Chapter 34 First Day of Senior Year
-Annie-
Fall
There hasn’t been a day since Drew asked me to be his girlfriend that we haven’t seen each other.
I think my parents have noticed the difference, even before they found us snuggled together on the downstairs couch watching the Griffons baseball game.
Mom made it a point to bring up Drew at breakfast the next morning, asking me if there was anything new going on in my life.
I love my mom, but I also wasn’t about to tell her all the ways I had been enjoying Drew’s kisses or the way that I dreamed about him touching me.
I give her the PG version of my feelings.
She seemed happy for me, but she did let me know that if he came over more, we’d have to stay downstairs, or if we did make it to my room, the door would have to stay cracked.
She said she’d talk to Dad to make sure he gave me the same distance when Drew was over that he’d given Miles when he’d had Steph over.
I thanked her, because I didn’t want to discuss this with Dad; it was already more than awkward talking about it with her.
I didn’t even want to imagine how weird it would be with Dad.
I’d leave our conversations to be around sports and journalism school, not subjects that have to do with my boyfriend’s lips or hands on my body.
***
School starts tomorrow, and Meg and I have already planned to hang out and go through each other's new clothes to decide what our first day of school outfits will be. In reality, Meg will be picking them both out. I’ll follow along, because as I’ve learned, it is easier not to argue with her about fashion choices, but also because I know Meg always picked things that made me look good and feel good about myself.
I’m in my room when the door swings open.
“Ever heard of knocking?” I say as she enters my room.
“Nope, hadn’t crossed my mind,” she laughs.
We spend far too much time chatting about all things boys.
She tells me her worries about not seeing as much of Tom, since he goes to a different school, and I fill her in on my non-PG-rated thoughts about Drew.
“Annie Marie, you are already thinking about third base? Way to go, you little vixen,” she comments after I finish telling her the direction of my dreams lately.
Meg is the only person who knows that this is a big deal.
I haven’t done a lot with guys; I’ve been to third base, but as they say, I’ve never made it all the way home.
I’m not in a big rush to get there, or at least I haven’t been before Drew.
Now, though, it seems like something I’d like to get to.
I’m probably rushing these thoughts because with him, it doesn’t send a rush of fear or worry through my body, thinking about being naked in front of him.
When I think of the idea of being naked with Drew or having sex with Drew, it feels exciting: it feels like something that would just be a continuation of the lust-inducing kisses we have shared.
Meg breaks my train of thought, and I’m grateful.
“Annie, you do deserve him, you know. I’m glad to see you so happy.
” I hug my best friend. “Thank you for listening—this must be so awkward since, you know, you have dated him already,” I say into her hair.
She pulls back from me and gives me a stern expression.
“This is the last time I’m going to say it, and I hope you are listening.
You and Drew don’t bother me at all. We had a moment, and it wasn’t right: he never looked at me like I saw him looking at you at the end of the party, and before you ask—” (she waves her hand to make the stop motion) “—that doesn’t bother me either.
” She takes a dramatic sigh. “Ok.” I give her another hug.
“Ok,” I say again into her hair. “You know you’re the best friend a girl could have, right?
” “Well, duh, I mean that should be obvious by the number of hours I’ve spent trying to improve your wardrobe,” Meg laughs.
Her comment makes me laugh, too, and then we turn our attention to the wardrobe in question.
Meg makes quick work of sliding hangers in my closet, speaking out loud as she does, “No, definitely not, Annie, why do you even still have these?” She holds out a few ugly dresses and then discards them to the side.
“Now this,” she says, holding up the new navy dress that I bought on my own during the cruise, “I need to see on, because I think it’s the one.
” I take the dress and try it on, and Meg loves it, doing her little happy toe bounce.
***
I wake to a vibration from my phone the next morning before my alarm can sound. I give myself another moment to stretch and remember why I can’t go back to sleep before the phone vibrates again. I lift my phone and see an alert that I have two missed texts from Drew Davis.
Drew Davis
Good Morning Angel
Working on a nickname, what do you think?
Annie
Good Morning hot stuff
I think I need to hear you say it
Drew Davis
Hot stuff, can you say that to me in front of all the guys?
It’ll help me and my ego
I’ll test it out when I come over, when can I see you?
Annie
After I take a shower and get dressed
It’s only 5 am psycho
Drew Davis
Angel, you just made me think of you naked
are you trying to kill me?
Annie
Enjoy your imagination
Text you when to headed over
Showering now…naked
I am wide awake after our little flirty exchange, and I do as I promised and get into the shower.
I am up so much earlier than I had originally planned, but now I have time to do those waves Meg has been helping me to perfect.
When I look in the mirror after an hour, I’m proud of what I’ve done.
My dirty blonde hair is falling in waves down my back.
I’ve done some makeup to make my eyes stand out, and I’ve applied a clear gloss to my lips.
The navy blue dress was the right choice; it hugs my breasts and then falls down the rest of my body, not hugging my curves, and is just on the right side of the required length for school, still showing off my legs.
When I’m ready to head down to breakfast, I text Drew.
Annie
Headed to breakfast
Fair warning when you come over my mom is going to make you take photos
Drew Davis
I’m photo ready
I’ll be over in 10
When I get downstairs, Mom jumps up and gives me a huge hug.
“Oh, honey, you look so grown up,” she gets choked up.
“Thanks, Mom. By the way, Drew is headed over. I’ll drive with him today.
” Mom then focuses on worrying about making sure she has enough pancakes to make Drew a plate.
I should have asked him if he’d had breakfast, but I didn’t think this was going to be her response.
Dad pipes up from his spot at the table, “Sweetie, it’s fine, he probably had breakfast already.
” Mom gives him a side eye, and I’m saved from her reply by the doorbell ringing.
I make the dash to the door and swing it open before checking the window next to the door.
Will my body ever not have butterflies when I first see him?
I think as he is revealed, standing on the porch.
Instead of coming inside, he grabs my hips and pulls me into a kiss on the front porch.
“Good morning, Angel,” he says against my lips, and it sends a shiver over my body.
He chuckles, “I think that I got the approval I needed, Angel.” His dimple appears, and then he is pushing me back towards the house, taking my appearance in from head to toe.
“Damn, Angel, you’re beautiful.” The little butterflies go crazy in my stomach.
“Thanks, hot stuff,” I reply, then shake my head, “Nope, I don’t like it, I’ll think of something better.
” He laughs, and I can’t help running my eyes over him again.
He is dressed in jeans and a red polo shirt that hugs his arms, showing off his muscles.
I grab his hand and warn him on the way to the kitchen about my mom and the waiting breakfast.
***
True to my text, after getting a few pictures of me with the back-to-school sign, she insists that Drew take a few with me.
It feels like we have taken hundreds when I tell Mom we really have to go.
She gives me a hug, and I can see how hard she is trying not to cry.
I give her another hug and tell her I love her.
Then Drew takes my hand, and we head towards his car and the start of senior year hand in hand.