Wednesday Romance

Chapter 8
The final rays of daylight filtered dimly through the trees. Shadows surrounded us like a thick blanket. I followed Vernaun, wondering where exactly he was taking me. I’d heard stories about the meadows and stream in this forest but had never been there. My stomach fluttered with excitement.
When Vernaun stopped, I looked around. My eyes widened in surprise. Not because of the pure splendor of the area but because I had expected something else. The trees were thick and knarled with knots. Not a single tree within my vision stood straight and tall. They hunched over with branches extending to their neighbor trees as if they were holding hands and embracing. It almost looked like one of the trees was smiling. From an artistic point of view, it was beautiful.
“What do you think?” Vernaun looked at me with anticipation. Was he really that eager to please?
“I’ve never seen anything like it before.”
Vernaun beamed. “This is my favorite spot.” He walked a couple paces to the left to a tree that extended about knee level like a bench. He sat down and patted the space next to him.
I walked over and carefully sat down. I feared that the bough would break under our combined weight, but it didn’t even flex when I sat beside him.
“Do you bring girls here often?”
“I can’t very well have a special spot for ever one.” He gave me a toothy smile.
I had to admit he had a point, no matter how unromantic it was.
Looking around, the night pressed in around me, and I shifted on the log. “What do we do now?”
He chuckled. “We could hold hands and talk. Or I could steal a kiss.”
That got my attention. I turned wide eyes on him as my heart hammered in my ears. “I don’t normally kiss on the first date.”
His smile almost disappeared in the dark. “I was under the impression that you didn’t date much.”
A lump formed in my throat, and my voice came out a little strained. “I don’t.”
He leaned closer and my natural instinct was to lean away. His smile made me feel like a rabbit trapped by a hungry fox.
His voice had taken on a strange silkiness to it. “Then how would you know if it was okay for me to steal a kiss?”
I opened my mouth to speak, and a strangled gurgle escaped my throat, so I closed my mouth and scooted further away. “Why do you want to kiss me? You didn’t even know me before today.”
“Does that mean I can’t like you now?”
“N…no, but….”
He was leaning closer. I was leaning away, and I knew that at any minute I would fall over backward off the branch – not like the last time I was this close to him and feeling delusional and romantic.
I ungracefully shimmied away from him and stood. I took a deep breath and turned to face him. “Because I’m new to this, I’d rather take things a little slower.”
He stood and clasped my hand in his. “But, Andy, you know me.”
I took a deep breath, gaining confidence from the span that now separated us. “Yes, but you don’t know me. And I’m not the person you think you know. I’m just a nerd. A reclusive nerd.”
He smiled. “I’m patient.” He lifted my hand to his lips, and a silly giggle bubbled in my throat.
His eyes danced as he looked at me. I had the distinct idea that he was silently laughing at me. And why not? There were not many girls as inexperienced with relationships as I was.
“Come on.” He took my hand and pulled me back through the trees.
~ * ~
I could see the orange glow of the fire through the trees before we reached the bon fire. The noise of the singing campers floated through the air. On any normal night if I showed up to camp fire late, I was either with Wes or Stacie or by myself. And I stayed in the back of the group. Arriving late with Vernaun, he pulled me to his typical spot at the very front of the group. People scooted over and squeezed to make room for us. Well really they made room for ‘The Wall.’ But, because I was with him, they made room for me, too.
Vernaun received smiles and sly glances. I received glares and scowls. They didn’t bother me much. I just ignored them. But after I sat and looked around, I saw my friends. Stacie smiled in that conspiratorial way of hers. Zack’s eyes danced with amusement, but otherwise he appeared to be bored. Aubrey looked mad enough to through handfuls of fire in my face and not even notice the damage done to her own hands.
And then there was Wes. At first he refused to look my way. But after a few minutes of staring at him, he finally looked my direction. He smiled, or at least I think he tried to. His lips thinned with a hint of what his smile normally was. His eyes didn’t twinkle, and I knew that he probably was feeling replaced and a little betrayed. I gave him my best smile, and he nodded. I knew I should have told him earlier about my encounter with Vernaun, but I couldn’t change that now. Undoubtedly Aubrey filled him in. I could feel a great weight press heavily on my chest. I had no desire to lose Wes’ friendship over this. I committed myself to seek him out when this was over.
Vernaun squeezed my hand. I couldn’t help but smile at him when he wiggled his brows at me. Perhaps Vernaun wasn’t the guy I had always imagined I’d end up with. I understood that the reason he even knew about my existence was simply by chance. Still, I enjoyed the giddy, fluttering in my stomach when I was with him. It was an amazing adrenaline rush. I could definitely get used to it.
~ * ~
“Thank you for a nice evening, Vernaun. I had a good time.”
He chuckled. “Is that what you think you’re supposed to say at the end of a first date?”
I could feel the heat rush to my cheeks.
He chuckled again. “I know you’re not planning to give me a good night kiss, but what would you say to a hug?”
My eyes widened and my stomach flipped. Was a hug okay or too intimate?
He moved closer to me, and my feet betrayed my instincts by sticking to the ground like they were glued there. His arms came around me and pressed me tightly against his chest. A warm fluttering feeling coursed through my body. My hands moved up and sat awkwardly on his back. He smelled of some kind of cologne mixed with camp fire smoke. It was a strangely alluring combination. But part of me wondered why he didn’t get eaten alive. If I thought he smelled nice, surely the bugs did too.
I stepped away from him, and he grinned. His hand went to my face, and I resisted the urge to step away.
“I really like you, Andy. I hope you’ll let me take you out again.”
I nodded. You know that nod you make when you’re slightly stunned? That was the kind of nod I gave him. Therefore, I didn’t realize he had leaned in again and pressed his lips to my cheek. He pulled away with a smile and tweaked my chin, then walked away into the night.
I sighed like a silly high school girl then shook my head. I didn’t know what had come over me, but I was getting mushy over a date with ‘The Wall.’ I turned and walked onto the porch of my cabin. I stopped when I heard steps behind me.
“I didn’t think I’d ever see you stoop low enough to date ‘The Wall.’”
I turned and faced Wes as bravely as I could. “His name is Vernaun.”
“He’s a slimy leech.”
“He’s sweet and romantic. And he smells good.”
Wes scowled. “He dates a different girl every week and flirts with half the females at camp.”
I folded my arms across my chest. “That doesn’t make him a bad person.”
“You don’t like him.”
“Maybe I’ve changed my mind.”
He shook his head. “I thought you were different.” He walked off the porch.
“Wes, wait. Please don’t be upset.”
He turned. “Andy, I can’t stand by and watch you throw yourself at that guy. You are too good for him.”
“What’s wrong with a summer fling?”
His eye brow lifted. “Is that what this is? I didn’t know you had summer flings.”
I shrugged. “Why is it so wrong for me to see him? I haven’t dated much. Okay, I haven’t dated anyone since Jason. But if I don’t try it again, how will I know what I’m looking for when I find it?”
Wes sighed. “Vernaun will hurt you every bit as much as Jason did. Maybe more.”
My heart squeezed at the thought but quickly warmed at his concern. “I’ll survive as long as I always have you to help me put my life back together.”
He nodded, but didn’t look up.
I had never seen Wes look so defeated. I touched his arm. “Please, Wes, I don’t want to lose you over this. If it comes down to your friendship or dating someone, you know I’d choose our friendship.”
He looked at me with a sad smile. “I’m just worried about you, Andy. I care for you too much to watch you get hurt like that again.”
I smiled. “I know. Thank you.” I threw my arms around his neck and buried my face in his neck. Wes smelled so different from Vernaun. He smelled like smoke and pine and sweat. For some reason, I preferred it but I didn’t say anything. I just relished the comfort I felt from his embrace.
He pushed me gently from his arms, and I couldn’t read his face. “You need some sleep. I’ll see you in the morning.”
I nodded.
He walked to the next cabin and smiled at me before he went inside. I waved and then turned toward my own cabin.