"I'll be in there in a minute." Lena called out from the kitchen as she finished prepping the tray of snacks, adding a couple of extra napkins and fussing with the items already laid out. She didn't know why she was nervous - this was Dave after all. Even though they hadn't spent much time together the last ten years, they had been near-inseparable in high school. They had named themselves The Two Misfits; both had moved into the small town at middle school and for whatever reason had always been a little out of step with their peers.
Dave was an army brat; his father moved their family with every reassignment, until his mother had finally had enough of the nomadic lifestyle. When the opportunity arose for Graham to be stationed at the local Base permanently, she strongly suggested he take it. Dave's father was no fool, and they settled down in a cozy house across the street from Lena's family.
Lena's family had emigrated from the Netherlands shortly after she was born, and had moved to Springbrook within six months of Graham and his brood. Her parents opened a restaurant specializing in breakfasts, and specifically dishes that they brought with them from their native country. The two families had been close, and it had been natural for Dave and Lena to become fast friends, especially so, since they were the two "new" kids in their grade.
Dave had left town right after high school, heading off to college and parts unknown. For the first while they had lost touch entirely, Lena busy with culinary school and the family restaurant. She took over when her parents retired, and somehow they had convinced Dave's parents to join them for the winter in Belize. Although with the chill of the Minnesota winter, she didn't think it had really taken much argument. They were slated to be back in April, three long months away. Lena didn't mind, it gave her a level of independence and autonomy she didn't usually get living and working with her family. Although with everyone gone - her siblings gone off to school themselves - the house felt seriously empty.
But not tonight. She was happy Dave had managed to get home for the reunion, although why the graduation committee felt the need to hold it in January she would never know. Yet another proof of her being out of step with the others in town.
"Hey, thanks for keeping an eye on my folks' place, Magpie. It's in great shape and much cheaper than a hotel." Dave appeared in the doorway to the kitchen, his smile displaying even white teeth in a handsome face, his hair looking blonder than ever against his tanned skin. He'd flown in from Texas the day before, his parents giving Lena just enough warning to get the house into livable shape for him to stay there.
Lena wrinkled her nose at him in mock-annoyance at his nickname for her; as soon as he'd heard her full name was Magdalena, he'd decided to use it to his advantage. He was the only one who didn't call her Lena, and she'd never realized until he was gone, how much she'd missed the easy camaraderie they shared.
"As if you'd ever stay in a hotel in a town where my family lived. Even if your house wasn't ready, you know you always have a bed here." Lena turned as she spoke, picking up the tray, missing the assessing look Dave gave her. Before she could take a step, Dave took the tray from her, and started walking toward the family room where they had decided to watch a movie.
"Are you seeing anyone?" Dave asked casually, setting the tray down on the low coffee table in front of the love seat directly opposite the television set. Lena busied herself with serving, answering "No one special. Not a lot of time with the restaurant and all."
They both knew that wasn't completely true, but he let it slide.
"You?" Lena asked, straightening and looking him square in the eye. He was too handsome for his own good, she thought, not for the first time. Between that and his even-temper and all-around "nice guy" personality, she was sure he had someone special.
"No, not really." Dave prevaricated slightly, his gaze dropping from hers as he looked around for the bag he'd brought.
"Seriously? A big hunk of man like you? Liar." she grinned at his retreating back, the joke a long running one between them. He laughed shortly, finding and retrieving the plastic bag, turning back to her with it dangling from his long fingers. His response was also part of the joke, although the teasing in his voice did not meet his eyes when he said "You know you're the only one for me, Magpie."
She smiled, "Of course. That's why you haven't been back to visit in so long!" Her admonishment was goodnatured as she finished setting up the snacks and drinks on the table. Dave was back at the love seat, but before he could grab a DVD from it, Lena grabbed the bag from his hand and dumped the contents on the love seat. "Let's see what you brought to watch."
"No, wait!" realizing what was in there, he half-lunged for the bag, but was too late. In addition to the two movies he'd brought for them to watch was a movie he had never intended her to know he'd rented. He knew he should have left it in the car.
"What's this?" Lena picked up the movie, holding it away from him as he tried to grab it from her. "Lusty Housewives in the Suburbs" she read, realization coming over her. "Oh my god, Dave is this a porno? Hahaha that's awesome! We're watching this first!"
She giggled as she knelt on the floor, cute little ass up as she loaded the disc into the player. Dave muttered, "Kill me now."
"What did you say?" Lena leapt up and came around to sit on the love seat, patting the cushion beside her in invitation to him, not actually listening for an answer, her attention now focused on the remote control.
Dave stood looking at her for a moment debating with himself on whether he should stop this now, indecision written all over his face. On the one hand, if he made a big deal out of watching this with her, she would want to know why. On the other, he had picked up the movie for himself in private, because he knew that spending this much time with her would trigger certain...needs. The little bit of escapism it would give him, along with physical release, would keep him sane around her until he left for Texas.
"Sit!" she commanded, the tone leaving no room for him to decide anything. He obeyed with resignation, dropping his tall frame to the love seat, and bracing himself for the torture he was about to experience.
Lena shifted closer to him, tucking herself into his side as she had so many other times. His arm dropped around her shoulders in a way that would have been comfortable, familiar, if it hadn't made him even more aware of her body pressing against his. Her scent - unmistakably Lena - wafted to his nostrils, reminding him of long summer days and carefree youth. Her arm stretched across his waist, and she laughed saying "This is going to be great." as the movie started.
