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The fresh smell of rain blew through the open windows as Kori and Claudia sat quietly, tuned into their own world. It was a rare day of rest for them. Anna was next door with Bryan, just as she had been for the last two weeks. She and Bryan had become inseparable day and night as they were falling in love, quickly. Mark kept the romance at a slow pace for Claudia but the intensity between them was almost too much to hold back. Kori still kept her distance from Kian, mainly because she had this nagging fear that if she spent time with him, she'd fall for him. She had too much riding on the part for which she would be trying out when she went back to school. She just had a few short months to prepare and it had to be stellar.
Claudia sat on the couch listening to the music that become her life for the last few weeks. It was amazing to think that only a short time ago, she knew nothing about Westlife. But now she knew every word to their songs, knew who sang which part, and how it had come to be so. She listened to their CD every night when she slept and every morning as she got ready for her day. She was almost more obsessed than Anna. She sat listening to the beautiful music, thinking about Mark. It still shocked her when she thought about the gorgeous men on the CD and her reality with them. They were all so very normal. Well, all of them except Shane. He still avoided her like the plague.
But Mark made up for all of that. All of these feelings were new to her and she tried so hard to understand them. Mark had been so gentle in the last weeks, so patient and loving. Claudia no longer feared Mark but only feared the emotions. She had never loved anyone or had anyone love her back. Mark hadn't said the words but she knew that love was definitely present as they walked on the beach holding hands, talking about their families, and the kisses they exchanged every day. If this wasn't love, then she didn't know what love was. Now there was only to take the inevitable step. What else were two people in love supposed to do? As much as she bemoaned the fact, they couldn't go on holding hands forever. Things would naturally progress. It was all natural....
"Kori, I have a question but I don't know if I can..." Claudia started. Kori looked up from her book. She was deep into her character when Claudia interrupted her.
"What is it, Claud?" Kori put the book down on the table. She reached for her water and took a sip.
"When do you know... well, when you do know when it's right?" Claudia said quietly.
"What is right?" Kori asked, knowing exactly what Claudia was asking.
"You know, when do you know when the time is right..." Claudia paused as she looked at Kori, hoping she would finish the sentence. "To... be together." She said it quickly.
"You mean have sex?" Kori asked laughing.
"Yes." Claudia blushed.
"Why? Are you and Mark? Oh my God, are you and Mark going to do... IT?" Kori gently hit Claudia.
"No!" Claudia yelled. "Well, I mean, he hasn't asked me to or pressured me but..."
"You're thinking about it. Our little Claudia is actually thinking about it. It's about time." Kori sat down next to Claudia on the couch.
"I just want to be ready when..."
"Are you going to do it with Mark?" Kori interrupted.
"I don't know." Claudia said quickly. She hated talking to Kori about this but she needed some questions answered. She'd always thought that she would wait until her wedding night to have sex. But lately, when she was with Mark, the thought kept leaping into her head and she didn't want to be caught off guard if Mark did ask her. Claudia jumped when the front door slammed. Anna sauntered into the room, a triumphant smile on her face.
"Why are you so nervous?" Anna sat down on the chair facing the girls.
"Why are you so happy? As to us, our little Claudia is asking about sex." Kori said laughing.
"What? I can't believe this. Aren't you the adult now!" Anna laughed with Kori.
"This is why I don't talk to you guys about this. I knew you would make fun of me." Claudia stood up and began walking towards the kitchen.
"We're sorry, C. Really, you can talk to us about it. You just took me by surprise." Kori yelled. "Come back."
"I don't think anything will happen.I was just wondering when you two knew it was right?" Claudia stammered as she sat back down on the couch.
"I think you just do." Anna said.
"When did you and Jerid first do it?" Kori asked.
"We had been dating at least 6 months, I think." Anna said without emotion. She hadn't even really thought about Jerid since she first saw Bryan.
"I don't think it's going to happen anyway. I mean, what would Mark want with a 21 year old virgin?" Claudia said as Kori and Anna smiled at each other. Their conversation was interrupted by the phone. Anna jumped up and ran to the kitchen. She needed something to stop the questions about her and Jerid.
"Hello?" She asked into the receiver.
"Hey, sweetie." The familiar voice startled her. 'Well, well, well Gabriel, ask and ye shall receive' Anna thought to herself.
"Hi, Jerid." Anna said as Claudia and Kori turned their heads in astonishment. Anna turned her back to them and they continued their conversation about sex.
"How are things in Orlando?"
"Rainy." Anna said quickly. She paced back and forth as she listened to him.
"Are you ready to come to Washington?" He asked.
"Well, you don't waste a whole lot of time, do you? No, Jerid. I told you I wanted the whole summer here." She said, trying to hold back her anger.
"Baby, I really miss you and my parents want to get to know their future daughter-in-law." Jerid pleaded in his deep voice. The voice that always made Anna melt. It was that voice that first brought her to Jerid two years ago.
It was a cold and snowy day in Cambridge. Anna was rushing to her
English 205 class, because as usual, she was running late. She came across
some ice and lost her footing. A strong hand reached out to her and grabbed
her to brace the fall. She tried to look up at the face of her hero but her
hat was blocking her view.
"Are you okay?" He asked as she balanced herself. The voice was deep but still soft. The mere sound of it warmed Anna. She was finally able to look up as she saw a beautiful blonde man still grasping her arm. He gave her a dazzling smile and took the books that were falling from her arms. "You really should be careful, this ice can be dangerous." He said as he continued to hold her.
"I'm late for my class." Anna said shyly.
"Won't do you much good if you end up in the hospital." The stranger said softly. He helped her with her books, got her stable on her feet and sent her on her way. She didn't know his name but his face was imbedded in her memory. A week had passed before she saw him again when they bumped into each other.
"We have to stop meeting like this." He once again picked Anna up from the snow.
"I hate this snow!" She yelled, trying to cover her embarrassment.
"The snow is beautiful. You just need to get your Arizona body acclimated." He said with a smile.
"How did you know I was from Arizona?" She brushed off the snow that was caked to her pants.
"I looked you up." He handed her the books that scattered across the ground.
"Impressive. I have my very own stalker." Anna said laughing as she pulled back her hair from her collar. She hated the cold weather and hated the binding clothes she had to wear. She loved attending Harvard but often wondered why they couldn't have put it in a warmer climate.
"I'm not a stalker, just interested." Anna instantly melted from his smile. It was warm enough to almost make the cold bearable.
"Since you know me, could I maybe have a name? I mean, just in case the police want some information about my stalker."
"Jerid, Jerid Romney." He offered his hand. They shook and began talking.
The two spent the next month studying together, attending school functions together, and having late night coffee talks at the town coffee shop. Jerid had instantly fallen for Anna from the first time they ran into each other. But it took Anna longer, something holding her back. Jerid was everything that she wanted in a man; loving, gentle, kind, considerate and the major plus, handsome. But even in the two years that they dated, in the back of Anna's mind, she hoped for something more. She didn't know what it would be but she always knew that there had to be something more then what she was experiencing with Jerid. It wasn't until their Junior year that he began talking about their future together. They would be graduating next year and he felt they needed to start making plans. Jerid was the one who made the plans, Anna just agreed. She couldn't tell him how she felt. She loved him but she just couldn't hide the fact that he wasn't everything to her. But she never thought she would find that in anyone. Until now.
"It's been two weeks, Anna." Jerid said breaking Anna's thoughts.
"I didn't think I had a time limit." Anna said shifting as she spoke.
"Do you have this nonsense worked out?"
"Jerid, I told you I was going to spend the whole summer here. I want to spend my last summer with Kori and Claudia. I mean, I'll have my whole life with you" Anna tried to hide the fact that she was lying. She had gotten pretty good at it.
"All right, I understand. I love you, Anna." Jerid said in a very soft voice.
"I love you too." Anna said almost matter-of-fact. Her heart ached in saying the words but she couldn't deal with Jerid right now. She couldn't deal with him until she knew exactly where she stood with Bryan. "I really should be going." Anna said quickly.
"I'll call you in a couple of days, sweetie. Don't have too much fun and don't forget about me." He said laughing.
"I could never do that." Anna said, she wasn't lying this time. She couldn't forget Jerid, he was important to her but not in the way that he hoped. They said their good-byes as she finally hung up the phone. She stood alone in the kitchen as she tried to gather her thoughts. She could still hear Kori and Claudia talking and laughing in the living room. She slowly stepped out the back door and made her way over to Bryan's. She knew that she was running to him but at this point in her life, he was the only one who she wanted to be with. For the first time, she found someone who understood her. Bryan understood her in ways she couldn't. Deep down, she knew Bryan was what she was missing her life. But could she ever tell him that?
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