One Final Time

Les lay on his back, Pink Floyd filling his blazed brain as well as his room, Jess lay on the bed beside him, stoned as well. They'd been hanging out fairly regularly since that day they met at the mall and went to Mickey's house. Their schools were fairly close and a bus ride was the shortest distance between their destinations. With eyes mostly closed, Les felt the nearness of her, could feel her soft breathing by his side, and found himself growing excited. She let out a sigh beside him and he turned to face her.

“Um, Jess,” he began, brokenly. “There is something I've been meaning to ask you.”

Jess turned on her side to face him.

“Yes?” she said, her blue eyes getting large and sparkly. “What is it?

“Well, when we were with Mickey that one time, the first time,” he began. “You said something that was, I don't know, kind of weird.”

“Yeah, what?”

“Well, he asked if we were together,” he began. “And, you said that we just got together.”

“Yeah, so?”

“So, I mean, why?” Les wanted to know.

“Well, um, see Mickey always liked me and I really don't, so I just said that to, kind of, get him off my back for awhile,” She said quickly. “That's all...I mean, I didn't mean to offend you or anything.”

“Oh so,” Les started, then stopped, then began again. “So, you didn't mean anything by it?”

“Like what?” Jess said, innocently.

“Like do you like me, you know?”

“As more than a friend?” Jess asked.

“Um, yeah...,” Les trailed off.

“Maybe,” she smiled and turned over on her back, but kept her head turned towards him. “What about you?”

“Maybe,” was all Les could say and he felt the urge increasing inside of him to kiss her. She smiled at him, invitingly. “So, what now?” he began and then Jess leaned over and let her lips touch his barely before pulling away.

“So, maybe that's more than maybe,” she smiled, pulling away. “Maybe I liked you since camp, you know.”

“Wow,” was all Les could say, smiling. Then the phone rang. He didn't move to answer it. It rang three times and Les could hear his mother in the other room answering it. A few minutes passed it seemed, and then they heard her calling for him.

“Les, phone for you!”

Les got up slowly and moved towards the door.

“I'll be right back,” he said, smiling in what he hoped was a seductive fashion at Jess. She nodded in return and rolled over on her side, her eyes closed.

Les padded down the hallway in his socked feet and into the kitchen, where his mother held the portable phone in front of her. He took it from her, hoping not to appear to stoned, in a silent thank you.

“Hello?” he said into the speaker. A tiny girlish voice answered his.

“Um, hi,” was all it said. It took a full minute for Les to register the familiarity of the voice during which time his heart started racing, in excitement as much as confusion. Finally, he said,

“Ruby?”

“Um, yeah,” she began. “I finally called you, sorry its been so long, I've been...busy.”

That was only partially true, Ruby was thinking, mostly she was just too nervous to call him. What if he didn't feel the same?

“Hi,” he smiled into the phone at last but then he remembered Jess and looked towards his room down the long hallway. “Well, how are you?”

“I'm doing fine,” she began. “So...um, you?”

“Yeah, good,” he started, and then moved towards the sliding glass door, opened it, and stepped out into the early spring evening coolness. “Sorry, I'm just really baked right now.”

“Oh, its okay,” she said. “Just wanted to know if you wanted to hang out sometime or...”

“Um, yeah, yeah, I'd like that.”

“So?”

“So?”

“Um, when?” Ruby finally asked.

“Um, you know, I'm kind of busy right now with school and...stuff, so I'll call you, okay?”

“Um, okay, sounds good,” Ruby began and then remembered, “You have my number, right?”

“Yeah, I think so and if not, I'll just call you,” which sounded reasonable to Les but Ruby asked, “Wait, how, what?”

He saw his error and then said, “Um, yeah give it to me.”

He moved back into the warm kitchen and dining room linoleum floored rooms and grabbed a pen and paper.

“Are you ready?” She asked and he gave a “Uh-huh” as the affirmative. “Okay, its 857-9128, you may have to dial 1 first, so...”

“Got it,” Les said and then fell silent. Did he want to get off the phone with her? Could he think of anything more to keep her on the line? His mind raced while he realized Jess was waiting for him, on the bed, for what? Where was that going anyway? Finally he breathed out, “So, I'll call you soon, okay?”

“Sure thing,” she answered. “Bye now.”

They hung up and Les returned the phone to hits holder and walked back into the room. Jess was sitting up on the bed and smiled up at him when he entered.

“So, who was that?” she wanted to know.

“Oh, it was Ruby,” he answered and sat beside her.

“Oh,” was all she said. They were both silent and the Pink Floyd CD changed its song. Jess walked over and turned it down, stared at him for a few minutes with her arms folded.

He looked over at her, not sure what, if anything, was wrong or if he did anything or even what he should do if he had. He waited in what seemed like forever.

“Do you like her?” Jess finally broke the awkwardness. Les looked up at her, confused, because he didn't really know the answer to that.

“How do you mean?” was all he could say.

“Well, do you like her more than friends or...,” Jess began and let her words trail off.

“I don't know,” was all he could answer.

“Well, maybe you need to figure that out,” she said and grabbed her bag and headed out the bedroom door. So, was that it? Should he follow her? Let her go? His stoned brain was reeling with all that had happened, his heart in confusion. He got up and followed her out the front door, to the walkway. She turned and looked him over.

“Just call me, when you get things figured out, okay?” then she turned and headed down the block towards the bus-stop.   

Linger