THE CONVENTION

Lil was excited about going to her first comics convention. She was sad that her twin couldn't join her, but she knew she was going to have a good time by herself. She knew all of the stalls she wanted to visit, all of the things she wanted to buy. She'd been saving money for years, and now she had plenty to suplement her hobbies now that she could go out by herself.

The booth she was most looking forward to visiting was packed with people by the time she arrived. It was early but the crowd was so thick she couldn't even see the booth. If it weren't for her app, she'd have no idea if she was even in the right place, and she wasn't alone. Many disgruntled people were standing far back from the booth, trying their hardest to find a way in without getting pummeled.

She saw him standing against a pillar flipping through another of her favorite comics. Lil stood beside him and after a moment he looked up to see her.

"Are you a fan of this comic?" the man asked.

"I am actually. Which issue is that?" Lil questioned.

"The newest anniversary release of the first issue. It's available for a pretty penny at their booth. You might have an easier time getting in there than you would here," he said, gesturing with the comic to the booth.

"Yeah, I didn't expect it to be so crowded. I guess I could go over there first," Lil shrugged.

"I think I'll join you. They had some merchandise I was interested in, but I decided to wait on the matter. Now I've made my decision to get some. I own a comic book store in Springfield," he said, introducing himself as Jeff.

"I'm Lil. I'm a college student at Penn State," she responded, shaking his hand, "I've been saving forever to come to a convention like this. I had to get a rental car and drive out here to save money. I couldn't find a hotel in time so I'll either drive somewhere else or sleep in my car," Lil laughed.

"You can stay with me. I always get a room with two beds in case I find someone like yourself. It's often hard to get hotels even months in advance," Jeff said, pointing to the booth, "There it is, and it appears to be much more accessible than the other one."

As Lil browsed the issues and tried to decide if she wanted to shell out the cash for an anniversary first edition, Jeff placed a bulk order for some merchandise beside her. Lil's eyes locked on a set of necklaces he'd found, and she knew she wanted one. They were more affordable than the comics for sure. Besides, she had her own grimey first edition, with three pages missing, back in her childhood home. Why get another one when she could put that money towards something else?

Jeff caught her gaze as they left the booth. He'd gotten all of the necklaces to sell at his own store, but he knew that look. He pulled one out of the box and put it around her neck without a word. Lil smiled, her heart swelling. Was she really falling for a guy at a convention?

"I need to get these back to my room. Would you like to join me and get settled in?" he asked. Lil nodded and walked with him to the parking deck where they both happened to be parked. They rode together in Lil's rental car to the hotel, where they went up to his room. Lil got her bags settled in the room's tiny closet as Jeff locked his items away in a trunk he'd brought.

Tired from their walk, they decided to rest on the room's couch and check out the news. They sat on opposite sides, but a few minutes into their resting, their fingers touched. Lightning seemed to pour from that touch, and before they knew what was happening, Lil was next to him, their lips locked in a passionate kiss.

Jeff's boner was poking out of his pocket. Lil hadn't had sex yet, but she knew the moment was right. They moved to the bed, where he produced condoms as they stripped down. Once it was on, he loomed over her. Lil moaned as he kissed her from mouth down to belly button and back up again, settling at her neck as she wrapped her legs around his hips.

Carefully he moved inside her, reading her body language and letting her get used to his size before starting to pump. Lil moaned, gripping the sheets as he pumped harder and harder, sweat pouring from both.

Soon they came in a chorus of moans, the headboard slamming against the wall until he was finished. He rolled off of her and grabbed a towel from the floor to wipe himself. Lil found some washrags on her nightstand and used them to clean herself. When she saw blood she went pale.

"You were a virgin?" Jeff asked, eying her.

"Yeah," Lil whispered. "Is that normal?"

"I don't know. I've never been with a virgin myself before, but according to the darkest corners of the internet, that's perfectly normal," Jeff replied. "I've never done anything like this before. I've eaten with women from Con, gone to talks with them, even walked them to their cars, but never this."

"This is my first Con," Lil smiled, curling up beside him despite the heat. "I'd like to see where this goes."

"I would as well," Jeff said, linking his fingers with hers.

For days they kept up this pattern, going to talks both together and apart between walks around the convention floor. Both were eventually able to get to the initial booth they met at for merchandise, and they were able to do so many things together.

But time passed quickly, and Lil was torn. She wanted to stay with Jeff and see where this went, and he couldn't follow her. He had a business, a life back in Springfield. She was a college student, a student who could transfer when the next semester started.

On their last night together, after they made love with Lil on top, Lil told him she wanted to look into Springfield. Jeff told her there was a university there, but she probably wouldn't like it there.

"I'll like it if you're there," Lil assured him.

"I wish it were that easy, my love. There are a lot of different people in Springfield, different in a bad way. I wouldn't want you to be unhappy," Jeff explained.

Lil didn't want to believe him. She wanted the chance to make something work with them, even if Springfield was filled with crazies. That wasn't different from anywhere else in her eyes, so why not?

And Jeff didn't like pushing her away. He wanted to see what could happen too despite her age. She was legal, but just barely. What if her parents found out? What about her friends? He didn't want to care but he knew he had to. He had to ask her one thing he didn't want to:

"I'll help you transfer to Springfield University and help you find a place of your own, but you should check with your family first. What if they need you to stay close? I don't want to take you away if you're needed," Jeff smiled, trying to make his request sweet.

Lil agreed with him, "You're right. I have a twin brother, and my parents wanted me at Penn State so we could stay in touch. He didn't want to go to college, and I doubt he'd want to go to Springfield with me. I think I'll email them and see if I can get a response tonight."

As Lil sat naked at her laptop, Jeff watched her. He knew this wasn't going to go well, but he had to get her to ask. He knew he had to be the mature one, and he had to make sure she wanted what she said she wanted before helping her to make the biggest mistake of her life.


It was early when the knocks sounded. The two had just finished some pre-dawn lovemaking when the knocks came, giving them only enough time to robe up before answering.

Phil was outside with Betty and Howard behind him. Phil shook his head at the sight of them and walked off. Betty crossed her arms as Howard shook visibly behind her from...well no one could tell.

"I can't believe you! We let you go to Con to have fun, and now you're hooking up with middle-aged men and wanting to leave college to be with him?" Betty yelled.

"Come inside, Mom! You'll wake the whole hotel!" Lil hissed, pulling them inside. Phil was still outside but he was ignored, the door shutting behind them. "Look, I'm not leaving college. I'll transfer to college there. I'm pretty sure they'd have a lit degree."

"They do," Jeff nodded, "and I want her to make an informed decision. She has assured me this is what she wants, and I will make sure she-"

"Oh shut up! How old are you anyway, 45?!" Betty spat.

"41 but that's beside the point," Lil argued, sinking onto the couch as Howard found the pile of used condoms in the trash and vomited over them. Betty noticed and gasped loudly, kicking the can.

"What the fuck were you thinking?! You're not on birth control! You could get pregnant and then what? Why are you trying to ruin your life?!" Betty screamed.

"I'm not! He'll take care of me, and I'll get on the pill. We'll still use condoms too. I know how to be careful! I'm not a child anymore!"

"She's not," Phil growled, entering the door somehow. No one questioned it as he walked up to his twin, "She deserves to be happy, and if she wants to move to Springfield with him, so be it. But I'm going to. I have to keep an eye on you. I should've come with you anyway, but I'm glad I didn't. If he's your true love, then I would've gotten in the way. I'd feel sick if I knew that."

"Phil, use your head!" Betty exclaimed.

Phil turned to his mom, "I am, and Lil is too. She's using her heart too. Let her see where it goes. Think about it, if she doesn't, she'll never be like you. Do you regret Dad or us?" Phil asked.

Betty blanched and sank onto the couch before remembering the condoms and standing up again, "You're right. I don't regret your father or the two of you. But I'm your mother! I'm supposed to be angry when you do something crazy!"

"I know, but you have to let me do my own thing or I'll never learn. I've already learned so much since coming here, and I know I'll learn more in Springfield with Jeff. I'll finish out my semester first, then I'll move once we find an apartment. Phil can look for jobs and it'll all work out," Lil said, taking Jeff's hand as he moved to join her.

Betty sighed, "Okay, I'll allow it, not that I have a choice. But if you do anything to my daughter, you better have your final affairs in order. I don't mind prison if it means keeping my daughter safe!"

"I believe you," Jeff nodded, eying the clock. "There is a final ceremony brunch service in an hour. Would you all like to join us?"

They went together, and Lil's family understood why she fell for him. Jeff was a gentleman and treated her well. While the sexual activity so soon was still too much for them to stomach, they knew to let things play out.

A year later, Lil and Phil were living together, but Lil spent most of her spare time either at the shop or at Jeff's house. Springfield was a crazy little town, but they were starting to fit in. Lil was happy at college, and though she and Jeff were engaged, kids and a wedding could wait until she had her degree. Phil was even looking into the community college so he could leave the nuclear plant, but it would be slow going. They all wanted to enjoy life, even if it wasn't a typical one.

~End