#SerialSunday - Rising Up - Moth to the Flame

Jamie was still up when I got home.

"Mary make it in her own door?" I asked.

She smirked and crossed her arms. She stood like that for a full minute, not answering me. She was asking, silently. I groaned. "Yes, I climbed his tree."

"I knew it!" she crowed. She ran over to hug me while giggling. "So, what happened? Did you get a good peep?" She pulled me to the couch. I saw a game paused on her computer - some space thing.

Jon Zander, Wikimedia Commons

"Heh, that's like me." I pointed at the bright vortex. "I'm like the moth getting pulled to the flame. I'm that little asteroid right there."

She huffed. "You are not. You might be attracted to bright, shiny things, but you are a lot smarter than a moth." She shut down the game without saving. "Now tell me."


"So, I climbed the stupid tree." I blushed as I said it. "And he sent a text telling me to get out of it."

Jamie laughed, tipping her head back. "Are you serious? So busted. Just like that time..."

I nodded remembering with her. The time we climbed the scaffolding. "I thought your dad was going to kill us."

"He probably would have if your dad hadn't said he sent us up there for the toolbox."

OrphanJones @flickr

"What were they thinking leaving that up while building Chris' fort anyway? I mean, as if the kids weren't going to climb it," I complained. "It was an invitation."

Jamie nodded. "The sunset sure was pretty."

"Yeah."

"Why don't our families do vacations together anymore?" she asked.

I laughed. "Because all the kids grew up? I think our parents went on a cruise together last year, but even Don is done high school." Donovan was Jamie's baby brother, Christopher the eldest. His fort was being built out at her parents' cabin on the lake. My parents had a cabin next door, which was how we met, spending many, many summers together.

We had been inseparable. The only girls in each cabin, we had gravitated to one another. Our parents lived on opposite sides of the city, but we had two months together every year. It was an easy choice when we each needed a roommate to help cut the cost of renting.

Jamie shuddered. "I don't want to think about my parents as a couple. And stop dodging. You were gone longer than it takes to climb a tree and read a text message."

I met her green eyes and held my breath. "He invited me in."

"He what?" Jamie shrieked. "Oh my God, that's awesome, Beth! Why are you home?" Her demeanor changed from gleeful to sceptic in a split second.

I met her eyes flatly. "I wasn't going to sleep with him tonight, Jamie. You know me better than that."

"Yeah, but you could have spent another hour making out first." She slapped my arm playfully. "You got at least one kiss, I hope. You've practically named your vibrator."

"Stop," I said angrily. Then I smiled. "I got three, actually. Well, the first one didn't really count. I almost fell down the stairs. But the second and third..." My eyes went dreamy remembering the feel of his lips on mine, the tingle in my spine, the tingle lower, the twitch in his pants... I was going to need 'Speedy Petey' at this rate. No one was ever getting me to say that name aloud.

"Yeah? Tell me more," she encouraged.

"Isn't he cute with his hair all messed up? He'd fallen asleep. Morning breath, not fantastic."

Jamie laughed and sank back into the cushions. "It's not every girl that gets to sample morning breath without regretting the night before."

I scowled, then brightened. "He's taking me out Friday."

She squealed and hugged me. "I'm so happy for you. Wait." Her voice and expression changed at the drop of a hat. "Why now?"

I frowned and then quirked an eyebrow. "What's wrong with now?"

"I mean, what changed? You've been crushing on Peter for over a year. He just finally noticed?"

Jamie didn't work with us. I had a tendancy to over analyse every encounter we had, so she probably thought I was more obvious than I had been. I bit my lip and averted my gaze.

"Beth?" she asked. "What aren't you telling me?"

"I... I never really told him I was interested."

She chuckled quietly. "You expected him to just... know?" she summarised correctly.

"Well, body language, eye contact. My eyes were definitely conveying interest."

"Beth," she moaned. "You did this in high school. How many times did you whine to me that Kenny or Leon or Mac wouldn't ask you out, and the reason was... duh dudadum... that you didn't say anything to them. Beth, this shouldn't come as a surprise to you, guys can be really oblivious. So, what changed?"

I didn't understand. "Nothing. I just... climbed his tree. Maybe that was showing interest?" I posited with a shrug. My black hair lifted and fell with my shoulders.

Jamie shook her head. "Maybe, but I doubt it. So you said yes, obviously."

I started thinking about where he might take me, what we might do, his kiss, his pants... Wow, my mind was destined for the gutter tonight. I was usually better than this. Something about standing that close, feeling...

"Beth! Wake up. You're falling asleep. Go to bed. I'll interrogate you more tomorrow."

"Thanks." I took her hand, letting her pull me to my feet. We both wobbled a little.

"We need to stop going out with Mary," Jamie said for probably the fortieth time.