Remember

Chapter 8

I heard the doorbell ring and I was too busy helping my mom in the kitchen to answer it. So Jake got up from watching the sports channel to answer the door. 

"Hello sir." I heard Ares say 

"Ares nice to see you again." Said Jake

My parents knew Ares unofficially from gatherings at Jenna's parents, but never had they actually had a one on one with him up until now. Ares had just moved in with Jenna from his dad's back before the last school year ended so we didn't know much about him. 

He rounded the corner to the kitchen. He had a bouquet of flowers in his hand. 

"Hello these are for you." He handed them to my mom. 

"Oh how lovely these are. Thank you Ares." 

I stood like a dumbfounded love struck puppy. His eyes were very green today, and he wore a black short sleeve button up and dark blue jeans with his skater shoes. He looked so handsome and I was doing a bad job at showing my parents that we were just friends.

"Hey Emma." I looked up at Jake, he pointed to the corner of his mouth, "You've got a little you know." 

I gave him a look of annoyance because he was making fun of me already by indicating that I was drooling over Ares even though I wasn't. 

"It smells really good in here." Said Ares 

"Its a thing we do every Sunday. Waffles, sausage, and eggs." Explained my mom 

"Did you make the waffles?" He asked me 

My mom laughed, "Emma is bright, but she lacks her moms cooking skills." 

"I usually end up burning them or something else so I am stuck doing the clean up, but today I made an attempt to cook the eggs." 

Jake leaned over to Ares, "Word to the wise, skip the eggs." 

"Dad!" I yelled 

"Jake stop embarrassing her." Warned my mom to him 

Ares laughed, "Thanks for having me over." 

"Sure anytime, well... you gentlemen ready to eat. Emma?" 

We all sat at the table. I sat next to Ares and my mom and Jake sat across from us. 

Ares hadn't taken two bites before Jake started with the questions. 

"So how old are you?" 

"Dad...I already told you. He is 18." 

"Right, so does that make you a senior?" 

"Sort of. I am home schooled because I moved a lot with my dad due to his job. I am technically in college right." 

"Oh wow so you must very disciplined." Asked my mom 

"I guess you have to be." Said Ares 

We continued to eat, and as I had predicted no one touched the eggs, not even Ares. I wasn't mad just hated myself that I couldn't get the hang of cooking no matter how hard I tried. 

"So you and Emma are friends." 

"Yes sir." 

"What kind of friends?" 

"Dad!" I yelled in embarrassment 

"Jake?" Growled my mom 

"What? I was a teenage boy once." 

"Let the young man eat his food in peace before you start grilling him." Scolded my mom 

Jake rolled his eyes and continued to eat. 

I could see the silence was brewing anxiety. 

"How are the waffles?" I asked him 

"They are great. I haven't had homemade waffles in a very long time." 

"My mom makes the best waffles." I said smiling 

"Did you see Casey this morning?" Asked my mom to Ares

"They were still asleep when I left." 

"Oh probably stayed up too late." 

"Probably." Agreed Ares 

"So what do you like to do for fun?" My mom was asking Ares the simple questions, "Emma said you guys went swimming once." 

"Oh yeah that was fun, um I guess just the typical teenager stuff. I like video games, music, and being outside." 

"Do you play any sports?" Jake asked 

"No like I said I moved a lot so joining a sports team was sort of impossible, but I like watch sports sometimes. Hockey is my favorite." 

"Emma plays lacrosse and softball." 

"I didn't know that." He turned to me, "I'll have to come watch you play one day." 

I smiled, "Yeah sure that would be nice." 

Jake coughed, but it wasn't a normal cough. It was a warning cough. 

"Alright out with it?" Snapped my mom to Jake 

"What did I do?" He asked with a mouth full of food

"I know you've been dying to give the young man the third degree." 

"Well am I the only one who doesn't agree to this platonic relationship? I mean he is 18 and she isn't 16 yet." 

"I'm practically there Dad and besides I don't know how many times I have to tell you we are just friends." 

"Look Emma, it might seem all innocent at first, but things happen and our bodies change." 

I put my hands into my face to hide my embarrassment. 

"Please stop." I begged, 

"Jake honestly." My mom said 

"Ares you seem like a nice young man, but." 

"If I may add my two cents into all of this before we get ahead of ourselves." Said Ares, my parents both stopped and waited for him to speak. 

"I understand how nervous you two may be by our relationship which is very much platonic. Emma has strong values and morals as do I and I would never take advantage of her innocence that way because you have to remember Jenna is younger than Emma and I'd be equally, if not more frustrated, if someone were to take advantage of her. I respect Emma and value our friendship. I would not risk jeopardizing what we have in order to gain one stop pleasure for myself." 

I almost choked on my orange juice because of how brutally honest he was. I turned to Jake who looked as if he had been defeated in a debate and my mom who had the look of shock in her face then quickly relaxed. 

"Well I guess that settles that." She said and continued eating. 

I turned to Ares and saw a wild look in his eyes. He smiled at me and I couldn't help but just stare in fascination by how he handled that. 

After breakfast Ares and I went to my room. 

"Yours is bigger." I told him 

"I like yours its cozy." 

"That it is." 

I had pictures of boy bands, a collection of stuffed animals on my bed that Casey made fun of me for, my pink desk, a TV on my sticker covered dresser, and my night stand that had a lamp and a picture of my mom and I when I was little. He reached over and picked it up. 

"Adorable." He said 

"Thanks." 

"I like your parents." 

"They are a bit over protective. My mom doesn't want me to end up a teen mom like she was and Jake is a worry wart." 

Ares laughed, "They love you." 

"I know." 

He sat on my bed and was quiet. I watched him and waited for him. 

"I need to tell you something. Something very important." 

"Okay?" I was worried now 

"How hard would it be for you to sneak out tonight and meet me at the watering hole." 

I smiled, "You just gave my parents the best brutally honest response about being respectful and now you want me to sneak out." 

"Yes." 

"Ok I'll do it." 

"You will?" 

"Whats the worst that can happen? They ground me?" 

"I...guess...maybe." He gave me a curious look 

"Cool I've never been grounded before." 

"You are so interesting." 

"What time?" 

"Right after they go to bed." 

"That is about 7:30 so I'll sneak out about 8." 

"Alright then. I'll see you tonight." 

Casey was staying at Jenna's again so I didn't have to worry about her ratting me out and she was always sneaking out my window since it was the farthest away from our parents. I had it all planned out in my head and I wasn't going to lie if wasn't nervous because I was. 

The window was easy to open and I climbed out carrying my backpack with a towel and some other essentials. I already had my swim suit on just in case we decided to go night swimming. 

I had grabbed a flash light from the garage earlier in the day and waited until I was far enough away from my house before I took off running and shined the light to guide me. My parents were heavy sleepers and I had seen on a movie this girl stuffing pillows underneath her blankets to make it look like she was there. I had a few stuffed animals that helped me with my great escape. 

I got to the watering hole and didn't see anyone around. 

"Ares?" I called out 

It wasn't silent as I could hear the toads croak and the crickets chirp their nightly tunes. Finally I heard something fall and thump behind me. I turned and there was Ares jumping down from a tree.

"You trying to scare me?" I asked 

"No...never." He smiled, he was wearing a tight fitted black t-shirt and the same dark jeans from earlier, but his hair was messy like he just rolled out of bed. 

"So now that I have ultimately committed a teenage crime by sneaking out. What is it that you wanted to tell me lol." 

"Its more like show you, but I need you to promise me you won't tell anyone."

I was skeptical and I snorted, 

"Ok." 

"This is important Emma. To me it's very important. I need your finger." 

I didn't question why and held out my hand watching him carefully take it into his and pick the finger of his choosing. 

He brought out a small pocket knife and sliced my finger carefully. I whined at the pain, but he was very serious and meticulous at what he was doing. 

"Do you Emma swear to keep my secrets...our secrets." 

"I do." 

He in turn cut his own finger and I watched carefully. 

"Close your eyes." He said 

and I did without hesitation. 

I could taste it. Something unnatural and I felt it as if it was becoming part of me whatever was going on. It was a sensation that tingled in my body and covered me in warmth. 

"Do you trust me?" He whispered and I could feel how close he was to me as I could feel him his breath on my face. 

"Yes." I whispered back 

"Open your eyes Emma."