You and I Were Born to Die

John runs his fingers down my side. He smiles at me and for the first time in a while, I feel like I could do this forever. I smile and roll away from him. “Don’t look at me like that. I have to go to work soon.”

He rolls into my back and wraps his arms around me, “No, don’t go.”

“Sorry Champ, no one else is going to pay my rent.” I slide off the bed and wiggle into my jeans. He follows suit, pulling his shirt over his head.

“Why don’t you just move in with me?” I slow the rate of my dressing. He notices and turns to me. “I mean we’re getting married anyway...”

I pick up my hair brush, keeping my back to him. Any sense of certainty I had minutes ago fades away. “Right, yeah,” I turn and smile at him, “I’ll think about it.”

“That’s my girl,” he kisses me from behind and walks towards my door, “I’ll see you later, yeah?” I nod and smile as he exits.

***

“What do you mean you haven’t thought about it?” Naomi asks me as we set up for the lunch shift, “Who the fuck are you? You’re like an alien.”

I laugh, “I’ve just been busy I guess. It’s not like we have the money for a lavish wedding anyway.”

“Just ask his parents for it.”

I shoot her a look, “You of all people should know that’s not an option.”

“What about the Hamptons?” She hands me a freshly rolled napkin of silverware. I place it in the bucket.

“Have you not been listening to me at all?”

“No I have... My parents own a house down there, but they hardly ever use it. I think they bought it just to have something to talk about.”

“Naomi, I couldn’t do that.” I pick the bucket of silverware up. Naomi follows me.

“I’ll call them tonight.” I shoot her a look as I set the bucket down. “If they agree will you at least go check it out?”

I raise my eyebrows, “Yeah, sure, but good luck with that... What was it they called me the last time they were around?...Your poorly dressed...”

“Harlot neighbor,” she finishes my sentence.

“Right...” I start the restaurant's music, a hip beat echoing in the room.

She smiles, disappearing into the back, “You’ll see!”

***

I lay on the couch in my apartment, sprawled out asleep after the afternoon of too many customers and too little tips. There’s a knock on the door and I twitch, hoping it will go away.

Another knock, Hutton yells from his room. I muster the will to get up and answer it, wondering what he could be so preoccupied with. I swing the door open to see Naomi and sigh, walking back to the couch “Couldn’t you have just called? Or texted?” I plop back down.

“I got my parents to agree!”

I perk up a little and turn towards her, “What?”

“Yeah, they said it was fine.”

“There’s no way.” I make myself comfortable on the couch, dismissing it.

“They’re probably buttering me up for something, but who cares? We have to go tonight though.”

“Right, whatever, we’ll go tomorrow.” I mentally roll my eyes.

“No, tonight,” she rolls me back over, “Come on, get your stuff together, call John,” she pushes me into my room, “Oh, and call the best man. I want to see what I’m working with.” She winks and leaves me to pack for the weekend.

***

An hour later, we’re on the Jitney, confidently traveling into the night. John by my side, Alex next to Naomi in the row behind us. John’s fingers slide between my thighs, making their way toward the hem of my shorts.

I shake my head and give him a sympathetic smile. He brushes it off, leaning his head back and closing his eyes. My forehead thumps against the glass of the bus window. My mind races, but I eventually doze off...

He pushes me against the wall, his hand anxiously yanking off my panties... I pant his name into his open mouth as he pushes his way into me...

Alex....

I startle myself awake, the yellow light now illuminating the bus as we enter the Hamptons.