Chapter 2: Date Night
Shortly after 8:00, Val walked out the back door with Suzanne and crossed the parking lot toward her house. She grabbed his hand and squeezed. “You were such a badass in school today. You sure ticked off Mr. Rodriguez. I’ll bet you never get your comic back.”
Val just shook his head and watched his feet move him quickly to Suzanne’s house.
When they entered the front door and flipped on the lights, Suzanne headed upstairs to her bedroom. “Put on some music. And, remember, don’t take any beers, because my dad counts them.” She scurried up the steps.
Val slid open the large phonograph cabinet and turned on the radio. He twisted the dial until he heard The Replacements playing I’ll Be You. He slipped his shoes off and stretched out on the soft brown couch. His body sank into it. Nice.
Suzanne appeared at the bottom of the steps. She’d changed out of her pizzeria shirt and was wearing jeans and a blue button down blouse. The top two buttons were undone.
Nicer.
They’d been friends since their sophomore year. In this, their senior year, they’d become more serious. Val hadn’t really been interested in her until she started dressing like a goth child. Val never considered himself goth, but, apparently, he had the right temperament because she latched onto him this year and hasn’t let go. He knew that they made an impression—not necessarily a positive one—a witch-like wraith with an unsmiling escort on her arm. But that was part of the appeal—making a negative impression.
She slid next to him. They both sank into the couch, their bodies naturally tipping toward each other.
Val looked away for five seconds. He counted them. Can’t appear too into this.
She rested a hand on his knee.
Val turned toward her, his face as serious as ever, and reached a hand to her hair, twisting strands around his fingers. He held tight. Now he controlled her. He didn’t want to hurt her. He was pretty sure he wasn’t tugging at her hair, but he could move her head, controlling it like a horse’s bridle. She didn’t give any indication that it bothered her. He knew she was expecting it. Ever so slowly, he directed her head toward his and inhaled when he smelled strawberries. He directed her mouth upward slightly until it was an inch from his. He waited for another second until a question showed in her eyes. He drew her toward him and kissed her. When she kissed him back, and her mouth seemed to relax, he slowly released her hair. Val knew what she wanted. Not just to be kissed by some eager gawky teenager. No. She wanted to be kissed by someone who demanded her respect.
After several more minutes and kisses, she pulled back. “Do you want to do it now?”
Val gave one nod, then leaned in to Suzanne.
She placed her hand on his mouth. “I brought a pin. She removed the silver skull pinned to her collar and pushed the sharp point near Val’s face, apparently to get a reaction from him.
Val didn’t move, the pin an inch from his eye.
She smirked. “Hold up your finger.”
He obeyed, presenting his middle finger to her.
She shook her head. “You wish!” She stabbed the needle into the fleshy front of his finger, drawing a drop of blood to the surface.
Val didn’t flinch.
She offered him the pin.
Val eased the silver skull pin into his hand. “Please, let me.”
She released the pin and extended her forefinger.
Val grabbed her middle finger and looked into her eyes.
She nodded.
He gently poked her finger. A drop of blood appeared.
They held their fingers only an inch apart.
Suzanne’s steady gaze seemed to demand his attention. “Val, I want you inside me. But promise that you won’t undress me.” Her voice was a whisper.
Val whispered back, “You like this because you’re giving up complete control. So why ruin it with promises? Be prepared to take the full risk.” Before she could open her mouth to reply, Val pressed their bloody fingers together.
Suzanne wrapped the fingers of her right hand around their joined fingers.
Val did the same. He held that pose for ten seconds, then twenty. He could feel it happening. He felt dizzy, released his grip, and began to fall backward toward the armrest.
Her arm wrapped around his neck and gently eased him down.
It felt as if his head was spinning, or as if the room was spinning inside his head and he was falling down and down. He imagined he might have a similar sensation by jumping from an airplane. He even seemed to see the illuminated city below him. But Val knew it wasn’t a city; it was just his mind playing tricks on him. A tangle of neurons looked just like illuminated roads from a mile in the sky. Probably. Then he fell into it. Gently.
# # # # #
I slowly open my eyes. That usually helps reduce the extreme sense of vertigo and stomach-churning uneasiness. I blink. My eyes open completely.
I see my body resting on the couch below me. I pull my arm—or would that be Suzanne’s arm?—out from behind his neck and let his head rest gently on the couch.
I look so innocent when I’m asleep.
I stare at my body from Suzanne’s brown eyes.g sample from a chapter