New Leaves, No Strings (36 page)

‘What about your mum?’

‘What about her. She’s never given
a shit about me up until now, besides she’s never sober long enough to
understand or remember anything you tell her anyway. Anyway I don’t need anyone
else, I’ve got you.’

‘You’ll always have me, BFF’s
remember.’

‘BFF’s,’ she nodded.

I smiled as she swallowed fork
after fork of dinner, at least her appetite was back.

‘God this is good, I didn’t
realised how hungry I was. Are you just going to sit there watching me? It’s a
bit creepy,’ she said as she tucked in.

‘Sorry, I’ll go and get mine, are
we on for Hangover II if I load it?’

‘Yes, I was just flicking through
the channels while I waiting for you. Hurry up then.’

It was nearly nine by the time the
second film finished.

‘God I just love Mr Chow, he’s even
better in this than the first. He should have his own film.’

‘You wanna fuck on me?’ said Lexi
with her best Chinese accent.

‘That’s from the first film.’

‘No it’s not.’

‘Yes it is, we just watched them
back to back. “Wanna Fuck on Me”, “funny fat guy fall on face, it’s funny coz
he’s fat” and “toodle-oo motherfuckers” are our three favourite Mr Chow quotes
from the first film.’

‘Shit you’re right, I’m so off my
game.’

‘Well you have other things on your
mind don’t you. Have you thought about what you want to do?’

‘Well I’m not exactly the ideal
candidate to become a bloody mother am I?’

‘Don’t say that.’

‘So what? You’re really saying you
think it’s a good idea for me to keep it?’ she asked with an incredulous look
on her face.

‘Lexi that has to be your decision
and I’m going to be here for you whichever way you go. I’m just saying don’t
put yourself down, under that tough exterior you’re a big softie. I think that if
and when you decide the time’s right to have a baby, you’re going to make an
amazing mother.’

‘I’ve hardly had the best role
model.’

‘And you know how hard that was for
you growing up, so I think you’ll be the exact opposite, you’d make sure no kid
ever goes through what you did.’

‘You really think so?’

‘I know so, but if the time’s not
right for you now, then that’s ok too.’

‘I’m 18 Mia, I’m not ready for this.
I came here to have fun and hopefully get a decent qualification. I don’t have
the money to support myself, let alone a baby and if I had to work full time I’d
have to drop out. Would you be happy having me and a screaming baby living here?
Plus I don’t even know who the fucking father is.’

‘So you’re saying you’re thinking
of having an abortion?’

‘I don’t see that I’ve got a choice
Mia. What life could I offer a kid at the moment? Plus if I kept it I’d
probably end up resenting it for everything I’ve had to give up.’

‘Well you have some time, we’ll see
the doctor on Thursday and can have a chat about your options, plus we have our
therapy session tomorrow, maybe that will help.’

‘I’m not going to change my mind,
it’s seriously bad timing.’

‘Ok, then just talk about how it
may affect you if you go through it. Just make sure you’re 100% Lexi, before
you make it final.’

‘I know and thanks for not being
all judgemental and telling me “
I told you so”
which you have every
right to do.’

‘Well what would that achieve? Bit
late now. I just need you to know that I’m here for you to listen, to talk, to
do whatever you need. Ok?’

‘Right now I think I need to go to
bed, I’m exhausted.’

‘Me too, I think I’ll turn in as
well.’

‘Mia?’

‘Yeah?’

‘Can I sleep with you tonight? I
don’t want to be on my own.’

‘Of course you can,’ I smiled. She
looked like that lost 11 year old I first saw dangling off a swing in the
playground at Rowleys all those years ago. ‘Before you ask they’re clean fresh
sheets, I put them on while you were sleeping.’

‘Thank god, just tell me you still
have pyjamas? I draw the line at sleeping with you naked. You roll over and one
of those tits will have my eye out.’

‘Bloody cheek,’ I giggled giving
her a playful punch on the arm. ‘Like I’m not going to have to spend the night clinging
to the edge of my mattress to avoid you and your bloody six foot arms and legs
thrashing around.’

‘I don’t thrash.’

‘Yes you do. Last time we shared I
ended up with a massive bruise on my leg where you kicked me.’

‘Well you snore,’ she retorted.

‘O god, Gabe said I did. I thought
he was joking. Why haven’t you ever said something? Is it really bad?’

‘No, it’s really cute, more like
contended gentle breathing. Used to help me drop off to sleep in the dorm,’ she
grinned.

We sorted ourselves out in the
bathroom and Lexi went to get changed as I pulled out my pyjamas sighing. I
felt so constricted in them, but she needed me tonight. We climbed into bed and
I grabbed my phone and sent Gabe a quick text.

Dear Gabriel. I thought
I’d better keep you updated in case you panic, which I’ve noticed you tend to
do, I’ve just climbed into bed. See you in the morning. Sweet dreams, of me I
hope!

I set the alarm  on my phone for seven
forty five and before I’d even lain down it vibrated.

Thank you, I do worry
about you and like to know you’re safe. As for my dreams, I’ve dreamt of
nothing else since I first saw you. I miss you already. YOUR Gabriel x

I smiled and turned off the light.

‘What the hell’s that noise?’ groaned Lexi as my
alarm woke us both up.

‘Sorry, Gabe’s meeting me for a run
this morning.’

‘What time is it?’

‘7.45.’

‘You’re getting up at 7.45 on a day
you have the morning off? Jesus it must be love.’

I hit her with my pillow. ‘Lust Lexi.
It’s serious lust. I’m going to get some coffee to wake me up, do you want
some?’

‘Noooo, I want to go back to sleep.
Can I stay here I’m all cosy.’

‘Of course you can. Let me grab my
clothes and I’ll get out of the way. I should be back by ten.’ I groaned as I
stood up, my arms and thighs were killing me. I pulled my black hipster yoga
pants out of the drawer and peaked out behind my blind. It looked like it was
going to stay dry, but didn’t look very warm so I decided to layer up. I put on
my black sports bra, with my red crop sleeveless sports top and grabbed my red
zipped hoodie and my trainers.

I headed into the bathroom to get
changed and brush my teeth, brushed my hair back into a high ponytail and went
to the kitchen to make a coffee. I felt tense and gently moved my neck and
shoulders back and forth. I was trying to be all calm, considerate and
supportive over this thing with Lexi, but I was so furious at her for having
been so stupid. Now she was going to have to make a really tough decision that
could affect her for the rest of her life.

It was going to take a lot of
self-control to not give her a lecture. I’d be better off in the gym with a
punching bag to get out some aggression rather than bloody running. I looked
into my room at her and she’d gone back to sleep, so I figured I’d go and wait
outside to save the intercom waking her up. I quietly shut the front door and
zipped up my house keys in my pocket and headed down the stairs, as I opened
the lower door I nearly fell over him sitting on the step.

‘Jesus Gabe, you’re bloody early
again
,’
I snapped. ‘You’d better not have buzzed, Lexi’s still asleep.’

‘Well good morning to you too and
no, you said 8.30, I was waiting until then to buzz,’ he said as he stood up
and looked at me puzzled.

‘God you’re so bloody perfect
aren’t you?’ I scowled.

‘Ok, obviously someone’s got out of
bed the wrong side. What have I done to upset you?’

‘Contrary to what you may think,
not everything in my life’s about you Gabe.’ The words tumbled out of my mouth without
me thinking and I saw the hurt look on his face, which he quickly tried to
conceal. ‘God I’m sorry Gabe, I just have a lot on my mind. I shouldn’t take it
out on you, it has absolutely nothing to do with you.’

‘Do you want to talk about it?’

‘Honestly? I really don’t thanks.
Can we just get going? Some fresh air will do me good.’

‘Apology accepted, but I’m not
going anywhere until I’ve had a kiss, I’ve not seen you in over twenty hours.’

He pulled me into him by the waist
and held the back of my head as he kissed me slowly and deeply. It was just
what I needed to melt away some of my frustrations. God, he could make me
forget my own name the way he kissed. I responded as I moulded into his body
and wrapped my arms around his neck. It was only the sound of a passer-by
hollering ‘
Get a room’
that roused us from our embrace. I blushed and he
laughed.

‘So, are you ready? Trust me baby, once
the endorphins kick in you’ll feel so much better.’

‘I already feel better,’ I smiled
as he smoothed a strand of hair behind my ear.

‘Where’s your water?’

‘I haven’t got any.’

‘Please tell me you’ve at least had
a decent breakfast?’

‘I had a coffee does that count?’

‘Mia,’ he chastised. ‘You need to
start looking after yourself better. Right we’re going to warm up with a fast
walk to the newsagents to get you a bottle of water and a banana. Then we can
stretch and run around the park and I’ll take you for a coffee and a muffin at
Starbucks. How does that sound?’

‘Will we still have time for sex
after all that?’

‘Trust me, I’ll always make time for
sex with you Mia Page, you never need to worry about that. Come on let’s go
before I change my mind and drag you back to bed now.’

He wasn’t wrong about a fast walk,
this was my idea of jogging. By the time we got to the newsagents I could feel
the glow on my cheeks. Gabe hadn’t even broken into a sweat. I leaned on the
wall to catch my breath as he went inside. He came out a few minutes later with
a water sports bottle for me and a banana as promised and made me eat it.

‘O god,’ he groaned.

‘What?’ I mumbled with my mouthful.

‘The way you’re eating that, you’re
turning me on.’

‘Is there anything that doesn’t
turn you on?’ I exclaimed.

‘Nothing where you’re concerned
baby,’ he smiled taking my hand. We walked around the corner and through the
black park gates and found a bench just inside the entrance.

‘Right, follow my lead,’ he said as
he went through a series of calf, thigh and arms stretches culminating in
bending over to grasp his ankles. This time it was my turn to groan, I hadn’t
seen him bending over like that since the first Monday.

‘What?’

‘Now you’re turning me on waving
that delicious backside of yours in my face. Can we please run before I drag
you into the bushes?’

He grinned and we started running
along the pathway that followed the river through the park. It was nice to feel
the cool breeze in my face and to hear the sounds of running water and chirping
birds. I started to relax as we ran side by side silently. We’d been running
for about 20 minutes when I really started to feel it. Sweat was trickling down
my back and between my breasts and my fringe felt all damp. I could tell that
Gabe wasn’t running at his normal pace, he’d slowed down to mine and I felt
bad.

‘Stop a minute, stop,’ I gasped as
I reached out and grabbed a large oak tree for support. I unzipped my hoodie,
removed it and tied it round my waist and leaned back against the tree as I
caught my breath. ‘God I’m sorry, I’m slowing you down, I just need a few
minutes and then I can go again. Why don’t you go on without me?’

‘No way. I’m not leaving you behind.’

‘You were going to run for an hour,
so go another ten, fifteen minutes without me before turning back. When I meet
you coming back we can do the last leg home together.’

‘I’m not going without you,’ he
moved up to me until his hips were touching mine and kissed me.

‘Gabe don’t I’m all hot and sweaty.’

‘I like you hot and sweat, you look
sexy as hell,’ he replied as his finger traced the beads of sweat running down my
throat and cleavage. His other hand was on my hip, his thumb stroking the side
of my bare stomach.

‘I know that look. You have an
erection don’t you?’

‘Yes,’ he grinned, grinding his
pelvis into mine to prove it. ‘I can’t possibly run any further until it’s gone
down. So what can we do to kill time?’ he asked as he slid a hand into my knickers.

‘Gabe stop, people are everywhere.’

‘So, just kiss me. We’ll look like
two people snogging against a tree, they’ll never know what I’m doing to you.’ His
fingers reached my clit and began to stroke me as I looked around me in horror.
There were other runners out and a few people strolling past with dogs or
prams, but the more I looked at them going about their business while Gabe’s
fingers worked on me, the more turned on I got.

‘Good, you’re already swollen and
wet, this won’t take long,’ he murmured in my ear. I grabbed his shoulders as I
pushed my lower back off the tree towards him and spread my legs a bit further
apart, he immediately pushed his fingers up into me and I groaned loudly.

‘O my god, I can’t believe I’m
letting you do this to me here.’

‘Do you want me to stop?’

‘No, don’t stop, not now.’

I slipped my tongue into his mouth,
to give me something to quell my need to scream out his name, as his thumb worked
on my clit and his fingers slid in and out of me. I could feel his erection
knocking against my stomach. I kept my eyes closed as I kissed him, it was
better that I couldn’t see anyone noticing what he was doing to me. The thought
of someone knowing and watching though turned me on even more and I felt the
familiar inwards pull of my muscles as I started to climax. I pulled my head
back away from him and panted heavily as his fingers moved quicker and quicker.

‘Come for me baby, come now,’ he
whispered as he nibbled my ear. The minute his lips reached my neck I exploded
and shuddered against him, biting his sweatshirt to stop the noises of
satisfaction that were trying to burst out from me. We stood like that for a
few minutes as I got my breath and composure back. I lifted my head and looked
over his shoulder and saw a young man approaching walking a white Scottie Dog. My
body tensed as he drew level and I felt Gabe kissing my neck again, the fingers
of his right hand still inside me.

‘Morning,’ nodded the guy with a
smile.

‘Morning,’ I replied over Gabe’s
shoulder watching him for any hint that he know what was going on, but he
simply walked on past. Gabe leaned back and smiled at me as he withdrew his
hand and sucked his fingers.

‘Hmmm,’ he groaned as he sucked. ‘You
have a lovely pink glow when you’ve come, I love it.’ He kissed me then grabbed
my hand and began to walk off the path down towards the river.

‘Where are we going?’

‘I still have an erection that
needs some attention and I thought you might repay the favour somewhere a
little less obvious.’

He led me down the steep slope to
where the ground flattened out a bit before it hit the water’s edge. There was
a beautiful weeping willow, just like the one on campus and he parted the branches
that were hanging to the ground and led me inside. It was so sheltered under
the canopy, as the breeze caught the leaves the branches gently swayed, giving a
glimpse of the river and park on the outside. Gabe pushed me up against the
tree and we kissed hard. I grabbed his sweatshirt, spun him around and pushed
him back into the tree and slid my hands up under his t-shirt to feel his
delicious stomach and chest. As I began to caress his nipples, I ran a hand
down and gently stroked him through his joggers, before moving inside.

‘You’re wet for me too big boy,’ I
whispered.

‘God, the way you say big boy,’ he
groaned.

I pushed his trousers and boxers
down under his buttocks and then slowly from his stomach down to his upper
thighs and stood back to admire the picture in front of me. It really was
amazing to look at. His large toned thighs, his slim hips, stomach and waist
showed off every muscle that he had, defined within an inch of their life. I
looked at his face, so full of longing and lust and went to him, kissing him
again, as I gripped his shaft and worked it as hard and fast as I could. I
could hear voices in the distance, but I didn’t care. He began to groan and
thrust into my hand as my tongue worked in his mouth and he caressed my breasts
through the material of my top.

‘Now I want you to come for me,’ I
whispered as I kissed his neck and ran my hand along the base of his hairline,
which I’d already worked out he loved.

‘O god,’ he groaned. ‘Harder, grip
me harder.’ I did as I was told and moved my spare hand down to caress his
naked bottom. His skin was so soft and smooth, he was just so perfect. ‘God I’m
coming, don’t stop Mia, I’m coming.’

My wrist was throbbing, but I
carried on as hard and as fast as I could and felt his hand join mine to
tighten my grip even further. As I felt his body stiffen, I took a few steps to
lean into his side, my right hand stretched across his stomach as he flexed and
streams of fluid pulsated out of him onto the grass. He groaned loudly and I
dropped to crouch at his feet and took him in my mouth as the latch few batches
spewed out. I grabbed my water and stood, swigging some back to help me swallow
him down, as he pulled up his boxers and joggers and adjusted himself. He pulled
me to him, clasping my face and peppered it with kisses.

‘You’re the best girlfriend ever
Mia Page,’ he sighed making me smile. ‘Are you ready to run again? I don’t want
to miss our scheduled session.’

‘The thought of having you back
inside me is all the incentive I need to run all the way home Gabe.’

‘Then what are we waiting for? Sod Starbucks,’
he said as grabbed my hand. We worked our way out of the tree and back up the
bank and started to run back home. We got back just after half ten and I had to
sit on the outside step to catch my breath before even thinking about the three
flights of stairs. I was soaking wet and not just in the crotch area, my arms
were glistening. Gabe stood with his hands on his hips breathing deeply, he’d
hardly broken a sweat at all, he was super fit. He ran his hands through his
hair and looked down at me smiling.

‘Come on. You need to cool down
before our next exercise session.’

He palmed the outside wall and
stretched out each leg one by one. I followed suit and we worked our way
through his regime. When we were finished my breathing was back to normal and I
unlocked the bottom door and we headed upstairs. I indicated to him to be quiet
as we crept into the apartment and I peeked around my bedroom door, pulling it
back shut quickly.