Meant to Be

Author's Notes

:

This is a story I have tinkered with for a long time, and even partially finished once. I decided to scrap it though as I did not feel I had the talent to write it properly. I've once again decided to take a stab at it since I've been writing more and more lately and the feedback I have gotten thus far has been extremely positive. There is no real basis for this story, and it's not based on any actual people or experiences I have lived through. I just thought the story would lend itself to good writing, so once I got the idea I expanded upon it until I was able to flesh it out into a full short story (oxymoron?). If you'd like to provide feedback for this story you may do so, just send an e-mail to the address provided above.

* * * * *

Alex stood looking out of the large window overlooking the Dulles International Airport. He knew he'd be due at the other end of the airport soon to pick up his rental car, but he just found so much fascination in watching all the different people doing their jobs. He found it funny that the men and women who used their florescent sticks to signal airplane ground traffic did so with much less enthusiasm than they did in the movies.

He turned and made his way down the airport, towards the rental car booth. He had requested a Mustang, black, and was told they had one but would have to have it brought from their other nearby location. It wasn't a busy day at the airport, so the walk went by fast. Usually, and especially on the weekends, you'd have to fight your way through the airport crowds to get to where you were going. It was hardly possible to go from one hallway to the next without bumping into at least half a dozen people. Being that it was a Wednesday and so early in the morning, however, there was barely anyone around.

When he arrived at the rental car booth a lady at the front desk greeted him. He stepped up and said a polite hello to her, but instead of a warm reply the lady simply said, "If you're here to pick up a rental you'll need to fill out this form here."

"Oh, actually I have already filled out the forms and am here to pick up my car," Alex replied.

"Ok then sir, last name?" she said.

"Stanton, spelled just like it sounds. Like the school, and please don't call me sir, I'm not

that

old," he said, smiling. Even though the lady wasn't the most pleasant person he had met, he did have to admit she was attractive. She had light blonde hair that hung straight down, a little past her shoulders, and her bangs were been pinned back with little clips. He found that type of hairstyle to be very attractive. She had blue eyes and her lips glistened with a feminine pink glossy lipstick. From what he could see of her body from behind the counter she was slender, bordering on petite.

"Ok sir…sorry, someone will bring your car around in just a moment, please have a seat until then and I will let you know when its ready," she said, giving him a smile of her own.

He went and sat down, setting his single bag of clothes next to him. It was the standard army issue duffle bag, and it held pretty much all of the clothes he owned. He had just gotten out of the army in fact, no more than a week ago. His thoughts drifted for a moment; to old friends of his, new ones he'd met in the service, and ones he'd lost touch with over the years. Anything, he thought, to stop thinking about

her

.

Alex sat, waiting, and eventually picked up a magazine sitting on the table next to him. He skimmed it for a few minutes but decided to put it down when he read the headline of one of the articles, "

When the man of your dreams walks out of your life

." Life had a sort of cruel sense of humor, he thought.

The lady at the front desk, Claire according to her name tag, walked over and let him know his car was out front and waiting, and handed him the keys. "Ok, I know this is obvious, but the job requires me to say it. You're going to want to keep these keys with you at all times, should you lose them you will need t contact either this or the office in D.C to attain a set of replacements. The cost of replacements will come out of your deposit; I believe the charge is $25. Should you get in an accident there are insurance cards in the glove box, and you will also need to contact the D.C. office, the number for which is also in the glove box. The information I just described is also contained in the paperwork in the glove box, and we encourage you to look it over as soon as you can. If you have any questions please give us a call here, otherwise enjoy your rental," she said in her best professional voice.

Alex nodded and added, "Thanks, have a good day," before stepping out into the morning sunlight and looking over the beautiful black Mustang convertible before him. Oh yeah, he thought, this is going to be an interesting week.

He started the car and pulled out of the parking lot, waiting until he was a good three to four blocks away before flooring the gas pedal and laying smoke down the street. God, it felt great to drive a fast car again, he thought. He made his way down the street, and as he drove he turned his attention to the last letter he'd written her, and what he would say when he got to her house. His last memories of them together six years ago came back to him as he drove north up I-495.

***

Alex had met Rachel in high school, no more than a week into his freshmen year. He played both football and basketball, and was pretty popular. He never considered himself a jock, though. Most guys would say that, but he never hung out with the jock crowd, hated the football rallies, and held a decent grade point average in school.

He introduced himself to her at a friend's party; she had arrived with a few of her girlfriends and was sitting alone at the couch. He simply walked up and said hello, then handed her a glass of punch. "Don't worry, I made sure we got the non alcoholic kind," he said with a smile. When she smiled back he knew he'd met his first love.

It was his smile that attracted her, and she smiled, too, unsure of what to say. All at once she found herself very nervous and flustered, but managed to squeak out, "What brings you here?" She realized how stupid it sounded right as the words exited her mouth.

"Well, it's a party, I like parties. Then there's the whole hanging out with friends thing, which I like to do as well," he teased. "I saw you come in with a couple of friends, what happened? I thought you girls stuck together, they just left you here on the couch?"

She found his question easy to answer, and as the color in her cheeks went from a bright red to a rosy pink he replied, "Well, Becky ran off to find her boyfriend, and I think Crystal went to talk to some of our other friends. I'm just not really into partying tonight so I told them I'd hang out here."

Alex didn't say anything after that for a while; he just sat there sipping his punch. Rachel didn't know it but he was also very nervous. He'd never really had a crush on a girl before, but he found her beauty very intimidating. She was much shorter than he was, about five-four, with long dark hair and brown eyes that caught what little light there was and sent back a sparkle. She was wearing a nice spaghetti strapped top that accentuated her well curved chest, with her red bra straps showing, and a tight fitting black skirt that went halfway down her thighs. Alex couldn't help but steal glances of her soft, tanned legs.

After a while they both began to lighten up and make small talk, Rachel told him about how she had tried out for the swim team, but didn't think she would make it. She loved to swim, but most of the girls trying out had done it in some sort of professional way for much longer. He told her not to worry and he was sure she'd do just fine.

They talked all night, and never left the couch. By the end of the night they had talked about just about everything they could think of. That was the start of their four-year relationship. After that night Alex called her almost every night, and the nights that he didn't call her she would call him.

They dated all through to their senior year, their love blooming and maturing, and she had brought up making love many times. Every time she tried or asked he would shy away, until she began to feel as though he did not want her. He assured her he did, but that he just didn't feel ready for that yet. In truth he was very nervous, and he let that fear dictate what he would and would not do. The discussion and aversion of sex continued on, until Rachel decided she would help him to the next step on the night he asked her to a romantic dinner in celebration of their high school graduation.

He picked Rachel up in his fathers midnight black Mustang, "women love fast cars," his father had said to him before handing over the keys to his most prized possession.

They went out to a nice dinner at an Italian restaurant his father had told him about. He found the food to be good, but more so he enjoyed the reaction he got from Rachel. She seemed very happy to be out on a real "date". He asked her what she'd like to do after dinner since they had all night. She replied, "Well, my parents are out of town for my grandparents anniversary, we could go to my house and see what happens."

They went back to her house, and spent the longest time just kissing and touching. He kissed her lips softly, feeling the soft wet flesh of her lips against him. Occasionally their tongue would meet, and he would run his hand over her face or neck as they kissed. Their tongue danced together, intertwining, and every time she felt his touch she would let out a sigh of contentment.

His hands began to roam all over her body, starting with her neck and running down to her chest, slowly and sensually moving across her breasts softly, exciting her and making her nipples hard as his hand passed over them. His hands slid lower still, to her stomach, and she tensed up, feeling a bit ticklish, but didn't stop him. His tongue slid inside her mouth barely, teasing the tip of her tongue, and his hand slid underneath the waist of her dress and to her inner thigh.

She moaned softly, and as she did she bit his tongue and his fingertips trailed up her inner thigh to the thin material of her panties. She became very aware of her arousal, feeling the wetness between her legs growing as his hand slowly ever so gently caressed her sex.

She began to thrust her hips gently, trying to get his hand on her sex, but he danced around it, until he finally pressed his fingertips against her in a more demanding fashion. She moaned loudly and slid her tongue deeper into his mouth kissing him with more passion. She grabbed the back of his head and ran her fingers through his hair, pulling his mouth closer into hers as she kissed him deeply.

Her breathing got heavier, and as she kissed him hungrily he slipped a finger under her panties and felt her pussy. His touch felt like fire, and she thrust her hips instinctively. She had waited so long to have sex with him, and she felt it was certain she would now.

His fingers gently parted the folds of her inner lips, and she let out of a wanting cry as one of his fingertips found the entrance to her pussy. He held it there for a second; gently rubbing back and forth, then slid his finger inside her deeply and slowly. She moaned loudly again, and bit his lower lip. And she kissed and bi him her hand made its way between his legs, and she felt how hard and excited he was. She fumbled with his belt and zipper, but did not break their kiss.

She had to stop momentarily as he slid his finger out and found her clit, using her own wetness of lubricate it and massage it slowly. She lost all sense of thought, and sat there thrusting her hips, breathing hard. Eventually she opened her eyes and returned to fumbling with his pants, but a hard kiss and two of his fingers sliding deep inside her sent her into small convulsions as she had one of the best orgasms of her life on his fingers.

When she regained her senses he was kissing her breasts, licking and sucking on them softly. At some point since her orgasm he had made his way down form her mouth, and she could feel a small wet trail from her mouth, down her neck, chest, and to her breasts where he had licked. The air hitting the wet trail made her feel relaxed, and his tongue on her body definitely did not hurt either.

As she laid there, his tongue on her body, and feeling him occasionally sucking on her firm, supple breasts, she felt him once again begin to massage her clit. This time he applied more pressure, and it sent her into a lustful frenzy. She screamed, and thrusted against his fingers. While massaging her clit harder and harder he bit down on one of her nipples hard. She let out a moan, and he held her nipple firmly between his teeth.

With his free hand he yanked her dress up higher, exposing her spread legs to the cool air. With one fluent motion he pulled her panties far to the side and immediately let go of her nipple, licking quickly down her body. By now she was on fire, and as he neared her wet sex she heard herself say in a rough voice, "God yes, go down, eat my pussy Alex. God I need you to eat my pussy. Make me cum with your tongue."

He licked over her sparse expanse of dark pubic hair, and when he neared her clit he stopped and inhaled the smell of her wetness. She bucked her hips up, wanting to get his tongue on her pussy, but instead she found when she returned to her original position from thrusting two of his fingers slid easily inside her. She moaned again, and as his fingers buried deep inside her his mouth went down, covering her clit and licking it abruptly.

She let out yet another loud moan, letting him know he was doing all the right things. She felt another orgasm building, and said, "God Alex, I'm going to cum. Suck on my clit, harder please. I need it, I need it so bad!"

He ground his face against her, biting and sucking on her clit hard as his fingers slid inside her deep and fast. She began to shake, and as she came she let out a long, loud scream that lasted for several seconds. She screamed and his assault on her clit with his mouth and her pussy with his fingers didn't subside. He drew out her orgasm, and when it seemed like she could not possibly cum any harder he'd ram his fingers deep inside her and bite her clit, causing her screams to continue.

Her screams died down, and she lay there panting, trying to catch her breath. Her vision was blurred and she couldn't hear very well. All her senses felt dulled, and she was very relaxed. When she was able to open her eyes and really see, she saw Alex between her legs, gently licking the folds of her skins, tugging on her outer lips softly as he playfully bit and sucked on them. When she saw this she immediately got excited again, and looked down to tell him, "Alex, fuck me now, I need to be fucked. Please, ram your cock inside me, make love to me all night."

She begged for nearly five minutes, but he would not make love to her. She didn't see how a man could say he loved her, and get her so hot for him, then deny her the very thing she had wanted since meeting him four years ago. First she was hurt, then her pain turned to anger, and she lashed out at Alex.

"Fuck you Alex, get out of my house. I saved myself for you for four years and you don't even want me. Get out of here. I need a

real

man to satisfy me!" her words stung him and he got up to leave.

"Don't call me anymore, and don't come over. I don't want to see you anymore Alex, I can't deal with this," she blurted out, not sure if she really believed it or if she was just hurt.

He didn't say anything; he just got up and left. As he drove home he played the words out in his head over and over again.

Don't call me anymore, and don't come over. I don't want to see you anymore Alex.

When he got home he went straight to bed, ignoring his fathers question about how the date went.

As hard as he tried he could not fall asleep. He felt stupid for letting his fear of making love affect the decision he made. He wanted to please her so bad, but was so afraid he'd just ruin the moment by not being everything she hoped he'd be. Rachel had been his life for the last four years; they had gotten along so well. He'd learned to really open up to her, and she to him. He felt like his chest was caving in and he could not breath.

Rachel avoided speaking with Alex for a week, although she couldn't remember doing anything so painful and so hard in her life. School was out and she knew he wasn't hanging out with their friends since she had already spoken to them all and asked about him. All she really had to do was not call him, which was very hard but something she convinced herself she could do. She told herself she didn't need him, but she knew she did. She was just waiting for

him

to call

her

. He never called though, and after a week and a half she was beginning to wonder if he'd met some other cheap slut.

She started to dwell on such thoughts during her days at home, and even at night when she tried to sleep. Finally she decided he wasn't going to call, so she would call him and just get it out in the open. It seemed like the day was dragging on, though, and every time she turned around one friend or another was trying to cheer her up by getting her to go out somewhere.

She told them all that she was fine, and that she was just going to stay home and pamper herself. At the end of the day she rushed home after running some errands for her parents. When she got home she went straight to her room, took a shower, and settled down for a long night of talking on the phone.

When she called Alex's father answered, something he rarely did because he knew she always called for Alex around this time of the evening. "Mr. Stanton, hi, its Rachel. Can I speak to Alex please?" she said to him.

"Hi Rachel, you're looking for Alex? Well, he's not here," he said, sounding slightly confused.

"Oh, ok. Well, do you know when he will be back?" she asked, starting to feel a little sick to her stomach.

"He didn't tell you? He enlisted into the army two days after graduation. He seemed pretty upset and his mother and I tried to talk him out of it, but he did it anyways. He actually shipped out for boot camp two days after enlisting."

Rachel's heart dropped into the stomach, and she said, "Oh, thanks…" and hung up the phone without even a goodbye. She couldn't believe he'd just left her. She tried to be rational, but all she could think about was never seeing him again. She began to cry, and did so until she fell asleep clutching her teddy bear.

***

Alex stopped thinking for a moment as he merged onto I-95 heading towards Annapolis. He knew he still had a fair drive ahead, but not enough so that he could come up with what he would say or how he would act.

After he shipped out to boot camp it had been a rough time. He thought he could handle the pressure of the military, and that all that talk about the drill instructors being hard asses was just hype. He learned the truth in his first week there. They didn't care if he was funny, and they didn't care that he was tired. They just pushed harder and harder. When he felt like they would break him he decided to write Rachel.

To his surprise she wrote back, and through the mail she kept him going. At first she expressed that she was very hurt that he had just left, and he shared his pain in the words she had spoken to him the last time they were together. Over the months they talked about a lot of things, and eventually formed a really strong friendship.

He wasn't sure when it happened, but he one day realized they had not told each other they loved one another in a long time. Her letters were always signed, "Yours truly" or, "Sincerely". They never discussed it, though, and after a while he just accepted the fact that he had lost her for good.