Free Falling ( Book One: Gravity)

Shoot! It’s already 4:58! This was not my day for being on time. I ran out the door and jumped in the car. I’d gotten caught up in a good show on TV and lost track of time, so I raced down the street toward Leslie’s house. I pulled up in her driveway ten minutes later and she was waiting on the porch already. She climbed in the car and didn’t seem irritated at all by the fact that I was late. I drove back home slower than I’d driven to her house. I was in no hurry to be in AJ’s presence again anytime soon because I’d had about all I could take of his attitude. I sighed aloud and tried to think of something else – anything else. That was short lived. As I rounded the corner, I could see his car parked on the street in front of my house. He sat there expressionless staring off into the distance at nothing. He was determined to be as unreasonable as he’d been earlier. Nothing had changed.

Leslie and I got out of the car and walked toward the house. I didn’t turn to see AJ get out, but I heard his car door slam behind me. I walked in and held the door for Leslie…..and A.J, rolling my eyes as he passed by without speaking again. Leslie was comfortable in my house and walked right in and took a seat. I slammed the door a little harder than was necessary and then followed them into the living room where I sat down on the floor. I’d already taken out all the supplies we’d need before I got caught up in the TV show earlier. Everyone was silent – even Leslie – as we each took a different section and worked individually.

We worked for the next two and a half hours in almost complete silence before Leslie finally broke in. “Well, I think we got a lot done today. Do you mind running me home now? I have other homework I have to get done. “

“Sure. No problem,” I replied. I felt a rush of relief as I realized that I was about to get a break from AJ’s dismal presence.

“Thanks,” Leslie said as we got up to walk toward the door and slid our shoes on. I opened the door while AJ and Leslie said goodbye to one another. Of course he still said nothing to me, so I didn’t bother speaking to him either as he turned to walk to his car. This silent treatment he called himself giving me was so juvenile.

I drove Leslie home and hoped that she didn’t think my silence was on account of anything she’d done. I just wasn’t up for small talk. When she exited the car I tried to smile as I told her goodbye, but on the inside, I was furious with AJ. Who does he think he is? I was nothing but honest with him and considerate of his feelings and apparently this was his response.

It seemed like the atmosphere was responding to my rage. The rain was falling in sheets and thunder boomed in the background. Despite the fact that I could barely see, I drove through the streets at top speed as if it was a clear, sunny day. The drive that should have taken at least ten minutes only took me six. I was still fuming when I rounded the corner approaching my house.

I growled audibly as I gripped the steering wheel when, to my surprise, I returned to find AJ’s car still sitting in the same spot as if he’d never left. I whipped into the driveway and snatched the key from the ignition before stepping out into the pouring rain. When I slammed the door he was already halfway to me. I had my sights set on him and I had my mouth fixed to go off on him in the worst way possible.

“Who do you…,” was all I could get out before he grabbed my face firmly in both of his hands and kissed me with such intensity that if he hadn’t been holding me my legs would’ve given way. Our lips met with such violence and force, packed with all the emotion that we both had bottled up; anger…..frustration…..longing. We were both struggling to catch our breath, unwilling to separate ourselves even for that. I ran my fingers through his rain-drenched hair and pulled him to me as he bit down on my lip. No matter how tight I held him, it felt like I couldn’t get close enough. I’d never in my life experienced such a rush. In those moments, I was crazed for him – obsessed with this feeling. I knew what it must feel like to get high. It was like I’d been trying to get here – to him – all my life even though I didn’t realize that it was him my world was missing.

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