Hi, everyone!
I finally found time to finish this story. Enjoy!
Warning: major lemons ahead.
When I flipped Alice over onto her back with renewed vigor from my orgasm, I had been determined to give her as much pleasure as she had given me. Her lips still had traces of my wetness streaked across, glistening in the small light that was available. She smiled as I reached up to wipe some away.
"Sorry, you're everywhere!" She giggled and wiped more from her chin.
I hovered over her body, caressing the smooth wave of her hips and memorizing the way goosebumps followed in their path. Her shuddering breath was the indication I needed that those tingles were still in full force.
Through the limited light we had, we stared deeply into one another's eyes, savoring the milestone that we had just passed. She smiled gently, tucking some of my hair behind my ear and then leaned up to kiss me tenderly.
"Thank you for letting me be your first," she whispered with such care, concern, and honor.
Although I certainly wasn't a virgin, I knew what she meant. She was the first woman I had ever slept with. So far, the results were completely different and the fact that I had been sleeping with men for so long before this honestly astounded me.
"Thank you for making it so special," I responded before kissing her deeply, taking care to memorize every inch of her lips and tongue. She tasted like me. I opened my mouth wider, gliding my tongue across the roof of her mouth to illicit a shudder.
It exploded from tender and sweet to passionate and hungry within seconds. The sexual tension that had been building for so long seemed to be a monstrous thing that enveloped us both. The tingles exploded at our mouths, twisting and rising through our skin and muscles at a feverish pace. We kissed ardently, biting lips and accidentally smashing teeth together in a zealous hunger that only strove for one thing: complete and utter pleasure. She moaned and panted against my lips, shifting her hips to grind against my thigh. Immediately, I could feel her hard clit against my skin and how wet she was. I groaned, hanging my head to press my forehead against her sweaty breast. This only encouraged her more and she grasped my back, pulling upward with her hands to ground down onto my thigh. A pathetic whimper drifted to my ear and I rocked harder into her.
Not only was her touch stealing the breath from my lungs, but the tingles made breathing all the more difficult. They captivated me, exploding like fireworks wherever our skin touched. An idea popped into my head to take advantage of this peculiar anonymity.
Swiftly, I removed myself from between her legs and straddled her, placing bites and marks all over her chest and lower neck. Her back arched to feel my touch even more, as though our naked bodies fully pressing together finally still wasn't enough. At one particular bite, the loudest moan I've ever heard from her erupted and her skin vibrated beneath my teeth. My stomach coiled at the sound and knew that a woman's moan was singularly the sexiest noise in the world.
I sat up, still straddling her and moved to press my pussy lips against hers. Throughout the shuffling, she looked confused but followed my lead. My hands spread apart my lips and I dipped lower, feeling my clit press against hers. The breath jerked out of me at the feeling and the tingles shattered in an energy I had never felt before. Placing my hand on the bed behind me, I thrust down and felt her wetness mix with mine. The sound flitted in and out between our moans and pants. She began to move with me and that perfect rhythm immediately followed. The moans caught in my throat, seized by the eruption of feeling that seemed to only exist between us. The rock of our hips amplified the blunt feeling of her clit against mine.
"Jesus fuck," she panted and I watched her grab her breast, twisting and squeezing a nipple as she grounded harder against me.
Disentangling from her, I straddled just above her waist and captured one of her small, pink nipples in my mouth. The response was immediate and her hands cradled the back of my head to pull me closer. I moaned against her at the fervent response, massaging her other breast simultaneously. I paused, pressing my forehead against her sweaty skin to look below to see her hips undulating, even though there was no relief offered.
Moving to her other breast, my hand fell lower and traced the outside of her pussy. She began moving erratically towards my fingers and I looked up at her with a smirk.
"You did this exact thing to me," I whispered and she groaned, throwing her head back against the pillow.
"I don't need the teasing," she practically yelled at me. Her voice was desperate and I reveled in the sound. "I'm ready." She punctuated this last statement with a particularly hard downward thrust to feel my fingertips.
"What if I'm not?" I breathed on her ear, tracing my fingertip between her thighs and close to her lips. She was so wet that I could feel it on her thighs and I whimpered.
"Come on, honey," she exclaimed and grabbed my hand to try and shove between her legs. Laughing at her response, I only snatched my hand away and looked down at her face: eyebrows clenched together, lip nearly bleeding beneath a tight bite and pleading eyes.
This picture before me elicited feelings of empowerment within my stomach and chest. Although I had always pictured her as the "top" in the relationship, I found in this particular moment that the idea to switch didn't seem quite so terrifying to me. The thought that I had never had sex with a woman came into my mind, though, and that seemed absolutely terrifying.
"You'll be patient if I'm not the best at this straight away?"
She looked alarmed and thrown off, almost a little insulted. "Of course, Bella. I'd be a horrible partner if I wasn't."
I nodded and then kissed her again. She met me softly this time-gentle teeth and a slow tongue to coax me back into a realm of comfortability in a situation I had never entered before. Her fingers began playing with the small hairs on the back of my neck. This was something she had begun doing when we would be lying on her couch, watching TV with my head in her lap. It lulled me into a calm exterior almost immediately. The same effect happened now and I melted against her body. The tingles swam languidly and I gasped against her skin.
My hand slid between her legs once more and without waiting another second, dragged two fingers from the entrance of her pussy up to the top, encircling her throbbing clit.
God.
Although I had just come, I could feel myself throb. She was soaked, coating my fingers and only bucking for more.
"Fucking hell, you're drenched," I moaned into her ear and she spread her legs wider.
God. Fucking. Bless.
Removing my hand, I sat back on the heels of my feet and stared at the view below me. Her legs were parted to display a dripping center, glistening in the light and her clit had hardened completely. She gripped the sheets, grinding gently against the air for any type of comfort and I watched the muscles in her stomach ripple. She whimpered, her eyebrows creasing and her gaze akin to complete submission.
This is what I had been dreaming about. This is what I had been masturbating to for months now.
Alice Brandon was desperate for my touch.
"Bella!" she said once more, obviously losing her patience and I snapped out of my daze.
"Sorry, sorry! You're just so hot!" I blurted out, shaking my head and then kissed her once more.
"Then do something about it!" she murmured between kisses and giggled.
Moving lower, I peppered kisses and small bites along her ribs, her stomach, her hips and marveled at the way she was so soft and smooth on every fucking inch of her body. My body settled between her legs and I stared at her center.
"You are absolutely gorgeous," I whispered and she only lifted her hips up further for me.
Was Alice secretly a bottom in the bedroom? It would kind of make sense, honestly.
My hands gripped her hips and before moving forward, I looked up to see her mouth agape, breathing heavily with dark eyes transfixed upon me. Her hair was a mess, sticking up this way and that. She had moved her hand to grip the top of her hair, the other tight on the sheet.
Keeping eye contact, I widened my tongue to keep it as flat as possible and then dragged slowly from the very bottom to the top, finally putting pressure on her clit. Instantly, a guttural, deep moan vibrated in her chest and her hips moved downward. I did the movement again and picking up on the rhythm, she did the same. I kept my tongue still, broad and flat as she moved her hips in a rocking motion, grinding against me and whimpering whenever her clit finally made contact. A sharp pain exploded near the top of my head when she moved her hand from the sheets and gripped my hair tightly to keep my face stationary.
Instead of picking up speed, she moved slowly and pressed hard against me for some relief. My nose, lips, and chin were covered in her and I continued moaning, offering a vibration against her clit.
"Please," she whispered.
My hands gripped onto her hips, forced her down onto the bed and kept her still. I thought of all the lesbian porn I had watched to prepare for this moment and began flicking my tongue erratically left and right.
A moment passed and then her grip loosened and instead cradled the back of my head. She was silently coaxing me on where to go and I gladly followed her lead. Once I moved half an inch up and to the left, a reassuring, soft moan came from her mouth.
"Up and down, Bella. Not side to side," she said softly.
Although I was a little embarrassed about messing this up, I listened and changed my technique. An entirely new sound vibrated deep in her chest and pushed outward while her legs pressed around my cheeks. Her grip tightened, almost pulling painfully on my hair.
"Bella," she moaned as I flicked her clit faster with the very tip of my tongue. "Fucking hell," she muttered more to herself.
"God," I whispered when I pulled away to breathe. "You taste amazing."
She giggled, shaking her head. "Thank you, honey." Her fingers moved to caress my cheek and she pulled gently up to look at me. "You did great for your first time, honey. It takes time to learn. Would you finger me instead?" I guess I must've shown something on my face because she sat up, cradled my face and then kissed me tenderly. Her wetness was still very much all over me and began to smear across her own lips. "Do not think you're awful or anything like that. Again, it takes time and I am very willing to teach you. But I want to come for you."
Jesus Christ.
I gulped and nodded mutely.
"You're okay?" she asked, pausing to look at me with her eyebrows creased in worry.
"Yeah, I'm okay. Really," I answered and kissed her again.
She laid back down, pulling me with her and as I hovered over her, my fingers slid slowly inside her hole. She was incredibly tight and warm, squeezing immediately to capture me. She let out a quick exhale, her chest falling as her eyes closed to savor the feeling.
"You feel even more amazing than what I've pictured," she breathed onto my lips.
"I love you."
"I love you too."
Her hand moved lower, two fingers placed over her clit and she began moving in slow, circular motions. Immediately, her walls clamped tightly onto my fingers and I began to curl them, only moving back and forth gently but deeply. Her head threw back against the pillows, mouth wide open and eyes closed. I began biting her neck, licking her earlobe and peppering marks all over her breasts.
"It felt so good for you to finally make me come, Alice," I whispered and next thing I knew, my fingers couldn't move at all. A singular vein protruded in her neck while she lifted her torso with her core, keeping her back straight as she silently screamed. A strangled gasp caught in her throat, eyebrows furrowing and mouth opening wider. Although I could barely move, my fingers went deeper as she came.
Finally, she fell back and let out a long exhale.
"Holy shit," she breathed.
"I know."
I fell back next to her, our shoulder pressed against one another and both of us panted, staring at the ceiling.
"If I wasn't fucked up before, I definitely am now," I finally said into the darkness and she began giggling, moving onto her side to press her face into my breasts.
Late March
The gym had been completely transformed. Soft lights were dancing across the walls in different colors-dark pink, light purple, and blue. Off to the left, there was a photoshoot set up with a long, straggly line already forming. Girls were applying last-minute touches to their make-up alongside nervous, jittery dates shuffling in their hot suits. The photographer was a middle-aged man that made no attempt to hide his dislike for teenagers, sighing when a spoiled girl would demand another set of photos because he hadn't apparently taken her good side. Music was playing so loudly with the bass turned all the way up to feel as though the floor was shaking with every beat. Right now, it was chaste rap music that cut out on every single swear word or distasteful comment to provide an awkward melody.
Angela held my hand tightly next to me, starting to sweat against my palm as soon as we stepped inside. She had taken great care into her appearance tonight-long, envious waves flowed through her hair, her make-up accentuated her subliminally beautiful features, and her strapless dress gave her a significant bump in cleavage with a small cinch around her waist. She had picked a subtle, warm blue color that honestly made her eyes shine. To compliment, I had bought a soft yellow corsage that was wrapped proudly around her wrist. Her gaze was moving around the gym slowly, as though trying to pinpoint a specific individual in the swarm of gyrating, sweaty bodies. Although her expression appeared indifferent, the small pinch of her lips gave her away—she was straining to find Eric in the mess and curious about his current state. Her thumb absentmindedly caressed the side of my hand as though on auto-pilot and she finally turned to stand in front of me. While we usually stood this close anyways and garnered double-takes, the close proximity was the norm in this chaotic atmosphere.
"You look really hot, Angela," I half shouted at her face. She held onto my hand and gave a quick squeeze as a silent thank you for my compliment.
"Do I look like someone you'd take home?" She said into my ear, moving her grasp from my hand to my waist as she leaned closer.
"Definitely!"
She pulled back, smiled, and then did an over-the-top wink, complete with opening her mouth as wide as it could go. Briefly, I considered fucking with her and sticking my finger inside but as soon as the thought appeared, my chance dissipated. Her hands moved to touch up my hair—she had done the same to me with extravagant waves—and nodded in triumphant approval once she finished. I had gone a different route than Angela and had chosen comfort over beauty. Instead of a skin-tight dress, I had donned black skinny chinos, dark gray oxfords, and a slim white button-down. I had allowed Angela to manipulate my hair however she wished to effectively mingle the femininity of my usual boring mane with the masculinity of my attire.
"You guys!" A shriek resounded from the side, drawing closer. Jessica appeared next to us, her hair pinned back and a dress on that showed more skin than usual. She did a small double-take over my outfit but I definitely noticed it. I knew that anything inching closely to masculine for a woman was simply uncomfortable for my small-minded friends but I dismissed the thought. I felt comfortable and happy with what I was wearing and no one's bigoted ideas were going to ruin my night. "How exciting is this?! Our senior prom!" Jessica yelled as Mike languidly made his way towards the group, holding a small flask in his hand.
Mike and Jessica had gotten back together right before prom to no one's surprise. She had practically forced him to go to prom and judging by the foggy, absent minded look on his face, he definitely did not care to be here. His hooded gaze moved up and down my body and then to Angela—the small bite of his lip showcased his thoughts as plainly as though they were playing on a screen for us all to see. His arm wound around the back of Jessica's waist, pulling her tightly against his side.
"Yep, it's great," Angela said in return since she knew from my face I would not entertain this mindless conversation. "You look fantastic, Jessica."
Admittedly and annoyingly, Jessica did look pretty breathtaking. Mike seemed to be aware of this triumphant with his possessive grip on her waist to show her off as a trophy for the night before he tossed her haphazardly aside as usual. He, however, was wearing an oversized suit, making it look like he had an extra 20 pounds on his frame. I could smell the waft of cigarette smoke from his arm when he lifted his flask to take another sip so I assumed that the suit happened to be his father's. Glancing around, I noticed Jessica did not have a corsage and I made no attempt to hide the rolling of my eyes at how cheap Mike really can be.
Come on. Even I got a corsage.
And Angela is a pretend date for fuck's sake.
"Thanks," Jessica replied. "So do you guys!" Her smile was wide as could be, making her already large eyes seem monstrously huge. "Where's Eric, Angela?"
Angela sighed and darted her gaze to look at me. Immediately, I felt an uncomfortable twinge in my chest because their fight was technically my fault. He had grown continually irritated that she had ignored his requests to see me less and to lessen the affection. Although she had continued to reassure him, her adamant refusal to let him read our text message thread was the final undoing. I knew the reason why—she and I spoke freely about my relationship with Alice-but she couldn't fully disclose a valid explanation for the concrete no.
Part of me felt immense guilt for ruining this relationship because of my own selfish reasons but on the other hand, several of the characteristics Eric had shown since this lie was planted had become huge, red flags. The small comments at the beginning were just self-deprecating jabs and insecurities masked as small accusations. However, when Angela refused to budge, they morphed into real insults and an unmistakable foundation of mistrust.
It was pretty obvious Angela and I were not in a relationship. How would he react with someone else that could actually pose a real threat?
At Angela's downward gaze and inability to form a response, I took ownership of the conversation.
"I'm sure he's here somewhere. Angela was actually my date."
Mike and Jessica both blinked in confused unison. Honestly, it was a tad creepy and made them look like siblings instead of dates.
"I thought Hayden was your date?" Mike interjected with a lace of jealousy.
"Yeah, he was. But then it was clear he had other thoughts on his mind for this night," I shrugged. "We aren't getting back together. No matter how much he wants it."
"Well, it seems you're the man tonight anyways," Mike joked with another drink of his flask. Angela's chin rose and her glare silenced his chuckles.
"Do you realize how unbelievably stupid you fucking sound when you say shit like that?" she burst out just as the song slowly died down. Her comment had seemed to garner the attention of nearby students and chaperones who turned to survey what had brought forth that statement. Mike had completely frozen, his flask down at his waist and his expression a permanent state of bewildered confusion. Jessica turned herself to shield herself from prying eyes. I, myself, moved my gaze back and forth between Mike and Jessica to Angela, who now had her hand balled up into a fist as the vein in her neck continued to protrude.
Honestly, I wanted to take her up on the stage and crown her Protector of the Gays for that quick and blunt rebuttal. But Mike's terrified look in his eyes warmed my heart just the same.
"Sorry, Bella," he muttered and although I couldn't really hear him over the music, I let it slide and rubbed Angela's back to calm her down. Her temper had been a tad more unpredictable since all of this stuff with Eric.
The music hit a crescendo again as the vibrations shook my shoes, signaling the coming disbursement from this tense moment. Jessica turned to completely face Mike, grabbed his flask and whispered what looked like heated words. He didn't back down and began arguing right back—like an idiot—so I took the opportunity to grab Angela's hand and dragged her to the side of the gym, away from prying eyes. I leaned against the wall, my left foot propped against it as I crossed my arms to survey Angela.
"Are you okay?" I asked, a bit quieter since the music was not so completely engulfing and overwhelming in this position. "You kind of freaked on Mike there."
"I'm fine," she muttered and then sighed heavily. She was slouching, the lights dancing off her face to momentarily enhance the highlight from her make-up and as the beats poured through our bodies, she looked like a transfixed artwork. Displaying sadness, frustration, and longing all at once with the eccentric music and lights surrounding her, I wanted to wrap Angela in my arms and apologize for the mess that I had drug her through this whole school year. She let out a huff, turned her head to look at me and donned an attractive pout. "When is your boo coming?"
As though to silently answer her question, I felt familiar goosebumps up the back of my neck and began looking through the large groups of people to see the origin of this intensity. It didn't take long for me to recognize a cute pixie cut through groups of hormone-filled teenagers. I couldn't judge the double takes from the boys surrounding her because as soon as Alice broke free of the cluster, I felt a warm coil tightening in my stomach at the sight.
She had worn a skin-tight black dress that displayed her cleavage amazingly. The hem of it stopped at her mid-thigh and my eyes glazed over her toned legs. She was looking around the gym, waving distractedly at various staff members and smiling softly to other students. She moved off to the side, clasped her hands together in front of her chest and bit her lip while her gaze fluttered around. Her eyes were narrowed, a small wrinkle showing around the inquisitive, downward slope of her eyebrows.
She was truly, breathtakingly beautiful.
She must've given up on trying to find me within the swarm of students and looked elsewhere, finally finding me against the wall. Once we locked gazes, her features broke into a wide smile where wrinkles formed at the end of her eyes and her cheeks were rosy—matching the red banner behind her. Her hand rose to gently wave at me.
"I'd fuck her," Angela's voice broke through the trance. She made eye contact with me and waited a beat.
"I already have," I retorted.
"I know. You didn't shut up about it for the longest time."
"Would you?"
She gave me an exasperated look. "Well. No." She shrugged, throwing her hands up in the air. "I'm going to find Eric. Do you need me to be supervisory aunt here for a second?"
I clicked my lips together. "Nah. I think I'll manage to get by, thank you."
She nodded solemnly. Suddenly, she drew her hands into fists at her side and then thrust gently, biting her lip. It was subtle enough that no one around her noticed that she was thrusting in the air but with a dorky expression towards me, I couldn't contain my heavy glare and began to laugh softly. Once she had succeeded her goal, she laughed, and then disappeared into the sea of gyrating bodies.
Looking off to the side, Alice had begun to slowly sink into the empty, deserted hallway leading away from the gym. The lightweight door swung shut behind her but garnered enough momentum to swing forward momentarily. Through the sliver of light that was illuminated from the lights on stage, her steady and suggestive gaze hit me with pinpoint accuracy. A gentle smirk graced her lips as the darkness engulfed her and she stepped back.
Surrounded by my classmates and teachers for the last four years, I felt that glare traverse through my whole body and like a magnet, my feet began to move. In case someone had noticed her slink off into the hallway moments before, I took my time moving there and stopped for a few seconds to speak with some classmates. Small talk had never been my thing but in this moment, it seemed crucial to blend in before daring to test the limits.
Spontaneity had never been something Alice had wanted. Careful planning had gone into every interaction in public since our relationship came to be. The night at her parents' house had opened some door—ravenous, continuous hunger for one another had developed in the same way I imagine addicts feel. I certainly felt addicted. This blind hunger tossed aside the careful trepidation we had displayed before in moments such as this. The frenzied obsession over constantly touching one another trumped it.
I opened the door slightly and slipped inside. It was a long, dark hallway with the entrance to the male and female locker rooms on either side. The visual before me drew forth an odd burst of fear, simply from seeing the same setting from so many horror films. Shaking my head at my complete and utter overreaction, I shoved the feeling aside. Although we were absolute shit in football, the team received their own locker room and that was at the end of the long hallway. My heels rang out loudly in this space, battling against the loud and thunderous bass past the door. Standing at the halfway point, I still had not seen any trace of Alice and looked at the entrance of both dark, empty locker rooms. Shifting my body, I placed another loud clack of my shoes on the floor and then my phone buzzed in my back pocket.
Alice had texted me. Warm.
Oh, this is what we were doing?
The familiar feeling of butterflies, the weightless safety of unconditional love, and the high from a silly crush all poured simultaneously into my being. Her flirty nature had definitely increased over the last couple weeks and I considered myself unbelievably blessed.
I took another step to the men's locker room, stood in the entryway and felt another buzz.
Cold.
I turned around instantly and moved to the women's. The lights had been turned off and I traversed quietly through the area I had come to know so well through four years. Thankfully, I had grown quite a bit from stumbling in on my first day as a freshman with a flat chest and tissues stuffed into my bra. Looking back, my wandering eyes explained a lot. Originally, I attributed it to curiosity over everyone else's development due that irrational fear of always being the last one to catch up to the crowd. Now, my sexuality probably played a part in it as well but I didn't recognize it at the time.
I received another text in my hands.
Warmer.
As I turned the corner, I flipped on a light. There were lines of red lockers occupying the space. Thin, wooden benches were between each row. A piece of paper had been folded in half to be able to stand on its own.
There were two arrows in the top right and left corners pointing upwards to the showers and underneath, written eloquently in black: Closer, honey. Grabbing the paper, my fingertips traced the curve of her writing briefly before folding it even further and sticking it inside my pocket.
Walking slowly and steadily in the direction she had pointed to, I hit the tile with the heel of my shoes loudly so she would be aware of my location.
The showers were tiled in white, in a long row with open space between each. Thankfully, not a lot of us actually used these after the gym period and I imagine I wouldn't exactly be so comfortable in front of everyone. This section still had the lights off but the soft glow from the locker area allowed me to see the shape of Alice's sleek body leaning against the wall at the very end. Even in the darkness, her damn smirk was visible.
Hot.
I walked towards her, placing my phone in my back pocket. I knew what my goal was and I saw her there—long legs, bright and elusive smile, and that tiny waist begging to be grabbed.
Standing within arm's length, half of her face was covered by shadow in this darkened area of our forbidden tryst. The bass of the music and continuous white noise of chatter between everyone was loud enough to remind us both just how illicit this was and especially, at this present scenario.
"Hey, honey," she whispered in the darkness, tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and then stepped forward to hotly press her hands against my upper chest and slide slowly up to clasp together behind my neck. An involuntary shiver racked through my body and despite the brutal force of it, my hands found her slim waist and grasped tightly. Tingles spread, making my eyelids fall to focus completely on the intoxicating feeling and when they opened once more, her warm, chocolate orbs were staring back at me. Her head cocked to the side just half an inch, one corner of her lips in a studious leer.
"You look ravishing," I responded in a breathy murmur.
Her cheeks flushed and our gaze broke as her eyes lowered bashfully momentarily.
"Thank you. You look beautiful, as well." Her fingers slid inside the open collar of my shirt, tracing my collarbone and wrapping around my shoulder. "You have great shoulders. I don't think I've ever complimented you on that and that's a complete travesty."
A loud, boisterous laugh erupted from my mouth and echoed through the empty locker room. She immediately raised her hand to cover it. This was not something I had prepared for and my balance had failed, making me step back and almost trip. A small giggle spilled between us as Alice tried to collect herself and help me through the awkward, clumsy attempt to get back to my feet.
"Why are you so obnoxiously loud?!" she whispered loudly, still covering my mouth.
I shrugged and tried to say I'm sorry against her palm to no avail. She rolled her eyes playfully and then removed her hand to step back to her previous position and picked something up off the floor. Once she turned, I saw a pair of headphones and her phone.
"I wanted to do something for you," she said, doing something on her phone without looking at me. She offered one earbud to me and after receiving a quizzical look, she shoved it forward once more. "Don't try and guess it or ruin it. Just take it, Bella," she teased. "Always trying to make things difficult, I swear."
I smiled and did as I was bid. After a quick glance, she pressed play and Ed Sheeran began to serenade me. She placed the other earbud in her own ear and dropped her phone into my pocket.
"...What are we doing?" I asked.
"Well," she started. "I obviously can't dance with you out there. So," she inhaled deeply before stepping forward. She offered her hand, maintaining eye contact with me and smiled. "May I have this dance?"
No answer or thought could even be pieced together right away. The sweetness of this surprise momentarily stunned me and my cheeks flared with a blush.
"Yes," I whispered through a growing smile. "You may."
I grasped her hand and she began leading. I was no match to graceful Alice, however, and immediately accidentally stepped on her feet twice. She shook her head, laughing at my complete incompetency and finally, we settled for closely holding one another and swaying back and forth. 'Thinking Out Loud' continued to play, ignorant of our clumsy rendition. We pressed completely against one another, caressing each other's back and peppering kisses on the other's face intermittently. The soft glow from the other room provided a light that mimicked romance and despite the setting, my heart melted. Tingles were moving at a languid pace through us-the same way a fire traverses across your back in your childhood living room. The combination of her skin, the music, and the reaction our skin always had cemented the heavy, meaningful moment of this slow dance together.
"This is very sweet, babe."
She smiled and pressed her cheek against mine before kissing the nape of my neck. "Good, I wanted to do something cute for you. You deserve it."
We swayed back and forth silently, letting Ed's voice solidify this moment into my brain-something that I'd look back at for years in fond memory.
The song ended and while we were still entangled, I removed the earbud to hand back to her.
"I suppose we should start heading back then," I offered. She turned to pick something up from the corner where she had had her phone and earphones placed before.
My eyes, very naturally, fell down during this action.
"By the way, just in case you didn't know for whatever reason, you have a fantastic ass, babe," I said while stepping forward. Before she could turn around, I placed my left hand against the wall in front of her for support and grabbed a handful of her and squeezed, moaning low in my throat. The force made her stumble forward, placing both of her hands on the wall and laughing underneath her breath.
"Thank you, honey."
The front of my body pressed flush against her backside and my hand moved to her stomach, pressing hard against the fabric of this flimsy dress. The tingles erupted once more through us, making a strangled gasp fall from Alice's lips. The sound made my stomach clench, the heat swirling deeply as I was reminded of how she sounded when I filled her. I bit my lip, leaning heavier against her and she pressed her forehead against the wall. My teeth grazed the skin at the base of her neck while my hand slid to the hem of her dress, only lifting the fabric to trace my finger along her skin.
"This dress is the end of me, I swear," I whispered into her ear and watched gooseflesh erupt in a straight line.
The muffled voice of the DJ came through the walls as the music paused. The entire school organization was just down the hall, all crowded into the gym while I had my math teacher pressed against the locker shower wall. Alice usually bossed me around in the bedroom but here, she was in a completely vulnerable state—eyes closed, mouth agape, forehead against the wall, and the hem of her black dress pulled up just enough to afford the view of her round, perky ass.
Did she really not wear any underwear?
I pulled back enough to lift the hem, showcasing the black, lacy thong she had decided to don. At this reveal, she stretched her back to provide a better view for me and hung her head. Her shoulder muscles tensed and rippled. Seeing her...present herself to me in such a way made some ferocious, uncontrollable need explode within me.
"Do you want to do this right now?" I asked just as the music began again. One ring on her hand began to tap against the wall even though she remained stationary due to the pounding bass.
She chuckled and raised her head to look over her shoulder. The look of want in her eyes was almost tangible and a fire exploded within my chest at the sight. She turned around, pulled the hem of her dress down again and then chastely kissed my cheek.
"I just wanted you to remember what you have ready and waiting for you when you're getting hit on all night long," she breathed onto my ear and then slid her hand to cup my ass. A light tap hit it and then she walked past me, smiling all the way.
"You….are insatiable, woman."
"Come on, honey. Let's get back," she said and extended her hand. "You enter first. I'll go in another entrance in a couple minutes."
"Or here's a crazy thought. Why don't we just go back to your place so I can inspect those panties you've got on a little further?"
That familiar blush crept onto her cheeks and she shook her head. "No, it's your prom. You should enjoy it."
I groaned in protest, even as she grabbed my hand and dragged me back to the entrance of the gym.
"Have fun. I love you," she said, placing a quick kiss on my lips before departing.
"I love you too."
April 2nd
Over a dozen envelopes cascaded onto the coffee table with a soft thump in front of me. Charlie stood nearby, his hands on his hips, accompanied by a judging wrinkle on his features.
"Do you know what those are?"
My gaze moved over everything with a curious hesitation. The emblems on the top of the letters gave me a clue.
"Are those college applications?"
It was like looking into a future that was expected of me but I had no blueprints, no guidance, nothing. Although I could break down poetry, knew how to find the square root of a number, and the rules of volleyball, I did not know how to navigate this new world that would be shoved upon me soon. The idea of it was frightening and I felt greatly unprepared.
His head cocked to the side half an inch and his lips tightened ever further. "I filled them out for you, Bella." His mustache twitched. "Even though I have been reminding you that the due dates are approaching several times, I still haven't seen any letters from any colleges in our mailbox. So, I did it for you."
The room was silent. I didn't quite know how to respond. The feeling was similar to when I was younger and had forgotten to do one of the chores my parents had given me.
The thought of taking a year off had crossed my mind but of course, I couldn't express these ideas to Charlie. Alice was a large part of this thought, but also I wanted to take some time and think about what I'd really like to do with my life. Or was that mostly just fear of failure? For fuck's sake, I still had to raise my hand and ask for permission to use the restroom but my entire future was hinging on my decision in the next two or three months? What kind of bullshit was that?
"Thank you for doing that, Dad," I responded and grabbed a random one off the table. "You didn't have to but I appreciate it."
"I just wish you'd start really thinking about the future, Bella," he muttered, his tone softening.
"This year has just been a lot. I've been...toying with the idea of taking a year off," I said and looked at him to judge his reaction. Immediately, there was a downward turn to the corner of his lips but he recognized my hardened response to this and tried a different approach.
"With this economy and the way things are going, you need to go to college, get a degree, and work hard as hell to at least get your foot in the door." He sat on the edge of the table to look at me closely. "Why do you want to take a year off? What's keeping you here?"
My body froze like I had just been caught with my hand in the cookie jar. Surely….he didn't know, did he? Surely...he couldn't tell, right?
When I didn't respond straight away, his eyes narrowed and the crow's feet surrounding them became more noticeable. They had been appearing more often, just like the bursts of gray near his temples. My father was getting older and I still didn't really know how to feel about it.
"Bella," he leaned forward and grasped one of my hands between both of his. "I know that you and I haven't had the greatest relationship or the closest one. That's partly my fault because I haven't been the best father." He patted my hand in thought. "So, I know that if you're wanting to stay here and take time off, it isn't because of me. I know that you love me but I also know that I'm not keeping you here."
I cleared my throat. "I really feel like I just need some time off."
"Why exactly?"
"I don't know why I really need a reason?"
A beat passed and then he sighed. "You need to go to college. Your mother and I have been saving up for your tuition. Most kids don't have that option nowadays, by the way." He let go of my hands and shook his head. "We're giving you a gift to start your life off in a better way and you...don't even realize how hard we worked to offer you that."
"That's not what I'm saying. You're making me out to be a brat and-"
"I didn't get this kind of opportunity, Bella," he continued. He started rubbing his hands together—something he usually did when he was treading carefully and wasn't confident in his ability to accurately express his thoughts. My Mom always told me he did that when he first met her and then near the end of their marriage, bringing a bittersweet loop to this mannerism. "I will help you with it every step of the way but your mother and I worked hard to provide this opportunity for you. You're going to take it."
The sharp flicker of his gaze back to me signaled finality to this conversation and I simply nodded. "I understand."
"I know that it is a scary time in your life but this is such an important time in your life. Take every opportunity you have and make the most of it."
Again, I nodded. "I don't have perfect grades, though."
"Do you think you're not capable of getting into these schools?"
I shrugged and he drew a letter from the pile and handed it to me. I opened it, removed the letter and then read the first few sentences. Yes, I had actually been accepted. A flicker of confidence grew within my chest and I looked at him again, admitting defeat.
"I was accepted," I meekly murmured.
He smiled proudly, his teeth still hidden and his chin pulled inward in that odd way that fathers usually smile. As though they were trying to stifle a sob while simultaneously smiling. "See? You're capable of it. You just aren't applying yourself. Your grades are pretty good, except for math. What is that teacher's name again? I should give her a call and set up a meeting with her."
"Her name is Alice," I answered nonchalantly, still reading the letter and then paused. "Uh, sorry. She likes to...try to play the cool teacher and let us call her by her first name, you know? She's known as Ms. Brandon."
He nodded and then got to his feet. "Look through these and choose which one you want. You're cutting it way too close, Bella. We can weigh the pros and cons of each university if you need help. Okay?"
I looked over the envelopes, each one representing some kind of unbearable distance from Forks and nodded. "Thanks, Dad."
His body still remained next to me, almost awkwardly trying to decide what to do and then he pat my shoulder, leaned down and placed a kiss on my head. "No problem, Bella," he muttered with jerky, retreating movements, as though insecurity won the battle against his confidence in displaying affection.
April 4th 11:00AM
It was that slow period at the end of the semester when teachers were giving bullshit assignments or showing movies in class to pass the time. The relaxed atmosphere showed just how close we really were to our graduation and subsequently, only made the anticipation that much worse. We were so close and time seemed to slow down in mockery of it. It reminded me of that stupid Christmas calendars that my Mom used to hang where an ugly looking elf would hold a countdown number each day. It almost seemed to look at my childish face, impatient and ready for the wonder of Christmas to arrive.
Even our gym teacher had seemingly had enough and showed the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy to pass the time. A snore resounded in the back of the gym just as the theme kicked up again and Jack Sparrow somehow made a narrow escape.
Feeling myself tiring as well, I asked the teacher if I could use the restroom and received a dismissive wave of her hand. There were two entrances into the gym. One led to the locker rooms and the football room. The other entrance, much more worn in with marks and scuffs on the linoleum floor, was the usual route that most students traveled daily. Here, there was a long hallway filled with trophies from our sports teams. On the left side, it led to the other extracurricular activities—choir, band, art, etc. On the right, it led to double doors that opened to the lunchroom. Within this corridor, the left wall sunk in, creating a small hall that led to two restroom doors. The lunch doors usually remained closed but right now, they were open and I saw a flash of someone familiar.
"Ms. Brandon!" I half-shouted. She skidded to a comical halt, almost tripping over her heels. Once she regained her balance and registered that it was me, her lips grew into a wide smile.
"Hello, Bella," she warmly greeted me and began walking closer to me. The warm, velvet tone washed over me in the same way an old, nostalgic movie gave you comfort. "What are you doing out and about?"
"It's gym right now. They don't have us doing anything except watching movies and I'm about to fall asleep."
She nodded, as though she were retreading her memories of those final high school days. "It'll get better. Just a little longer." A wink accompanied this statement and my cheeks blushed.
"I know," I said and now we were within arm's length of one another. "You know…" My head turned to look down the long corridor. We were out of sight from the gym doors and stood close to the small hallway leading to the hidden restrooms. I took a step forward, grabbed her hand and led her further into the small hiding place. My back was to the lunchroom doors, while hers was to the gym. We looked like conspirators on the edge of this small, almost hidden hallway.
"I could...use a pick up," I continued, smiled, and started a comical eyebrow wiggle to further my hint.
Her smile grew, cheeks blushing, and she began shaking her head. "Really? Is that how we're phrasing things now? Has the romance diminished so quickly, honey?" She rolled her eyes but still smiled down at me.
I leaned out of the hidden hallway, turned my head up and down to look at the long corridor and found no one. Straightening back up, I gave her a taunting look.
"Just saying. It's been…" I looked down at my imaginary watch and then heavily sighed to dramatize. "I don't know the exact number but way too long since my last kiss."
Again, she rolled her eyes but darted a quick look up and down the corridor as well. She leaned against the wall, biting her lip while she pondered her decision. At the start of our relationship, that Alice would've scolded me for even suggesting such a thing. A couple months ago, she would've laughed, dismissed it with a wave of her hand and playfully flirted with me. The Alice standing in front of me now was different than those—a newfound intensity had enthralled her. After spending hours and hours learning the intricacies of your partner's body and exposing deep vulnerability, was anything else other than this unrelenting hunger expected? Quickly, as though the sudden rebellious nature would abruptly leave her, outstretched hands grasped my cheeks and her soft lips brushed against mine tenderly. Although she might've been hoping for just a chaste peck, I held my ground and kissed her deeply. Tingles erupted and burst from our lips to the rest of our faces, spreading out as though bathing lazily in the sun. A quiet whimper drifted from her lips to mine as we stayed together for several more moments and then we parted.
"I've got to get back to my task, honey. I'll see you in math, okay?" Her eyelashes still fluttered from the effect we only seemed to have for one another. "I love you."
"I love you," I whispered and then watched her turn towards the extracurricular section of the school. I turned, getting a momentary view of the open lunchroom doors and saw a brief glimpse of something dart from the edge. When I did a double take, the entrance was completely still for several seconds.
My heart began to race because from this view, someone could have seen half of our bodies. Half of our bodies kissing passionately. A student and a teacher, both female, kissing.
Then, a janitor's broom came into view. A man was bopping his head to music that poured from his headphones and his vision was glued to the floor. It took him several seconds to realize that I was looking at him and then, when he did, it seemed to startle him. He jumped backwards, making the earphones fall out only from the right ear and he gasped.
"Sorry, ma'am. I didn't see you there," he said ruggedly. I nodded, smiled and then he put his earphones again once more, continuing his task.
I guess that's what I saw. A dancing janitor's broom.
Whew. Okay, I can breathe again.
On shaky feet, I returned to the gymnasium and sat back down next to Angela. She immediately moved from the apparent discomfort of the bleachers and laid her head on my shoulder.
It only took a minute or two but slowly, she began to let out tiny snores. The weight of her head on my shoulder started to lean forward, just hang off the cusp, and then fell forward. A loud snort erupted and she jerked upward, blinking rapidly around the gym. Only the girl in front of her turned to acknowledge this. However, I was stifling laughter at the sudden exclamation.
"You good?" I nudged her. Angela shook her head again and then pulled her jacket up as a temporary blanket. I motioned to the corner of my eyes and she immediately understood, reaching up to wipe away the boogers you'd get from a deep sleep. She grimaced, looking over the group of students around us that were playing on their phones, napping, or actually engrossed in the movie.
A quiet, disgruntled moan vibrated in the back of her throat as she laid her head on my shoulder once more. "What the hell is the point of me being here if this is how the last couple weeks are going to go? I could be home napping instead of digging my ass bone into this uncomfortable floor."
"I know, I know," I replied and pat her head. "There, there, dear. All will be well."
She moaned again, turning her head downward to receive more pets. "Eric and I got into another fight."
"About me?"
"Naturally."
My lips tightened. "What did he say this time?"
"You don't want to know."
My foot jingled in nervous energy and I sighed. "When do these comments cross the line from normal jealousy to just simply being an asshole?"
"I think that time has passed, dear."
"Do you want me to do anything?"
She shook her head, the movement restricted from the presence of my shoulder. "There'd be no point. Thank you, though." Her body turned to get even closer to me, using me as a pillow and also a bed? Without asking permission, she detached herself long enough to grab my arm, lift it, and then wrap it around herself to place her head on my chest. She moaned happily and laid her body on the half of mine.
"Happy?"
"I'm very comfortable, actually. Goodnight."
My hand began absentmindedly rubbing her back and within a couple minutes, her breathing deepened and quiet snores came once more. Although half of my body was also falling asleep and those dreaded pricks and needles would be arising soon, I stayed as still as possible. A few of the boys had looked over at this display of affection with that usual veil of lust. Some girls did double takes and then attempted to take covert photos of us, even though it was quite obvious what they were doing. Social media and high school were tumultuous enough together and I didn't want to think about how it would be for my future children.
The idea of waking Angela up due to these lingering stares seemed inconsequential. She wouldn't care and would be more upset about a ruined nap than some judgmental looks. I set an alarm to go off right before this period ended, put it in my shirt pocket and then dropped my head backwards against the bleachers to join her.
I had no idea the shift that would occur in my world while I was asleep.