Page 5 of Three Minutes
I roll my shoulders to ease the tension. “Again, manageable.”
I watch Tristan’s mouth quickly open to give me another snarky comment, but Blake cuts him off as he leans behind Andrea with his arms around her shoulders. “Well, guys, Andrea and I are planning to make it official soon, and waiting until after her graduation next year before going all the way.” Andrea rolls her eyes while slapping him lightly on the arm. We all let out a joking laugh, knowing that they’ve already done the deed many times.
Tristan exaggerates a cough. “Oh, speaking of. So, Beck.” Everyone goes quiet, wondering where he’s going with this. I glance at her as she stiffens in her chair. She turns and looksat Tristan, chewing on the inside of her lip. He takes a sip of his freshly opened beer, then glares at her. “So, how was it?” he croons. Beck keeps her focus on him, looking unbothered. “How was what?”
He takes another gulp, then wipes his mouth with the back of his forearm. “How was it losing your virginity the weekend after graduation?” Blake unintentionally spits beer from his mouth. I look over at Beck without turning my head. I can see the embarrassment in her expression. My heart pounds. Without thinking, I reach down and grab the Tito’s vodka from the ground, popping the cap and taking a huge gulp. She graduated a couple of months ago, and I had no idea this ever happened.
Beck watches me before crossing her arms and looking back in his direction. “I don’t think it really matters, or even concerns you, Tristan.” He lets out a low laugh, throwing one of his hands up. “No, no, you are right. Plus, I’ve heard enough of it from Davis. He’s made sure to express just how tight your—” Everything goes blurry around me. One minute, I’m sitting; the next, I’m across the fire pit, grabbing Tristan’s shirt and pulling him up from his seat. He may be a few years older than me and have a bulkier build, but that means nothing when it comes to height. We now stand eye to eye.
I hear Blake beside me, patting me on the shoulder, but I block him out as I focus on the douchebag in front of me. I let out a long breath through my nose. “Beck’s personal life doesn’t concern you, and never fucking will.” I can feel the vodka pumping through me, causing heat to radiate from my face. Tristan throws his hands up and gives a fake laugh. “Whoa, man, I’m just fucking around.”
I shove him a little before releasing his shirt. I form fists on either side of me, digging my fingernails into my palms in an attempt to calm my racing heart. I turn to Beck to check on her and find she is wiping at her clothes. I then notice a huge wetspot on the bottom of her shirt and all over her shorts. I look down and see Tristan’s beer on the ground beside her chair. I must have knocked it out of his hand when grabbing him, causing it to dump on Beck’s lap without realizing.
“Oh, shit. I’m sorry, B.” She shakes her head at me, brushing it off. “It’s okay, I’ll go change.” Before I can say anything more, she turns and walks quickly into the house. Blake heads in her direction, but I stop him with my hand. “I’ll go check on her. I need to break away for a moment, anyway.” Blake gives me a concerning nod, but walks back over, sitting down beside Andrea. As I head toward the house, I hear Blake and Andrea snapping at Tristan.
Once I’m in the garage, I pull out my phone to check the time. It’s after ten o’clock already. I send a quick text to my mom, just feeling the need to check in on her since I haven’t yet today.
Me: Hey Mom, are you doing okay?
Mom: Hey, Ezra, I am. I’ve been reading a little and cleaning around the house. Uncle Jesse will be here soon. How has your day been? I hope you’ve had a little fun for your birthday.
Me: I have. You know Blake and Beck keep me busy.
Mom: It wouldn’t be them if not. lol
Me: I’ll see you at 11 or before, okay?
Mom: See you then, honey. I love you.
Me: I love you too, Mom.
Relief blankets over me, knowing that Jesse is almost there. I walk in through the garage door that leads to the kitchen, and turn down the hall before stopping at Beck’s room. She has the door shut. I hesitate at first, but I have to make sure she’s okay before I head home. I lightly knock on her bedroom door. “It’s me, Beck.” I hear shuffling in her room. “Come in,” she answers.
I walk in, quietly shutting the door behind me and leaningup against it. Beck turns and looks at me. She’s removed her shirt, still wearing the blue bathing suit underneath. I catch the massive beer stain on her shorts. I pinch my lips together. “Sorry about your clothes, that wasn’t meant to happen.” She squints at me. “Was any of that supposed to happen?” I ponder which part she’s referring to. “I didn’t mean to snap…it just happened. No one is allowed to disrespect you like that. Not when I’m around.”
She nods, looking down at the floor before giving me a quick smile. I click my tongue on the roof of my mouth. “So…Davis?” She flinches at his name, then lets out a hard sigh. “Yeah, well—I—it just happened, okay?” A weird ping of jealousy surges through me. “Why didn’t you tell me?” She brings her eyes to me with a look of guilt. “I just, I don’t know.” She turns and sits on the edge of her bed. “I guess I was ashamed. Or maybe just scared that you’d look at me differently.” She picks at her nails, refusing to look up at me.
“All the other girls at school had lost their virginity, and here I was, graduated and still a virgin.” She laughs through her nose. “We went to a party the following weekend to celebrate graduation. I drank way too much, and Davis was there showing me attention, and I-I got lost in it. I regretted it instantly, it happened so fast.”
I cross my arms and stay silent, feeling there is more she wants to say. She eventually brings her eyes to mine, and I can see the struggle within them. She bites on her bottom lip, shaking her head. “You know, I always fantasized that it would be you. That you would be my first. Ever since I knew what sex was and what it truly meant, I told myself I’d have that with you. I-I wanted us to be that for each other. Because—well, who else would it be? You were Ezra, the boy down the street, my best friend. You weremyEzra, no one else’s. But I realized as I got older, you were my brother’s best friend, too. And well, it was just a fairy tale I made up in my mind.” She pauses and rubs her temples with herfingers.
Something ignites inside of me at her confession; it felt like she had held it in for so long. How did I not know these things? I always thought I knew her more than anyone. But I somehow missed this massive piece. I knew something had recently shifted between us, but I had been so caught up in my own thoughts that I hadn’t realized it was so much more.
I lift myself from the door and walk over to her. She stays seated, but observes me. I stand in front of her, grabbing her hands to pull her up. She doesn’t resist, and we stand just inches apart while she looks up at me. Her eyes dance across my face in curiosity while my hand trails up and down her arm, goosebumps rising beneath my fingertips. All these years, growing up together, so close to being young adults. It all clicks into place.
Her breathing becomes shallow as I continue to rub her arm lightly. I hesitate for a moment, but the slight buzz I have gives me the push to speak. “Do you still want that with me?” I breathe out. Something sparks in her eyes, and she slowly nods her head. I wet my lips, gently grabbing her with both hands, pulling her even closer. I tilt my head down, my breath against her lips. “Can I kiss you, Beck?” Her lips part, and I watch as she bites down on her bottom lip. “Yes,” she whispers.
I place my hand along her jaw, gently pressing my thumb and forefinger underneath her chin. I tilt her head back more to where our eyes meet again. I can see the desire in her gaze, the blues in her eyes like rapid waves ready to crash at any moment. I connect our mouths, first a slow, sensual peck—my chest flutters at the press of our lips. For a moment, I wonder if hers does, too.
Our mouths open in sync and our tongues collide, tasting one another. My eyes squeeze shut as we passionately explore each other’s mouths, taking our time like we’ve waited for this exactmoment for so long. The taste of her is something sweet that I want to savor and indulge in. Beck lifts herself on her tiptoes, wrapping her arms around my neck as her fingers find their way into my hair, gently gripping the strands. I wrap my arms around her, pulling her flush to my body—the heat of us both like an inferno.
I pick her up from underneath her thighs, stepping toward the bed, our mouths never parting. She wraps her legs around my waist as I kneel onto the bed, gently placing her underneath me. I pull away, putting my forehead against hers. We both pant, trying to catch our breath like we’ve just run a mile together. I lift, gazing into her eyes.Beautiful, always beautiful.
I trail my hand along the side of her face, letting my fingers find her curls. Her eyes flutter with every touch I give. “You can still be that for me, Beck,” I rasp out. A gasp leaves her throat as she searches my eyes, almost like she didn’t know whether I had already given myself to someone else. Does she not know that I’ve touched no one like I’m touching her now? Her hands find my hair, and she twirls dark strands around her fingers. She pulls my head down and kisses me tenderly.
She then pauses for a moment, staring at me like she’s mentally noting my features and expression. “I do want you, I always have.” She breathes. “Let me do this for you.” I search her eyes, giving a slow nod, not knowing exactly what she means but trusting her words. She places her hands along my chest, gesturing for me to let her up. I lie back on the bed, watching her. She reaches beside her bed, grabs her purse, and retrieves something from the inside compartment—a condom.
My eyes scan her as she removes her shorts, slowly sliding them down her legs before she hooks her fingers beneath her bathing suit bottoms, pulling them down, too. My breath catches in my throat at the sight of her lower half bare. I take a deep breath, sit up, and remove my shirt, shorts, and boxers, throwing thembeside the bed.
