17 Chapter 15: The Night I Fell Head Over Heels For Her
Have you ever happened upon the phrase "A moment that lasts forever??" Recurring images of Rea's warm and seductively supple lips, wrapping sensually around my own completely entranced my thoughts as our food finally arrived, however Rea seemed almost dutifully oblivious to our whole situation. Repeatedly ignoring my questioning glances, in fact never once looking in my direction, not even to wave Good-bye!! Women eh.....Kudos to any male member of our wonderful species who can confidently claim to understand even 4% of the so called gentler halves known simply as females.
Upon finishing eating, it was almost instantaneously agreed upon that (so as to avoid any unnecessary pressure or suspicion), I should speak to Jenna alone; Whereupon Rea, Scott and Eve graciously decided to leave myself and Lucy alone in order to discuss the trip, (though Scott subtly implied that I was merely a bobble-head yes man)....On a side note. I can't imagine I'll be losing any sleep over Scott departing my company so soon.
Breathing a sigh of relief, feeling much more at ease with the comprehensively less claustrophobic atmosphere, I suddenly realised I hadn't even noticed what Lucy was wearing (completely unlike me frankly). Light blue ripped hip-hugging jeans coupled with a tight fitting white t-shirt; Regardless of the time, situation or company present, Lucy was forever gorgeously angelic.
"I owe you an apology Lucy....Inviting you to such a screwed up situa....Uh Lucy???" Interrupting my sentences had become as widespread as social media memes, as Lucy unexpectedly rose to her feet and hurried over towards my side of the table. Awkwardly squeezing her famously thick thighs up against my own as she sat literally on-top of me in the booth, (OK slightly facetious narrating there, however you can excuse my enjoying the moment just this once). Meeting my shocked gaze as she turned around to face me, I became momentarily lost in Lucy's (almost hypnotic) piercing emerald green eyes, an unerring calm eternally protecting unfathomable knowledge and insight.
"Are you and Rea dating?" My eyes widened in horror as my mind futilely attempted to process the vibrational resonations originating from Miss Hardy's pursed lips. Had Lucy and the other's somehow seen the slightly lewd moment which transpired between myself and Rea?? No that's impossible I checked everyone's field of vision at the time. Lucy must be asserting her question based on Rea's earlier off-the-cuff comment.
"Haha are you kidding me? Rea's way out of my league as Scott....So emphatically implied earlier," (resentment not so subtly hidden within those words). My pathetically nervous laugh was smeared with a hideous deceit. Were my conscience ever to attain a form of physical sentience, it would surely have been shaking it's head in utter disgust over my distasteful actions towards someone so pure. Indescribable feelings of guilt meshed with self-conscious fear caused a slight involuntary shuffle away from Lucy; A movement that clearly hadn't gone unnoticed, the blood instantly rushing to Lucy's soft cheeks, inducing a hurried retreat from my watchful gaze.
"Sorry Shimon it's none of my business.....I should really be off." Immediately rising to her feet, Lucy placed her bag across her shoulder and readied herself to depart. When everything is said and done our life is comprised of 99% decision-less garbage, whilst the other 1% can be considered the important life-changing moments. Allowing Lucy to leave in such unscrupulous fashion would have solidified a mental barrier between us, preventing any form of interaction or progression within our remaining short high-school lives together. Therefore my instantaneous clutching of Lucy's hand and subsequent prevention of her emotional exit, could be considered nothing short of the absolute imperative.
"Wait Lucy.....I should be the one apologising not you. Even after my royal screw-up, you've been absolutely amazing towards me...I really want to contribute more."
"Do you want to come over?" Lucy maintained her stance and posture away from my gaze as she nervously spoke, the subtle yet noticeable movements of her shoulders inferring deep breaths: "I mean we can tell them to leave the tea as they're taking so long....And I kind of wanted to make you some myself out of thanks for.."
Not in the mood to waste any more opportunities, (and finally having the opportunity to not be on the receiving end of an interrupted sentence), I instantly replied before Lucy could finish, unknowing if the opportunity would ever arise again:
"It would be my absolute pleasure, thanks Luc." Raising my finger hesitantly towards my lips in quiet contemplation, wondering if perhaps my unintentionally spoken nickname had overstepped our current boundaries. However my fears were instantly allayed as Lucy flashed her unmistakably alluring signature smile in my direction and subsequently informed the staff we no longer required the tea, her confidently proud demeanour inducing a small delighted purse of my quivering lips.
Holding the door open in atypical gentlemanly fashion; Lucy whispered her thanks as I proceeded to exhale away my apprehension, before walking shoulder-to-shoulder with my secret long term crush towards an uncertain future. However a lingering thought remained: Why had I been so quick to distance myself from any possible relationship with Rea??
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"Just take a seat on the couch Shimon and I'll boil the kettle, my parents are away so we shouldn't be disturbed." Nervously seating myself on the couch, beads of sweat began forming across my neck and back as the realisation of being alone at Lucy's house suddenly dawned upon me.
"How many sugars do you take Shimon??"
"Um just one please, I don't want to become some obese diabetic haha...." Christ that abomination would have the almighty himself shaking his head in embarrassment...Any chance Lucy didn't hear that??? Judging by her perplexed reaction, that would be a resounding no.
"Would you like some help with that Lucy??" Lucy immediately flashed her signature unassailable smile, (able to convert even the most hedonistic and sadistic killers into a timid and harmless pup), whilst motioning for me to take hold of the cups. In typical meticulous fashion, Lucy placed two exquisitely detailed coasters on the table and gracefully took her seat on the couch whilst I placed the cups on the coasters and (with a hopefully unnoticeably anxious sigh), took my seat close besides her.
"So Lucy shall we begin by discussing the details..."
"I've kind of...Already taken some initiative on the details....I'll show you." Ahhh clarity; Interrupting my sentences was now considered the norm, in fact not interrupting my sentences could be considered a blasphemous digression of the highest degree!!
Whilst I was having my own personal internal soliloquy/argument, Lucy had carefully opened her notebook across her lap and began hesitantly pointing out various documents and files including: The letter of consent, hotels and flights with all costings included, places to visit, activities of possible interest and even a list of teachers who had agreed to chaperone!!!
"Lucy this is incredible, when did you get the time to finish all of this?"
"I'm so sorry I should've waited until we discussed everything first...I guess I got a bit carried away." Lucy's words came out in a whisper, her cheeks instantly turning a dark shade of crimson red as she quietly closed her laptop before nervously reaching towards her cup of tea.
Lucy's obvious sheepish behaviour was sorely misplaced, arising not only from her hardened work ethic but furthermore her strong sense of humility. No plausible universe should exist whereupon Lucy should feel any sort of embarrassment after her considerable efforts, whilst (as Miss Valdez had correctly assumed or critiqued as it were), on a scale of one to ten I myself had contributed roughly negative five. The overwhelming incredulity of the situation forced me to chortle, whilst Lucy could only stare in what I can only imagine to be silent bemusement.
"Your incredible Miss Hardy."
"Wha.....What do you mean??"
"You went above and beyond the necessary and still feel the need to apologise??? Please at the very least you have to allow me to write the report and compare your costings to the budget...I have to contribute something or else I'll feel like crap."
Speech is perhaps the most powerful form of expression however cliché as it may be, actions occasionally speak louder then words as Lucy masterfully demonstrated; Carefully placing the cup on her lap she jovially gazed towards me whilst graciously nodding her approval, the calming green of her eyes momentarily causing me to become lost in a vast ocean of eternal solitude.
The phrase, "When enjoying yourself, time can soar past like the flight of the majestic eagle," never felt more relevant then at the present time. Gazing awestruck whilst Lucy effortlessly articulated herself on various topics, perfectly utilising both verbal and gestural representations without the requirement for thinking words (as I like to call them), such as Umm, Ahh or Hmm left me completely and utterly spellbound. Sadly a text message from my useless sister questioning my whereabouts so late into the night, seemingly called our little get together to an unwanted and abrupt ending.
"Thank you so much for tonight Lucy, you somehow managed to savour the remnants of my mess...Though judging by my baby sisters text she's getting slightly worried about my whereabouts, guess I had better be off."
"Your welcome Shimon, I'll email you whatever work I've done so you can easily finish your report."
Standing to my feet whilst anxiously placing my phone away and (as is customary), checking my local vicinity to make sure I hadn't forgotten anything. Lucy in typically gracious fashion, followed suite by standing up and attempting to reach past me in order to pass my jacket. Subsequently a subtle mixture comprised of my own sudden jittery movements and Lucy's very intimate positioning in accordance with my own, almost had an air of inevitability surrounding it as she suddenly lost her balance; Falling directly on top of me as I instinctively (not willingly might I add), wrapped my arm around her waist, gasping in shock as I slammed on the floor winded.
"Gomen, I wasn't thinking!" (Gomen = sorry in Japanese), momentarily frozen in shock whilst my brain attempted to process the complexity of our current situation. A sudden rush of blood alerting me to the whereabouts of my hand, as I instantly retracted my hand from around Lucy's uncompromisingly toned waist; Mean-whilst Lucy was calmly scrutinizing my moments from her comfortable position sat across my stomach, thankfully relieving the tension in the air as she flashed one of her signature lustrous smiles before we both burst out laughing in frivolous joviality.
"Sorry? I didn't know you spoke Japanese Shimon."
"I'm a man of many talents Miss Hardy.....Though gracefulness sadly isn't one of them." At the very least if there's one thing I can count on in times such as these, it would be the exquisite timing of my sarcastic quips as we both chortled once more. Whilst sharing our moment of hysterics, the recent remnants of pain and suffering momentarily dissipated; Whereupon in the entire cosmos only the two of us young and impressionable classmates remained, (sat in this precarious position) blissfully enjoying a moment so beautiful, time itself seemed to stop and carefully observe.
"It was my fault for being so clumsy....Thank you for breaking my fall." As Lucy's eloquently spoken words escaped her lips she carefully rose to her feet and graciously stretched her hand out towards me, (which I instantly accepted). A sudden warmth originating deep within as I rose almost effortlessly to my feet, whilst my fingers remained entwined with the divine being stood before me.
"Quite an eventful day wouldn't you agree Shimon?"
"Very much so, well have to do this again sometime...I....I mean working together not you falling on top of me..." In typical fashion I wasn't allowed to finish my sentence, however complaining at this specific moment in time was almost blasphemous as Lucy suddenly wrapped her arms around my shoulders and hugged me tight. Her entrancingly beautiful perfume besotting my senses as I momentarily closed my eyes and prayed to the almighty God for this moment to not be just some heavenly dream.
"You never know Shimon, next time I might let you fall on me eh?" Lucy gave me a playful little wink as she opened the door, her shining attitude conversely filling me with emptiness as I began wishing for only a few moments more before stepping resentfully into the pitch blackness of night.
A mixture of the unmercifully biting breeze coupled with the all encompassing darkness had me mindfully on edge, whilst I slowly but assuredly ambled towards that comforting place I warmly referred to as home. "Intellectually scrutinise any and every situation, never allowing emotions to curtail your decision making." My long standing motto, deviation from which was scandalous from my day of conception, though recent blissful occurrences had inevitably led towards a recent questioning of it's current validity.
Regardless one of the most beautiful, popular and well-loved females within the student body had more than likely felt the requirement to show some tiny pangs of sympathy towards her lowly classmate....Yep I was merely overthinking the situation, after all there's absolutely no way in hell the one and only Lucy Hardy actually meant those words....Right? Right????
Chuckling to myself as a sudden incredulous thought came to mind: "Perhaps this will be known as the day Shimon Creed traversed that tragically unforgiving downward-spiral, known in close circles as alcoholism."
