go, follow me.” Adam took her hand and led Victoria over to a small gray Saturn sitting in the parking lot. He walked over and opened the door for her. “Ladies first.”
“Thanks,” Victoria sputtered, a little taken aback. What male these days will open a car door for a lady anymore? Adam closed the door and did his little sexy-Adam-saunter over to the driver’s side and climbed in gracefully. As he started the car and pulled out onto the busy street, Victoria’s hand clenched the sides of the seat so tightly her knuckles turned white.
“Wait, you can’t drive!” she was practically yelling as the realization hit her, “How can you? We’re only sophomores and 16….right!?” He turned and looked coolly at her, completely calm though Victoria was staring at him eyes frantic.
Voice calm and collected, he said, “Yes I’m 16, which means I have my learners permit.”
“But that doesn’t explain how you can be driving! You have to be 17 to have a license here!” Adam winked a black lined eye at her and said,
“But the cops don’t have to know that.” Victoria slumped back down in her seat and muttered,
“Ooh you bad-ass. You’re gonna get us killed.”
“I heard that,” Adam joked, still finding light in the conversation, “I’m not going to let anything happen.” Victoria was going to continue arguing but she heard the tenderness in his voice and decided to drop the subject and pray they weren’t dead by two o’clock. Adam looked at her, some concern showing on his face.
“What’s wrong?” he asked never taking his eyes off of her.
“Nothing! Just look where you’re driving!” Adam chuckled and turned his eyes back to the road.
“I’m not going to let us crash. I am a vampire with amazing reflexes you know.”
“Right,” Victoria laughed.
After sitting in silence, he pulled the car into the school’s parking lot.
“What are we doing here?”
“I thought you said you wanted me to teach you how to play the piano?”
“But I thought we would be going to your house, why are we at the school?”
“This is where I go to practice; they have a spare room with a piano. If we’re lucky Rick might let us in.”
“Rick?”
“He’s the janitor, we’re buds,” he laughed, “whenever I come to practice he unlocks the door for me. Are you ready?”
“Sure,” Victoria smiled, just trying to live in the moment. Adam slid out of the seat and walked around to open the door for Victoria. As she was getting out, her foot caught and she found herself tumbling into a face plant right on the concrete. She threw her arms out to catch her fall, but her arms found themselves wrapped around Adam’s torso. He grabbed her by the waist and stood her up, but kept his hands on her waste.
“Are you ok?” his face three inches from Victoria’s.
“Yeah, thanks.” She mumbled and kept her face down to hide the blush on her cheeks.
“Always so graceful,” Adam teased her, and keeping one hand on the other side of her waist pulled her body against his and they both started walking towards the school. When they walked up to a side entrance Victoria had never noticed before, Adam cupped his hands around his eyes and looked into the tinted window. He must have spotted Rick, as he stepped away from the window and waved. All Victoria could see in the darkened window was her reflection as she leaned into Adam’s body. The door opened up and she assumed the short and balding man was Rick. They walked in and were hit by a wave of cold air conditioned heaven.
“Thanks Rick,” Adam said as he walked away, one hand around Victoria’s waist, the other waving his thanks. He led her around a confusing twist of hallways and Victoria was lost within their first turn. But when he stopped in front of an empty room, with nothing in it but a baby grand piano, Victoria exclaimed,
“I know this room!”
“You do?”
“Yeah I got lost,” she said a little sheepishly, “and ended up here. That’s why I was late for History the first day.”
“Oh god that was highlarious! You should have seen the look on your face when the teacher was yelling at you!”
“Glad my misfortune could entertain you. I try so hard.”
“Aww come on don’t be mad. I’m teaching you to play the piano remember?”
“Yes. Always the saint.” Adam sat down on the piano bench. It creaked under his lithe body, signaling its age. He patted the space beside him and Victoria sat down.
“Ok we have 15 minutes before I have to leave to be back for two. Do you still want me to try to teach you?”
“Play me something first, I want to hear this so called talent that got you into an arts festival at your sister’s college.”
“Any requests?” Victoria thought about it, before saying,
“My Beautiful Rescue by This Providence.”
“Excellent choice my dear,” he smiled, and leaned over the chipped keys. As he started playing the first measures, Victoria noticed how submerged he was into the song. She sang gently while Adam played in his own little world.
“I’ve been jumping from the tops of buildings for the thrill of the fall, ignoring sound advice and any thought of consequence/My bones have shattered, my pride is shattered/And in the midst of this self inflicted pain, I can see my beautiful rescue.” Adam seemed to come out of his musical trance and joined in with the chorus.
“I’m falling more in love with every single word I withhold/I’m falling more in love with every single word you say/I’m falling head over heels for you…” By the bridge the two were half singing half shouting with laughter and Victoria tried to catch her breath enough to let her keep up with Adam.
“Well I’m crying out, wash my hands these bloody hands Lord/Open my mouth and I’ll sing/ whoa oh oh oh.”
At the end of the song, Victoria was fully out of breath from laughing and singing but still managed to turn and look at Adam and say,
“You play the piano wond-“, her words where silenced by Adam’s lips. They were sweet and gentle against hers, but she was caught off guard and pulled away separating herself. She couldn’t read the emotions on his face. Was it anger? Embarrassment? Confusion? She was sure she could feel a blush start to creep its way onto her face coloring her cheeks with an embarrassing flush.
“I’m sorry-“ he stuttered, lost for words for the first time. Before he could continue, Victoria leaned over and kissed him, letting it know that it was ok. She slid over the bench to get closer to him and he wrapped his hands around her waist. The kiss was slow and soft at first, but soon turned to a hungry passionate kiss. Victoria wrapped her legs around his waist as he pulled her into his lap. Their kiss was building, and she could feel the increasing fervor and hope he felt it too. Adam pulled away and looked her straight in the eye, their breath ragged. Adam kissed her on the cheek causing Victoria to giggle like a little girl. She wrapped her arms around Adam’s neck and leaned in to kiss him again. His hands were entangled in her hair, zealously embraced. Yet this time, Victoria pulled away. In Adam’s eyes she saw confusion and hidden hurt. Still in his lap, she leaned her head against the crook of his neck.
“We should probably get going,” she explained softly, as if scared that speaking too loud would ruin the moment. Victoria climbed out of his lap and the piano bench squeaked. Adam stood up to join her, and they walked out of the room and to his car hand in hand.
“Do you want me to drop you off at your house?” Adam asked her when they were on the road.
“No! My mom would kill me! Can you drop me off at the park please? I can just walk home from there.”
“You can’t hide from your mom forever you know,” he sighed.
“I know…but just not know. I think it’s just been…well she’s been taking my dad’s ‘disappearance’ kind of tough. He usually always writes and we haven’t heard from him in over a month.” A lump formed in the back of Victoria’s throat and before she knew it, tears were pooling over her eyes. She was shocked by the onslaught of emotions that were overpowering her, but she had been hiding the pain from her dad, and it felt good to finally let loose. Adam pulled into the park’s parking lot and shut the car off.
“Hey,” he said softly, taking her head in his hands, “it’s going to be ok. I’m here for you.” He leaned over and kissed all of the tears off of her face and ended with a kiss on her mouth.
“I’m sorry, I should go.” Victoria climbed out of the car and started walking towards her house. She thought she heard Adam call after her but didn’t turn around. She was a mess. Her emotions and hormones were drowning her. When she turned around, Adam had left. She wiped the tears from her eyes, trying to figure out how she went from bliss to heartbreak in under a minute.
“I’m falling head-over-heels for you again…” she whispered and wiped her eyes before her mom saw her.
“Good morning!” her mom said cheerfully.
“Good morning”, Victoria mumbled.
“What’s wrong with you today?”
“Just tired.” That excuse never failed.
Victoria started making her way towards the door, skipping breakfast. She fully intended on meeting Adam, he intrigued her. Yet telling her mom her Sunday plans was not on her agenda.
“Where are you going?” her mom questioned suspiciously.
“To the park again. I don’t want to hang around here, besides we got a lot of unpacking done yesterday.”
“Victoria”, her mom said warningly, “remember what I said to you yesterday?” she raised her eyebrows and her expression said well?
“Yes. I’ll be by myself”, lie, “be back later.”
“Ok then…” her mom replied warily.
And with that Victoria walked out. A few wisps of hair falling from her ponytail tickled her face as a slight breeze blew by. Victoria saw as she approached the park that he wasn’t there yet, so she sat down on the same bench as yesterday and waited. It was just as warm as yesterday and her legs were starting to stick uncomfortably to the back of the metal bench. Victoria shifted, pulling her legs away from the hot seat. She lounged lackadaisically and glanced around looking for the familiar mess of Adam’s hair. As more time passed and the sun continued to beat down relentlessly, Victoria found herself humming her favorite song to pass the time. Just as she started to hum the second verse, she heard a voice behind her.
“I’ve been dancing on the tops of buildings. At the top of my lungs I’m singing you a song. Don’t leave me alone.”
Victoria turned around and an easy smile spread across her face when she saw Adam approaching, singing along as she hummed.
“My bones were shattered. My pride lays shattered. Well I’ll trample my pride and tell the whole world to dance with me.” Victoria sang, her voice effortlessly merging with his. At the chorus he came around and sat next to her, and they both continued singing.
“I’m falling more in love with every single word I withhold. I’m falling more in love with every single word you say. I’m falling head-over-heels for you again.”
Before continuing onto the bridge, Victoria stopped singing.
“I’m impressed.”
“Why?” he grinned.
“I never imagined a person like you knowing This Providence.”
“I do try to keep my musical encyclopedia updated.”
“You sing stunningly.” Victoria stated, in a somewhat mocking sarcastic way.
“Why thank you,” He replied with that same teasing tone, “and so do you.”
“If stunningly means like a deaf cat then yes, I sing stunningly.” Adam tilted his head back and laughed, the blue streak in his hair falling into view. Victoria reached over and took the strand in her hand and started to twirl it around her fingers, unsure why she took that action.
“Why do you have this?” She wondered out loud.
“Because nobody else does.” He stated firmly.
“Oh…” was Victoria’s reply, and her voice faded off. Something about the sureness in his voice shocked her. She expected him, Adam, a boy that while blessed with hotness, was shunned at school simply for his urge to stand out, to have at least some sort of self esteem issue. Yet the truth in his voice told Victoria otherwise, and she found herself admiring his self confidence. It was at that exact moment that she remembered her mom’s nagging voice, and her “warning”. The fact that her mom didn’t want her to hang out with Adam simply for the fact that he was supposedly gay made Victoria’s insides churn. Victoria slid over the bench and leaned up against Adam’s toned body. She wanted to get closer to him, both mentally and physically, as if to get back at her mom and say ha! Adam looked down at her with surprise, but didn’t move away when she came closer.
“Your mom doesn’t like me.” He blurted out. Victoria was a little shocked and lifted her head up from his shoulder to look him in the eye, but then again he never was one to hold back. It was at that moment that Victoria felt undoubtedly close to him, not in a sexual way, but in a best friend-I-want-to-tell-you-everything way.
“Well…no. She doesn’t,” Victoria tried to be as blunt as he was, “she doesn’t want me hanging out with you because she thinks you’re gay.” She sat there in silence; trying to ignore the awkwardness there so thick she could almost grab it as she lay draped across his black leather clad body. To her surprise, he started to laugh. It was when he looked down and saw the hurt in her eyes that he fell silent.
“Are you ok?”
“This is serious. My mom will flip shit if she knows I’m still hanging out with you.”
“Well I hate to break it to you,” his voice gaining a joking manner, “but I’m bisexual, not gay.” He reached down and brushed the hair from her face.
“We’re going to be just fine. I promise.” The two lay together for a while letting the silence wash over them and enjoying the fact that it wasn’t awkward.
“Ok, truth or truth?” Victoria broke the silence.
“What happened to dare? It’s always the idiotic dare that requires you to make a fool out of yourself that makes the game fun.”
Victoria ignored him and repeated, “Truth or truth?”
“Ok, truth.” Adam said, laughing at her persistence.
She mused, thinking of a question.
“Tell me about your family.”
“Out of all the question, even ones that would require me to spill my darkest secrets, you choose that?” he questioned feigning horror.
Victoria rolled her eyes. “Just answer the question; you said yesterday it was ‘your turn to tell your story’.”
“Technically that wasn’t a question.” Victoria glared at him and he laughed, before a more somber expression settled onto his face.
“I have two older siblings. My sister Catie is at college in California and my brother is living in Virginia with his girlfriend of three years.”
“Wow, what a quintessential family, what happened to you?” Victoria laughed, letting him know that she was joking.
“Anyway,” Adam huffed, pretending to be annoyed at the interruption even though his eyes shined with amusement, “it’s just me and my dad at our house now.” His eyes which were just scintillated with buoyancy clouded over. “My mom left us when I was 7. I haven’t seen her since. My dad’s had a tough time with me. He won’t say anything, but ever since my brother moved out he was hoping for another son to play catch with, and watch football games with. My sexuality came as a shock to him, but I know he tries his best.”
Victoria sat up and looked him straight in his deep multi-colored eyes she tried so hard to avoid for fear of losing herself.
“I’m sorry.”
Adam knew she meant it, and it wasn’t just the “I’m sorry” that was required by everyone when they heard news like that regardless of whether they truly were sorry or no.
“Ok, my turn,” he smirked, “truth or truth?”
“Hmmm…” Victoria pretended to think. “I’ll go with truth.”
“What’s the sleaziest thing you’ve ever done?”
She gasped and giggled nervously, though she trusted Adam completely.
“Well…” she started, and his eyes widened with faux raptness, like a young girl at the Twilight premier, causing her to giggle more. “I was at a friend’s party once, and I got a little tipsy. By midnight I was drunk. I don’t remember a lot, except for the god awful hangover, but my friend told me I ended up at second base with Spencer, the biggest jerk in the entire school.”
Adam was shocked. Not because of her slut story, he had always figured there was someone a little more naughty under her shy good girl exterior, but because she chose to share the story with him.
Teasing, he exclaimed, “You slut!” causing Victoria to slap him playfully and laugh. When Adam yawned, she looked at him and asked,
“Why so oscitance?”
“Long night.”
“Truth or truth?” He sighed.
“Truth.”
“What did you do last night?” Another sigh.
“You caught me.” Adam laughed, and Victoria narrowed her eyes suspiciously in a somewhat joking manner.
“Come on, tell me!” Victoria half-begged, but stopped herself when she realized she sounded like a spoiled child begging her parents for candy.
“If you must know, I was practicing. I’ve been asked to play piano at my sister’s college next month for some sort of arts exhibit or something. But it’s a big deal and I really want to impress. If I do a good enough job it will help me when I apply to her college in a couple years. I want to be a producer, and that school is great start.”
“I didn’t know you played piano! Why didn’t you tell me?”
“You never asked.” Hmph, Victoria thought, should have figured he would give me an answer like that. Adam looked down at his watch.
“It’s one o’clock and I have to be back by two. What shall we do during those glorious 60 minutes?” he pondered, stroking his smooth chin as if he had a long beard.
“Teach me how to play piano.” Victoria stated, sitting up straight and removing herself from his embrace.
“What?” Adam looked across the bench at Victoria, his eyebrows knitted. Victoria smiled to herself; she had finally managed to shock him with a blunt and straightforward question.
“We have an hour, teach me how to play the piano.” She repeated.
“Ok then,” a small grin settled across his face, “I know just the place we can go, follow me.” Adam took her hand and led Victoria over to a small gray Saturn sitting in the parking lot. He walked over and opened the door for her. “Ladies first.”
“Thanks,” Victoria sputtered, a little taken aback. What male these days will open a car door for a lady anymore? Adam closed the door and did his little sexy-Adam-saunter over to the driver’s side and climbed in gracefully. As he started the car and pulled out onto the busy street, Victoria’s hand clenched the sides of the seat so tightly her knuckles turned white.
“Wait, you can’t drive!” she was practically yelling as the realization hit her, “How can you? We’re only sophomores and 16….right!?” He turned and looked coolly at her, completely calm though Victoria was staring at him eyes frantic.
Voice calm and collected, he said, “Yes I’m 16, which means I have my learners permit.”
“But that doesn’t explain how you can be driving! You have to be 17 to have a license here!” Adam winked a black lined eye at her and said,
“But the cops don’t have to know that.” Victoria slumped back down in her seat and muttered,
“Ooh you bad-ass. You’re gonna get us killed.”
“I heard that,” Adam joked, still finding light in the conversation, “I’m not going to let anything happen.” Victoria was going to continue arguing but she heard the tenderness in his voice and decided to drop the subject and pray they weren’t dead by two o’clock. Adam looked at her, some concern showing on his face.
“What’s wrong?” he asked never taking his eyes off of her.
“Nothing! Just look where you’re driving!” Adam chuckled and turned his eyes back to the road.
“I’m not going to let us crash. I am a vampire with amazing reflexes you know.”
“Right,” Victoria laughed.
After sitting in silence, he pulled the car into the school’s parking lot.
“What are we doing here?”
“I thought you said you wanted me to teach you how to play the piano?”
“But I thought we would be going to your house, why are we at the school?”
“This is where I go to practice; they have a spare room with a piano. If we’re lucky Rick might let us in.”
“Rick?”
“He’s the janitor, we’re buds,” he laughed, “whenever I come to practice he unlocks the door for me. Are you ready?”
“Sure,” Victoria smiled, just trying to live in the moment. Adam slid out of the seat and walked around to open the door for Victoria. As she was getting out, her foot caught and she found herself tumbling into a face plant right on the concrete. She threw her arms out to catch her fall, but her arms found themselves wrapped around Adam’s torso. He grabbed her by the waist and stood her up, but kept his hands on her waste.
“Are you ok?” his face three inches from Victoria’s.
“Yeah, thanks.” She mumbled and kept her face down to hide the blush on her cheeks.
“Always so graceful,” Adam teased her, and keeping one hand on the other side of her waist pulled her body against his and they both started walking towards the school. When they walked up to a side entrance Victoria had never noticed before, Adam cupped his hands around his eyes and looked into the tinted window. He must have spotted Rick, as he stepped away from the window and waved. All Victoria could see in the darkened window was her reflection as she leaned into Adam’s body. The door opened up and she assumed the short and balding man was Rick. They walked in and were hit by a wave of cold air conditioned heaven.
“Thanks Rick,” Adam said as he walked away, one hand around Victoria’s waist, the other waving his thanks. He led her around a confusing twist of hallways and Victoria was lost within their first turn. But when he stopped in front of an empty room, with nothing in it but a baby grand piano, Victoria exclaimed,
“I know this room!”
“You do?”
“Yeah I got lost,” she said a little sheepishly, “and ended up here. That’s why I was late for History the first day.”
“Oh god that was highlarious! You should have seen the look on your face when the teacher was yelling at you!”
“Glad my misfortune could entertain you. I try so hard.”
“Aww come on don’t be mad. I’m teaching you to play the piano remember?”
“Yes. Always the saint.” Adam sat down on the piano bench. It creaked under his lithe body, signaling its age. He patted the space beside him and Victoria sat down.
“Ok we have 15 minutes before I have to leave to be back for two. Do you still want me to try to teach you?”
“Play me something first, I want to hear this so called talent that got you into an arts festival at your sister’s college.”
“Any requests?” Victoria thought about it, before saying,
“My Beautiful Rescue by This Providence.”
“Excellent choice my dear,” he smiled, and leaned over the chipped keys. As he started playing the first measures, Victoria noticed how submerged he was into the song. She sang gently while Adam played in his own little world.
“I’ve been jumping from the tops of buildings for the thrill of the fall, ignoring sound advice and any thought of consequence/My bones have shattered, my pride is shattered/And in the midst of this self inflicted pain, I can see my beautiful rescue.” Adam seemed to come out of his musical trance and joined in with the chorus.
“I’m falling more in love with every single word I withhold/I’m falling more in love with every single word you say/I’m falling head over heels for you…” By the bridge the two were half singing half shouting with laughter and Victoria tried to catch her breath enough to let her keep up with Adam.
“Well I’m crying out, wash my hands these bloody hands Lord/Open my mouth and I’ll sing/ whoa oh oh oh.”
At the end of the song, Victoria was fully out of breath from laughing and singing but still managed to turn and look at Adam and say,
“You play the piano wond-“, her words where silenced by Adam’s lips. They were sweet and gentle against hers, but she was caught off guard and pulled away separating herself. She couldn’t read the emotions on his face. Was it anger? Embarrassment? Confusion? She was sure she could feel a blush start to creep its way onto her face coloring her cheeks with an embarrassing flush.
“I’m sorry-“ he stuttered, lost for words for the first time. Before he could continue, Victoria leaned over and kissed him, letting it know that it was ok. She slid over the bench to get closer to him and he wrapped his hands around her waist. The kiss was slow and soft at first, but soon turned to a hungry passionate kiss. Victoria wrapped her legs around his waist as he pulled her into his lap. Their kiss was building, and she could feel the increasing fervor and hope he felt it too. Adam pulled away and looked her straight in the eye, their breath ragged. Adam kissed her on the cheek causing Victoria to giggle like a little girl. She wrapped her arms around Adam’s neck and leaned in to kiss him again. His hands were entangled in her hair, zealously embraced. Yet this time, Victoria pulled away. In Adam’s eyes she saw confusion and hidden hurt. Still in his lap, she leaned her head against the crook of his neck.
“We should probably get going,” she explained softly, as if scared that speaking too loud would ruin the moment. Victoria climbed out of his lap and the piano bench squeaked. Adam stood up to join her, and they walked out of the room and to his car hand in hand.
“Do you want me to drop you off at your house?” Adam asked her when they were on the road.
“No! My mom would kill me! Can you drop me off at the park please? I can just walk home from there.”
“You can’t hide from your mom forever you know,” he sighed.
“I know…but just not know. I think it’s just been…well she’s been taking my dad’s ‘disappearance’ kind of tough. He usually always writes and we haven’t heard from him in over a month.” A lump formed in the back of Victoria’s throat and before she knew it, tears were pooling over her eyes. She was shocked by the onslaught of emotions that were overpowering her, but she had been hiding the pain from her dad, and it felt good to finally let loose. Adam pulled into the park’s parking lot and shut the car off.
“Hey,” he said softly, taking her head in his hands, “it’s going to be ok. I’m here for you.” He leaned over and kissed all of the tears off of her face and ended with a kiss on her mouth.
“I’m sorry, I should go.” Victoria climbed out of the car and started walking towards her house. She thought she heard Adam call after her but didn’t turn around. She was a mess. Her emotions and hormones were drowning her. When she turned around, Adam had left. She wiped the tears from her eyes, trying to figure out how she went from bliss to heartbreak in under a minute.
“I’m falling head-over-heels for you again…” she whispered and wiped her eyes before her mom saw her.
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