Almost Perfect - Brian Katcher [83]
As much as I cared about Sage, her sex intruded on every moment. It was like trying to enjoy Thanksgiving dinner with a toothache. And the closer we became, the greater the risk of hurt for both of us.
These dismal thoughts distracted me from what I was doing. I ended up just kind of slobbering on Sage’s lips like Tim devouring an ear of corn. Sage soon realized my mind was elsewhere and pulled away. She draped her arms over my shoulders and looked at me sadly for a moment. I expected her to tell me we could go back to being friends if I wanted, but she just laid her head on my shoulder. I stroked her hair. After what we’d done in Laura’s room, she wasn’t going to offer me an easy out, and I wasn’t going to take it.
Eventually, Sage sat up. Without looking at me, she started the car and executed the complicated back-up to get out of the garage.
It shouldn’t be like this. We’d both lost our virginity the night before. We should be bubbly and excited, not glum. When we got on the highway, I put my hand on Sage’s knee and began to squeeze. Gradually, like the turning of a knob, Sage’s smile broke through. For the rest of the drive, I busied myself by rubbing her neck, tickling her ribs, kissing her cheek, and other perilous, driver-distracting caresses.
When we pulled into my driveway, Sage leaned over to give me a kiss, then stopped to glance around. I put my arm around her neck and pulled her to me. We could make this work. I’d just have a serious talk with her later in the week. Decide where to go from here. I could tell her my fears. We had all summer to make plans, to figure out the future. And maybe repeat some of what we did in Laura’s room. My mom worked a lot, and the no-girls-in-the-trailer rule was apparently not being enforced. And if Sage really did get a single dorm room, then that opened up many interesting options. Perhaps Jack would be the one living alone, at least most nights.
“See you tomorrow,” she said, running her fingers through my hair, deliberately messing it up.
“Maybe you could come by after school. Mom will be at work.” I didn’t mean anything dirty by that. I just thought Sage might want to hang out, watch some TV, and kiss for a few hours. Totally innocent.
Sage shook her head. “We have to be careful, Logan. My parents have no idea who I was with this weekend, and my dad doesn’t trust you.” I must have looked depressed because she quickly continued. “Don’t worry, we’ll have lots of alone time this summer.” She kissed my cheek and drove off, leaning on the horn until all I could see was her dust trail.
I tossed my bag on the living room floor and flopped onto the couch. It was nice out, and I really should have gone and badgered the neighbors about my lawn mowing. Instead, I smiled at the ceiling and remembered the previous night. I was no longer a virgin (kind of). I could finally live up to Tim’s and Jack’s opinions of me. And, I admitted, I could throw this in Brenda’s face, just a little. Make sure she saw me holding hands with Sage at school the next day.
For half an hour, I fantasized about me, Sage, an empty dorm room, and a tub of Cool Whip. I stretched on the couch, half asleep in my stuffy trailer, dreaming about the future. When the phone rang, I almost didn’t bother to answer it.
“Yes?” I accidentally pulled the entire telephone off the side table but was able to talk while lying down.
“Logan?” It was Laura.
“Hey! What’s up?”
“Logan, is Mom home?” There was something in her voice I didn’t like. I remembered how odd she’d acted when I left. What was wrong?
“Mom’s at work.” I sat up. “Laura, is everything okay?”
“Are you alone? Sage isn’t there, is she?”
I was almost panicking now.