something.” Landon kissed my shoulder and then my neck, dragging
his nose up to my ear and whispering softly, “I’m going to miss you
so much.”
I smiled, thrilled to hear he would miss me like I’d
miss him. “Okay, I get the whole rigorous training, which you will
rock, by the way, and male bonding business. But why aren’t you
allowed to bring your cell phone? What if an emergency
happens?”
Landon’s chuckle made his lungs vibrate against me,
which in turn caused a warm sensation to spread through me. “Thanks
for the vote of confidence, Em. The camp has a landline and all the
parents have the number. The coach and our parents can get in touch
with each other if there is an emergency. The biggest rule of all,
though, is no outside calls. No girlfriends, no buddies, no
distractions. It’s football—twenty-four/seven.”
“Hmph. That doesn’t sound like much fun. And then
what? You head right to IU?” I stuck out my lower lip in a pout.
Like a five year old. I pouted. What the hell?
Landon laughed loudly. “You are so cute.” He kissed
me, coaxing my lips open and darting his sweet tongue into my
mouth. My body went slack at the taste of him, the feel of him, the
drugging effect his kisses had on my body. “I will check into
housing and then drive back home to see you. I’ll need it. I’ll
need my short stuff fix.” He kissed me again, moving my back
against the wall and running his hand down the front of my body.
Even in the ninety degree room, I shivered.
“You don’t have to, you know, come back. I mean, if
you’re having fun and you don’t want to. I understand, Land.” I
kept my eyes closed, shielding myself from his probing gaze. It
seemed he could read my eyes like a book, after one short
summer.
“I don’t have to what? See my girl? Yeah, I have to.
And I want to. I’m crazy about you.” He kissed my cheek, then the
tip of my nose, my other cheek, and finally my lips as I smiled
shyly.
“Okay. If you’re sure.”
“Never been surer of anything.” Landon clutched my
hand and we headed back out to the pool to finish our last day
guarding together before the dreaded reality of life set in.
The next day, I drove to the pool gloomier than I had
felt in months. Last night we had finished working and then made
out in his truck, on my couch, and against my front door until the
last possible minute. He had to leave for Bloomington or he’d miss
the team bus. I’d never let him miss out on his dreams, not for me.
He promised to call as soon as camp was over. He told me he wanted
to visit every chance he could. As crazy as I was for him, I had my
doubts.
I remembered how easy it was to fall into the college
routine. He would head back to IU to party and play football and I
would, hopefully, join the working world. He’d be busy every day
with practices, classes, and hanging out with his friends. It would
become easier and easier to forget to call or text me. I knew this
and he would too soon enough. Not that my understanding made it
hurt any less. My heart was heavy, but I had always lived my life
without blinders on. I knew what was on the horizon.
I’d only been at work for an hour when my mom called
me frantic. I had a job interview—in two hours. I sped home,
changed into my one and only interview suit, grabbed my portfolio,
and was on my way.
As I drove to Zionsville Academy, the nerves really
kicked in. This was a high school position, which I really didn’t
want because of my age, but I needed a job and school started in
one week. It was this or nothing.
I entered the dark, cool foyer of the school and took
a steadying breath. There was something about the smell of a
school—particularly a high school. It was the smell of reams of
paper, mixed with smelly gym socks from the gymnasium, and the
grease from the school’s cafeteria. Oh, and B.O.—always the smell
of teenage body odor.
I could do this. I needed to do this for my family. I
entered the office,
his nose up to my ear and whispering softly, “I’m going to miss you
so much.”
I smiled, thrilled to hear he would miss me like I’d
miss him. “Okay, I get the whole rigorous training, which you will
rock, by the way, and male bonding business. But why aren’t you
allowed to bring your cell phone? What if an emergency
happens?”
Landon’s chuckle made his lungs vibrate against me,
which in turn caused a warm sensation to spread through me. “Thanks
for the vote of confidence, Em. The camp has a landline and all the
parents have the number. The coach and our parents can get in touch
with each other if there is an emergency. The biggest rule of all,
though, is no outside calls. No girlfriends, no buddies, no
distractions. It’s football—twenty-four/seven.”
“Hmph. That doesn’t sound like much fun. And then
what? You head right to IU?” I stuck out my lower lip in a pout.
Like a five year old. I pouted. What the hell?
Landon laughed loudly. “You are so cute.” He kissed
me, coaxing my lips open and darting his sweet tongue into my
mouth. My body went slack at the taste of him, the feel of him, the
drugging effect his kisses had on my body. “I will check into
housing and then drive back home to see you. I’ll need it. I’ll
need my short stuff fix.” He kissed me again, moving my back
against the wall and running his hand down the front of my body.
Even in the ninety degree room, I shivered.
“You don’t have to, you know, come back. I mean, if
you’re having fun and you don’t want to. I understand, Land.” I
kept my eyes closed, shielding myself from his probing gaze. It
seemed he could read my eyes like a book, after one short
summer.
“I don’t have to what? See my girl? Yeah, I have to.
And I want to. I’m crazy about you.” He kissed my cheek, then the
tip of my nose, my other cheek, and finally my lips as I smiled
shyly.
“Okay. If you’re sure.”
“Never been surer of anything.” Landon clutched my
hand and we headed back out to the pool to finish our last day
guarding together before the dreaded reality of life set in.
The next day, I drove to the pool gloomier than I had
felt in months. Last night we had finished working and then made
out in his truck, on my couch, and against my front door until the
last possible minute. He had to leave for Bloomington or he’d miss
the team bus. I’d never let him miss out on his dreams, not for me.
He promised to call as soon as camp was over. He told me he wanted
to visit every chance he could. As crazy as I was for him, I had my
doubts.
I remembered how easy it was to fall into the college
routine. He would head back to IU to party and play football and I
would, hopefully, join the working world. He’d be busy every day
with practices, classes, and hanging out with his friends. It would
become easier and easier to forget to call or text me. I knew this
and he would too soon enough. Not that my understanding made it
hurt any less. My heart was heavy, but I had always lived my life
without blinders on. I knew what was on the horizon.
I’d only been at work for an hour when my mom called
me frantic. I had a job interview—in two hours. I sped home,
changed into my one and only interview suit, grabbed my portfolio,
and was on my way.
As I drove to Zionsville Academy, the nerves really
kicked in. This was a high school position, which I really didn’t
want because of my age, but I needed a job and school started in
one week. It was this or nothing.
I entered the dark, cool foyer of the school and took
a steadying breath. There was something about the smell of a
school—particularly a high school. It was the smell of reams of
paper, mixed with smelly gym socks from the gymnasium, and the
grease from the school’s cafeteria. Oh, and B.O.—always the smell
of teenage body odor.
I could do this. I needed to do this for my family. I
entered the office,
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