It had been 2 weeks since the incident at the lake and Lori and Andrea carried on as usual, pretending nothing had happened.
What did happen? Nothing happened. Lori constantly reminded herself that nothing had happened. Andrea hadn't seen her looking at her chest and Lori wasn't looking out of lust, but out of jealousy.
When Lori woke up, she felt an aching in the middle of her back that spread up to her shoulders. The day before Rick and Shane had taken her and Andrea out to practice shooting, something that she wasn't used to. The gun had weighed down her thin arms and made her feel heavy, as she tried not to notice the way Andrea shot hers perfectly, without moving a muscle.
She rolled over and stretched, finding her tent to be empty.
Lori pushed her dark hair behind her ears as she sat up and slowly stood. She could hear a cracking noise as she twisted, trying to loosen the muscles in her back.
She walked out to find Glenn keeping watch.
"Hey, did they find a road?"
"I think so. Most everyone went, but they didn't want to wake you. I think we're leaving tomorrow."
Lori squinted up at him through the sun.
"I'm gonna check out the RV for some books. Let me know if you need a break."
Glenn nodded in response, but they both knew he wouldn't make her sit out in the sun.
She climbed up the steps and swung the door open, coming face to face with Andrea.
"Oh!" Lori stared at Andrea, not sure if she should leave or what to say.
"Hi," Andrea smiled at her, noting her lack of comfort.
"I'm sorry... I was going to look for a book, I didn't know..." She trailed off, and looked at the ground.
"Oh, no, you're fine!" Andrea awkwardly picked a book up off of a shelf without looking to hold it up.
"There aren't too many good ones.."
Lori eyed the book in her hand.
"Fahrenheit 451."
"What?" Andrea stared at her, confused.
"The book. That one's my favorite."
Andrea looked at the book in her hand, not knowing what to say, so she handed it to Lori.
"So.. did you like shooting?"
Lori tried quickly to remember what she was talking about.
"Oh! No, actually."
"Why's that?" Andrea laughed.
"Sore is all."
Andrea looked her up and down, frowning.
"Sit."
"What?!"
"Sit," Andrea said again, smiling.
Lori sat down hesitantly, not knowing what Andrea had in mind, when suddenly two hands placed themselves on her shoulders.
She flinched slightly at the touch, but not enough for Andrea to notice.
Andrea looked down at Lori, working her hands the best she could. She moved her thumbs in circles over Loris shoulder blades, slowly moving down her back.
Lori tried her best to focus on the floor in front of her, but inhaled heavily once Andrea started to dig her fingertips into her.
As Andrea moved down her back, she tried to steady her breathing.
Andrea could hear Loris breathing getting heavier but chose to ignore it.
Lori swallowed hard, secretly hoping Andrea would stop on her own, but after what seemed like 5 minutes, Lori stopped thinking and involuntarily loosened her muscles, beginning to lean back into Andreas hands.
Only when Andrea started to use the palms of her hands to rub up and down Loris back did she come back to her senses.
She felt as though she could feel everything more than she could before. Every time Andreas hands passed over the back of her rib cage, she could feel her nipples tighten, wishing her hands were just inches closer to the front of her.
When Andrea moved her hands down Loris back for the last time, Lori felt a throbbing in her center.
"Andrea!" She yelled, jumping up at once, but her name came out in the beginning of a moan.
Andrea and Lori stood there, staring at each other, neither knowing what to say, while Loris chest heaved, her face bright red.
Lori was the first to speak.
"I'm sorry, I just," Lori scrambled for words, "That was enough, thank you." She forced a smile at Andrea.
Andrea was still looking at her, watching her flushed face turn to look at the door.
"Lori, wait."
Lori stopped, but didn't turn back around. She could feel tears of embarrassment stinging her eyes.
"Lori.." Andrea gently placed a hand on her shoulder, expecting her to pull away and was surprised when she didn't.
She slowly turned Lori towards her and used her thumbs to wipe the tears away.
"It's okay."
Lori only started crying more, knowing that neither of them could deny what was happening anymore.
Andrea pulled Lori into a hug.
"I won't tell anyone."