The Town of Winchester

The room falls silent for a moment and then erupts with cheers.

“Encore! Encore! Encore!” Every cheers in unison.

Our eye contact remains, and Gaby grabs my neck and pulls me in again. I feel my body starting to get hot and the feeling of wanting more starting to become more predominant. We pull away from each other, knowing that what just happen was more than just an innocent kiss. I had always thought Gaby was beautiful, and there were times that I felt something more than a friendship, but I pushed those feelings away because I knew how strict her parents were… and mine too for that matter.

My parents always dreamed of me marrying a wealthy man and having kids. Gaby’s parents wanted her to have an arranged marriage and they were already scouting out a man for her. We could never work. I never was interested in woman, or any other woman for that matter, but there was something about Gaby that I just couldn’t shake. It was like she had this power over me that I couldn’t explain, and I always wanted to protect her. After kissing her everything made sense. I couldn’t deny it any longer… I was in love with her. I never knew if she felt the same way about me because we never talked about it, but I saw the way she looked at me sometimes and I knew that there was something more.

“Damn! She doesn’t even kiss me like that!” Brett yells, jokingly.

Gaby and I pull away from each other and sit back in our spots. The game plays on, but all I can think about is that kiss. Her kiss. It’s like a cloud is around me and everything is a blur. The rest of the night stays that way, a blur. I don’t remember being with Chris, talking to anyone, playing any more games. All I can think about is Gaby and her lips on mine. The night comes to a close and couples start heading into bedrooms. I don’t want to be in bed with Chris… I think of the excuse I can use to not have to sleep with him.

“Are you ready to go to sleep, babe?” Chris asks as he puts his arm around me.

“I’m not feeling that well… is it okay if I go back to Gaby’s place? I think I drank way too much. I’m sorry, please don’t be mad.” I say in a sweet voice, hoping to make is sound convincing.

“Sure thing, Kay. Do you need anything? Water? Aspirin? I can go to store if you need me to.” God, Chris was such a sweet guy. I wish I felt something for him.

“Thanks, hun.” I give him a peck on the cheek and hug him. Then I head off to find Gaby. I am about to turn the corner and overhear her and Brett talking.

“Babe, I want to go home. I don’t feel good. I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?” She says to Brett.

“Okay, if you say so babe. I just want to make sure you’re okay. See you tomorrow, drive safe. Love you.”

I hear them kiss and I quickly move away from the edge of the doorway so that Gaby doesn’t know I was listening. I approach Gaby and ask her if I can stay with her tonight, and it’s like she read my mind as she grabs my arm and pulls me to her car without a word. I wish that I could read her mind exactly, but deep down I already know what she’s thinking.

The car ride home is silent. No music, no words, just a silent drive that seems to take an eternity. We finally pull into her driveway and make our way towards the front door. Gaby looks for the house key on her keychain and I see that she’s struggling, as her hands are shaking. I don’t ask why, because I already know. She slides the key into the lock and steps inside with me trailing behind. Her parents are asleep, and the house is dark and quiet. I go into her bedroom and sit on the edge of the bed and stare into the abyss while Gaby goes into the bathroom. I don’t know how long she was in there for. My mind is in the clouds and my thoughts are racing faster than cars during the Indie 500. I feel Gaby’s hand touch mine and it snaps me out of my trance. Before I can say or think anymore more, she grabs me once more and our lips collide. This time is different though. We’re not surrounded by friends, we’re not pressured into it, we don’t have anything stopping us. We want this. I want this. She wants this. I slide backwards towards the headboard and Gaby follows with one hand on each side of me and her lips remaining locked on mine. I slide my hands up her sides and lift her shirt over her head. My hands touch her skin and chills run down my spine. She motions for me to take my shirt off, and I comply without hesitation. Our bare skin touches and the passion intensifies. I take her lip with my teeth and as I’m about to slide my hands down her body she rips away from me with a brutal force, and I hear her cry out. I’m taken back and when I open my eyes, I can’t believe what I see. Gaby’s mother has thrown her across the room, and her father is standing in the doorway with his mouth wide open. My eyes get wide and before I can open my mouth to speak, I feel a hand come across my face with force so great it could’ve broken a window. My vision blurs for a moment and when I refocus my sight sets on Gaby’s father, whose come across the room and is standing in front of me.

“Don’t touch her!” Gaby yells as she gets up from the floor and lunges towards her father.

“Get out of this house! Now! You’re a terrible influence on our daughter and a disgrace! You’re a disgusting sin and I never want to see you near this house or my daughter again! Now get out before I lay my hands on you again!” I’ve never heard Gaby’s father shout like this before. I grab my shirt and run out her bedroom and down the stairs. I fling open the door and put my shirt on while running down the street, tears streaming down my face and my heart shattered. I know that they will tell my parents… and then what? Boarding school? I don’t even want to think about the consequences I’ll face when I get home. What about Gaby? Maybe I should just run away. I can’t do that; I’d never make it on my own at this age. Before I know it, I’ve ran all the way home. I’m not even tired. I have so much adrenaline and fear running through my veins right now I probably could have run a full marathon and not even been short of breath. As I walk up the driveway, I notice the lights are on. The lights are never on this late. They know.

I take a few deep breaths and brace myself for the wrath that I am about to face once I walk through the door. I open and close the door gently, silently hoping that they are both asleep and just forgot to turn the lights off. I walk into the kitchen and they are both sitting at the bar, my mother with her head in her hands and my father with his arms around her, sobbing. My father looks up to meet my eyes and sadness overwhelms me. I have never seen my father cry, and when I see his face it looks like he’s been crying for a while. His eyes are bloodshot, and his face is swollen.

“How could you?” He asks lightly. “How could you do this to us?”

I want to respond but I can’t speak, it’s like words just won’t come out. I mean, what can I say? I can’t lie and say it was an accident or that I was drunk, because it wasn’t an accident and I mostly sober, well sober enough.

“Answer me, damnit!” He raises his voice and slams him fist to the countertop.

“I love her!” I scream the words uncontrollably. I see that he’s taken back and so am I. I can’t believe I just said that, and neither can they. My mother’s head darts up at the speed of lightening.

“That is nonsense! There will be none of that in this house! We did not raise you this way! You go upstairs and think about what you have done and the effects it will have on this family, and we will talk about this in the morning!” My mother says in a way that makes me feel a deep sense of guilt.

Without saying another word, and before they have the chance to say anything more, I turn and quickly head to my bedroom. I leave a small crack in the door and listen to them talk.

“What are we going to do? I know what her parents said, but I don’t know if that is the best idea.”

“We need to do as do. They know what is best, and I think their plan is our best chance at fixing them both. This stops now and will not go any further. I will go to the bank tomorrow and take out the money from the savings.” My father replies, his voice is stern and serious.

“Okay, right. That is what is best.” My mother adds, and she breaks down again into a heavy sob.

I hear her cries move further away and their bedroom door close. I get up from the floor and move to my bed and lie down staring at the ceiling. What are Gaby parents and my parents planning? A part of me is scared and another part curious. My eyes are increasingly growing heavy from crying all the way home and I feel them growing heavier, and before I know it the sun is shining through my bedroom window and it’s morning.