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CLARISSA:
Jason dropped me off in front of my house; the lights were already lit inside, and the aroma of the dishes Nolle had prepared wafted through the air and into my nostrils. The sky lay like a tapestry of diamonds atop itself, and the moon shone brightly, illuminating the whole night like it was dawn and not time for dinner.
“Jason?” I began, still a little embarrassed by myself. I had wanted what had happened between us earlier so much that I seemed like a completely different person than I was half an hour ago. Thinking about it made me flush crimson.
“Are you sure you won’t be staying for dinner?” I pried, hoping he would change his mind and stay, and
At least save me from Nolle, who was waiting to bombard me with questions.
Jason came up to me and placed both his hands on my shoulders, sending shivers down my spine.
“I have to get back and know why my beta was calling; it seemed pretty urgent. I’ll see you tomorrow; I wouldn’t miss Cisca for two nights in a row.” He said that and planted a kiss on my forehead.
“What about me?” I questioned and posted like a child, “Would you miss me for two days?” Okay, I was being childish, but I could not stop myself from doing the things I did any longer; that was the kind of power Jason had over me. Jason caught me off guard by pinning me to the ground and driving his knee between my thighs. His voice was hoarse, more like a low growl.
“By the goddess, I would take you back home right now, pin you to my bed, and not miss you for a minute if I could.” His breath was warm on my skin; my body had already been enveloped with goosebumps.
“Jason,” I whimpered, trying to contain myself. I too wanted to go back and finish what we had started, but I knew I was not supposed to want this. The last time I had sex with a man before marriage, there ended up being no marriage, but something about what I and Jason had done made it okay, and I knew that I was not going to resist if he took me right there on the wall. Jason’s palm was hot between my shivering thighs. He rubbed them slowly as he gave me a gentle kiss on my lips. When I let out a hushed moan, he drew back, leaving me once again in my dull reality.
“Lett’s go back.” I whispered into his ears, suddenly desperate. “Lett’s go back.” I repeated it to make sure he understood what I meant.
“Nolle is waiting for you.” He whispered back.
“She won’t wait for too long.” My plea shone in my eyes, moist like my thighs.
“But you can.” He said, straightening his jacket with an impish smile strewn across his face, that he was acting so high and mighty, like we were not so desperate for the same thing.
“You can wait for this; we both can.” He said, Finally, and withdrew. He ruffled my hair and planted another kiss on my forehead.
He was right; there was no need to rush or make our relationship founded upon our untamed sexual desires. It was better if we took our time and controlled our effervescent emotions.
“Okay, Jason. I’ll see you tomorrow. Be careful on your way home.” I said.
“See you tomorrow.” He echoed and walked back towards his car. I stood and watched him start up his car and drive away until his headlights became stars on the streets. A smile broke against my face when I remembered yesterday. At least we had succeeded in lifting his spirits up, and he would forget about August for a while.
“You really love him, don’t you?” Nolle’s voice came directly above my ear.
“By the goddess! Nolle, you startled me.” I said, avoiding eye contact with her.
“The food is getting cold though,” Nolle said, gesturing inside with a knowing smile planted on her face. I steeled myself for the interrogation that was about to take place. We walked inside and sat opposite each other on the dining table.
“This smells delicious.” I complimented her, still avoiding direct eye contact.
“Oh, Come on, Clarissa! Stop trying to deflect me.” She said it accusingly while munching on her food.
“I’m not doing anything, Nolle; I’m just trying to eat.” I emphasized eating and put ridiculous focus into eating my dinner.
“Then spill it.” She blurted.
“Spill what?” I asked, acting oblivious.
“How was it?” Nolle pried.
“How was what? I have no idea what you’re talking about; now let me eat.” I warned.
“Of course you do! It’s written all over your face; see how red you are.” She said with a frown on her face that it felt like high school all over again, where Nolle and I would talk hushedly by our lockers, discussing Clyde while I blushed stupid.
“Okay, okay, you got me. But it’s not like you think.” I conceded, dropping my fork back on the almost empty dish.

NOLLE:
I had never seen Clarissa as red as this before; she stuttered like a schoolchild in detention. I wanted her to be happy, but I feared that she might go through the same thing she went through with Clyde. I wanted to be loved rightly. Of course, Jason seemed like a nice guy, but you never know what this man had up their minds. You think they love you until they have you sprawled breathless on their bed, and then they toss you out like trash. If I was ever going to do her wedding makeover again, I wanted it to be proper. But looking at Clarissa now, as flushed as she was, I just knew they had done it. The same way she and Clyde had started. I was worried for her heart.
“What do you mean by it’s not like I think?” I questioned her, looking her dead in the eye, so she would know that I was not backing down until she told me all of it.
“We didn’t go all the way; there was a call and…” Her voice died out.
“and what?”
“I wanted him to ignore it, but he wouldn’t.”
“What do you mean by saying you did not go all the way? How far did you go?”
“Come on, Nolle, we went far, his hands and all, and I really, really did not want him to stop. When we drove here, I wanted to go right back to his house and finish what we started. Thinking of it now is just too embarrassing; can you cut it out now?” She ranted.
“I’m sorry, I’m just concerned. I don’t think I have to remind you of what happened last time; you deserve to be loved properly, Clarissa.”
“I know. I know.”