The Bet 3 - Bleed for Me

3

His lips sweep over hers, demanding more bodily contact. Todd simply cannot stand it when Julie becomes passive in the bedroom. It seems as though everything will be going fine, and then bang; she no longer wants anything to do with him. She stops touching and caressing him period. Todd may as well be sleeping with a rubber doll.

“Hey,” he whispers to Julie underneath him.

“Are you alright?” He asks.

She nods her head, basically just laying there. Julie knows in her heart that she loves Todd, but something goes wrong every time they hit the hay. Everything will be hot and heavy, and suddenly Todd will do something that completely turns her off. Like just a moment ago, he grabbed her breasts as though they were boxing gloves. That is not exactly gentle romance.

“Yeah, I’m just not in the mood,” she says. Julie knows it is the same excuse every time, but hey, it’s the truth. The sad part is, she and Todd are soon to be married, and they still haven’t even seen each other naked.

“Good God Jules, you’re never in the mood. I might as well become a priest. At least they have a good excuse to why they never have sex.”

Julie can see Todd’s anger, and completely understands. She just does not want to ruin her first time. She wants it to be perfect, and well, Todd just is not fulfilling her requirements.

“Well, we are going to be getting married soon. Maybe we should just wait until the big day,” she says.

Todd sarcastically chuckles at this. “Yeah, why not? It’s not like I have been waiting two years already.”

Julie looks at her fiancee with disgust. “You don’t have to be an asshole about it. I just want everything to be done right. I don’t want to screw on a couch, with you grabbing my tits like a wild banshee. I know your first time was probably different, but I have my reasons, and I don’t need you being a prick about it.”

And that ends the conversation.

4

“Can you see?” Monica asks while watching me haul in the forty five pound Christmas tree.

“Um no, sorry. I have Gigantor, the eight hundred pound Christmas tree in the way. Maybe you could help a little,” I reply sarcastically. “I don’t understand why we couldn’t get the small one. I don’t even know if we can fit this damn thing in here.”

“Don’t be a grouch,” Monica complains.

“I’m not a grouch,” I reply while breathing heavily. "I'm just not wonder woman."

The pines and scent of the tree are starting to make me wheeze. Monica isn’t doing much to help either. She just stands and watches me lift the huge green tree up the stairs.

I finally make it up to the top stair as Monica assists me in taking the gigantic thing. I nearly fall over because the tree limb smacks me in the face.

“Don’t take my head with you,” I yell.

“Sorry,” Monica replies.

I make an attempt to fit the fat tree through the door, but it isn’t working out too well. I hop over from the back, and begin yanking the front from the inside of the apartment. Monica is grabbing on one side, and I am tugging on the other.

“We are going to fit this damn thing in here if it’s the last thing we do.”

Monica laughs at my comment, knowing this is all her fault. She persisted on getting the most ugliest, most fattest and heaviest Christmas tree on the face of the earth.

With one extreme heave, we manage to pull the tree into the apartment. I let go, and find myself flying half way across the room because I was pulling so damn hard.

Monica lands directly on my stomach, nearly knocking the wind out of me. I want to laugh, but can’t because I can barely breathe.

I find my best friend next to me on the floor, laughing her ass off. If somebody is watching us, they are definitely laughing at us as well. Bringing that tree up here was like a bad three stooges episode. Well, more like two stooges.

“You’re cutting off my circulation, fatty,” I joke with Monica. Her elbow is digging into my spine, but i really don't mind. I chuckle as she gives me the middle finger, adding a fuck you to my raunchy sense of humor. I can only reply with, “you wish.”

And for no reason at all, she leans forward, and her lips begin to consume mine. 

This is one of those moments in life I find completely strange. The front door is wide open, there is a half beaten to death Christmas tree on the floor, and next to it my best friend and I lay, making out.

Most people would say a moment like this is confusing. For some strange reason, nothing makes more sense to me. Monica and I are the opposite match, but nothing seems more right. The gorgeous and rich store owner finds love with the butch, poor tattoo artist.

I can only respond to the kiss, not wanting to ever let go. I know this in my heart, but I never wanted to admit It before. I am completely in love with my best friend. 

Instead of showing the real feelings I have, I decide to do the opposite. I put up a defense shield, afraid that Monica may hurt me. No, not afraid; terrified.

I immediately break away from her kiss, no longer allowing our tongues to interlock. I back away in horror, not only afraid of a relationship, but timid of losing my best friend as well. 

“We can’t,” I protest.

Monica looks at me as though I have just gouged a knife into her back.

“Monica, you’re my best friend. I don’t want anything to change that...”

Before I know it, she walks over the huge Christmas tree and into the hallway. I hear footsteps down the stairs, and the front door slam.

5

I sit in my room, wishing myself a merry fucking christmas. Where could Monica be on December 24th? It is Christmas Eve. Not only that, but she is breaking her promise. She told me that she would go with me to see my sister.

I have no idea what to do. Andrea is having dinner with her family, Monica is nowhere to be found, Jerry is with his family. And me? I am just lost.

So I do the only thing I know how to do.

I gently prick at my guitar strings, making sure the acoustic is in tune. Then, I find myself in another world, playing the one song I can think of. The one song that can describe how I feel at this very instant...

Bleed For Me - Saliva

All I ever wanted 
Was to be at your service
But now I’m alone 
Cause you were here and you’re gone
And all I ever wanted 
Was to feel I had a purpose
But now that’s all gone
But if you could give me

Just one love, just one life
Just once chance to believe in mine
Just one love, just one life

You bleed for me, 
And I didn’t get to notice you
Now I’m stuck out on a line
Bleed for me,
I didn’t get to be with you
Now you’re stuck in my mind