Just some rambling:
Okay Peoples, please stay with me on this one because this is going to be long. Not only because of the road trip but because I love to be descriptive. ^^ I hope you guys enjoy the fourth chapter of the story. I'll give you a hint to the fifth one; the rating will go up.
Also, the plus signs ([ and ]) means that something is said in Japanese, I forgot to put that in the last three chapters lol
Strawberry Panic-Episode 4:
Road Trip
After a day full of preparing for the trip, Nagisa and Shizuma chose to go to sleep early that night. Shizuma thought that it would be good for them to get an early start.
BEEP! BEEP!
Nagisa's eye snapped open to the loud alarm clock. As the redhead sat up in the bed Shizuma's hand slammed down on the off button, ending the loud ringing. Nagisa looked at the time and blinked. It was 5:45 in the morning.
Shizuma yawned as she got out of bed. ["Ah, morning Nagisa-chan."]
Nagisa plopped back down on the bed and turned over. ["Five more minutes."]
Shizuma shrugged, ["fine, I'll give you ten. When I'm done showering you have to get up."]
Nagisa mumbled something unintelligible that sounded like a 'yes'. Shizuma smiled as she grabbed a towel and headed to the bathroom.
"Come on Shizuma, our first stop is Bakersfield!"
Shizuma giggled as she locked the door to her house. ["Okay, okay, give me a moment."]
The silver haired woman picked up her duffle bag and headed to car. When she had made sure that the trunk was closed she got in the car.
["Be warned my Nagisa, this stop may be a little boring. Bakersfield may be big but not interesting, well that's how I feel."]
Nagisa smiled, ["well I guess I'll have to go see for myself."]
Shizuma shrugged as she started the car and backed out of the driveway.
They trip to Bakersfield didn't last long because Shizuma was right; there wasn't much there, other than the Fox Theater and a stadium. Nagisa did take pictures though, the city was beautiful, just not exciting. She wanted something to blow her mind, something that she can tell her friends and family back in Japan.
The read head settled in her seat as Shizuma stopped at a gas station to get directions to the correct freeway to take to Sacramento. As Nagisa waited she reached in the back seat and fished the bag of snacks from the back and pulled out a package of Hostess cupcakes. She opened the pack and munched happily on the cupcake.
["Yum! This is so good,"] she exclaimed.
["I'm glad you like them Nagisa-chan,"] Shizuma said as she got back in the car. ["Personally I prefer the Twinkies and the cream filling."]
Nagisa giggled, ["are you sure you're still into me, or is there a unknown guy you should tell me about?"]
Shizuma smiled, a light blush of embarrassment coloring her pallid cheeks. Then the blush vanished within seconds. ["Do you doubt me sweetie?"]
Nagisa shook her head, ["I would never."]
Shizuma winked, ["If you're ever in doubt let me know, I can always prove my faithfulness."]
Nagisa blushed as Shizuma's hand ran up her thigh and Shizuma leaned over, her grin widening. A chill ran down Nagisa's back as their eyes locked and Shizuma's busy hand ran up the redhead's side.
Nagisa closed her eyes waiting for the kiss that never came. She opened her eyes to find that Shizuma had went back over to her seat and started the car, a devious smile plastered on her face.
Nagisa's face turned red with anger and she threw the only thing she had in her hand at the time and a cupcake collided with the ex-Etoile's face.
["You're so mean ShiShi-chan!"]
Shizuma laughed at the pouting Nagisa but deep inside her, she wanted to finish where she left off.
I must not fall into temptation...I must not fall into temptation...ugh!
The silver haired woman took her finger and took some of the cupcake off of her cheek and tasted it.
["Hm, not bad."]
Shizuma pulled out of the gas station to start their five-hour trip to Sacramento.
The route to Sacramento was filled with various bathroom breaks and stops. The sights that lead up to Sacramento were fascinating to Nagisa. She was so entranced by her surroundings that she had ended up using one of her camera's memory cards. Shizuma was too busy driving at a steady seventy miles per hour, with the wind blowing through her hair.
Before the two of them realized it, they were inside Sacramento's city limits and the buildings were in sight. While Shizuma slowed down her phone rang and she picked up, without even taking her eyes off of the road.
"Hello," she said in perfect English, "Oh, hi Tanya. *pause* Okay I will check the e-mail when we get settled into out hotel. *pause* Yes, I'll call you when I get into the hotel. *pause* Okay, goodbye."
As the car approached the red light Nagisa looked at Shizuma. ["Who was that?"]
Shizuma sighed, ["My assistant Tanya Moore, we've been friends since college."]
Nagisa smiled, ["that nice, I wish I was able to work with Tamao."]
Shizuma glanced at her, ["speaking of her, has she been able to get over you know...us?"]
Nagisa, ["I'm not so sure but I know that she has tried to move on. Before I came to America she was dating but I really unsure. She seemed fine but whenever I talked about you I could see something in her. I always felt like I was hurting her, so our friendship is distant."]
Shizuma frowned, ["She just needs someone else to help her heal."]
Nagisa nodded, ["yeah, maybe."]
Shizuma glanced at the clock on her dashboard. ["We're early, we have enough time for us to look around tomorrow if you like."]
Nagisa looked at the time too, ["ShiShi-chan, it's only 2:45pm. We still have the rest of the day left. What were we really going to do? Stay at the motel all day?"]
Shizuma shrugged, ["It was just a suggestion."]
Nagisa laughed, ["Wow, you really are nocturnal."]
They drove out to a small motel that was just outside of the city. Shizuma liked quiet when she was trying to sleep and the sounds of cars and people didn't sound so pleasant. She thought that this little place would be comfortable and would be peaceful.
When they walked in the motel Shizuma got exactly what she asked for. It was a nice place that felt warm and inviting. They were so lucky to find a motel that was in this good of condition.
Shizuma walked up to the counter and rang the bell, seeing as no one was there. Soon a short woman came out from the back. She was short with medium length brown hair, green eyes and a tanned face.
"Hola," she said, "What can I do for you ladies today?"
Shizuma smiled politely, "we would like a room please."
"No problem." The short woman reached in one of the drawers under the desk and pulled out a key and walked over to a computer that sat at the edge of the desk.
"Okay, how long are you planning on staying hon?"
"Two nights," Shizuma responded.
Shizuma then pulled out her credit card and handed it to the woman. The woman took the card and swiped it and waited until the receipt printed from the machine. She pulled it out and handed it to Shizuma.
"Sign here and you're all set dear."
Shizuma signed the receipt and the woman gave her the credit card and the room key.
The woman then pointed to her left, "Go straight down there and walk to the end of the hall."
"Thank you," Shizuma and Nagisa said at the same time.
"Anytime, enjoy your stay!"
Shizuma smiled and then she and Nagisa headed to their rooms and settled. Nagisa looked around and frowned.
"This is such a nice room," she said as she plopped onto the soft king size bed.
Shizuma put down her things and smiled, childishly jumping onto the bed also.
"You want to stay here longer?"
Nagisa rolled over and wrapped her arms around Shizuma's waist. "I'm fine, as long as I ca do this."
Shizuma looked at Nagisa as the redhead looked up at her. It wasn't long before they were in a passionate kiss. Nagisa found herself on top of Shizuma the heat rising in the room.
The ex-Etoile was overwhelmed by Nagisa's sudden aggressiveness; but she knew that she liked it. The silver haired beauty hands felt their way up Nagisa's frame until they cupped themselves around Nagisa breasts. Shizuma was surprised that Nagisa hadn't stopped her so she went further, rolling over and placing herself on top.
She began to kiss the redhead again, the kisses trailing from her lips to the nape of her neck. Shizuma's busy hands then went for Nagisa's t-shirt and she pulled it over Nagisa's head.
["Shi...zuma."]
Shizuma kissed down Nagisa's neck again.
["Sto...stop."]
Nagisa moaned as Shizuma's hand found her breasts again, the other occupied with unfastening her bra.
["Shizuma!"]
The silver haired ex-Etoile stopped, frozen. She had gone too far.
["Nagisa-"]
Before the Shizuma finished her sentence she felt Nagisa pushing her away, the redhead scrambling to cover her bra up with her shirt. Shizuma sighed, recomposing herself.
"Shizuma, I told you about doing that," she blushed wildly, ["I-I'm not ready yet."]
Shizuma looked down, ["I'm sorry."]
Nagisa turned her head slightly, frowning. ["No, don't apologize, it's me."]
The redhead put on her shirt and walked out of the room silently. Shizuma knew that they were going to have some slight awkwardness in the morning because there was no way that they were going anywhere today.
Shizuma slapped her hand up against her forehead and cursed under her breath.
Damn it, I'm such a Baka! Ugh I want to die...
That night the most of the awkwardness between them faded. Shizuma was just happy that Nagisa wasn't so uncomfortable that Shizuma would have to sleep on the couch. The silver haired woman was very relived that she could sleep beside her.
The next morning they got up early visiting the Capital Park where there was an array of beautiful plan life. Nagisa spent a lot of her time taking pictures of the different plants and other sights. Shizuma enjoyed the place as well, even though she had been living in California for some time now, she really didn't think about taking time to see tha sights.
After spending a couple of hours in the Capital Park they took a trip to the Roman Catholic Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament. The two of them were left speechless at the size of the Cathedral, Nagisa too stunned to even take a picture. Once inside they sat in the back and took in the amazing interior.
Nagisa bowed her head and prayed. After she opened her eyes she looked up a Shizuma.
["Did you pray ShiShi-chan?"]
Shizuma shook her head, ["Why should I? This is the faith that shuns our relationship together. In this church, I feel like a walking sin."]
Nagisa frowned, ["But you're not, if we are sinners, what makes us any lower than the other people that walk this planet. I believe that He wants us to be happy."]
Shizuma looked down, ["Yes, but...but."]
["But what,"] Nagisa said. ["If you're about to say what I think you are, then the bible that you have read has been changed by man. I can only trust God's guidance. I'm not saying that the bible is wrong but...God has a plan."]
Shizuma nodded and bowed her head, ["The I will ask him for one thing, his guidance."]
Shizuma closed her eyes and put her hands together. She was still for a while before she finally lifted her head. She looked up the statue of Jesus and smiled slightly.
["Let's go Nagisa, we still have places to see."]
Nagisa stood and followed Shizuma out the door. Before she walked out the exit she pause and looked back at the altar where the statue stood.
["Thank you,"] she muttered.
I chose to end this chapter here and also as you see my view on homosexuality is like Nagisa's view, even though I am heterosexual. I believe that you can't help whom you fall in love with. And if it is a sin, it isn't any worse than any of the sins I make on the daily basis. I swear and lie sometimes every day XD