Sorry if this is a bit of a filler chapter, but I suppose I've got to have some fluff somewhere ;) More plot in the next chapter
Enjoy!
SIDE B
Track 4: It's Raining Men - The Weather Girls
A few weeks later, Sixth Form came to a close and we were finally set free for study leave in the run up to our final A Level exams. We spent many afternoons revising together, either at home whilst our parents were at work or in the park if it were a nice day, seeing as Bernie loved the outdoors so much. I much preferred the afternoons inside, though. My bedroom felt like a cocoon, enveloping us and sheltering us from all the negativity we faced, all the little voices in our heads telling us that it was impossible that we could lead normal, successful lives together should people find out. No risk of disownment, of discrimination or being outcast. Just us.
We still went out every Saturday night too, dancing until the early hours and watching the summer sunrise through the old, netted curtains of the hotel room as we lay intertwined, lazy from our orgasms and fading alcohol levels. Sometimes we would put on the old radio in the room and sing along together, or challenge one another to name the current song quickest. I tried my best to cover the fact that I hadn't been much of a follower of pop music until I met her, and would happily take to the grave the fact that I had even gone to the extent of practicing my musical knowledge in order to impress her when we started going out. It had paid off though, as I could well match her in our little game. Still, there was one song that I missed...
Though school had finished, the district rugby league still ran up to the end of July, and so each Saturday morning she would still head off with the lads for their game whilst I was at work and be back in time for us to go out later in the evening. This weekend, however, their game was further afield, in a town on the outskirts of Holby, and so the team had decided to make a night of it and stay over, and come back the next morning.
"You should come with us," she said to me as we lounged on her bedroom floor, bits of classwork and various textbooks strewn across the carpet. "It is a Saturday night, after all." She grinned.
"I've got work in the morning," I replied, shaking my head. "You'd have left by the time I'm done."
"Get the train," she insisted, picking up an apple from the vast array of snacks we had managed to acquire for long afternoon of studying. "It's only twenty minutes; you'll even catch the end of the game."
I chuckled. "Now that's a sight I can't turn down," I teased, smirking. "Won't the other lads mind my invading?"
She shook her head, holding her hand to her mouth as she chewed. "No, they think you're great," she said, swallowing. "They'll be happy for you to join us."
"They've met me once," I said skeptically, raising an eyebrow. "And in arguably not the fittest of states either."
She laughed. "Don't worry, they're fine." She looked down at the paper in her lap, hair falling across her face, as if hiding. She tucked it behind her ear, and looked back up at me with a somewhat guilty-looking smile. "Just be prepared for a bit of winding up, but it'll no doubt mostly be directed at me." She met my eyes, gaging my reaction to her words.
"What do you mean?" I frowned at her, the corners of my lips turning upwards at her blushes.
She cleared her throat. "Well…" She began, toying with the apple in her hands. "A couple of months ago, someone ditched Dukes' birthday party to go out with you. Then at the next practice turned up in the showers covered in bite marks." She raised her eyebrows at me.
I froze, my mouth gaping. "You told them?"
"I didn't have to," she laughed, before sighing. "I denied it profusely, but then they saw how we were together at Jonty's party, the way I looked at you…" She trailed off, again allowing her hair to fall over her eyes. "I, erm… I gave in and told them about… what had happened," she glanced up at me shyly, "and they talked some sense into me. 'Grow some testicles', I think were Aaron's exact words."
"Metaphorical, I hope," I replied dryly, with a small smile.
"I think you'd have noticed by now if it were not," she joked, looking up at me from under her fringe with a shameless grin and causing a slight blush to rise in my cheeks. I stared at her, the vulnerability in her words and in her eyes. She worked so hard to make other people think she was bulletproof. Her pride was invaluable to her, and her feelings kept under lock and key always, her heart and her spirit on her sleeves in only the most superficial way. There was such a world of her, underneath, that I had yet to explore; each day, I saw a different side of her, some new insecurity or weakness she trusted me with. And it was the best feeling in the world.
I reached over and placed my hand over hers. "I love you."
She blushed, as she always did when I told her this, looking down at our joined hands with a smile. "And I love you," she replied, jerking her head up so as to flick her fringe out of her eyes and gazing at me. I squeezing her hand, tugging it towards me gently and prompting her to shuffle over to me. I let go of her hand, instead wrapping my arm around her shoulders and pulling her to me, leaning us both against the bed frame at my back. We sat like that for a while, content in one another's embrace, allowing ourselves a welcome break from studying, until a sudden incredulous realisation broke the silence.
"Wait, you shower with them?"
::
No sooner than I had stepped off the train the following Saturday, the skies opened with a rain storm so heavy it was almost biblical, to the extent that I could barely see the bus approaching to take me to the sports club at which she was playing and I wondered if the match may have been called off.
However, as I arrived the rain had lessened slightly, and I could see from the bus that they were still playing. I could pick her out immediately, with her golden blonde hair tied up high on her head and her stance that made absolutely clear to anyone in doubt that she was the one in charge here. It made me laugh, how authoritative she was; she was the only female player in their league, and often faced sexist remarks and comments because of this, particularly at away games where a lot of players found it absolutely ludicrous that she be on the team, never mind being the captain. But a couple of minutes on the pitch and all that changed. She might not have been the strongest player, but the way in which she commanded the respect of all of those around her and her natural knack for leadership and fair play quickly crushed any prejudiced opinions that the opposing team may have formed of her. It was in these moments that I was reminded that I was soon to lose her, my mind flashing forward to a vision of her in her army uniform, commanding troops rather than players and standing in the centre of a field hospital instead of this muddy sports ground. I felt such a mix of emotions, watching her out there: pride, sorrow, admiration, fondness, love.
The game went on for another twenty minutes after I arrived, finishing with a solid tie, which was as good as a win in their eyes. Unfortunately, the rain continued for the duration, and so by the end of it I was well and truly soaked through to the bone. As she walked towards me and took in my drowned appearance I saw her eyes light up in jest and heard a loud chuckle burst from her mouth. I pursed my lips, bracing for the inevitable torment.
"Don't bother," I narrowed my eyes at her. She grinned in return.
"Someone's been taking The Weather Girls' advice a little too seriously," she teased as she strode nearer to me. I frowned. "You left your umbrella at home," she continued, by way of explanation.
"No, actually I missed the forecast," I replied through gritted teeth. "Hence the lack of an umbrella."
"Not that weather girl," she laughed, reaching out for a hug, only for me to bat her away, not wanting to get mud all over my clothes. Not that they weren't already a mess. My frown deepened.
"Which weather girl?" I asked, squinting through the water that had run into my eyes.
"'It's Raining Men'," she answered, smiling at me as I lifted my hand up to pick a clump of grass out of her fringe.
"I think that mud must have soaked through to your brain."
She laughed. "Funny," she said, her eyes boring into mine. "Are you seriously telling me you don't know what I'm talking about?"
I shook my head. "I do worry about you sometimes."
She grinned. "Jonty!" She turned behind her to call over her friend, who was stood talking to a couple of players from the other team. He excused himself and strode over.
"What's up?" He asked as he neared. His eyes fell on me and his lips turned upwards into a fond smile. "Wotcha, Serena. Been listening to The Weather Girls, have you?"
Bernie's face lit up. "Ha!" She exclaimed in victory, raising her hand to hi-five her friend. "Yes! Told you! Can you believe Serena doesn't know that song?"
"Oh my god, really?"
I sighed heavily, rolling my eyes at them. "Oh, go get showered and leave me alone."
She laughed, a loud, brazen, hearty laugh that warmed my heart, reaching out and squeezing my hand in fondness as she turned to Jonty with a grin. "We've got to get that on later tonight," she plotted, casting a smirk at me as we began walking towards the changing rooms. "When everyone's drunk enough to join in."
He agreed. "That'll be about six o'clock then," he joked.
She nudged him with her elbow. "Don't," she warned, but she was smiling.
As we reached the entrance to the changing rooms, I held back.
"Are you not coming in?" She raised her eyebrows at me.
"Of course not!" I replied incredulously. "You might be okay standing about in a room full of naked men, but I'm really not."
"No," she laughed, squeezing my hand and pulling me along with her. "I don't go in at away games. It's just at our school they only have one shower room on the sports field. And I wouldn't go in with a room of strangers!"
She dragged me through to the women's locker rooms, letting go of my hand to begin undressing as we approached where she had left her things on a bench next to the showers. As was her nature, she discarded her soiled clothes on the floor, kicking off her boots so that they landed on the pile and quickly pulling off her socks before sauntering off into the showers, singing as she went along.
"I'm gonna go out, I'm gonna let myself get absolutely soaking wet!"
"That makes two of us!" I called to her jokingly, shivering as I bent down to pick up her dirty clothes and put them in her sports bag. I heard her laugh as she showers turned on, and smiled at hearing her singing so enthusiastically.
"Serena?" She shouted over the noise of the shower.
"Yes?"
"Come here a minute."
I rolled my eyes, folding my arms against my shivers as I strode over to the shower room.
"Yes. What is it?"
I poked my head around the corner of the door, and as she turned around I saw a wicked glint in her eye that I would have recognised anywhere.
"No."
"You're freezing!"
"No."
She grinned at me, stepping across the steam-filled room and taking both of my numb hands in hers. She lifted them up to her mouth, placing soft, warm kisses over my knuckles as she squeezed my fingers. I pursed my lips, eyeing her amusedly as she made a show of inspecting my fingernails before lifting my arms so that they slumped around her shoulders, placing her own hands on my waist, and leaning forwards for a slow, deep kiss that elicited a low, guttural moan, taking even myself by surprise.
I felt her grin against my lips. "Still saying no?" She murmured, her hands already moving to push my jacket from my shoulders.
I shook my head, intending to refuse, but my body seemed to have other ideas as I felt my arms wrap more tightly around her so that I could feel her curves moulding to mine through my clothes. She pulled my bottom lip with her teeth, a gesture she knew that I couldn't resist, and I was lost to the burning between my legs.
"Just make sure my clothes are hanged up, okay?"
She made a little grunt of victory, her hands moving up to knot in my hair as she pushed me towards the far wall where there were some towel hooks. I shrugged off my jacket, blindly fumbling behind me to hang it up as she kissed me hard and fierce, already rolling her hips against mine wantonly and allowing breathy whimpers to escape her lips, making my stomach flip and my knees weak.
Together, we made quick work of stripping me down until finally my cold limbs collided with hers. She tugged me back with her under the faucet, her lips fastening on the base of my neck as the water came down scalding hot on our skin.
"No love bites," I panted as I felt her teeth graze my collarbone. She laughed.
"Spoilsport."
"I don't have anything to cover up with."
"Ah." I felt her grin against my skin, her fingers digging into my arse as she slipped a thigh in between my own as rutted gently, gasping lightly as she did so. "I'm sure I can think of a way round that."
I opened my mouth to object, but she instead took this moment to lift her lips back up to mine, her arms squeezing me closer as she nibbled on my bottom lip and ground down on my thigh, sending sparks right through me. My body felt electric with the mix of sensations: her lips on mine, the steam filling my lungs, the burning hot water on my skin, the way her hard nipples felt against my breasts as we pressed together, our bodies slick with the water. Our kisses were biting, bordering on violent as we desperately devoured one another, tongues battling and breaths gasping. I knotted my fingers in her hair, pulling it tight and causing her to groan as she lifted one of my thighs around her hip, so that she was stood between my legs.
"I do love you," she murmured against my lips, her nose bumping with mine and our foreheads resting together.
"I love you too," I whispered between kisses, rocking my hips against her. She grinned happily, and I made a small noise of protest, begging to feel her lips on mine again, but instead she grasped tighter onto the leg wrapped around her waist, using it as leverage as she crouched down in front of me, and when I realised her intention I had to grasp onto the tap for support, fearing my legs would give way beneath me.
My breath caught in my throat as I felt her lips on the inside of the thigh that was now held up by her shoulder, hot, open mouthed kisses that burned and seared my oversensitised skin. She continued her trail, her kisses becoming harder, with more teeth and tongue, and I couldn't help but buck my hips towards her, aching to feel that hot pressure against my throbbing arousal. She hummed in amusement, her lips fastening on a sensitive spot near the top of my thigh, causing me to gasp aloud and my legs to wobble as adrenaline surged through my veins.
"Please."
She chuckled, nipping the skin with her teeth. "Impatient."
"You're the one that couldn't wait a couple of hours 'til we got-"
I near shrieked as she finally allowed me what I wanted, running her tongue in long, hard licks between my folds. My legs trembled, by head spinning and my nipples aching as I rocked slowly against her mouth, my free hand tangled in her hair as she dipped her tongue inside me.
"Mmmh."
The vibrations of her lips knocked the breath out of me, my chest rising and falling rapidly as she licked and sucked and tasted. I remember how beautiful she had looked as she glanced up at me, her cheeks glistening - though whether this was from the water or whether it was in fact my own juices peppering her cheeks, I'll never know. The look of mischief and pure, shameless love and passion glowed in her eyes, her tongue poking out to lick her lips before she dove back in, swirling the tip of her tongue around my clit and making me cry out.
She quickened her pace, making little murmurs of indulgence as I moaned and writhed, clinging onto the hot metal of the shower for dear life as my knees wobbled with the burning, agonising arousal between my legs, throbbing and aching and pulsing as her delicate tongue kept working. My hips bucked wantonly, my back arching as I felt myself building up, felt my breaths coming more and more shallow and unable to stop high pitched, uninhibited wails escaping my lips as the faucet ran across my nipples and her hands grasped at my arse, pulling me impossibly closer to her, and suddenly I was gone, coming with a shriek and a whimper and my knees giving way, luckily held up by her strong arms around me.
As I came back to my senses, she lifted my legs from her shoulder, and with a small groan pulled herself back up, steadying herself before kissing me full and wet on the lips.
"That was really loud," she giggled against my lips, her forehead pressing against mine.
"Oops," I breathed, still regaining myself. "Sorry."
"Don't be." She kissed me again. "I enjoyed it." She looked at her wristwatch. "However, we are now really late."
"Don't blame me," I chuckled, shaking my head. She smiled at me, a soft, affectionate smile that warmed my stomach.
"Wouldn't dream of it," she replied, and with one final peck to my lips bent down to pick up her shampoo.
::
As expected, we boarded the minibus to a round of jeers and wolf-whistles.
"Shut up, you lot," Bernie chided, though she was unable to hide her smirk.
"Christ, how long does it take to get a shower?"
"We had to dry Serena's clothes."
"Eye, eye."
We sat down at the front of the bus as laughter erupted around us. My cheeks tinged pink, and I noticed that hers were the same, a sheepish grin on her lips.
"Oh, take your minds out of the gutter," she raised her voice over the cheers, though her eyes were sparkling with fond amusement. "Nothing happened."
Simon poked his head in between our seats.
"Is that why Serena smells of your shampoo, then?"
She opened her mouth to protest, but a moment's hesitation was all that was needed for the rest of the team to see straight through her, and she knew she was fighting a losing battle.
"I'm so sorry about this lot," she complained to me, rolling her eyes. "Eighteen going on three, the lot of them." She raised her voice for effect, but this only prompted further laughter.
"Don't worry about it," I smiled, rather enjoying the thrill of it all. I leant over to her, murmuring in her ear, "It was worth it."
::
That evening, as always true to her word, Bernie managed to get all of her team up and dancing, somewhat unsteadily, to 'It's Raining Men', whilst I watched in hysterics. Despite still not having a clue what the hype was, the sight of her in the middle of a fairly trendy night club surrounded by a crowd of burly rugby players all waving about to such a cheesy pop song had me in stitches, particularly as I looked around at the bemused looks on the faces of the other people in the club.
"So," she announced, beaming at me as she sauntered up to the table at which I was sat. "That, Serena McKinnie, is what you've been missing out on."
I wiped a tear from the corner of my eye. "That was certainly something," I replied as Jonty approached. "I'll not forget that in a hurry, that's for sure."
"Too right!" She agreed enthusiastically, throwing her arm around my shoulder and squeezing me to her. "I'm gasping, do you want anything from the bar?"
"Another Shiraz would be great, thanks."
"Jonty?"
"Pint of lager, if you don't mind, Bern."
She nodded at us both with a drunken grin before rushing off to the bar as Jonty took her seat beside me.
"You know," he began, draining the last of his previous pint. "I think this is the happiest I've ever seen her."
"Yes, she is rather tipsy, isn't she?" I replied with an affectionate smile, my eyes following her as she tottered up to the bar and slumped on the counted.
"No, I meant with you," he continued seriously. " I've never see her so… content."
I felt a lump form at the back of my throat. "Well," I answered, fighting to keep my voice clear. "She's not the only one."
He chuckled softly, watching her fondly as she stood chatting to some of the other players at the bar. "Nevertheless, thank you."
I turned to look at him and saw in his eyes the depth of his words; it made my heart ache and my eyes threaten to water. "I could say the same thing to you," I deflected, looking back across at her. "I don't know where she'd be without you lot."
He nodded. "I think that could be said for most of us," he smiled, but as I turned back to him his face became serious. "You know, she was really cut up after my party."
"Yes, she mentioned that you all had 'talked some sense' into her."
He nodded. "There was that," he replied, shifting in his seat so that I could hear him better over the loud music. "She won't like me for telling you this, but on the Sunday afternoon when she was round at ours for dinner, she was so... distracted, like she wasn't really listening to anyone, you know? My mum thought she was sick. Well, when we eventually got some time on our own, I mentioned you; she just burst into tears."
I blinked. "Seriously?"
"Yeah. Sobbed into my shirt for a good half an hour. I've never seen her like that - ever. Even when Holby United got relegated last year," he joked, offering me a small smile. "I agreed to take it to the grave, but the rest of them had already sussed. And we don't keep secrets, really. Open books, the lot of us."
I swallowed thickly. "Thank you," I said eventually, looking him straight in the eye. "For being there for her. Like I said, she's lucky to have you all."
He nodded. "You know what I'm going to say now, don't you?" He raised his eyebrows.
I cleared my throat. "'Break her heart and I'll break your legs', by any chance?"
"Am I really that predictable?"
"It's only understandable that you should feel that way." I chose my words carefully. "You have my word. I promise."
He stared at me, scrutinising, but there was a softness in his eyes too that grew with each moment that passed until he broke out in a grin. "Good." He held out his hand to me.
"Good," I repeated, reaching out to shake his hand, only to be pulled into a somewhat rough bear-hug.
"Welcome to the family."