First Love | James Hetfield

Officially Yours

1984

"Oh my god..." Annie groaned for about the tenth time. "How the hell are we supposed to go in there and face them?"

"Um..." James swallowed thickly, still holding her to his chest and scanning his eyes around the area. "You just stay here... I'll go inside and get you a towel."

"Okay..." she sighed, afraid for what they'd say to him while she wasn't around. "Wait!" She darted her eyes back up to him. "There's probably some towels in that little box thing that Bea keeps out here."

"Right." He said, hopping on the dock and running over to the wicker chest that stayed next to the deck's wooden steps. Fortunately he found a freshly cleaned towel that Bea had put out there a few days before.

"Okay I got it, come here." He said, walking back into the water and holding the towel out. Annie swam as fast as she could and bolted over to him, letting him wrap her into the towel. She spun around into his arms and laughed as he left a small peck on her head. "Let's go."

She cringed at the thought of putting her pants back on without any underwear, but there was no way she'd go back in there with just a towel and her bra. So, she did what she had to do.

After she finished dressing, she tossed the towel over to James so he could dry himself off and put his clothes back on.

"They'll never know!" Annie shrugged as she scanned her eyes over James, who looked as if he'd just finished taking a shower.

"I think they already know, sweetheart." He gave her an apologetic look, slinging his arm over her shoulder and walking them up the stairs with a proud look on his face.

Annie hadn't felt this nervous since her first day of high school. She caught a glimpse of everybody in the living room through the window and wanted to vomit.

"No. Let's just go to your house." She shook her head, turning for the steps again. "No," James laughed. "Come on. We're gonna have to face them one way or another." He shrugged.

Annie looked back at him over her shoulder.

"It's now or never baby, come on!" His loud voice echoed across the beach. He laughed at her horrified expression as he grabbed her hand and slid the door open.

The sound of the sliding door opening quickly caught everybody's attention, causing them to turn their heads to the flustered couple.

"Shiiiit." Cliff and Lars hooted and cheered obnoxiously while Kirk and the girls began laughing.

"Shut up." Annie grumbled, smacking James' hand away to grab a slice of pizza from the counter.

"You two finally came to your senses!" Bea lifted her beer bottle into the air. Cliff stood up, holding his arms out. "I think this calls for a celebration!"

"I fuckin' hate you guys." James shook his head, unable to hide his smile.

Annie and James took their own showers and decided to stay out in the living room with them for a couple of hours, eating pizza and drinking beer while they played Uno. Lars was slightly uncomfortable knowing that they were just fucking each other's brains out ten minutes before, and here they are playing Uno like nothing happened. Annie would often feel James' eyes on her and she'd turn to catch his gaze, immediately feeling her cheeks heat up. They sat in different spots while they played, but after Cliff and Kirk decided to go home, and Aurora was ready for bed, they found each other in the kitchen again.