Thank you for beta'ing, MsSchneehiede!

Sitting up side by side, Blanca and Karla rest against the headboard on the latter's bed with their arms wrapped snugly around their knees. "Lo siento if this is too personal, but what happened to Ramón?"

"Oh..." Karla laughs gently while shaking her head. "As always, he was trying to be my knight in shining armor. He, um...went after Les Nichols, you know, Nicky's father?"

Blanca nods with a grimace. "The pompous ass cabrón, sí."

"He's a creep, too. He...he hit on me when I was twenty, he gave me too long of a hug and asked me out. When I turned him down, he basically said I shouldn't dress like a slut because that would give him the wrong message. I was wearing a crop top and a short skirt, but that was my style back in the day. I wasn't trying to attract male attention!" Karla appears to be so distressed while telling her story, and her breath hitches as she leans on Blanca's shoulder. "I ran away from him, gracias a Dios he didn't follow me, and I had a panic attack on the pavement and threw up!"

thank God

Blanca gasps and her stomach churns. "¡Qué patán!" She feels so horrible for her best friend and she releases her legs so she can stretch them out. Karla practically falls on her lap, the smaller woman's head resting on Blanca's thighs.

What a creep!

Karla sniffles a few times. "I would've told you, but you weren't here..."

Blanca threads her fingers through Karla's curls in a calming motion. "I wish I was, querida."

"I quit watching Nicky after that, but I felt awful. I had stopped babysitting Lorna and Piper a long time after the incident with Les, since their half-assed fathers would often flirt with me or talk to each other about me-with me in the room," Karla mumbles.

"That's gross! Lo siento no estuve aquí," Blanca apologizes.

I'm sorry I wasn't here

"I know you wanted to be." Karla squeezes Blanca's knee.

"I did."

"Then a while ago, Les came into Red's bakery and I told him 'fuck you, asshole' because he gave up on finding his daughter y dijo que lo habría hecho quince años atrás...and he called me...mamacita."

he said he would have fifteen years ago

Blanca wrinkles her nose. "Gross! Are you serious?"

"Sí, muy seria. So...Ramón chased him outside as he was leaving and then...I guess, physically defended my honor, and Les punched him in retaliation!"

dead serious

"Wow, you got a real man! I'm really happy for you, Karlita. I hope Les doesn't sue, though..."

"That's what I was also afraid of, because he's in a position of power and my husband works in construction...still a good job, but doesn't make as much as a lawyer. Les is also rich and white, while we're not."

"God, I hope he gets sick with some disease one day in his old age," Blanca hisses, a familiar feeling of defensiveness for Karla surging through her whole body. She can remember Karla's small, broken voice that she'd heard for the first time when they were only thirteen and fifteen years old at a high school party gone wrong. Karla went to watch over Blanca, but things turned around in an instant when they both got trashed.

Karla chuckles. "El ya es viejo."

He's already old.

"Oh yeah, you're probably right. Well, I ain't gonna take care of him. I'm afraid I might give him laxatives," Blanca murmurs, smirking. "Or poison his tea," she jokes.

Karla covers her mouth as she giggles. "Ay, ¡niña mala!" Sighing, she continues. "Pero...he's not worth our time or energy. I try to tell myself that every day. No fue lo peor."

Oh, you bad girl! He wasn't the worst.

"I know, but we can still hate his guts," Blanca points out.

"Les just made it worse, I was finally on my way to being okay again and his comment hit way too close to home. I couldn't stop crying," Karla says somberly. "I felt so powerless..." She chokes up and now Blanca doesn't think she can talk anymore at this moment.

"Hey, you're not alone, sis," Blanca soothes her.

Karla squeezes her eyes shut and tears leak out and onto Blanca's jeans. She's sobbing and hyperventilating and the only thing Blanca can do to make her feel better for the moment, is to gently run her hand down her best friend's hair and rub her back in calming circles while humming a soothing melody.

The girls are at their first high school party together with Dean. Although Karla is in her sophomore year, she has never wanted to attend such a wild fiesta as this, but she'd only come because Blanca's going and she wants to make sure nothing bad happens. Unfortunately, they both have way too much to drink and they're swaying as they dance and finally, they sink onto the couch next to Dean. Blanca crawls into his lap and he carries her into the bathroom so she can puke in the sink. Then, they have water and a snack of cheese and crackers. When they come back into the party room, Karla is dozing off on the couch. Yuri Reznikov puts a blanket on her and Blanca smiles at the sight.

Blanca later finds Carlos Litvack on top of Karla and she's laughing through her high. "Get off me! Stop it," she begs, but she really sounds like she's having fun. Her words, however, tell a different story. Karla screeches suddenly when Carlos lifts her over his shoulder.

"Carlos and Karla, we make a good match, huh?" That's always his pick-up line when he comes onto her. She's never been into him, she thinks he's a jerk, and Blanca agrees. "It turns me on how light on your feet you are."

"Dean..." Blanca's head is pounding and she's feeling faint as her boyfriend continues making out with her on the kitchen table. "I need...I need to stop him from doing something to her...she thinks he's a pig and I don't want this to be her first time. It...it should be special...and he's so big, and she's little...he could crush her..."

"Ah, who cares? She's shitfaced, she won't remember this in the morning. The worst anyone here will get is a bad hangover, which can easily be fixed with water. Litvack is our designated driver, he knows what he's doing. He can hold himself up above her, he's strong."

"No...you don't understand..." Blanca struggles to get out from under him, but she is unable to. "Dean, please...let me go so I can help her..." She moans softly as he starts rubbing her crotch over her panties. From the corner of her eye, she watches Carlos take her best friend upstairs. Karla's completely wasted and practically sleeping.

"Yeah, that's it, gorgeous, let Karla and ol' Litvack have their fun while we have ours," Dean says as Blanca lets out a series of excited sounds. "I like it when you slur your words." The best feeling flows through her and she's soaring, and maybe, just maybe, Litvack will treat Karla just as good and surprise them both. It's a possibility he's just putting her to bed and tucking her in. That would be sweet.

About five minutes later, Litvack brings Karla back downstairs and throws her on the couch. Karla just cracks up at the impact. "Ahaha-haha-ooowwww!" she wails. "Blanca…help me…he keeps calling me tiny tits and making fun of me!" She sounds like she's about to cry. "¡Por favor, ayúdame!"

Please, help me.

"Okay, off, Dean. Come on, my best friend needs me, she came here for me," Blanca states in a strong voice.

"She can take care of herself."

"Not right now she can't." Blanca shoves him away, but he keeps fondling her. "I mean it! I swear to God I'll break up with your dumb ass if you don't allow me to be with her."

"Fine," he grumbles.

Blanca races to the couch, only stumbles once, and tries to get Karla into a standing position, but Karla just pulls them both down. Blanca is drunk herself, but not as much as Karla, apparently. She's just feeling more of a light buzz-giggly and sociable, but not too out of it. In fact, Blanca is very aware of what's going on around her. The girls are holding hands, locking their fingers together, and then Blanca wraps her arms around her small best friend, practically cradling her like she would an infant. She fiercely pushes away Litvack's hand that's trying to crawl up Karla's skirt and then covers her with the blanket. "No! No la toques nunca más, never again," she growls defensively. "This is-is my best, best friend. Do not paw at her. Don't, don't…she doesn't like it!" Blanca's eyes water looking at the state of her friend and the jeers from Carlos and Lee Dixon aren't making it much better.

Do not! Don't touch her anymore.

"You can barely talk, let alone speak English, you fuckin' immigrant bitch," Lee sneers, and Litvack snickers.

Karla grips her shirt while breathing raggedly. "Don't let go of me, Blanca," she pleads. "I'm serious, don't let him touch me again…I-I hate it…" Tears trickle down Karla's cheeks. Her eye makeup and lipstick is all smeared and Blanca sniffles. There's soon a mess on Blanca's shirt, but she doesn't care.

"Ay, Karlita, I know, mi hermana, I know…I'll get Dean and tell him to take us home, okay? You can stay at my house tonight and we'll just tell my mom you're sick. Hey…throw up on Litvack if you need to, that'll make him leave you alone." Dean comes up to them as Blanca is rocking her and humming.

"I did already in the toilet…" Karla whispers loudly.

"Hm, the little baby lesbos…I'm envious." Dean kneels down and strokes Karla's curls while sniffing her. At the same time, he kisses Blanca's cheek and then her lips.

Karla whimpers softly and buries herself further into the blanket, with only part of her mouth, her nose, her bloodshot, teary eyes and the top of her curly head of hair peeking out. "¡Déjame en paz, por favor!" she shrieks.

Leave me alone, please!

It shatters Blanca's heart to smithereens to see Karla at her most vulnerable point. She's a lightweight and Blanca really had thought Karla wouldn't have so much alcohol. "I'm not in the mood at this moment, Dean, I'm taking care of her, and we need to leave. Now, please."

"Aww, does somebody wanna go back to El Salvador?" Litvack taunts her and he, Lee, and Dean burst out laughing while chewing on toothpicks. Litvack takes his out. "I can rip up her green card since she has it on her...it's in her dumb purse. I've gone through it twice, but I didn't steal shit. Señorita can't handle American liquor? Maybe she needs a little tickle to get her feisty side going again!" He wiggles his fingers towards her, but Blanca kicks them away.

"Don't, that's not funny! You all need to stop!" Blanca slaps Dean's hand off Karla's shaking form and keeps a protective hold on her. "Give her space! She only wants me right now."

"Yeah, in her bed!" Litvack hollers and he pulls at a strand of her hair, causing her to yelp. So, Blanca just covers Karla's hair completely with her hand and shifts her girl away from this monster. Dean and Lee wolf-whistle and howl while beating their chests like gorillas. "It was the chick's first time, too. I could tell she was a virgin, all clumsy and shit to begin with, but she got better. She's really good, Blanca, trust me!" Litvack insists and chills creep up and down her spine. "All the guys were waiting, we had her up there. We fucked like animals. Maaaan, Joe Morello is gonna be so envious he'll never have a chance because he's such an old timer and not in our age range! He always talks about how sexy she is and how he feels like Claude Frollo whenever he's around her because she tempts him so and he's so stinkin' religious…he says she's like his Esmeralda."

"Ugh!" Blanca stomps on his foot, she's so angry at him. He finally stops talking and then he groans. "You make me sick! Cállate, you disgusting pendejo! Forever! Dean, would you punch him or something?"

"Well, he's my best friend and it's just locker room talk. You love Esmeralda and you're just jealous that Mr. Morello is comparing that character to Karla instead of you. Let it go, señorita."

"You're fucking smashed, too!" Blanca yells. "Just call us a cab, would ya? This noise is too much for her…and me, too, in fact…I got a bad headache. We need water."

"Sure…"

Blanca needs assistance to carry Karla to the cab and she doesn't want any of the sleazebags touching her best friend. By some miracle, four slightly older girls-three Hispanic and one African American-come on the scene and push through the assholes while glaring at them. "Yo, I'm Gloria, this my crew...Aleida, Theresa, and Lila." Gloria nods at Karla and gestures to each of her friends as she says their name. They link arms, effectively creating a human shield around Blanca and Karla. "Your homie alright? She looks hella pale..." Gloria frowns, her features glowing with concern.

"These mothafuckas bothering you?" Aleida wants to know.

"Sí...queremos ir a casa," Karla says.

Yeah, we wanna go home.

"Karlita's too weak and I can't get her outta here by myself," Blanca adds. "She'll collapse on me like she did before."

"Alright, we'll get a taxi for you. Venid, follow us outside." Theresa directs them and beckons them forward.

Come on

"I'll help you get her up, since I'm the tallest here," Lila tells Blanca. It's true-not only is she big-boned unlike her crowd, she has at least seven inches on Karla, who's just five feet.

"Okay, thanks," Blanca murmurs. "Sweetie, we're gonna go y Lila me ayudará a llevarte afuera."

Lila's gonna help me take you outside.

Karla nods silently, gazing up at Blanca through glassy eyes. "Thank you," she chokes out when Lila approaches them.

"You're welcome. Come on, honey." Lila takes hold of one of Karla's arms and Blanca supports Karla on her other side. As Karla gets to her feet slowly, the blanket slides off of her, revealing her outfit. She kicks off her high heels and Blanca picks them up for her.

"Yeah, sugar!" Litvack cheers, causing Lee and Dean to hoot and holler while grabbing their crotches. Karla squeaks in terror and lets her hair fall forward like a curtain on each side of her face. Blanca can't believe she's seeing this behavior from her own boyfriend. She'll be giving him the lecture of a lifetime when he's back to himself tomorrow.

Aleida knees them in the balls and Gloria throws punch in their faces. "Fuck off!" Aleida shouts while giving them the finger on both her hands.

"Go home and take a cold shower, cerdos! Or better yet, pudríos en el infierno!" Gloria yells at them, also flipping them off. The girls leave the losers dripping from the sticky liquid and groaning loudly.

pigs, rot in hell

"That's it, baby, you're safe with us," Blanca assures Karla as she takes one wobbly step after another.

"Está bien, ya casi estamos fuera de aquí," Theresa chimes in.

It's okay, we're almost outta here.

"Oye, lo siento por ellos," Gloria apologizes. "They're wicked. If you chicas ever wanna come to another high school fiesta, we'll be with you, alright? You deserve to have fun and not have horny assholes terrorizing you."

Hey, I'm sorry about them

"Gracias," Blanca and Karla say in unison. "We'll be forever grateful to you," Blanca adds.

"Sí, lo estaremos," Karla murmurs. "Pero...no quiero volver a estar cerca de ellos."

Yes we will be, but I don't wanna be around them again.

"Entiendo," Aleida says and the others nod in agreement. "You can throw a party with just girls, si tú quieres."

I understand. If you want

"Okay..."

It would've been a perfect time to cut ties with Dean completely, but he had Blanca under his spell once again when he told them he was sincerely sorry the second he sobered up and he explained he can be an asshole when drunk and doesn't mean half the things he says.

"I barely knew what I was so upset about, but I just remember being cold and violated while I was passed out…because when I woke up, my skirt was down to my ankles, my undies ripped apart, my shirt and bra completely off and on the floor...it was so spooky…and I went to the hospital with you, and they told me I'd been...raped…" Karla recollects sadly after her short panic attack. "I was so comfortable with you, though…you never left my side, mi hermana. Until that fateful day…but I don't wanna talk about that."

Blanca presses her hand to her heart. "Oh, Karlita, I never will again, I promise."

"I lost my virginity that night…but I only really count Ramón as the first and only gentle lover I ever had. I was scared to be alone with him, though, so we went on group dates for about six months before it could be just the two of us."

"Did you ever tell him about what happened?" Blanca starts playing with Karla's hair and ends up braiding pieces of it.

"Oh no, he would've killed...Carlos...and the others. I was embarrassed of myself for being so vulnerable and choosing to get totally hammered. I know Ramón wouldn't have blamed me, but I hated myself for it all the time. Thank you for being there for me. You made things a lot better."

"You're welcome. I think we're in the same boat…"

Karla wipes at her moist cheeks. "Yeah…"

"Do you get flashbacks?" Blanca wonders aloud.

"Sometimes, even if it wasn't a violent rape or anything..."

"Sorry, that was a dumb question...um, you remember when we were just little girls, holding hands and spinning around in circles and laughing, we were eleven and thirteen, and I was shorter than you?"

Karla nods and giggles through her tears. "That didn't last long!"

"We both had single moms and there was no dad for us to scare away those monsters under our beds, and we promised to protect each other from anything scary!" Blanca continues.

"Sí, you spat on your hand and tried to shake mine! Ew." They both chuckle.

"Eh, then I wiped it off on my pants and we hugged like crazy!"

"You held up your end of the deal, but I didn't...I couldn't save you from Dean," Karla mumbles.

"You tried your hardest," Blanca assures her. "I'm the cabrona who didn't listen to her older and wiser best friend."

"I can see why, after what I pulled at nuestra primera fiesta de secundaria. Seriously, how did you keep it together? You were buzzed, too, if I remember correctly."

our first high school party

Blanca nods. "You had a lot more than I did. I think Litvack may have spiked your drink after you said you were finished for the night...and we were new to those kinds of things...so we didn't know to watch our beverages."

"I'm so glad we've learned many things since then," Karla murmurs.

"Sí...do you go to therapy for this? Or did you in the past?"

"Not too often. Why, do you want to come with me soon? It might be a good idea..."

"Yeah, okay."

Maritza and Raiza suddenly walk in on the two women on Karla's bed together. Karla sniffles and wipes her eyes as she sits up. "Oh, I'm sorry..."

"That's okay. Um, do you have pajamas we can borrow?" Maritza asks as Raiza climbs on the bed and squeezes in between Blanca and Karla.

"Yeah, of course!" Karla exclaims. "Look in all my dresser drawers and the closet!"

"Ooh, can I try this on?" Maritza eagerly holds up a green plaid miniskirt that Karla had on frequently when she was younger. "It's so cute!"

"Sure, you can have it, in fact! I haven't worn it in years!"

"Awesome! Thank you!"

"You're welcome!"

The next morning after breakfast, Karla takes Blanca, Maritza, and Raiza back to their apartment so they can gather their things and clean out before getting evicted. As they're collecting the items they own and clearing out the fridge, Karla takes out a wad of cash and shows it to Blanca. "For the electricity until you can find a shelter."

"Oh, no, put your money away, Karla. We'll stay with you for a week and figure out what to do after that. Unless you don't want us..."

"No, of course we do! You don't always gotta be stubborn, okay?"

"Alright..."

Maritza's stomach is churning as Karla drives them closer to school. There are a wide range of guys she can choose from, and she has to make sure they don't know any of her friends. Maybe she can start with Darius-he's cute enough and he's her age. She's never had sex and she doesn't want some gross man to be her first customer.

"Honey, ¿estás bien?" Blanca adjusts her rearview mirror from where she's sitting in the passenger's seat. Maritza tries to calm her rapidly beating heart and wipes her sweaty forehead.

"Sí, Mami."

Maritza starts talking to Darius at lunch. Her friends probably just figure she's trying to hit him up. At first, she's conversational and they're getting to know each other. He's planning to be a basketball star in the NBA. Maritza has watched him play many times and she thinks he's pretty handsome.

"So, what made you wanna chill with me? I thought you weren't interested, so that's why I peaced out," he says after a while. "I'm cool with just being friends. If you were shy, I get it. You must be freezing..."

She gives him a sensual smile and rests her chin in her hand while leaning in slowly and pressing her breasts together with her arms, making her cleavage appear larger. She skims her tongue across her bottom lip and bites it gently. "I'm totally interested in you. I think you're sexy...and I was playing hard to get by not responding to your moves. I was hoping you'd take me in a broom closet somewhere and start bangin' me right then and there. I need warmth and romance."

"Really?" he asks, and she nods while giving him a wink. "I had no idea. Well, you're very beautiful, but I don't just fuck a girl I've never spoken to, especially if she hasn't given me the time of day."

"I'm interacting with you right now. I bet you got a real big cock..." She puts her hand on his chin and starts running her thumb along his faint beard. "Sexy stubble, too. Mm, and you'd make a girl rich one day. It sounds like you're the perfect package." She lowers her voice and fiddles with the strap of her dress until finally flicking it off her shoulder. "You wanna see my tits?"

Darius' eyes widen with surprise. "Uh...right now?"

"Quickie in the empty auditorium for...let's say, thirty bucks? Please...I'm about to be homeless and I wanna help my mom and my baby sister. Also, you're smokin' hot and I quit my maid jobs because I got tired of those old rich geezers barking at me."

"Okay, I'll help you out," he agrees. "I've got a boner..."

Maritza beams. "Perfect. Thanks, dude."

They walk out of the room together after their session and she's slightly dazed as she crushes the bills in her hand and stuffs them into her pocket. Her orgasm washing over her and his mouth touching and sucking every part of her skin was amazing and it was the best sex she could've ever imagined. He had even cuddled her for a few minutes. She's always dreamed of this moment and she's so giddy inside that she'd finally fulfilled her fantasies to make love with a decent guy.

She wishes she could accept an actual date with him and bring him home to Blanca, but she knows she can't. She has to support her family, and he won't stick around only to be one of her sugar daddies while she's out screwing other guys. Even if she doesn't ask for more money from him specifically, it's cheating. Life doesn't work that way, she'd never do something so cruel to him. So, after a long French kiss, they go their separate ways. Even if they've barely interacted, she feels like she's known him forever, and she hopes she'll get over him soon. She's shocked at how strong their connection was. She wants to marry him now, but that's impossible. They're not even old enough and she doesn't want to be considered a golddigger.

"Hey, you've been missing for a while! Where'd you and Darius go off to?" Flaca asks, and the other girls stare at Maritza curiously.

"Es un secreto," Maritza tells them.

It's a secret

"You know we'll keep hounding you if you don't tell us!" Daisy mutters.

"Did you even eat your lunch?" Elena asks.

"Yes." Maritza sighs and fans herself as she sits next to Flaca. "Fine," she murmurs. "I...I'm finally not una virgen." They gasp and start giggling altogether.

a virgin

"Nice!" Ceci high-fives her.

"Oh my god, was he huge? Sorry, I just gotta ask," Maria says.

"He was large and very ready for me," Maritza responds proudly. "I licked every inch of him."

"Wow, demasiada información, tonta," Ouija mutters.

too much information

"You're just jealous," Maritza tells her. "Anyway, yeah...and he massaged my boobs and I told him they were real. Then after, he spooned me...I wish it could've been all night long, but...I didn't realize being fucked felt so damn magical! Ay, and his hands...so strong and calloused...it didn't even hurt, he was so careful with me."

"You got all that from playin' Seven Minutes in Heaven?"

Maritza rolls her eyes at Cat's question. "It was a lot more than that. It didn't feel like a game to me, is what I'm sayin'. He even called me his Salma Hayek."

Flaca's jaw drops. "He did not! That's my line!"

"Bien, entonces no lo hizo, pero desearía que lo hubiera hecho. Maybe he was thinking it. Every dude is into her, after all." Maritza raises an eyebrow. "You say that to girls? Not judging you or nothin', but are you batting for the other team?"

Okay, so he didn't, but I wish he did

"Nah...I got a boyfriend. I was saying like, I'm a huge fan of Salma, right? She's super pretty, and not in like a sexual way or anything, but I can see why men and boys alike...and lesbians and bi girls would think she's hot. So, when I tell a chick she resembles Salma or is as lovely as my fave, that's me giving her a compliment." Flaca looks around at them. "You're all my Salmitas, okay?"

"Yeah!" they chorus. Maritza grins as she exchanges an enthusiastic glance with Flaca. "Aw, gracias!" Maritza exclaims.

"De nada, chiquita," Flaca replies.

Thank you for reading and reviewing, Juliette45 and MsSchneehiede!