“Yeah, but like I’ve said before. I need nothing but you. We can stay here, you know.”
“No.” She stomps one of her small feet and I chuckle. “I can’t wait, and you deserve to get away. To be spoiled. You only turn eighteen once.”
The music is near deafening as we near the house, and I wonder if Tito and the rest of the band are already here.
Eva tails me, our hands still entwined, and we weave through the throngs of people like a train snaking through a forest. This place is more than packed.
Depending on how long this thing goes on for, the party host, a wannabe popular sophomore, could have serious structural damage to her home. I doubt she intended the entire high school, and then some, to show up.
Surprisingly, it’s easy enough to find all the members of our band and we set up for our show.
Once ready, I find a somewhat-secluded, safe spot where Eva and Marisol can hang out while we play.
“Stay here,” I whisper in her ear, breathing in her mango scent.
She shivers and nods. “You’ll be awesome.”
She kisses my neck once, fingers sliding around my waist to squeeze me tight, and it takes a lot out of me to tear myself away.
Lucid is on fire tonight and the crowd loves us. It doesn’t hurt that almost everyone here knows us from school. We were booked to play three songs, but once we start, the electric energy of the audience urges us on and we play song after song.
It’s during the final encore when it happens. Yeah, encore. We played all of our own songs and we’re now doing covers.
And it’s then that I’m hit with a chilling sensation. An icy, disturbing impression that emerges at the base of my spine and eerily sneaks its way through every inch and crevice of my insides.
My gaze flies to where I last saw Eva not even a minute ago as an unbearable tightening takes hold of my ribcage.
The tension loosens and I exhale a heavy sigh when she’s where I left her, smiling and dancing with her friends.
Now I’m eager to wrap this show and get the hell out of here. I can’t explain it but all I want is Eva. To hold her in my arms.
We’ve got the entire night, yet I can’t shake this feeling. And it doesn’t leave even when I finally have her at my side.
“I want to get out of here.” My lip grazes the shell of her ear, and she spins to face me.
“What’s wrong?” Tiny lines spring to life on her forehead.
My fingers sweep them away, relishing in the silky feel of her skin. “Nothing. I just want to chill with my girl.”
“Okay, let’s go.”
We say our goodbyes, and as if chased by wraiths, I can’t get out of there fast enough. Something isn’t right.
I can’t erase the sense or idea of something being out there. Where? I couldn’t say. Lurking, waiting for the right moment to pounce.
“Are you all right?” She stops on the sidewalk a few feet from the back of my Jeep, without concern for the light rain starting to fall.
“Yeah, I just…I don’t know what it is, but I don’t want to be anywhere but back at your place, with you.”
The light drizzle mists our face and she shivers. “Then let’s do this.”
As if sensing I need the comfort, that I need her more than I always do, her slender arms wrap around my waist. She rests one side of her head against my chest with her ear just below my heart.
“It’s going to be okay.” Her fingers rub in small tender circles on my lower back.
Dipping my head, I bury my face into the crown of hers and press my lips into her hair. For this beat or two, everything is perfect. Eva is safe and with me.
Maybe it’s my guilt making tonight feel off. I want to fix things with her father, and our lying, sneaking around, and disobeying him isn’t helping.
Eva and I are planning a future together and this never-ending battle with her father, and his hatred for me, can’t go on.
Over time, it will wear on us, on Eva, and it could eat away at what we have. I can’t let that happen. I’ve got to try harder to make things better with him.
Splat. Splat. Several fat, cool raindrops hit the back of my head. No longer light, it’s coming down fast and furious.
“Let’s go before we’re soaked.” I kiss the top of her head once more and we break apart.
Like a shield against the onslaught of rain, I hover over her tiny frame and we race to the passenger side of the Jeep. She clambers in and I slam the door, darting around the front of the vehicle and sliding into the driver’s seat.
The loud rain pelts the windshield and blurs any view of the residential street.
“You’re really wet.” Her fingers wipe at my damp cheeks, and she smiles while I pull at the soggy fabric of my Henley, now sticking to my chest.
I whip it over my head and rummage in my bag on the back seat for a sweatshirt and something for her to wear.
My chin dips at the light blue tank and sweater clinging to her. “Take that off.”
She peels the first layer, trying to pull her arms from the skin-sucking sleeves. I fumble to gather the wet strands of her hair into a ponytail, lifting the thick bundle from her shoulders so she can easily remove her clothes.
My fingertips graze the nape of her neck and she quivers. She could be cold or reacting to my touch. I’m betting the latter when her eyes smolder, dipping to my naked upper body.
“Hey, perv, like what you see?” My teasing causes her cheeks to flush. “I love your eyes on me, but let’s get you out of these wet clothes.”
Next to come off is her damp tank, exposing her tiny skin-tone bra. Her nipples pebble, and it’s my turn to feel a drastic shift in temperature.
My insides blaze, the crotch of my jeans suddenly tighter and throat drier than a desert. The only thing to quench my thirst is Eva.
The tip of my tongue peeks from my slightly parted lips, longing to taste the smooth expanse of bronze skin, glistening from the rain, between her small, perfect tits.
“Can I drive?” She looks up at me, a sly grin mapping her beautiful face.
Little minx. She knows what she does to me and is using my muddled brain, overloaded with thoughts of her, to get her way.
“Are you okay to drive in this?”
We stare through the windshield at the heavy rain. It’s torrential.
“I’ll be careful. And it isn’t far.”
Pressing my lips together, I mull it over. The drive is short, and we could stick to the side streets mostly.
Eva has her license, although she’s still a new driver. This will be her first time driving in these conditions.
One look at her and I’m a goner. As if there was ever any other answer than yes. “Okay, but go slow.”
I chuckle, running a towel I found among my clothes through my hair and then doing the same for her. We put on dry clothes, and she slides over my lap into the driver’s seat.
We’re almost derailed by the switch. Her small, tight body resting on mine is enough to make me lose my shit. But I won’t take her in the car, not too far from a party when anyone could walk by and see us.
It isn’t like we haven’t gotten carried away in my Jeep before. We have, but it’s been in a secluded place and I’ve planned for it, being sure to protect Eva.
Cruel slashes of rain cut across our vision at a mind-numbing speed. She slows, inching toward the red stoplight. Traffic isn’t heavy at this time of night, the weather likely having something to do with that, and we’re the only car headed south.