Chocolate or Strawberry? (unfinished)

Taylor Worthing, aka: lovesick non-boyfriend1

Her hand was small and warm, enveloped in mine. She looked up at me, pretty little thing she was, and blinked those huge blue eyes of hers, eyelashes sweeping up and down slowly as she studied my face.2

“Taylor…” she began, but I stopped her. I moved as if I would hug her, and caught up her mouth in a delicious kiss. She kept telling me she didn’t like me that way but I could tell from her wide eyes that she was surprised – and delighted.3

She shut them, and I closed mine too, bringing my hands together in the small of her back and applying a tiny pressure. Blissfully, she moved closer, and our bodies fit together like puzzles pieces kept apart too long. 4

Frankly, although I was much enjoying the kiss, I was shocked at her intensity. Her hands knotted themselves in my hair and I pushed her forward until her bare back was arching against the cold brick wall behind us. Emmy kissed with a hungry passion – like we only had so much time.5

When there was a little too much tongue for her liking, she drew away from me and broke the kiss. Her hands were locked together behind my neck and our foreheads were still touching as we regained our composure.6

It was then that I saw a tear slip out of the corner of her eye. I loosened one of my hands from behind her back to wipe it away. “Emmy? What’s wrong?”7

She looked away, averted her eyes. “Taylor…” she said again, and her voice was full of wistfulness and longing, and paused. “I can’t keep doing this,” she forced out at last. Another tear fell.8

“Doing what?” I asked, instantly on edge.9

She looked up at me then, and the full force of her beauty struck me. “Sneaking away from my boyfriend to be with you,” she replied steadily, and gulped. Tears were leaking from her eyes at a rapid rate, faster than I could wipe them away.10

“Oh, baby, don’t say that,” I said tenderly. And I meant it. Emmy was my life. She was my anti-drug. She was my sun. She was my Emmy. I hugged her close, like I might lose her at any moment, and she clung to me tightly, like she never wanted to let go.11

In the shadows behind my community pool, hidden from all eyes but our own, I held a girl close as she cried into my chest.12

Andrew Sawyer, aka: lovesick boyfriend 13

I was the luckiest man alive. My girlfriend was hot – seriously hot – and I had a red Porsche. I had washboard abs and people handing me favors like I was a god.14

But damn. She was seriously hot.15

The adult swim whistle blew, but Emmy wasn’t swimming anyway. Kids rushed out of the pool like a tidal wave, dripping water and snot. They raced by our chair, and I saw a few young girls cast an eye over their shoulder at me.16

But I paid them no mind because my girlfriend was hot.17

Seriously hot.18

Don’t get me wrong, that wasn’t the only reason I was dating her. I mean, she had a great personality – outgoing, happy, and bubbly. She was short – about 5’4” and smiling all the time. Her legs were smooth and tan, packed handily with the hard muscles of a runner. Emmy’s body was thin but strong as she lay in my lap and her little heart shaped face was now turned up to me, her pretty blue eyes lighting up when they met mine.19

“Andrew…” She brought up one of her small hands to caress my cheek, and I smiled at her touch. It was so gentle and loving.20

“Yeah?”21

“Nothing,” she grinned sheepishly. “I just like to say your name.”22

“Emmy…”23

“Hmm?”24

“Nothing. I just like to say yours,” I replied, and kissed the top of her head. Her hair always smelled like fresh cherry blossoms – whatever shampoo she used, it was working its magic. I picked up a small strand of her rich brown curls and wound it carefully around one of my fingers before watching it slide slowly back into place.25

“Do you know what today is?” she asked me eagerly, breaking the small comfortable silence.26

“No. What is today?”27

Sharply, Emmy sat up and turned around to glare at me. “You don’t know what today is?”28

“What? Is that a crime?” I asked, truly baffled. Was it her birthday? Oh God, no, had I forgotten her birthday? No, wait, that was next week. Then what was it? Mardi Gras? Christmas? Father’s day?29

“It’s the seventh!” She had her hands on her hips, and she looked hot.30

“Oh. Is it kiss your girlfriend day?” I growled as I tackled her stomach, forcing her – laughing – to collapse flat on the long chair.31

Her hair was wild around her face and she tucked a strand behind her ear. Through a smile, I kissed her, and could feel her kiss me back. One hand came up and pressed on the back of my neck, and she curled one of her legs between mine.32

Much too soon, Emmy shoved me away playfully and said, “Andrew Sawyer, I am not going to kiss you one more time until—“ I interrupted her with a quick kiss, which made her smile, “—you figure out what today is.”33

I racked my brains. “Umm… can I have a hint?”34

“No.” Emmy disentangled herself from me and stood up in a huff.35

“You’re not seriously mad about this, are you?” I asked, incredulous.36

She began to walk away but turned around when I spoke. “No.” A small smile appeared on her lips and I returned it full force. “Do you want me to tell you?”37

Letting my smile crack a little wider, I nodded and got up off the chair.38

“It’s our four month anniversary.”39

“Oh! I knew that. I really did. In the back of my mind, somewhere in its deepest recesses, I knew that!” I exclaimed and approached her, sweeping her up in a magnificent embrace.40

The kiss was long and passionate until an indignant voice and a punch in my shoulder broke it.41

“Jeez, guys, get a room!”42

“Vivian!” I said upon seeing her pretty red head.43

Her green eyes alighted on Emmy, on me, on Emmy and me as I held her in my arms. Somewhat subconsciously, I let her go but kept her hand held close to my stomach.44

My ex girlfriend smiled, blinked shyly, and said more quietly, “Come on. You guys want a snack?”45

Emmy glanced over her shoulder quickly, her gaze skipping over the parking lot, where a gaggle of screaming kids made their way into the pool. A taller shadow stood behind them, and Emmy’s eyes stopped searching when they found him.46

Abruptly, she let go of my hand. “Umm, sorry I don’t think I can. I have to, err, go.”47

Hurriedly, Emmy packed up her things, threw a towel over her shoulder and walked out the door.48

I didn’t stick around to watch what she did after that. Vivian was already halfway to the food court when she looked over her shoulder – sexily – and beckoned me onward.49

Well, sure. Why not? Without a backward glance, I followed Vivian.50

Emmy Mansden, aka: confused chick 51

I couldn’t help but smile through Andrew’s kiss. He had a way of making me grin, whether he was eating Reese’s Puffs when I walked into his kitchen in the morning and froze, spoon halfway to his mouth, or in the middle of a make out session.52

Giving and taking with my lips, we moved together as Andrew’s big hands swept down over the skin in the small of my back and pressed me into him.53

I held the back of his head with one hand and angled my head to the side for more leverage.54

Andrew smiled back, and my mouth seemed formed to his.55

Until Vivian showed up.56

Damn that girl.57

“Jeez, guys, get a room!” she exclaimed loudly – too loudly.58

Andrew pulled away and I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. A spurt of jealousy raged through me as Vivian asked if we wanted to go to the food court and grab a snack.59

I looked over my shoulder to the parking lot. A group of kids were tumbling out of a packed van. A boy was standing behind them, a few heads taller than the lot of them. He just stood there, looked around, and leaned against his car – a navy Jeep.60

Folding his arms over his chest with no intent of swimming, I recognized Taylor and let go of Andrew’s hand.61

“Umm, sorry I don’t think I can. I have to, err, go.” The words rushed out of my mouth before I could even try to stop them. Though I don’t exactly know if would wanted to stop them if only I could.62

Without hesitating or attempting to cover up my hurry, I slammed on my flip-flops, grabbed a towel and threw it over my shoulder, and snatched up my bag.63

I half wanted Andrew to stop me, to grab my arm and kiss me again, telling me he didn’t want me to leave.64

He didn’t. I left for Taylor, and he left for Vivian.65

Granted, he probably wasn’t going to do what I was going to do.66

I knew Taylor had spotted me when he pushed himself away from the car and took a few big strides towards the back of the pool, where it was shrouded in the trees of someone’s large backyard.67

He faltered as I slipped on my sunglasses so no one could see me watching his every move – how he walked, his long legs propelling him forward strongly, his curly black hair falling around his ears and framing his face perfectly. Even though his head was turned, I knew he was smiling – in anticipation? – as a smile crept over my face too.68

I slowed my steps as best I could and quieted my excitement. But really, anyone with half a mind could see what was going to happen.69

One part of me longed for it to go on, but another part screamed for it to stop.70

The shade crept over Taylor’s tall frame as he disappeared behind the concrete wall of the pool’s locker rooms. I didn’t even bother to check if anyone was watching through the chain link fence; everyone was too caught up in their own affairs to wonder about mine.71

As soon as I reached Taylor’s side, I dropped all of my things in a frantic rush to get inside his arms.72

He enveloped me in a hug, pulling me close. I wrapped my arms around his waist and pulled him closer. My heartbeat fluttered like a caged bird inside me and my breath was coming fast.73

Relishing in the warmth of Taylor’s hug, I suddenly thought of Andy. What would he make of this situation?74

With an abrupt and at the same time slow urgency, I said his name. “Taylor…” The taste of it stayed on my lips until his mouth met them and I tasted him for real.75

He moved in sync with me, somewhat aggressively pushing my back against the cold wall. With a surprising intensity, I felt the need to pull him closer, and my arms encircled his neck, twisting in his curly hair.76

All thoughts of my boyfriend escaped from my mind.77

After a while, I had to pull away. My hands slipped to rest behind his neck but our foreheads were still leaned together.78

Since the kissing had finished, the dam broke and thoughts flooded in. And with them, one tear.79

Taylor wiped it away with a gentle nature that was oddly un-Taylor-like. “Emmy, what’s wrong?”80

81

With more decisiveness and a strange urge to say what was on my mind, I repeated his name. “Taylor.” I paused, and couldn’t hold his powerful gaze. His eyes were a beautiful mix of brown and green. I stopped myself from thinking about it and steeled my quivering spirit.82

This time, he must have seen the purpose in my eyes as he scanned my face and he let me continue.83

“I can’t keep doing this.”84

Once the words had left my mouth, I turned my eyes back to him and watched his face crumble. His eyebrows came together as his forehead creased and he pulled back slightly to study me more clearly.85

“Doing what?” he asked, his voice shockingly sharp.86

However much I wanted to, now that I’d started this conversation, I couldn’t stop it. More tears fell.87

“Sneaking away from my boyfriend to be with you.” I forced out at last.88

The words hung in the air, true and bold and untrue, until Taylor spoke, his voice warm and low. “Oh, baby, don’t say that.”89

To be completely and utterly honest, I was shocked at his compassion. Every time I was with Taylor, the general feeling was sudden and earnest. Less talking, more kissing. We could only be together for just a little while. I, for one, thought that we didn’t have enough time for feelings.90

But maybe I was wrong. Or else why would I care so much that he cradled me to his chest and the tears fell without mercy.91