Suburbia cont. | Kaytlen Bennett

Before she knew it she was slipping out the back door and climbing over the short fence. What am I doing, she thought but that did stop her. She reached the back door, her heart was pounding. She knocked. Moments passed. Maybe he didn’t hear? What am I going to do when he answers the door? She began to turn back around when she heard the door knob turned. She turned around. There in the doorway was Breckon with his shirt off, his hair was wet. “Hey, I didn’t expect you to be here. I was just getting out of the shower, sorry it took so long. Aren’t you supposed to be at book club or something like that?”

“Ya, I left early. I was getting fumigated. I’m sorry to bother you, I just had to get away, I probably should go.” She turned and started walking away.

“Would you like to come in?” Ashlee stopped, turned and looked into his eyes and smiled. She followed him into his kitchen. Boxes were stacked on the table; cupboards were opened and partially full of plates and cups. The air was musty. ”Welcome to my humble home,” he said with a smile. She followed him into his living room. Dusty white sheets covered the couches, a few boxes sat on the floor, opened. Inside, Ashlee saw many worn and well-read books. Breckon sat down on a couch, dust flew into the air. “You can sit down if you want to, you might get dust on your pretty dress,” he said sarcastically.

“It’s ok I hate this dress anyways,” she said as she sat down next to him with a puff of smoke. Awkward silence followed, Ashlee didn’t know what to say.

After a minute or two, Breckon broke the silence, his voice was quiet, “I, I can’t stop thinking about you. Ever since I saw you yesterday, every moment is spent thinking about you. I barely even know your name. I know nothing about you but it seems like I’ve known you a very long time.”

Ashlee turned and faced him. He smells so good, she thought. She felt warm. Her heart fluttered as he looked deep into her eyes. “I know what you mean. I’ve been overtaken by thoughts of you and honestly I don’t mind,” but before she could go on speaking, he kissed her. Thoughts were lost. Unspoken words were spoken, hearts were fused, feelings were shared in just one kiss. When they pulled apart, their hands clasped each other as they sat staring into each other’s eyes.

“You were saying?” Breckon said with a smile.

“I’m sorry, were we talking,” Ashlee said with a cheesy smile. From there they talked for about two hours. Ashlee learned that Breckon had moved there from a big city 30 minutes outside of Duroville, called Lilington. He was a senior at the local university there, he’d been studying to become an English teacher when his grandmother, Mrs. Jones the widow, passed away. He was the last living relative, he was an only child and his parents had died about six years ago and he had no aunts or uncles, so naturally he inherited her house along with a small sum of money. He waited to finish the school year before moving there. He was 22.

Ashlee looked outside and saw that all of the cars were gone from the front of her house. “I should go, it’s getting late,” she said worriedly. She stood but Breckon grabbed he hand and pulled her back. He stood, brushed her hair off of her face and kissed her again. “Really I should…” Kiss. “My mom’s probably worried…” Kiss. Slowly they made their way to the front door, kissing the whole way there. “I really need to go, but I don’t want to.”

“Then don’t.” Ashlee was lost for words she actually wante to stay. She felt herself falling for Breckon more and more by the second, this frightened and excited her all at the same time.

“Meet me at your window, we can try and talk then. I really must go; they’re probably worried about me. I’ll come back when I can.” After a long kiss goodbye, Ashlee slipped dazedly out of the front door and made her way to her house. She glanced back and saw Breckon peering out of his living room window.

When she walked in her house, her parents were sitting in the living room. Mr. Petersen was reading the newspaper in his usual chair and Mrs. Petersen was talking busily on her phone with one of the ladies from book club. “Hey sweetie, dinner is on the table,” her mom called as she walked past.

“It’s ok, I’m not hungry,” Ashlee said as she hurried up the stairs. When she made it to her room, she locked her door. Breckon’s light was already on; she could see him sitting on his bed starring at her window. He saw her and walked to his window and opened it. “One sec,” Ashlee called. She hurried into her closet and grabbed a pair of gym shorts and a t-shirt and ran into her bathroom to change. She threw her dress on her bed and ran to the window. “Sorry, I had to get out of that awful dress.” Breckon laughed.

“Is it creepy that I miss you?” Breckon called.

“No, because I feel it too, I feel like you’re so far away even though you’re just right there.” Thoughts in Ashlee’s head began to spin. A plan formed. She told Breckon that she was going to sneak out after it got dark. She had to be with him again. Being without felt alien and strange, it was like she’d been with him her whole life and was now being torn away from him.

A few hours later the sun set, Ashlee waited until she head her parents retire to their bedroom. She silently crept down the stairs, avoiding the second one from the bottom because it squeaked. She made her way outside through the back door, over the fence, and to the door. Breckon answered the door quickly. He greeted her with a kiss.

They sat for a minute or two in his kitchen just holding each other. He grabbed her hand and took her up the stairs to his room. They climbed onto his bed and sat there holding each other. Ashlee felt at home in his arms, she never wanted to leave. Words were useless as they laid there. She could feel his heart beat as she laid there on his chest. Sleep slowly came upon them. Tonight sleep was perfect.