Just Like Heaven (8 page)

She knew that at some point she would have to broach the subject of Duke but she didn’t want to. She felt that if she mentioned it, she would burst the bubble which was their relationship. If Arthur did just see her as a temporary fixture in his life, she’d rather not know and just enjoy what time they did have left together.

But at the same time she was better than that, and deserved to be with someone who was in it for the long haul.

“You’re quiet tonight,” Arthur whispered to her during the movie, his arm draped casually across her shoulders, a large carton of salted popcorn nestled snugly between them. Normally Demi loved popcorn but tonight she could barely touch the stuff as each time she ate some she wanted to wretch. She assumed it was just her nerves getting the better of her.

“I’m watching the movie,” Demi answered, pointing towards the screen.

“The movie sucks,” Arthur scoffed, and to be fair, it did. “You can’t even look me in the eye.”

“Yes I can.”

“No, you can’t. Something’s wrong, what is it?” Arthur felt panicked by Demi’s behavior. She was distant and each time he went to break that distance between them he was certain he saw her flinch, as though repulsed to be touched by him. He hoped that it was all just in his head but he couldn’t be sure. She wasn’t acting like herself; she hadn’t been for a while.

“Nothing is wrong,” Demi lied.

“Demi,” he said his voice soft and soothing. He wanted her to confide in him, to trust him.

“Arthur…” Demi sighed, not wanting to discuss this here. The theatre was relatively empty but it was still a public arena and Demi hated any public disputes between couples. It was so vulgar to discuss the intimate details of their relationship in front of other people.

“Just tell me,” Arthur urged, leaning over the popcorn to squeeze her hand.

Tears made Demi’s eyes glistened as she tried desperately to hold in what was troubling her so much but despite her best efforts it all came tumbling out.

“You’re going to Duke!” she declared and watched Arthur’s eyes widen in horror. “Where does that leave us? What does that even mean for us? Am I just some fling?” Beside herself with emotion Demi got up, knocking the carton of popcorn to the floor and not caring as the kernels darted off towards the giant screen at the front.

“Demi, please…” Arthur tried to hold her back, to make her sit down but she shrugged him off and fled from the theatre.

In the garish lights of the foyer she felt foolish as her eyes moistened and a lump formed in her throat. Why had she said something? She should have just left it. Now she’d ruined everything.

She felt nauseous as usual but fought the urge to throw up and instead went to stand outside in the evening air which while hot, contained a gentle breeze. Outside the theatre she realized that Arthur had driven them there, meaning that she was stranded. She knew she’d have to call her Dad to pick her up, which would worry him, but what other choice did she have? She could call Hayley…

“Demi!” Arthur came striding out of the theatre looking agitated and confused. It wasn’t the first time a girl had stormed out on him at the movies; Shelly Dibbans had when she found out Arthur had been dating her sister Sheliah at the same time, so he had deserved that outburst, but he treated Demi well, better than any girl he’d previously dated, so had been surprised at her reaction.

He anticipated that when they did eventually discuss schools and their future that she’d be upset but he never imagined it would be to this degree. With a twinge in his heart, he realized that her pain and upset was because she loved him, and it hurt him to see her like that because he loved her too.

“Demi, please don’t be mad, I’m sorry.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Demi cried.

“I’m sorry, I should have. I just kept…putting it off.” Arthur explained.

“But why?”

Demi noticed how other couples entering the theatre were eyeing them warily but she no longer cared. The hurt and pain inside her had blinded her to anything else.

“Because… I didn’t want to spoil
this
!” Arthur said, reaching out and gently stroking her cheek. “What we have is so wonderful and I felt that to discuss the future would ruin it.”

“Because we have an expiration date?”

“No, because ultimately we will be apart from one another and it will crush me. You are going to Georgia anyway, so you always knew you’d be leaving. Why are you so mad with me? Surely you didn’t think I’d just stay here in Collinswood. I have dreams too.”

This made Demi felt guilty and she looked down to the sidewalk and wished the ground could somehow open up and take her away from this uncomfortable situation.

“I’m… I’m just hurt that you didn’t tell me.”

“That’s fair enough, I should have told you,” Arthur admitted, opening his arms so that Demi could fall in to them.

“How will this work when we are so far away from one another?” Demi queried, inhaling his musky scent of cologne and perspiration and knowing that nothing would ever smell quite as good.

“It will work because we love each other,” Arthur answered confidently. And at that moment he truly believed that love could conquer anything, including distance and time. All those love songs he’d heard growing up finally made sense to him. Demi meant everything to him and he’d do anything for her.

“I feel sick,” Demi noted as the breeze carried the scent of fresh nachos from inside the theatre.

“You look a little pale.”

“I’ve not felt so great the past few days,” Demi admitted.

“I should get you home.”

“But I don’t want to go home, not yet. I want to stay with you always.”

“Okay, so where shall we go?”

“How about Hanglough Lane?” Demi suggested, her tone flirty and Arthur tightened his embrace around her, knowing what she inferred.

Hanglough Lane was more commonly known in Collinswood as Make-Out Lane as it was a secluded stretch of road, up on a hillside where barely any traffic passed which made it an ideal spot for horny teenagers to park and have some privacy together.

Demi had heard tales of what went on up on the Lane but had never been. Arthur on the other hand had regularly taken girls up there on a date but had never presumed to take Demi, feeling that she deserved to be treated more like a lady. But it excited him that she wanted to go up there and the prospect of what they would do.

####

Parked atop Hanglough Lane Demi felt a nervous thrill of excitement rush through her. She no longer felt sick…instead she felt dangerous and alive. She couldn’t wait to tell Hayley that she’d been there, but then she knew she wouldn’t as what happened between her and Arthur was sacred and private.

“So, here we are,” Arthur said as he turned off the ignition and the car fell silent around them.

“It’s so quiet up here,” Demi noted.

“Yeah, it is,” Arthur tried to make it sound as though he were also surprised and had never been there previously.

“I don’t want this summer to end,” Demi admitted to him.

“Me neither,” Arthur whispered as he leant over to her and they began passionately kissing. Demi embraced him and let him have all of her, knowing that she would never again love anyone as much as she loved Arthur Cooper.

####

“You’re back late,” Demi’s Dad noted as the came through the door. She looked flushed and her hair was slightly dishevelled which alarmed him.

“It was a long movie,” Demi gave as an unconvincing excuse.

“Hmm,” her Dad wasn’t buying it but he also didn’t want to pry too much in to his teenage daughter’s private life. It was new and uncomfortable territory for them both but he knew he had a responsibility to ask more as he had to assume the role of both mother and father.

“So how are things with Arthur?”

“Good,” Demi replied awkwardly.

“You two are getting quite serious. I hope you are taking the relevant…precautions.”

“Dad!” Demi shrieked turning crimson red.

“I’m sorry to ask sweetheart, but as your Dad it’s my responsibility to make sure you are being careful.”

“I can’t believe we are having this conversation!” Demi gasped as she tried to leave the room but her father stood solid in the doorway which led out of the kitchen.

“I just need you to be careful, sweetheart. I know you think you love this boy but you don’t want to get landed with him for the rest of your life.”

“What does that mean?” Demi asked angrily.

“It means that you’ve got your whole life ahead of you. School and your future career as a nurse, you don’t want to jeopardise it all by doing something foolish like getting pregnant!”

“Dad!” Demi was outraged that her Dad would even assume she would be so reckless with her life and with her future. But then her anger faded as she recalled the moments when she and Arthur had been intimate. Had they used anything, been careful? She assumed he was taking the relevant precautions but then they’d not discussed it. She had trusted him to be careful, when perhaps she should have been handling that herself.

“Demi?” her Dad asked, concerned by her troubled expression.

“Dad everything is fine. We are being very careful, you’ve nothing to worry about,” she told him and he stood aside and let her go upstairs to her room where she flopped down on to her bed and stared intently up at the ceiling.

Her Dad remained in the kitchen, unconvinced by her claims that she was being careful. He thought on how unwell she’d been of late and her symptoms were reminiscent of those his late wife had displayed seventeen years earlier. Worried, he made the decision to take Demi to the doctors the following day, just to put his mind at ease and perhaps have someone else discuss contraception with her, someone she would listen to.

As Demi lay on her bed her hand rested on her stomach as she tried to calm the worried voices in her mind that everything was alright and that she had been careful enough. Just then her phone buzzed to life. Leaning over she grabbed it and saw a message from Arthur;

Goodnight babe, this evening was amazing. I love you so much. A xx

Feeling tired, Demi deftly typed back a response;

I had so much fun. You mean everything to me xxxxx

She assumed that was it for the night and let her eyes fall shut but then her phone buzzed yet again. It was another message from Arthur;

I love you and I will love you forever. This summer doesn’t have to end. Tomorrow let’s go get matching tattoos so that we can keep the magic forever? Say you will! Xxxx

Demi pondered it for a moment. A tattoo was something she’d never considered before. It was such a rebellious statement and so very…permanent. But the way Arthur had presented it as a romantic gesture made her heart melt and she knew she’d have anything inked in to her skin if it meant preserving the memory of this summer. She typed back her response, simple and straight to the point;

Yes, let’s do it xxxx

Laid back on his own bed Arthur read the message and smiled to himself. He already knew exactly what they should have. He closed his eyes and fell asleep, dreaming of the moment when he would next hold Demi in his arms.

####

“So I think you should go to the doctors today,” Demi’s Dad said over breakfast. She glanced up at him from the bowl of cereal she had been wolfing down and shook her head dismissively.