I didn't get home until about 8:45, given the car ride and the time we'd spent making out in the car while I refused to leave. Almost an hour late, I knew I had to go, so reluctantly I stroked the side of her soft face and gave her one more kiss. She tasted like vanilla and it stayed on my lips all night.
"I'll see you tomorrow," I said happily, gearing up to go.
She smiled. "Get ready for the game."
The game, I remembered. Surprisingly - or maybe not so surprisingly - I'd forgotten all about it. "I can't wait," I said.
"You'll be great," she assured me. I knew that by "you" she meant the whole team, but I found myself wanting it to be just a compliment for me, so I took it as one.
"Thanks," I said, opening the door.
"Good night, Chelsea," she said quietly, one hand wrapped casually on the steering wheel.
I took in her silhouette, the image of beauty, as something to get me through until the next time I could see her.
"Bye," was all I said, shutting the door before she drove off.
_______
"She's home," my dad called to my mom as I walked in. "Cancel the Amber Alert."
"Dramatic," I commented. "I'm forty five minutes late."
"A lot can happen in forty five minutes," he said. "Where have you been?"
"Just out," I said ambiguously, passively, obviously unable to tell him the truth even if she was all I wanted to talk about.
"With?"
"Friends," I lied casually.
"Don't lie to me, Chelsea," he said, smiling knowingly. "You have lipstick on your neck. I mean not that it's any of my business, but..."
Shit. "Oh," I said, buying time as I thought up a lie. "I was, uh..."
"Are you back together with Ashley?" he finished for me.
"Yeah," I answered all too quickly. Some lies write themselves. "We actually worked it out."
My parents adored Ashley, for reasons unbeknownst to man, and for them to think we were back together was only helpful to me. As crazy as she was, she rarely got into trouble, and when my parents thought I was with her, they trusted me.
"That's great," he said, suddenly enthusiastic.
"Yeah," I dissembled, trying to mirror his excitement, which wasn't hard because I had inspiration from a less dysfunctional relationship. "It is."
He went back to whatever he was reading, and I took it as my dismissal from interrogation. "I'm going to bed," I announced, though obviously it was early.
The truth was, I was tired, and I knew that the faster I could sleep I could dream of her, and the faster woke up I could be with the real thing.
A/N: Short chapter! Twenty two will be up soon. Comment/Vote! (: