Joey and I really didn’t become best friends like our mothers had hoped for us. We went to the same elementary, middle and, now, high school but Joey was two years older than me, and I was pretty sure he didn’t want to be friends with an underclassmen all the time. We did say hi from time to time, and when either of our parents threw a party, we would always have small talk, but that was it. My mother also offered him a job to take care of our front and backyard lawns for 100 dollars every other Thursday of each month. I rarely talked to him when he came over though.
The summer before sophomore year was the same as any other summer. My parents went to work for long hours, and I was home by myself. Sure, I had friends to hang out with, but I just chose to stay home. Besides, I rarely had time alone during the school year. One thing that was going to be different about this summer was that my girlfriend, Corinne Adams, and I were going to celebrate our six months together.
Corinne, you could say, was my first serious relationship. I've had a few flings with a couple of girls here and there, but it was kid stuff. This was the real thing. We went out on a few dates and we bought things for each other. She already had my parents approval and I had her parents approval too.
Coincidentally, my parents weren’t home for the week of me and Corinne's anniversary. They went to the Paradise Spring Country Club’s couples retreat with Joey’s parents, even though my father was reluctant about it. He wasn't too fond of the people at the country club, except for Joey's parents. He said everyone else, though, had their head up their asses all the time.
He wasn't lying.
I invited Corinne over on a Thursday, since my parents were supposed to arrive from the cruise on Friday. I had everything set for dinner; Chinese takeout completed with candle light. She arrived at my house around 430pm, even though I told her 600pm.
Her face beamed as soon as she walked into the kitchen and saw the set table with the candleights. "Isaiah Wells, you have certainly outdone yourself." she said grinning.
I walked behind her and hugged her behind the waist. "I had to do it for the best girlfriend in the world." I said softly in her ear.
She giggled as she broke from my grasp and went to the candlelit table. "Let's eat, I'm hungry!" she announced.
I laughed and joined her at the table. We both ate our dinner quietly. There were a few "wow this is really good" and "we should do this more often"'s from Corinne. I simply replied with "mhm"'s and "definitely"'s.
We finished dinner in a short amount of time. I got up and gathered our plates and went to the sink and washed our dishes. It was her turn to hug me from behind.
"You know, for making a great dinner like that, you deserve an award." she said, her cheek resting on my back, her arms around my waist.
"Oh really?" I answered as I finished wiping a plate. I placed it on the rack on the counter and turned around to face her. "And what award is that?"
A mischevious grin was growing on her face. "Come to your room and I'll show you." she purred.
I knew what she had in mind, and even though we've been together for six months, I wasn't ready for it. My mind was racing as she took my hand and led me upstairs to my room. What if I wasn't good? What if I don't last long as I should? Or worse, what if she got pregnant?
We finally reached my room. She closed the door and locked it, which I found weird because my parents weren't going to come home anytime soon. I guess she was being extra careful. I stood frozen by the door as she passed me and sat on my bed, legs crossed looking at me trying to look seductive. "Well?" she said impatiently.
Great, she was expecting me to make the first move. I calmed down and told myself to treat this like any other normal make out session we've had. I walked slowly to the bed and laid her down and climbed on top of her. My lips touched hers. She instantly moaned hungrily like she was finally given her first meal in five years.
I don't know if I was kissing right. I've always read in books that sparks fly when you kiss a person. I didn't feel it that much with Corinne. I was certain she did, but I couldn't say the same for me. I liked her just like guys in books liked their girlfriends but I think author's were over exaggerating the feeling of a kiss.
Our kissing got heavier, and she moaned more. She stared to take my shirt off. This was the farthest we've gone in our make out sessions. I started to take her shirt off, revealing only her lace bra. I felt a lump forming in my throat.
Without warning, she turned me over on my back. I guess I underestimated her strength. She kissed me from my mouth, to my neck, to my chest, and down to my stomach. She looked up at me, smiling. I smiled wearily back. She unbuttoned my pants and pulled them off of me. This was what I wasn’t expecting. She started to feel my hardening length and she smiled again. She kissed the head through my boxers, teasing me. I shuddered. I wasn't ready for this I kept telling myself, and the farther she went, the more I panicked. She started to slowly pull my boxers down. This is it, I told myself.
Then something went off in the backyard.
Saved by the lawn mower.
It caught us both off guard. “Babe, what’s that?” Corinne asked. Shit. I forgot it was the "other" Thursday. Joey was in the backyard.
“Don’t worry about it; it’s just our next door neighbor taking care of the backyard. I’ll ask him to leave.” I rushed out the room without thinking twice. I was just glad to get out of my room. What the fuck, I thought to myself, why was I not enjoying that? I almost had sex with my girlfriend, and I was scared shitless. Any other guy would've been bouncing off the walls knowing that their first time was going to happen.
I let out a heavy sigh. I went downstairs and went into the kitchen, and all of a sudden the mowing stopped. I heard a knock on the sliding glass door, and I went to open it.
Standing before me was Joey with his shirt off. I was caught off guard. In all of the years that I've known him, I've never seen him shirtless. He had a really nice body. I was pretty sure my mouth was open, because the next thing that Joey said brought me back to reality and I felt it close back.
“You okay, bro?” He chuckled a little. His eyes had the friendliest look in them. I never noticed they were light brown.
This time I had to bring myself back to reality. “Y-yeah, I’m okay. Um, I was just about to come out here and talk to you. Did you need something?”
He smiled. “My lawn mower just ran out of gas, and I was wondering if your dad had gas in your garage, because I couldn’t find any in mine.” His eyes were still friendly. I swear they were practically smiling at me.
Just then I remembered what I was going to tell him. “Um, about that, I’m kind of busy right now, and I don’t think my dad has any gas. No mean to be rude, but, my girlfriend and I are kind of celebrating our anniversary right now…”
He let out a hearty laugh. “Yeah, I can tell.” he said as he eyes glided down my body.
I followed his gaze and realized I was in my boxers still. I instantly felt myself blush. I never wanted to drop dead so badly in my life.
He let out another laugh. "I completely understand if you want me to leave right now."
“Y-y-yeah, I-I was just wondering if you could just take today off, and I promise I’ll take care of the yards. I’ll still pay you and everything, I’ll just get the money and I’ll bring it to you later tonight, if that’s alright with you.”
“Yeah, that’s fine, but I have to at least help you for letting me have some kind of break.” He smiled wide.
"Um, yeah, how about tomorrow-“ I stopped talking as I heard footsteps approaching the kitchen.
I turned around to see Corinne walking into the kitchen with her bra still on. The expression on her face clearly revealed she was pissed..
“Isaiah, what’s taking so..." she trailed off as she saw Joey. "Oh, hello."
Joey smiled warmly, saying hello back. I’m surprised he didn’t snatch her up and took her in my bedroom and finished what I was supposed to be doing. He looked like he could get any girl he wanted.
I broke the silence. "Joey, this is my girlfriend Corinne. Corinne, this is my neighbor, Joey Mendoza."
“This is your girlfriend Isaiah? She’s beautiful." He paused. "You must be a really lucky girl to have a guy like him.” he said looking at Corinne, then at me. That caught me off guard again, and I felt myself blush more.
“Um, sorry, Corinne,” I stammered, “I’ll get back with you in a minute, let me just take care of this real quick.” Corinne let out an exaggerated sigh, and went back upstairs to my room. I turned back to Joey. “Sorry about that, but yeah tomorrow would be great and we can both do the yard together. I’ll still bring your money later tonight though.” I tried to smile the best smile I could, and luckily he smiled back.
“It’s a plan. I’ll see you tonight.” Then he smiled, then left.
I didn’t know what to make of that encounter, but my blood grew warm.
That was unusual.
I went back upstairs to my room to find Corinne putting her clothes on. “What are you doing?" I asked almost sounding relieved.
“My dumbass sister locked herself outside the house and I have to let her in. I’m sorry babe that everyone is ruining our day. But I did enjoy our dinner.” she smiled and winked at me. She got up, walked up to me, gave me a long kiss, and we both got dressed together. I walked her down the street after we were done. “Maybe we can plan this some other time.” She smiled and winked again, and kissed me. She walked down the rest of the block where she lived at, and I just went back to my house.
When I got in through the front door, I had to stop and think to myself: was I actually relieved that our evening was interrupted?
Either I’m crazy, or I wasn't into my girlfriend as much as I thought I was.