Between You and Me: A Brinkley Academy Novel

Sex...S....E...X...is disgusting if you think about it. Rolling around with another human in sweat, and more bodily fluids. Having the person's hot breathe in your face. Your hair is getting pulled, and not in a good way. Sex can be uncomfortable, and really annoying. And this is all Erin O'Rourke keeps thinking about when she is supposed to be focusing on having sex with Owen.

"Erin, you ok, babe?" He asks, and I stop my incoming thoughts, bouncing back to reality.

"Oh yea, hun, I am sooo ok." I force a smile and go back to kissing him. Having sex on the average Brinkley Academy twin bed has proven difficult, and definitely not the most comfortable, but it gets the job done.

We finish up and I grab for my robe that was flung over the desk chair and cover myself. I walk over to the vanity, and look at myself in the mirror. The jingling of Owen's belt fills my ears as he puts on his pants. Leaving so soon? I study my now flushed pale face: Freckles that are a force to be reckon with now that it is the end of the summer. Curly, blonde locks are matted together from being thrown around on the bed, and eyes that are now even more of a piercing blue. I felt dirty. I wiped mascara from under my eye, and tried to run my fingers through my hair, but nothing was cooperating. I took a deep breath, and turned around to face him. "I missed you."

"Missed you too, babe." He walks up to me and gives a kiss on the cheek. I look at him with his brown, messy hair, gorgeous blue eyes, and that smile. Owen would be the poster boy of perfect boyfriend material, and now he is mine again. We had a pretty big break up right before summer break, but he came back.

"So, I don't mean to go right into the serious stuff, but I just want to make sure we are on the same page." I say with as much firmness in my voice as I could muster.

Owen smiles. "Erin, already overthinking?"

"I'm trying not to. It's just, at the beginning of the summer, a lot happened and a lot has happen since then." I reach up, and touch his face. "I'm happy that you're here right now, is all I am trying to say."

"Me too." He kisses me, and goes for his "staff" shirt on the floor. He puts it on over his lean body, and fixes his hair in the mirror.

"Look, I'm sure the guys are looking for me by now. I'll see you out there, ok?" He sat down, and rushed to put his shoe on, dropping it as he does.

I try to continue, "Listen, babe, I thought that we should enter the auditorium together, ya know? Our blowout was so public at the end of last year. I want to show you off, and remind these bitches that you are mine again." I say studying his face. I can picture it now; First day of school, everyone looking at us walking into the welcoming ceremony in the auditorium, everyone gawking at a King and Queen and I would smile at my peasants, throwing a little graceful wave in there. I would be back on top with Owen at my side. But that dream came to a crashing halt with the words that were spoken next.

Owen's whole body position changed, and he squirmed in the chair. I narrowed my eyes at him, waiting on the RIGHT answer which was, "Of course babe, whatever you say!"

That was far from what came out of his mouth.

"I don't know, babe." He said, still fidgeting in the chair. "Maybe it isn't time for that yet."

"What do you mean?" I asked, trying to keep my voice from doing this weird high pitch thing when I am nervous or angry.

"I just don't think we should rush anything just yet." He said. I could smack him.

"You were fine rushing into my bed, weren't you?"

"Erin, don't be like that."

"Don't be like what? Calling your bullshit?"

He stands up, and starts to walk toward her, "Listen, baby..."

I take a step back, "I'm not your baby. And, apparently, you don't want me to be."

"Look, I just feel like we have some things to figure out before we go all "official"." I turn away from him and he put his hands on my waist pulling me towards him from behind. I was trying my hardest not to cry, and took a deep breath.

I turned around and faced him. I tried to keep my voice leveled as possible before I spoke, "You know what? You're right."

That surprised him. "What?"

"You're right, Owen." I put a hand on his cheek. "Let's just call this the perfect ending to a closed chapter." Then I gave his cheek a light smack and walked around him toward the closet to get my shower caddy.

"Well, great, Erin. You sure your cool with this?" He sounded almost happy.

I responded to him with a curt "Mhm" and walked toward my door to leave. "I'm going to go shower, you can let yourself out, baby..." I slammed the door shut.

I practically ran to the showers at the end of the hall. I stepped in and checked to see if no one else was in there, and turned on the shower in one of the stalls. I took off my robe, and hung it on the hook. Once I was safely inside the stall, I couldn't hold in anymore and started to seriously ugly cry. I let out soft sobs, and leaned against the cool wall for support.

The shower is the perfect place to cry. You are already wet, the hot water reddens your face and no one would ever be able to tell. I cannot stand to cry in front of people. I hate looking weak and stupid, and I especially hate that Owen was the one who made me feel this way.

I let the hot water run all over my body, washing away all that was Owen. How could I be so stupid, and who knew Owen could be capable of just using me like that. I reached into my shower caddy and grabbed a washcloth. Soaping it up, I started to scrub at my skin.

Owen and I used to be Brinkley's power couple. He was class president, lacrosse captain, and I thought he was genuinely a nice guy.

When we broke up at the beginning of the summer, it was over stupid reasons. Mainly, the fact that we have been together since the beginning of high school. He said he didn't really get to experience anything on his own now that we are going into junior year. I mean, I understand that, but when in your love, it shouldn't matter...right?

I look down and realized I was scrubbing only my arm and now it was all red.

I washed up the rest of my body, and turned the shower off. Grabbing my robe, I slipped it n and walked to the mirrors. I stared at the girl that was staring back at me. A weak, pathetic girl who is crying over a guy. I burned this memory into the back of my brain because I would never be seeing this girl ever again.

Louise always said it best, "Sweetie, the best way to get over a guy was to get under another one." I thought about calling Louise, but thought against it. Speaking to her about these kinds of things would only make me feel worse. Also, she hasn't called me all summer, so why would I call her?

Back to more important matters, finding a new guy. I went down the list, Marco Derobbie...too much cologne. Curtis Farley...Douche. Luca Espinosa...too brooding. Sean Brinkley came to mind, but I couldn't do that to Louise. They dated last year for a couple months, and I am sure Louise is over it by now, but I do not want her sloppy seconds. I am better than that. Hmm...who else...? Then I thought of someone who I only admired from afar and so did a lot of students here. Alaric Winters, Ric for short. He was gorgeous. Senior and had shaggy blonde hair, and blue eyes you could just drown in. I have never seen him with any girls, but maybe he is just romantic like that. That's because he hasn't met Erin O'Rourke yet. I like a challenge.

I look back in the mirror and see a whole new kind of girl.

Now, that's more like it.

Let the games begin.