Unrealistic

9. She Made It More Beautiful

I look around and all I see are smiling faces.

“Ummm… sure,” I say shyly, “but please don’t have really high expectations. I have never had lessons.”

“This isn’t American Idol!” Jeremy, the drummer, shouts.”You’ll be fine!”

I hear sounds of encouragement and all I can do is smile awkwardly. Marie changes the subject to talk about the next charity event, and for the first time I’m grateful she opens her mouth. The rest of dinner is just small talk and once we pay for the bill we get up to leave for the course.

I get into the car and immediately turn on Patrick.

“Why would you mention me as a replacement for Susan??” I ask him.

“Because you’re really good,” he says, “what’s the big deal?”

“Patrick! You can’t just volunteer me for things without asking me,” I say frustrated. 

“All you have to do is sing a song with the band,” Patrick says, ignoring my scowl. “If you don’t like it, then I won’t bring it up again.”

We stare at each other for a moment, and I cave.

“Fine, one song.” I say firmly.

We get to the course a little down the road and head in. Everyone’s in line getting their balls and putters.

“Patrick, you’re really good at this,” says Marie. “Can you help me pick out the right putter?”

You’ve got to be kidding me.

“Sure!” Patrick says.

He’s either acting oblivious or he’s the most dim-witted guy in the park. I pick out my putter, on my own, and a bright red ball and join the others who are ready to head to the first hole. Patrick and Marie are the last ones to come up.

“Hey I have a red ball too!” Jeremy says acknowledging mine, “Don’t you go mixing them up on me! I’m not a pro or anything, but I’m not half bad.”

“Well I’m really bad,” I assure him. “So I doubt our balls will ever be that close.” 

He laughs and sets his ball down on the plate. He hits it and it barely misses the hole.

“Not half bad?” I say impressed. “You’re swindling us!”

Everyone laughs. Jeremy is newer to the group but he’s so outgoing that he is easily liked. After everyone takes their turn, I am last to go. I place the ball down and tap the ball. It barely makes it halfway to the hole.

“Let’s hope your singing is better than your putting!” Jeremy shouts and the group laughs.

“Ha! Ha!” I say laughing too. 

We continue to play and most of the group ends up splitting off with the better players ahead, including Patrick and…. Marie. 

What a fake, I can’t help thinking. For someone who couldn’t pick out a putter a few moments ago, she sure was playing a decent game.

Brian and Lacey, who are also dating, stay behind with me. I don’t think it was for lack of skills as it was for a lack of attention to the game. They were so wrapped up talking and giggling with each other that they barely tried hitting the ball. I have to admit they’re really cute together. Surprisingly, Jeremy is in our half of the group as well.

“What happened to your pro status?” I ask him as we attempt the 7th hole. 

“Oh I always stroke out after the 5th hole,” he says, hitting his ball. “Those windmills always get me.”

I laugh but I doubt his poor playing skills.

“You go to Lannister with Patrick don’t you?”

“Yeah, we actually have a few classes together.”

“You play anything other than drums?” I ask, between our turns.

“You mean sports?” he asks.

“Yeah.”

“I play basketball at Lannister, I’m surprised Patrick hasn’t mentioned that.”

“Oh! You’re on the team together?”

“Well, not exactly,” he says. “I’m on Varsity.”

“Oh!” I say. “That’s awesome! You just started there this semester, that’s impressive.”

“Thanks,” he says. “I never realized I was such an impressive guy.”

He winks at me and I just smile back. I know he’s being friendly and it’s part of his personality.

“Hey looks like I’m part of your group now,” I hear Patrick say as he comes through the rock cave ahead of us.

“What happened bro?” Jeremy asked, “You started stroking out too?”

“Yeah,” Patrick says. “I’m off my game today.”

For as long as I’ve known Patrick, he’s never had a bad game. I wait for everyone to sink their balls before I attempt to finish the hole. 

“Having fun?” Patrick asks.

“Sure,” I say as I concentrate on hitting the ball around the wooden obstacle.

“You guys can go ahead,” Patrick says to the group. “I’ll hang back with Sylvia.”

They all look at me to make sure they can move on.

“Yeah go ahead,” I say. “You know I might be a while.”

They laugh and walk to the next hole.

“So why are you getting rid of everyone?” I ask, hitting my ball into the hole.

“Thought we should talk,” he says.

I wonder if he’s caught onto the fact that I’m annoyed with Marie. I grab my ball and we start walking. When we get to the cave he grabs my hand and pulls me to the side where there’s a resting bench.

“So you’re just going to flirt with someone right in front of me?”

“What are you talking about Patrick?”

“I’m talking about you and Jeremy,” he says. “I’m not the only one here who noticed.”

“Let me guess, Marie?” I say crossing my arms.

“Her and the others,” he says crossly.

“I’m so sick of her!” I finally say out loud. “She likes you Patrick and you’re an i***t if you can’t see that.”

“She doesn’t,” he says. “She’s been talking about some guy at your school she likes.”

“Sure,” I say rolling my eyes. “She’s been flirting with you all night.”

“Well I haven’t been flirting back,” he says trying to keep his voice down. “But you, you’re practically throwing yourself all over Jeremy.”

“I am not!” I couldn’t keep from yelling. “If you actually talked to the guy, you would know he has a girlfriend from his hometown.”

He doesn’t say anything.

“I didn’t even want to go on this group date,” I say exasperated. “I wanted it to be just us. Why would I flirt with some guy when I just wanted to be with you tonight?”

He sighs and takes my putter and ball from my hands.

“Let’s go,” he says.

“I’m not in the mood to play anymore,” I tell him.

“Me neither,” he replies. “I’m saying let’s leave.”

“Oh.”

He puts the balls in his pocket and grabs my hand and leads me back to where the rental counter is. He places the putters on the counter and we walk out to the car.

“Shouldn’t we tell the others?” I ask when we get in the car.

“I’m texting Brian now,” he says. “He’ll let the others know.”

“Where are we going?” I ask.

“To another one of my favorite spots.” 

 *          *          *

We pull up to an empty clearing surrounded by trees. If it weren’t for his Xterra, I don’t know if we would have been able to get through the rocky path. He parks the car and leans back his seat to take in the view through the sunroof of the night sky. 

“Where are we?” I ask, astonished.

“You can’t tell now because it isn’t spring, but it’s a meadow,” he says.

I look around and I can only imagine how beautiful this place would be with flowers going in every direction. 

“How do you have all these secret spots?”

“My dad, really,” he says. 

I immediately regret asking. Patrick’s dad died three years ago in an explosion while on tour in Iraq. 

“I’m sorry he isn’t here,” I say.

“It’s okay,” Patrick says with sadness. “He was always exploring and looking for new adventures. We used to spend the weekends looking for a new place.”

It makes sense now. All these beautiful places. 

“He used to take my mom to every spot we find and set out a picnic,” he reminisces. “He always told her she made it more beautiful.”

“I remember how happy they looked together at church,” I say. 

“Yeah, I want what they had,” he says. “I think we can have that.”

I don’t know what to say but I know I want to be here for him. I lean over and grab his face and I gently kiss his forehead. He covers my hand with his and he sighs deeply.

“I think I love you.” 

My heart stops and I don’t know what to say. I really care for Patrick. 

“I don’t know how I feel,” I try to say. “But I think I might love you too.”

“That’s enough for me right now,” he says looking into my eyes and smiling.

His eyes are glazed and I can tell he’s fighting the sadness. I kiss his lips and he wraps his arms around me and lifts me onto his lap so my legs straddle him. He hungrily kisses up my neck and it leaves a trail of heat. Our lips find each other and a thought occurs to me. I slip my tongue into his mouth and mimic what Andy did to my palm.

“What was that?” Patrick says holding me back.

“You don’t like it?” 

“I don’t know… it’s different,” he says with a bit of grimace on his face.

“It’s french kissing.” I say with a shrug.

“I know what french kissing is Syl,” he remarks, “I just want to know why you’re kissing different all of a sudden.”

“We’re doing a lot of things, different, lately,” I point out, “I was just in the moment, is all.”

He looks at me with a concerned look.

“Do you mind if we just kiss like we normally do?”

I’m a bit embarrassed thinking maybe I didn’t do it right. 

“Yeah,” I say looking down. “I’m sorry.”

“Hey,” he says lifting my chin and kissing my lips, “I just think we shouldn’t change what’s working for us.”

He kisses my lips again, and pulls me closer to him so I have to steady my hands on his chest. He unbuttons the cardigan I’m wearing and exposes my midriff.

“Do you mind if you save this only for me?” he asks, caressing my stomach, sending warmth through my body.

“Yeah, of course,” I say without thinking. 

I am his girlfriend, after all.

“Good,” he says as he firmly grasps my sides. 

He pulls me against him and I feel his hardness between my legs. He moves one hand up the small of my back and I feel his fingers make its way under the back of my top. He reaches his other hand behind my neck and gently pulls me into a deep kiss. 

I can barely breathe as the sensation of his hardness against my s*x takes over my senses. I’m grateful for our clothes because I feel my arousal pool between our bodies and I’m too exhilarated to question it. 

I gasp for air as he hungrily kisses up my neck again. I can’t think. My body feels like it’s in overdrive. My hands are tangled in his hair as he kisses down to my clavicle. I can’t take it anymore.

“Patrick,” I gasp, “You’re driving me crazy.”

He stops and looks into my eyes. I can barely make out the color of his eyes from the moonlight but I can make out his smile.

“I can’t help it,” he says. “You smell amazing.”

I realize the air smells different. Between the perspiration of our bodies and our arousal, it’s like an incredible perfume has filled the car. I adjust myself on top of him and something hard rubs against my inner thigh.

"What is that?" 

He fumbles into his pocket and pulls out our golf balls from earlier.

"Oh I forgot to return these," he says as he holds them up for me to see. "Hey grab me the sharpie from the glove compartment."

I climb off of him and feel a wetness between my legs.

“Oh crap,” I say, as I get back into my seat. 

“What’s wrong?” he asks.

“It’s nothing,” I say quickly. 

I grab the sharpie out of the glove compartment and hand it to him. I watch him write something on each ball and after closing the cap, he hands me his purple ball. I see our initials "PC + SB" with the date written underneath.

"January 8th?" I ask him.

"Yeah," he says, "The day we almost say 'I Love You.'" 

I watch him smile, examining his handiwork on my red ball. He pockets it and I can't help but think it's sweet that he wants to remember these moments in our relationship.

“OH!” he says suddenly. "We’ve got a bit of a drive back. We gotta go.”

He puts his seat back to a comfortable driving position and starts the car. I can see little bugs dancing in the headlights as he turns the car around and heads towards the hidden path back to the main road. 

I remember now what I was worried about earlier as I adjust myself to get more comfortable. I think I may have peed myself and can't wait to get home. 

*          *          *