+a short story: kissing you
He pulled his sunglasses low, and touched one hand to his temple to scratch his stubble. The back patio table was secluded, which was important. The sun was glaring brightly, but it's power was diminishing almost by the second. Nightfall would be upon them any second. She tapped his shoulder lightly, her sylish dress riding just shy of her knees. Brian raised his eyes to meet hers, and for a brief second neither spoke. Then words came out in a flurry.
"No one saw you, right?"
"Does she know you're here?"
"April, you didn't see any cameras, did you?"
"How did you ever sneak out?"
"Is the hotel booked?"
Between the hurried, panicky words, elation was evident. "No one saw me, no cameras, hotel is booked." She beamed at him. "Suite fourteen, at the Florida Ivory Hotel, booked for one night to a certain April McDonnugh."
Brian sighed a relaxed sigh. "Thank God. Leigh thinks I'm still in Sweden. As far as she knows, I don't get home until tomorrow."
"Shall we, then?" April extended her slender hand to Brian. He stood up, and they checked quickly for restaurant staff. Upon the realization that none were present, April slipped through the wooden railing that surrounded the patio. Brian followed suit. They removed their shoes, and, still holding hands, half-ran, half-walked down the beach towards the pier.
Brian rubbed his stubble incessantly, unable to become accustomed to the thinly grown beard. His temporarily mud-brown hair was becoming, atleast length-wise, reminiscent of Nick's. 'Free sample' the optomitrist's sign had advertised. So now, 'no perscription' colour contacts had turned his rich blue eyes to a ruddy greenish brown. He looked nothing of himself. Which, they both knew, was the plan. Finally, he slowed his jog to a walk, and pulled her into his arms.
She inhaled the scent of his rich cologne, the only thing familiar about him. "Lord, I missed you so much."
He pressed a gentle kiss against her forehead, before staring into her greyish eyes. "And you know that I missed you even more." Brian snuggled his head into her shoulder, and smelled the warm shampoo. She only ever used Head & Shoulders, and it had become his favorite smell in the world. "I love you, April."
April clucked her tongue chastisingly. "Now,now, mushy stuff comes later." She rubbed his shoulder. "But, I love you too."
And, ever so slight, but obvious, Leighanne flashed before his eyes. Brian tried to shake away the guilt, for their relationship was crumbling. In fact, it was crumbled. It had fallen apart so long ago, the two of them just too afraid to admit it. He knew it, and he was sure that she knew it. Leighanne was also more than likely out with some other guy.
Just as Brian was, and had been out with some other girl every week for the past year. April. His affair, his only blissful affair. She had lured him in, and he was hers, hook, line and sinker. Of course, he wanted April, and she wanted him. Their relationship was private, but it was rich and exotic, and she brought pleasure into his life. He, in turn, gave her the only thing she wanted. Love. They knew each other so well, that words were not needed.
Yep, Brian assured himself. Leighanne isn't even thinking about me right now
+at the same time
Leighanne stared at the vacant space in the bed. The soft, blue pillow that usually had Brian's head on it. The percale sheets that had been exposed to all the love they had. She missed him desperately, and was counting the minutes until he arrived home the next afternoon. Nine hundred and forty. Nine thirty-nine," she corrected herself. The moonlight illuminated the room, and she couldn't sleep.
The wind blew gently outside their house. Leighanne could remember the day she'd found it, nestled in the outer rim of Atlanta's necessities, but far enough away from the public that she and Brian could maintain a fair bit of privacy. With it's wraught iron gate, and tall white stucco fence, it was protected. And so was she. But he wasn't here, and nothing would matter until he came home. In nine hundred of thirty-two minutes.
Time crawled by. Leighanne strongly suspected that any day now, any day soon, he would get down on to one knee and pull out a velvet box. 'Canary yellow,' Brian had always promised. 'No ring but one with a canary yellow stone shall sit on my bride's hand.' That was what he swore, each time someone asked him. Of course, the public didn't know that. Only she did. And April.
But, April was in the past. It had been nearly four years since April and Brian had broken up. They had dated all through highschool, and for two years post-highschool, Leighanne knew. But other than that, Brian didn't say anything about her. He had never even mentioned a last name. It didn't matter much, however, because Leighanne was safe in the assurity that Brian was hers. 'For all time', he always promised. 'Kissing you.'
The doubt lingered, however. Nick had called that night, asking her if Brian was home. 'No, he's still in Sweden with you.' Those had been her exact words. Still in Sweden. Those were also Brian's exact words. But Nick had sworn that Brian, just like each and every Backstreet Boy, had flown to Orlando the previous night. And, he had borded a connecter flight to Atlanta right after.
But that coudn't have been. Nick must have been mistaken. Leighanne pulled Brian's pillow into her arms, hugging it tightly. "Nick is mistaken," she whispered aloud. Brian was still in Sweden, recording the fourth Backstreet Album. Maybe he had a stayover. Maybe he's looking for a ring, she thought optimistically. But, deep down, something else tugged at her mind.
Just like the time after her trip to Georgia. After she'd discovered an unfamiliar bra in the bed, Brian had said that he'd purchased it for her. Only it was one cup size too small. He'd written it off as a simple mistake. She wasn't so sure. With a lonely sigh, Leighanne closed her eyes for the millionth time that night. "Where are you, Bri?" she asked the silence. "Why aren't you with me?"
+
Pride can stand a thousand trials
The strong will never fall
But watching stars without you, my soul cried
Heaving heart, it's full of pain
Oh, oh, the aching
'Cause I'm kissing you, oh
I'm kissing you, oh
Touch me deep, pure and true
A gift to me forever
'Cause I'm kissing you, oh
I'm kissing you
Where are you now?
Where are you now?
'Cause I'm kissing you
I'm kissing you, oh
But are you kissing me too?