Free Through the Glass by Lisa J. Hobman

God, are you okay?!”
    She smiled reassuringly and nodded, grasping at his buttocks to urge him on.
    “Oh, Flick, you…you feel amazing.” He peppered her beautiful face with kisses as he moved inside her. Finding her tender spot with his fingers again he massaged until she groaned in ecstasy once more. Hearing her sent him over the edge. His movements became faster and more urgent. “Oh, Flick…Flick, I love you!” he shouted out as he came, grasping onto her and hugging her to him.
    When he had reconnected with planet Earth again, he looked down to find tears cascading down her face, and she was shuddering beneath him, the drops if saltwater trailing down and soaking her hair. He was horrified and immediately felt tears sting the back of his own eyes. He needed to comfort her. She had given herself to him, and now she was sobbing? Oh God, what have I done?
    “Hey, hey, shhh. Flick, it’s okay. Did I hurt you? I’m so sorry… I’m so sorry.” He sat and pulled her up into his lap. He stroked her hair and hugged her close, wiping away her tears and biting back his own. This was not supposed to happen.
    Suddenly, she laughed through her sobs. “No…no…don’t be sorry, Jim. That was amazing. I was expecting it to be really painful and terrifying but it was wonderful. It was lovely. You were lovely.” She placed a hand on each cheek and held his gaze. She kissed him fervently to communicate her feelings. Relief washed over him. “I think I’m just a little…overwhelmed that’s all.” She sniffed and laughed again. “I’m so glad you were my first.” At her words, he felt that sting behind his eyes again. Apparently, it had been a pretty emotional experience for both of them.
    “I do love you, Flick. I meant that.” His voice quivered as he tried to rein himself in. He ran his thumb along her bottom lip and kissed it.
    She sighed. “Jim…I love you too.”
     
    ~~~~~
     
    May 2002 – Seven Years Before the Break-up
     
    “I can’t believe we’ve done it! We’ve finally finished! It’s all done. Goodbye education, hello big wide world!” Polly’s melodramatic spinning and swooshing of her arms in her robes made everyone laugh. The gang of friends were standing around taking photos whilst their parents chatted and compared notes. Jim’s parents hadn’t been able to make it due to his dad’s rapidly failing health. He was disappointed but totally understood.
    It had been an exhausting and emotional day. Flick had sent her parents off for some R and R at their hotel and she informed him that she was going back to her dorm to pack up the last of her belongings. They had secured a little house to rent in Kentish Town and would be moving in straight after graduation, much to her mother’s disappointment. Jim had secured some work as a proof reader and Felicity was starting work at a gallery in London.
    “Come up in about twenty minutes, honey bun, and you can help me load the car up before we set out for dinner with my Mum and Dad.” Flick winked at Jim and squeezed his bottom. He agreed to see her up there. She wandered off through the University grounds reminiscing about the wonderful times they had all shared here. It had been a difficult few years but fun all the same.
    Her room was all but cleared, her painted canvases wrapped and piled up carefully with the rest of her belongings. Jim had insisted her art would be adorning the walls of their new place.
    She had already helped him pack his room the day before. It had taken longer than either of them had expected because they had ended up looking through some old photos of his family holidays in the stunning Scottish Highlands. She was amazed by the beauty of the remote places he had visited with his parents and brother. They were the types of places she could sit and admire and paint for hours. Actually sitting and painting a view whilst it remained before her instead of painting from memory would be a novelty. She hoped one day he would