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The Little Mermaid
chapter eleven
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chapter eleven.
the politics of human sexuality.
SEX, SEX, SEX. That's all anyone's talking about on campus thanks to Annie's STD Fair. And while Elina is happy Annie's spreading information on an important subject, she can't help but be annoyed with the timing. It's been months since she and Mack had broken up and sex wasn't in her timetable anymore. It wasn't even a word in her vocabulary anymore. She followed Britta into the study room with a slight pout, her fingers ripping into a honey bun package.
"Hey, guys, Jeff and I are double-dating tonight with my new girlfriend," Pierce announced as the women entered the room. Elina sat in her seat, a confused expression fluttering across her face. Annie and Shirley both cooed at the news. Jeff looked equally as confused as the blonde sitting next to him. "You got that from I doubt it?" he asked incredulously.
"Pierce has got a girlfriend," Shirley cheered. She continued to giggle as Pierce ducked his head shyly. It was weird to see him acting like a little school girl. "That's great. What does she do?" Britta asked. Elina bit into the now open honey bun. Her blue eyes were focused on the old man sitting across from her. "She's an escort," he answered and Elina swallowed. The soft bread lodged itself in her throat and she coughed.
Heads turned toward the blonde as she choked on her food. Jeff was quick to start patting her back, hoping to help. But as her face began to turn red, Britta was out of her chair. This was humiliating. Death by honey bun. Elina shook her head as she struggled to swallow the bite down. "Up you go," Britta spoke carefully, helping Elina stand. "Anybody got some water?" she asked.
Annie scrambled for her things. She had an almost empty bottle of flavored water somewhere in her backpack. Abed watched quietly while Troy's emotions began to crack. Shirley helped Annie look for her water. By the time they'd found it, Elina could breathe a bit better. She took the bottle and unscrewed the cap, hurriedly filling her mouth with water. The water helped push down the piece of food until she could finally breathe again, a sputtered cough leaving her now wet lips.
"Sorry," she sputtered, handing the water back to Annie. Pierce huffed out a breath. "You okay?" Jeff asked as she sat back down. She used the back of her hand to wipe away the water from her mouth. Tears had blossomed within her pretty, blue eyes. "Yeah, m'okay," she replied softly. An apologetic look spread across her face like wildfire.
"An appropriate reaction to Pierce dating an escort," Jeff commented and she couldn't help but snort. Pierce looked confused. "No, no, no. No, that's just her profession. She doesn't escort me," he argued. "No, no. I met her in my marketing class." Elina set her honey bun down on the table. If Pierce continued with this insane information, she'd most likely die if she tried to eat another bite. "And I'm taking Doreen to Annie's mixer tonight."
Annie perked up. "You mean the STD fair. Catch knowledge." Elina grimaced. There it was again, haunting her like a ghost from her past. Troy blinked. "Taking a call girl to an STD fair? There's a joke here." Troy moved his textbook to flip open his notebook specifically used for his jokes. It was dark blue and he carried it around everywhere. "So, Jeff, dust off that black book and rustle up a honey, huh?"
"Is there a pill that makes the word no clearer?" Jeff retorted. Elina hummed. How ironic. "It is short notice. Probably couldn't get a date anyway," Pierce sighed. A chorus of 'ooh's sounded from the others. Even Elina had to jump in. Jeff scoffed. He was being goaded, he knew that. "I'm sure you're right," he replied sarcastically. The 'ooh's continued back toward the old man. "Maybe it has somethin' to do with crabs. They're like a food but also a disease..."
"You know, I wonder Jeff, even for all your feather flashing, when was the last time you actually scored?" Pierce questioned. Jeff's lips curled into a grin. Elina felt her cheeks grow hot at the idea. She did not want to hear about any of their sex lives. Especially not while hers was currently shriveling up to die. "I don't know the precise date, Pierce, because I'm not you. So there's no receipt. Ooh," Jeff tried to coax out of the group. And, though it was a decent zinger, no one obliged.
He looked disappointed by the lack of reactions. "Jeff, you shouldn't take pot shots at some poor woman just because you can't get a date." Elina's eyes bulged open. She reached for her honey bun again, ready to risk death than join the conversation. "I can get dates any time I want," he argued. "What is this, some kinda joke?"
"No, this is." Troy dropped his pen and picked up his notebook. "Don't eat the crab dip! Yay-yeah." He tossed his notebook forward confidently, a wide smile crossing his face. The room fell silent as his joke hung in the air. "Nice job, Troy," Elina spoke up, feeling bad that no one laughed. He smiled over at the blonde appreciatively. "Thanks, El." She nodded her head before taking another bite of her snack. At least one person was pleased. Jeff glanced toward the blonde. Her cheeks were a soft rosy hue. He stored that image away for later, when he could question her without any interruptions.
"Crab dip," Troy echoed, laughing at his own joke. "That's hilarious."
"So, I was talking to Jeff earlier," Britta spoke up. She and Shirley sat on one of the couches in the library while Elina sat on the floor. Several papers were scattered around her laptop. The mention of Jeff made her head twitch, interest pooling within her eyes. "Pierce really got to him with the whole, "can't get a date," thing. He was calling all the women from his contacts and while I was scrolling through, I noticed something."
Elina picked up her head. Shirley looked incredibly interested. "None of those women had names. They were like, "car wash redhead," and stuff like that. But Ellie's contact name... is Lina." Shirley gasped. Their eyes traveled toward the blonde sitting on the floor. She looked surprised that he'd given her such a tame contact name. "It's just a contact name," she mumbled, but she couldn't deny the butterflies spinning in her stomach. She felt special. Isn't that crazy?
"Mine was blonde from Spanish," Britta said. Shirley's brows puckered curiously. She wondered what her contact could be saved as. But before she could say anything, the door swung open. A frantic and frazzled Annie stumbled into the room with a frightened look on her face. "Guys, I have a problem." Curiosity bled onto the blonde's features. Annie sucked in a breath, anxiety clear on her features. "The dean wants me to demonstrate proper use of a condom at the stupid fair by putting one on a mannequin's stupid thing-a-ma-bob."
Her brows shot up into her hairline. Christ, Elina thought. "It's a big honor, but I'm gonna screw it up!" Annie was shifting between emotions. Happiness, anxiety, pride, and upset. Elina glanced toward Britta, the two sisters sharing a confused look. "Well, it's easy enough to practice," Shirley told the girl and Elina felt her face get hot. "Britta, do you have a banana?"
"Oh," the blonde blurted out quietly. Thank God that was where Shirley was taking it. "This is an anatomically correct model I'll be handling," Annie argued. "Real whatchamacallits are nothing like bananas."
"That's debatable," Britta said. Elina grimaced. Annie looked even more confused with the eldest Perry's statement. "Wait... are they?" Realization hit almost instantly. The three who had been studying looked at one another before their gazes landed on the brunette. "Annie, babe, have you... never seen one?" Elina asked softly. Her tone held no humor, no condescension. Annie's face warmed up. Shirley almost cooed at the young woman's embarrassment. "Annie, being a virgin in this day and age is something to be proud of. You're like a unicorn."
Elina winced. "There's nothing to be embarrassed about," she quickly added. Annie pouted. "I am not a unicorn. I... had relations with my high school boyfriend," she explained as she sat down next to Britta on the arm of the couch. "We did it to Madonna's Erotica on the floor of his walk-in closet. But he wouldn't let me look at it. He cried after... and during. He's gay now."
What a large amount of information. Elina pursed her lips. She felt for Annie. "I think he was gay then," Britta whispered softly. There was a brief pause. "So you never seen one when you were growing up?" Shirley asked. "Like, you know, on the internet, in a picture, or Harvey Keitel's?"
"I caught glimpses, but I've never got a real good look at one."
"Be glad," Elina spoke up. "Penises are ugly." Britta snorted. That didn't seem to help the situation. Annie pouted at the blonde. "What I need to do is practice on the actual model," she stated firmly. Her shoulders sagged forward. "But the dean has it locked in his office." Britta's face brightened "Okay, that's easy enough. We'll go to him, ask him if we—"
"No!" Annie exclaimed, jumping up from her seat. "I— This is really embarrassing. I don't want anyone to know. I just want to figure out how to do it and get it over with." The three women sat there silently. It was obvious that Annie was embarrassed. It was understandable, but she didn't have to be. "The dean is counting on me, and I want him to know that I'm someone he can trust."
Elina's bottom lip jutted into a slight pout. Annie's so sweet, it's almost sickening. Britta blinked in response. "We have to break into his office," Annie decided. Shirley and Britta shared a look. "I actually have no problem with that," Shirley confessed.
"I think I could do that," Britta agreed. Elina looked between the three women before shrugging her shoulders. What else was she going to do, anyway? "I'm down," she hummed. Annie smiled wide. Happily, she clapped her hands together. "You girls are the best," she gushed. "Thank you."
There she was. His last hope. Jeff hurried through the halls, his steps quiet despite his massive size. "Elina Perry, just the lady I was looking for," he vocalized once he matched her steps. She looked up from her cellphone to spot him, and just in time to avoid walking into another student. As she came face to face with another girl she didn't really recognize, she apologized with a sweet smile that Jeff had just about memorized.
"I thought you learned from that mistake," he said, his tone teasing. "If I remember correctly, the last time you were walking while looking at your phone, you bumped into some handsome guy. Oh, right. Me." Her eyes rolled skyward. She pocketed her phone, finally meeting his eyes fully. He smiled. "You were looking for me?" she asked, and he had to take a moment to breathe. He felt silly asking her to do this, but if he was gonna survive the night with Pierce and his escort, he needed Elina by his side.
He sighed softly. "Yeah, so, um... I was hoping that— I was wondering if you wanted to be my date to this stupid double date with Pierce." Her eyes widened slightly. She hadn't expected him to ask her. Britta said that he probably had a million women's phone numbers in his phone. "You do know that you don't have to prove you charm to Pierce, right?" she answered with a question. Jeff's brows furrowed slightly. "Yeah, I know."
"He's just goading you."
"I know," he echoed. The two took a turn toward a pair of double doors. Jeff opened one for Elina, stopping to let her exit first. "So... is that a yes or a no?" he asked. She paused in front of him. Her hands rested on her waist, head tilting slightly to the side. "As exciting as that sounds, I already have plans," she answered. A pang of guilt flashed through her chest. If only he had thought to ask earlier. He nodded slowly. "Oh."
Her breath caught in her throat. Jeff looked disappointed. She bit down on the inside of her cheek before continuing. "I promised Annie, I would help her and the girls break into the dean's office." Jeff's brows rose in surprise. It sounded much worse than it was. Breaking and entering, of course is a crime. "Well, if you get caught and need a lawyer..." She snorted. "You have my number. Just make sure I'm your one phone call."
"You act like I've got your number memorized," she teased him. His head tilted to the side. A look of faux confusion passed over his features. "You don't?" This time, she laughed. Amusement was clear in her eyes, sparkling like the sun over crystal clear lakes. His heart fluttered along with the sound. "You probably should, you know. Especially if you're going to continue this rebellious behavior. You know, Britta is really rubbing off on you."
"Sure," she replied with a hum. Her lips were pulled back in that soft, sweet smile. Jeff's eyes mapped out every corner of her face. "Most people say rebels are hot. So, why not live life on the edge a little." She shrugged casually, a chuckle rumbling from his throat. "A rebel mermaid. Totally hot," he threw out there.
A shoulder brushed her arm. It was then that she realized that they had been clogging up the hallway. With another apology, she finally brushed past Jeff and out the door. "If you're seriously peeved about tonight," she began as Jeff returned to her side, "I have complete faith that you'll find someone. You're Jeff Winger. You already charmed the pants off of Pierce, otherwise he wouldn't be so adamant of showing off his new lady friend."
"Not as hard as you think it is. Pierce could be charmed with a turkey sandwich," Jeff sighed. She rolled her eyes. Their paces matched perfectly as they maneuvered through the halls. "How long does it take to break into an office? Maybe you can meet me after your little adventure." She glanced toward him. He was being persistent. It reminded her a lot of when they had first met. Her lips pursed in thought. "Considering I've never broken into an office, I couldn't exactly print out a time sheet. Sorry."
Her sarcasm intrigued him. He hummed in response. "That's disappointing." She elbowed him in his side defensively. He couldn't help but smile at her reaction. "Come on. It'll be fun, and it'll give Pierce something to talk about." She ran a hand through her blonde locks and then delivered a mild shrug. "Fine. But... If I'm any later than what we planned, then you'll have to find someone else. That place will be crawling with desperate people."
"Fine," he replied with a smile. "Thanks, Lina." He reached over and ruffled her hair. The blonde huffed out in annoyance as she shoved his hand away. "Yeah, no problem, Jeffrey." He fought the urge to fix her hair. To push a few strands behind her ear. To feel her soft skin against his knuckles. Instead, he chuckled at her use of his full first name. "See you tonight."
She nodded her head. "See you tonight."
"He's at the fair, there's nothing to worry about," Britta whispered. Elina stared down the hallway, keeping watch for anyone coming. Annie stood in front of the door, wringing out her hands. She knew this was what she had to do, but the thought of breaking in made her nervous. "Move, honey," Shirley said softly, brushing Annie to the side. She eased the door open silently, allowing Britta to step in first. Annie's breaths came out in heavy and anxiety ridden pants.
One after the other, they entered the small room. Elina closed the door quietly behind them. The lock clinked within Britta's grasp. The blonde tried to ease the tip of her knife into the hole, but it wouldn't fit. "Ugh. I can't do anything with this," she huffed out in annoyance. Elina stood off to the side, arms crossed over her chest. Britta peeked over at the blonde. "Ellie, do you have a bobby pin?" Instinctually, Elina reach back into her hair.
"Not tonight," she answered after realizing that her hair was down. "Let me see," Shirley said. Britta moved out of the way to let the older woman get a look. Instead of looking at the lock, however, she peered through the hole in the door. "Ooh, I can see it through the door," she giggled. Britta was careful with her knife, holding it close to her body. Elina's eyes widened. "No way," she whispered. Annie and Britta gasped softly.
"Oh, yeah. Thar she blows." She continued to giggle. Britta tapped her shoulder carefully. "I wanna see, I wanna see." Elina's nose scrunched up. She couldn't imagine an anatomically correct mannequin penis. "Okay, go, go, go." Annie shushed the two as they switched places. Britta immediately began giggling. "Oh, my God!" she half exclaimed. "Ellie. Ellie, you need to see this." Her hand absently searched for her sister's arm. Once her fingers wrapped around her wrist, Britta carefully tugged her toward the door.
Elina angled her head to see through the hole. Her eyes widened in surprise. "He bought a sex doll," she whispered in astonishment. It was the realest fake penis she'd ever laid eyes on. "Jesus Christ." Annie, her face red, huffed. "I'm the one who needs to see it," she reminded the trio. After all, her eyes were virgins. "Okay, okay, okay," Britta giggled. The sisters moved from the door to give Annie room. Elina still couldn't believe her eyes. "Jesus Christ," she echoed, hand moving to cover her mouth.
"It's okay," Shirley encouraged her. Annie slowly approached the door nervously. The brunette lowered herself to eye level, peering through the hole in the door. Her jaw dropped in amazement, perhaps even terror. "Oh, boy," she muttered under her breath. Her head tilted slightly. Hands moved to rest on the door. "Oh, I had it wrong... Is that considered large?"
"Oh, no," Shirley answered.
"Yes," Britta replied.
"Eh," was all Elina could think to say. The three all looked at one another, surprised by their various answers. The youngest Perry snorted. Suddenly, the lights turned on. The four women turned abruptly to find a security guard standing in the doorway. "How did we not hear the door open?" Elina asked in a whisper. Britta nudged her to be quiet. "What in the reverse Porky's is going on here?"
Crap.
This was awkward. Elina could practically feel the tension in Annie's shoulders just by sitting next to her on that cramped, reddish orange couch. "Okay, I'm just gonna turn him around and we're gonna cover him up," the dean narrated his actions, turning the mannequin away from the girls and covering his body with a blanket. Once he was finished, he whirled back around to focus on the four women before him. "Okay, ladies, I am shocked at the reverse Porky's that has happened here tonight."
"I don't see what the big deal is," Britta spoke up casually. "Annie just needed to look at the model of the pe—"
"Oh, okay, the p-word has entered into play," the dean interrupted her with a wave of his finger. "That's exactly why I wanted Gayle, our school counselor here, and Monique, who's keeping record, to ensure we discuss these sensitive topics in a legally appropriate manner."
"It's not a sensitive topic," Elina argued. "Human sexuality isn't something to be ashamed of, or uncomfortable about." Annie grimaced. It was obvious she felt a different way. The counselor nodded her head along with Elina's statement, but it didn't really feel like she was listening. "I think everyone should say penis so we can take away the negative power of the word."
Negative power? Elina looked over toward Britta with a look that screamed, can you believe this? "So, everybody..." In unison, the whole room recited the word penis. It wasn't hard, nor was it a big deal. Until the security guard pointed at Annie. "She didn't say it," he tattled. Elina's brows furrowed. The dean skipped over the situation. Instead, he continued his line of interrogation. "Now, why did you break in to see the penis? Wow, I really do feel more comfortable saying that now."
"Wait, I-I— I just wanna focus on the girl who won't say penis," the guidance counselor said. It was strange. Elina felt Annie stiffen. She looked toward her friends for help. Elina placed a comforting hand on her leg. The security guard continued watching Annie like a hawk, his arms crossing over his chest. "This is a judge-free zone, so express yourself."
Despite her words, it didn't feel judge free. Annie's breath caught in her throat. She felt like she was sweating under everyone's gaze. She took a pause, words running through her mind at the speed of light. "You know what?" she finally said. She stood to her feet. "I don't want to express myself. I don't want to sit in a room full of people and say..." she lowered her voice to a whisper, "... the p-word." She cleared her throat, her voice returning to its normal volume. "I like being repressed. I am totally comfortable being uncomfortable with my sexuality. And maybe, just maybe, if everyone were a little bit more like me, we wouldn't have to have an STD fair."
Feeling a bout of pride for their friend, the girls applauded Annie's bravery. Elina's smile lit up her face. "You go, girl!" Britta cheered. Shirley looked absolutely riveted. "That's my pumpkin!" Their applause was definitely feeding into Annie's confidence. She turned on her heels and began walking towards the exit. "And, by the way, now that I've gotten a good look at one, I don't see what all the fuss was about."
"Heck yeah!" Elina agreed with humor pooling in her tone. "A giant thumb in a turtleneck," Annie continued. "Whoop-de-doo!" She yanked the door open and stepped out, letting it close noisily behind her. Elina looked toward Shirley and Britta for a moment. "So... did that answer your question?" Britta asked the dean. With a sigh and a tweak of his glasses, he nodded his head. "Yes. Yes, you are free to go."
Stupid. He'd probably already found a new date. She was so late that it wouldn't surprise her if he'd already ditched for some fun. The music bumped within the area. Elina glanced around her, searching for the giant man who she was supposed to be double dating with.
"Elina!" Troy called out to the blonde. Her eyes widened as he raced toward her, Abed following close behind. Troy was clearly upset about something. His eyes were wild. "Trobed," she greeted the two with their ship name (she'd thought of it one night watching Glee with Britta. Cute, right?) Abed's eyes narrowed slightly, but Troy didn't give the new name a second thought. He grasped her biceps tight, bringing her closer. "I need you."
Her lips parted. Confusion flashed within her eyes. "Uh... Pass." He quickly shook his head. His grip loosened until one hand released her and swung back to grab Abed by his shirt. "I need you to referee. We're gonna see who can hold their breath the longest." Her confusion only furthered as Abed halfheartedly agreed. She never pegged the Nadir boy to be so competitive. "Alright, fine. But after, I need you to help me find Jeff."
"Fine!" Troy's bark made the woman jump, but she quickly recovered. One hand met her hips while the other held up five fingers. "Okay. Five... four... three... two... one," she counted down, putting down each finger. Both Abed and Troy drew in breaths before holding them in their cheeks. The boys turned to look at one another. While Troy looked like he could destroy Abed, the latter looked rather calm. Like he was enjoying their fun little game.
Seconds ticked down. Elina broke her concentration to look around once more. She scanned over every head, every face in search of Jeff Winger. When she didn't spot him, she turned back to the boys. Troy was the only one who looked stressed. He had swallowed the bubble in his cheeks, a vein popping out in his neck. Worry crossed her face as she reached toward the boy. Before her hand could make contact, he gasped for breath. An irritated groan left his throat. "Damnit!"
Angry, Troy looked frantically around them. "He's over there. Come on, Abed." His finger flew to the left, nearly hitting the blonde in her face. Her head snapped toward the direction he was pointing. It was a sofa. The crowd that had once surrounded it had dispersed. Sitting atop it was Jeff and Pierce, neither with a woman on their arms. A small smile trickled onto her face. "Thanks, Tro...y?" As she went to thank the jock, he had disappeared with Abed into the crowd.
She shrugged lightly before making her way toward the men. Her steps were sure and quiet, her eyes traveling between the two. They were talking, and it didn't seem like Jeff wanted to escape the conversation. She wondered what the topic could have been. Once she reached the couch, her hands came to rest on the back. "Hello, boys," she greeted the two with a smile. Both Jeff and Pierce glanced back toward the blonde in surprise. "You came," Jeff blurted out.
"Of course I did," she retorted. Pierce looked over the blonde's face, the money in his hands crinkling slightly. Then he turned to look back at Jeff. "I'll let the two of you chat. I've got a date to finish," he stated before standing up. Elina stumbled back as Pierce climbed over the back of the couch like an excited kid. Jeff's hand unconsciously wrapped around her wrist to keep her steady. With a laugh, she decided to do the same. She went over the couch with ease, plopping down next to him. "So, was it legit? His date?"
His brows furrowed a bit as he looked at her. "Yeah. What took you so long?" he asked, brushing over his night. He wanted to hear about hers. What had kept her from the fair? From him, and pushed him into the arms of a dimwitted secretary with a power play kink. She crossed her legs, leaning back into the cushions. "Well... we got caught." His eyes widened instantly. "I would have called you, but they didn't even give us a one phone call. They just made us sit there and say the word penis in unison."
"Penis?" he echoed. A hint of a laugh sounded from his chest. She nodded her head, her own laugh starting to bubble in her throat. "Yeah, penis. It was insane! The dean was there, the security guard that caught us, the guidance counselor. She tried to full on psych eval Annie just because she didn't want to say it."
"Annie didn't say it?"
"No! I mean, at first I thought it was weird. It's just a word. There's nothing to it and it's no big deal, but the way the counselor was acting, it really started to make me mad, you know? She said it was a judge free place, but she definitely didn't make it feel like one." Jeff turned his body toward hers as she rambled. His arm rested against the back of the couch, eyes transfixed on the blonde next to him.
The way she talked was mesmerizing. She was so animated, so confident. He couldn't help but smile as she told her story. "But she really put them in their place. And now I can kinda get that people don't treat human sexuality the same way. Like, for us, it isn't a big deal. It's human nature, right?"
"Exactly," he answered with a soft chuckle. She rolled her eyes at his response, a hint of a smile floating across her face. "But for some people, it's embarrassing. They wanna keep their cards close to their chest. And more people need to respect that." Without a word, Jeff reached forward. His fingertips brushed her temple as he pushed a strand of her hair behind her ear. The corners of his lips perked up in a subtle smile while the pad of his thumb ran along her cheekbone.
Her brows furrowed. Butterflies erupted inside of her. In her stomach, in her chest. Their wings beat so hard that it was starting to get hard to breathe. "What are you doing?" she asked, her voice growing soft. His arm fell away, landing on the back of the sofa behind her. "Just admiring the view," he answered honestly. Elina blinked. Warmth spread beneath her cheeks, a scoff sounding between them. "Are you seriously flirting with me at the STD Fair?"
"Yes, I am." He wasn't ashamed. He grinned back at her, almost proud of himself. "Do you want a drink?" His question lingered between them. She should have said no. She didn't need to drink while being around Jeff. She was too scared to let go of her inhibitions around him. Scared that she might cross a line she just isn't ready for. So, she shook her head. "I'm okay," she answered. Her hands rested in her lap. "I've done enough talking. Why don't you fill me in on the situation with Pierce?"
He snorted. He focused his eyes on her baby blues. "Strap in, Perry. This is gonna be one hell of a ride," he warned her playfully. Her attention was captured. She turned toward him, legs crossed beneath her. She leaned against the back of the sofa, his arm brushing hers. "So, Doreen is indeed an escort, okay? A real classy lady, gorgeous. She's smart too, you know? It's a surprise Pierce came relatively close to bagging her."
"Sounds like a real catch," Elina chimed in. "Experienced in several ways." He chuckled to himself. Unconsciously, he began to toy with a lock of her hair. The blonde strands twisted and loosened around his fingers. "Since you were late, I asked the dean's secretary to be my date. She's the complete opposite of Doreen. It was like talking to a doorknob. But she's hot. Blonde." His eyes lowered to her lips for a split second. "She's very gated community resident."
Elina's head tilted slightly. She swallowed down that weird feeling in the back of her throat. The idea of Jeff with another girl made her insides hot. "At some point, I went to my car. Things got steamy until I found out she thought I was a professor here." Her eyes widened in surprise.
"Yikes," she said.
"No, I think what she said was yikers," he corrected her playfully. Elina cringed visibly, a laugh slipping from her throat. Gross, she thought to herself. "So... does that mean you didn't go through with it?" she asked curiously. He sighed. His shoulders deflated slowly. "I didn't go through with it," he confirmed. "Something must be wrong with me."
No, Elina thought. She couldn't think of one thing that could be wrong with him in that moment. Looking at him, he seemed more mature. Less douche-y. She couldn't help but give in to the magnetic force bringing them together. Jeff noticed the movement of her eyes. The way she pressed her lips firmly together, as if she was fighting the urge to finally take that leap.
His finger halted within her hair. His eyes took in her soft features. Her diamond eyes. The soft color of her lips. He brought his hand back toward her face, fingers slipping through her soft hair. Her breath caught as he began to close the distance. Slow. The music in the background faded away. The only sound she could hear was the thudding of her heart.
"Can I?" he asked, his face a breath away from hers. Her eyelids fluttered. Her gaze softened, his question plucking at her heartstrings. Yes, she thought. It may not have been time. Taking this chance may set her back, but she craved the feel of someone's lips on hers again. Silently, she nodded and her nose grazed his. He didn't need any more encouragement.
Jeff kissed her heavily. Their breaths merged as one as the pressure sent her heart into overdrive. Her fingers curled into his sleeve, a soft noise of surprise sounding in the back of her throat. He tasted like mint and cheap liquor. The smell of him flooded her nostrils, drowning out any other scent in the room. Warmth flooded her chest and her face, color rising beneath her skin. In that moment, she felt grateful for her sobriety.
His hand slipped to the back of her head, anchoring her into the kiss. Her eyes fluttered. The world didn't seem to exist outside of this moment. Days and weeks of loneliness withered away. Soon to be replaced by this moment. Elina wanted to memorize the cracks in the map of his lips. The pressure against hers he was most likely to use. She wanted to remember how warm his breath felt against her face, similar to the feeling when you get into your car on a cold day and the heat kicks in from the vents.
The taste of him was starting to become her favorite in this heavy, passionate kiss. And yet, before she knew it, he was pulling away. Another softer kiss touched the corner of her lips. Her eyes remained closed while his opened. Taking in the expression on her face. The color that stood out against her creamy skin. She reminded him of a peach. He wasn't ready to let her go. He didn't want to let her slip between his fingers. With a small smile, he closed the distance once more.
Neither were sure how many kisses were shared. They hadn't counted how many times their lips parted only to meet again in the middle once more. Nor did they count the skips in their heartbeats each time it happened. Over and over until the night faded away. Over and over until they were forced to part once more. The night ended with Jeff giving Elina a ride home. They did not share another kiss as they sat in his car outside of her building. They only sat in silence. Taking in one another's presence.
Then goodnights. Elina got out of the car and Jeff sat there until he watched her door close behind her. He wasn't going to leave without making sure she was safe. And then he was off. Maybe double dating wasn't such a bad idea after all.
rumi says . . .
THIS SUCKS.
not the chapter. i actually really
liked it, but i meant community
being taken off of netflix. i know its
on hulu & i would use hulu but i use
my older sister's acc & she has hulu
with ads and i don't even have it
downloaded on my phone bc of storage
issues (thats a whole 'nother story).
i've got a site i use to watch it but it
automatically sets the subtitles to
german & when i change it to english,
they're messed up so its going super slow.
i'm so sorry y'all. i'll figure something
out eventually 💀
but yeah ! i actually really liked this
chapter. i loved everything about it.
the jefflina parts are just,, 🦋🦋🦋
what do you guys think ?
how'd you like the chapter ?
any favorite parts ?
thank you for reading!
feedback is greatly appreciated!