《Lily Bouquet - A Girls Love Anthology》


 Love My Owner

    ¡°But I really love cats.¡±


    That sentence made Kat''s heart skip a beat. She knew she misheard it, but listening to the girl she liked saying something like that brought all kind of emotions. Her name was Katherine, after all. Kat, their friends called her. Not that she had many.


    I really love Kat, is what she wanted to hear from the girl¡¯s lips. But that was an unreachable dream.


    Lucille Barker, with her shiny and long black hair, her eyes like dark gems and her always lively smile. They had classes together almost every day. Not by coincidence, since Kat arranged to study on the same class in the max number of days possible.


    Since the very first time she saw Lucille, on the first day of her college, she was instantly attracted to her. But Lucille was so talkative and so popular that she was hard to approach. Kat decided to wait for the best chance. An opportunity to talk with her, or courage to do it. Neither ever came.


    ¡°Why don''t you get a cat, then? A little kitten, for example¡±, one of the girls around Lucille asked.


    ¡°I can''t,¡± she answered with a sad face. ¡°My apartment won''t allow it.¡±


    Kat played with her brown hair, twisting it in curls, while her eyes couldn''t stay away from Lucille. She gazed at the girl¡¯s lips forming a smile, at her eyes, at her body. She admired the way her colleague scratched her cheek with her short nails while smiling, and how her chest moved as she laughed, and how her eyes turned in Kat¡¯s direction.


    Kat turned her head away in a hurry.


    She was sure their field of vision crossed there. Lucille probably saw Kat looking straight at her. She could end up thinking Kat was a creep.


    ¡°If I had a cat¡­¡±, listening to Lucille talking with the same tone, like nothing had happened, Kat breathed relieved. ¡°I think I would hold him¡­ or her¡­ everyday. I would hug her tightly all the time...¡±


    Kat imagined Lucille arms wrapping around her body.


    ¡°...I would kiss her a lot¡­¡±


    Kat imagined Lucille lips kissing her skin.


    ¡°... I would sleep with her everyday¡­¡±


    Kat imagined¡­ she felt her face burning and hid her face in her arms so no one would find out.


    Luckily the teacher entered the classroom and the conversation was interrupted. Kat thought the best to do was to ignore her silly fantasies and concentrate on class. She couldn¡¯t even hold a proper conversation with Lucille, so romance was a distant dream. Also, for that, Lucille would need to actually like girls. Even though she never got a boyfriend even with her good popularity, Kat didn¡¯t want to indulge herself in wishful thinking. That was a recipe for disappointment.


    Classes ended. Kat took her bag and hurried out of the classroom. Lucille, as always, stood there, talking with other girls, and some boys.


    As always, Kat wanted to stay. She wanted to be called by the girl she loves before passing through the door and be asked to join them. Of course, that didn¡¯t happen and she left the lively group behind her. As she looked through the window, she thought Lucille¡¯s eyes were staring at her. Of course, just another wishful thinking. She was just looking outside, after all.


    Kat was lucky to live close to the college. She didn¡¯t need to wait for transport and could go home by foot. She knew Lucille also lived close, although she never found out where, since her colleague never went home at the same time as Kat, always making company to the girls who needed to wait for the transport.


    She likes cats, huh¡­ Kat thought, walking on the sidewalk, her head down. Being petted by her hands¡­ Being held by her¡­ Being loved by her¡­ feeling her warm and her perfume. All that sounds so good. Being a cat sounds so good¡­


    The street was desert. That wasn¡¯t unusual that time of the night. Still, the loneliness in the dark made Kat more melancholic than the normal.


    Ahhh, I wanted to be a cat¡­ And that was the last thing she remembered before waking up again.


    ***


    There was something definitely wrong as Kat woke up. She was on the ground. Or at least, her eyes were close to the ground. The world suddenly looked bigger, like she had shrunk to a kid size. Or maybe a baby size. She tried to stand up, but fell again on her¡­ hands? There was something wrong with her eyes, either. Like shades of red disappear from the world. She could see better, too, as if it wasn¡¯t as dark as before even though it was still nighttime.


    Maybe she fell and hit the head.


    She tried to walk¡­ crawl, like on four legs¡­ There was a puddle of rainwater in front of her. She looked inside and saw¡­


    A cat¡­


    There was a cat looking back at her. A kitty with brown fur.


    Startled, she ran. She ran on her four legs. Four furry legs. She tried to talk. But the thing that came out of her mouth wasn¡¯t a word at all, although she recognized that sound well enough.


    Meow.


    She was a cat. No point in denying it. Even though that was really absurd, she was a cat. A feline. A little kitten, to be exact. She remembered wishing: I wish I were a cat. So that was it. It was absurd, but that was the truth.


    Kat looked around. Her clothes and her bag should be there. Still, there was no sign of it anywhere. Although, if she was asleep for a long time, someone probably stole her things. Or at least brought it to the lost and found in the college.


    But that was not her problem. Her problem was: she was a cat.


    Desperate, she tried to think of some way to transform back. Hopefully, her mind wasn''t affected by her new body and she could think clearly. It was useless, though. She didn''t know how the hell she became an animal, how would she know the way to turn back?


    And there was a more urgent issue. She was a cat. A little kitty. Alone, vulnerable to anything that could hurt her. And there was no one who could defend her.


    There was a dog at the end of the road. She felt her fur on her whole body creeping out. She didn''t have the natural instinct of a cat to survive that, so she just stood there, as the dog approached. Soon it would be in front of her. Soon it would jump on her and bite her. And she didn''t even know how to run away.


    But as she was alert about her front, something soft held her from behind. Something warm and giving out a good smell. But something big.


    She started to move her legs desperately. She didn''t know yet how to take her claws out, and that would be really useful.


    ¡°So cute¡­¡± She heard a voice and warm lips touched her back. It was a sweet voice. And a voice she knew well and played every time inside her head. ¡°Let me see your face¡­¡±


    Lucille turned Kat, or rather, the cat, in her hand to face her. Her face, big, so close to Kat. She looked like a goddess. And her lips were so close. Those lips who kissed Kat¡¯s¡­ back?... Fur?


    ¡°You''re really, really cute! ¡± Lucille said again, with a giant smile on her face.


    No, you¡¯re cute. Was what Kat thought. But when she tried to voice her thought, the same sound from before came out of her mouth.


    ¡°Meow¡±


    ¡°Cuuuuuute!¡±, Lucile repeated herself, holding Kat higher. ¡°So...are you a boy or a girl?¡± She asked, bringing the little animal closer to examine.


    Kat was embarrassed while Lucille examined her private parts. Although, it wasn¡¯t really hers. At least, not how it usually looked. But having Lucille¡¯s face so close there was unnerving. If she still had her body, she would probably pass out.


    Of course, if she still had her body, that scene would have a whole different meaning.


    ¡°It¡¯s a girl then, huh?¡± Lucille finally said and held Kat close to her chest. Actually feeling Lucille¡¯s chest on her body was good. Her warmth was pleasant. ¡°Do you have an owner? Are you lost?¡±


    Kat made a meow and looked at Lucille¡¯s face. She really couldn¡¯t do anything more.


    ¡°Were you abandoned, maybe? I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t have animals at home. I would love to bring you with me, but¡­¡±


    Lucille put Kat on the ground. Her eyes, though, followed the dog still wandering at the street.


    ¡°You...you can take care of yourself, right?¡±


    She walked past Kat, who kept mewling where she was left. But five slow steps ahead and a car crossed at high speed on the street. Lucille looked back fast, to the cat so close to the road.


    ¡°If...if I come tomorrow and she is¡­¡± She started and looked at the dog who seemed like it was just waiting for her to move away. ¡°Okay, then!¡±


    She walked again to where Kat was and held her up. Kat thought about how her warm and soft hands were nice.


    ¡°If I bring you home, you will stay quiet, right? Won¡¯t make a single sound, right?¡±


    Kat wanted to nod, but she knew that any movement wouldn¡¯t be perceived as a rational action. In fact, for the first time, she realized how silly it was to talk with animals, since you¡¯re not expecting an answer and will ignore it even if the animal tries to give one.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    But Lucille seemed firm on her decision. She nodded and murmured a low okay as she tried to hide Kat inside her bag. Luckily, it was a large bag and it didn¡¯t feel too uncomfortable. But better than that, Kat became excited thinking how she was going to Lucille¡¯s house. To the house of the girl who she had a crush on for a long time. She felt like meowing from happiness but made an extra effort to control her instincts. Animals instincts were strong.


    ***


    Lucille¡¯s apartment was just like Kat imagined. Tidy, clean and warm. It wasn''t big, being composed of a kitchen, a living room, a sleeping room and a bathroom. It was enough, though. To someone who lived with her family like Kat, it was hard to imagine how living alone feels.


    She thought about her family. They would be worried about her not coming back that night. And who knows how long it would be until she gets her body back if she ever gets it back. She didn''t want to worry her parents like that, but there weren''t much she could do.


    And she wanted not to feel happy about that development. But at that time, she couldn¡¯t help it. She was just too excited about the prospect of living under the same roof as the girl she loved, even if the girl herself didn''t recognize her.


    ¡°We need to give you a name for now¡±, Lucille said, putting Kat on her lap while sitting on the couch in the living room. ¡°If I had a kitty, I always wanted to call her Bubby, is that okay?¡±


    If Kat could talk, she would surely complain about it but she didn''t have much choice, so she just caressed Lucille¡¯s hand using her head. That was a bad name, too cheeky, but Lucille gave it to her, so she was kinda happy.


    ¡°So Bubby it is¡±, Lucille smiled and rose up from the couch. ¡°So let''s see, for food I don¡¯t have any cat food with me¡­¡±


    Fortunately, Kat thought.


    Lucille walked to the kitchen, got a clean dish and placed on the table. She opened the refrigerator and took a box of milk, putting some on the dish. Holding Kat who was wandering close to her feet, Lucille put her in front of the milk.


    Kat was relieved as Lucille looked the kind of owner who treated her pets like they were people.


    ¡°I need to prepare a sandbox, too.¡±


    She wasn''t excited for that, though. Kat thought on that moment how dehumanizing her situation was. But then again, she wasn''t really human anymore.


    After she drank the milk, Kat was put on Lucille¡¯s lap again, as the girl caressed her body. Kat felt so good that she couldn''t help but to fall asleep. When she woke up, she realized it was daytime already. Since it was weekend, though, Lucille should still be around.


    The apartment wasn''t big at all, so Kat soon found her new owner in her room, looking at a computer. On that moment Kat remembered how they had an assignment to next week, and how she would probably miss it.


    ¡°Oh Bubby, good morning¡±, Lucille said, and her voice was always sweet on Kat¡¯s ears. Even on those cat¡¯s ears.


    Kat jumped on the bed. It wasn''t hard since the height wasn''t too far, and she was getting used to the motor coordination of that body. The bed smelled like Lucille, and that really calmed Kat down. She stood there, looking at Lucille¡¯s serious face as she looked at the computer screen. Sometimes, Lucille would look at Kat and smile, and her little kitty¡¯s heart would bounce every time.


    After hours studying, Lucille stretched her arms on the chair.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough for now. A little break should be good¡­¡±, she said and started to browse sites on the internet.


    Being curious about what the girl she liked would read on the internet, Kat jumped on the computer''s desk, being careful to not get in her way, so she wouldn''t be put away. At first, Lucille browsed on a lot of news sites, then sites about movies and books. Somehow, it was like Kat imagined.


    But then Lucille stopped. She gazed at the screen where just the wallpaper with a big sundown was shown. She opened the browser again and googled something. The curiosity made Kat look at the screen again, hoping to see more about Lucille¡¯s hobbies. But what was displayed there were lots of photos of women, either in their underwear or completely nude. Kat looked at Lucille to see the girl biting her lower lip as she googled something more, and now on the screen, there were a lot of images of women being intimate together. As she stared at the screen, Lucille unbuttoned her jeans.


    But as she remembered Kat was there, she hesitated and blushed. Giving a gentle smile, she took Kat in her arms.


    ¡°I know you probably don¡¯t know about these things, but it¡¯s a little¡­¡±


    And like that, she put Kat outside and closed the door.


    Wait, Kat thought. Inside this room right now, Lucille is¡­ and to lesbian erotic photos¡­


    Her body at that moment was that of a kitty, so she couldn¡¯t feel sexual pleasure but the thought of what Lucille was doing was still exciting to her human mind. Kat ran through the apartment anxious, but then remembered she wasn¡¯t supposed to make noise and lied on the couch. She didn¡¯t know if she should be happy about it or disappointed by her lack of courage when she had a human body.


    If I just could go back to normal¡­


    And like that, she slept again.


    She woke up with the sound of the bathroom¡¯s door opening up. As she went to see what was up, Lucille was just going out of a bath. She was wearing a skirt this time and Kat admired the girl¡¯s long and beautiful legs but wanted to respect her and not looked up.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about before, Bubby. As an apology, want to sleep with me tonight?¡±


    Again, Kat started to brush all her body in Lucille¡¯s legs. She also realized she was purring.


    ¡°Ok, ok, then. But first, let¡¯s make dinner.¡±


    After they eat, Lucille went to browse the internet again, this time going back to her assignment and reading the news or watching videos again. But nothing like before. Late at night, she gave out a yawn and started to strip out of her clothes, staying on her underwears.


    ¡°So, time to sleep, Bubby¡±, she said, grabbing Kat against her body and lying with her on the bed. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry, I don¡¯t move much at night.¡±


    Kat was a little worried about the whole situation. She had no right to keep contact with Lucille¡¯s naked body like that. But as she was so close to Lucille¡¯s lips, she didn¡¯t resist and licked them. It wasn¡¯t much of a kiss, it didn¡¯t feel much like anything on that animal body, but she was still excited. Lucille just smiled, even though her rough kitty¡¯s tongue should be really unpleased.


    Kat lied her body close to Lucille¡¯s chest and slept hearing the girl¡¯s heartbeats.


    ***


    Kat still was worried about her situation, but she didn¡¯t know what to do. Even worse, being with Lucille made her happier than she was supposed to be. Her family was probably worried about her, and still, she was there, spending time with the girl she loved.


    Still, next Monday as Lucille came back from college, something looked wrong. She looked really disheartened, and instead of eating dinner and browsing the internet, she went right to the bed. As Kat got close to her, Lucille just hugged her without saying anything and fell asleep.


    The same happened through the whole week until on the last day, Lucille sat on the bed as soon as she got home and started to cry. Worried, Kat jumped on her lap and gave a small meow. She was avoiding making any noise, but she wanted the girl¡¯s attention. Lucille looked down at her and caressed her fur.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Bubby. I haven¡¯t played with you lately, right? Truth is, I felt awful this whole week¡±, she went silent, dried the tears on her eyes with the back of her hand and looked warmly at Kat again. ¡°You see, there¡¯s this girl I have classes together on college. Her name is Katherine¡­¡±


    Hearing that, Kat felt her heart jump. She didn¡¯t even know Lucille knew her name.


    ¡°Since the first day I saw her, you see, I really wanted to talk with her. I¡­ don¡¯t know why. I felt some connection with her, I think? I can¡¯t explain, but I really wanted to be her friend. And I felt like she felt the same. But even though I¡¯m always approached by all kinds of people, I don¡¯t know how to start a conversation with someone myself. So I just waited. I think I wanted her to make the first move, or maybe I wanted to find courage¡­¡±


    Lucille looked at Kat in silence for some seconds.


    ¡°She didn''t show up at college this whole week. I heard her family is looking for her, too. She disappeared completely. Maybe she had a problem, and I think that maybe if I had become her friend... Maybe I could help her then¡­ Maybe she would still be around. I don¡¯t know¡­ I feel awful about it. My friends keep saying I couldn¡¯t guess it, and I know it¡¯s true, but still¡­ I wanted to talk with her.¡±


    Kat wanted to yell: ¡°I¡¯m here! It¡¯s me!¡±, but from her mouth, the same meowing as always came out. Instead, she licked Lucille¡¯s hands.


    ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll go to her family tomorrow. See if I can help. It might be too late, but¡­ I¡¯m sorry, Bubby, I think I¡¯ll sleep now.¡±


    And saying that, Lucille lied on the bed, with her college¡¯s clothes still on. Kat jumped on top of her, looking at the girl¡¯s sleeping face, with tears in the corner of her eyes.


    I want my body back. I want to transform back. Please, please, please. She thought. And just like that, she fell asleep.


    When she woke up, Kat saw Lucille¡¯s face still close to her. Somehow she didn¡¯t look as big as before. Kat opened her mouth, expecting the same sound as all the other times to come out.


    ¡°Lucille¡­¡±, she said.


    She was startled. It was a human voice coming out of her. She raised her pawns to look at her own body, but they weren¡¯t pawns at all, but human hands. She had her body back. Still amazed, she looked back at the bed to see Lucille¡¯s eyes fixed on her.


    Kat jumped back. She fell with her ass on the ground and realized she was completely naked. She tried to run, but Lucille yelled ¡°Wait!¡±, and jumped to grab her. Both girls fell to the ground. Lucille was on top of a naked Kat, her black hair on Kat¡¯s face.


    ¡°Katherine?¡±, she said.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m sorry...I wanted to say it was me, but, but¡­¡±


    But before Katherine could explain herself, Lucille hugged her.


    ¡°You¡¯re okay. Thank god, you¡¯re okay!¡±, she said as she hugged the girl on the floor.


    ***


    The two girls had calmed down and now faced each other in the room. Lucille was standing up while Kat, wearing some clothes Lucille handed to her, was sitting on the bed.


    ¡°So you were Bubby?¡±, Lucille asked, and looked around the room as if to make sure the cat wasn¡¯t there anymore. Kat nodded. ¡°It makes no sense¡­¡±


    ¡°I know, but it¡¯s true. I don¡¯t know why, but when I realized, I was a cat alone on that street. Then you saved me.¡±


    ¡°You remember everything that happened since then?¡±


    ¡°Y-Yeah¡±, Kat said, lowering her head. Lucille blushed and tried to face the other side. ¡°B-But you see, I am the same as you! Since the first day I saw you, I wanted to talk with you. I really wanted to be...with you¡­¡±


    Lucille suddenly faced Kat with a serious face.


    ¡°So, were all your actions...conscious?¡±


    ¡°Y-Yeah¡­¡±


    Lucille¡¯s eyes seemed like they were looking inside Kat¡¯s soul, and she dreaded the silence her answer brought.


    ¡°I see...¡±, Lucille said finally. ¡°So when you licked my mouth, what you wanted to do?¡±


    ¡°T-That was¡­¡±


    ¡°A kiss?¡±


    Kat nodded slowly, trying not to face Lucille.


    ¡°Hum¡­ That didn¡¯t feel good at all, you know? Want to try again?¡±


    Kat looked at Lucille, trying to figure out how serious the other girl was. Lucille just smiled nervously and scratched her cheek.


    ¡°Well, you see¡­ Since you saw everything, there¡¯s no point in hiding it anymore, right? And my interest in you was always¡­ a little more than just friendship.¡±


    ¡°Is it really okay?¡±


    ¡°If your tongue isn¡¯t as rough as a cat, at least¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, I can¡¯t promise anything. But let¡¯s find out...¡±, and saying that, Kat pulled Lucille in her direction and gave a kiss on her lips.


    ***


    At first, the news that Katherine and Lucille were dating made noise at the college. Kat was sure Lucille would want to keep it secret, but the girl insisted that they should tell everyone. She said that would make up for her cowardice, after all. Of course, the girls¡¯ families also knew about it. Katherine¡¯s family, in particular, was pretty supportive, probably because Lucille was the one who brought their daughter back home.


    Even though things didn¡¯t change much for Lucille at the college, though, for Kat, things were different. She wasn¡¯t used to the kind of attention she was getting, by dating a girl as popular as Lucille.


    ¡°Bubby, here, come here!¡±, Lucille called on the classes break, sitting with a group of girls in the college¡¯s coffee shop.


    As Kat approached, with shy steps, she managed to listen to her other colleagues talking.


    ¡°Bubby? Isn¡¯t that the name you said you wanted to give if you had a cat?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Cute, huh?¡±


    ¡°You do know your girlfriend is human, right?¡±


    As Kat got close, Lucille pulled her close and made her sit on her lap.


    ¡°Lu...wait¡­¡±, Kat said, but Lucille didn¡¯t let her finish, planting a kiss on her lips. Embarrassed by being done that in front of other people, Kat blushed and hid her face on Lucille¡¯s shoulders.


    ¡°You see, she¡¯s my girlfriend and also my kitty¡±, Lucille said, giggling. ¡°Be careful though. She might be cute, but she¡¯s a little shy.¡±

 Love Researcher - Part 1

    ¡°Will you be my lover?¡±


    The girl who proposed the weird question to Dina looked like a high schooler. Short, white skin, black hair, dark eyes and wearing fashionable clothes, with a blue blouse, black shorts, and long brown stockings.


    Dina was a college student. She was tall, had dark skin and her brown curly hair was tied in a ponytail. It was night and she was wearing a jacket and jeans. Her class had finished early that day, and she was about to go home. What she never expected was to be proposed by a teenage girl out of the blue.


    ¡°I-I don''t get it¡±, she said.


    ¡°I''ll become your girlfriend, bride, wife. I forgot what the order is.¡±


    Dina was sure that was a joke. After all, the girl was a teenager, so that was to be expected. She didn''t have the patience for that and tried to ignore the girl and keep walking home, but was stopped when the teenager jumped in front of her.


    ¡°Wait. Why aren''t you answering me? I heard this would be easy in this place.¡±


    Dina sighed.


    ¡°Look, I was your age once. Not that long ago, in fact. I get it, you''re just having fun. I don''t have time for this, so please go bother someone else.¡±


    ¡°I''m not having fun, right now¡±, the girl had a really serious face as she said it.


    Dina scoped around trying to find anyone who could be the girl''s friend, laughing at the whole situation. But if someone like that was there, they were really well hidden, as only adults seemed to be around.


    ¡°Okay, I''ll give you a chance. Explain yourself.¡±


    ¡°Right. So, you see, I''m from another planet¡­¡±


    By hearing that, Dina turned and tried to walk away again, but the girl held her arm again.


    ¡°I¡¯m serious, please, let me explain!¡± she said.


    Seeing the serious face the girl had, Dina didn¡¯t feel like ignoring her. Although she was probably lying, it seemed like a lie she actually believed in. Dina thought maybe there was something more about that whole thing.


    ***


    They went to a snack bar. Dina paid for a coke and hamburger to the girl, while asking for a beer to herself, as she thought was appropriate given the situation. Although the girl hadn¡¯t asked for anything to eat, when it was in front of her, she started to devour it, as if she was famished.


    ¡°I heard about these, but it¡¯s the first time I eat one myself¡±, she said to the inquisitive look Dina gave her.


    What Dina was thinking about was why she was wasting money on a girl she just met.


    ¡°Was food your objective after all?¡±


    ¡°Of course not¡±, the girl said after swallowing the food. There was sauce on the side of her mouth. ¡°I said it already, right? I need love.¡±


    ¡°Because you came from another planet, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡±


    Dina stared at the girl without saying anything. The girl probably picked up the distrust in her eyes, since she started to explain:


    ¡°I see you don¡¯t believe me. Well, our research did show how hard it would be, considering your species has a history of making lies. It¡¯s hard for me to imagine why someone would make a lie about it, though.¡±


    ¡°People like attention¡±, Dina said. She wasn¡¯t convinced, but she thought she would play along until to find out if the girl had any objective in all of that, or if she really believed she was from another planet.


    ¡°Well, I do owe you an explanation. According to our research, themes like mating can be sensitive to your people, so maybe my approach was wrong. I apologize for that.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s understating it.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡±, she slurped a gulp of her coke. ¡°You see, we¡¯re not good with things like this, and that¡¯s exactly why I¡¯m here. My planet is similar to yours, as we live in society and are born of a sexual act. We¡¯re compatible with the most different kinds of organisms, what means we can actually reproduce with other species, as long as they have a similar organism as ours. Five thousand years ago, in my planet¡¯s years, at least, we were victims of a meteor rain that fell on our surface and the element it brought was nocive to all male DNA. Since then we live in a society dominated by females, as even giving birth to a male with our bodies is impossible.¡±


    Dina was impressed by how the girl had a whole story about her origin. She was starting to think maybe she had a problem with schizophrenia or something similar. Unfortunately, that was outside of Dina¡¯s area, as a marketing student.


    ¡°Until recently, our only means of reproduction was to get involved with a male from other species and reproducing with them¡±, she continued. ¡°We have chosen mothers who would go to other planets, seduce men and mate with them. They were trained at that, and that¡¯s how we lived until now. That¡¯s how our species lasted until today. Recently, we have experienced some difficulties with keeping that system, though. You see, our species is extremely logical, and as such, emotional values means little to us. Unfortunately, we realized the most advanced planets in the universe put a lot of weight on something called romance, and that¡¯s a hard concept for us to grasp. But it turns out that seducing people from these planets without working on this concept is a demanding task, and things like contraceptive technology make actually producing offspring from those sexual acts complicated, what made us target less developed planets until now. Our researchers believe that¡¯s maleficial to our DNA. And so, some of us were sent to planets where this concept is well developed to learn about it. And that¡¯s why I¡¯m here.¡±


    Dina looked at the girl, not knowing if she should laugh or take her seriously.


    ¡°So you want to be my lover, to learn about love?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡±, the girl had finished eating what was on her table.


    ¡°You just said it, right? You do that to seduce males. You¡¯re aware I¡¯m female?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± the girl looked uncomfortable and tried to avoid Dina¡¯s gaze. ¡°I was not trained as a mother, and so¡­ males are a little¡­ scary¡­¡±


    ¡°How so?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re too big. They smell weird¡­ Their voices are scary. I¡¯m not sure how to act around them and I heard stories from mothers that¡­ I really am more comfortable with females¡±, the girl looked at Dina with pleading eyes. ¡°Is that wrong?¡±


    Dina sighed.


    ¡°It¡¯s not about being wrong or right. You know we can¡¯t have babies, right?¡±


    ¡°My objective is learning to teach other, not offspring. So that¡¯s not a problem.¡±


    ¡°So, you want me to believe they sent a child for something like that?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m mature enough¡­¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°Our researchers shows that females around this age are more likely to successfully seduce males, so often that¡¯s the appearance chosen for our interactions. It wasn¡¯t my choice either.¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± Dina paused, looking straight into the girl¡¯s eyes. ¡°Are you calling us all pedophiliacs?¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t invent those numbers, miss.¡±


    Dina finished eating. She wasn¡¯t keen on keeping that farce. Either that girl was making a joke and had a really fertile imagination, or she was sick.


    ¡°Well, even if I believe you, and I¡¯m not saying I do, I don¡¯t think we could make it work. You¡¯re just a girl.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s impossible?¡±, the girl looked disappointed. ¡°So it really won¡¯t work unless it¡¯s a male?¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say that. But you¡¯re going to be luckier with a male, yeah. Like you said, all yours¡­ huh¡­ researches were with that purpose.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡±, the girl rose from the table and looked at Dina, forcing a smile: ¡°I¡¯m sorry for taking your time. Thanks for the food, I¡¯ll repay you sometime, for sure.¡±


    And saying that, she walked away.


    Dina felt bad, but there wasn¡¯t much she could do. Maybe that was cruel if that girl really had a problem, but it wasn¡¯t Dina¡¯s responsibility. Maybe she would look the next day for reports about a lost girl and send her family over there.


    She paid for the food and left the bar. Looking at her wristwatch, she realized it was almost midnight. She lost a lot of time in that joke, or whatever it was. Luckily the next day was weekend, so she had no job or college.


    Dina would be lying if she said that girl didn¡¯t bother her. The most she walked home, the more she thought that leaving her alone at night after saying she should propose to a man wasn¡¯t such a good idea. Maybe because of that, she didn¡¯t go home and wandered through downtown, as if looking for something aimless.


    ¡°Will you be my lover?¡±


    It was the same voice, but it was different this time. First, because it wasn¡¯t directed to Dina, as before. And also because the person saying it was clearly uncomfortable and nervous, not confident as before. But as Dina looked in the voice¡¯s direction, there was the same girl. In front of her, an older man, probably in his forties. He looked around in the same way Dina did.


    ¡°Is that a joke?¡±, he asked. ¡°Is someone hiding somewhere?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a joke¡­ I need to learn about love. If you¡¯re willing to teach me¡­¡±


    There wasn¡¯t the same conviction about it in her voice. Dina remembered what the girl had said about males being scary. She was playing with her fingers, avoiding eye contact with the man, while talking to him.


    He surveyed around again, lowered his eyes to the girl as if examining her.


    ¡°So, huh¡­ If you want help, you can come with me.¡± He grabbed her hand, almost too eager. ¡°If you come to my house, then¡­¡±


    Dina hurried and grabbed the girl¡¯s free arm. She turned her face and looked at Dina with a surprised expression, although a faint smile crossed her face.


    ¡°Erika!¡±, Dina shouted. ¡°Thank god I found you!¡±The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°W-what¡­ D-Do you know this girl?¡±, the man asked, clearly startled.


    ¡°Yes. She¡¯s my neighbor. She has some psychological problems, so her family was worried.¡±


    ¡°I...I see. Huh¡­ I realized she was lost, so I was trying to help¡­¡±


    ¡°I see. Thanks, you¡¯re really a good man.¡±


    ¡°Y-Yeah¡­ Then, huh, bye.¡±, the man left in a hurry.


    ¡°Asshole¡­¡±, murmured Dina.


    She looked at the girl. She wondered until which point the excuse she gave the man was a lie. It was likely that the girl had some psychological issues, even if she could talk soberly. All that talk about aliens and studying love made no sense.


    ¡°You¡¯re coming with me¡±, Dina said, and the girl followed her while holding her hand tight.


    ***


    Dina knew that she needed to find that girl¡¯s home, but all questions in that regard would bring that same answer about another planet.


    ¡°Can you give me some proof of that, then?¡±, she asked, but the girl just shook shoulders, saying she didn¡¯t know what she could do.


    Dina decided she would need to stay with the girl for that night. Maybe looking for news of a lost person. She lent some of her old clothes to the girl, who was developed for her apparent age.


    ¡°By the way, I''m Dina. What¡¯s your name?¡±, she asked and the girl reflected in silence for some seconds.


    ¡°My name would be too hard to understand with your current language skills. I think that one you called me by should work.¡±


    ¡°Erika?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t really understand much about name conventions in your society, but the name does have some¡­ nice sound to it. Also, as far as our studies about your behavior go, it seems like important items you get from your beloved are valuable and strengthen your relationship with them, even if such item is an abstract concept. So while thinking about the name, I should remember you, and my heart should beat in a way that it wasn¡¯t designed to.¡±


    Dina sighed. She was looking at the girl sitting on the couch like a behaved kid.


    ¡°You see¡­ I brought you home, but that doesn¡¯t mean I agree with your proposal.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? So why did you brought me here? That man was willing to give me his love.¡±


    ¡°Because of things like that I can¡¯t leave you alone. That man had no intention of giving you anything. All he was interested was in sex.¡±


    ¡°Why would he want sex with me if he doesn¡¯t love me? Was he looking for offsprings?¡±


    The girl looked confused as she asked it, waiting for an actual answer. Dina took her palm to her face, letting out a big sigh.


    ¡°If you¡¯re serious, I worry about you. Look...Erika...You can stay here. I promise I¡¯ll help you somehow, but don¡¯t go saying things like that to strangers.¡±


    All that Dina meant with that was that she would look for Erika¡¯s house, but she knew the girl wouldn¡¯t agree with it since, for all purposes, she looked like she actually believed the alien story. The girl just looked into Dina¡¯s eyes with a calm expression before throwing her next question.


    ¡°Is a female absolutely out of question?¡±


    ¡°W-what?¡±, Dina was taken by surprise by the question.


    ¡°Is the fact that I¡¯m a female the reason why you¡¯ll refuse me?¡±


    ¡°Th-That¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have the slight interest in females in that way?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±, Dina avoided looking Erika in the eyes. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say I never had any interest, but¡­ Well¡­ To begin with, when I mentioned a male would be easier, I just meant...most of the time¡­ I¡¯m not interested in romancing you, but...¡±


    ¡°I understand¡­ Yeah, I see... I¡¯m satisfied with that, then. After all, romantic relationships are said to be developed over time, so as long as we are near each other, I could work on it.¡±


    ¡°Look here¡­ Wait, so why didn¡¯t you try that to begin with?¡±


    Erika inclined her head while looking with a serious face to Dina.


    ¡°Looks counter-productive to me. Also, all guides for communication I read said we should always be objective about what we want. What kind of contradiction is that?¡±


    Dina stood there in silence. She didn¡¯t know what to reply. Nonchalant, she went to her room and soon came back with a pillow and a blanket.


    ¡°Is it okay if you sleep on the couch?¡±, Dina asked.


    Erika didn¡¯t say anything, and Dina left the pillow and blanket beside her. She moved to turn off the light in the living room.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m kinda tired, and we eat already, so if you¡¯re going to excuse me¡­¡±


    ¡°Wait!¡±, Erika said as Dina brought her hand to the switch. Dina stopped and looked at her. ¡°Hum¡­ I¡­ The prospect of being left alone and not being able to see makes me uneasy¡­¡±


    ¡°I see, would you want me to keep the lights on?¡±


    ¡°The¡­ the prospect of being left alone by itself makes me uneasy¡­¡±


    Dina stared at the girl, who was playing with her fingers again.


    ¡°How did you sleep in your...huh...planet?¡±


    ¡°We all share a room in a huge group of tenants. Staying alone is counter-productive, so¡­¡±


    ¡°I don''t think that has anything to do with that¡­¡±, the girl kept playing with her fingers and avoiding eye contact with Dina. ¡°I''m not saying you can''t sleep in my room, though.¡±


    The girl almost jumped from her couch and approached Dina with bright eyes.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±, she asked, with too much energy. Dina couldn''t stop a smile.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah. Come with me.¡±


    Her bed was big enough for two, but Dina still made a bed for Erika on the floor beside her. The girl didn''t seem to mind and went to sleep with a big smile on her face. Dina wanted to make the girl admit she didn''t like to be alone before allowing her to sleep there, but she felt that would be close to bullying.


    She went to sleep, planning to look up about missing girls next day. Someone should be looking for Erika.


    The next day Dina woke up with an awoke Erika kneeling beside her bed and looking her into the eyes. At first, that startled her, but she recovered fast enough, despite still being sleepy.


    ¡°W-what are you doing?¡±


    The girl didn''t move away or reacted any other way, still facing Dina in silence.


    ¡°I was thinking if I should kiss you or not.¡±


    Dina jumped in her bed, sitting up.


    ¡°What? Why?¡±


    ¡°Some manuscripts I studied talk about kissing pretty ladies while they''re sleeping, what makes them wake up from almost dead state and fall in love with you. I don''t get the logic in such relationship, but they seem popular enough. But then other studies also reveal that consent is important in a relationship. It''s all so confusing and contradictory.¡±


    ¡°You mean...fairy tales?¡±


    ¡°Some of them do have those curious creatures called fairies. Are those extinct?¡±


    ¡°No, no. Those never existed. Those are just, you know, for fun.¡±


    ¡°So they''re lies?¡±


    ¡°Yeah...something like that.¡±


    ¡°You people tell lies for fun? Why?¡±


    Dina left the bed. Since she wasn''t alone, she slept in her clothes, so there was nothing to hide. She walked to the desk she had in her room and turned on her computer.


    ¡°You know what a computer is?¡±, she asked. Erika moved her head slowly.


    ¡°It''s a processing machine, right? That''s right, this planet already has such technology, even if primitive.¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­ yeah, sure. This computer is connected to something called internet. It''s a place when you can research things. Do you get it?¡±


    ¡°Oh, so that''s how I can access the documents of all human knowledge?¡±, Erika jumped from the floor, looking excited.


    ¡°Well...something like that. You can do your research like this, so you stop misunderstanding things. I''ll go out to buy something for breakfast. So while I''m out, feel free to use it as you want.¡±


    ¡°Understood!¡±, she said and hurried to sit in front of the machine.


    ¡°Do you know how to use it, though?¡±


    ¡°I''m sure it''ll be easy since it''s such a primitive technology.¡±


    Dina left Erika to her researches and, after washing herself, went out to shop. She had another objective, that was finding any info about the girl as she could.


    But after asking around, buying the regional newspaper and looking up the internet in a cyber coffee, she still came out with nothing. She even called some colleagues from college to know if they knew about something. Erika wasn''t a kid, and some families could be used to a teenager sleeping out once, but if she actually had any psychological issues, Dina thought someone would be looking for her. So far it didn''t look like it was the case.


    ¡°An alien, huh?¡±, she thought as she put the key in the door to her apartment while holding a bag with food she brought in the market. She also had brought some essentials items for Erika, like toothbrush and underwear. For clothes, she could lend some of hers if needed.


    As she opened the door, Erika was waiting for her. She looked at Dina and asked, in a serious tone:


    ¡°Cunnilingus, fingering or tribadism?¡±


    Dina almost left her bag fall on the floor.


    ¡°W-what the hell are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°I was looking about love. It was all so confusing, so I tried to be more specific and searched for love between females instead. The computer suggested me ''love between women¡¯, and with that, I found some educational videos.¡±


    ¡°Those are not educational videos¡±, Dina left the bag in the kitchen and went to her room. ¡°You¡¯re not using the internet without my supervision anymore.¡±


    ¡°Isn''t that how women love each other?¡±


    ¡°No! I mean, yes, I think. But that''s sex. And sex and love aren''t the same things. Remember what I said before?¡±


    ¡°That''s confusing. Why is love important, after all?¡±


    Dina sighed. She would try to stop arguing with that girl, at least until she realized what was her problem.


    Although confused, the girl recovered with the smell of Dina¡¯s breakfast, that she gulped with joy. Dina thought she was cute, for a weird girl.


    In the afternoon she thought it would be good for them to watch some movies together to spend the time. Erika would understand all complicated plots with ease, but everytime a romantic plot would happen, she would question Dina about every little detail.


    ¡°Why are they in love when they never talked with each other? You said it didn''t work like that.¡±


    ¡°Why can''t she choose between them when the difference in their quantitative qualities is evident?¡±


    ¡°What this guy is saying is clearly contradicting what that other guy said in that other narrative.¡±


    As they finished their fifth movie, Erika looked at Dina and made a perplexed expression.


    ¡°I''m starting to think not even your kind know what this love thing is.¡±


    Dina laughed.


    ¡°You might be right there.¡±


    As Dina went to make dinner, Erika also started to question her.


    ¡°Don''t you cook in your...huh...planet?¡±, Dina asked.


    ¡°We do. But I don''t get why you worry about the aesthetics of it. And also, the nutritional value is a mess.¡±


    ¡°W-well, that''s totally my fault. But you liked that hamburger you eat yesterday, right?¡±


    Erika reflected and gave a smile.


    ¡°Yeah, it tasted good. Even though it was probably being prejudicial to my body, but I can understand why you would sacrifice healthy for that.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I''m sorry. Please, don''t get used to that.¡±


    They lived like that for one whole week. During that week, Dina tried to gather more info about missing people, but it was all useless. She even told some close friends about her situation so they could contact her if they hear anything.


    More and more it seemed like the girl wasn''t lying, but the alien story was too absurd to believe. But at the same time, Dina was starting to appreciate the girl''s company. She wished that even if she went away, they could still be friends. And just like that, another weekend came.


    Dina was using her laptop to make college work on the couch. Erika stopped in front of her, looking like she needed to talk. Dina left the laptop beside and looked at the girl, giving a warm smile.


    ¡°What was it?¡±


    ¡°I''m sorry¡±, she said, and threw herself at Dina, pulling her head and kissing her on the lips.


    Dina pushed Erika away, and the girl fell to the floor. Her eyes were filled with tears.


    ¡°I''m sorry!¡±, Dina said and hugged the girl. ¡°I''m sorry, but you shouldn''t do that.¡±


    ¡°I don''t know what to do anymore. If I don''t do anything, I''ll fail my mission.Isit because I''m a female, after all? If that''s so, you should¡¯ve let me go with that male.¡±


    ¡°It''s not because of that. I said it already¡­ it''s because you''re a kid. That''s why I couldn¡¯t let you go with him either.¡±


    Through Erika¡¯s sad face crossed a shadow of confusion.


    ¡°I''m not a kid! I''m probably older than you.¡±


    Dina stopped hugging Erika and with her hands on the girl¡¯s shoulders, looked at her face, smiling.


    ¡°I know¡­ in your...planet, right? But to me, right here, you''re a kid.¡±


    Erika stood up, leaving Dina kneeled on the floor.


    ¡°I see. I didn''t think that would be such a big problem. We miscalculated. But luckily I can do something to fix it.¡±


    Dina just watched confused as Erika walked to the bathroom.


    ¡°That''s unpleasant, so please, no matter what happens, don''t try to open this door. It''ll be fast, I promise.¡±


    Saying that Erika locked herself inside.


    For some seconds, it was a total silence in the house. After that, some grunts of pain started to leak by the bathroom¡¯s door.


    ¡°Erika?¡±, Dina asked and got up. She went to bang the door. ¡°Erika, is everything ok?¡±


    ¡°Don''t...open...the door¡­¡±, her voice came in intervals, with a pained voice and some groan mixed in. ¡°I''m...fine...wait a...minute...gh.¡±


    Dina was starting to desperate. She surveyed around, looking for any tool that would help her to break the lock. She felt tears rising in her eyes.


    ¡°Erika...please¡­¡±


    The painful sounds stopped. Dina put her hand on the handle, fearing to call and not get an answer. She heard a click as the door was unlocked from inside and in a burst, pulled it. The vision inside almost made her fall back.


    She couldn''t deny the resemblance between the person inside the bathroom and the girl who spent the last week with her. Except that the woman sitting on the bathroom¡¯s floor was an adult. Her naked body shivered, covered in sweat. Her long black hair sticking to her well-developed body. The clothes she was wearing before were scattered around the floor. She looked in pain as she faced Dina.


    ¡°Is this better?¡±

 Love Researcher - Part 2

    Erika was sitting in the kitchen, drinking a camomile tea Dina poured for her. It seemed like whatever her transforming process was, it took a toll on her nervous system, as she couldn''t stop shaking.


    Dina¡¯s first reaction was to hug the naked woman on the floor, but soon she got embarrassed by the situation and helped her to get up, guiding her to the kitchen. Since her clothes wouldn''t fit anymore, Dina gave her a blanket to wrap herself. She realized Erika''s body was way more developed than her own. Her breasts and waist were bigger and she was taller. Dina¡¯s clothes probably wouldn''t fit her anymore.


    ¡°I¡¯m s-s-sorry for startling you,¡± Erika said, taking her tea to her lips.


    ¡°It''s okay.¡± Dina gave an understanding smile. ¡°It''s partly my fault, too.¡±


    Dina pulled a chair and sat close to Erika.


    ¡°But I guess I have no choice but to believe you now.¡±


    ¡°This is closer to my actual age, compared to your planet¡¯s lifespan. I wasn''t supposed to trigger this transformation outside the lab, so I knew it would affect my body somehow...oh¡­¡±


    The cup she was holding fell from her shaken hands and shattered on the floor, splashing tea all over it.


    ¡°I apologize¡±.


    ¡°Don''t worry about it¡±, Dina said, getting up. ¡°I''ll pour you another. Are you sure you don''t want to go to the hospital?¡±


    Erika shook her head.


    ¡°Your medicine wouldn''t help me much. This is a process your people knows nothing about¡±, she gave a faint smile. ¡°But don''t worry, it''s not life-threatening. I''ll be fine after some rest.¡±


    Dina gave Erika another cup of tea and sat again.


    ¡°Look...I''m sorry¡±, she said.


    ¡°You don''t need to apologize. In fact, in your own understanding, you did nothing wrong, and you''re only guilty of your ignorance.¡±


    Dina couldn''t understand if she was being comforted or offended.


    ¡°And I''m the one who needs to apologize. I did something unacceptable in your society¡¯s view. I apologize.¡±


    Dina raised her fingers to touch her own lips without realizing. Then looking at Erika''s lips, she felt her face blushing.


    ¡°But at the same time, I fear I need to ask¡±, Erika said, putting her cup now empty on the table. ¡°Is this body good enough for you?¡±


    Dina was happy she wasn''t drinking tea, too, because she surely would spit it out after hearing that.


    ¡°T-that¡¯s¡­ Let¡¯s talk about that after you rest¡±, Dina answered, agitated.


    After Erika finished her tea, Dina guided her to the bedroom. She was avoiding touching her. Somehow it felt different than when she was just a girl. Now her adult body was alluring to Dina, and that made her nervous.


    She suggested Erika sleep on her bed, instead of the floor. Then she covered the woman with blankets.


    ¡°While you rest, I was thinking about going out to look for some clothes for you. Is that okay? Are you fine, now?¡±, Dina asked.


    Erika hesitated, moving her eyes slowly fo face Dina, before answering.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll be alone¡­¡±


    Dina realized she was playing with her fingers from inside the blanket. She smiled. Erika looked like an adult now, but her personality was still the same as when she was a girl. The gap between her appearance and her personality was charming.


    ¡°I¡¯ll wait until you¡¯re asleep before going out. Is that enough for you?¡±, Dina said.


    Erika hesitated for a moment but finally agreed, with a slow movement of her head and a faint smile. It didn¡¯t take much time until she fell asleep, what made Dina think the reason was how the transformation affected her body. She hurried to go out on her shopping trip because she wanted to be back before Erika woke up.


    ***


    As she examined the clothes she bought, Dina wondered what she was thinking. Sure she was in a hurry. But somehow, most of the things she brought home were sexy or revealing clothes. She had Erika¡¯s figure in mind while shopping, so that was probably her influence. As she thought about Erika¡¯s naked body again, she felt her temperature rise.


    ¡°Dina?¡±, she heard a voice behind her, and Erika came out of the room, still wrapped in a blanket. That alluring voice calling her name had a whole different feeling than the teenager girl, and she felt guilty about reacting differently to it.


    ¡°I-I bought some clothes¡­¡±, she said, almost afraid to pass the bag to her guest.


    Erika took the bag and looked inside.


    ¡°I appreciate it¡±, she said and left the blanket slide to the floor while taking the clothing from inside the bag. Dina avoided her eyes, even though she had seen Erika¡¯s naked body before.


    After putting her new clothes on, there in the living room, Erika called for Dina¡¯s attention.


    ¡°How does it look?¡±


    Dina turned to her, seeing the woman in a black short and black top, exposing her belly and with an exposed cleavage. Even though the short looked similar to the one she was wearing when they first met, it had a completely different effect on that adult body.


    ¡°You¡¯re¡­ pretty¡­¡±, Dina said, avoiding her eyes again.


    She felt Erika''s hands grabbing her arm. The warm and humid feeling of her body gripping firm on her wrist.


    ¡°W-what?¡±


    ¡°You''re acting weird¡±, Erika''s eyes were serious.


    ¡°W-weird how?¡±


    ¡°Avoiding looking at me. Avoiding getting closer. Like something is repulsing you about my presence¡±, she became silent, and after opening her mouth twice without making any sound, she added: ¡°Is it because of what I did? Are you disgusted by me now?¡±


    Dina approached Erika and this time held her hands.


    ¡°No. It''s not that. It''s just that...huh¡­¡±, Dina made an effort to keep holding Erika''s hands, even though her heart looked like it would explode. ¡°Before I saw you as a kid, so it didn''t affect much, but if you keep saying these things now¡­¡±


    Erika gave a hopeful smile.


    ¡°So you like this body?¡±


    Dina tried to avoid her gaze, her heart was like a thunder.


    ¡°I¡­ I never¡­ uh¡­ I never did anything with a woman before, but I would be lying if I say I never had an interest. And, huh¡­ you''re, probably, exactly my type.¡±


    ¡°That means¡­?¡±, Erika inclined her head while asking.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ I like your body.¡±


    The smile Erika gave was radiant.


    ¡°So we can be lovers now! If only I knew it was so easy!¡±


    ¡°Wait, wait a minute¡­¡±, Dina took her hands off Erika''s. ¡°It''s not that simple.¡±


    ¡°Why? I don''t get it. You want me, and that way I can fulfill my mission.¡±


    ¡°Your mission is to learn about love, right? Remember what I said about that other man? Sex and love aren''t really the same thing.¡±


    ¡°So you don''t love me?¡±


    Dina reflected in silence. She turned to the kitchen before answering, avoiding Erika''s eyes.


    ¡°I¡­ don''t hate you¡­ But what about you?¡±


    ¡°I don''t think I feel anything at all, but that''s why I want to study.¡±


    ¡°Study... that''s¡­ and besides, I feel bad after rejecting you before and suddenly just accepting it now.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±, Erika made a confused face. ¡°I don''t mind at all. I understand your previous reasoning and I was in the wrong. The thought of failing my mission made me act irrationally.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ will prepare dinner¡±, Dina said, stopping that conversation at that moment.


    They eat dinner together, and Erika seemed to understand enough to not touch the subject again, although Dina realized she wasn''t satisfied with that. She realized that when she wasn¡¯t holding anything, Erika couldn¡¯t stop playing with her fingers, touching them, squeezing them with her other hand and hitting them against each other.


    When it came time to sleep, Erika headed in silent to the place where she used to put her cushion.


    ¡°You know¡­¡±, Dina said, making Erika stop and look at her. ¡°You can sleep with me on the bed¡­ if you want¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?!¡±, Erika asked, her eyes suddenly showing a vigor that had disappeared before. ¡°Even though I want to do all kinds of things with you?¡±


    ¡°A-all kinds of things is kinda¡­ wait, what are you even planning to do?¡±, Dina looked at Erika, as she waited apprehensively for the answer. ¡°Well...if it''s just...like...kissing...then it''s fine, I guess.¡±


    ¡°I see, kissing. The first serious and intimate step that¡¯s exclusive for romantic relationships. We start with a kiss, then evolve to sex, and then¡­¡±


    ¡°Just kissing!¡±, Dina stopped Erika. ¡°You don¡¯t plan to have sex with someone after just kissing¡­ Well, some people totally do, but you shouldn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­ Kissing without thinking about sex yet, I get it.¡±


    The excited smile Erika gave wasn¡¯t reassuring, but Dina decided she would just trust the woman for now. With a signal from Dina, Erika got on the bed, kneeling beside her. Sitting on the border, Dina turned to her, also raising her legs up the bed.


    She held Erika¡¯s hands. They were warm. Dina¡¯s fingers were shaking as she approached the other woman. Getting closer, she realized how Erika smelled good. It was the same shampoo she used, and the same soap, but mixed with Erika¡¯s body, the aroma was different. Somehow sexier.


    ¡°I...I never kissed a woman before..¡±, she said.


    ¡°I never kissed anything before.¡±


    ¡°Well, this isn¡¯t true for either of us after this afternoon¡±, Dina said, giving a wry smile. ¡°But that didn¡¯t count¡±, she approached her face to Erika again, her heart beating like a drummer. Erika¡¯s black eyes focused on her. Dina stopped. ¡°By the way. You should close your eyes.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±, Erika said, inclining her head in confusion.


    ¡°That¡¯s just¡­ how it is¡­¡±


    ¡°But then I won¡¯t learn the mechanics involved in kissing.¡±


    ¡°Y-You will don¡¯t worry. Just¡­ close your eyes.¡±


    She hesitated, scrutinizing Dina¡¯s face, waiting to see if she changed her mind. Realizing her partner was serious, Erika closed her eyes. Before closing her own eyes, Dina examined Erika better. Her lips were humid on her stern face. She was wearing the lingerie Dina brought to her. Black with frills and perfectly fitting in her body. All her curves and body was more voluptuous than Dina¡¯s. For a moment she felt a curiosity to touch Erika¡¯s body, but stopped herself and approached to kiss, closing her eyes.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    Her lips got in contact with Erika¡¯s. They were soft and wet. Erika¡¯s smell was now close to Dina¡¯s her nose. Dina thought her heart would explode. She raised both her hands to hold Erika¡¯s face gently while kissing her. She almost felt like pushing Erika to the bed but stopped herself.


    When the kiss was over, Dina felt dizzy. Her face slowly distanced from Erika and she felt like she finally could breathe. The two women faced each other in silence, until Dina¡¯s voice broke it, still a little weak.


    ¡°H-How was it?¡±


    ¡°How? What do you mean?¡±, Erika answered, the same as ever. ¡°Our lips locked together, as it was supposed to happen. That was exactly like my researches, so I don''t get it. Should I do something more?¡±


    Erika¡¯s face was the same as ever, with her head slightly inclined. That annoyed Dina, who had her heart almost jumping through her chest. She turned her back to Erika, lying down on the bed and putting the blanket over her.


    ¡°Forget it. Let¡¯s sleep¡±, she said.


    Erika didn¡¯t move. Her eyes examining the volume Dina¡¯s body made on the bed. Timidly playing with her fingers, she finally let her voice out.


    ¡°Are you angry? Did I do anything wrong?¡±


    Dina sighed.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t do anything wrong¡±, she said. ¡°Try to think about what kissing means, but, huh, I won¡¯t blame you.¡±


    ¡°Can we keep doing that?¡±


    The room went silent. Until finally Dina broke it, with a low voice.¡±


    ¡°Yeah...Just¡­¡±, she became silence before completing: ¡°Next time give me more time.¡±, she turned on the bed and faced Erika, giving a gentle smile. ¡°Now go to sleep. I have work tomorrow morning.¡±


    Erika nodded and threw herself inside the blankets. That night, Dina had trouble to sleep, always thinking there was another body lying beside her.


    ***


    ¡°A date?¡±, Dina asked that Friday, while putting on her clothes.


    During the week, they did the kissing part twice, on the Monday and Tuesday. After that, Erika stopped asking about it, and Dina didn¡¯t dare to touch the subject, even though, if she had to tell the truth, she was missing it.


    Erika also started to help with house chores, which helped Dina. According to Erika, making the same activities could help her to understand her subject better.


    Then suddenly, Friday morning, while Dina was getting ready to work, Erika approached her.


    ¡°Yeah, a date¡±, she said, smiling and showing some paper where there were some incomprehensive notes. ¡°I was researching about our three nights doing love actions and reflecting why they had no effect at all. I came to realize that was common, and we skipped some important steps, like meeting in a rainy day, dancing on a ball¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you reading those books again?¡±


    ¡°It seems like those are spontaneous encounters, and me meeting you and being direct about my intentions probably didn¡¯t help.¡±


    ¡°Yeah...that¡¯s what I¡¯ve been saying¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I know. So I looked at how to start it over, and I found out that this date thing is an event where we cheat reality by forcing those spontaneous moments to happen again.¡±


    Dina finished putting her clothes and stood there, looking straight at Erika.


    ¡°Am I wrong?¡±, Erika asked.


    ¡°No¡­ I was actually thinking your messed up definition makes sense.¡±


    ¡°So, while I was looking it up, I found out that going to movies was a popular way to do these date events. Then¡­¡±, Erika almost jumped out in front of Dina to show her a poster she was holding: ¡°I thought we could watch this tonight!¡±


    It was a sci-fi movie, with a spaceship above a developed city at night on the cover. That was the only genre Erika would show genuine interest whenever they would watch tv together. Dina couldn¡¯t stop a giggle.


    ¡°You just want to watch that, right?¡±


    Erika brought the poster to her eyes and examined it, making a gloomy face.


    ¡°It¡¯s true I have interest in this movie in particular. Should we do something else, then?¡±


    ¡°No, no¡±, Dina brushed out her comment, while smiling. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. I think that¡¯s a good thing, wanting to do something you like together with someone you love. That¡¯s what a date is.¡±


    ¡°But you don¡¯t really care about the movie, right?¡±, Erika asked, with the same face.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure that as long as we¡¯re together, I¡¯ll have fun. But if you¡¯re still worried about that¡­¡±, Dina hesitated, avoiding looking at Erika. ¡°Tomorrow is my mother¡¯s birthday. I was thinking about paying her a visit, and, huh, if you wouldn¡¯t mind coming with me?¡±


    ¡°Is it important that for me to be there to remember about your mother¡¯s birthday?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not about it being important. It¡¯s an important day for me, so it would mean something if you were there.¡±


    ¡°I see, it¡¯s another important aspect of love relationship I didn¡¯t know, then. I forgot you people have emotional bonds with your progenitors.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. For you it¡¯s different, right?¡±


    ¡°Well, mothers have little to say about their offspring development. Usually, they stay with them in the few years after they¡¯re born and go back to other mission.¡±


    ¡°I see. Well, you see, a bond between mother and child is love, too.¡±


    ¡°I was considering that already. I understand. It should be an educational meeting, so I¡¯ll be there.¡±


    Dina smiled and looked at Erika. Somehow it was weird to see a grown-up woman talking like that as if she was a kid. Dina looked at her watch.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be late if I don''t go now. Can you wait for me in front of the college, tonight? I¡¯ll be done at nine.¡±


    She had once shown Erika where she was studying. Erika had a good memory and sense of direction, so it shouldn¡¯t be a problem to get there.


    ¡°Understood¡±, Erika said, as Dina went through the door.


    ***


    She wouldn''t lie, she was actually nervous. Her colleagues were there with her as she exits her classroom, and walked towards the college¡¯s gate. Erika was probably there already, and it would be the first time her friends would meet her. On the other side, Dina realized she almost wanted her friends to find out about their relationship, whatever it was. In the end, Erika was a beautiful woman. Even though her friends probably didn¡¯t have any interest in women, they should realize she was lucky. However, saying she would go out with another woman was scary.


    Dina had taken some time to change after her work in the house of one of her colleagues. It was common for her to change there since it was close to college, so her friend probably didn¡¯t find anything weird in it, even though Dina took a little more time with the makeup and in the bath. As she looked at the mirrors with her loose curly hair, a smile with her discrete pink lipstick on her face, a jeans and a red blouse with bare shoulders showing a little of her brown skin that she had bought just minutes before, she came to realize how much she was longing for that date. Dina had to think how she came to think different about Erika. She didn¡¯t know if it was after seeing her adult form or after the kiss.


    As they approached the front gate, Erika was there, her back against the wall, waiting. She was wearing a black mini-skirt and leggings that Dina herself had bought for her. It wasn¡¯t a cold night, so it was probably comfortable. She was also wearing a white peasant top. The outfit actually looked good on her, and Dina could see her hours in front of the computer trying to research what to wear for a date.


    As Erika saw Dina coming, she turned to her and gave a smile. Dina could feel her heart skip with that. As she walked to them, Dina¡¯s friends gave her curious looks. Realizing three women beside Dina, Erika also stopped and looked at them with a confused expression.


    ¡°These are my friends from college¡±, Dina said and introduced each one of them. Erika smiled and introduced herself, too.


    ¡°I''m Erika. I''m Dina¡¯s lover.¡±


    Startled, Dina looked at her friends. The three women just looked at Erika with a serious face, until one of them, an Asian woman who had been introduced as Anna, spoke:


    ¡°I see¡­ so it''s like that.¡±


    ¡°No, no, no. Wait!¡±, Dina said, weaving her hands. ¡°She''s confused. We''re not lovers.¡±


    ¡°We''re not?¡±, Erika said, inclining her head. ¡°Isn''t sleeping together and kissing exclusive for lovers?¡±


    ¡°No! I mean, yes, but¡­ we didn''t sleep together¡­ We just shared a bed.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t deny the kiss?¡± Anna said, smiling. Dina didn''t say anything. ¡°It''s okay, Dina, really. Don''t worry about that. I mean, we kind of¡­ you know¡­expected it.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±, Dina said, looking at her in confusion.


    ¡°I mean¡­¡±, and she looked at the other two women before asking: ¡°Right?¡± Both of them nodded, giggling.


    ¡°Sorry, I''m not following you.¡±


    ¡°No, really, you always liked pretty women, right? Especially after some drinks.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Dina tried to remember if she had done anything to make them think that.


    ¡°But we don''t mind. We just want you to be happy¡±, Anna looked at Erika. ¡°Still, Erika? Wasn¡¯t that the name of the girl you found?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±, Dina made, suddenly remembering Anna was one of the people she asked about Erika.


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t she a teenager, though?¡±


    ¡°Oh¡±, Erika said, before Dina could stop her. ¡°She did thought I was a teenager since I looked like one.¡±


    Anne looked at her, in confusion. She looked at her two other friends, but they looked just as clueless.


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ll explain it later. Although I¡¯m not sure you¡¯ll believe¡±, Dina said, pulling Erika by the hand. ¡°Now let¡¯s go, or we¡¯ll be late.¡±


    Before she left, Anna asked her last question:


    ¡°Are you two going on a date?¡±


    There was a playful smile on her face. Dina looked at Erika, who somehow looked anxious waiting for her to give her answer, avoiding Dina¡¯s gaze and playing with her fingers.


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s a date¡±, she said, and Erika looked at her with a smile. ¡°I¡¯ll explain it all later. So¡­ See you later.¡±


    She left, dragging Erika with her and left her three friends chuckling behind.


    ***


    That was a surprisingly common date. Erika made her always logical observations about the movie, although this time she seemed to understand more about the emotional side of the characters. She seemed to have fun explaining about concepts that Dina didn¡¯t understand at first, and when Dina asked her if she had liked the movie, she was eager to confirm.


    Later they went to a restaurant, where Erika mostly kept silent, except for a comment about how all the couples there were a man and a woman. Dina realized that was a good opportunity to talk about things that were worrying her, but she never had the chance to ask.


    ¡°Have you thought¡±, she said, ¡°that our relationship is more illogical than most of those things you don¡¯t understand?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±, Erika asked, inclining her head.


    ¡°I mean, there¡¯s nothing to get from it, in terms of biology or science. I don¡¯t know how to explain, but¡­ huh¡­ we can¡¯t have babies.¡±


    ¡°Is love something that needs to generate babies?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe that, but¡­ How do I say this? Isn¡¯t that the main purpose of sex?¡±


    ¡°I guess so¡±, Erika answered, putting a portion of pasta in her mouth and continuing after swallowing it. ¡°Sex is not my objective, though. Just the information of how it works on a conceptual level and its relationship with sentimental feelings. I guess you¡¯re right. If we consider the nature of sex, I should go after a male at first, like you said when we met. But I didn¡¯t want that.¡±


    ¡°Because males are scary?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s that, but¡­ It¡¯s more than that. I just¡­ like women better? You¡¯re right that I don¡¯t have a logical reason. Maybe I¡¯m defective in that.¡±


    ¡°No¡­ I don¡¯t think that¡±, this time Dina had a drink of the wine in front of her. ¡°I think that¡¯s closer to what you want to understand. You don¡¯t need a logical reason to love someone. Love doesn¡¯t need logic.¡±


    Erika gave a wry smile to Dina and reflected in silence. She started to play a little with her pasta before putting on her mouth. She didn¡¯t order wine like her partner, and Dina believed that was probably for the best, not knowing what effect it would have on her.


    ¡°I have another question¡±, Dina said. ¡°You''re always saying your technology is better than ours, so you probably can do things like... artificial insemination and such? Is there any reason to have sex with males on other planets?¡±


    ¡°Of course we can do that. And it was the first practice we tried. Turns out that the same element nocive to men in our atmosphere also destroys any kind of cell originated from them. We learned just after the fourth month of gestation the fetus is truly safe, and we wait six months to make sure.¡±


    Even though they were in a public restaurant, there weren''t any people in the tables close to them, so no one could hear their conversation. When someone would get close, Dina would make a signal to Erika stop, and she obeyed.


    ¡°Having the children in another planet was an option, but it was dangerous leaving ourselves in the hands of species that didn''t know our body well. Teaching them our technology was out of question, as it is our pride and we protect it as such. Delivering the babies in a spaceship would take valuable scientists to train and live at least six months in seclusion. We also never had any kind of prudence about sex like your species do, so it was the best choice.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so you have pride in your achievements,¡± Dina said. ¡°That¡¯s the most sentimental thing we heard from you.¡±


    Erika reflected, spacing out still holding her fork.


    ¡°If I have to explain, I think it¡¯s not really pride, but love?¡±


    ¡°Love?¡±


    ¡°No, I mean, if I¡¯m going to compare the feeling we have for our culture and planet, I think it¡¯s close to what you people feel for other persons. So maybe it¡¯s love?¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say the same doesn¡¯t happen with some people around here, though. How strong would you say that feeling is?¡±


    ¡°Well, I know of a lot of cases when someone took their own lives because they felt like they were failing our case. Like failing a mission, for example.¡±


    Dina remembered the time when Erika kissed her. How the girl was crying and seemed desperate.


    ¡°I...I¡¯m kinda¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± She said. Erika inclined her head.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°I must¡¯ve pushed you to the edge when I refused you. What you did then was wrong, but I guess I can understand better now.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see. Well, you can kiss me now, so it doesn¡¯t matter anymore. Now, changing the subject¡­¡± She pointed out to the pasta with her fork. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we try that thing where we get each side with our mouths and meet at the end? Isn¡¯t that a date thing?¡±


    Dina smiled, shaking her head.


    ***


    As the two women walked home, holding each other¡¯s hand, Erika seemed to be worried about something. She would look at Dina and fall into a contemplating silence.


    ¡°Is there a problem?¡± Dina asked. Erika¡¯s hand was warm and soft, so she didn¡¯t want to let it go.


    ¡°I feel like we¡¯re forgetting something, but I don¡¯t know what. We saw a movie, had dinner, you refused the pasta kiss¡­ Oh!¡± Erika turned her face to Dina in a rush. ¡°That¡¯s right, we didn¡¯t kiss! That was supposed to be the main point!¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ Well, we can do it once we¡¯re home¡­¡±


    ¡°No, no, no! Once we get home, the date is over!¡±


    Dina looked into Erika¡¯s agitated eyes. She gave a smile before nodding.


    ¡°Okay, then. Let¡¯s kiss.¡±


    She put her arms around Erika¡¯s neck. As Erika was taller, she had to look up to meet her eyes. Slowly approaching and closing her eyes, she put their lips together. They finished kissing and looked at each other. Dina started to kiss Erika again, this time placing kisses on her neck, feeling her soft skin.


    ¡°W-What?¡± Erika said. ¡°Dina¡­ Why¡­ ?¡±


    Dina buried her head into Erika¡¯s shoulder and said in a soft voice, without looking at her:


    ¡°Can we go back to doing this every day?¡±


    ¡°O-Okay¡­¡±


    Dina looked up into Erika¡¯s eyes again.


    ¡°Did you feel something different this time?¡±


    ¡°...No,¡± Erika answered after a pause.


    ¡°Did you hate it?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t. In fact, it was kind of comforting.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s something already¡­¡± Dina said smiling and kissed her again.

 Love Researcher - Final

    The clothes Erika wore to visit Dina¡¯s family was less bold than the date. It was a jeans pants and a black blouse with long sleeves that Dina bought that week in preparation. Dina herself wore a dark blue mini dress with a pleated bottom that she hadn''t used in ages. It was a present from her mother, so she thought it would be appropriate.


    Before they even went out of the house, Dina made Erika sit on the couch and stood in front of her with her hands on her waist. Erika just sent a curious look her way.


    ¡°Look here,¡± Dina said. ¡°And please, don''t forget it. We might kiss, but that doesn''t mean we''re lovers yet.¡±


    Erika inclined her head.


    ¡°That''s confusing. When will I know we elevated our relationship to such status? Is it sex after all?¡±


    ¡°No. Look, this is not a thing that just happens, it''s a thing we decide. When we both decide to become lovers, we are lovers.¡±


    ¡°Is it that easy?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Dina nodded, confirming.


    ¡°So why don''t we just decide it right now? It would simplify things.¡±


    ¡°No, you see¡­¡± Dina avoided her eyes. ¡°I still need some time to¡­¡± and said in a small voice that Erika almost couldn''t hear: ¡°it''s scary¡­¡±


    ¡°Scary?¡± Erika asked, tilting her head.


    ¡°Ah, don''t worry about that now. If we keep talking about it, we''ll be late. Just remember, please, we''re not lovers yet.¡±


    ¡°Understood!¡± Erika nodded with a little too much vigor.


    ¡°Also, please, say nothing about we kissing or sleeping together.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡± Erika reflected in silence until she asked: ¡°Can I say we live together, then?¡±


    ¡°That should be fine. I''ll introduce you as my roommate. Oh, but nothing about the alien stuff. That''s the most important.¡±


    ¡°Don''t worry. I have a better understanding of the taboos in your society now. You live in fear that we, as extraterrestrial life, will try to conquer your planet. Even though your planet has nothing worth fighting for.¡±


    ¡°Not sure I like that, but okay, you understand it.¡±


    That settled, Dina and Erika left their apartment, heading to her mother''s house. It was the same city, so they wouldn¡¯t take much time to get there. Dina had sent a message already saying she was visiting and bringing someone with her.


    They arrived at a humble little house in the most retired part of the city. Dina was holding Erika''s hand the whole way but instinctively let it go as they saw her old house. She opened the gate and knocked on the door, with Erika waiting behind her. The door opened and a middle-aged woman with brown skin darker than Dina and long hairs showed up from behind it. A little girl and a man peaked from inside.


    ¡°Oh, my darling!¡± The woman said and hugged Dina. ¡°I missed you.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I was here just last month, mom,¡± Dina said, gently escaping from her mother''s embrace. ¡°Also, happy birthday.¡±


    Dina¡¯s mother looked at Erika waiting behind and gave her a smile.


    ¡°Oh, so you¡¯re the friend Dina said was coming? What a beautiful lady.¡±


    ¡°Yes. My name is Erika,¡± she said, giving a big smile. ¡°I¡¯m not Dina¡¯s lover yet!¡±


    ***


    Erika was playing with the little girl in the living room. She turned out to be Dina¡¯s niece. The man, father of the little girl, was Dina¡¯s brother. Dina and her mother were talking at the kitchen. She was still embarrassed and nervous after Erika¡¯s disastrous introduction.


    ¡°She looks like an... interesting girl,¡± Dina¡¯s mother said while preparing the food. Dina said she would do it herself, but her mother was insistent on that being her job.


    ¡°Ha...haha,¡± Dina laughed nervously. ¡°Yeah...hum...about that¡­¡±


    Before she could even say anything, her mother interrupted her thoughts.


    ¡°Dina, remember your uncle Finn?¡±


    ¡°Ah, yeah¡­¡± Dina said to the abrupt question.


    ¡°I never told this to anyone, in respect to him, but now, I think I should. You see, your uncle¡­¡±


    She stopped, letting go of what she was doing at that moment to focus on her daughter.


    ¡°So yeah, this was before you were even born. In our hometown, a story started to spread about how your uncle was seen kissing another man. That was way more controversial on those days, and of course, he hadn¡¯t told us anything himself. Still, those stories arrived at your grandpa¡¯s ears, and as you can expect, he was not happy with it. One night he called us all, told us what was happening and wanted to hear from your uncle if that was true. Your uncle wasn¡¯t a liar, so he told the truth. That made your grandpa mad. He said that if your uncle would keep doing that, he didn¡¯t have a place in that house. He said he would be better dead.¡±


    Dina¡¯s mother stopped her story to think. A bitter smile crossed her face.


    ¡°I was just a girl, like, thirteen, I think? But he was my brother, and I didn¡¯t want him to die, so I started to cry and yelled at your grandpa that I didn¡¯t want that. Well, your uncle Finn did get out of home, and I¡¯m not sure what happened with his love life, as he was never open about it. You know he lives alone now. One thing he said me years later is that he really thought about taking his life that same day. He said my crying stopped him.¡±


    Dina¡¯s mother looked at her daughter and gave a gentle smile.


    ¡°So, darling, if that girl is your girlfriend... or something, you can tell me. I wouldn¡¯t do like my father.¡±


    ¡°She¡­¡± Dina said, avoiding facing her mother. ¡°What she said is the truth. She¡¯s not my lover... yet. Maybe something similar, though.¡±


    ¡°And you want it to become something more?¡±


    ¡°Maybe¡­¡±


    ¡°And what¡¯s stopping you?¡±


    Dina turned to face the living room. Erika was being shown all the dolls the little girl had with a perplexed face. Dina heard her asking: ¡°Are these alive?¡±.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid, I guess,¡± Dina said, finally.


    ¡°Because she¡¯s a woman?¡±


    ¡°Not really. I mean, sure, there¡¯s that. But, huh¡­¡±


    Dina wanted to find the words. She couldn¡¯t just say: ¡°because she¡¯s from another planet¡±. It was good that her mother was tolerant, but an interspecies relationship could be too much.


    ¡°She¡¯s a little...different,¡± she said, finally. ¡°And I¡¯m not sure what my feelings mean for her.¡±


    ¡°Well, she looks like a good girl to me,¡± Dina¡¯s mother said, looking at the living room. ¡°A little peculiar, but a good girl. Just wanted you to know I would welcome her if you wish.¡±


    That day, they had lunch together. Dina¡¯s niece didn¡¯t leave Erika¡¯s side the whole day. During lunch, Erika and Dina¡¯s mother traded some words. Most of it was the woman interest in who was her daughter¡¯s roommate. When it finally came time to go home, they gave their goodbyes. Dina¡¯s niece was crying and didn¡¯t want to let go of Erika¡¯s hands.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to cry, she¡¯ll be back, right?¡±, Dina¡¯s mother said, looking at Erika, who just nodded with a smile. The woman then hugged her, whispering in her ear: ¡°Take care of my daughter.¡±


    Dina protested, but Erika didn¡¯t understand well what was going on.


    When they were walking home, with Dina not letting go of Erika¡¯s hand, the alien girl said:


    ¡°So that¡¯s family?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡±


    ¡°So they¡¯re people whom you can¡¯t lose, and they can¡¯t lose you¡­¡±


    Dina looked at Erika¡¯s face. She was making a serious expression as if worrying about something.


    ¡°Is there something wrong?¡± she asked.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s just¡­ I was thinking¡­ Hum¡­¡±


    She went silent. Dina squeezed her hand.


    ¡°You know, you can think of them as your family, too, if you want.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Erika looked confused. ¡°I¡¯m not the offspring of any of them, though.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Dina said, smiling. ¡°That¡¯s not what family is. In fact, if you want my love, you¡¯ll end up becoming family with them.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? But then¡­¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Dina looked right into Erika¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± she said, shaking her head. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, really.¡±


    ***


    During that week, Erika seemed to go deep into thought at times. But otherwise, they spent it as always. As Dina had asked, they did go back to kissing. At first, only during the nights before sleeping. But as the days passed, they started doing it during the day, when Dina went to work or at night when she got home. Erika¡¯s reaction didn¡¯t change much, but for Dina, those become important moments.


    In a Saturday, Dina was looking at Erika cooking. The woman insisted on making lunch that day with all her ¡°meticulous researches about your not-that-health food¡±. Dina was excited for tasting what her partner would make. Even Erika¡¯s movements in the kitchen were enough to charm her. Dina realized, she was probably falling in love. Or maybe it was too late, already.


    As Dina finished her plate, and she had to admit, Erika did understand the appeal of their food, Erika asked:


    ¡°How was it?¡±


    ¡°Good¡­ I guess¡­¡±


    ¡°Did your heart skipped a beat as you felt the love I put in it, as it was supposed to go? I wasn¡¯t sure how to put love in it, so I just thought about you while making it. I¡¯m not sure that¡¯s how it¡¯s supposed to go¡­¡±


    Dina¡¯s eyes fell to the empty plate, still colored by the remaining of which was inside. Her eyes didn¡¯t turn to Erika, as she asked:


    ¡°But did you feel it?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Erika inclined her head smiling. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I¡­¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t give love if you don¡¯t feel it...¡±


    Erika¡¯s face still looked clueless, as she put her fingers on her lips and seemed to fall into deep thought. Dina just waved her hands, saying Erika to forget. During the rest of the day, the two women hardly spoke with each other.


    It was during the night when Erika was washing the plates that Dina couldn¡¯t hold it anymore. She grabbed Erika and turned her body to face her.


    ¡°W-what?¡± Erika asked.


    Without saying anything, Dina pushed Erika against the cabinet behind her. Holding a grip on her waist, Dina locked her lips with Erika. She used her tongue for the first time, as their kisses at night were purer. As she finished, she looked at Erika¡¯s face, but the other woman looked yet more confused.


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t get it,¡± she said.


    Dina took a step back and put her hand on her face, hiding her expression.


    ¡°I can¡¯t do this anymore¡­¡± she let her voice out.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t get it. You won¡¯t ever get it. I¡¯m sorry, but can we stop that. I¡¯m not sure I can keep doing this?¡±


    As Erika¡¯s face still looked confused, Dina burst out:


    ¡°I¡¯m falling in love with you, okay?!¡±


    At first, Erika¡¯s face illuminated itself. Then she realized the pained expression Dina was making. Her smile disappeared as she gave one step forward.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Dina said again. ¡°I am falling in love with you, but I think it¡¯s useless. You don¡¯t understand it, and probably never will. If I keep doing this, I¡¯ll just end up hurt, so please, let¡¯s stop?¡±


    Erika realized there were tears on Dina¡¯s face. She opened her mouth twice, without any words coming out of it. She finally placed her finger on her lips, as she thought about it.


    ¡°I see,¡± she let it out, after some thought. ¡°So I failed.¡±


    ¡°Erika...I¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± she said with a pained smile. ¡°It¡¯s a shame, but I failed. I¡¯m embarrassed and feel awful, but at least I know I did all I could. In fact, I could learn something from all this. I¡¯ll reflect on this whole experience once I get back.¡±


    As she said that, Erika walked to the door. Dina jumped to stop her but failed to grab her hand.


    ¡°Wait, you don¡¯t need to go now. It¡¯s dark outside¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I can take care of myself,¡± she said, putting her hand on the knob. ¡°If me staying here just hurt you, I would rather go¡­¡±


    She stopped there, with her hand on the knob, but the door didn¡¯t open.


    ¡°Huh? What?¡± Erika said, looking confused. As Dina walked to look at her, she realized Erika was crying.


    ¡°Erika¡­ I¡¯m sorry. That¡¯s about your mission, right?¡± she said, trying to make a more understanding voice, but Erika shook her head.


    ¡°No¡­ It¡¯s not that. I accepted it already, so I¡­ Huh? I don¡¯t get it¡­¡±


    She took her hand from the knob and touched her face. She looked at her fingers humid with her tears in confusion.¡°I¡­ I¡­ Don¡¯t want to go¡­ Why? When I think about getting away¡­ No, it¡¯s not that¡­ When I think about not being able to see you¡­ What? I don¡¯t get it¡­¡±


    She put both her hands on her face and started to cry. Dina approached her.


    ¡°Ah¡­ I¡¯m such an idiot¡­¡± Dina said and hugged Erika from behind. ¡°Please, you don¡¯t need to go. I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t get it,¡± Erika said, making a perplexed face wet with her tears.


    ¡°If you cry just with the thought of being separated, you already know what love is. I¡¯m stupid, stupid! I wanted proof, but I don¡¯t need it. You can¡¯t say you love me because you don¡¯t understand it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m in...love?¡± Erika turned her body in a flash to face Dina and held her shoulders. ¡°I love you?¡± Then a bright smile transformed her sad face. ¡°I¡¯m in love with you¡­¡±


    Dina couldn¡¯t hold a laugh, seeing Erika¡¯s reaction. She put her hand on her partner¡¯s face and kissed her lips.


    ¡°You are¡­ and you know, I love you, too. Now, come on, let¡¯s wash your face.¡±


    ***


    Dina was nervous as she sat beside Erika in their bed. That¡¯s because, after Erika washed her face, they had the following conversation:


    ¡°You know, that might be a little too fast, but I was thinking, and, huh¡­ If you want to do it¡­¡±


    ¡°You mean sex!?¡±


    ¡°Y-Yeah¡­ Don¡¯t be that excited, please.¡±


    ¡°I want to do it, of course! Ah, but I don¡¯t know how. That might be a problem¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I can teach you.¡±


    But when came the time, Dina was having a hard time to take initiative. Erika was looking at her with anticipation in her eyes.


    ¡°So, when will we start? Should I take my clothes off?¡± As Erika said, she started to pull her top, but Dina stopped her.


    ¡°D-Don¡¯t! Wait!¡±


    ¡°Huh? We¡¯ll do it while wearing our clothes?¡±


    ¡°No...Just...Well, I¡¯ll take your clothes when it¡¯s time.¡±


    ¡°When?¡± Erika had a smile all the time while Dina had just a nervous expression.


    ¡°Wait a minute. I just...huh...never did it with a woman. And, uh, you¡¯re just...Huh¡­¡±


    Dina looked at Erika¡¯s developed body through her clothes. She avoided her eyes, deciding that wouldn¡¯t help her situation.


    ¡°You can do with my body as you want, Dina¡­¡±


    ¡°Ahhhh! That¡¯s not helping at all!¡± Dina slapped her face with both her hands. ¡°Okay, first, lie on the bed!¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡± Erika said and obeyed Dina.


    Dina got above Erika and slowly started to kiss her on the lips and the neck. Erika¡¯s reactions were as weak as before, but she smiled and hugged Dina¡¯s body. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Dina¡¯s body fingers through Erika¡¯s body and finally, she gathered the courage to remove the woman¡¯s top. As Erika¡¯s naked body showed up in front of her, she gave a nervous smile.


    ¡°That¡­ won¡¯t be easy¡­¡± She said.


    ***


    Hours later the two women were lying on the bed, with their hands intertwined. Dina knew she had a really good time, but she was afraid to learn about how it went for her partner.


    ¡°So¡­¡± She asked. ¡°Did you...huh... like it?¡±


    Erika thought in silence for some minutes. In these minutes, Dina thought her heart would explode with anticipation.


    ¡°Yes¡­ Although, I don¡¯t understand some of it, so I¡¯m not sure I did things right.¡±


    Dina looked at her and smiled.


    ¡°I wonder if your body is different from ours or that¡¯s special for you. I know some people on this planet are like that, too.¡±


    ¡°Like that?¡±


    ¡°Or maybe it¡¯s something different. Well, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand, but what I feel while we were together was comforting and warm. Having your body so close to mine. I just felt...safe, somehow?¡±


    ¡°Because it¡¯s me?¡±


    Erika nodded.


    ¡°Also, the faces you made when I touched you were you asked me, those were really interesting. I want to see them again¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey, hey, hey!¡± Dina jumped in the bed. ¡°Please, don¡¯t talk about that!¡±


    ¡°Why? Did I say something wrong?¡±


    ¡°No...it¡¯s...huh...embarrassing.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Erika asked, inclining her head. ¡°I wonder, though, can I make those faces, too?¡±


    Dina smiled and gave a kiss to Erika¡¯s lips.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, don¡¯t worry about that.¡±


    ¡°Right. So I¡¯ll just study better for next time.¡±


    ¡°Please, don''t! Huh, let me show you everything, ok? The internet has some...bad ideas.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    Dina laughed, hugged and kissed Erika again.


    ¡°I¡¯m just happy that we¡¯ll be able to be together from now on¡­¡±


    ¡°Huh...yeah¡­¡±


    Dina thought Erika avoided her eyes for a moment and acted weird, but soon she faced her again with a smile.


    ¡°So, can we do it again right now?¡±


    Those night encounter became a daily thing for both of them. And they spent their days like that for a whole month. Dina would get anxious to be home every day. The house chores were usually all done and Erika even cooked for her now. Weekends they would usually do something together, like going to the movies or eating out. Dina considered they were already a couple, and she planned to tell her family in the next opportunity she would get. She had already talked about it with her friends, who gave some ¡°as if we didn¡¯t know¡± comments.


    Still, exactly one month after their first night together, Dina got home to an Erika giving her a weak smile and saying:


    ¡°I wanted to say goodbye. I¡¯m going back home tonight.¡±


    That took Dina by surprise. She left her bag fall to the ground.


    ¡°Are you joking?¡± she asked. Erika just shook her head.


    ¡°I got a message from my planet last month. They wanted to know how my mission was since they would be crossing through here. My mission is over, so¡­¡±


    Dina shook her head, walking in slow steps until Erika.


    ¡°It¡¯s not over¡­ Wasn¡¯t your mission to learn about love?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, and now I love you, so¡­¡±


    ¡°If you can just go away like that, you know nothing at all!¡± Dina shout, clenching her hands, avoiding her impulse to raise it against Erika. ¡°If you can easily abandon me like that, you can¡¯t say you love me!¡±


    But what she saw in Erika¡¯s eyes were tears, and that made her anger disappear.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to go either!¡± Erika cried, not able to control herself anymore. ¡°I don¡¯t want to go, but I can¡¯t just abandon them. I¡­ I don¡¯t know what to do¡­¡±


    Dina realized Erika¡¯s body was shaking. At that moment, probably, she understood completely how Erika felt about her duty.


    ¡°I want to stay with you...forever. I don¡¯t want to go, but I don¡¯t want to desert my mission, either. I don¡¯t know what to do, and I don¡¯t have time to think anymore. I don¡¯t know¡­¡±


    She was crying and shaking so much that Dina hugged her, fearing she would fall to the ground. Erika hugged her back.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± Dina asked, in a calm voice.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to ruin the time we had. If we have to part ways, I wanted to¡­¡±


    ¡°Will you come back?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t. For the last part of my mission, I need to be there. I have to teach them through all my life,¡± Erika let go of Dina and looked into her eyes. ¡°And I can¡¯t ask you to come with me. You can¡¯t leave your family. At first, I thought that was an option, but¡­¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡± Dina gave a long breath. She looked at Erika with a serious face: ¡°I can¡¯t stop you, but let me say that: I¡¯ll wait for you.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t¡­ I won¡¯t be back¡­¡±


    ¡°So I¡¯ll just wait forever.¡±


    Erika smiled and inclined her head, saying:


    ¡°You¡¯ll get over it, right?¡±


    Dina gave her a bitter smile back:


    ¡°You think you know enough about these feelings now?¡±


    Suddenly Erika made a startled expression and jumped in Dina¡¯s arms. She kissed her for a whole minute, not wanting to let go. When she was over, she started to walk backward in the balcony direction, with slow steps.


    ¡°They are here¡­¡±


    She stopped in the balcony, with the moonlight touching her body. Dina tried to run to reach her, but a strong light appeared in front of her and Erika''s body disappeared inside it. Dina could only hear a faint: ¡°Goodbye...and sorry¡±.


    Dina fell to her knees on the apartment¡¯s floor. She murmured: ¡°goodbye¡±, putting her hands on her face and starting to cry.


    ***


    It was two years after she had said goodbye to Erika. Dina had finished her college, but sometimes she still would meet up you with her friends again. That night, in particular, she had a dinner with Anna. And as they were leaving the restaurant, the Asian woman was trying to convince her to go along.


    ¡°Come on. If you¡¯re not interested in a boyfriend, I know some girls, too¡­¡±


    ¡°I said give up, Anna.¡±


    Dina would just brush her friend¡¯s invitation off with a smile.


    ¡°Look, I know you loved her, but it¡¯s been two years. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re really waiting for her yet?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not waiting. I know for sure she¡¯ll probably never come back. I think I gave up soon after she was gone, actually. But you know, Anna. What we had was something special. That was actually love. I¡¯m not sure I can feel that again, but I know for sure I can¡¯t force that.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t she force your relationship, though?¡±


    Dina only smiled, without saying anything. Anna sighed.


    ¡°Look, I¡¯m an idiot. I believed your alien story because nothing else would make sense. And you¡¯re my friend. I just want you to be happy.¡±


    ¡°I know. I appreciate that.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t your family worried?¡±


    ¡°I never told my mother anything about that. She probably wouldn¡¯t believe anyway. She asked about Erika at first, but I think she just believes she dumped me and didn¡¯t ask again. She¡¯s not worried about me being alone, though.¡±


    ¡°So I¡¯m worse than your mother, it¡¯s what you¡¯re saying.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m happy by having a friend like you, really.¡±


    Anna looked at Dina, who just smiled at her. Finally, she seemed convinced.


    ¡°Okay, then. But I¡¯m going to that party, even if alone.¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course. Have fun.¡±


    As the two friends parted ways, Dina started to walk in direction of her home. She still lived in the same apartment. Somehow she was at peace with the memories she had there. Of course, she was always thinking about the things Anna said. The truth was that even if Erika really was gone for good, she never felt the need to find someone else. She was feeling better alone.


    ¡°Hey, miss?¡±


    Dina heard the voice behind her. The voice sounded too much like the one she heard two years ago. She turned back in a jump, but of course, it was someone else. It was the same age as Erika in the first time Dina saw her, with the same black hair and dark eyes. Even her clothes were similar. Her skin was a little darker, though. But her voice was the exact same.


    ¡°Y-Yeah?¡± Dina asked, confused.


    ¡°Miss, can you pay me some food?¡±


    ***


    It was the same snack bar. The girl was eating the same kind of hamburger and drinking the same kind of cola. Dina was having a strong sense of dejavu, but that was impossible. She knew that girl couldn¡¯t be Erika, even if Erika could change her body. She knew Erika good enough to recognize her if that was the case. Still, a girl who looked like Erika stopping her in the street and asking for a hamburger was too much of a coincidence.


    ¡°These are really delicious!¡± the girl said, as she stuffed her mouth.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I really don¡¯t get what is going on here,¡± Dina said. The girl gave her a curious look, inclining her head the same way Erika used to do when she was confused. Dina had to ask: ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°Oh, miss. Talking with you suddenly must sound weird. I¡¯m sorry. My name here is, huh, Luna. Cute, right?¡±


    ¡°Here?¡±


    ¡°I love this name, Luna. Oh, I also love this hamburger. I had something similar, but it was completely different. I love how the people walking around in irregular movements makes no sense. I really love this place.¡±


    Dina just looked at the energetic girl smiling about pretty much everything astonished. She opened her mouth, but couldn¡¯t make a sound out of it.


    ¡°Say, miss. You might find this weird, but do you have a lover now?¡±


    ¡°I... don¡¯t¡­¡± Dina just answered in almost automatic tone.


    ¡°Really!?¡± The girl gave a big smile and devoured the last piece of her hamburger. ¡°There¡¯s someone I really want you to meet, then. She asked me not to say anything, but please, please... It has been my dream since I was a kid!¡±


    Dina was just as confused. She didn¡¯t know what was going on and could just nod with a weak: ¡°y-yeah¡± coming out of her mouth. Hearing that, Luna jumped from her chair and grabbed Dina¡¯s arm, pulling her along.


    ¡°Then come, come with me...mommy.¡±


    Still confused, Dina just lets herself to be guided by that girl, until they walked to the other side of the snack bar. There she saw a woman sitting in front of a table. She looked more mature, and her eyes were giving a different impression, but Dina was sure she knew who she was.


    ¡°Erika?¡± She said.


    Erika looked at her with a surprised face. Then sent an angry stare to Luna.


    ¡°I said not! I said you could just talk to her!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, mom,¡± Luna said, looking at the floor. ¡°But you see, she doesn¡¯t have a lover, so¡­¡±


    ¡°Luna!¡±


    Dina was still gathering her thoughts. She was confused but tried to make sense with her words.


    ¡°Mom? She is your daughter?¡±


    ¡°Look, Dina. Just forget all about it, okay?¡± Erika grabbed Luna¡¯s hand and pulled her to the entrance direction.


    In a jolt, Dina grabbed Erika¡¯s shoulder to stop her.


    ¡°Wait, where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± Dina asked.


    ¡°I said to forget¡­¡±


    But Dina hugged Erika and kissed her on the lips. As Erika let Luna¡¯s hand go, the girl just looked at everything with a smile on her face. Erika¡¯s eyes were full of tears as they stopped kissing.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on here,¡± Dina said. ¡°But I won¡¯t let you get away from me again.¡±


    ***


    Erika was sitting on the same couch as two years ago in Dina¡¯s apartment. She seemed nervous, playing with her fingers like she used to do. Beside her, Luna was sitting moving her legs as if she couldn''t contain her energy. She would send smiles at Dina, who was sitting on the other couch.


    ¡°So you¡¯re still living here¡­¡± Erika said, after all.


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Dina said. ¡°Erika, I want explanations. That girl is your daughter, right?¡±


    Erika nodded, not saying anything.


    ¡°But she called me ¡®mommy¡¯.¡±


    ¡°She is my daughter. But she¡¯s also your daughter¡­¡±


    Dina stared at Erika, not knowing how to react. Somehow she was as lost as the first day they met.


    ¡°Look, Dina, there¡¯s a lot I didn¡¯t tell you at that time because it was confidential. It doesn¡¯t matter anymore. But I can just go away and you go back to your life, as it was supposed to be.¡±


    ¡°Mommy!¡± Luna said, but Erika sent an angry look that made her shut her mouth.


    ¡°You stay silent!¡± She said. ¡°I knew I couldn¡¯t trust you with that. We should never have come here¡­¡±


    ¡°Erika!¡± Dina stopped her, with an impatient voice. ¡°I don¡¯t think you get it, but I am serious when I say I won¡¯t let you go. So you can just explain everything already.¡±


    ¡°You...don¡¯t hate me?¡± Erika asked, inclining her head while looking at Dina.


    ¡°I don¡¯t hate you. I think I...still love you, even know. But I don¡¯t know what¡¯s happening here. I think I¡¯m afraid to know. Still¡­ tell me, please.¡±


    Dina¡¯s tone was almost pleading. Erika looked at her face in silence for some seconds before finally giving up.


    ¡°Right¡­ I¡¯ll explain everything. You see, besides my initial mission around here, I had another secret mission. That was, collecting samples of my partner¡¯s reproductive cells. I guess they were expecting male samples, but I did as I was instructed, even if my partner was female.¡±


    ¡°You did...wait, when?¡±


    ¡°When you were sleeping. I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Dina started, but gave a deep breath and stopped. ¡°Okay, that doesn¡¯t matter now. Please, go on.¡±


    ¡°So you see, giving the difference in the gravitational force, time flows differently in my home planet. Way more time had passed there while I was here, but I expected that. In fact, for me, fifteen years passed since I left this planet. For you, it should be around two years. Even before, when I first came to this planet, I had made some stops in the way and wandered through the space looking for a suited place. So, actually, a hundred years had passed in my home planet as I got back. I knew my mission could become irrelevant, but that¡¯s how it always was. But when I got home, a secret project that was in development since a long time ago was finished. We found¡­ ways to reproduce between two females, using our science.¡±


    ¡°You¡­ knew about that project while you were here?¡±


    ¡°I had some information. It was confidential, though. I couldn¡¯t tell you. But it turns out that with this project done, my mission became yet more important. We planned to start building a family system. The experiences of researched like me, who had contact with such a culture, would be valuable. But I would need a family of my own or at least a child. That¡¯s when I was given the choice of becoming a mother. And, you see, they asked if I wanted the cells of some specific female¡­¡±


    ¡°So you used mine¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes. Because I loved you, and I thought if I would have a child, I wanted she to be yours, too. I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    Dina looked at Luna, who smiled at her. It was a way to improbable fact that she had a daughter she didn¡¯t know with another woman. Still, she decided to accept that fact. So she just asked:


    ¡°But you¡¯re here now. Why? I thought you would be needed there.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because of this girl,¡± Erika looked at Luna with a faint smile. ¡°Even though we built a family system, it was still too different from yours. I taught them, and they did change a little, but somehow we are still a cold and logical society. I believe that¡¯s just how we are. But this girl, she was different. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s your genes or maybe the way I raised her. She¡¯s way too emotional. She didn¡¯t fit in our society at all, and I thought she would be happier here. So I deserted. We¡­ huh¡­ can¡¯t come back.¡±


    Dina stared at Erika. She kept her head down. The truth of her decisions was probably still hard for her to accept. She still had her duty with her people, and betraying them was probably not easy.


    ¡°So why avoid me?¡±


    ¡°Because!¡± Erika almost jumped from the couch to answer. ¡°I¡­ I did something terrible for you, I know. I can¡¯t just go away, saying I¡¯ll never come back, and suddenly just show up in front of you again. I know I don¡¯t deserve it. I wanted you to move on, so¡­ Also, I¡¯m way older now¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not true!¡± Luna said, then turned to Dina. ¡°You see, our life-span is a little longer than yours, so mommy should be around your age in comparison now¡­¡±


    ¡°Luna, shut up, please!¡± Erika shout, with tears welling up in her eyes. There were tears in Luna¡¯s eyes as well.


    ¡°No! That¡¯s not fair! I know how you loved her through all these years!¡±


    ¡°I said shut up! It¡¯s your fault in the first place! You said you just wanted to meet her¡­¡±


    ¡°You both shut up!¡± Now it was Dina who shouted, raising from the couch. She turned to Erika. ¡°Erika, you still don¡¯t understand. You don¡¯t understand anything at all. Sure, it was terrible how you just left, and yeah, I suffered a lot then. You know, I moved on already. I accepted you wouldn''t be back, so don¡¯t worry. I moved on, but I didn¡¯t give up in loving you...¡±


    Dina pulled Erika by the hand, raising her from the couch. Erika¡¯s hand was shaking, as tears crossed her face.


    ¡°Besides,¡± Dina said, smiling. ¡°It has been fifteen years for you, right? You suffered way more than me. You even had a daughter to remind about us. And even if you shouldn¡¯t do that without telling me before, I actually feel like I¡¯m somewhat responsible for this girl now... When her other mother is so irresponsible.¡±


    Erika smiled. Her hands hugged Dina¡¯s back, as she looked into her eyes.


    ¡°So¡­ You mean¡­¡±


    ¡°I said I won¡¯t let you go, right? I want you both living with me. Erika, I still love you after all. You know what love is, right?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Erika couldn¡¯t talk, between smiling and crying. Dina thought about how different she was now, while still looking the same. ¡°I know¡­¡±


    Luna smiled as her two mothers shared a kiss that night.


    ***


    Dina wanted properly introduce Erika in their society. But for a person with no identity at all, that proved a challenge. Hopefully, she had Anna¡¯s help with important contacts that made it faster. When Dina asked where she knew them, she would only answer: ¡°You never came to my parties¡±. Soon Erika and Luna had official identities. With that out of their way, Dina arranged to make Erika her wife and adopt Luna, who was recognized as Erika¡¯s biological daughter only. She mentioned to Anna how they could actually make a DNA test and have Luna as her biological daughter as well. That would be impossible to explain, so they didn¡¯t try it.


    Explaining to her family why Erika was back with a teenager daughter was scarier. Fortunately, her mother didn¡¯t make many questions. She welcomed her new daughter in law and granddaughter in the family, as she promised she would do. Sometimes she commented how Luna¡¯s manners and way of speaking resembled Dina as if she was her actual daughter. Dina wanted to tell her the truth, but it was still too hard to explain.


    Anna and Dina made a point to Erika how she could use her knowledge about same-sex reproduction to help women in their planet, too. She didn¡¯t know much about the specifics but could remember some elements of their research that could be applied, if she had the right knowledge. So she applied to a science university. Since she needed to make tests to prove her capacity, getting a transcript for high-school and passing the university exams was easy. Studying was something she could excel, after all.


    As for Luna, with everything settled, she started to study at a local school.


    ¡°Damn, I¡¯m late!¡± She said, certain morning, after grabbing her bag.


    Her two mothers were in the kitchen. Erika was studying some medical book while Dina made breakfast before going out to work. Dina forced Luna to eat something before she went out.


    ¡°Did you went sleep late last night again?¡± Dina asked.


    ¡°I was looking up something in the net, so I lost the notion of time.¡±


    ¡°Looking something up? What was it?¡±


    Luna blushed and turned her eyes away from Dina.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, forget it. You should wake me up. You know I have school.¡±


    ¡°Ok, ok, I¡¯m sorry. Are things good, though? Are you fitting at school?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± she answered with a smile, but then her face became serious. ¡°Well, kinda¡­¡±


    ¡°Is someone giving you a hard time?¡±


    ¡°Oh, no. Everyone is nice...well, almost everyone. But there¡¯s this one girl¡­ I wanted to be her friend, but she keeps avoiding me.¡±


    ¡°Hm¡­ Why you want to be her friend?¡±


    ¡°Because she¡¯s so cute!¡± Luna was energetic while saying it. ¡°And she¡¯s always alone. It¡¯s a shame. I want to see her smile a little more.¡±


    Hearing that, Erika rose from her chair, leaving her book aside and walked to Luna. She put her hands on her daughter¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t force it. Act natural. Just get close to her and try to earn her trust. Then she will open herself to you.¡±


    Luna faced her mother and couldn¡¯t stop a laugh. Erika looked confused.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry, mom. It¡¯s just¡­ you giving me sentimental advice is kinda¡­¡±


    ¡°You may not believe that, but this is something I learned myself.¡±


    ¡°Oh, she might be right there,¡± Dina said, with a smile on her face.


    Luna looked at Dina, then back at Erika.


    ¡°I see¡­ I¡¯ll keep that in mind. Ah, but I¡¯ll really be late, so if you¡¯ll excuse me.¡±


    And saying that, she stormed out of the apartment, leaving her two mothers looking at the door. Erika let a smile form in her face.


    ¡°She¡¯s way more energetic than when she was home. I¡¯m relieved.¡±


    ¡°Say, you think she might have an interest in girls¡­ Like, you know¡­¡±


    ¡°Maybe? We didn¡¯t have any male at our home planet, and she never showed any interest in their existence. I think she was in love with a girl we knew, even. But it didn¡¯t work out. I wasn¡¯t such a good mother back then.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that,¡± Dina hugged Erika and looked at her face. She still had to move her face slightly up to face her wife, who was still taller than her. ¡°You¡¯re an amazing mother. You threw everything away for your daughter¡¯s happiness.¡±


    ¡°But I got my happiness back, too. So I¡¯m selfish¡­¡±


    Dina kissed Erika¡¯s lips. She had done that a lot in the past days as if to compensate all the time they were away.


    ¡°Say¡­¡± Erika said. ¡°We¡¯re alone right now. Do you have some time before work?¡±


    Dina looked at her watch.


    ¡°Some minutes¡­¡±


    Erika pulled her wife¡¯s arm, walking in the room¡¯s direction.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just have some fast fun? I want to see you making those interesting faces again.¡±


    ¡°Erika, I said it already! That way of talking is embarrassing!¡±


    The door closed behind them as the two women entered the room.

 Our Kisses Note - Part 1

    ¡°...and I need to remind you that some of you will have supplementary classes if you can¡¯t reach the minimal grade.¡±


    In a high school in Japan, the math teacher was giving the report about their next test that was going to be next week. His eyes fell for a moment on Hina¡¯s desk, time enough for the girl to realize it and frown.


    ¡°He was completely saying that to me!¡± she said to her colleagues, as the interval came.


    Hina Minoya was a second-year student and hadn¡¯t been so good in the last few tests they took. She knew she was eligible for extra classes with another fail, so she threw her body on her desk and made a pout.


    Hina was a short girl, with wavy and long black hair. She didn¡¯t have a very developed body, so people always confused her as younger than her age. Still, her cute face and childish behavior, as well as her energetic personality, made her popular with most boys in the class. Often she was the subject of their attention.


    ¡°At least you¡¯re used to that, huh?¡± said her friend Sayaka Nogumi, an athletic and tall girl with short hair.


    ¡°Still¡­ Aren¡¯t those classes¡­ ¡° Aya Satobi, another of Hina¡¯s friends said while browsing her smartphone, sitting in the corner of Hina¡¯s desk. ¡°They¡¯re in the same day as Makkochi¡¯s stage.¡±


    Aya was a popular girl with whom Hina always talked about fashion. She also had long and wavy hair, but her stature was higher than Hina and she had a more developed body. A flock of her hair was painted yellow, her nails were always colorful and, even if their uniform code was strict, she always found a way to put some accessories.


    ¡°Ah!¡± Hina threw her head up, startled. ¡°That¡¯s right! That¡¯s the same day Makkochi is coming!¡±


    Makoto Chika was an idol from Tokyo who was coming to their city to make a show the next month. That was such a rare opportunity that it probably wouldn¡¯t happen ever again, and Hina was excited since she was a fan for four years now.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s too bad,¡± Sayaka said, with a malicious smile. ¡°Guess you¡¯ll have to miss that one.¡±


    Hina made another pout.


    ¡°No way! No way! No way! I rather repeat the year!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s also very possible.¡±


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t, though,¡± Aya said. ¡°What would your mother say?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ I just need to get a good grade, then. Right?¡±


    With that both her friends gave a loud laugh that made everyone in the class look at them.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry,¡± Aya said, still between laughs. ¡°But that¡¯s impossible, right?¡±


    ¡°You would need a super genius to put something inside that head of yours,¡± Sayaka added.


    Hina let out a cute grunt while looking around the class. Her eyes stopped at the back of the classroom.


    ¡°Like her?¡± she said, pointing at a girl with her head.


    The one she pointed at was Saki Shizuhara. She was a girl with black hair tied in low twintails. She had glasses on her face and most of the time an open book in front of her, even in the intervals. She was taller than Hina like probably everyone in the class was. Saki also used to get the top grades in all subjects but sports.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ that¡¯s not a good idea¡­¡± Sayaka said, glancing at Saki with the side of her eyes.


    ¡°Why?¡± Hina asked.


    ¡°The rumors say that girl is¡­ You know¡­ She likes girls.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Hina made, glancing at Saki with curiosity.


    ¡°She¡¯s a lesbian, you dummy,¡± Aya said, with her eyes on the smartphone she was using. ¡°She likes girls. Romantically, sexually. She kisses girls and wants to do other things with girls. Do you get it now?¡±


    ¡°Oh...I see¡­¡± Hina said in a monotone. Then let a smile raise in her mouth. ¡°So that¡¯s perfect, right?¡±


    Sayaka and Aya faced her with perplexed looks.


    ¡°I mean, it¡¯s perfect, right? She likes girls¡­ I¡¯m a girl. The cutest girl, in fact. Easy enough!¡±


    Saying that Hina walked away from her desk, but Sayaka grabbed her arm, stopping her.


    ¡°What are you planning?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t obvious?¡± Hina said, with an impish smile. ¡°I¡¯m getting my pass to a max grading!¡±


    She walked to Saki¡¯s desk and put her hand on the surface, calling the girl¡¯s attention. Saki¡¯s eyes slowly moved from the book she was reading to Hina¡¯s face. She was expressionless.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± She asked. ¡°If you¡¯re planning to bully me, I¡¯ll advice to not waste your time.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Bullying? Of course not!¡± Hina leaned forward, almost making her body cross Saki¡¯s desk in her direction. ¡°I have an amazing proposal for you. It¡¯s so good that you just can¡¯t refuse!¡±


    Saki didn¡¯t say anything but kept her eyes on Hina¡¯s face. She took that as a signal to continue.


    ¡°You get to be my personal teacher. Isn¡¯t that great?¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Saki said and turned her eyes back to the book. ¡°If that¡¯s not bullying, you might be an idiot.¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± Hina said and grabbed Saki¡¯s book away, leaving the girl holding the empty air. ¡°What kind of answer is that?¡±


    ¡°What kind of proposal is that? I don¡¯t see what good that would be for me, so it¡¯s not amazing at all.¡±


    ¡°How is that not amazing? I¡¯m so cute and you get to have myself for you through some full hours. That should make you happy.¡±


    ¡°What kind of logic is that?¡±


    The two girls looked at each other in silence for some minutes, until Saki finally talked.


    ¡°So¡­¡± Saki put a malicious smile on her face. ¡°With the condition of studying in my room¡­ just the two of us¡­ alone.¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡± Hina said in a jump, with no hesitation.


    ¡°Hey, you¡­ Didn¡¯t you friends warn you?¡±


    ¡°That you like girls? Sure.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid, then?¡±


    ¡°Should I?¡± Hina started to play with her wavy hair, looking up while thinking. ¡°I mean, I already shared a room with a boy before, so it¡¯s not that different, right? In fact, I feel safer with a girl. Unless¡­¡± and she looked straight into Saki¡¯s eyes. ¡°You¡¯re actually planning to force me to do something I don¡¯t want.¡±


    ¡°O-Of course not¡­¡± Saki answered, turning her eyes away. She put her index finger own her own lips, poking them slowly.


    ¡°So it¡¯s fine,¡± Hina said with a smile. ¡°When can we start? Is today fine?¡±


    ¡°Y-Yeah¡­¡± Saki answered in an almost automatic tone.


    ¡°Good! So we can go to your home together after-school. Don¡¯t forget, okay!?¡±


    Saying that Hina stormed out of the room, after leaving Saki¡¯s book on her desk. As if in a dazy, Saki slowly moved her fingers towards the book, until she realizes Aya¡¯s eyes on her. The girl was in front of her desk.


    ¡°What?¡± Saki asked, defensively. Aya just smiled.


    ¡°Nothing. Just thinking you¡¯re an unexpected victim,¡± and saying that she left the room after Hina, followed by Sayaka.


    After school that afternoon, Hina ran to Saki¡¯s desk and pulled her arms, almost making the girl leave her belongings behind. Once they were outside the school, she calmed her pace, probably because she didn¡¯t even know where Saki lived.


    Saki looked at the short girl behind her. Both girls wore the same school uniform, a black sailor outfit with black pleated skirts. Adding to that, Hina was wearing black leggings. She looked at Saki, giving a bright smile.


    ¡°Well, show the way,¡± she said.


    Slowly, almost shaking, Saki grabbed Hina¡¯s warm hand and guided her. They didn¡¯t need to hold hands, but Saki wanted to do it anyway. The thought came to her about how soft it was. And from Hina¡¯s hair, a sweet strawberry fragrance was exuding, surrounding Saki. Once they arrived at her house, Saki guided Hina to her room, on the second floor.


    ¡°Your parents are¡­?¡± Hina asked, putting her bag beside the tea table in the middle of the room and sitting in the cushion Saki showed her.


    ¡°They¡¯re not here,¡± she answered, without looking at Hina and taking out her books from her bag. She sat in the cushion across Hina. ¡°They don¡¯t come home until late night.¡±


    ¡°So we¡¯re totally alone?¡± Hina said, smiling and playing with her hair. Saki avoided her eyes.


    ¡°Just¡­ Stop messing around. You came to study, right?¡± She said while sitting across Hina.


    Hina took her notebook and books from her bag and placed it on the table. The two girls started to study, or better saying, Saki started to try teaching Hina something. Soon that proved to be a mission harder than she imagined.


    ¡°I just don¡¯t get why this thing goes here. Isn¡¯t it like I¡¯m just changing the order by myself?¡± Hina said, looking clueless to her paper.


    ¡°Not, you¡¯re not. That¡¯s how it works.¡±


    ¡°How can I just change the order like that and it¡¯s supposed to work? Math makes no sense.¡±


    ¡°Minoya¡­¡± Saki said, putting her fingers against her closed eyes and sighing. ¡°How come you entered high school? Did you cheat?¡±


    ¡°Hey! I¡¯m not that stupid!¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Saki threw her body back, supporting it with both her hands on the floor. ¡°Look, you can just take supplementary classes, right? It¡¯s not a big deal, and you clearly need it.¡±


    ¡°No way!¡± Hina slammed the desk with both her hands. ¡°That way I can¡¯t watch Makkochi!¡±Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Oh, so that was it?¡±


    ¡°Got a problem with it?¡± Hina asked pouting.


    ¡°Not at all. But it¡¯s just a show, right? She¡¯ll make other shows before she retires. And if she does retire, she¡¯s just another idol. Another one just like her will show up.¡±


    ¡°Now you¡¯re insulting Makkochi¡­¡± Hina glared at Saki, who just looked back at her in silence. ¡°What¡¯s the problem, anyway? Are you lacking the motivation to help me?¡±


    ¡°Well, since you asked. I could help you if it was just some studying. But you clearly need advanced classes. And I, huh, don¡¯t have any reason to use my time like that.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡±


    Saying that Hina stood up and walked to where Saki was sitting. Saki looked confused as the other girl, without hesitation, sat on her lap, facing her. Her soft body made pressure against Saki. The strawberry fragrance getting even stronger.


    ¡°W-Wha¡­¡± Saki said, her face blushing.


    Hina approached her own face to Saki. She was so close that both her forehead made contact. Her mouth was so close that Saki could feel the warm and sweet breath coming from her. Her heartbeat shot fast.


    ¡°Hey¡­¡± Hina said and, with her hand, held Saki¡¯s chin, pulling her head close. Now their lips were so close that they almost brushed against each other. Since Hina was so short, Hina got on her knees around Saki to look at her from upside. ¡°If you need motivation, I can give you some. How about one kiss¡­ Or even better¡­ One kiss for each point I get in the test. One...kiss...by...each...point.¡±


    Hina¡¯s voice was so soft and gentle that Saki lost her voice. She could only look at the girl so close to her. She couldn¡¯t even bring herself to touch her.


    ¡°Think about it. There¡¯s no way I won¡¯t get at least one point, right? So you get at least one kiss, no matter what the final result is. And you can get even more if you put enough effort. Even if I still fail the test.¡±


    Saki opened her mouth, but no sound came out. She could still feel Hina¡¯s breath on her lips, and couldn¡¯t bring herself to answer. She felt her lips shaking and brought her right finger to it.


    With that, Hina threw her body back and gave a loud laugh. She let herself relax, sitting with her whole weight on Saki¡¯s lap. The soft feeling of the other girl just made Saki more nervous.


    ¡°W-What was that?¡± Saki asked.


    ¡°I was just remembering how you were trying to intimidate earlier in the classroom. But look at you now. You¡¯re even losing your voice just by getting a girl that close to you.¡±


    ¡°T-That¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°As I thought, I¡¯m safe with you,¡± and by saying that, Hina gave a gentle smile, without any malice. ¡°But I¡¯m serious about the kisses. What do you say?¡±


    Saki looked at Hina¡¯s face, who faced her in expectation. She couldn¡¯t deny the girl was cute, and because of the subject in question, her eyes fixed on the girl¡¯s small lips. Their pink color, forming such an adorable smile directed at her. Saki felt a desire to touch it to confirm if they were as soft as they looked.


    She realized her face was probably bright red, and the soft laugh Hina let out confirmed it.


    ¡°Okay, okay,¡± she said, turning her face away, trying to hide her embarrassment. ¡°I¡¯ll keep teaching you, so please, can you get up?¡±


    Hina left Saki¡¯s lap. And although she had asked it herself, she missed feeling the pressure of Hina¡¯s body against her.


    ¡°Okay, teacher,¡± Hina said, turning back to her place. ¡°Give everything you got.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah. You can be sure I¡¯ll make it all fit in that head of yours even if I have to hammer it down!¡±


    She learned fast that it wouldn¡¯t be easy. After the first day was over, Hina went back with just a little more than a headache. Although, the next day after school she was already energetic enough to pull Saki¡¯s hands so they could resume their studies. After days of studying together, Hina now looked like the one actually leading Saki to her own home.


    ¡°How about a break now?¡± Hina said in the middle of one of their sessions. That was the seventh day, so Hina was almost feeling home already.


    ¡°We should take breaks after you actually learn something.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s rude. I learned a lot already! Well, tests are coming soon, but I feel like I have more chances now.¡±


    Hina stood up and started to walk through the room. But it didn¡¯t have much to do. There was a bed, a desk with the computer, the tea table in the middle, a closet. But no posters on the wall. No even books in shelves, as she expected.


    ¡°Your room is, huh...kinda empty, huh?¡± Hina said, looking around while playing with her hair. Saki looked at her without raising from her place.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Like...books, games, dolls, I don¡¯t know. I have a lot of Makkochi¡¯s goods in my own room. Also magazines and teddy bears.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s kinda childish.¡±


    ¡°Well, sorry about that.¡±


    ¡°But cute,¡± Saki turned to the tea table in front of her. There were empty glasses where she served juices before, and also a piece of chocolate cake that Saki said her mother made the last day while hiding the burns on her fingers. ¡°I don¡¯t think it matters. I can get all the books I want in the public library. I can also read them on the internet.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but, you know¡­¡± Hina didn¡¯t know what to say, fearing she could be meddling too much.


    ¡°Besides,¡± Saki said. ¡°I just don¡¯t want to bother my parents. I must give them enough problems already.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± Hina turned to Saki, surprised. ¡°Are you kidding? I know for sure my mother would trade me for you without hesitation. How can a daughter with your grades even give them problems?¡±


    Saki didn¡¯t say anything but clenched her hands in her skirt. Hina realized it.


    ¡°Also, your cake was delicious,¡± she said.


    ¡°I said it already, that wasn¡¯t me,¡± Saki said, relaxing her hand.


    ¡°Okay, okay,¡± Hina said smiling and got back to her place. ¡°Sorry to interrupt, teacher Shizuhara. Please, shower me with your knowledge.¡±


    As the days passed, both girls kept meeting to study, even on the weekends. With that, the distance between them also seemed to shrink. They would have casual talks as if friends, even though Hina was the one initiating almost all of them.


    And like that, the week with tests came. On those weeks they decided to halt their study session. Saki said Hina had learned enough to get a good grade already. After that, the two girls rarely talked to each other again during the whole week. Hina had Saki¡¯s electronic address but didn¡¯t have any reason to contact her. So even after the week was gone, they went back to their usual routine, just casually greeting each other every day.


    The day they got back their tests, the teacher looked at Hina with a puzzled look before passing the paper to her.


    ¡°Well, miss Minoya, you got the max score, for once. Not sure what you did, but congratulations.¡±


    Hearing that, Hina gave a bright smile. Taking the test in her hands, she skipped back to her desk, showing it to Aya and Sayaka, with a bragging smile.


    ¡°Well, congratulations,¡± said Aya, eyeing her test and passing it to Sayaka. ¡°So using your female charms to fool that poor nerd in teaching you was a good idea, in the end.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say it like that,¡± Hina said, pouting. ¡°It¡¯s not like she won¡¯t get anything from it.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I promised her a kiss for every point I get in the test. Surely that¡¯ll make it worthy.¡±


    ¡°Huh, Hina¡­¡± Sayaka said, looking at her test. ¡°Are you sure that was a good idea?¡±


    ¡°Sure, sure, sure. It¡¯s just, what? Ten kisses. I don¡¯t mind much.¡±


    Aya and Sayaka traded looks. It was Aya who said, with a smile:


    ¡°I know you¡¯re stupid, Hina. But this¡­¡±


    ¡°Not a problem¡­ She¡¯s a girl, so¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not it,¡± Sayaka stopped her. ¡°It¡¯s not just ten kisses. Our school¡¯s grades go until 100.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Hina looked at Sayaka with a confused look.


    ¡°Here, at least take a look at your own test properly.¡±


    Hina put it in front of her eyes. There it was, written big in the top of the paper, a big one with two zeros after it.¡±


    ¡°A hundred¡­¡± Hina mumbled. ¡°A hundred, a hundred...wait!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a lot of kisses,¡± Aya said, smiling.


    Hina faced the paper for some more seconds before finally heading towards her teacher, who was still giving out the tests to the other students. He looked at her when she approached in with reluctance.


    ¡°Yes, miss Minoya?¡±


    ¡°You know¡­¡± she said, avoiding looking him in the eyes. ¡°Maybe I don¡¯t really deserve this grade after all. The media was 40, right? I¡¯m okay with it if I can avoid supplementary classes.¡±


    He looked straight at her with a serious face.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°You see, maybe you could take some points because of my bad grades in the past. I clearly don¡¯t deserve it. Maybe I cheated?¡±


    ¡°Did you cheat? Because if that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll have to cancel your whole test.¡±


    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t!¡± She was fast to answer. ¡°But you know¡­¡±


    ¡°Miss Minoya, you did something good for once. Be proud of you and accept it. Now, please, stop wasting my time before I really put you in supplementary classes.¡±


    Hina gave up and went back to her desk, leaving the test in front of her. Sayaka made mention to console her, but at the same time, the teacher had stopped delivering the tests and announced the start of their classes, so she left it for later.


    During lunchtime, holding her own test, Hina stood up and walked to Saki¡¯s desk. She was less enthusiastic than usual as she stopped in front of her.


    ¡°You know¡­ like¡­ thanks¡­¡± she said, showing Saki the paper. Saki glanced at it and gave a smile.


    ¡°Congratulations. You deserve it,¡± and with that, she went silent.


    ¡°So, you know¡­ about the promise¡­¡±


    Saki looked up to Hina¡¯s face. The girl was avoiding to keep eye contact.


    ¡°Are you taking it back?¡±  Saki asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that, but¡­ I didn¡¯t realize our max grade was 100, and¡­ Huh¡­ I wonder if we could divide it by 10, so, you know¡­¡±


    Saki sighed. She got a book and opened it, starting to read it to avoid facing Hina.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, forget it. I¡¯m happy I could help you.¡±


    ¡°Now, wait,¡± Hina looked at Saki and took the book from her hands, forcing her to face up. ¡°Like I said, I¡¯ll give it. Ten kisses, so¡­¡±


    ¡°I said don¡¯t worry. That¡¯s what you talked to the teacher, right? You¡¯re clearly against it, and I don¡¯t want to be a bother for you. ¡±


    ¡°A bother¡­¡±


    Hina left the book fall on Saki¡¯s desk. Suddenly it came back to her the conversation they had on Saki¡¯s room days before. About not wanting to bother her parents. Hina realized she was giving up on something she actually wanted.


    Suddenly Hina forgot about her hesitation. She felt her blood boil. That self-sacrifice Saki was imposing on herself annoyed her. So in a fast movement, she grabbed Saki¡¯s collar and pulled her body over the table, locking their lips together. After the kiss, she pushed Saki¡¯s body back to her chair and looked right into her eyes, with a determined voice.


    ¡°First one. 99 to go!¡±


    Hina saw Saki¡¯s face get red as she jumped out of her chair and stormed out of the room. Looking around, she realized every face looking straight at her. Sayaka had a reproving look and Aya had her hand over her forehead, shaking her head. Instead of feeling shame, she turned to the door where Saki had disappeared, going after her.


    She knew nothing about Saki, or where she would go. She did have her number, and digited it on her own smartphone, hoping Saki would take it. She didn¡¯t, but the sound of vibration told her she was pretty close and she was in front of the female bathroom. Going inside, she could hear the phone vibrating from inside of one of the stalls. She knocked on it.


    ¡°Shizuhara, come on¡­¡± She called at first and waited for an answer.


    After some seconds, the door opened and a red-faced Saki looked through it. She looked more embarrassed than angry.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for that,¡± Hina said, not looking directly at Saki¡¯s face. ¡°You made me angry and I did it without thinking,¡± Hina gave two steps back and looked right at the floor. ¡°That means you really don¡¯t want those kisses?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not it¡­¡± Saki murmured. ¡°I don¡¯t want to do¡­ that¡­ in front of others¡­¡±


    ¡°So that was it¡­¡± Hina said smiling.


    She walked slowly to the stall Saki was and closed the door behind her. Hina¡¯s body was small enough to fit inside even when Saki was there already. The closeness was enough for Saki to feel drowned in the strawberry¡¯s fragrance.


    ¡°So like this is okay?¡± Hina said and held Saki¡¯s head.


    Hina was shorter, but since Saki was sitting on the toilet, Hina had to look down. Not sensing any resistance in Saki, she kissed her again. After the kiss, Hina silently left the stall. Saki soon followed her, with two fingers on her lips.


    ¡°That was number 2,¡± Hina said, and, as if remembering something, took out her smartphone and started to touch it.


    ¡°What...are you doing?¡± Saki asked after leaving the stall following Hina, still with her face red and weak voice.


    ¡°Making notes,¡± Hina said and showed the screen to Saki. There were three sentences, one below the other:


    1 - In the classroom (NEVER DO IT AGAIN);


    2 - Inside the stall; bathroom.


    98 left;


    ¡°Why the descriptions?¡± Saki asked, suddenly feeling her face blush again. ¡°Isn¡¯t the number enough.¡±


    ¡°So we¡¯ll know for sure as we remember the place. That way we won¡¯t miscount it.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to¡­¡±


    ¡°Look, I said it already, ok? I promised it, so don¡¯t complain!¡±


    ¡°I mean¡­ you don¡¯t need to worry about the exact number¡­¡±


    Hina looked straight into Saki¡¯s eyes with such intensity that Saki turned her head to the side.


    ¡°You think my kisses are so cheap that I can go just giving them without care?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ I remember you saying you would make at least one point for sure. Doesn¡¯t that means I get one kiss easy, at least?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ Well, forget it. Point is, we have 98 kisses left, so let¡¯s not waste time.¡±


    ¡°Okay, but¡­ We can¡¯t do it all at once.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°And I don¡¯t want to do it in public.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°So that means we will need to meet a lot.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s also fine by me. So,¡± and Hina looked gently at Saki, giving a smile and playing with her hair. ¡°Can I sleep at your home tonight?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Saki said, almost jumping back startled.

 Our Kisses Note - Final

    98 kisses left


    Hina was sitting again in front of the tea table. She had an open notebook in front of her and was making notes with a pen. Saki was sitting on the bed, avoiding making direct contact. That¡¯s because Hina was wearing pajamas to sleep, and her legs, usually covered by her leggings, were completely exposed.


    ¡°My house is in the same direction as yours, so we can walk home together every day. And, that one street usually has no one around, so we might get to kiss once by day at least. Also, huh, we should search for a place where we can be alone at school.¡±


    ¡°Do you really need to do that?¡± Saki asked, feeling her cheeks warming up.


    ¡°What? Planning? Of course! It¡¯s important to be efficient.¡±


    ¡°If only you would put that much effort in studying¡­¡±


    Hina made a pout, looking at Saki. Ignoring her comments, she turned her attention back to the paper in front of her.


    ¡°We can meet some weekends, maybe? Oh, next weekend is Makkochi¡¯s show, so that¡¯s a big no! Oh yeah, we also won¡¯t be using tongue, but that¡¯s obvious...¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­ Minoya¡­¡± Saki started to say, but Hina stopped her, moving her finger to one side and another.


    ¡°Hina,¡± she said. ¡°Being called Minoya by a classmate is weird.¡±


    ¡°Hi-Hina¡­¡± Saki struggled to say it, but Hina¡¯s response had a smile.


    ¡°Yes, Saki?¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s a place to be alone at school, I know about one.¡±


    Hina closed her notebook and sat beside Saki on the bed. The other girl moved a little away by instinct, receiving a condemning look. Yet, Hina pointed to her own lips while smiling.


    ¡°We should use this opportunity, too.¡±


    Saki put her finger on her own lips, gazing at Hina¡¯s face. Her eyes were placed on the soft-looking pink lines that were her lips. The thoughts of their early kiss were still a mess in her head, and her heart wouldn¡¯t stop beating as if desperate.


    Looking around the room and realizing they were completely alone also helped to make her nervous. Hina looked at her, with certain impatience. Saki made mention to move in her direction, but stopped midway, freezing in her place.


    With a sigh, Hina realized her partner wouldn¡¯t be able to do it. So she herself moved in Saki¡¯s way and joined their lips.


    Saki could feel a warm softness in her own lips, and the sweet fragrance emanating from Hina¡¯s her hair. Her body made mention of turn away, but Hina got a grip on her hand, to stop her.


    After they moved away from each other, Hina looked at Saki in silence, sending a curious look.


    ¡°W-What?¡± Saki asked, moving slightly away.


    ¡°No¡­ It¡¯s just¡­ Your lips are a little wet, so I can still feel them.¡±


    ¡°O-Ok, that¡¯s enough!¡± Saki said, standing up and ignoring Hina¡¯s laugh.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Hina said, seeing Saki pull something from her closet.


    ¡°My bed, of course.¡±


    ¡°What? Aren¡¯t we going to sleep together?¡± Hina said while smiling and making twirls on her hair.


    Saki ignored her and made her own bed on the floor. When she was ready, she lied on it and said goodnight to Hina. But the other girl sat on the bed, instead of lying down herself.


    ¡°Saki, Saki,¡± she said, making Saki look at her. She pointed to her lips again before saying: ¡°Goodnight kiss?¡±


    96 kisses left


    In their next school day, Saki took Hina to the place she would usually go alone to read. Saying that was perfect, Hina suggested for them to meet there at least once by day. It was usually a quiet place and no one would be around to bother them.


    Of course, the kiss they shared in class was still the school¡¯s subject. No one took it as more than a joke, but since Saki was a target of gossips already and Hina was popular, it was inevitable that it would be a subject that lasted for weeks. But since the fact that Hina and Saki were still meeting each other was kept a secret, the gossips started to die after some time.


    Aya and Sayaka were the only ones who knew about what Hina and Saki were doing, being Hina¡¯s best friends. She told them about her times alone with Saki and about the notes she was making regarding their kisses on her smartphone. Sayaka gave her a reprimand answer but Aya just laughed, pointing out how Saki and Hina were having more kisses than she ever had with her boyfriends. ¡°That¡¯s why you always dump them after one week¡±, Hina said.


    Their kisses kept going daily. Mostly it was in their two safe spaces, but sometimes it would be different. Like how they met alone in the back of the library, with Saki wondering what Hina was even doing there.


    Once they met by chance in a convenience store. Hina was there with her mother and greeted Saki. When her mother looked away, Hina stole a kiss so suddenly that Saki let out a gasp. She blushed so much that Hina¡¯s mother asked if she was okay. She could only think how kiss tasted like the chocolate flavored ice cream that Hina was eating.


    During physical education in the pool, Hina pulled Saki underwater to kiss her there. When Saki asked for the reason for that, Hina just shrugged it off saying she was curious to know how it would feel.


    Little by little, Saki started to get used to that routine. And she started to look forward to her school days, which was a new feeling for her.


    51 kisses left


    It was on a certain Sunday in which Saki was alone in her room reading a book. All that came to her mind was the memory of her kisses with Hina and a anxiety for the next day to come. She didn¡¯t keep a list like Hina, and she was embarrassed to ask, but she thought that wouldn¡¯t last much. The whole anxiety didn¡¯t let her concentrate on her book, so she gave up, closed it and decided she should get some air.


    She ended up wandering around downtown without knowing what she would do as if just wanting to kill time. It was a nice day, so she had come out in her jean shorts and a blue shirt. She was starting to think that was stupid and planning to go home when a voice called out to her.


    ¡°Saki!¡±


    Her heart skipped a beat while she looked behind to a smiling Hina who came running towards her wearing pleated skirt with accessories in form of stars flapping in the wind. She stopped in front of Saki. Her belly could be seen uncovered below her pink blouse. Behind her, Aya and Sayaka also walked in their direction.


    ¡°What a coincidence meeting you here,¡± Hina said with a smile.


    ¡°I¡­ I was just going back now, actually.¡±


    ¡°Ehh?¡± Hina said, making a pouting face. ¡°Come with us. We¡¯re going to the Amusement Park.¡±


    ¡°Hey, Hina!¡± Sayaka complained.


    ¡°What?¡± Hina said turning to her two friends. ¡°She can¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m okay with that,¡± Aya said, sending a smile to Saki.


    Sayaka glared at Saki, but turning her eyes and meeting Hina¡¯s face, she gave up with a sigh.


    ¡°Fine. I don¡¯t mind,¡± she said, avoiding looking at the other girls.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine,¡± Saki said. ¡°I don¡¯t want to bother you¡­¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t bother!¡± Hina said, grabbing Saki¡¯s arm with both her hands, making her think about how soft and small Hina¡¯s fingers were. She felt her heart skip again.


    ¡°I¡­ I¡­ Okay,¡± Saki had the whole intention of refusing. Still, looking at Hina¡¯s smile, she found herself unable to.


    ¡°Nice!¡± Hina said and pulled Saki along.


    She couldn¡¯t lie. The moment she saw Hina, her eyes were attracted to the girl¡¯s lips. Even while walking beside her, she couldn¡¯t stop herself from stealing glances of her face.


    Sayaka didn¡¯t look very pleased with the situation, and Saki realized the girl throwing glares at her. Aya, on the other side, had a smile on her face and at times would look to Hina and Saki. She looked like she was having fun with the situation.


    Hina pulled Saki the whole way when they got inside the park. Although Saki couldn¡¯t say she hated the attention, it was also making her nervous.


    ¡°So, so, so. What are we riding first?¡± Hina asked, with a bright smile.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Aya said, but then linked arms with Sayaka and threw Hina a smile. ¡°How about you two spend some time together, and we¡¯ll walk around a bit.¡±


    ¡°Hey,¡± Saya tried to protest, but Aya whispered something in her ear. She sent a glance to Hina and said: ¡°Well, you¡¯re right.¡±


    And saying they would meet later, Aya and Sayaka walked away. Saki didn¡¯t understand it at first, wondering if the girls were trying to let her alone with Hina, which didn¡¯t make sense in her head. But soon the reason became clear. Hina pulled her into every single scary ride the park had and insisted to ride each of them twice. Being an indoors person who usually would only leave her room for going to school, at the end of the day Saki was exhausted.


    When they met with Aya and Sayaka again, Aya had a sympathetic smile on her face.


    ¡°Sorry about that,¡± she said, looking at Saki sitting exhausted on a bench.


    ¡°Is she always like that?¡± Saki asked after Hina went away with Sayaka to buy them crepes.


    ¡°Pretty much. She¡¯s a¡­ very energetic girl. So it¡¯s nice that we met you. We could relax for once.¡±


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re welcome,¡± Saki said in a sarcastic tone. Aya laughed.


    ¡°Actually, she has a weakness as well,¡± and Aya approached to whispersomething on Saki¡¯s ear.


    When Hina and Sayaka came back, she passed a crepe to Saki. It was chocolate flavored, and she said it was her choice. It was also the same flavor as hers. Pointing out that Hina never asked what she wanted, Saki ate it, hiding a smile.


    ¡°By the way,¡± Saki said, turning to Hina. Yet, when she realized there was a little of chocolate on the girl¡¯s lips, she turned her eyes away.


    ¡°Yeah?¡± Hina said.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been pulling around me all the way today. Can I ask you to come with me for once?¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Hina answered, putting the last piece of crepe in her mouth. ¡°There¡¯s still something I want to ride, but we can stop somewhere before that.¡±


    When Saki guided her to the place, Hina¡¯s smile disappeared, and she gave a dread look to Saki.


    ¡°Really?¡± She said, looking at the building in front of her. The haunted house.


    ¡°I like those,¡± Saki said. ¡°But going alone is kinda¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, Aya is fine with those. You can accompany her, right?¡± Hina sent a pleading stare to Aya, but the girl just sighed.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it would be that fun with me. Also, I don¡¯t know Shizuhara that well, so that would be awkward.¡±


    Hina opened her mouth to disagree, but seeing the smile on Aya¡¯s face, she realized it was useless. And Sayaka would probably go with what Aya said. So she tried a last plead to Saki.


    ¡°Well, if that bothers you that much,¡± Saki said.


    Hina let out a sigh by hearing that again.  She pulled Saki by the arm in direction of the haunted house¡¯s entrance.


    ¡°Fine, let¡¯s just end this.¡±


    As expected, at every creature or scare they met, Hina jumped scared. When they got to the middle of the way, Hina was holding Saki¡¯s arm with such a strength close to her breast that Saki could even hear the girl¡¯s heartbeat. But even more relevant, she could feel the girl¡¯s soft body.


    ¡°Ahh, I can¡¯t go on!¡± Hina said when the two of them were alone in a dark corridor. Without any warning, she pulled Saki¡¯s face down in her direction and kissed her lips.


    Saki jumped back as Hina looked at her, trying to find her in the dark. Hina leaped forward and grabbed Saki¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t leave me alone!¡± she said. ¡°But yeah¡­ That made me calm down a little.¡±


    Saki thought she saw a smile on Hina¡¯s face, even in that darkness.


    When they finally came out of the house, Aya and Sayaka were waiting in the exit. Saki had a blush on her face while Hina looked calm and composed. Aya let out a snarky comment.


    ¡°Oh, I wonder what brought this change.¡±


    ¡°It was scary at first, but then it became kinda fun,¡± Hina said.


    ¡°So, can we go now,¡± said Sayaka, still sending glares at Saki.


    ¡°Hum¡­ Actually, there¡¯s one last place I want to go,¡± Hina said.


    They got in front of the Ferris Wheel. Aya made an ¡°Ohhh¡± while looking at Hina.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. Leaving this one for last is symbolic,¡± then Aya looked at Saki with a smile: ¡°Don¡¯t you think so, Shizuhara?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know what you mean,¡± Saki was trying not to look at Hina.


    ¡°So, two by gondola, right?¡± Sayaka said approaching Hina, but Aya pulled her. Sayaka threw a condemning look at her.


    ¡°You come with me,¡± Aya said, ignoring her friend¡¯s eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t feel like riding it with Shizuhara would be very comfortable for us both. No offenses.¡±


    ¡°I was planning to go with her, anyway,¡± Hina said.


    Aya and Sayaka got inside first, and when the next gondola opened up in front of them, Saki and Hina got inside. Instead of sitting across Saki, however, Hina sat beside her. As they started to move up, Saki still couldn¡¯t face the girl by her side.


    ¡°You know, meeting you was coincidence, but it was fun. Maybe we should go out sometime,¡± Hina said, making Saki look at her.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to both..¡±


    Before Saki could stop, Hina put a finger on her lips, shutting her up.


    ¡°No, no, no. Stop taking it all upon yourself. I¡¯m the one offering it, and I¡¯m saying it was fun. That include the kisses, even if I messed up the numbers. And, huh¡­¡± Hina avoided her eyes while playing with her hair and said in an almost inaudible voice: ¡°I¡¯m sorry for trying to get out of it.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°No, it was my fault! At first, I thought it would be a little gross, but¡­ Actually¡­ It¡¯s not gross at all. Well, it''s just kissing, after all. We already did half of it, and I think I¡¯m getting used to it. So don¡¯t worry, I don¡¯t hate you for it.¡±


    They stopped talking. Saki realized some shine on Hina¡¯s eyes as they approached the top, as if some planning  was going on inside her head.


    ¡°Hey¡­¡± Saki said, realizing they were almost at the top. ¡°Are you planning to¡­?¡±


    ¡°Kiss you on the top of the Ferris Wheel? Of course!¡±


    ¡°B-But¡­ You know¡­ They say that¡­¡±


    ¡°If a couple kisses on the top of the Ferris Wheel, they¡¯ll be together forever? Don¡¯t worry about that, we¡¯re not even a couple. And besides¡­¡± As they arrived at the top Hina pulled Saki¡¯s face closer and gave her a kiss. The two girls had red faces as they looked at each other. ¡°I said I have fun with you, so whatever!¡±


    When the two girls got out, Aya made fun of them because of their faces, even though she would swear they couldn¡¯t see anything from their own gondola. Yet, it was late, so they decided to go home. Hina walked the whole way talking to Aya and Sayaka, while Saki was nervously in silence.


    In a sudden movement, even though they were in the middle of the street and there were people around, Saki pulled Hina close to her and asked:


    ¡°Can you kiss me now?¡±


    Hina looked confused, surveying around conscious of the people around them. They were in a commercial street, after all.


    ¡°Why¡­?¡± She said, but Saki grabbed her hand.


    ¡°Now...Please.¡±The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Hina did it. She hugged Saki and kissed her on the middle of the street, even though there were people looking straight at them. Sayaka tried to say something, but Aya stopped her. She also had a serious expression. Her eyes followed a girl who passed by them holding hands with a boy their age. The girl¡¯s eyes turned to the kissing scene but turned away fast. That moment, Saki gently pushed Hina away.


    ¡°Okay, what the hell was that?!¡± Sayaka asked, furious.


    ¡°What?¡± Saki said, avoiding looking at any of the girls. Hina was still speechless, just looking at Saki without understanding anything. ¡±That¡¯s our deal, right?¡±


    ¡°Your deal was only doing it when no one was around, right?¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not what Hina proposed. That¡¯s just what I wanted. So I can ask otherwise if I feel like it.¡±


    ¡°If you feel like it? What do you think she¡­¡± But before Sayaka could finish, Aya touched her shoulder, making a sign for her to stop. Hina was just looking at them.


    ¡°Hey, Shizuhara,¡± Aya said with a serious voice. ¡°Wasn¡¯t that girl who passed by us just now your ex-girlfriend?¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± It was Hina who reacted. She looked at Saki with expectation. Saki stood in silence.


    ¡°It was, right? There¡¯s no way I wouldn¡¯t recognize her. Sayaka, if you stopped being angry about all of this, you would realize it too,¡± Sayaka threw a glare at Aya, who ignored it. ¡°That boy was her boyfriend, I wonder¡­¡±


    ¡°I have to go,¡± Saki said and tried to walk away, but Hina followed her. The four girls resumed their walk without saying anything back.


    When they arrived at the point Hina and her friends should follow through another street, Hina grabbed Saki¡¯s hand. Saki gave her a surprised look, but Hina smiled.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take her home,¡± she said. Sayaka tried to complain, but Aya pulled her away, leaving the two girls alone.


    When they arrived at Saki¡¯s house, Hina followed her to her room without saying anything. When the two girls were alone, Saki finally asked her:


    ¡°What¡¯s up? If you just wanted to follow me home, then¡­¡±


    Before Saki could say anything more, Hina approached her and held both her hands with strength and brought her face close to her. Her eyes were serious. Startled by it, Saki tried to pull back, but Hina didn¡¯t let her grip.


    ¡°W-Wha¡­¡±


    ¡°You have a cute girl letting you kiss her lips and what you do with it? Use it to make some other girl jealous? Really, really?¡±


    ¡°I...I¡¯m not¡­¡± Her words wouldn¡¯t leave her mouth, as Hina¡¯s eyes were throwing daggers at her.


    ¡°What a bad girl. Should a teach you a lesson?¡±


    Before Saki could say anything, Hina grabbed her and kissed her mouth. This time, she let her tongue slip inside, too. As Saki tried to escape, Hina held her body with an unexpected strength coming from that little body.


    It took maybe a whole minute. When Hina was done, Saki could still feel the softness and wetness of the girl¡¯s tongue on her mouth. Her heart looked like it would explode and she had to bring the hand to her chest to calm down.


    First Hina looked at her. Then a shocked expression crossed her face. She let a weak ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡±, as she stormed out of the room before Saki could even react. Saki could only walk to her bed and throw herself on top it, hiding her head in her pillow so her face would stop burning.


    48 kisses left


    ¡°You did what?!¡± Aya said suddenly the next day, as Hina told her story.


    ¡°I mean, it¡¯s what we¡¯ve been doing, right? Not big deal¡­¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not. It¡¯s completely different. First of all, she didn¡¯t agree with it, so you really should apologize.¡±


    ¡°I did it already.¡±


    ¡°You should do it again.¡±


    Hina stared at Aya, who gave her a judgemental look. Sayaka was close, but pretending to ignore everything. She didn¡¯t give a glance in Hina¡¯s direction.


    ¡°But I mean, don¡¯t you get why that annoyed me?¡± Hina tried to justify herself after Aya¡¯s look.


    ¡°Because you¡¯re narcissistic and can¡¯t understand how someone wouldn¡¯t think only about you?¡±


    ¡°Well, that too¡­ I mean, no! For example, what if your boyfriend asked you to kiss him in front of his ex-girlfriend, to make her jealous. Wouldn¡¯t you be mad at him?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure he would live enough for that¡­¡±


    ¡°Right?!¡±


    ¡°Still, she¡¯s not your girlfriend, right, so she did nothing wrong. You know she can actually find another girlfriend, right? You two don¡¯t have an actual relationship.¡±


    ¡°I know, but still¡­¡± Hina made a pout while still trying to argue her case. Aya let out a sigh.


    ¡°Let me tell you a story, okay? About how I recognized that girl. And what I know about Shizuhara¡¯s relationship with her.¡±


    ¡°How do you even know about that?¡±


    ¡°How? How don¡¯t you know? If you would pay attention to anything beyond your nose, there¡¯s no way you wouldn¡¯t have heard of it. It was the talk all over the city some months ago. Why do you think everyone knows about her...preferences?¡±


    ¡°Because you don¡¯t mind your own business¡­ I mean, sorry, please tell¡­¡±


    Aya gave Hina a cold look, but then let out another sigh before starting:


    ¡°Her ex-girlfriend is the daughter of a famous politician living in our city. Her name is¡­ I forgot.¡±


    ¡°So famous¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t really care about them in particular. It doesn¡¯t matter anyway. The point is that she started to date a girl, and that girl was Shizuhara. Of course, I don¡¯t know the details. I just know what happened after that, as everyone else in town¡­ well, except you.¡±


    Hina gave a scornful look while playing with her hair.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about¡­ people like her, anyway.¡±


    ¡°You really took a dislike for someone you hardly know, huh?¡± Aya said with a smile. ¡°Anyway, it only became known that they were dating when they break up. Or she broke up with Shizuhara, I guess since she didn¡¯t take it too well. The whole scandal happened because Shizuhara went to her ex¡¯s home after that, to get some explanation. And that¡¯s when everyone found out about their relationship.¡±


    ¡°Saki did?!¡± Hina asked, giving a shocked look. ¡°That Saki?! She can¡¯t even do anything for herself if she thinks she¡¯s bothering someone.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure, but maybe that¡¯s the reason why? I heard things got ugly. Her father even lost his job, or something. She was dealing with some powerful people, after all. In the end, she¡¯s just a dumb teenager, like us.¡±


    ¡°All because of that bland bitch? She was probably cheating on her even before that.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what the rumors say, at least. I admit I felt bad for Suzuhara at the time. Everyone in the whole city was talking about it¡­ Well, except you, it seems.¡±


    Hina looked at Saki¡¯s empty desk. The class hadn¡¯t started yet, and she still hadn¡¯t arrived. She turned to the window, giving a sad look outside.


    ¡°I¡¯ll apologize again,¡± she said.


    And when lunch time came, Hina waited until Saki got out of the classroom. She followed after her and let a relieved sigh after realizing she was still going to the place they would always meet. When Hina approached Saki, she thought there was the same sign of relief in her eyes, but she was not sure.


    She sat in silence beside Saki, opening her lunch box. Saki didn¡¯t say anything either and for a long moment, the two girls only watched over the backyard in silence while eating. Hina was the first to talk, after finishing her lunch.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said, avoiding to look at Saki.


    ¡°Again?¡± Saki also wouldn¡¯t look directly at Hina, so both girls were looking in opposite directions.


    ¡°Yes. Yesterday it was suddenly and I¡­ Still feel bad about it. Aya is right, I¡¯m a giant narcissist.¡±


    Saki didn¡¯t say anything, poking her lips with her finger and waiting. Hina still didn¡¯t look at her as she talked, while playing with her hair. Her finger was shaking.


    ¡°So, yeah¡­ About yesterday, I¡¯m really sorry. What I did was disgusting, and you have all the right to hate me. And also¡­ Sorry, but Aya told me about what happened, and I had no right to pry on your life.¡±


    The silence surrounded both girls. Saki didn¡¯t say anything, and Hina was still struggling to keep talking. Still, she raised her voice when she continued.


    ¡°But you know what? I don¡¯t think it¡¯s right. I don¡¯t like how you punish yourself when it wasn¡¯t even your fault, to begin with. I¡¯m sorry, I know, I¡¯m a narcissist, so I don¡¯t get it, but¡­ Why do you think you¡¯re bothering other just by following your feelings? Just by complaining when you were hurt? It¡¯s not your fault, that¡­¡±


    Hina stopped. She felt like she would start crying if she kept going. She tried to breathe hard, as she was feeling agitated.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Saki said. Her voice was calm.


    When Hina looked at her, she felt Saki¡¯s hands hold her face gently as she approached, brushing their lips together in a soft kiss. Hina felt her heartbeat rush, and when Saki distanced from her, her face was burning.


    Looking at Hina¡¯s reaction, Saki also blushed and looked away.


    ¡°W-What¡¯s with that reaction?¡± Saki said, struggling with her words. ¡°Huh¡­ Y-You¡­ T-This is like always, right?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not,¡± Hina said, and when Saki looked at her, she had a big smile on her red face. ¡°This is the first time you kiss me. I¡¯m always the one doing it.¡±


    ¡°I-Is that so? I didn¡¯t realize,¡± she said, looking away from Hina again.


    Hina didn¡¯t say anything for some awkward minutes, and when her voice was back, she was very weak.


    ¡°Also, huh, it did bother me a little that you had a girlfriend before, I guess.¡±


    Saki gave her a confused look.


    ¡°I-I mean¡­ I always thought that time in class was your first kiss, too,¡± Hina said while playing with her hair and looking at the ground.


    ¡°Well¡­ Wait, too? Was that your first kiss?¡±


    ¡°Of course it was! What do you think my kisses are?!¡±


    ¡°Something you use to bargain for grades?¡±


    ¡°Ugh,¡± Hina looked away uncomfortable.


    ¡°But you see¡­ Although it wasn¡¯t my first kiss, we probably did it more than I did with her now, anyway.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Hina smiled, while trying to hide it from Saki. ¡°So, so, so¡­ Which one was better?¡± She asked, suddenly turning excited to Saki¡¯s way.


    ¡°You mean¡­¡±


    ¡°Between me and her. Which kiss you like the best?¡±


    ¡°Only between you two?¡±


    ¡°Only? Wait¡­ H-How many girls did you kiss?!¡±


    Saki couldn¡¯t resist and let a laugh out. She feared Hina would be annoyed, but the girl started to laugh with her.


    The way Hina looked at her while laughing made Saki experience confusing feelings. She wanted to run away, but she also wanted to hug Hina firm in her arms. She controlled herself so she wouldn¡¯t do either.


    That was the moment Saki realizing she was falling for that girl. But she also knew that wouldn¡¯t go anywhere. After all, their deal would end soon.


    20 kisses left


    ¡°You think I can be her friend?¡± Hina asked Aya in the corridor, before the start of the classes. They were waiting while Sayaka went to get something in the infirmary.


    ¡°What? Oh, you mean Shizuhara?¡± Aya said, taking her eyes from her smartphone.


    ¡°Yeah, Saki. I was thinking. We¡¯re almost over with the kisses, but what should we do after that? I do have fun around her. I called her out again after the park, you know?¡±


    ¡°Oh, is that so?¡±


    ¡°We went on a shopping spree, although she only carried my bags. We also went to the movies because there was a movie I wanted to watch. Also, we went to eat that cake I wanted to¡­¡±


    ¡°So you pretty much only did things you wanted?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­! Completely right¡­ But!¡±


    ¡°Well, after such a long time together, she¡¯s probably used to it.¡±


    ¡°So¡­ You think she would accept being my friend?¡±


    Aya fell into silence. She stared at her smartphone with a stern face while touching the screen aimlessly.


    ¡°Again¡­ You realize Shizuhara likes girls, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ So what?¡±


    ¡°I mean, have you thought about how she¡­¡± But Aya stopped and looked at Hina who waited with anticipation for her answer. She gave her friend a smile. ¡°You know what, forget it. It¡¯s not my place to say anything. If you want to be her friend, ask her and find out what she thinks of it.¡±


    Hina gave a relieved smile.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. I should just tell her already¡­ But, I¡¯ll still wait.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm,¡± made Aya, still waiting for Hina to continue.


    ¡°I mean, we still have 20 kisses left, and it would be awkward keep doing it if we¡¯re officially friends. So I¡¯ll tell her after the last one.¡±


    ¡°I see, that makes sense, but Hina¡­¡± In a rare gesture of affection, Aya ruffled Hina¡¯s hair. ¡°I just want you to know, I¡¯ll support you in any decision you make. And I¡¯ll force Sayaka to stop being a bitch about it, either. So don¡¯t hold yourself.¡±


    Hina slapped Aya¡¯s hand away while smiling nervously.


    ¡°W-What are you saying?¡± Then she took her own smartphone and started touching it as Sayaka approached them. ¡°But well, now I can¡¯t wait to give her the last kiss.¡±


    Later that day, while Saki was heading to the place she would meet Hina as always, Sayaka was waiting for her. She made a signal with her hand, ordering the girl to stop.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Saki said. ¡°Look, I know you don¡¯t like me, but if you had a problem, you should talk with Hina instead.¡±


    ¡°Hina, huh?¡± Sayaka gave an intimidating look at Saki but then relaxed her face in a smile. ¡°Well, that¡¯s fine. You¡¯re almost over with all this, anyway, right?¡±


    Saki didn¡¯t say anything, still standing in her place.


    ¡°I mean, I heard it from Hina herself,¡± Sayaka went on. ¡°She just can¡¯t wait for the last kiss. I guess she¡¯s tired of it, after all. You do know, right? After this is all over, she has no reason to hang out with you. So you go back to like you were before.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± For a moment, Saki hesitated. But then she lifted her face, staring straight into Sayaka¡¯s eyes. ¡°Of course I always knew that. Now, if you¡¯ll let me go¡­¡± She walked past Sayaka, letting the other girl throwing an angry look at her back.


    5 kisses left


    ¡°I don¡¯t get it. I don¡¯t get what she¡¯s thinking,¡± Hina said to her two friends. It was a Sunday afternoon and the three girls were sitting outside of a famous Cafe, eating cake. Hina was touching her smartphone, almost furiously. ¡°She has been avoiding me the whole week. I thought we would finally be over with this, but she¡­!¡±


    ¡°Shizuhara?¡± Aya asked, already knowing the answer.


    ¡°Yeah, her! She¡¯s not answering my messages. She¡¯s no picking the phone. I don¡¯t understand. Did I do something to her?¡±


    ¡°I can think of a lot of things, actually. But nothing new.¡±


    ¡°And here I was excited to tell her how I feel¡­¡± Hina let out a sigh, leaving her phone on the table in front of her while she took a bite of her cafe. ¡°That stupid Saki!¡±


    Sayaka watched in silence while Aya grabbed Hina¡¯s phone from the table and started using it. Hina didn¡¯t care that she did it in the past.


    ¡°I mean, isn¡¯t it better this way?¡± Sayaka said finally.


    ¡°How?¡± Hina looked astonished at Sayaka.


    ¡°Well, if she doesn¡¯t want to do it anymore, you can just let it go. It¡¯s her loss, right?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t get it. I was planning to ask her to be my friend,¡± Hina gave another bite on her cake, looking desolate. Sayaka made a confused face.


    ¡°What was that?¡± Sayaka asked. It was Aya who let out a sudden exclamation.


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right! You weren¡¯t with us that day.  Actually, Hina was planning to keep being friends with her after it was all over.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Why?¡± Sayaka said, throwing a confused look at Hina. Aya caught that up and faced her friend.


    ¡°Sayaka, did you¡­? Did you say something to her?¡±


    ¡°W-Why are you¡­?¡±


    ¡°You just look like you¡¯re hiding something¡­¡±


    At that moment, Hina looked at Sayaka too. She rose from her chair suddenly, making everyone look in their direction.


    ¡°Did you say something to her?¡± She asked with vigor.


    ¡°I¡­ I just said what I heard¡­ You looked excited to stop kissing her, so¡­¡± Sayaka was clearly nervous, trying to choose her word carefully.


    ¡°You idiot!¡± Hina shouted, not caring for the faces that turned in her direction. ¡°Why would you¡­? Ah, of course, so that¡¯s why¡­¡±


    Hina let her body fall on her chair, putting a hand on her face. But her expression changed as she realized something.


    ¡°Wait a minute¡­ When did you tell her that?¡±


    ¡°T-That day when I heard you on the hall¡­¡±


    ¡°Wait, so¡­ Why is she only avoiding me now? That was weeks ago.¡±


    ¡°Because she thinks you¡¯ll start to avoid her,¡± Aya said, not taking her eyes off Hina¡¯s phone. ¡°Since you only have five kisses left.¡±


    ¡°Huh?! She doesn¡¯t want me to avoid her, so she avoids me? Is she an idiot?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re supposed to be the idiot here. You can¡¯t expect reason when love¡­ Wait, I talked too much,¡± Aya smiled, covering her mouth.


    ¡°Don¡¯t say such absurd¡­¡± Sayaka started, but Aya looked at her with a sarcastic smile.


    ¡°Sayaka, dear, shut up for a second, ok?¡± Then she turned to Hina. ¡°Say, Hina, are you missing kissing her?¡±


    ¡°Wha¡­¡± Hina reacted.


    ¡°I mean, your last kiss was two weeks ago, right? On a Friday. Below a cherry tree, with the wind caressing your cheeks. The nostalgic aroma of wet grass involving you two as her firm arms hold your waist and¡­ wow,¡± Aya was looking at Hina¡¯s smartphone the whole time. The girl blushed.


    ¡°W-What are you even reading? Stop that¡­¡±


    ¡°No, like, when did your description become this detailed?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Hina was visibly confused.


    ¡°I mean, like, here, look. Your very first entry in this¡­ kiss note?... says ¡®in the classroom, never do it again¡¯, then ¡®inside the stall; bathroom¡¯. It just stays like that for the first¡­ at least 20 notes. But then you start to get a little more detailed. ¡®Walking home, in the sun it¡¯s hard to see her face¡¯. ¡®After lunch, it tastes like strawberry this time¡¯. ¡®On the mall, on a dark corner we can¡¯t be seen, a serenade is playing. Her lips are shaking a little.¡¯ Well, it starts to become pretty much a poem in the latest ones. Why is that?¡±


    ¡°T-That¡¯s¡­¡± Hina¡¯s face is bright red and she found it difficult to talk. ¡°I haven¡¯t thought about that, but now that you¡¯re reading it, I guess it¡¯s weird. I had fun writing and, huh¡­ Thinking about¡­ Huh¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not weird at all. Being romantic,¡± Aya gave Hina a smile.


    Hina didn¡¯t react. Listening to Aya reading her notes was the first time she realized what she was actually writing. She felt her heartbeat accelerate. Deep down she knew why her notes were getting more detailed. Why she spent more time building them.


    ¡°I wanted¡­ to keep those moments for a little more time¡­¡± She said in loud voice, but only talking to herself. ¡°I¡­ Ah¡­ I see¡­ I am¡­¡±


    Before she could finish, Aya rose from the chair and pointed to the other side of the street.


    ¡°Hina, look!¡± she said.


    Hina turned to see Saki. She was staring directly at her, but when their eyes met, she ran away. As if losing control of her body, Hina started to run after her, too. Sayaka tried to yell at her, but Aya held her.


    Saki started to run through the crowd on downtown, with Hina tailing after her. Hina thought she was more athletic, but she realized Saki¡¯s long legs would give her a vantage against her, even if her physical condition wasn¡¯t the best. Hina knew she couldn¡¯t reach Saki. She could just wait for the next day and talk to her at school, and yet¡­


    ¡°Saki! You¡¯re bothering everyone again!¡± She shouted. Saki stopped.


    Without stop, Hina grabbed Saki¡¯s hand and pulled her to an alley where the two found themselves alone.


    ¡°Finally,¡± Hina said and, holding Saki¡¯s wrists, kissed her five times, one after another. After the fifith one, she stared into Saki¡¯s eyes. ¡°100. We¡¯re done.¡±


    Hina let go of Saki¡¯s wrists. Looking at her face, she realized there were tears forming in her eyes. Trying to hide it, Saki tried to run away again, but Hina grabbed her arm again and pushed her back against the wall. Throwing her arms around Saki¡¯s neck, Hina gave her another kiss.


    Saki looked confused as Hina gave a step back and looked at her with a smile.


    ¡°A-Another one?¡± Saki said.


    ¡°Those last five were because I promised you,¡± Hina said, her finger making round movements on her hair. ¡°This one I¡¯m giving to you because I want to.¡±


    ¡°I...I don¡¯t get it,¡± Saki was visible perplexed, but the tears in her eyes had dried.


    ¡°Y-You see¡­¡± Hina gave a nervous smile, avoiding to look straight at Saki. ¡°I, huh, I was planning to ask you to be my friend after this was over. Since I had fun with you and all. But after talking to Aya I realized I don¡¯t really want that. So¡­ That¡¯s why¡­ ¡°She made an effort to lift her head and stare at Saki with a smile: ¡°I¡¯m giving you the privilege of having me as your girlfriend¡­¡±


    A long silence passed between them. During that time, only the voices of people walking in the sideways could be heard. The first to raise her voice was Saki, in an incredulous tone.


    ¡°What?! Why are you saying it as if I had won a prize?¡±


    ¡°So you don¡¯t want it?¡± Hina yelled at her.


    ¡°Of course I want!¡± Saki shouted and hugged Hina close to her. She was so close that Hina could hear her fast heartbeats. ¡°I swear, if you¡¯re playing with me¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not joking,¡± Hina said with a gentle smile. She put her hands on Saki¡¯s face and brought it closer to her, giving another kiss on her lips. ¡°And this is number two.¡±


    0 kisses left


    One week had passed since Hina caught Saki on the street and became her girlfriend. She was at the same Cafe together with Aya and Sayaka again, but this time she was nervously looking at her smartphone all the time and surveying around.


    She had told them first about her girlfriend. Aya was happy to hear it, but Sayaka still protested at first. Until Aya had a private talk with her and, for some reason Hina would never know, she changed her mind. She even said Saki that she was sorry. Luckily, Saki had not resentments against her, or she was just too happy to care.


    Hina was wearing her best clothes and her feet couldn¡¯t stay still, swinging below the table.


    ¡°Is your date late?¡± Aya asked.


    ¡°She¡¯s not late. But I¡­ Well, this is our first official date as¡­ girlfriends,¡± a big smile formed on her mouth as she said the word. ¡°So I¡¯m a little excited.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s amazing she¡¯s not here yet,¡± Sayaka said.


    ¡°By the way, Hina,¡± Aya said, with a discrete smile on the corner of her mouth. ¡°Are you still keeping that kisses note?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah,¡± Hina took her smartphone and passed it to Aya. ¡°That was a little fun, so I thought I should keep doing it. Sometimes I take a photo, too. I¡¯m not sure the counter is right, though. Sometimes I don¡¯t remember making a note because I¡¯m too...well, you know,¡± she said with a smile.


    ¡°I see,¡± Aya gave some touches on the screen. ¡°Kiss number 134... Wow, 34 kisses in just one week? That¡¯s something.¡±


    ¡°34?¡± Hina asked with a confused face. ¡°Oh, no, no, no. I¡¯m not counting the first 100. I don¡¯t think it would be fair, so I started from 1.¡±


    ¡°Wait¡­ You don¡¯t mean,¡± Sayaka started to say, but was interrupted when someone hugged Hina from behind, making her almost jump from her chair.


    ¡°Hey, Saki,¡± Aya said, passing the phone back to Hina. Sayaka just nodded at her.


    ¡°Hey, mind if I take this cute girl with me?¡± Saki pulled Hina by the hand. Hina linked arms with her.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll be sad to lose my company, but a promise is a promise. So long, girls.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Aya said, waving to the two girls as they went to their date. When they disappear into the crowd, she turned to Sayaka. ¡°134 kisses.¡±


    Sayaka also couldn¡¯t take her eyes from the crowd where the girls disappeared, stupefied.


    ¡°In just one week...¡±

 Chilly Tale of a Summer Break - Part 1

    SOS, I¡¯m being kidnapped. This devil woman put me inside the car and she¡¯s driving to the middle of nowhere. Worst of all? She¡¯s my mother.


    I¡¯m sorry I can¡¯t be with you this summer. I really wish I could, but mom insisted that I had to visit my grandmother. I guess I¡¯ll spend my time seeing flowers blooming, hearing birds singing or some shit. Have fun on the beach for me. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll live!


    My grandma has an inn in a place where only ghosts would dare to live. If something happens, help is hours away, so wish me luck! Luckily we¡¯ll see each other again after summer break is over (or luckily grandma finally heard about the wonders of the internet, but I highly doubt that.)


    I want to hear everything about your summer once I¡¯m back. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll tell you about my adventures with the insects, too.


    I love you, bye bye.


    Emma typed the message and sent it to her best friend, making sure that she still had a signal on her cell phone. Letting out a sigh, she leaned against the glass on the car¡¯s window and stared outside as green fields passed by her, as if moving by themselves. She was sure they were driving that highway for at least three hours.


    ¡°Are we there yet?¡± She asked her mother driving beside her, not even trying to hide the dissatisfaction in her voice.


    ¡°Not yet,¡± Her mother said, keeping her eyes on the road. ¡°I know you didn¡¯t want to come, but your grandma misses you. She won¡¯t be around forever, you know?¡±


    ¡°And yet, you¡¯re not staying¡­¡±


    ¡°What? You want mommy to sleep with you?¡±


    ¡°Shut up¡­¡±


    Emma looked out the window again. Shestudied her reflection. Her brown wavy hair was getting in her field of vision, but she didn¡¯t bother to move it. Giving a glance at her cell phone, she finally saw the ¡°NO SIGNAL¡± message and turned it off.


    Giving a yawn, Emma threw her body against the seat and closed her eyes, feeling the tiredness of the long travel finally win over her. She blacked out.


    ***


    ¡°Emma, wake up. We¡¯re here¡±


    She woke with her mother shaking her body. Slowly opening her eyes, she was greeted by a nostalgic scenery. Her grandma¡¯s inn was technically part of a smalltown in the country, but it was actually more desolated than thetown itself. Approximately one hour away by traveling on foot.


    As she got out of the car, the familiar smell of grass surrounded her. She could always tell when she was there, as the air was different from the big city she lived in. She couldhear the birds singing and feel the wind blowing. Her unruly hair being thrown against her face as she looked against the wind reminded her again why her mother suggesting cutting it before.


    She took a black scrunchie from the coat she was wearing and started to tie her hair while following her mother in direction of the big inn in front of her. The place looked the same as she remembered. A big wooden building with two floors and twenty rooms on each floor. She was sure not even half of those rooms were booked. It had a large porch covering the whole extent of the inn¡¯s front, filled with chairs and tables.


    As they walked in that direction, an old woman came to welcome them.


    ¡°Oh, oh, oh. My two girls are here,¡± she said while giving Emma¡¯s mother a tight hug. She then turned to Emma. ¡°Come to give grandma a hug, dear.¡±


    Emma smiled and let her grandma hug her, giving a gentle tap on the old woman¡¯s back. The scent of her strong perfume reminded her of when she was a kid and would sleep on the old woman¡¯s lap. It was comforting, but also suffocating.


    ¡°You look healthy, grandma,¡± Emma said, not hesitating in giving her mother a judgmental look.


    ¡°Better now, dear, better now. Seeing my two girls always makes me feel better.¡±


    ¡°A shame mom can¡¯t stay with us. She¡¯ll be fooling around with dad.¡±


    ¡°Again, we¡¯re not having fun. It¡¯s work,¡± Emma¡¯s mother said her in a reprehensible voice.


    ¡°Oh, but you¡¯ll at least stay for lunch, right dear?¡± The old woman said.


    Emma¡¯s mother nodded and they were guided to the inside of the inn. The old woman asked for Emma to follow her to her room. Emma¡¯s mother, holding Emma¡¯s bag, followed them.


    The room Emma was staying was on the second floor, number 204. Usually, she would get 201, but her grandma said it was being used now, which was rare, as the inn wasn¡¯t a popular establishment, and most used to ask for the first floor.


    ¡°I have a helper, now. She¡¯s living with me until we can sort out her situation. Such a sweet girl, and around your age. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll get along well together,¡± her grandma said while opening the door to the room 204. That number gave a sense of familiarity to her for some reason.


    The inside looked like it was cleaned recently. It had the smell of lavender and the table in the middle of the room had no signs of dust. The single bed in the corner was made, with a pink sheet covering it, which made Emma scoff, keeping her back to her grandma. It was the same sheet on her bed since she was five years old. Somehow, her grandma seemed to forget that she was sixteen now.


    Emma¡¯s mother left the bag on the bed. She walked around the small room, surveying her surroundings. She opened the windows and let the wind blow a cold breeze inside.


    ¡°This place¡­ It was my room¡­¡± She said, finally.


    That made Emma remember. Her mother did say it was her old room, but never got inside it when they were visiting the inn in the past. Emma had a feeling that her mother was actually trying to avoid it.


    ¡°Oh, you remember,¡± the old woman said with a smile. ¡°Does it bring memories?¡±


    ¡°A lot,¡± then she threw a sad look around, without facing her daughter or her mother. ¡°A lot of sad ones, too.¡±


    ¡°Mom?¡± Emma said, seeing that expression on her mother for the first time.


    ¡°Oh,¡± she switched back to a smile. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Don¡¯t worry, don¡¯t worry. But that reminds me. Maybe you¡¯ll find my ring somewhere.¡±


    ¡°Ring? Oh, the one dad gave you?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that one. I lost it in this same room. We never found it after that¡­¡± Emma thought she saw a shadow cross her mother¡¯s face, but soon she was smiling again. ¡°Oh, but that was twenty years ago. Of course, it¡¯s impossible now. Oh god, how I cried that day.¡±


    Emma¡¯s grandma invited them to wait in the lounge while she gottheir lunch ready. As Emma got out of the room, a small figure greeted them on the hallway with a timid voice.


    ¡°Good morning,¡± she said and turned to Emma¡¯s grandma. ¡°I cleaned the room 206 as you asked, misses Stephens.¡±


    ¡°Oh, thanks, dear, thanks,¡± the old woman turned to her daughter. ¡°This sweet girl is the helper I told you about. Her name is Aleta Dennel. She¡¯s living with me for the time being given some¡­ circumstances,¡± she turned back to Aleta with a smile. ¡°Aleta, dear, this is my daughter Rosa and my granddaughter, Emma.¡±


    ¡°Misses¡­¡± Aleta said, looking at Rosa.


    ¡°You can call her Stephens, dear. Sure, she¡¯s married and has another name now, but these two are still my little girls. On this house, they¡¯re just Stephens.¡±


    Aleta gave a slow nod, letting her long and straight black hair dance with the movement. She was at least ten centimeters smaller than Emma, had black eyes like opals and long bangs on her forehead. The blue one-piece she was wearing looked as frail as her own body. She didn¡¯t smile, giving a glooming impression in Emma. Even more considering how white her skin was, contrary to Emma¡¯s tanned skin.


    ¡°What a cute girl!¡± Rosa said, giving voice to the same thought that crossed Emma¡¯s head. She couldn¡¯t deny that the girl in front of her looked like a carefully sculpted doll.


    ¡°T-thanks,¡± the girl said, lowering her head. She raised her eyes for a moment, but as soon as they met Emma¡¯s eyes, she lowered her head again.


    ¡°Go rest now dear, you deserve it,¡± grandma said, giving a tap on Aleta¡¯s shoulder before guiding her daughter and granddaughter to the floor below. ¡°She¡¯s a very nice girl. She had some problems with her family, so I offered to take care of her. But I don¡¯t have the intention to keep the poor thing here. I¡¯m looking for better opportunities for her, even if she¡¯s a good helper.¡±


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t look like the kind who would give her parents trouble,¡± Rosa said.


    ¡°It¡¯s complicated, but she''s not to blame, I know that for sure,¡± then she turned to Emma. ¡°She¡¯s around your age, so I thought about letting her help you while you¡¯re here. She seemed happy with it. The poor thing is always around the old people who stay here and has no friends in the town, so she doesn¡¯t get to talk with girls her age much. I hope that¡¯s okay?¡±Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    ¡°Oh, of course,¡± Emma said. She couldn¡¯t understand how that girl had no friends. She knew for sure a cute girl like her would be popular at her school unless her personality was a problem, which didn¡¯t seem to be the case.


    ***


    After lunch, Rosa took off in her car, saying goodbye to her mother, Emma, and Aleta, who left her room to see the woman off. She left with a harsh comment from her daughter, saying she should have fun after abandoning her burden there.


    Not that Emma hated to be with her grandmother. She loved the old woman as she loved her mother. Still, as a teenager, she wasn¡¯t a fan of sacrificing her summer break to be in the middle of nowhere as that inn. Her mother guilt-tripped her, saying her grandma was sick and wouldn¡¯t live much longer, but the old woman looked very healthy.


    The inn was one hour away from thetown because it acted as a fortress against the busy city life most of its guets had. Most of them were always the same, so Emma even knew them already. They usually came from places far away to take some time turning them off the rest of the world. For that sake, the inn wasn¡¯t too close of civilization, but close enough for them to visit a store if necessary. That was also the reason why her grandma never installed internet in that place, even if it had a phone line. Cell Phone signal wouldn¡¯t reach it, either, because of the high vegetation around them and the signal tower being so far away. The place was her mother¡¯s home for her whole life before her marriage, and a place her family would always visit on their vacations. But that was the first time she would spend her time there alone.


    In her room, Emma threw herself on the bed. She threw her coat aside and let her eyes rest on the old jeans she was wearing. Since it was a place in the middle of nowhere, she didn¡¯t feel the need to use better clothes, and her mother actually advised that she shouldn¡¯t.


    Letting the sun bathe the room by the open window facing the front of the inn, Emma put on her headphones, putting some music on her cell phone while lying down. It was so comfortable that she didn¡¯t even realize before she fell asleep.


    ***


    ¡°Miss Stephens,¡± Emma heard the soft voice interrupt her dreams while feeling someone gently touching her shoulder.


    She opened her eyes and faced Aleta, crouching in front of her bed. She was carefully tapping on Emma¡¯s shoulder but withdrew her arm with haste when Emma¡¯s eyes made contact with her.


    ¡°The¡­ dinner is ready,¡± she said.


    ¡°Dinner?¡± Emma looked at her clock and saw it marking 9 PM. ¡°Wow, I slept through the whole afternoon. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, miss Stephens,¡± Aleta said, standing up while Emma sat on the bed.


    ¡°Emma.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Aleta looked at her, surprised.


    ¡°My name is Emma. It¡¯s a little weird being called miss Stephens by someone my age.¡±


    ¡°R-right...E-Emma¡­¡±


    Aleta guided Emma to the kitchen. Her grandmother was taking the food to some guests who wished to eat in their own room, so Aleta was the only one there. The few guests coming down to eat were using the dining hall, but Emma said she wanted to eat in the kitchen. Aleta put Emma¡¯s plate with food in front of her, making her frown her forehead.


    ¡°I know grandma said you should help me, but you don¡¯t need to treat me like a kid.¡±


    ¡°S-Sorry,¡± Aleta said, sitting on a chair away from the table with her own dish.


    ¡°You know,¡± Emma said looking at Aleta, without touching her food. ¡°Do you have something against me?¡±


    Aleta almost left her dish fall from her hands, giving Emma a startled look.


    ¡°O-Of course not, mi...I mean, Emma.¡±


    ¡°So come sit with me.¡±


    Reluctantly, Aleta walked to the table and sat across Emma. She tried not look directly at her companion, but Emma was the one to call her attention.


    ¡°When grandma told you to help me, she probably meant you should be my friend, not my maid.¡±


    ¡°I owe a lot to misses Stephens, so¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you? Looks to me like you¡¯re helping more than she expected already. And anyway, I¡¯m not my grandma, so you don¡¯t owe me anything,¡± Emma said and took a fork of food to her mouth. ¡°Wow, grandma¡¯s food is really something else. So good.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ That¡¯s¡­¡± Aleta said, making Emma face her. ¡°No, nothing. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°You apologize too much,¡± she said, after another fork. ¡°Just relax. Speak with me as if I was your friend¡­¡± but Emma remembered her grandma saying Aleta had no friends. ¡°I mean, just relax.¡±


    ¡°Ok,¡± she was eating on a slower rhythm than Emma.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be honest since we¡¯re friends now. I wasn¡¯t too keen on coming here. I mean, it¡¯s cool and all. Well, a little. But my best friend is on the beach, and she invited me to go with her. Have you gone to the beach before?¡± Aleta shook her head. ¡°Well, it¡¯s cool. There¡¯s a lot of people. Lots of good food. The water feels nice. There¡¯s also a lot of shirtless boys, too.¡±


    Aleta stopped her fork mid-air after listening to Emma. She started to eat again before Emma could realize it.


    ¡°Speaking of which, you¡¯re working a lot, right?¡± Emma said. ¡°That¡¯s kind of cool, too.¡±


    ¡°Is...is it? It¡¯s nothing¡­¡±


    ¡°No, really, I couldn¡¯t do that. I already hate helping mom on house chores. I won¡¯t lie, I hate working. I hate school, too. Hopefully, I¡¯m not that bad looking so my only hope now is marrying a rich guy and live an easy life.¡±


    For some minutes, Aleta didn¡¯t say anything, and the two girls just kept eating in silence. When her dish was empty, she looked at it and opened her mouth twice before finally voicing her question.


    ¡°Do you have a boyfriend, then?¡±


    Emma looked at her, giving a wry smiling before answering.


    ¡°No, not at the moment. If I had, I probably wouldn¡¯t be here right now. Or maybe he would come with me, knowing my mother.¡±


    ¡°I-I see¡­¡± Aleta said, and Emma thought she saw a smile on the girl¡¯s face before she took her dish to the sink.


    ¡°What about you?¡± Emma asked, making Aleta turn suddenly. ¡°Have a boy you like?¡±


    ¡°M-Me? Of course not!¡±


    ¡°Of course? A girl like you would totally be popular at my school. Speaking of, what about school? How do you do it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not¡­ Misses Stephens is giving me classes at the moment. And she brings me books. She talked to the school, and they allowed it.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Emma said, thinking how that was unusual, but her grandmother was smart enough to make it work. ¡°Well, that¡¯s a shame. You would definitely have better chances with a boyfriend than me.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re so beautiful!¡± Aleta said, almost inclining forward. But then shut her mouth and blushed, after realizing what she said.


    Emma also felt her cheeks blushing. It was common to receive compliments from her friends, but it was still embarrassing from someone she had just met.


    ¡°Th-Thanks¡­¡± She said, scratching her head. ¡°I think you¡¯re very cute, too. Like, really cute!¡±


    Aleta turned fast to the sink.


    ¡°T-T-Thanks¡­¡± She said, hoping Emma wouldn¡¯t realize how red her face had turned.


    ***


    There wasn¡¯t much for Emma to do. Sure, there was a television in the lounge, but she was not used to watching anything on it anymore, and she had no internet connection, so she decided to sleep early. 10 PM might not be exactly early, but considering she was used to going to bed after midnight, she wondered if she would have trouble sleeping. Especially after having slept through the whole afternoon.


    So she lied down on the bed, wearing an old shirt and pants that she used to wear at night. As she turned off the lights, she thought it would take some time, but she ended up sleeping faster than she imagined.


    KNOCK KNOCK


    She woke up in the middle of the night, feeling like she heard something. Looking at her cell phone, she realized it was 3 AM. She waited in silence, looking at the lit screen in front of her eyes.


    KNOCK KNOCK


    She was sure, there was something knocking on her door.


    She put her bare feet on the floor and looked at the door hesitantly. She didn¡¯t know who could be at that time. She thought her grandma wouldn¡¯t allow some suspicious tenant on her inn, but she was always cautious about strangers.


    ¡°Who is it?¡± She asked, loud enough for her voice to reach the other side.


    KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK


    The sound was louder than before as if someone was banging on the door.


    Her heartbeat became faster. She felt her hands shaking. She knew she could reach her grandma by the phone connected to the old woman¡¯s room that all rooms had, but she wondered what a frail old woman could even do if someone was meaning harm to her.


    And suddenly her mind moved to Aleta. The girl was on the 201, her old room. It was close to her, on the same corridor. Aleta was a cute girl and seemed so defenseless. She would probably have a harder time if someone attacked her. That thought gave Emma courage. She stood up and walked to the door.


    Emma put her hand on the knob. She gave a deep breath with her eyes closed before opening the door in a sudden movement.


    There was no one.


    Emma looked around confused, surveying the corridor. It looked completely inhabited.


    Then she heard steps coming up from the stairs. She wondered if whoever they were, they had gone down because she took so much time deciding whether she''ll open the door. Her instinct said she should go back to her room. But thinking about Aleta, she couldn''t. She wanted at least confirm the girl was fine.


    So she waited for the figure going up the stairs to appear, feeling her throat drying.


    The figure showed itself and looked at her, with a surprised face.


    ¡°Miss¡­ Emma?¡± said Aleta, holding a glass of water on her hand. She was wearing a pink nightdress with a thin cloth, accentuating her figure.


    ¡°Aleta?¡± Emma said, with a sigh. ¡°What are you doing up this time?¡±


    ¡°Ah...I¡¯m...sorry. I was getting some water. Did I¡­ wake you up?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ I mean¡­¡± Emma surveyed the corridor again. There was no wind on that place, so she was sure the sound had to be someone knocking. ¡°Did you knock on my door?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Aleta said, looking at Emma with a serious face.


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure I heard someone knocking. It wasn¡¯t just once. They even reacted when I called them. To tell you the truth, it scared me a little. But there isn¡¯t anyone else here right now.¡±


    Aleta''s eyes focused on the water she was carrying. Then she looked at the door of her own room, past Emma¡¯s. She caressed the thin cloth of her nightdress on a nervous gesture.


    ¡°I...I did it,¡± she said, after all. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Emma looked at her with suspicion.


    ¡°Why?¡± She asked.


    ¡°I¡­ huh¡­ Thought you might want to drink some water¡­ too¡­¡±


    ¡°At 3 AM?¡±


    Aleta bit her lower lip. Still passing her hand on her nightdress, she tried to explain again.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡­ I¡¯m sorry, that was a lie. I was¡­ huh¡­ afraid of going to the kitchen alone...yeah¡­¡±


    ¡°So why didn¡¯t you wait after I called out?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ didn¡¯t hear it¡­¡±


    ¡°Hum¡­¡± Emma crossed her arms while observing Aleta¡¯s nervous explanation. ¡°Next time, use the phone. You have my room¡¯s number, right?¡±


    ¡°I didn''t want to bother you.¡±


    ¡°No, really, do it. The only reason I got the courage to open the door is that I got worried about you¡­ Well, now that I think about it, I should¡¯ve used the phone, too.¡±


    ¡°You were...worried about me?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Well, I mean¡­¡± Emma scratched the back of her head. She had a messy bed hair. ¡°If it was someone after me because I¡¯m a girl, like, you know. If that was the case, you¡¯re really cute, so you would be a target too. And such. Sorry, I¡¯m paranoid with these things,¡± She gave Aleta a smile.


    ¡°N-No¡­¡± Aleta said, facing the glass with water again. But then she let a smile on her face. ¡°Thanks for worrying about me¡­¡± After saying that, Aleta walked to her room. Before disappearing inside, she looked at Emma again: ¡°I¡¯m sorry for waking you up.¡±


    Emma gave a nod and watched as the girl closed the door behind her. She still stood in that position for some time. Something in Aleta¡¯s story was bothering her. But in the end, she decided there was no point worrying about it now, and went back to sleep.

 Chilly Tale of a Summer Break - Part 2

    ¡°So, this is my best friend,¡± Emma said, showing a girl hugging her on the screen of her cell phone.


    The two girls were sitting around a table on the inn¡¯s large porch. The sun was hot, but a cold breeze was blowing, even though it was summer. It was always like that in that place so Emma was used to it. Aleta was sitting beside her, still hesitant to get closer.


    ¡°She¡¯s¡­ beautiful,¡± Aleta said, looking at the screen.


    ¡°She¡¯s nice. I think you two would be friends, too. Actually, the first time I met her¡­¡±


    Emma was interrupted by the sound of a door opening up. Her grandma walked to the porch and looked to the fields in front of her. She had a troubled expression.


    ¡°Is there a problem, grandma?¡± Emma said.


    The old woman turned to the girls as if she had just realized that they were there. She gave a gentle smile.


    ¡°Not really a problem, dear, but¡­ Well, maybe a little problem, nothing to worry about.¡±


    ¡°Can I help in any way? It¡¯s not like I have anything else to do¡­¡±


    ¡°Hum¡­¡± For some reason, Misses Stephens looked at Aleta, who was sitting in silence beside Emma. ¡°Well, I have some things I need to buy in the town. But I really can¡¯t go now, and there¡¯s no one who can go in my place. The work I have here at the moment is not something I can ask someone else to do.¡±


    Emma¡¯s grandma had a car parked in front of the inn, which she used for travels to the town. She could lend it to someone to go in her place, but she didn¡¯t want to bother her guests with that.


    ¡°We can go for you, right?¡± Emma said, turning to ask Aleta. ¡°I mean, I can¡¯t drive, but a walk could do us some good. Aleta can show the way.¡±


    Misses Stephens threw a worried look at Aleta. The girl was fiddling with the fabric of the blue one-piece she was wearing.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s a good¡­¡± the old woman started to say but was interrupted by the girl.


    ¡°I can show her the way, it¡¯s fine,¡± Aleta said. ¡°I haven¡¯t visited the town lately.¡±


    The old woman gave another worried look at Aleta. But then she gave a slow nod.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get the money¡­¡±


    ***


    It took a little more than one hour of walking. The sun wasn¡¯t that strong, luckily, as Emma was worried about how Aleta would react, given her pale skin. Emma put a blue vest over her shirt, even though she was wearing ripped short jeans. When asked why she was doing it, she only said: ¡°I like pockets.¡± She had her hair tied up again and wondered if Aleta¡¯s loose hair didn¡¯t make the heat worse.


    There wasn¡¯t much to see in the way, and Aleta was quiet as always, but Emma made sure they kept a conversation during all the time. She was excited because she was sure thetown would have a signal for her cell phone and hopefully she would be able to talk to her friend.


    On the way, they talked a lot. Aleta was taciturn as always, but Emma didn¡¯t stay silent. Every time she asked Aleta for something personal, the girl gave some monosyllabic answer. So it was mostly Emma who spoke about her own life the whole way.


    She spoke about her classes and teachers, about the parties she used to go or the few jobs she dropped after three days. She told about the boyfriend she had that didn¡¯t last much. How he was kind of an asshole but hot. Aleta just gave some vague gestures and made sounds to confirm she was listening, but rarely commented on it, so Emma couldn¡¯t say how much she was enjoying their conversation. At one point, she did say: ¡°You¡¯re really sociable¡­¡±


    They finally arrived at the town, and Emma, not used to walk, suggested for them to rest on the park before resuming their chores.


    ¡°This place still looks the same. I wonder if I can find someone I know,¡± she said, throwing her body on a bench. Aleta calmly sat beside her.


    ¡°Did you have friends here?¡±


    ¡°I know some people I used to play with as a kid, but¡­¡± Emma surveyed the park, watching the kids running around. ¡°Well, the thing with cities like this is that most people go away when they grow up.¡±


    Emma watched as some boy their age started to approach the park. It was three boys laughing and talking aloud.


    ¡°Grandma told me how you have no friends,¡± Emma said. ¡°Maybe you should talk with other people more. I know you¡¯re shy, but¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not¡­¡±


    ¡°Look at those boys, for example. Aren¡¯t they cute?¡± Emma asked. Aleta turned her eyes to the boys walking on the other side of the park. She bit her lip, not saying anything. Emma stood up. ¡°Wait a minute, I¡¯ll talk to them.¡±


    Aleta raised her hand, but before she could grab Emma¡¯s arm, she had already walked away. Aleta made mention to go after her but couldn¡¯t let her bench. She looked at Emma with a worried face.


    When Emma approached the boys, she immediately recognized one of them, even though she hadn¡¯t seen him in ages.


    ¡°Mark, is it you?¡±


    He looked at her, first confused. But then he gave a big smile, showing his white teeth.


    ¡°Emma! Wow, never thought I would see you again!¡±


    Emma hugged the boy and greeted the other two.


    ¡°So, what are you doing here?¡± Mark asked her.


    ¡°You know, visiting grandma. I¡¯m shopping for her right now. To think you would still be around. What about Eve? Is she still around?¡±


    ¡°Eve married and went to live away,¡± he said.


    Emma was surprised. Eve was a little older than her, but she didn¡¯t think she was old enough for marriage. At least, not for Emma¡¯s standards. She realized again how the reality of thattown and those people were different from her.


    ¡°Anyway, Emma,¡± Mark said, looking past her to Aleta sitting alone on the bench. ¡°That girl. Is that Aleta, right? Weren¡¯t you with her just know?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah. She¡¯s living with grandma so I was asked to be her friend. Say, would you want come with¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, so you¡¯re forced to be friends with Little Miss Creepy? That must be hard.¡±This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    Emma got serious. She looked at Mark in silence for some moments.


    ¡°That¡¯s rude, you know. She¡¯s a nice girl. What¡¯s up with you?¡± She said with a firm voice after her silence.


    ¡°No, really. I was on the same class as her, and she¡¯s, huh¡­ Weird. Right?¡± He asked his friends, both agreed and gave their own negative input about her. ¡°You know, she was always alone¡­ Always talking alone. And sometimes she would say some creepy shit. That girl has problems.¡±


    With her hands on the pockets of her vest, Emma faced the three boys. She turned to look at Aleta again, realizing the girl was kicking her feet on the ground, avoiding to look at them.


    ¡°I hope I¡¯m wrong, but I will ask it anyway,¡± Emma said in a sober tone. ¡°Did you bully her?¡±


    Mark and his friends seemed uncomfortable as they looked at each other. After some minutes of silence, it was Mark who spoke.


    ¡°Saying it was bullying is a little harsh. You know, as kids we did say some dumb things that maybe we shouldn¡¯t, but that¡¯s natural, right? She just creeped us out. After that, we just...mostly...started avoiding her. Look, you understand¡­¡±


    ¡°Have you ever made her cry?¡±


    Mark didn¡¯t say anything for a moment, then he started to mumble something. Emma sighed.


    ¡°Nice to see you, Mark,¡± she said and turned away.


    She walked to Aleta and gently grabbed her hand, pulling her from the bench.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go. Can¡¯t let grandma waiting,¡± she said and started to pull the girl with her.


    Mark caught up after them and tried to call her attention.


    ¡°Wait a minute, Emma. Just listen¡­¡±


    He grabbed her free arm, but she slapped it away with force and turned to him.


    ¡°Get away, asshole!¡± She shouted, loud enough that people around looked in their direction.


    ¡°Emma¡­¡±


    ¡°Keep following me and I¡¯ll call for help,¡± she said in a cold voice.


    The boys gave up but Emma still pulled Aleta with her in hasted steps. At some point, she was almost running.


    ¡°E-Emma...my feet are hurting,¡± Aleta said, making Emma halt.


    She looked at the black haired girl and gave a smile, suddenly hugging her.


    ¡°W-What?¡± Aleta said.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t know those idiots gave you a hard time,¡± Emma put her hands on Aleta¡¯s shoulder and looked at her. ¡°Hey, your face is red. Are you hot?¡±


    ***


    After they bought everything they needed, Emma asked for Aleta to wait for her on the bench in front of a store while she went inside. She came out after some minutes, bringing a blue scrunchie in her hand. She stopped behind Aleta.


    ¡°Let me tie it up for you,¡± she said and pulled Aleta¡¯s soft hair. ¡°Your hair is so smooth. It¡¯s nice to touch.¡±


    ¡°T-Thanks¡­¡± Aleta said, looking at her feet.


    Emma finished the ponytail on the other girl and walked in front of her to look at the result. With her face free of all that hair, she looked like another girl. Her long bangs still made her look kinda childish.


    ¡°You have a pretty face,¡± Emma said. ¡°You should show it more. By the way, I bought scrunchie that looks like mine, I hope you don¡¯t mind if we match.


    ¡°N-No!¡± Aleta said, looking at Emma¡¯s own ponytail.


    Emma sat beside her. She touched Aleta¡¯s hand and realized how warm she was.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± She asked.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m fine¡­¡± Aleta said with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m used to it.¡±


    ¡°You shouldn''t. Those assholes should treat you better. And to think I used to have a crush on that idiot.¡±


    Emma pulled Aleta¡¯s body close to her in a hug. She knew the girl probably wasn¡¯t used to it, but that¡¯s why she wanted to do it. She realized how white Aleta¡¯s neck was as it got so close to her face. She also smelled like flowers, which Emma couldn¡¯t know if it was because of her home or the shampoo she was using.


    When she finally decided to walk back home, she realized Aleta¡¯s smile was brighter than before. That made her relieved.


    ***


    Before going home, Aleta asked to use the toilet on a convenience store. Emma wanted to go with her, but they had the bags to carry already, so she decided to wait outside. She didn¡¯t leave her position guarding the door the whole time.


    She used her time to verify her messages, as she realized the cellphone was getting signal. There was only one, from Emily, her best friend.


    Hey love. I¡¯m sorry you couldn¡¯t come, but I can promise you, this beach is great!


    I went to a party with Robert last night, and he actually rented a hotel room for us. I mean, way better and romantic than where we¡¯re staying! It was like I was fucking Cinderella! Well, or he was fucking Cinderella, I was fucking the Prince Charming. Well, you got it.


    Oh, but don¡¯t tell mommy, she thinks we just got home late.


    Anyway, I¡¯m having twice the fun for you, so don¡¯t be so sad! Say hi to your grandma for me.


    Bye, love, kisses!


    She looked at the message that just the other day would¡¯ve made her annoyed and jealous. And yet, she just smiled thinking about Emily trying to tease her. She started to type her own message back.


    Hey, stupid Cinderella. Don¡¯t ever forget who made you met your Charming Prince. I¡¯m your godmother, so be more respectful.


    Okay, I know, I know. Super cheeky, right? You ,started!


    For your information, I¡¯m actually having fun, and killing bugs have nothing to do with it!


    I don¡¯t have a Charming Prince, but I became friends with a really cute princess. I¡¯m getting along with her, so I¡¯m having fun. She might even become my best friend.


    Jealous yet?! Wait until I send you her photo!


    Oh, be careful not to make a mini Cinderella. You know, right?


    Love you (kinda), bye.


    As Aleta came back, Emma asked if she could take a photo of her, making the girl look at her in confusion.


    ¡°I want to send it to my friend if that¡¯s okay.¡±


    ¡°Y-Yeah¡­. But why?¡±


    ¡°Just because.¡±


    Emma surveyed around. She pointed to a point in front of some flowers.


    ¡°How about there? You¡¯ll look like a princess.¡±


    Aleta positioned herself where Emma pointed out. She was fiddling with her one-piece dress awkwardly.


    ¡°W-What should I do?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Just smile,¡± Emma said, pointing the camera of her cellphone to Aleta.


    Aleta gave a timid smile and Emma took the photo. She showed it to Aleta before sending it to Emily.


    ¡°That came out weird¡­¡± Aleta said while Emma typed a message.


    ¡°That¡¯s not true. It¡¯s cute,¡± she said, while sending the message and looked at Aleta. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s possible a photo of you not being cute, though.¡±


    Each compliment she got from Emma made Aleta blush more. She hoped the other girl wouldn¡¯t realize it.


    The two girls resumed their walk home. Before losing the phone¡¯s signal, Emma still received one last message from Emily.


    That¡¯s a really cute girl, I¡¯ll admit. What is she doing lost in the middle of nowhere?


    By the way, Emma, are you into girls, now?


    Not judging you love. I won¡¯t become jealous of that, though!


    She can be your girlfriend, so I¡¯m still the best friend.


    Emma knew her friend was probably just teasing her, but that made her conscious of Aleta. She looked at the girl walking beside. Aleta had a pretty smile on her face.


    ***


    The way home was peaceful, with the two girls talking to each other while holding the bags. The afternoon was ending and the night would start soon, so they couldn¡¯t waste time. Fortunately, they could already see the inn in front of them.


    ¡°Oh, by the way, I brought my swimsuit,¡± Emma said. ¡°So, we could go for a bath on thestream if the weather is¡­¡±


    Realizing Aleta had stopped walking, Emma stopped too. Aleta was looking right in front of her, but her eyes weren¡¯t focusing on anything. She left her bag slip through her fingers and fall to the ground.


    ¡°Aleta¡­?¡± Emma approached, grabbing the girl¡¯s wrist, but she didn¡¯t react. ¡°Hey¡­¡±


    Aleta¡¯s eyes moved to Emma, staring right into her eyes. Her face was expressionless and Emma felt a chill run through her body.


    ¡°Aleta, come on, are you tired?¡± Emma said, grabbing the bag the girl left on the ground. ¡°I¡¯ll carry it for you.¡±


    Slowly, Aleta rose her arm. She brushed the points of her fingers against Emma¡¯s cheek, gently removing the strand of hair in her way. But her eyes had no emotion as if she was looking at the empty.


    She breathed hard and opened her mouth.


    ¡°Aleta!¡±


    With a sudden movement, Aleta moved her hand away. She looked confused, moving her body and looking to the sides. But her eyes were normal again.


    ¡°What did I¡­¡± She said, looking at Emma.


    ¡°You looked weird. What¡¯s up? Are you feeling well?¡±


    Aleta¡¯s eyes fixed right in the inn in front of them. Then she bit her lower lip and took her bag from Emma¡¯s hands.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine...I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± she said while walking ahead.

 Chilly Tale of a Summer Break - Part 3

    That night, Emma couldn¡¯t take Aleta¡¯s face off her mind. How the girl¡¯s eyes looked empty scared Emma. Later, when alone with her grandma, she inquired the old woman about it. All that grandma said was how Aleta was a nice girl, and that Emma didn¡¯t need to be afraid of her.


    ¡°I know that.¡± Emma thought while throwing herself on the bed. ¡°I¡¯m just worried.¡±


    The long walk made her exhausted. It was starting to rain outside and the calm sound of water running on the roof was relaxing. Her eyes became heavy and slowly closed without her realizing.


    RIIIING


    She woke up with the phone ringing. Looking at her cell phone, she realized it was 11 PM. The ring sounded through all the room but it came from the telephone instead of her cell phone. She had no choice but to pick it up. Only her grandma or Aleta knew how to call her room.


    She put the receiver on her ear and said: ¡°Hello¡±.


    Silence.


    When she put the handset on the base, it started to ring again. She put the receiver on her ear again, but this time just listened. For several seconds, no voice or sound came out of it, which was weird, as it should at least get some environment sounds if it was a proper call from another room.


    After some seconds, a faint voice came from it. Emma didn¡¯t recognize its owner.


    ¡°Bud.¡± a weak female voice said; then it started to repeat the same word, again and again, intermittent. ¡°Bud. Bud. Bud¡­¡±


    Emma put the handset on the base again startled. It immediately started ringing again. She didn¡¯t pick it up.


    She knew that device couldn¡¯t be reached from an outside source. Her grandma and Aleta were the only ones who knew how to contact that specific room, as far as she knew. Maybe someone else could get that information, but she had no basis to believe that was the case.


    Her grandma wasn¡¯t the kind to play pranks and she didn¡¯t think Aleta would do it either. Still, she couldn¡¯t think about anyone else who could contact her like that. She got away from her room and walk to Aleta¡¯s room. She knocked on the door.


    Silence.


    ¡°Aleta!¡± she called, knocking again. But no one gave an answer.


    Emma got scared. She knew Aleta wouldn¡¯t be out at that time. Maybe she was downstairs again. But Emma could only think of the worst possibility. She put her hand on the knob and deciding to force the door open. Surprisingly, it opened easy.


    Aleta was sitting in front of her desk and moving her hands in front of her. Emma approached her and realized she was making a drawing on a piece of paper. A beautiful sketch of a woman with long hair on her underwears.


    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s beautiful,¡± Emma said without thinking.


    ¡°Wha¡­!¡±


    Aleta turned around fast, almost falling from her chair. She stared at confusion at her open door.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry. I just,¡± Emma started to explain, moving her hands agitated. ¡°The door was open and,¡± Emma gave two steps back. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you could draw.¡±


    Aleta took pulled the paper close to her as if hiding it.


    ¡°They¡¯re not that good, so¡­¡± she said, avoiding looking at Emma.


    ¡°Are you kidding? It¡¯s beautiful. Do you have more?¡± Emma said, walking to the desk. She saw a group of papers with drawings on them on it. ¡°Can I?¡±


    Aleta nodded. Emma took them in turn. They were all long-haired women. Sometimes they were nude or on their underwears.


    ¡°They¡¯re really beautiful,¡± Emma said, looking drawing by drawing. While she was looking at them, Aleta jumped from her chair and took all the drawings from Emma¡¯s hand.


    ¡°I,¡± she paused, blushing.¡± I am a little embarrassed by them.¡±


    ¡°Because some are nudes?¡± Emma said, giving a smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. That¡¯s art, right? Well, show me them again sometime if you feel more comfortable. You¡¯re talented.¡±


    Aleta put the papers on the desk, avoiding facing Emma. Emma seemed to finally remember something.


    ¡°Oh, but, that¡¯s right. That¡¯s not why I came here,¡± she surveyed the room with a serious face and her eyes fixed on the telephone on Aleta¡¯s room. ¡°Say, were you drawing all this time?¡±


    ¡°Y-Yeah.¡±


    Emma scrutinized the room, again. The telephone was on the other side, beside the bed. It was too far away from Aleta¡¯s current position.


    ¡°Someone called my room by phone. I guess it wasn¡¯t you, right?¡±


    Aleta stared at Emma and to the phone in turn. When her eyes fixed on Emma again, Emma had this weird impression that Aleta¡¯s eyes weren¡¯t fixed on her. Maybe on something else.


    ¡°The first time they didn¡¯t say anything,¡± Emma said, ignoring the chill she felt by Aleta¡¯s stray look. ¡°Then a voice started saying ¡®bud¡¯ over and over again. You were drawing here the whole time, right?¡±


    Aleta didn¡¯t say anything. Her expression looked troubled. She fiddled with her skirt while avoiding looking straight at Emma.


    ¡°So, you see...¡±


    ¡°You,¡± Aleta interjected before Emma could say anything. ¡°You can go back to sleep now. I promise you, it won¡¯t happen again,¡± again, Aleta¡¯s eyes seemed to stray behind Emma. ¡°I promise you¡­¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Emma,¡± Aleta stood up and threw a stare at her phone. ¡°I can¡¯t explain, but trust me. Please!¡±


    Emma hesitated. She looked at the troubled face Aleta made and gave a nod. Saying good night, she exited the room. She waited in front of the door for some seconds. A sound like a mumbling could be heard coming from inside but Emma couldn¡¯t distinguish what it was saying.


    She gave up and went back to her room.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    ***


    Emma woke up the next day feeling something hurting her face. After walking to the small bathroom that was part of her room, she looked at the mirror. Turning her face, there was a mark on her cheek. The red mark resembling a circle. She went back to her bed and searched where she used to rest her head. She found something hard and shiny. Emma reached for it and held a ring in her hand.


    She looked inside, but there was nothing engraved in it. She knew for sure that ring wasn¡¯t there before she went sleeping and her door was locked during the whole night. She felt a chill on her spine considering that someone went inside her room while she was sleeping.


    Emma decided not to tell anyone about that. After her talk with Aleta the other night, she felt like bringing another weird happening would make things worse, or worry her more. She wanted to know what was going on before doing anything. She needed concrete proofs. Putting the ring inside her bag, she went outside for her breakfast.


    She met Aleta by the stairs. The girl looked at her and gave a nod, greeting her.


    ¡°Did you, huh, sleep well?¡± Aleta asked.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Emma said. She fought against her wish to talk about the ring.


    They went down for breakfast and talked to each other as always. When Emma went back to her room, she saw the half of something under her door. She picked it up. It was an envelope.


    ¡°Wait!¡± Aleta said while reaching for the envelope, but Emma opened it. Inside there was just a name and a line.


    Emma.


    I think I''m in love with you.


    Emma showed the letter to Aleta. Aleta¡¯s face was pale already, but suddenly it looked even paler.


    ¡°That''s it!¡± Emma said and turned back to the stairs.


    ***


    ¡°So what you''re saying is...¡± her grandma was talking while looking at the letter above her desk.


    Misses Stephens was sitting behind the desk and her granddaughter was standing up in front of her. Aleta was closer to the door, just watching in silence.


    ¡°Someone calling my phone, things appearing on my room. I''m sure there''s someone stalking me. Maybe some pervert. I don¡¯t know,¡± Emma said.


    ¡°I see. I have exactly three young men staying in this inn right now, but I don''t believe any of them would¡­¡±


    ¡°So what? You¡¯re going to say I¡¯m lying?!¡± Emma shouted, slapping the desk. ¡°I, I''m sorry,¡± she said, retreating her hand. ¡°It¡¯s scary.¡±


    ¡°I understand, dear.¡±


    Emma knew the men who were staying there since she was a child. She also didn''t believe they would do something like that. Still, she couldn''t think about anything else.


    Misses Stephens looked at Aleta, who just watched everything in silent with her pale face.


    ¡°Emma dear, do you mind if I speak to Aleta alone?¡±


    Emma threw a confused look at Aleta. Aleta gave a nod, which made Emma walk outside the room as the girl got inside.


    She waited in front of the closed door. She couldn¡¯t understand what Aleta could do or know that she didn¡¯t. Nervous, she tapped her feet on the ground while her grandmother and her new friend were inside. After long minutes, the door was opened. Aleta made a signal inviting Emma inside.


    ¡°Dear, would it be too much to ask you to put your trust on us?¡± Her grandma said.


    ¡°What is going on? What Aleta has to do with this?¡±


    ¡°There have been some circumstances on this inn lately, dear, and I, well, I don¡¯t want to scare you. Aleta here also thinks it¡¯s better if you let us take care of it. I can promise nothing like that will happen again for now.¡±


    Emma looked at her grandma perplexed. She felt Aleta¡¯s warm hand holding her arm. Aleta almost never touched her from her own accord, so Emma looked at her with curiosity. The girl had some glimpse of determination in her eyes.


    ¡°Please, Emma. I swear that I won¡¯t let anything hurt you.¡±


    It was impossible for Emma to distrust those eyes, so she nodded. Aleta gave out a sigh and Emma¡¯s grandma smiled at them. Emma held Aleta¡¯s hands and pulled the girl closer, making her gasp in surprise.


    ¡°Okay, but sleep in my room tonight! I¡¯ll feel better if I¡¯m not alone.¡±


    ¡°I...I¡­¡± Aleta said, nervously throwing a look at Misses Stephens. The old woman just nodded with a smile. ¡°O-Okay.¡±


    ***


    That night Emma decided to show Aleta the ring she had found. The other girl just looked at it without understanding.


    ¡°This was on my bed when I woke up this morning. I wanted to understand what¡¯s going on before saying anything, but if you really know what¡¯s up, maybe you should know about it.¡±


    Aleta examined every part of the ring. It was definitely an engagement ring. Although it looked old.


    ¡°Weird is,¡± Emma said while sitting on her bed. ¡°I know my mother lost a ring my father gave her in this very room. But that was more than twenty years ago.¡±


    Aleta gave a weird look to the ring. She turned it back to Emma.


    ¡°Did you ask her about it?¡±


    ¡°I thought about calling her but I didn¡¯t want to worry. I would have to tell about the other weird things, and she probably would come back right away. But still, I can¡¯t stop thinking about it.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s the same ring,¡± Aleta said, turning her eyes away. ¡°It¡¯s impossible, right? I cleaned this room every day, so¡­¡±


    Emma stored the ring back in her bag again and looked at Aleta. She gave a smile.


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re right. I¡¯m overthinking it,¡± then she got serious. ¡°But that would mean someone came inside and put it on my bed. And that¡¯s scarier.¡±


    Aleta was wearing same pink nightdress Emma saw before and her long and straight black hair was loose. Emma used to just put old clothes for sleep, so how appropriated Aleta looked impressed her. She realized she could see the girl¡¯s black underwear through the nightdress and that made her blush.


    Aleta would sleep on the floor, despite Emma¡¯s attempts to offer her own bed.


    ¡°Still,¡± Emma said while smiling at Aleta. ¡°This feels like a sleepover. I had some with friends when I was younger.¡±


    ¡°A sleepover, huh?¡± Aleta said, looking at Emma, who still had her cheeks slightly red. ¡°I never had one.¡±


    Giving how Aleta was ostracized by the boys on the city, and how she apparently went through that during her whole infancy, Emma felt like the girl was lonely since forever. She couldn¡¯t know how she was treated by her own family, but the current situation implied it wasn¡¯t any better.


    ¡°Well, we can have one now. We¡¯re just sharing a room, but, let¡¯s see. How about we talk a little before sleeping?¡±


    Aleta nodded but stood in silence while sitting on the mattress on the floor. Emma smiled as Aleta looked eager at her.


    ¡°Huh, So, huh,¡± Emma said, scratching her head. Suddenly she jumped out of the bed, startling Aleta. ¡°Oh, I know what we can do!¡±


    Asking for Aleta¡¯s help, she put her own mattress on the floor. Aleta looked at it and Emma saw a smile form on her face.


    ¡°I see. it¡¯s like we¡¯re sharing a bed.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s the same as sharing a bed,¡± Emma said. ¡°Are you okay with it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a little nervous, but, I think, yeah.¡±


    While Emma was happy to see Aleta¡¯s bright smile, knowing how that smile came to be because of her loneliness made her a little sad. Emma lied on the bed first, followed by Aleta, who turned her body to face her. Emma held Aleta¡¯s hand, which made the girl¡¯s body retract a little, but soon she relaxed. Her hand was soft and Emma threw a smile at her.


    ¡°I am your friend now so don¡¯t worry,¡± Emma said.


    ¡°Friends,¡± Aleta said, looking at Emma for some time before smiling. ¡°Yeah!¡±


    ***


    Duringthe middle of the night Emma opened her eyes. She thought about looking at the time on her cell phone. When she tried to move her arm, it didn¡¯t obey. She tried to move any other part of her body, but none obeyed. Her whole body didn¡¯t obey her. She was frozen and could only move her eyes.


    She focused on Aleta¡¯s face in front of her. Maybe she could make a signal to ask for help. Surprised, she realized Aleta¡¯s eyes were looking straight at her. Emma tried to talk, but her mouth wouldn¡¯t move either. At first, she was relieved that at least Aleta was awake. Still, the way the girl looked at her made her unsettled.


    Aleta¡¯s eyes looked empty, despite being open. She didn¡¯t say anything, just staring straight into Emma¡¯s eyes. It was the same as the other day when they came back from the city. Suddenly, Aleta¡¯s body started to move, approaching Emma. She got so close that the forehead from both girls touched. Emma could feel Aleta¡¯s breath close to her face, as she opened her mouth.


    ¡°Bud,¡± the word came cold from Aleta¡¯s mouth.


    Emma tried to scream or move but it was useless. She watched as Aleta stood up and sat over her body. She shivered as Aleta¡¯s cold fingers traced her face; As Aleta¡¯s fragile hands closed on her neck.


    Aleta¡¯s grip was getting stronger and stronger but Emma still couldn¡¯t scream. It became so strong that Emma started to have difficulty in breathing. When breathing became impossible, Emma¡¯s mind blanked out.

 Chilly Tale of a Summer Break - Part 4

    When Emma opened her eyes, the light of the day welcomed her. Startled by a sudden noise, she looked in its direction, just to see Aleta coming out of the bathroom, already in her everyday clothes. Remembering her experience last night made Emma give Aleta a serious and cautious look.


    ¡°G-Good morning,¡± Aleta said. Her hair was a mess and her bangs almost covering her eyes.


    ¡°Good morning,¡± Emma said with a faint smile.


    She made an effort to get up. She felt relieved, realizing her body was obeying her. Aleta started brushing her hair. Her lustrous black hair shining in the sunlight entering the room by the open window. Emma realized she was sweating. The heat was worse than the previous day.


    The memory of that night was bothering her mind. But looking at Aleta, just brushing her hair as if nothing had happened, Emma started to question if what happened was real or a nightmare.


    She walked into the bathroom, throwing cold water on her face. The chilling feeling was a relief in that heat.


    That was a nightmare, she thought. There is no way that was real. Like, sleep paralysis could do that.


    Suddenly while looking at her own reflection, something popped out on her mind. To take her mind off that nightmare. She turned to Aleta who was still brushing her hair sitting on her bed.


    ¡°Aleta. I want to invite you to something, but, do you have a swimsuit?¡±


    ***


    Emma ran in her swimsuit in direction of the stream close to the inn. It was an isolated place and the heat was strong, so she wore the swimsuit before leaving the inn.


    She used to go to that stream a lot in the past. It was small and had clear water, warm in summer. Apparently, her mother also used to bathe there when the heat was strong, sometimes with her family. It was shallow close to the rocks but could get deep if someone tried to go to the center. It wasn¡¯t a big stream. Someone could cross it easily and it was surrounded by trees, which made the shadow around it nice and cool.


    Swimming there was one of the few pleasures Emma got from the vacations on her grandma¡¯s inn so she always took a swimsuit with her. This time, it was a new swimsuit. She had bought it originally thinking about going to the beach. A black bikini with laces on the side of her bottom. The top was a little tight on her breasts but it would be enough for swimming. She has her hair tied up.


    Aleta walked behind Emma. She agreed to join her with some reluctance. She was wearing a white one-piece covering her whole belly but leaving her back exposed. And yet, she walked with her hands covering her belly as if hiding it. Emma had tied her hair up, even though Aleta said she couldn¡¯t swim so she wouldn¡¯t get too far in the water.


    ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡± Asked Emma, after throwing herself on the water. ¡°Come on.¡±


    Aleta walked inside, sitting on the rocks in the shallow part and only bathing her legs.


    ¡°Are you afraid?¡± Emma asked.


    ¡°I can¡¯t swim,¡± she said.


    ¡°I know. But I¡¯m here. I¡¯ll help you if something happens,¡± Emma said, smiling at Aleta. Her eyes examining the girl¡¯s body from top to down. ¡°But you know, hiding your body like that is such a waste. I was excited to see you showing some skin. A rare and exciting view.¡±


    As if by instinct, Aleta covered her belly again.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m not as athletic as you. I¡¯m a little fat.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? Let me see.¡±


    Emma swam to where Aleta was sitting and rubbed her belly. Startled, the girl jumped back and fell with her ass on the water. Emma let out a laugh.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry. I couldn¡¯t resist. I think you¡¯re okay. You¡¯re soft.¡±


    Emma offered her hand to Aleta, helping her to get up.


    ¡°Was that swimsuit given to you by grandma?¡±


    ¡°Y-Yeah.¡±


    ¡°I knew it. It was mine. I left it here last summer.¡±


    Aleta let out a gasp and her face became red.


    ¡°I-I- I¡¯m sorry. I shouldn¡¯t¡­ Want me to take it off?¡±


    ¡°What? No, it¡¯s fine. I think it suits you. Don¡¯t mind it. Or are you worried because I wore it? I¡¯m sure grandma washed it, so it¡¯s not dirty or anything.¡±


    ¡°D-Dirty? That¡¯s not what I...¡±


    ¡°Also, taking it off here is kinda,¡± Emma said, eyeing Aleta¡¯s body. ¡°Well, maybe could be a nice show, but we would have a hard time explaining it.¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡± Aleta said, blushing again. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean, huh. I wouldn¡¯t¡­¡±


    Emma smiled and held Aleta¡¯s hands. She gently pulled the girl towards her.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go a little deeper. I won¡¯t let you go sothere''s no need to be afraid.¡±


    After some consideration, Aleta nodded slowly. She let Emma guide her towards a deeper part of the water. The water was cool, and in that heat, it was pleasant on the skin. Aleta had rubbed herself with sunscreen after Emma pointed it out, worried how white and vulnerable her skin was.


    After they got to the point where the water was covering a little below her breasts, Aleta pulled her hands from Emma¡¯s grasp.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine here.¡±


    It was total silence around them. Only the sound of the water running and birds singing. That calm was the one thing that place had to win against the beach.


    Aleta''s looked to the deeper part of the stream. She seemed too fixated on it. Her eyes wouldn¡¯t move away and Emma realized the girl biting her lower lip.


    ¡°Are you that afraid of the water?¡± Emma asked, smiling.


    ¡°I am, sorry,¡± Aleta said, moving her eyes to Emma. She looked embarrassed


    ¡°It''s okay. As I said, I won''t let anything happen to you.¡± Then Emma turned in the direction of the deeper part. ¡°I''ll just swim a bit, so wait here.¡±


    But when Emma tried to leap forward, Aleta held her wrist. She looked behind to see the girl throwing a worried look at her.


    ¡°I''ll be back soon. Don''t worry,¡± Emma said with a smile, but Aleta wouldn''t let go of her grip. ¡°Wait. Are you worried about me?¡±


    ¡°It''s dangerous,¡± Aleta said, avoiding Emma''s eyes.


    ¡°It''s okay. I''m used to it, don''t worry. I used to swim here alone.¡±


    ¡°But, you know, if something happens, I, I can''t help you.¡±


    Seeing the fear and uneasy in Aleta''s eyes, Emma threw her arms against her and pulled her in a hug. Startled, Aleta almost fell in the water.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Emma said. Taking advantage of Aleta¡¯s confusion, she threw herself in the water.


    While she swam around, Aleta couldn¡¯t take her eyes away from her.


    The two girls spent the whole afternoon together. Sometimes Emma would tease Aleta, throwing water at her, trying to pull her together while diving or giving her a scare. She didn''t go too far, though, realizing how much Aleta was worried about her. Every time she went to the deep parts of the river, Aleta couldn¡¯t move her eyes away.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Around 5 PM, Emma was starting to get hungry. She realized it was time to go back home. She was sitting on the rocks, hugging her knees together while Aleta was sitting on the shallow part of the stream playing with the water using her hands.


    ¡°You know,¡± Emma said. ¡°I didn''t want to come here at first. But now that I¡¯m spending my time with you, I have to say. I¡¯m really having fun. I¡¯m happy that I came.¡±


    ¡°Me too,¡± Aleta said, avoiding to face Emma. ¡°This is, I think, the most fun I ever had with someone¡­¡±


    ¡°Is that so? I¡¯m really happy that we became friends.¡±


    ¡°Friends¡­¡± Aleta mumbled to herself.


    She stood up and walked to the where Emma was sitting. She approached Emma and stared right at her without a word. Emma gave a smile, a little confused.


    Aleta gently held Emma¡¯s face with her wet hands. Bringing her face close, she gave a kiss on her friend¡¯s lips. Aleta¡¯s lips were cold because of the water. Emma¡¯s lips, on the other side, were warm by being bathed in the sun


    After Aleta finished the kiss, Emma looked at her in confusion. When she opened her lips to talk, Aleta covered her own mouth with her hand and ran away leaving her slippers behind.


    ¡°Wait!¡± Emma shout and ran after her.


    Aleta had the lead, but Emma was faster. In no time, she reached the girl and grabbed her arm, making her stop. When Aleta looked at her, her eyes were full of tears.


    The two girls looked at each other, standing in the middle of the field wearing only their swimsuits on that late afternoon. The sky was becoming orange because of the sunset. Emma was the first one to talk.


    ¡°Aleta. Speak with me. Why did you¡­?¡±


    Emma¡¯s words died on her mouth. She realized again the same dead look on Aleta¡¯s face. The same look from her nightmare. She released Aleta¡¯s arm and gave a step back. Aleta walked one step towards her.


    Even though it was her friend in front of her, Emma felt the desire to ran away. When she gave another step back to avoid Aleta¡¯s advance, she fell to the ground. At that moment, she recognizes the usual expression on her friend¡¯s face again.


    ¡°Aleta¡­¡± She said, holding her hand to the girl, but this time Aleta was the one who retracted.


    ¡°What did I¡­?¡± She said, looking at Emma at the ground.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Emma said, still holding her hand to Emma. ¡°Help me get up. Let¡¯s talk.¡±


    ¡°Why did you look so scared?¡±


    ¡°I,¡± Emma looked at Aleta in silence, trying to avoid the subject. ¡°I, huh, had a nightmarelast night. That was all.¡±


    ¡°You were trying to choke me. But that¡¯s fine. It¡¯s just a nightmare. Aleta, about that kiss¡­¡±


    But Aleta retracted again.


    ¡°I, I,¡± without another word, she ran away.


    Emma didn''t move. She put her fingers on her lips remembering the wet sensation of Aleta¡¯s soft lips. First the kiss, then her reaction. Emma was confused.


    Soon it would be dark, so she stood up and decided to get back home. She could talk with Aleta once she got there.First, she needed to take the slippers they left behind in the stream.


    ***


    When Emma arrived at the inn with her towel wrapped around her, she found her grandmother at the entrance. She told Emma that Aleta was at the bath, and Emma should take one too. Emma agreed and walked inside the building, but before she could get farther on, her grandma spoke to her.


    ¡°By the way, your mother is coming to get you tomorrow.¡±


    Emma stopped and turned around. She gave her grandma a baffled look.


    ¡°Why?¡± She asked.


    ¡°I called her. We think it¡¯s better if you don¡¯t stay here any longer.¡±


    ¡°What? Why? Did I do something wrong?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not about you, my dear. But I don¡¯t feel like I have the right to tell you. Ask Aleta later, if she wants to talk.¡±


    Emma moved inside perplexed. In front of her room, she glanced at Aleta¡¯s door and considered knocking. She decided to take a bath first, to calm down. Inside, she realized Aleta had taken her things with her, meaning she didn¡¯t plan to spend the night there again.


    After taking a bath and having dinner, where Aleta didn¡¯t show up, Emma walked to her friend''s room. She knocked on the door and waited for it to open. Only a small gap was visible and Aleta put her face in front of it.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Aleta said with a cold voice.


    ¡°Will you tell me what¡¯s going on?¡± Emma asked, with animosity in her voice.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry. But I don¡¯t want to see you again.¡±


    ¡°Why?!¡± Emma said with a heated voice, slapping the side of the door. Aleta flinched.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Aleta said again and closed the door.


    ¡°Dammit!¡± Emma shouted, kicking the door.


    She wasn¡¯t angry at Aleta. She was frustrated. She waited in front of the door, deciding if she should try again. She didn¡¯t want to go home while things were like that. After some minutes waiting, Emma heard mumblings coming from inside Aleta¡¯s room. She couldn¡¯t understand what was being said, but it was like Aleta was talking to someone.


    Suddenly, she heard a shout coming from inside, clearly belonging to Aleta.


    ¡°I said to leave her alone!¡±


    Emma wondered if she should knock on the door again. Still, she would probably get the same answer. She got back to her room. Something was wrong there and she wanted to find out before her mother went to get her in the next day.


    Emma sat on the bed trying to organize her thoughts. She hated school and didn¡¯t want to ever work, but she wasn¡¯t dumb. When she put her mind into it, she could solve any problem.


    She reached for the bag again and found the ring. That was the first hint. No way that ring was kept in that room through all those years without being found. Someone probably had brought it to her. For what purposes, she didn¡¯t know.


    Emma tried to identify other important hints. Aleta herself was one. More than once, the girl had shown some weird behavior. She remembered what the boy in the city had said about her. And now Aleta was talking to herself at her room. Also the kiss, which she still could feel on her lips.


    She¡¯s a nice girl, though, Emma thought. She didn¡¯t want to believe Aleta was doing anything bad on purpose.


    The other hint, Bud. The voice she heard on the phone. She was almost certain that wasn¡¯t Aleta¡¯s voice. Then she heard it again from Aleta¡¯s own mouth on that nightmare.


    Was it even a nightmare?


    Then there was the letter. Just a love declaration without a sender. The letter and the ring were the only tangible pieces of evidence Emma had.


    The ring¡­


    She looked at the ring again. Of course, she couldn¡¯t find out who wrote the letter unless she compared the handwriting with everyone in the inn, which she had no time for. If that ring was really her mother¡¯s ring, though, she had a lead. A weak lead, but it was something.


    She took the phone and dialed her mother¡¯s number. Luckily, it didn¡¯t take too long until she picked it up.


    ¡°Hello, mom.¡±


    ¡°Emma, is that you? Your grandma called me earlier, what is going on? Why do you need to come back now?¡±


    Emma looked at the ring. She didn¡¯t know how to bring up the subject. Her mother probably wouldn¡¯t recognize it without a photo, and her cell phone had no signal to send one. The stronger hint she could bring up related to that case was the name she heard before.


    ¡°Mom, I know this might sound weird, but I really need to know. Do you know someone or something called Bud?¡±


    No answer came from the other line. Emma thought she could hear her mother¡¯s breath but she wasn¡¯t saying anything.


    ¡°Mom?¡±


    ¡°Oh, sorry, dear. You got me by surprise there. Bud, yeah I know the name. Where did you hear that?¡±


    ¡°Someone, well, brought it up. Who or what is it?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you see. Bud is actually me.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Darling, can we talk about this tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Emma almost shouted at the receiver. ¡°Please, trust me, mom. I need to know it now. Is there something important about this name?¡±


    Another silence, but this time Rosa started to talk again without Emma needing to call her.


    ¡°I never told you any of this and it¡¯s really a story I don¡¯t want to remember, but there was another girl living with us when I was a kid. In fact, I shared the very room you¡¯re staying with her. Her situation was like of that girl, Aleta was it? She was just some girl mom took to raise because she was having problems with her family. She was ten years old the first time we met. The same age as me. So she was like my sister. Well, now that I think about it, that probably wasn¡¯t really what our relationship was like. Her name was Sherry.¡±


    Emma felt like someone was watching her and turned behind, but there was nothing. For some reason, that talk was unsettling for her.


    ¡°And what does this Sherry girl has to do with the name Bud?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s how she used to call me. She was the only one. You know, my name is based on the word rose. So, the bud of a rose. She found it smart, so she started to call me that. It was kind of special to us since she was the only one who called me like that.¡±


    ¡°She was your age, so she should be an adult now, right?¡± said Emma, thinking about the adult women she knew were staying at the inn. ¡°Have you heard about her recently? Maybe she¡¯s still around.¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s impossible,¡± Another silence on the other side. Feeling her mother was feeling troubled, Emma waited. ¡°That girl, she died in an accident a little after I moved away. She drowned in the river.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s... I see. Sorry, mom,¡± Emma said. She looked at the ring on her hand and wondered if she should tell her mother about it. She decided against it. It wasn¡¯t the kind of thing she should tell by phone. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to bring sad memories.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. It was a long time ago. She was a nice girl, but a little,¡± another silence. ¡°Well, we can talk more tomorrow, okay?¡±


    Emma resisted to tell her not to come. She didn¡¯t want to go away yet, both because she wanted to understand what was going on and because she wanted to fix her relationship with Aleta. That would be impossible while she was being avoided.


    Emma said goodbye to her mother and put the phone on the base.


    KNOCK


    She heard a knock on the door. Emma turned to it. She looked at her cell phone and it wasalready 10 PM. Looking at the shadow below the door, she realized whoever it was, they hadn¡¯t gone away yet.


    She breathed deeply, building up the courage. Walking towards the door, she slowly opened it. Aleta¡¯s face was on the other side, giving a smile at her. Her expression was a little weird. Too relaxed for the girl who was so nervous just hours before.


    ¡°I need to show you something. Can you come with me?¡± Aleta said and moved away.

 Chilly Tale of a Summer Break - Final

    Emma followed Aleta down the stairs. She knew that now was the best time for her to find out what was going on, considering it was only less than twenty-four hours left before her mother arrives.


    Aleta stepped outside the inn. Even though it was summer, the night air was too cold for her thin nightdress. Emma resisted the urge to pull Aleta back or call her grandma. She didn¡¯t, thinking how Aleta would just start to avoid her again. At least now they were talking.


    Aleta¡¯s loose expression with a distant smile worried Emma, though.


    Emma followed the girl until the stream where they played together that afternoon. For a moment, she feared Aleta was going to throw herself on the water. Instead, she stopped on the riverside and turned to Emma. She held out her hand, offering it.


    Emma didn¡¯t move.


    ¡°What is going on here, Aleta?¡±


    ¡°I want to show you something. Come with me.¡±


    Emma moved her foot. Every happening since she arrived started to cross her mind, like pieces of a puzzle trying to fit together.


    Aleta¡¯s weird moods, the phone calls and the knocks on the door, the boys saying Aleta was weird, the ring, Sherry, everything. Emma started to have a better idea of what was going on, even if it was too absurd to believe it.


    ¡°Say my name,¡± Emma said, stopping suddenly.


    Aleta didn¡¯t say anything, still holding out her hand.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t say my name yet,¡± Emma said again. ¡°Do it and I¡¯ll take your hand.¡±


    Aleta opened her lips. They moved and the name came out of her mouth.


    ¡°Bud¡­¡±


    Emma retracted.


    ¡°You¡¯re not Aleta. You¡¯re Sherry, right?¡±


    Aleta¡¯s body froze. Her face became tense as she stared at Emma.


    ¡°I¡¯m not Bud,¡± Emma said. ¡°Bud was my mother¡­¡±


    ¡°Liar!¡± Aleta¡¯s mouth shouted, sending shivers to Emma¡¯s body. ¡°You¡¯re Bud. You have to be. You would never leave me. Please, please, Bud¡­¡±


    Aleta started to walk slowly in Emma¡¯s direction. Her pupils were shaking as she talked.


    ¡°I love you. I have always loved you. I won¡¯t accept you leaving for that...that guy. Bud, please, hold me again. Bud¡­¡±


    She walked closer. Emma didn¡¯t move.


    ¡°It¡¯s cold and lonely here, Bud. Don¡¯t let me alone! Please, come live with me! Let¡¯s live together again!¡±


    Aleta gave another step. Emma almost didn¡¯t see the shiny object coming in her direction. She jumped away missing the point of the knife Aleta was holding in the last moment.


    With the blade in the place where Emma¡¯s belly was just seconds before, Aleta looked at her. Emma gasped and her hands started to shake.


    ¡°Stop, Sherry!¡±


    ¡°Why won¡¯t you come with me, Bud?¡± Aleta said with a cold stare. ¡°This girl, she said you¡¯re not Bud. But she¡¯s lying. Why did she lie? I thought she was my friend. I just don¡¯t want to be alone anymore. I want to be close to the one I love. We¡¯re the same, so why won¡¯t she let me?¡±


    ¡°My mom, I mean, Bud wouldn¡¯t want you to hurt anyone, Sherry,¡± Emma said, giving a step forward. ¡°Please, give me that knife.¡±


    ¡°No! I don¡¯t want to be alone anymore! I don¡¯t want to!¡± Aleta walked two steps back, getting away from Emma but closer to the stream. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be alone anymore. If you won¡¯t come with me, then I¡¯ll take her. I¡¯ll take my friend. She¡¯ll live with me!¡±


    Aleta raised the knife again, this time, pointing against her own throat. Her hands were firm, her eyes coldly looking at Emma.


    ¡°No. Please, don¡¯t do that¡­¡± Emma asked with a crying voice. ¡°Please, don¡¯t hurt her¡­¡±


    ¡°Hurt? I wouldn¡¯t hurt her. She¡¯s my friend. My only friend. She said she would help me, so I¡¯ll take her now,¡± Aleta said, pressing the point of the knife against her throat. A fillet of blood came out. ¡°We¡¯ll comfort each other. If she stays here, she¡¯ll suffer even more. Just like me. I won¡¯t allow it. She won¡¯t end up suffering like me.¡±


    She pressed the blade more, making more blood come out. Emma felt her legs failing and despair dominated her body. She reached her hand in Aleta¡¯s direction but stopped in fear of startling Sherry even more.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go with you!¡± Emma shout while tears formed on her eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you, so please, let her go!¡±


    ¡°Bud?¡± Aleta said, slowly moving the knife away from her throat.


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right. I¡¯m Bud,¡± Emma said, walking slowly in Aleta¡¯s direction with her extended hand. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I left you but I love you. I won¡¯t let you be alone again. We¡¯ll always be together from now on. So don¡¯t be so hasty, please.¡±


    Aleta smiled. Her eyes weren¡¯t as cold anymore. There were tears flowing from them.


    With a fast movement, Aleta thrust the knife in Emma¡¯s direction again. This time, Emma turned sideways and held Aleta¡¯s wrist with a strong grip. The girl tried to release herself but Emma pulled her body and kissed her lips.


    During the kiss, Aleta lost the strength in her hand. The sound of a metallic object crashing against the ground was heard together with the sound of water flowing.


    Emma grabbed the knife from the ground fast, while still holding Aleta¡¯s body in her arms. She felt the body¡¯s weight as the girl lost consciousness, making Emma hold her tighter so she wouldn¡¯t fall to the ground.


    ¡°I understand that you loved my mom,¡± Emma said, sitting against the trunk of a tree and lying Aleta¡¯s head on her lap. She caressed the girl¡¯s bangs. ¡°But now it¡¯s for the best that you move on, Sherry. I¡¯m really sorry about what happened, but I hope that you can find peace.¡±


    ***


    Emma didn''t realize how much time passed until Aleta opened her eyes. She let the girl sleep on her lap and caressed her hair the whole time. The night was cold and Aleta¡¯s thin nightdress probably didn¡¯t help but Emma didn¡¯t think she could take her home while she was unconscious. And no way she would leave her alone there.


    Aleta''s eyes stared at Emma. It was dark, but the moon was casting enough light. Emma¡¯s eyes were accustomed enough to discern the girl''s confused expression.


    ¡°Are you the real Aleta now?¡± Emma asked.


    ¡°She...she is gone,¡± Aleta said, letting out a sigh. ¡°Sherry is gone¡­¡±


    ¡°Will you tell me now what is this all about?¡±


    Aleta bit her lip. Her eyes wandered through the trees above them but soon moved to Emma¡¯s face. She nodded.


    ¡°Sherry was dead. Or should I say, she was a ghost. I met her when I moved to the inn and I wanted to help her. She was the one who¡­¡± Aleta didn¡¯t say anything else. Emma nodded.


    ¡°Why couldn''t you tell me?¡±


    ¡°I-I just didn''t want you to see me as a freak. I never had friends because of it. My family freaked out when they realize I could see these things. People don''t like being told about things they can''t understand.¡±


    ¡°So it¡¯s normal for you to see, like, them?¡±


    ¡°All the time. People who died and can¡¯t move on. They¡¯re everywhere. I wanted to help. With Sherry too.¡±


    Both girls remained in silence. Emma still caressing Aleta¡¯s hair. After some time, it got too cold for them to ignore.


    ¡°Can you stand?¡± Emma asked.


    Aleta tried to get up, but her body fell to Emma¡¯s lap again. She gave Emma a wry smile.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± Emma said.


    Taking care to support Aleta¡¯s body with her hands, Emma got up holding the girl in her arms.


    ¡°W-W-What?!¡± Aleta said while blushing.


    ¡°If you can¡¯t walk, I¡¯ll carry you,¡± Emma said, walking away from the stream. ¡°Now that you¡¯re conscious, it¡¯ll be easier. You¡¯re not that heavy¡±


    Aleta¡¯s body was like a child on Emma¡¯s arms. She knew the girl wasn¡¯t that developed physically. Emma herself was pretty athletic. But how easy it was to carry her was still surprising.


    Emma could feel Aleta¡¯s soft legs through her dress. Her perfume too close to her.


    Feeling embarrassed, Emma tried to direct her thoughts elsewhere.


    ¡°S-So, about Sherry¡­¡± Emma said when they were half the way to the inn.


    ¡°She moved on, I think...¡± Aleta said. The cold wind was giving her chills. ¡°At least, I can¡¯t feel her around anymore. When she died, she was full of regrets and couldn''t move on. I tried to be her friend. But the dead are hard to reach. So most of the time, it was useless. You ended up being the one who saved her.¡±Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    ¡°Her death. That wasn¡¯t an accident, right?¡±


    Aleta didn¡¯t say anything.


    ¡°That girl,¡± Emma said. ¡°She was in love with my mother. Not a sisterly love. Not as a friend. It was a romantic love, right? I felt bad about her. Her love was real, and yet my mother went away. Me being born is proof of that girl¡¯s misery.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Aleta said, shaking her head. ¡°Sherry was a difficult person. She couldn¡¯t get over it. Most people would¡¯ve accepted it. Moved on. That happens a lot. I don¡¯t think your mother was wrong. It¡¯s not wrong that you were born. Sherry just couldn¡¯t take a no,¡± Aleta looked at Emma and smiled. ¡°I got close to her because we had lots of things in common. I pitied her, but also loved her as a friend. So thanks for stopping her suffering.¡±


    Emma nodded.


    ¡°And, huh¡­¡± Aleta said. ¡°I was, huh, really happy when you, you know, worried about me¡­¡±


    Emma blushed and tried to look away from Sherry, which was impossible when she was literally carrying the girl in her arms.


    ¡°Y-You remember everything?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Actually, when I am possessed, I usually lose consciousness. After she tried to attack you, though, she became a mess. I could see everything. Or maybe it wasn''t her. Maybe it was me. Maybe I didn¡¯t want to hurt you.¡±


    ¡°S-So¡­ Y-You do understand, right? About the, huh, kiss. That was¡­¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± Aleta said, smiling. ¡°And it wasn¡¯t bad¡­¡± she added in a low voice.


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°N-Nothing,¡± Aleta looked away, blushing. ¡°It was nothing.¡±


    ***


    Aleta took a whole night to fully recover. Apparently, there were times in the past when a dead person¡¯s spirit would possess her and keep her on the bed for weeks. It was hard on her body.


    Emma¡¯s grandma told her granddaughter everything she knew after Aleta said it was okay. Aleta was a medium. She could see and communicate with the ghost of the dead. Or sometimes act as a channel for them by getting possessed. Because of that, her parents were afraid of her, so Emma¡¯s grandmother thought the isolated inn would be a good place for the girl to live until she learned how to control her gift. Aleta asked to make it a secret from Emma at first since that always made people avoid her in the past.


    During the whole night that Aleta was on the bed, Emma didn¡¯t leave her side. She held the girl¡¯s hand all the time, going as far as sleeping beside her. It was morning when Aleta had recovered enough to stand up. Almost at the same time, the sound of car a telling them that Emma¡¯s mother had arrived sounded outside the inn.


    ¡°I''m sorry,¡± Aleta said when the girls took the stairs down to meet Rosa.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Emma said with a faint smile. ¡°You were just worried.¡±


    ¡°I wonder if you can at least stay until afternoon.¡±


    Emma stopped.


    ¡°Actually, I have something to ask you.¡±


    When the two girls stepped outside, Rosa walked to them and hugged her daughter. She had a worried face and took some time to let go of Emma¡¯s body. When they got inside, Rosa looked confused as she stared at her perfectly healthy daughter.


    ¡°It''s complicated, my dear,¡± Emma¡¯s grandma said, hugging her daughter. ¡°A lot happened but she''s fine now. You two will need to talk about it later, but for now, you can calm down.¡±


    Rosa still looked worried, which made Emma feels guilty because she didn''t contact her mother after their talk the previous night. It took some time and a cup of tea for Rosa to calm down and accept that everything was fine.


    ¡°Still, it''s a shame that you couldn''t contact me before. I won''t be able to come back now before your summer vacations are over, so¡­¡±


    ¡°I know, don''t worry. I¡¯ll go with you today. But can we at least stay for lunch?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Rosa said. She looked at Aleta standing close to Emma and holding her fingers. Rosa smiled. ¡°Want to spend some more time together?¡±


    ¡°H-Huh, yeah. But also¡­¡±


    Emma walked to her mother and pulled her hand, placing the object she was holding on her palm. Rosa looked at the ring, confused.


    ¡°I want you to come of us,¡± Emma said.


    ***


    The cemetery where Sherry was buried was between the Inn and the city, a little away from the main road. Aleta guided Emma and Rosa while Emma¡¯s grandma stayed behind to make lunch.


    When Rosa saw the tombstone with Sherry¡¯s photo, she crouched in front of it. It was also the first time Emma saw how Sherry actually looked like. The photo was old and black and white but showed a melancholic girl with long dark hair. Somehow, Emma thought she reminded her of Aleta. Aleta was cuter, though.


    ¡°We were always together,¡± Rosa said, looking at the tombstone. ¡°She was like a sister or a best friend. And I really loved her, I really did, but,¡± she fell in silence and touched the tomb. ¡°When your father came into my life, she changed. She became violent suddenly and I-I was just scared. I had to go away. I,¡± with another pause, she seemed to control herself to not fail her voice in front of her daughter. ¡°I just left her behind. I just abandoned her.¡±


    Rosa placed the ring on the grave.


    ¡°Her death. I doubt it was an accident. I was ashamed, afraid, I didn''t know what to do. So I never came to see her. I didn¡¯t even come to her funeral. I just pretended that she never existed. I¡­¡±


    ¡°She,¡± Aleta said while holding Emma¡¯s hand. ¡°She never hated you, misses Stephens. I¡¯m sure. I¡¯m sure she, I¡¯m sure she loved you to the end. I can¡¯t explain, but she wouldn¡¯t want you to feel like that.¡±


    Rosa looked behind and gave a sad smile to the girls.


    ¡°Mom,¡± Emma said. ¡°I¡¯ll give you some time alone.¡±


    Emma pulled Aleta with her and the two girls put distance between them and the woman. When Aleta asked why, Emma just said: ¡°No parent wants to cry in front of their children.¡±


    They stopped in the cemetery entrance. While waiting, Emma leaned against the gate and gave out a sigh.


    ¡°But it¡¯s a shame. I¡¯ll need to go home now,¡± she said.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°I said that¡¯s fine, right? Well, you should trust your friends better, though. You should¡¯ve told me. I would never avoid you because of something like that,¡± Aleta lowered her head and Emma gave out a smile. ¡°But well, that¡¯s not the end of the world, and we don¡¯t need to wait a whole year to talk again. I¡¯ll give you my email address and my number. You can go to a cyber cafe sometimes and call me out.¡±


    ¡°M-Me? Using the computer?¡±


    Emma laughed.


    ¡°You can ask the clerk to teach you, it¡¯s easy and they¡¯re there to help. And you¡¯re smart, so I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll get it. Or maybe tell grandma to put an internet in that hole of a place but that¡¯s unlikely to work. We can video talk. Just so we can see each other¡¯s faces again.¡±


    ¡°I-I¡¯ll think about it,¡± Aleta said, turning her blushing face away.


    When Rosa came back, she gave the girls a bitter smile. Emma pretended not to notice her mother¡¯s red eyes and the three just walked back to the Inn.


    After lunch, Emma took her bag and headed to the car. Before they could go away, she gave Aleta a long hug, passing a note with her number and email address to her. She also told her grandma to take the girl to the city sometimes, which the old woman promised to do.


    Emma realized Aleta wasn¡¯t there in the moment her mother turned on the car and started to move. Looking at the Inn¡¯s window, she realized the girl was back to her room, waving at her.


    ***


    ¡°Will you tell me what happened?¡± Rosa asked after some minutes driving.


    ¡°It¡¯s a long story,¡± Emma said, her head leaning against the car¡¯s window. She was in a better mood than when she got there but having to leave before the planned time now depressed her. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you when we get home. I don¡¯t want you freaking out while driving.¡±


    Rosa made a ¡°Hum¡± but didn¡¯t ask anything else.


    ¡°Your ring?¡± Emma asked. She realized Rosa wasn¡¯t with it when she came back from the grave.


    ¡°I left it there. Maybe it was a bad gift considering it but I couldn¡¯t think of anything else. She took it from me once so I gave it back to her.¡±


    Some minutes of silence passed while Emma looked at the trees and all the nothing outside the car.


    ¡°It was impossible, though,¡± Rosa said. ¡°I understand her feelings but it was impossible with a girl. I loved her, just not that way. Does that makes me a bad person?¡±


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t force yourself to be with a person you don¡¯t love,¡± Emma said, looking at her phone screen, waiting for it to get signal. ¡°You¡¯re not a bad person for that. But if it was me, I wouldn¡¯t have run away. I would face her and tell her everything.¡±


    ¡°Of course you would,¡± Rosa said smiling. ¡°You¡¯re braver than me. Maybe you took it from your father. Or your grandma. I¡¯m sure your grandma would say you got it from her,¡± after more minutes of silence where neither mother or daughter said anything, Rosa asked: ¡°What would you do in the same situation, though? With another girl falling in love with you.¡±


    ¡°Is that a question to ask your daughter?¡±


    Rosa laughed, but still waited for an answer.


    ¡°A girl, huh?¡± Something about that question bothered Emma but she couldn¡¯t point out why. She had been asked the same question in the past and had just brushed it away, saying that it was impossible. But now something like a missing piece of a puzzle was bugging her. ¡°A girl like Aleta, maybe?¡±


    ¡°Aleta? Why Aleta?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re asking it because of Sherry, right? Aren¡¯t they both alike?¡±


    Rosa gave her a daughter a surprised look.


    ¡°Not at all? I mean, Aleta is a sweet girl. She¡¯s gentle and smart. Don¡¯t get me wrong, I loved Sherry, but she was the exact opposite. She was wild, and not very bright. I don¡¯t know the particulars but her situation with her family was pretty bad. She never had a basic education and it was hard for her to catch up. She didn¡¯t go to school with me and she never learned how to write.¡±


    ¡°Wait, she couldn¡¯t write?¡± Emma asked. Something was bothering her about that statement. Suddenly she found it. The missing piece in the puzzle. If a kiss was enough to put Sherry at ease and make her move on, why didn¡¯t it work on the first time? At the time, that didn¡¯t make sense, but Emma couldn¡¯t find out why and just let it go. Now she had found another inconsistency. ¡°Sherry couldn¡¯t write? But then what about that letter? Couldn¡¯t she write a single letter?¡±


    ¡°A letter? No, she couldn¡¯t. She couldn¡¯t even write her own name.¡±


    ¡°Mom! Turn back!¡± Emma said suddenly, taking her mother by surprise.


    ¡°Turn back? What do you¡­?¡±


    ¡°I need to see Aleta again. Please, mom, I won¡¯t ask for anything else. Just this one time!¡±


    Rosa considered saying no but the afflicted expression on her daughter¡¯s face convinced her. They weren¡¯t that far from the inn yet, so it wouldn''t be a problem. Just this time she agreed.


    ***


    Aleta¡¯s door was opened suddenly and Emma walked inside. Aleta threw a confused look at her. She was lying on the bed. Her eyes were red from crying.


    ¡°Emma? Why?¡±


    ¡°That letter. You know, the love letter. Did Sherry write it?¡±


    Aleta¡¯s face became pale. She sat on her bed and stammered.


    ¡°Y-Y-Yeah. R-Right? I mean, huh. Why?¡±


    ¡°Sherry couldn¡¯t write.¡±


    ¡°H-How¡­?¡±


    ¡°Mom said it. Sherry couldn¡¯t write. That letter also had my name. Not Bud. Emma was written on it. Sherry couldn¡¯t even call me by that name. She didn¡¯t want to believe I wasn¡¯t mom. So who wrote that letter?¡±


    Aleta remained in silence.


    ¡°Then there¡¯s that kiss. Why would Sherry kiss me at the stream? She couldn¡¯t even do something like that before trying to kill me. My kiss freed her, right? It¡¯s something she always wanted to do with mom but never had the courage. But then, what about the kiss before that?¡±


    Emma approached the bed.


    ¡°Was that kiss you?¡± She asked.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Aleta said, fiddling with her dress and avoiding looking at Emma. ¡°I wrote the letter, yeah. But you weren¡¯t supposed to find it. I had decided not to give it to you. I think Sherry was the one who put it on your door.¡±


    ¡°The kiss?¡±


    ¡°That kiss. I-I...¡±


    Tears were welling up in Aleta¡¯s eyes.


    Emma approached her and, holding her face gently, kissed her lips. Aleta retreated, putting her fingers on her mouth.


    ¡°W-W-Why¡­?¡±


    ¡°Could I fall in love with a girl? Mom asked me that just some time ago. I think I can now,¡± Emma said, sitting beside Aleta on the bed. ¡°I know how you feel but it¡¯s complicated right now. There¡¯s no way I can give you an answer so suddenly. But I also don¡¯t want to reject you. I need time to sort out my feelings better. So, if you¡¯re willing to try, can you let me think for some time and call me when you have a chance?¡±


    Aleta looked at Emma. Her lips were shaking and tears were flowing through her eyes. She shook her head.


    ¡°W-What if,¡± she suppressed a sob. ¡°What if I keep my hopes up. What if you say no?¡±


    ¡°I guess you¡¯ll need to call me as soon as you can, then. To end that suffering,¡± Emma said, smiling. She put her hand on Aleta¡¯s cheek. ¡°For now, how about a little more confidence in your own charms?¡±

 Chilly Tale of a Summer Break - Epilogue

    Aleta went to the Cyber Cafe. That had become a monthly habit for her. The clerk, a girl who was probably just a little older than her, smiled at her.


    ¡°Calling your boyfriend again?¡± She asked.


    The first day, Aleta asked the girl for help about how to use the internet. When the girl asked if Aleta wanted to call up her boyfriend, she panicked and said yes. She was sure the clerk now had seen Emma on video chat with her, but she still asked the same thing every time.


    ¡°Y-Yeah¡­¡±


    After calling Emma every month, Aleta was now used on how to use the computer. Some months she did it every week. Every time she had the opportunity to go to the town, she took one hour to use to Cyber Cafe and call on a video chat. In the first time, she was too nervous. Emma still hadn¡¯t given her answer then. But now she could talk at ease. Her heart always skipped a beat when she saw Emma on the screen.


    ¡°Oh, I wanted to see your face,¡± Emma said and her voice was transferred to Aleta¡¯s earphones. She was wearing good clothes. Aleta wondered if she was always ready to see her or if Aleta just happened to have a good timing. ¡°And that¡¯s not just because homework is stressing me out and I wanted something nice¡­¡±


    ¡°Give your best,¡± Aleta said with a smile. ¡°You¡¯re graduating this year, right?¡±


    ¡°Maybe? Hopefully? Please, help me.¡±


    Aleta laughed.


    ¡°And what about you?¡± Emma asked. ¡°What¡¯ll you do about studying?¡±


    ¡°I, huh, I¡¯ll take a test at the end of the year¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll do fine. But really, grandma should¡¯ve put internet for your studies at least. That stubborn old woman.¡±


    ¡°I-It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m just giving enough trouble to her.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s absurd, she would never think that,¡± Emma gave a sigh. ¡°But seriously, I need a stress relief. I¡¯ll be waiting for you to take good care of me next week.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Aleta made a confused face.


    ¡°Next week I¡¯m going to visit grandma.¡±


    ¡°R-Really!? Y-You didn¡¯t say anything.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m telling you now.¡±


    Aleta gave a bright smile and almost jumped from the chair.


    ¡°Are you really coming?!¡±


    ¡°Hey, hey, calm down. Don¡¯t make a scene,¡± Emma said and Aleta sat down, blushing. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m going. I¡¯m a little excited about it. I really want to see you in the flesh again. And I have, huh, something to give you.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll know next week.¡±


    ¡°Are you making me wait this whole week after saying that?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I will. Hey, you¡¯re going to see me, right? Am I not good enough?¡±


    ¡°That¡­ That¡¯s not¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m messing with you. Don¡¯t take it that seriously,¡± Emma said while laughing. Aleta realized Emma¡¯s eyes turned to something on her side. Probably something on her desk. ¡°Well, anyway, next week we¡¯ll talk about it. Now, let¡¯s talk about something more important. What did you think about the movies I sent to you?¡±


    Aleta and Emma talked during one whole hour. When the time was over, Aleta herself turned the computer off. The clerk once said she was okay with letting her use it for ten minutes more but Aleta never stayed one minute more than the time she bought.


    While she was leaving the Cafe, the clerk called on her.


    ¡°So, something good happened?¡±


    ¡°Y-Yeah,¡± Aleta said, turning to the clerk with a giant smile. ¡°My girlfriend is coming next week!¡±


    The clerk just smiled and waved at her.


    When outside, Aleta realized she had said ¡°girlfriend¡±. She blushed and wondered how she would face the clerk next time.


    ***


    Aleta waited almost the whole morning in front of the Inn. Since there weren¡¯t many cars using that street, when she heard a car¡¯s motor, she knew it was Emma. She almost jumped from the porch to greet her.


    When Emma took off the car, Aleta thought she looked more mature. She was wearing black shorts and a black blouse. She was also taller than Aleta¡¯s memory. Her brown hair still unruly in the wind. Aleta looked at her own body, still unimpressive. She probably had got some weight over the year.


    Aleta approached as Emma walked to her, her heart almost coming out of her chest. She wanted to jump on her girlfriend¡¯s arms. Instead, she stood in the middle of the way and gave a look at Rosa, who was waiting leaning against the car. Suddenly, Aleta didn¡¯t know how to act.


    Emma let out a laugh.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Mom knows about us.¡±


    ¡°R-Really?¡± Aleta said, looking at Rosa.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Aleta said. ¡°Grandma too. Mom sent her a mail telling everything. Guess she didn¡¯t tell you.¡±


    Aleta looked at Emma¡¯s grandma, who just smiled from the entrance. Suddenly she felt embarrassed about all the times she asked the old woman for stories about when Emma was younger.


    Rosa moved away from the car and walked in her direction. She ruffled Aleta¡¯s hair. Aleta felt her body shiver.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    ¡°We¡¯ll talk later. I¡¯ll let you both alone now,¡± she said and got inside the Inn with her mother.


    Emma grabbed Aleta¡¯s hands. Aleta felt a nostalgic feeling with the warmth and perfume of her girlfriend¡¯s body.


    ¡°What about my kiss?¡± Emma said.


    When Aleta leaned forward, Emma put a finger on her lips. She made a confused face.


    ¡°Before that, I have something important to tell you. Can we sit down somewhere?¡±


    Both girls sat down in front of the table on the porch. Aleta waited restless, her feets swinging below the table. She was afraid of what her girlfriend was about to say.


    ¡°Was your mom, you know, okay with it?¡± Aleta asked.


    ¡°Somehow. I think it¡¯s normal for her to be a little hesitant at first. When I told her, she asked me for some time to sort her feelings about it. In less than one day she called me over and told me she would support us. She even told dad.¡±


    ¡°That looks like you,¡± Aleta said, remembering how she had gone to the city to call Emma the first day after she was gone. That day, Emma officially asked her to become her girlfriend.


    ¡°Well, she¡¯s my mother. Dad was pretty cool with it, too. You¡¯ll meet him at the end of the year.¡±


    Aleta was planning to attend Emma¡¯s graduate party at the end of the year since Emma¡¯s grandma was attending it.


    ¡°Yeah. So, what do you¡­?¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah. Huh. I¡¯ve been wanting to tell you about this for some time, actually, but I wanted it to be in person. I¡¯ve been thinking about my future. What I¡¯m going to do after school and such. I decided that college isn¡¯t for me. Not for now, at least.¡±


    ¡°A-Are you sure?¡± Aleta asked, uncomfortable. Somehow, she remembered Emma saying she wanted to marry a rich man to have an easy life.


    ¡°Yeah, so I was considering what I want to do in life, and¡­ Well, to be honest, all my thoughts lead to you. So, I think I want to support you the most. You¡¯re really talented. I think you can have a career with art. I really want you to give it a chance. But even if you don¡¯t want to do that, I want you to leave this place. This whole town. I think there¡¯s a whole world for you out there. Lots of opportunities that you might miss. Does that make sense?¡±


    Aleta nodded, wondering where Emma was going with that talk.


    ¡°And when I think about my future alone, it¡¯s pretty empty. There isn¡¯t much I want to do. But I know there¡¯s something I really want, and that¡¯s the be at your side. So I¡¯ve been looking at houses for rent, and job offerings. I actually got a part-time job this year. Ah, wait, I¡¯m spoiling it. I don¡¯t know how to say it in a romantic way or anything, but I want you to come live with me after I graduate.¡±


    ¡°W-Wait! Are you saying¡­? Are you really¡­?¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Emma took a little black box that was hanging on her shorts. Since it was the same color as the cloth, Aleta hadn¡¯t realized it. ¡°I brought this¡­¡±


    Emma opened the box and showed it to Aleta. Inside there was a white ring with a jewel in the middle. Aleta felt tears born on her eyes as she looked at it.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that expensive. I¡¯m just a high schooler, after all. But, well,¡± Emma raised her right hand. In her own finger, there was a similar ring. ¡°If you don¡¯t put it, I guess this will go to waste.¡±


    ¡°O-Of course I¡¯ll put it!¡± Aleta said.


    She stared at the opened box in front of her.


    ¡°Huh¡­¡± Emma said.


    ¡°Ah, sorry. Won¡¯t you put it on me?¡±


    ¡°I-I don¡¯t know. Should I?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡±


    Emma laughed and took the ring from the box. She held Aleta¡¯s right hand and put it on her ring finger. Aleta looked at it and gave a smile. She felt her heart beating like crazy.


    ¡°A-Are you really fine with it?¡±


    ¡°Well, you can support me later, when you become rich. That''s my investment,¡± Emma said with a smile. ¡°I''m just kidding. I want to be by your side forever even we have no money at all,¡± Emma let go of Aleta¡¯s hand. ¡°But anyway. That was it. You can kiss me now.¡±


    Aleta laughed and threw herself in Emma¡¯s arms, kissing her on the lips.


    ***


    Both girls were in front of Sherry¡¯s grave. The first thing Emma noticed was something still lying above it. The ring her mother had put there last year.


    ¡°How is that even possible? A whole year. After wind and rain...¡±


    ¡°I guess she really values it,¡± Aleta said.


    ¡°Can you see her?¡±


    ¡°No really. She¡¯s not around anymore but I¡¯m sure she¡¯s somewhere where she can look at us,¡± Aleta¡¯s eyes looked around. ¡°I can see a lot of them surrounding us, though.¡±


    Emma looked to her sides, making Aleta laugh.


    ¡°You know, I want to make a life drawing. I want to get better at it, sure. But I also want to keep trying to help them. I¡¯ve seen these lost souls suffering since I was a little kid. Some people came to my house in the past trying to make me understand my gift. They were all fake and were frightened when they realized I was the real thing. I can see people who died and can¡¯t move on but I don¡¯t know how any of it works. But since I can see them, I want to help. I failed with Sherry but I wanna help them to move on.¡±


    ¡°Maybe is a bigger city we would have more luck learning about it.¡±


    ¡°Maybe. So I¡¯ll keep looking. I don¡¯t want to feel useless like I was with Sherry again. I¡¯m really happy that you understand me.¡±


    Emma smiled.


    ¡°Can I ask you a favor now?¡± Aleta said. ¡°Can you leave me alone for a minute?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Emma looked at Aleta and realized the girl¡¯s determined face. ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll be waiting at the entrance. I¡¯m sure mom will want to come here again before she goes home, anyway.¡±


    Saying that Emma gave a kiss on Aleta¡¯s lips and walked away.


    Aleta looked at the grave. She held her right hand with the ring close to her chest.


    ¡°I believe that you can still see us. I¡¯m not here to show off but I wanted to let you know. When we first met. When you knew I could only fall in love with girls, you said I would end up suffering as you did. But you know, you were wrong. I¡¯m really happy right now. Remember when I first saw her photo? How I wished we could get along. How I fantasized that we could be friends or maybe a little more than that. Remember how happy It made me when she liked the food I made? Remember how I cried when she told that me she wanted to marry a man someday? I fell in love with her since the very first moment we met, even if by my own ideals. And yet she was there talking about marriage and boys. You told me that was how it would be. I would be alone and miserable like you. I believed that, too.¡±


    Aleta felt tears coming out of her eyes.


    ¡°But I¡¯m really happy right now. I couldn¡¯t imagine she would love me back. I couldn¡¯t believe it. But here I am. She gave me this beautiful ring. And she wants me forever beside her. I love her. I want to live with her. But is that okay? I promised to save you but I failed. Is it okay for me to be this happy? Will you hate me? Will you resent me? I really thought of you as a friend. You thought the same, right? Meeting someone who was like me. Another girl like me. Even if you were completely negative, that gave me strength. I don¡¯t blame you, even if what you tried to do was wrong. I understand that you were confused and afraid. I couldn¡¯t reach you. But I care about you, so I want to know. Will you be happy for me now? Or will you curse me now?¡±


    Aleta hugged her hand tighter on her chest and started to cry. She wasn¡¯t expecting an answer, as Sherry was somewhere far from her reach. Yet, she felt a strong gust of wind pass through her body.


    It didn¡¯t feel like just wind. She felt as if her body was being hugged. And she heard a faint voice inside her ear.


    I¡¯m happy for you, idiot.


    Aleta¡¯s cry slowly turned into laughter. She looked at the grave and realized the ring that was there was gone now. She looked at the sky and yelled: ¡°Thanks!¡±


    When she went back to the entrance, her eyes were still swollen but Emma didn¡¯t say anything. She just hugged her girlfriend¡¯s body and tried to kiss her but Aleta turned her face away. Emma gave her a confused look.


    ¡°Sorry, but, you know, there¡¯s a lot of eyes on us right now,¡± Aleta said.


    Emma laughed and pulled Aleta by her hand.


    ¡°Oh, by the way,¡± Emma said while both girls walked home. ¡°We¡¯ll be sharing the room.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±


    ¡°I asked grandma already. She was okay with it.¡±


    ¡°I-Is that so?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t want it?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not it, but. I¡¯m not ready yet.¡±


    ¡°Ready for what?¡±

 Treats or Treats

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m too old for Halloween,¡± Amy said when her friend brought up the subject.


    ¡°Oh¡±, Agnes said with sadness in her eyes. ¡°Yeah, maybe we¡¯re too old for that.¡±


    ¡°No, wait. I was talking about me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the same, right?¡± Agnes said with a wry smile. ¡°We¡¯re the same age.¡±


    Amy knew that Halloween was her friend¡¯s favorite day of the year. For Amy, a fifteen years old girl, being obsessed with witches, monsters and horror stories was silly. However, seeing her friend¡¯s happy face when she talked about that, Amy always suppressed her opinions. Amy thought that side of Agnes was cute.


    Agnes was a girl with blond and wavy hair. She looked like a princess but always wanted to be the witch when they played as kids. Amy, with her black hair and pale skin, looked way more like a witch. She was also taller than Agnes. And yet, her friend always gave the cutest costumes for her.


    They were childhood friends and Amy felt like Agnes never grew up.


    But walking around the city asking for candies with other kids while wearing a costume was too much for her. No matter how much she loved Agnes, she wanted some more mature entertainment.


    ¡°Ok, but that doesn¡¯t mean we can¡¯t celebrate it in a different way,¡± Amy said. ¡°A grown-up way, for example.¡±


    ¡°Grown up? Like a party, maybe? I remember our class was making a Halloween party this year¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that would be cool. But,¡± Amy knew how uncomfortable Agnes was on those parties, so she always avoided it. Somehow, she also didn¡¯t want Agnes in that place. ¡°How about a private party? Or a sleepover, maybe. My parents won¡¯t be home on Halloween night and they asked me to give candies to the kids. So, you know, if you don¡¯t mind, maybe, huh¡­¡±


    Agnes jumped and clapped her hands with a smile.


    ¡°We could spend the night watching horror movies, right?!¡± she said.


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s, huh,¡± Amy wasn¡¯t good with horror movies, or horror stories in general. Still, the bright smile her friend gave was hard to resist. ¡°That would be nice. Yeah. Horror movies. I don¡¯t mind it at all.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great! So I¡¯ll bring the movies. I guess we¡¯ll need food as well, so¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll take care of that, don¡¯t worry. Making food isn¡¯t your best skill, so yeah. Better safe than sorry,¡± Amy laughed at the grimace Agnes made. ¡°Just make sure to bring some good movies.¡±


    Not too scary, please, Amy though, but didn¡¯t voice it.


    Agnes giggled.


    ¡°Leave it to me. I¡¯ll make the scariest selection I possibly can!¡± Agnes said while rubbing her hands. ¡°I won¡¯t let you sleep that night!¡±


    Amy felt a shiver. Yet, the bright smile on Agnes¡¯ face was enough to stop her from complaining. She couldn¡¯t believe she was doing that. Amy suddenly wondered how important her friend was for her and how far she would go to make her smile.


    ***


    When Amy answered the door on Halloween night, there was a cute blonde girl wearing a witch costume waiting on the other side with a smile on her face.


    ¡°You¡¯re still wearing a costume, huh?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I had bought it already and I didn¡¯t want it to go to waste,¡± Agnes put her finger on her lips. ¡°Is it weird?¡±


    Imagining Agnes happily buying that costume just for that night while planning their Halloween together, Amy felt like her heart was being stabbed. Agnes really loved Halloween night.


    Amy had dressed herself to wait for Agnes. Not in a Halloween costume, that would be too much. The purple scrunchie tying her hair was a present from Agnes. So was her jeans shorts. Or her black tights. Almost everything she was wearing was a present from Agnes. Agnes loved dressing her up too much.


    ¡°It¡¯s not weird. Actually, since you¡¯re in the mood already, you can answer the door when the kids come,¡± Amy looked away before adding: ¡°And, well, you look cute.¡±


    Agnes giggled behind Amy¡¯s back.


    ¡°A-Anyway,¡± Amy tried to change the subject. ¡°You brought movies, right? We can start watching them. We also have food for when we get hungry. Mom left juice since she knows you can¡¯t stand soda.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right! I spent this whole time making a selection with the most brutal, bloodiest and scariest horror movies I ever saw.¡±


    Amy felt a shiver running down her spine by listening to her friend¡¯s enthusiastic words.


    ¡°Y-You could¡¯ve brought something you didn¡¯t watch yet,¡± she said, taking the bag Agnes passed to her and looking inside. ¡°W-Wait. There¡¯s at least ten!¡±


    ¡°I said I won¡¯t let you sleep tonight,¡± Agnes gave a smile.


    ¡°No, no, no, wait! Forget about sleeping, we don¡¯t even have that much time.¡±


    ¡°We do,¡± Agnes looked at her clock and showed it to Amy. It was 8 PM. ¡°Come on, it¡¯s Halloween. You don¡¯t want to sleep during Halloween, do you?¡± She threw herself on her friend¡¯s couch. ¡°Choose something and put it on already.¡±


    Looking at those titles, Amy was sure they were as terrifying as Agnes made them out to be. She couldn¡¯t even look at the cover without feeling uneasy. She just took something and put it inside the blu-ray player and sat beside Agnes, who just looked at her with a mischievous smile as the movie started.


    The first few scenes weren¡¯t as scary as Amy feared.


    Agnes had her legs bent, putting her feet on the couch. She always felt at home when she and Amy were alone at Amy¡¯s house. Her knees invaded her friend¡¯s space a little and her long skirt touched Amy¡¯s legs.


    Glancing at Agnes, Amy realized she had her eyes glued on the tv screen. She had watched that movie already, but her excitement looked the same as always. Amy could feel how much her friend loved horror movies.


    Amy¡¯s body flinched as a long buzz sounded inside the house. Agnes looked at her and Amy was sure she was holding herself to not make a joke about it.


    ¡°P-Probably kids looking for candies,¡± Amy said, hitting pause on the controller.


    ¡°You can keep watching it. I already watched that one.¡±


    ¡°N-No. I¡¯ll¡­ wait for you,¡± Amy said while dreading the thought of watching it alone. Agnes giggled.


    The front door wasn¡¯t that far from the living room, but she had to cross a hallway to get to it. Agnes almost skipped through the house as she went to open it.


    ¡°Tricks or treats!¡±


    In the other side, there were three kids. Two boys wearing a werewolf and a vampire costume and a little girl wearing a ghost costume.


    ¡°I¡¯m a witch, why would I carry candies?¡± Agnes said and grinned. ¡°But I don¡¯t want to be pranked, so let¡¯s see what I can do¡­¡±


    With a fast movement, Agnes managed to get candies from the bowl on her side and hide it on her sleeves. With a theatrical gesture, she made it fall on the three kid¡¯s bags. The sleeves of her dress were long, so it looked like the candies were coming out of her hands.


    ¡°Wow!¡± the three kids said, amazed. When they looked at her again, the first boy let out a shout.


    ¡°Eh!? Agnes!?¡±


    ¡°Oh, you found me,¡± Agnes said, clapping her hands.


    ¡°What are you doing there?! We¡¯re against the children from the other street this year. If we can¡¯t get enough candies, we lose. You¡¯re our secret weapon!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m a grown up now and grown-up girls spend Halloween in a grown up way! I can¡¯t be a kid forever.¡±


    ¡°No way!¡± the little girl said.


    ¡°You¡¯re our leader!¡± The third boy said. ¡°We can¡¯t win without you!¡±


    ¡°Of course you can!¡± Agnes said and pointed her finger towards the kids. ¡°From today on, I elect you three to be the leaders. Pass this message to the others and say that their order is to win! That¡¯s my word, so if you lose, you¡¯ll stain my name forever!¡±


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am!¡± the three children yelled and turned away running, soon meeting other kids at the street.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Agnes let out a sad smile and turned to meet her friend waiting for her, leaning against the wall in the hallway.


    ¡°Back to the movies,¡± Agnes said and walked towards the hallway.


    ¡°You¡¯re so good with kids,¡± Amy said. She had a serious face and didn¡¯t move from her place. ¡°Any plans for having some of your own?¡±


    Agnes stopped. She looked at Amy and gave a nervous smile.


    ¡°N-No. We¡¯re too young to think about these things, right?¡±


    ¡°We should always think about our future.¡±


    ¡°Well, true,¡± Agnes looked away. ¡°I don¡¯t think I wanna have kids, actually. I wouldn¡¯t be a good mother. And I think spoiling other people¡¯s children is good enough for me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not true. You would be a great mother. You¡¯re so great with kids, so not having any would be a great waste.¡±


    ¡°I-Is that so?¡± Anges was fiddling with her skirt. ¡°G-Guess it can¡¯t be helped, though. I don¡¯t think I want it.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure? I could be the godmother.¡±


    ¡°Jezz, Amy, could you shut up?!¡± Agnes blurted.


    Amy felt her body jump. She gave a startled look to her friend.


    ¡°I-I,¡± Amy stammered, looking away. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear that from you,¡± Agnes stared right into Amy¡¯s eyes as she said it. ¡°That¡¯s what mom is always saying. How she wants a grandchild. But I¡¯m an only child and I really don¡¯t want one. I know mom will be disappointed, but¡­¡± Agnes lowered her head, asking in a low voice: ¡°Am I being selfish?¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯re not,¡± Amy rushed to put her hand on her friend¡¯s shoulder.  ¡°I, I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t want to bother you like that. I don¡¯t know what got to me. I think I¡¯m just upset. You really wanted to be out there tonight, right?¡±


    Giving her friend a sad smile, Agnes went back to the couch. When Amy followed her, she met her friend with the controller on her hand, but the movie was still paused. Amy sat beside her.


    ¡°It¡¯s true that I wanted to be out there,¡± Agnes said, staring at the paused movie. ¡°At the same time, I understand we¡¯re getting too old for that. Can¡¯t help it, I guess. I¡¯m just like a big child.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Amy said without facing her friend.


    ¡°And that¡¯s why,¡± Agnes turned to Amy with a smile on her face. ¡°I want Halloween to still be fun for me. One way or another, I want to get excited for these nights all years. And so,¡± Agnes leaned against Amy, resting her head on her shoulder. ¡°That¡¯s your responsibility now.¡±


    Amy gave a nervous smile as the movie resumed.


    ***


    For the first twenty minutes of the movie, kids came to get candies interrupting them a lot. Amy sighed in relief every time her friend hit the pause button. But after some time, the kids stopped coming. Even the voices outside couldn¡¯t be heard anymore. They probably had gone to another street already.


    So Amy was starting to get worried. It was just the first movie and she felt like she wouldn¡¯t be able to endure it to the end. With each minute, the atmosphere would get more intense and dark and the silence at the house wasn¡¯t helping. Her only comfort was Agnes¡¯ warmth. Her friend was still leaning against her.


    She felt her heart beating strong. Part of it was the movie. But for some reason, her friend''s perfume was starting to affect her as well.


    When the girl on screen got inside a dark room and a shadow passed behind her back, Amy gave up.


    ¡°You know!¡± She said, taking the controller and hitting pause. ¡°I¡¯m kinda hungry.¡±


    ¡°Already?¡± Agnes said. Her smile showing that she had seen through her friend¡¯s fear.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t eat anything during the afternoon. I was nervous¡­¡±


    ¡°Nervous? Why?¡±


    ¡°No, I mean. Huh¡­¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Agnes put her finger on her closed lips. She pretended to think for some minutes. ¡°I might enjoy some snacks. Do you have anything sweet?¡±


    ***


    There were all kinds of snacks already prepared in the kitchen. Amy¡¯s mother had left it for them. It was Halloween snacks. Some of them were sweet, some were salty. Agnes liked sweet food while Amy always liked the salty food the best.


    Agnes threw a chocolate truffle inside her mouth and let out an expression of pleasure.


    ¡°Delicious! Did you mom make it?¡±


    ¡°I helped her.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? So I¡¯m sure they¡¯re all tasty!¡±


    Amy hid her face so her friend didn¡¯t realize that she blushed with the compliment. Agnes couldn¡¯t take her eyes from the snacks Amy was putting on the table.


    ¡°I¡¯ll handle this,¡± Amy said. ¡°Go serve the juices. I don¡¯t want you ruining anything.¡±


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m fine with food as long as it¡¯s done already!¡± Agnes pouted, but still obeyed her friend and walked to the refrigerator.


    Inside there was a jar with strawberry juice, which happened to be her favorite. She grabbed it, as well as two glasses.


    ¡°Don¡¯t spill it,¡± Amy said.


    ¡°Hey! I¡¯m not that big of a disaster! And I¡¯m a witch right now, so respect me or I¡¯ll curse you!¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Amy looked at Agnes with the side of her eyes. ¡°What can you do with these so powerful witch powers?¡±


    ¡°I can, for example, make this a potion!¡± Agnes poured some juice on a glass and gestured her fingers in its direction. ¡°If you drink it, you¡¯ll be under my spell!¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Amy smiled and grabbed the glass from the table. She drank the whole juice in one gulp and threw a defiant look at her friend. ¡°So, what happens to me now?¡±


    ¡°That was, let¡¯s see, a love potion! So you¡¯ll fall in love with me now!¡±


    Silence fell between them.


    Amy stopped and gave a serious look at her friend. Agnes covered her own mouth, feeling embarrassed. They just looked at each other for a long minute.


    ¡°W-What are you even saying?¡± Amy asked, finally.


    ¡°I, I,¡± Agnes tried to look away. Her face getting red. ¡°It¡¯s a joke.¡±


    Amy giggled.


    ¡°Well, stop joking around. We have a movie to watch, right?¡±


    Saying that Amy took the snacks and walked away. She wanted to get away from Agnes for the moment so her friend wouldn''t realize how fast her heart was beating.


    ***


    Amy couldn¡¯t even understand why Agnes¡¯ joke had such an impact on her. It was common for her friends to do that kind of silly joke. But Agnes¡¯ words just didn¡¯t leave her mind.


    The movie started to play again. Agnes had her legs on the couch again, too close to Amy. Sometimes she would incline her body to get the snacks in the chair in front of them and Amy would get a glance at her white neck. She couldn¡¯t keep her eyes away from her friend for long.


    She tried to focus on the movie. It was getting to the scariest part, with grotesque creatures following the protagonists in the dark house. Amy felt a chill.


    ¡°You¡¯re bad with horror movies, huh?¡± Agnes said, examining her friend¡¯s scared face.


    ¡°If you know that, why do you keep suggesting them?¡± Amy replied, letting out a nervous sigh.


    ¡°Because I love horror movies and supernatural stories a lot. And I love you a lot, too,¡± with her friend¡¯s words, Amy¡¯s heart skipped a beat. ¡°So I wanna share things I love with you. You¡¯re my best friend, so I would love to talk about my favorite things with you. But if you really hate it that much¡­¡± Agnes gave a sad smile that made Amy shook her head.


    ¡°I don¡¯t hate it. I¡¯m not good with it and, well, I¡¯m not a fan either, but I still enjoy watching. If, if you¡¯re watching it with me, at least.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Agnes said with a happy grin seeing Amy embarrassed face. ¡°Well, if it gets too scary for you, you can hold on to me.¡±


    ¡°A-And what good would that do?¡± Amy said while sighing, but discreetly linked her own arms with her friend¡¯s.


    Hugging Agnes was common for Amy, but she felt somewhat different about that situation. That gesture was usually shared by lovers, and yet she never thought about it before.


    So you¡¯ll fall in love with me now!


    Her friend¡¯s words echoed in her head again. Glancing at Agne¡¯s face, Amy felt her whole body react to her friend¡¯s smile. She knew that she was blushing.


    ¡°Agnes,¡± she said with a low voice, making her friend look at her. ¡°I think your potion might be working.¡±


    A surprised expression painted Agnes¡¯ face. She opened her mouth, but Amy talked before she could say anything.


    ¡°Just kidding¡­¡±


    ***


    The movie seemed to be close to the climax. Amy was too distracted to be scared. She was hugging Agnes¡¯s arm, feeling the warmth and softness of her friend¡¯s flesh so close. She was confused. As a kid, they even took baths together, but she had never felt like that. They had lots of sleepovers even after becoming teenagers and in fact, they were planning to share a bed that night.


    Why she had to say something like that?


    Amy knew that Agnes was cute. Sexy as well. There was an occasion before when a boy asked Agnes out. That made Amy jealous, she remembered. She always thought that was because Agnes was her best friend, so she was protective of her. But now she was wondering if that was all.


    Another buzz rang through the house. Probably kids from other streets were getting close. Agnes paused the movie and jumped from the couch to go after them. Amy looked at her friend¡¯s back as she walked to the hallway. The most she got away, the loneliest Amy felt.


    That was bothering her. Suddenly she couldn¡¯t understand her feelings anymore and wondered what Agnes felt for her. That was scary.


    She walked to meet her friend with careful steps, so she wouldn¡¯t be heard. When the door closed, Amy covered Agnes¡¯ eyes with her hands. Agnes gave a confused gasp.


    ¡°Tricks or Treats?¡± Amy almost whispered in Agnes¡¯ ears.


    Agnes seemed to think for some time in silence. Amy was so close that she could sniff the shampoo on her friend¡¯s blonde hair.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have all the time,¡± Amy said and Agnes giggled.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. A prank can be good sometimes.¡±


    ¡°Remember that you asked for it. Now turn around,¡± Amy said and took a candy from the bowl. She started to unwrap it. ¡°Now, close your eyes.¡±


    Agnes did as her friend asked. She closed her eyes and opened her mouth, waiting for the candy.


    Amy stared at her friend. Her heart almost jumping through her throat. She was sure her face was completely red.


    She put the candy on her own mouth and approached Agnes. Wrapping her arms on the girl¡¯s hip, she pulled Agnes close and joined their mouth. She felt the soft lips of her friend on hers. Her warm and pleasant breath. She opened her eyes while kissing to see her friend¡¯s surprised expression looking at her.


    Amy pushed the candy to her friend¡¯s mouth with her tongue, brushing Agnes¡¯ own tongue on the process. She closed her lips, locking her friend¡¯s lower lips on them before parting their lips. She gave two steps back.


    Agnes touched her lips. She gave a confused and startled look at her best friend.


    ¡°Happy Halloween, Agnes,¡± Amy said. Her face completely red. ¡°How was that for a prank?¡±


    The two girls stared at each other. Agnes¡¯ face was just as red as Amy¡¯s.


    ¡°That,¡± Agnes broke the silence. Her fingers still on her lips. Her voice was failing. ¡°Was sweet. I mean, nice. I mean¡­¡±


    Amy was nervous. She didn¡¯t know what her friend¡¯s reaction was going to be. She was sure of her feelings after that kiss, but what about Agnes. Maybe she would turn back and run away now.


    Instead, Agnes held her hand. Her soft fingers playing with Amy¡¯s skin.


    ¡°W-What now?¡± Amy asked, fearing the answer.


    ¡°Now,¡± Agnes gave her a reassuring smile. ¡°We go back to the movies.¡±


    Amy let out a relieved sigh and her lips turned into a smile.


    ¡°Really? As a punishment?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll hold your hand through all the night so you won¡¯t be afraid,¡± Agnes said, pulling her friend with her. In the middle of the way, she turned back with a giant smile on her face. ¡°Oh, and by the way, that was hardly a prank!¡±


    That night, the girls¡¯ hands didn¡¯t part anymore.

 Telepathic Girlfriend - Part 1

    ¡°We should start dating.¡±


    While changing clothes after work, Ann was approached by her co-worker with that sentence. She looked at her co-worker in confusion. Part of it was because of her sudden approach. However, she was also confused because it was true that she had a crush on her since the first week they started working together.


    Ann Banks worked as a saleswoman in a big clothing store in the capital. For her, it was more like a temporary job to pay for college, although she took it very seriously.


    She was a tall blonde with fair skin and light blue eyes. Because of her voluptuous body, she was the favorite between the male customers who went there. Which was a problem, as she has only liked girls since high school.


    But that was a secret. No one else knew about her preferences. That¡¯s why she was surprised by the sudden confession.


    Her co-worker¡¯s name is Marina Villa. She was a woman with dark, black and wavy hair and olive skin. She had dark black eyes and was a little shorter than Ann. Ann didn¡¯t find Marina particularly attractive. Even though her black and lustrous hair was beautiful and caught everyone¡¯s eyes, her face and body were average. But more importantly, she never smiled. Even if it was something so important in her line work, she had a serious face most of the time she was talking with customers. And yet, every single person she helped ended up buying something, most times more than what they were planning to. For that reason, the store¡¯s manager stopped asking her to smile more.


    For Ann, Marina just caught her attention since the very first day they started working together. She reminded Ann of an ex-girlfriend she had in high school. And even if her looks were average, Ann still found her pretty. Although even she thought Marina would be prettier if she smiled more since her serious behavior was captivating. Marina was always jumping to help when any of her co-workers had a problem, and she always had the answer for anything. In Ann¡¯s eyes, Marina was the coolest woman she ever met. So it wasn¡¯t a surprise that she fell more and more in love with her as they worked together. And yet¡­


    ¡°W-What?¡± Was all that Ann could say.


    ¡°I said we should start dating,¡± Marina said, with the same serious face. She seemed to analyze Ann¡¯s face for a moment before she explained herself. ¡°You might not believe it, but I can read minds. So, I already know you¡¯re interested in me. You might wanna play hard to get, but that¡¯s useless as I already know how you feel. So just say yes already.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± Ann said, almost on automatic, but then backed out. ¡°Wait, wait, wait! Do you want me just to believe that?¡±


    ¡°What do you want? A proof?¡±


    ¡°Y-Yes, actually,¡± Ann paused in a reflective silence before saying: ¡°If you really can read minds, then you can guess the number I¡¯m thinking right now, right?¡±


    Marina looked at Ann, who felt her face getting hot from being exposed to those intense black eyes.


    ¡°Well,¡± Marina said, as calm as before. ¡°You¡¯re thinking a lot of things, right now, which is understandable. I can see the number 153 among all that, though. Is that it?¡±


    ¡°I...Yeah¡­¡± Ann had to admit that Marina was telling the truth. That wasn¡¯t something she could just guess.


    If she can read minds, does that means she could hear everything I was thinking? Ann thought. When I was checking her out. When I thought I wanted to kiss her. When I imagined how she would look like wearing the lingerie she was selling. When I caressed her hair while she was napping during lunch time.


    ¡°I couldn''t know about the last one. I was sleeping.¡±


    Ann hid her face on her hands. Of course, everyone naturally thinks that the inside their mind is a safe space. Knowing how Marina could hear everything she was thinking, Ann feared that she must¡¯ve looked like a pervert.


    ¡°Not at all,¡± Marina said and gently pulled Ann¡¯s hands off her face.


    She brought her own face close to Ann and gave her a soft kiss on the lips. Marina let shown the rare sight of a faint smile.


    ¡°When it¡¯s you, I don¡¯t mind. That¡¯s why I don¡¯t mind dating you.¡±


    ¡°Y-Yes,¡± Ann said again, feeling her heart skipping with the sweet aroma of Marina¡¯s perfume so close to her. She could still feel Marina¡¯s soft lips on her.


    ¡°That¡¯s good, then. From today on, we¡¯re dating,¡± Marina said and walked away. As she placed her hand on the door¡¯s knob, Ann grabbed her arm.


    ¡°W-Wait! Don¡¯t you want my phone number or something? How can we keep contact?¡±


    It was Saturday, so Ann knew they had the day off next day. She was hoping for at least a first date now that they were dating, but didn¡¯t voice it.


    ¡°I already have it,¡± Marina said and Ann made a confused face. Marina smiled again. ¡°At least once per week, some guy asks for your number, right? Even though you always refuse, the number always shows up on your mind when they do it. In fact, it happened just know. So I noted it already. I hope you don¡¯t mind¡­ Well, of course, you don¡¯t.¡±


    Ann let go of Marina¡¯s arm.


    ¡°S-So, call me later, then.¡±


    ¡°I will. I¡¯ll just let you process it all better. I can see you¡¯re still confused.¡±


    ¡°G-Goodbye then.¡±


    Ann stayed there. A wish crossed her mind and she wondered if Marina could hear it. Marina gave another smile, a rare sight which was becoming more common. She touched Ann¡¯s face and gave her another kiss before getting out.


    Yeah, I¡¯m so confused right now.


    But also so happy.


    I hope she can feel that.


    ***


    Ann was waiting in the park after 9 PM as promised. Last night, Marina had finally called and invited her on a proper date. Ann, of course, gave an excited yes, wondering if Marina could feel how happy she was over the phone.


    She put a mini-skirt and a blouse that showed her shoulders. Ann didn¡¯t know anything about Marina¡¯s preferences, but that was how her ex-girlfriend liked to see her. She also had her makeup done, but that was a given all the time, even during work. Of course, despite her current insecurities with her style, she was pretty confident that she was pretty overall, as always.


    She was nervous with the first date since that was just her second experience with love. Her ex-girlfriend was all the reference she had about other girls tastes. And her girlfriend had said herself how that wasn¡¯t something that would work for every girl.


    I wish I could read minds, she thought.


    When Ann saw Marina walking towards her, she felt like an idiot. Of course, she would know everything about Ann¡¯s preferences.


    Marina was wearing black shorts and black leggings covering her whole legs. Of course, she probably knew how Ann always found the legs to be the sexiest part of a woman¡¯s body. She was also wearing a black vest, giving her a cool look. Again, exactly according to Ann¡¯s preferences.


    Ann wondered if Marina was internally laughing at her bewilderment as she approached, hugged her and gave her a kiss. Again, just what Ann wanted.


    ¡°Did you wait much? I see. I¡¯m happy for that¡­ So, what should we do today?... Oh yeah, that¡¯s a nice place, but I know somewhere better. The food there is good. How about a movie, too?... Oh yeah, I wanted to watch that one, too.¡±


    Ann put her hand on Marina¡¯s mouth, shutting her up.


    ¡°I know you don¡¯t need me to, but that¡¯s a little weird, so please, let me speak, ok?¡±


    Marina laughed.


    ***


    Despite Ann¡¯s thoughts, Marina took her to a small restaurant, nice and cozy. They got an isolated table away from everyone else. So they could have a nice talk with nobody to bother them. Ann couldn¡¯t stop worrying about how expensive the place looked.


    ¡°So that¡¯s what you get for being a perfect saleswoman?¡± Ann said since Marina offered to pay the dinner for them both.


    ¡°I also live alone. Well, you too.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, about that. I know you don¡¯t need to learn more about me at this point. But I do want to know more about you. Since we¡¯re dating and all, and, you know, I can¡¯t read minds.¡±The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Marina giggled.


    ¡°What is there to know? I live alone because I can¡¯t stand dealing with so much noise from other people¡¯s thoughts. And I had to earn a living if I wanted to keep that. So I choose sales because, well, I don¡¯t have to explain that. You get it.¡±


    Ann took a bite from the food in front of her. It was probably the best food she had for some time. She wasn¡¯t used to that kind of restaurant.


    ¡°I¡¯m happy that you liked it,¡± Marina said, taking a bite of her food herself. Ann had to admit it was a little uncomfortable having her brain probed all the time.


    ¡°How does that even work?¡± She asked. ¡°Can you hear people¡¯s thoughts with words? What about feelings? You seem to understand those as well.¡±


    Marina stopped. She looked at Ann, who couldn¡¯t look anywhere else, losing herself in Marina¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to explain, actually. I guess it¡¯s the same as every sense. How can you hear, or taste, or feel? You get this information by your five senses and your brain interpret it in a way you can understand, right? So I guess it¡¯s the same. My brain takes the intent of your thoughts and interprets it in a way I can understand it. But that¡¯s just what I think it is. I can¡¯t prove it because it¡¯s not like I ever told someone to study how my brain works,¡± she paused, realizing how involved in her explanation Ann was. ¡°But yeah, I can hear words when you think words. With feelings, I can kind of hear them in my mind, I guess. But the thing with feelings is that they¡¯re different with each person, so I still need to interpret them. For that, I have to know that person for some time, so I can understand what their feelings represent best. Do you understand?¡±


    She didn¡¯t. Marina seemed to realize Ann¡¯s confusion


    Without warning, she took Ann¡¯s hand and planted a kiss on it. Ann felt embarrassed, as well as happy and excited.


    ¡°Like that,¡± Marina said. ¡°I can hear a lot of your feelings now and I can understand what kind of feelings my action would bring. By keeping an eye on those, I can sort what those feelings mean. They¡¯re always similar when they mean the same thing, although the intensity changes. Of course, that¡¯s a little hard, so I mostly just let it go. I won¡¯t try to understand someone¡¯s feelings unless that person is important for me somehow,¡± Marina smiled before adding: ¡°I know all about your feelings, though. At least fear, frustration, happiness, excitement. Any kind of feeling you could have during work.¡±


    ¡°Why me, though?¡± Ann asked. She couldn¡¯t forget Marina¡¯s smile. So rare before that she couldn¡¯t help but crave it in her mind. ¡°I¡¯m sure I¡¯m not the only person to ever fall in love with you, right?¡±


    Marina stayed silent. Her plate was almost empty now. She took a sip of the wine in the glass in front of her.


    ¡°You say that,¡± she said. ¡°But in your mind, you¡¯re thinking ¡®well, I know I¡¯m that pretty¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Ah, s-sorry,¡± Ann lowered her head, shy. ¡°It¡¯s not a lie, though.¡±


    Marina smiled and let the glass with wine on the table.


    ¡°Well, I was born with this¡­ this ability. I still can¡¯t call it a gift. Can you understand how it is hearing everything inside other people¡¯s mind? I can hear every single thought they think. Every single bad and egotistical thought. With time, I started to avoid them.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t imagine.¡±


    ¡°But with you, that was different. Not even a single thought I saw in your head made me think less of you. Even when you¡¯re at a weak moment and think something you shouldn¡¯t, I still can understand you. Even if you¡¯re a little too full of yourself at times, you never tried to think less of anyone. And when I realized you were in love with me¡­¡±


    Marina looked at Ann with gentle eyes. Ann suddenly started to remember every thought she had about her, trying to find out if she thought anything she should be ashamed of.


    ¡°Can you image,¡± Marina said. ¡°How it is hearing the thought of people sexually attracted to you? The kind of thing that crosses their minds. The disgusting things they want to do with you or want you doing with them? That¡¯s why having male friends was even harder for me. Most of them just can¡¯t stop having dirty thoughts, even if they act nice on the exterior. Sure, girls do that too. But those weren¡¯t about me, usually. Most thoughts I would get from women were of jealousy or hate. Occasionally, some of them did think about me sexually. Funny enough, not all of them were lesbians. Some straight girls thought about that too.¡±


    ¡°I-I can see why,¡± Ann said, avoiding facing Marina. ¡°But if I ever made you feel bad, I¡¯m¡­¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s the opposite,¡± Marina touched Ann¡¯s hand. ¡°When you thought about me romantically or sexually. It was, how should I say? Warm? I could feel that you really loved me. I mean, sure, I felt that about others already, but always mixed with some unpleasant thoughts. But with you, even with the dirty thoughts, you were thinking about my well being. Seeing me as a person.¡±


    Ann tried to avoid looking directly at Marina, bringing the glass with wine to her mouth.


    ¡°For example, when you were thinking about licking me on the¡­¡± Marina started to say.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± Ann shouted, then covered her mouth realizing the eyes turning to her. She drank another portion of wine and said in a lower voice: ¡°I get it, I get it. So please, don¡¯t say anything else.¡±


    Marina laughed.


    ¡°One thing, though,¡± Marina looked right into Ann¡¯s eyes. Ann found her piercing look hard to avoid. ¡°I know you¡¯re excited and I¡¯m happy about that. But I¡¯m not really comfortable with,¡± she avoided her eyes. ¡°You know, sleeping together in the first date.¡±


    ¡°No, please,¡± Ann looked to the side, feeling her face getting hot. ¡°Just ignore my stupid brain. It¡¯s just that you¡¯re so close and being so nice, so,¡± she tried to look at Marina, but turned her eyes to the table, instead. ¡°Did I, gross you out?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I say I don¡¯t mind?¡± Marina said with a comforting smile. ¡°I just don¡¯t want you to feel disappointed, that¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not! I¡¯m really happy right now.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I know. Also excited. A little too much. And while I feel delighted by how much you like my smile, your face is way prettier than mine. But you know that already.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± Ann suddenly reminded her first impression of Marina¡¯s appearance, which never actually went away. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. I think I¡¯m just average, too. And I¡¯m self-aware since I know what other people think about my appearance all the time. While most guys always want to have sex even with average girls, they always find every single defect on their looks. Girls, of course, are even worse in that. That did bother me as a teenager, so I never tried to make friends with anyone at school.¡±


    ¡°That must¡¯ve been hard,¡± Ann said, but also thought about how that was an experience she never had in general.


    ¡°Well, yeah, you can¡¯t know,¡± Marina said smiling and Ann tried to apologize again, but Marina stopped her: ¡°No, I¡¯m not judging you. It¡¯s the opposite. As a teenager, I thought being pretty was the most important, even if I didn¡¯t want people paying attention to me. I know it doesn¡¯t make sense. Maybe I thought being prettier would make people like me more, I don¡¯t know. Like, actually like me. But that would probably be worse. So meeting you, huh,¡± Marina paused. Ann looked at her with anticipation. ¡°Well, first time I saw you, I thought you were a bitch.¡±


    ¡°Ugh,¡± Ann felt it stronger than she thought. Marina gave a laugh.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but that was the truth. Couldn¡¯t be different, really. The first thing you did was to evaluate everyone¡¯s appearance. Then I realized you liked girls. And sometime after that, I realized you were in love with me. I kinda stopped caring about appearances. You were gorgeous, and you were in love with me. Truly in love. I just realized how complex love is.¡±


    Hearing that, Ann couldn¡¯t stop feeling guilty. Even though she did think that about Marina, she still felt attracted to her body. She didn¡¯t find her ugly, even if she didn¡¯t find her exceptionally pretty. But her love wasn¡¯t as pure as Marina made it out to be.


    ¡°And that¡¯s not a problem, really,¡± Marina said, making Ann curse herself for not being able to suppress her thoughts. ¡°After all, in my eyes, you¡¯re the prettiest woman I ever met. I just realized how there¡¯s a lot more involved in these kinds of feelings.¡±


    ¡°So you still don¡¯t know everything,¡± Ann said with a timid smile.


    ¡°I was just a teenager at the time. You can¡¯t understand how scary it is for a young girl to be able to hear other people¡¯s minds. But now I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m used to it,¡± she emptied her glass, not bothering to fill it again and pointed her fork to Ann. ¡°How about we play a game?¡±


    ¡°A game?¡±


    ¡°Well, not really a game. More like a diversion. I can tell you what¡¯s inside other people¡¯s minds in this restaurant.¡±


    ¡°That does sound interesting,¡± Ann said, looking at the people around them. The place wasn¡¯t packed, but it also wasn¡¯t empty.


    ¡°That guy, for example,¡± Marina pointed to a waiter with her head. The same waiter who brought their food. ¡°He¡¯s gay.¡±


    ¡°What? Really?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. He also realized we¡¯re a couple. That gave him a little courage to confess to the co-work he¡¯s in love with. But he gave up already.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a little sad. Can¡¯t we help him?¡± Ann asked, but Marina shrugged. ¡°Oh, and how about his co-work? Does he like him?¡±


    ¡°Hum,¡± Marina stopped, looking at another waiter walking through the place. ¡°Hard to say. He has some homophobic thoughts, which should mean our gay friend has no chance. However, he does think his co-work is cute. He hates himself a lot every time he thinks that.¡±


    ¡°So he¡¯s in denial?¡± Ann asked, a flash of her own teenager years crossing her mind.


    ¡°I see you¡¯re experienced in that.¡±


    ¡°I was twelve, ok?! And I was dealing with the fact that my friend was looking, like, really hot for me. I started to think ¡®no way, lesbians are gross, I¡¯m just a normal girl¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Then she confessed to you.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± the face of her ex-girlfriend crossed Ann¡¯s mind and she smiled. ¡°We dated for three years. It didn¡¯t work out after all, but it was a good time. We became friends after we break-up, but I don¡¯t see her for more than two years, now.¡±


    ¡°And I remind you of her.¡±


    Ann looked at Marina. She had her intense eyes on Ann.


    ¡°Huh,¡± Ann said, trying to look away. ¡°Can I ask if you¡¯re jealous right now?¡±


    Marina threw her body back and laughed.


    ¡°No, of course not. I can see you really loved her and thinks of her fondly now, but you see her as a friend only. It makes me happy to know that you had such a good relationship. But I¡¯m the only one in your heart right now, right?¡±


    Ann blushed and pretended to look at the other people in the restaurant.


    ¡°S-So,¡± she rushed herself to say. ¡°Is there anyone else having gay thoughts?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re really interested in that, huh?¡± Marina looked around and pointed to a table with her head. There was a man sitting with a woman on his side and another woman across him. ¡°There. The woman beside him is his wife. The one across him is his sister. But his sister is thinking about how she wanna fuck her brother¡¯s wife.¡±


    ¡°Oh, wow, that¡¯s,¡± Ann stopped, glancing at the table. ¡°What is the wife thinking?¡±


    ¡°Well, she¡¯s already cheating on her husband with another man and can¡¯t stop thinking about him now.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fucked up.¡±


    Marina gave a bitter smile and turned her head to the side.


    ¡°That¡¯s nothing. There¡¯s way worse from other people around here,¡± she turned to Ann and held her hand. ¡°But I won¡¯t ruin your night. Let¡¯s go to that movie you were eager to watch.¡±


    ***


    Ann and Marina walked outside the theater after the movie. In the same moment that Ann thought about wanting to hold her girlfriend¡¯s hand, she had her hand grabbed instead. Marina smiled again at her. She never got tired of seeing that smile.


    ¡°S-So, was the movie good?¡± Ann asked while trying to hide her embarrassment and joy.


    ¡°It was nice. Next time, let¡¯s watch something alone at home, though.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Well, it was a mystery movie. And some people liked it so much that they came to watch a second, or third, or fourth time. And they can¡¯t avoid thinking about the twists before they showed up.¡±


    ¡°Oh, sorry. I didn¡¯t think about that.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s fine. Spending time with you wasn¡¯t bad either,¡± Marina squeezed Ann¡¯s hands and looked into her eyes. ¡°But that¡¯s why next time I was thinking about watching something just us two at home. You like the idea too, right?¡±


    ¡°M-maybe,¡± Ann said trying to hide her jitters, even if she knew that was impossible. ¡°As long as it¡¯s something I didn¡¯t watch yet, I guess.¡±


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think I mind in your case. Watching you struggling with your thoughts for my sake is so fun.¡±


    Marina smiled and Ann felt her heart jump. She felt like she was completely locked up in Marina¡¯s grasp. She was happy and afraid about it at the same time.

 Telepathic Girlfriend - Part 2

    The customer that Ann was dealing with was giving her trouble for some time. He was looking for a gift to his girlfriend. But, for some reason, he found a flaw in everything Ann picked up. He seemed upset, but Ann also felt like she was on her limit.


    ¡°Well, if you think she likes cute clothes, how about this skirt?¡±


    Ann pulled a mini-skirt with colored beads and put it on the desk in front of him. He gave her an angry look.


    ¡°The fuck you¡¯re trying to push to me?!¡± He slammed the desk, making Ann flinch. ¡°She¡¯s my girlfriend, right?! I would never allow her to walk out wearing this shit. She¡¯s not a slut like you!¡±


    Ann clenched her fists.


    Can¡¯t yell at a customer, she thought, trying her best not to let her emotions show.


    ¡°Mister, you need to calm down¡­¡±


    ¡°Fuck you!¡± He slammed the desk again and for a moment, Ann thought he would assault her. She could see the wrath in his face.


    But someone pulled him away from her. Marina gave an angry look to the guy while holding his wrists. He looked confused.


    ¡°Mister, we¡¯re here to help you. But you can¡¯t treat us like that,¡± she said, using a calm tone in her voice that didn¡¯t translate in her face.


    ¡°Oh, fuck you..¡± he tried to pull his arm, but Marina just strengthened her grip.


    ¡°I understand that you¡¯re angry, mister. But taking your frustration on others because your girlfriend won¡¯t talk to you won¡¯t change anything.¡±


    ¡°What are you¡­?¡±


    ¡°And if you really care about her, you shouldn¡¯t cheat on her, to begin with.¡±


    His face turned pale. Marina released his wrist and kept staring at him with a serious face. He turned his eyes confused from Marina to Ann.


    ¡°Mister,¡± Marina said, getting closer to Ann and holding her hand. ¡°Go home and calm down. Come back another day and we¡¯ll help you find her a gift. This is not the place to do what you¡¯re thinking now.¡±


    He didn''t say anything. At first, he just stood there looking to the two women. Until, still in silence, he walked away.


    Ann let out a relieved sigh. Marina pulled her hand gently.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get a cup of water for you.¡±


    While Ann drank the water in the back of the store, Marina didn¡¯t leave her side. After some minutes, other co-workers went to see her.


    ¡°That guy was an asshole,¡± said one female co-worker. ¡°You did nothing wrong.¡±


    ¡°Marina was really cool out there,¡± another female co-worker said, which made Ann smile proudly.


    Even their manager, a middle-aged man with a grumpy face came out to say that she wouldn¡¯t be in trouble and he wouldn¡¯t allow his employers to be harassed.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Ann said to Marina when they were left alone. Marina just nodded.


    After calming down, Ann decided to go back to work, while Marina asked her if it was really okay. She worked the whole day realizing that her girlfriend couldn¡¯t take her eyes off her.


    One thing, Ann realized that day. The tone of voice Marina used with the guy, and the serious glare she threw him wasn¡¯t that different of her habitual mood at the store. Ann remembered how she only smiled at her. She thought that Marina probably couldn¡¯t deal with the kind of thing her co-workers had on their minds.


    Ann thought how sad and lonely that seemed and felt bad for Marina. On the other side, she was just a little happy for having exclusivity over her smile.


    ¡°Want me to walk you home?¡± Marina asked when Ann was changing after the day was over.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine,¡± Ann answered but after remembering that afternoon, she changed her mind. ¡°Actually, maybe it would be nice.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Marina smiled. ¡°But you don¡¯t need to worry. That guy won¡¯t come after me.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure? He looked furious.¡±


    ¡°He wasn''t furious. He was confused. And a little afraid. He¡¯s just an idiot, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    The two women walked together in the afternoon. Ann¡¯s home was close to her work, but still at least half an hour by foot. They needed to walk through crowded streets to get there. Ann, as usual, was the one talking the most. Marina just smiled at her and listened to her stories.


    When they arrived at Ann¡¯s house, Marina said goodbye. But Ann grabbed her arm.


    ¡°Why not spend the night?¡± Ann asked with a nervous smile.


    Marina looked at her in silence.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m not saying we should sleep together¡­¡±


    ¡°I know. You do want it, but that¡¯s not what you mean.¡±


    Ann felt her face becoming red. She looked to the ground.


    ¡°But you see,¡± Ann said. ¡°You live alone, so, why do you need to go home? We won¡¯t have much time to talk if we don¡¯t use our free time. So, like¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Marina walked closer to Ann. ¡°I am a little nervous about spending the night in the home of someone else again, but you¡¯re right.¡±


    ¡°Bad experiences?¡±


    ¡°You know dreams are like thoughts, right?¡±


    ¡°Oh! So you can see dreams?!¡±


    ¡°Well, they¡¯re a mess and a little scary sometimes. But the problem is, you know how people will dream about things they repressed. Dreams are usually too intimate and it¡¯s uncomfortable seeing them.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Ann looked to the ground, trying to remember what she had dreamt about lately.


    ¡°So, if you¡¯re worried about it¡­¡±


    ¡°No. I mean, I am, maybe. But we¡¯ll need to get over it someday, right? Why not now?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re really thinking ahead.¡±


    ¡°Of course! I mean, we¡¯re dating, right? Since we¡¯re dating, I want to take it seriously. I plan to live with you for as long as you want me.¡±This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°That can be a long time, darling.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I hope, love.¡±


    Ann was nervous about calling Marina that for the first time. She waited for some kind of reaction, but Marina just smiled.


    That night Ann made dinner. Usually, she would just order something or eat what was left from the previous day. But she wanted Marina to eat her homemade food. She was a little nervous because she didn¡¯t cook for a long time, and by the look Marina gave her, it was obvious how she caught Ann¡¯s worries. At a point, Ann just asked her girlfriend to let her alone and go watch TV.


    Ann watched nervously as Marina eat her food. All that Marina said after was how delicious it was, as well as how a good wife Ann would be, which made her blush. She was happy but also wondering if Marina was just saying what she wanted to hear.


    After dinner, both girls sat down on the living room. Since it was the middle of November and it was a cold night, Ann made them hot chocolate. They were supposed to watch TV, but Ann couldn¡¯t concentrate, having Marina so close to her. Marina also didn¡¯t seem interested in the TV.


    Her eyes wandered through the room. One image caught her attention. Placed on the wall above the place where the TV was placed there was was a cross with an image of Jesus Christ hanging on it.


    ¡°Say,¡± she said and Ann followed her eyes. ¡°Are you religious?¡±


    ¡°Oh, that,¡± Ann gave a nervous smile. ¡°My family is Catholic and I kinda¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not saying it¡¯s wrong. I¡¯m just curious. But I get it now.


    ¡°Well, yeah, my girlfriend used to say that¡¯s weird. And I do understand her, but, you know, I can believe something while questioning parts of it, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what everyone is doing already. For example, you¡¯re already breaking the sex before marriage rule, so whatever, right?¡±


    ¡°Actually,¡± Ann said, giving a nervous smile. ¡°I always wanted to have a traditional marriage. I love wedding dresses since I was a kid and I always found women wearing them so pretty. I really wish I could have a marriage like that someday.¡±


    ¡°That might be a little hard, right? Considering, you know, their rules.¡±


    ¡°Well, I know the priest from our church. He¡¯s my godfather, actually. Once I confessed to him about my girlfriend. He said his church will always be opened to me, regardless. He also said he would be happy to celebrate my marriage and would even fight the pope if it was needed,¡± she paused and smiled. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t plan to ask it, since it could give him trouble. It¡¯s not like we need to do it inside a church,¡± Ann looked at Marina and caressed her cheek, removing a strand of her dark hair which was blocking her eyes. ¡°And you would be beautiful wearing a dress.¡±


    ¡°So I¡¯ll be the one wearing the dress?¡±


    ¡°Of course! I mean, we both will wear dresses. We¡¯ll both be the bride, after all!¡±


    Ann gave a big smile and Marina laughed.


    ¡°W-What?¡± Ann asked. She made a worried face.


    ¡°I mean. You¡¯re talking about marriage. Are you proposing?¡±


    Ann felt her cheek redden. She started to babble something, but Marina put a finger on her lips.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I don¡¯t mind. I do have the intention to live with you as long as I can,¡± she gave Ann a kiss and smiled. ¡°It¡¯s funny, though.¡±


    Ann didn¡¯t say anything. Marina put her now empty cup aside and rested her head on her girlfriend¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t believe in god,¡± she said. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be against it, though. If my lovely wife wants it.¡±


    ¡°Well, my ex was so against it. She was a fervent atheist. Said not even love could make her get inside a church.¡±


    ¡°You still think very fondly of her.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Ann gave Marina a worried look.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Marina said with a laugh. ¡°I said I get it, right? Your feelings are completely platonic now. Even if you do miss her a lot.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. She did break up with me and said we could still be friends, but then she just disappeared. I miss her. Before being my girlfriend, she was my best friend.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s worth anything,¡± Marina pulled Ann¡¯s face and kissed her lips. ¡°I won¡¯t ever leave you.¡±


    Ann was so happy that she had to resist not to jump with joy. The perfume coming out of Marina¡¯s hair surrounded her. She felt suddenly too excited that she couldn¡¯t control her thoughts. Looking at Marina¡¯s naked neck. Her olive skin exposed. Ann''s eyes moved below, focusing on Marina¡¯s chest.


    ¡°I¡¯m still not ready for that, though,¡± Marina said.


    ¡°I-I-I-I¡¯m sorry,¡± Ann answered, flustered. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to¡­¡±


    Marina laughed, but remained there, leaning against Ann.


    ¡°Are you curious about why that frights me?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to tell me if you don¡¯t want to.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I know. But I do want to talk about it. Is that fine? Okay, then,¡± it took a long minute for her to start talking again. ¡°It was when I had my first kiss with a boy...¡±


    ¡°I hate this story already.¡±


    Marina laughed. Ann¡¯s mind went back to her own school love. Her ex-girlfriend.


    ¡°You also had one, right?¡± Marina said. ¡°And it was different. I can see how you truly loved your ex-girlfriend. I didn¡¯t love that boy. I was just thirteen years old and everyone was starting to think I was weird because I never had an interest in boys or love talks. And, well, you were a teenager once. You can understand how bad it is when people treat you like an outcast.¡±


    ¡°Well, I was a teenager once. But I can¡¯t imagine being an outcast. Sure, I never had any interest in boys. But they were around me all the time anyway, so everyone just assumed I did.¡±


    ¡°You probably was hated a lot.¡±


    ¡°Maybe, who knows,¡± Ann gave an impish smile. ¡°I can¡¯t read minds.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I get it. Well, how good it is to be so popular,¡± Marina gave a wry smile. ¡°But for me, seeing how they saw me inside their minds, it was terrifying. So there was this boy. I knew that he was in love with me. I just approached him and confessed to him. Of course, I was lying. But I could see his mind and I knew he was a nice guy. At least, I thought. Well, he was.¡±


    Marina held Ann¡¯s hand.


    ¡°When I kissed him, though, that changed. Well, it was his first kiss so I get it. That¡¯s exciting and unexpected for most people. But in that exact moment, his feelings stopped being pure love and became, how I would say that? Completely sexual? Suddenly he wasn''t thinking about me anymore. He was thinking about my body. And what he was feeling was kinda, disgusting, to be honest. I guess that¡¯s normal, but being seen as some kind of sexual object made my stomach turn. Literally. I ran away and threw up on the girl¡¯s bathroom.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ Wow.¡±


    ¡°The poor guy was mocked forever after that. A girl threw up after kissing him, after all. Well, he couldn¡¯t help it. Or at least that¡¯s what I told myself to not hate him. But it made me scared. If he thought about me like that just with a kiss, how would it be if we tried sex?¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s why you¡¯re afraid of sex? You think you¡¯ll feel disgusted by your partner¡¯s thoughts during it?¡±


    ¡°That too. But I also don¡¯t want to hurt someone again like that. Especially if it¡¯s someone I love.¡±


    ¡°What about kissing me, then? Is it disgusting?¡±


    Marina turned to Ann and put her lips on hers with her mouth closed. Their lips separated and Marina smiled. She pulled Ann¡¯s body with a hug and kissed her again, now using her tongue as well. A lot of thoughts crossed Ann¡¯s head.


    She¡¯s kissing me¡­


    Feels good¡­


    Her tongue¡­


    Wet...


    I want to hug her¡­


    Is she liking it?


    Tastes like chocolate¡­


    It¡¯s warm...


    Should I do something to make it better?


    I don¡¯t want it to stop¡­


    Her breasts are pressing against me¡­


    I can hear her heartbeat¡­


    Her body is warm¡­


    I wanna do her...


    All thoughts came almost at the same time. Ann couldn¡¯t really control them, as if she had no control over her own mind. She could only see Marina in front of her.


    Touch her¡­


    I want her¡­


    Now¡­


    I want her to feel good...


    Marina stopped. Ann gasped for air.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry,¡± Ann said, trying to sort everything that crossed her mind. Marina chuckled.


    ¡°Why are you apologizing?¡±


    ¡°D-Did I make you disgusted?¡±


    ¡°Not at all. It felt nice. And I could feel that you really love me,¡± Ann smiled relieved but Marina added. ¡°You''re also kinda perverted.¡±


    ¡°Well, sorry for that.¡±


    ¡°Who knows, though. Maybe if I was still thirteen, that would make me disgusted. That¡¯s why I don¡¯t know if I was really fair to that boy.¡±


    When it came time to sleep, Ann asked if she should prepare a separated bed for Marina. Her girlfriend smiled and held her hand.


    ¡°We can share a bed. But we won¡¯t do anything, ok?¡±


    ¡°O-Ok¡­¡±


    I wonder if I¡¯ll be able to control my thoughts being so close to her all through the night.

 Telepathic Girlfriend - Part 3

    Ann was having a good day at the store. She made two big sales and her new customer had potential. For that moment, Ann stopped thinking about her girlfriend and focused on her job. Marina was giving glances at her from time to time.


    ¡°Clothes for a kid, huh? A little boy, you say?¡± Ann said while searching between the hangers. ¡°Do you have a specific style in mind?¡±


    Her customer was a young woman, probably on her twenties. She had long brown hair and green eyes. Ann thought she was beautiful. Prettier than Marina, she had to admit But not prettier than Ann herself.


    ¡°He¡¯s a really cute boy, so I wanted something to highlight that. Huh, is it weird to call him cute?¡±


    ¡°Not at all. But cute, huh? Finding cute clothes for a boy is always a challenge. Let¡¯s see, how about this?¡±


    The woman examined the clothing Ann passed to her. She gave a smile.


    ¡°Yes! This would suit him a lot! I can almost see him wearing it.¡±


    ¡°Is this boy your son?¡± Ann asked and the woman threw a confused look at her. Suddenly her face became serious. ¡°Huh, a brother, maybe?¡±


    The serious look her customer gave made Ann nervous. She looked somewhat bothered and Ann wondered if she had stepped out her borders.


    ¡°A brother, yes,¡± the woman said with a faint smile, making Ann feel relieved. ¡°A really cute brother. I love him so much and promised him a gift.¡±


    Ann let out a sigh. She didn¡¯t realize Marina approaching them, so she was startled as her girlfriend roughly pulled the customer¡¯s wrist. The young woman gave her a scared look. Ann looked at both of them confused.


    ¡°M-Marina?¡± Ann tried to say, but Marina¡¯s eyes were glued on the woman.


    She didn¡¯t say anything. She just kept staring at the woman with a scary look at her face.


    ¡°C-Can you please let me go? What is wrong with you?¡± The woman said while pulling her arm, trying to escape Marina¡¯s grasp.


    Marina released her grip, allowing the woman to get free. The customer looked at the two women with a confused expression.


    ¡°What is wrong with this store? I¡¯ll never come back!¡±


    She turned away and rushed outside the store. The manager, who was called in the confusion, called out for Marina. Ann tried to follow her, but Marina turned to her girlfriend and, with a smile, asked her to wait.


    When the day was over, before changing to go home, Ann looked for Marina. She found her without her shirt on in the locker room. Now that Ann thought about it, she never saw Marina changing clothes before. Staring at her girlfriend¡¯s exposed olive skin with to top of her back hiding behind her lustrous black hair, Ann forgot what she was there to say.


    ¡°Ann?¡± Marina said, putting her shirt on and turning to her girlfriend. Ann sighed.


    ¡°W-What was that before?¡± Ann asked. ¡°Were you jealous or something? I did find that woman pretty, but you¡¯re the one I¡­¡±


    Marina hugged Ann and kissed her lips, cutting her words in the middle. She patted her girlfriend¡¯s blonde hair while resting her head on her shoulder.


    ¡°Ann, can you skip work tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°W-What? Why?¡±


    ¡°I want you to come somewhere with me. I don¡¯t want to explain it now. Do you trust me?¡±


    Ann hugged her girlfriend, put her fingers on her back. She could feel Marina¡¯s warmth on her own body. She also couldn¡¯t stop thinking about Marina¡¯s breasts pressed against her. Her smell was so close that Ann felt a desire to bite her.


    When she heard Marina¡¯s giggle, she realized all her thoughts were caught up.


    ¡°O-Okay,¡± she said, trying to ignore it. ¡°I trust you.¡±


    Marina gave another kiss on Ann¡¯s lips.


    ¡°Thanks. I¡¯ll get you tomorrow, then. Wait for me at home,¡± Marina left Ann alone and walked away.


    ***Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Marina came sooner than Ann expected. She had an explanation to give her manager if necessary, but the truth was that both of them had days off they could take in the month and neither had used it yet. So they weren¡¯t in trouble after calling their manager and saying they wouldn¡¯t work.


    They spent the whole morning together. Marina didn¡¯t explain anything yet. Ann was confused but enjoying her girlfriend¡¯s company. She decided to cook for her again.


    It was the beginning of the afternoon when Marina invited Ann to go on a walk with her. To Ann¡¯s surprise, Marina took her to the front of an elementary school close to their store. Marina¡¯s eyes were glued at the entrance gate. The classes were going to be over soon and kids would cross through it.


    Not understanding what was going on, Ann held her girlfriend''s hand. Seeing how serious Marina looked, she didn¡¯t try to distract her, surveying their surroundings instead. Suddenly, her eyes caught a familiar figure.


    ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t that woman¡­?¡± Ann asked, pointing with her head to a sole figure waiting in front of the school. It was the woman Ann attended the previous day. The one Marina scared off.


    ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s go,¡± Marina said, pulling Ann by the arm to get closer to the gate.


    A ring announcing the end of all classes sounded and soon all kind of kids were walking out through the gate. The woman had her eyes on them in silence until she gave a smile and walked in the direction of a little boy. Ann couldn¡¯t hear what she was saying, but she realized the boy looked confused and scared at first, but accepted the hand offered to him after she finished talking.


    She pulled the boy with her away from the school and Marina rushed to catch them. She ran and grabbed the woman by the wrist just before they crossed the street corner. Ann ran after her girlfriend. She arrived in time to see the woman throw an angry glare at Marina.


    ¡°You again? What are you doing?¡± She hissed, but Marina ignored her and took the little boy¡¯s hand instead. She still had a grasp on the woman¡¯s wrist using her other hand.


    ¡°Your mom will be here soon, dear,¡± Marina said with a comforting smile. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t go with that woman.¡±


    The boy looked confused, not knowing to which woman he should listen


    ¡°If you won¡¯t let me go, I¡¯ll call for help,¡± the woman said, trying to pull her arm.


    ¡°Do it,¡± Marina said with a defiant look. The woman pressed her lips.


    Suddenly Ann understood what was going on. She was ready to say something when she heard a voice behind her.


    ¡°Fred!¡± A middle-aged woman ran towards them. Her face was pale and confused.


    The little boy gave out a big smile and ran towards the woman, throwing himself in her arms.


    ¡°What is going on here, Fred?¡±


    ¡°That miss told me you asked her to get me,¡± the boy said while pointing to the woman on Marina¡¯s grasp.


    ¡°I suggest you call the police now, misses Green,¡± Marina said, not letting the woman go.


    ***


    They spent the whole afternoon and a part of the night explaining everything in the police station. When they were allowed to go home, Ann invited her girlfriend to spend the night at her house.


    The woman they caught had been stalking the little boy for days. His mother told the cop she saw the woman several times but never thought she was planning something like that. When they pulled her file, they found out she had been caught once accused of pedophilia. After hearing that, misses Green started to cry.


    Before parting ways, the mother thanked Marina with tears in her eyes. She couldn¡¯t understand how Marina knew about it but said she had her gratitude forever. Ann watched everything without hiding how proud of her girlfriend she was.


    ¡°You were like a superhero there,¡± Ann said giving a cup of tea to Marina, who was waiting on the couch of her living room.


    Marina took the cup and gave a vague look inside it. She seemed shaken about that situation.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a hero,¡± she took a sip of the tea. ¡°I just couldn¡¯t let it go this time.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that. You saved that little boy. You were amazing,¡± Ann sat beside Marina and threw a smile at her. Marina shook her head.


    ¡°This one time, yeah. But a hero always helps people who are in trouble. Can you imagine how many times that happened when I couldn¡¯t do anything?¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Ann put her hand on her girlfriend¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°This one time we were lucky. On that day, she was thinking the whole time how she was planning to kidnap that kid and,¡± she stopped and took another sip. Her lips were shaking. ¡°She was planning to¡­¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to say,¡± Ann said and Marina nodded.


    ¡°But in several occasions, I heard thoughts like that. Like girls thinking about being beaten by their boyfriends or someone thinking about getting revenge for some petty reason. Some of them are terrible, but I can¡¯t do anything. Sometimes they¡¯re just a passerby. Sometimes I know nothing about their lives and where they live. I¡¯ve made some anonymous complaints in the past. That worked as well as you would expect. The police won¡¯t investigate something seriously without some kind of proof.¡±


    Marina finished the tea and placed the cup away. She looked at Ann and gave a bitter smile.


    ¡°I have seen and heard a lot of shit inside other people¡¯s minds.¡±


    ¡°T-That¡¯s¡­¡±


    Ann hugged her girlfriend, pushing their body together.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t know,¡± she patted Marina¡¯s hair. ¡°But you know. I really think you were amazing there. Now I know you¡¯re actually a nice person who cares about others.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not. I know what you were thinking and you were right. I can¡¯t help hating people.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not true. You went that far to help that boy. I did think that, but isn¡¯t that hate born from caring about others? I mean, if you didn¡¯t care, why would you hate them for hurting each other? You hate them because you care.¡±


    Marina placed her head on Ann¡¯s shoulder and let out a sigh. She gave a tired smile.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to deal with anyone else today,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ll spend the night here.¡±


    ¡°Sure, I wouldn¡¯t let you go home, anyway.¡±


    ¡°Thanks. For tonight, I want to listen only to your pleasant thoughts.¡±


    That made Ann blush as she hugged her girlfriend¡¯s body.

 Telepathic Girlfriend - Part 4

    The two young men who entered the store walked straight to Ann, like usual. She gave the same smile she always did as they started to ask for suggestions. She realized they both were smiling way too much and a little too excited for clothing shopping, but she was used to it.


    ¡°I want your suggestion, darling,¡± the first man, who had a piercing on his nose, said. ¡°What do you think would be nice on me?¡±


    ¡°This brand is getting popular with young men lately,¡± she said putting a shirt on the balcony while suppressing a sigh.


    ¡°So, do you think I¡¯ll look hot in it?¡±


    Ann kept her smile but tried to change the subject.


    ¡°Now, if you want something even more stylish¡­¡±


    The other man, a little shorter than his friend, was surprisingly quiet. Ann gave him a curious look and he showed her a faint smile.


    ¡°If you were my girlfriend,¡± the man with the piercing said. ¡°What would you buy to me? Like, for a birthday, for example?¡±


    ¡°Your girlfriend, huh?¡± Ann clenched her fists hidden behind the balcony. ¡°Sorry, I can¡¯t imagine it.¡±


    ¡°Wow, so cold. Don¡¯t say that,¡± the man tried to approach, but a voice called behind him.


    ¡°Sorry, mister, how about I help you while she attends your friend? That would be faster,¡± Ann¡¯s co-worker said. She gave Ann a complicit smile.


    The man clicked his tongue, but turned to his friend and gave a tap on his back.


    ¡°Well, she¡¯s right. Good luck, buddy.¡±


    He walked away following the other girl. Ann didn¡¯t like the way he talked to his friend, but he at least looked like a nicer guy.


    ¡°So, how can I help you?¡±


    ¡°I-I, wanna¡± he stammered. ¡°Looking for a n-new shirt.¡±


    Ann gave out a smile and turned her back to him while looking through the clothes behind her. When she turned again, she gave a startled jump, seeing Marina right in front of her.


    ¡°W-What? Marina?¡±


    Marina glanced at the short guy. He seemed nervous and deviated his eyes. She then hugged Ann and approached her lips.


    ¡°You¡¯re way too popular,¡± Marina said and kissed Ann.


    The whole store turned to them when they realized what was going on. Customers and employers alike. Ann herself tried to push Marina away. But feeling the soft sensation of her lips, she forgot about everything, gave up and hugged her girlfriend.


    When she finished kissing Ann, Marina gave another glance to the guy. He had the face completely red and his mouth open. At least half of the store looked just as stunned.


    ¡°Marina, Ann,¡± one of their co-worker approached them. ¡°Y-You two¡­¡±


    But she was interrupted by the arrival of their manager. With his grumpy face, he threw a confused look at his two employers. A lot of chatter noise started to rise inside the store. All eyes were on the two women, and Ann felt her embarrassment pilling up.


    ¡°You two, in my office,¡± the manager said and turned to talk to the customers.


    Marina pulled an astonished Ann by her hand.


    ***


    Marina couldn¡¯t stop laughing when they walked home that night. Ann couldn¡¯t understand what was so funny.


    ¡°We could¡¯ve been fired, you know!¡± she said. ¡°I need to pay my college. Would you take responsibility?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry. We should¡¯ve been fired, actually.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°No, I mean,¡± Marina took a time to catch her breath. ¡°Remember how he said so many times that this wasn¡¯t because we¡¯re both women? He would fire us right there if we were a straight couple. He was too afraid of being accused of homophobia.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s terrible.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah. I know. I¡¯m sorry,¡± yet, Marina couldn¡¯t stop smiling.


    Ann frowned her forehead.


    ¡°Why did you do that?¡±


    ¡°Why? I was pissed off. You can¡¯t imagine the kind of perverted thoughts crossed that guy¡¯s head when you turned your ass to him.¡±


    ¡°R-Really?¡± Ann faced the ground, avoiding to face her girlfriend. ¡°W-Well, I can understand why. He looked like a nice guy, though.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, sure. His friend was an idiot, but at least he said everything that crossed his stupid head. Those are easy to deal with. But those silent guys like him¡­¡± Marina stopped smiling and put up an angry face. ¡°His thoughts were so gross that I wanted to punch him.¡±This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡°I¡¯m happy you care about me,¡± Ann said while holding Marina¡¯s hands. ¡°But never do anything like that again.¡±


    ¡°I know, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll control myself. Right now, I have the urge to just do it again, for example,¡± she looked to her side where three young men were looking at them. ¡°You¡¯re too damn popular. Which I get why, but¡­¡±


    Before Marina could stop, Ann pulled her by her hands and kissed her lips. She realized the three guys suddenly looked away.


    ¡°Here¡¯s fine. I¡¯m not ashamed of being your girlfriend. I just don¡¯t want to love my job.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Marina said and glanced to her side. ¡°But they just changed from ¡®she¡¯s so hot¡¯ to ¡®lesbians are hot¡¯. I feel like you dragged me to their fantasies now.¡±


    Ann laughed and gave another kiss in her girlfriend.


    ¡°Let¡¯s put up a show, then?¡±


    ¡°I like shows,¡± Marina said with an impish smile. ¡°But I want a private one.¡±


    Suddenly Marina looked away. Ann realized she was catching her breath while avoiding her girlfriend¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°So, like,¡± Marina said, still looking to the other side. ¡°I think I¡¯m ready now. So, uh, want to invite me to sleep over again?¡±


    ***


    Ann and Marina were sitting side to side in the couch. Ann could feel her heart almost jumping through her mouth. She wondered if her girlfriend was feeling the same.


    ¡°Of course I am,¡± Marina said. ¡°It¡¯s my first time, after all. You¡¯re more experienced, so you should reassure me more.¡±


    ¡°Well, sorry. It has been a time.¡±


    A long silence fell between them. Ann was both trying to find something to talk and trying to control her thoughts. They eat dinner early and now they were looking at the television. Although none of them were paying attention to what was on-screen.


    ¡°S-So,¡± Marina said. ¡°Curious to know how many of our co-workers are homophobes?¡±


    ¡°I am curious, to tell the truth. But not right now.¡±


    Ann kissed Marina. She pulled her girlfriend by her arm and led her to the bedroom.


    Ann sat on the bed and Marina stared at her, looking uncomfortable.


    She looks so cute now, Ann thought after realizing her girlfriend¡¯s confusion.


    ¡°Well, my ex would always take the lead,¡± Ann said. ¡°But I have more experience, so maybe I should do it now.¡±


    I really wish she would push me down and kiss me.


    Hearing Ann¡¯s thoughts, Marina pushed her to the bed and kissed her while holding her arms up.


    Not so forceful¡­


    Marina released her grip but continued with the kisses. She passed her hands through Ann¡¯s body, pulling her leg up while caressing it.


    My top¡­


    Marina removed her girlfriend¡¯s top and started to remove her own. She exhibited her own black bra while looking at Ann¡¯s breasts inside her pink bra.


    I wanna see her body.


    Marina removed her own bra and her pants, only her panties remaining on her body.


    Her breasts are so beautiful. I wanna¡­


    Marina leaned forward to let her breasts on Ann¡¯s reach. Ann started to play with her girlfriend¡¯s nipples using her mouth and her tongue. Marina moaned in pleasure. When Ann stopped, Marina removed her girlfriend¡¯s bra and did the same to her.


    She looked up to see her girlfriend¡¯s face in pleasure as she moaned with Marina¡¯s touch. Marina was feeling embarrassed but realizing Ann was feeling pleasure by having her nipples being played with, she didn¡¯t stop.


    I want her to do me right now!


    Marina slid her hand through Ann¡¯s body and put her fingers in her panties. She started to move them inside.


    She could hear an explosion of thoughts coming from Ann together with her wishes. She could hear all impressions Ann had of her.


    Her skin is so smooth, so beautiful¡­


    I love her breasts¡­


    She was sweating a little, it was salty¡­


    I love her smell¡­


    And the smell from her hair¡­


    I want it to remain in my pillow¡­


    I want her smell in my bed¡­


    As well as her worries.


    Is she forcing herself...?


    Should I tell her to stop...?


    I want her to keep going¡­


    Shouldn¡¯t I be the one doing her¡­?


    Are my thoughts making her uncomfortable¡­?


    And more than all.


    I love her¡­


    I wanna get closer to her¡­


    I wanna do her¡­


    I wanna see her face in pleasure¡­


    I wanna feel her inside me¡­


    I want her¡­ I want¡­


    But it was nothing like when she kissed that boy in high school. Marina wondered if Ann¡¯s feelings towards her were different. Or maybe it was because she was a woman. Or maybe Ann was just more mature. Or Marina herself was more mature now.


    She realized it didn¡¯t matter and let it go. She was just enjoying that moment with her girlfriend.


    Her kisses¡­ I want¡­.


    Marina moved up to kiss Ann¡¯s neck and soon she was kissing her lips, while still moving her fingers inside her panties. Her rhythm was following Ann¡¯s thoughts. When Ann wanted it faster, she did. At a moment, she felt Ann¡¯s body shake and her mind became a blank.


    Marina stopped and threw a confused look at Ann, who was breathing hard with a smile on her lips. When Ann realized her girlfriend¡¯s confusion, she chuckled.


    ¡°That was amazing,¡± she said, hugging Marina¡¯s neck. She then threw her girlfriend on the bed and got on top of her instead. ¡°But now it¡¯s my time to play.¡±


    ***


    Ann slept in Marina¡¯s arms. She could feel her girlfriend¡¯s body on her skin. They were both naked lying on the bed.


    ¡°Good morning,¡± Ann said when realized Marina had opened her eyes.


    ¡°G-Good morning,¡± Marina said, giving her girlfriend a serious glance.


    ¡°S-So,¡± nervous, Ann started to play with her girlfriend¡¯s hair. ¡°About last night. I mean. Did you¡­?¡±


    ¡°You want to know if I felt grossed or something,¡± Marina smiled. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t. I mean, I felt how much you love me when you,¡± Marina¡¯s face became red and she hid it on the pillow. ¡°did all that.¡±


    Ann laughed, kissing her girlfriend¡¯s hair.


    ¡°You like my body,¡± Marina said without looking at Ann. ¡°But you also love me. You wanted me to feel as good as you felt and¡­ I did.¡± She looked at Ann while still having half of her face on the pillow. ¡°I feel like I¡¯m falling for you so hard. To be honest, I¡¯m a little scared.¡±


    Ann smiled and reached her hand to reassure Marina, but her smartphone¡¯s ring stopped her. She turned around and took it to see that she had a new message. When she opened it, she made a surprised face.


    ¡°Your ex¡­¡± Marina said, without the need to ask.


    ¡°Yeah. She, huh, she wants to see me again.¡±

 Telepathic Girlfriend - Part 5

    Ann was nervous as they walked to the place where the meeting was planned. Feeling her girlfriend¡¯s uneasiness, Marina squeezed her hand. Ann recognized her ex-girlfriend when she got close to the dinner. She was sitting on a table outside. A man was beside her and she was holding a baby in her arms. She waved at Ann.


    Ann greeted her ex, who she introduced as Judie to Marina, with a kiss on her face and shook hands with the man, who was introduced as Glenn. Ann introduced Marina as her girlfriend, and Marina shook hands with both of them.


    Ann¡¯s ex-girlfriend was a brunette with long black hair. Her skin was fairer than Marina and she was a little shorter. Glenn was a tall and skinny man with brown skin and curly hair. He gave a friendly smile at Ann as she sat across them with Marina at her side.


    ¡°How long had it been,¡± Judie said. She looked nervous as she smiled. ¡°Two years, right?¡±


    ¡°Three,¡± Ann said. ¡°And that was totally on you. This whole time and you never gave me a call.¡±


    ¡°Well, yeah. Lots of things happened.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I can see,¡± Ann placed her eyes on the baby on Judie¡¯s arms. It was probably no more than one year old. ¡°Yours?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah. He is.¡±


    The waiter came to get their orders. After he left, an uncomfortable silence fell over the table. Marina whispered in her girlfriend¡¯s ear, in a tone that only Ann could hear:


    ¡°She¡¯s afraid of your reaction because she married a man.¡±


    Ann gave a long sigh and threw a smile to Judie.


    ¡°I¡¯m relieved,¡± she said. ¡°You look fine and happy. When you disappeared suddenly, you got me worried.¡±


    ¡°Y-Yeah,¡± she gave a tap on her husband¡¯s arm. ¡°After I met Glenn, we decided to build a family together. This little boy,¡± she said, looking at the baby.¡± But we got ahead of us. Having this baby now wasn¡¯t in the plan yet, but well, I¡¯m happy that he came anyway. I plan to get back to my studies after he¡¯s older.¡±


    ¡°Medicine yet?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. What about you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m doing publicity. Well, it¡¯s not something I¡¯m doing because I love it like you. Just what I had.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re smart. I know you¡¯ll be fine,¡± Judie threw a glance at Marina and, for some reason, Marina flinched. ¡°You look happy, too. With such a beautiful girlfriend.¡±


    ¡°Y-Yeah,¡± Ann gave a nervous smile.


    ¡°You¡¯re still prettier in her eyes,¡± Marina said and Ann threw a startled look at her. After that, her eyes turned to Glenn.


    Judie chuckled.


    ¡°He knows about our past, don¡¯t worry. I told him I had girlfriends before.¡±


    ¡°I know my wife is hard to resist,¡± he said with a laugh. Ann breathed relieved.


    She gave another glance at the baby. She realized Marina was staring, too.


    ¡°He¡¯s cute,¡± Ann said.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t he? He has his mother¡¯s face,¡± Judie said with a big smile. ¡°Want to hold him? You loved little kids, right?¡±


    ¡°I-I¡¯m not sure I¡­¡±


    ¡°Come on, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Judie stood up and carefully passed the baby to Ann¡¯s arms. He was small and light. Ann was afraid to hurt him because of how frail he looked. Marina also didn¡¯t take her eyes off him.


    Babies are nice. It¡¯s a shame I could never have one.


    The thought crossed Ann¡¯s mind and Marina looked at her. Ann didn¡¯t seem to realize and just kept rocking the baby on her lap.


    ¡°There¡¯s a reason why I called you today,¡± Judie said. ¡°But I hope you¡¯ll understand. I want us to get in touch with each other again. I¡¯m not trying to imply anything or¡­¡±


    ¡°Just say it,¡± Ann said. ¡°I can¡¯t even judge you before you say it.¡±


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Judie said with a nervous smile. ¡°It¡¯s just, my husband here insist we should baptize the boy. He¡¯s also a Catholic. Seems like I attract this kind of crazy people.¡±


    ¡°Oh. And you¡¯re okay with it?¡± Ann gave a mischievous smile.


    ¡°Yeah, well, not okay. But I¡¯ll give in this one time. Marrying inside a church is out of question, though,¡± she threw a glance at her husband. He just smiled. ¡°But I said I would choose one of the godmothers, then. You came to mind.  I was thinking about who the godfather would be, but I guess two godmothers would be fine, too,¡± she looked at Marina. ¡°If you¡¯re okay with it.¡±


    ¡°M-Me?¡± Marina said. ¡°We hardly know each other. I¡¯m not sure¡­¡±


    ¡°If Ann was dating a man, which I know it¡¯s impossible, we would invite him. It¡¯s actually pretty rude not to do it, even if we didn¡¯t know him better. So I don¡¯t see why we can¡¯t do the same with you.¡±


    ¡°But,¡± Ann looked at Glenn¡¯s direction.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Judie said before he could say anything. He just nodded, showing that he agreed with his wife judgment. ¡°He said I can handle it. You won¡¯t do it in a church, anyway. The ones he¡¯ll invite will. Not like it matters, it¡¯s just a theater, anyway,¡± she shrugged. ¡°But if you¡¯re going to be this boy¡¯s godmother, you¡¯ll be close to the family and we¡¯ll keep being friends,¡± she stopped for some seconds before adding: ¡°I¡¯m not being cruel by asking that, am I?¡±


    Ann gave out a laugh and looked at Judie with a gentle smile.


    ¡°If I said you were being cruel, I would be cruel with my girlfriend. I love you, Judie, but as a friend. I have to say, though, I wanna keep being your friend anyway. You¡¯re the one who disappeared,¡± Ann glanced at Marina. ¡°I wanna do it, anyway. Be his godmother. I would be happy to accept it. But I won¡¯t say yes if my girlfriend doesn¡¯t agree to do it with me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s unfair,¡± Marina said with a smile. ¡°Of course I¡¯m forced to say yes now.¡±


    Ann turned to Marina.


    ¡°Thanks, love,¡± she leaned towards her girlfriend. ¡°Want to hold him a little?¡±


    ¡°I-I¡¯m not sure if that¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°Come on. I know you like kids.¡±


    Carefully, Ann put the baby on Marina¡¯s arms. He just looked at her in silence, closing his eyes. Marina had a big smile on her face looking at the baby.


    ¡°He seems to like you,¡± Judie said. Then she turned to Ann. ¡°And by the way, you¡¯re the one making me jealous now.¡±


    ¡°W-What?¡±


    ¡°¡®My girlfriend¡¯,¡± Judie mocked the tone Ann used. ¡°I swear you never spoke about me like that. Not even on the bed.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid,¡± Ann said with a grin. ¡°And respect your husband.¡±


    ¡°What? I told a lot of stories about us to him already.¡±


    Ann gave Judie a glare.


    The waiter came and put their order in front of them. The whole moment, Marina was playing with the baby¡¯s hand. Now he had her finger on his grasp. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    ¡°Well, with that out of the way,¡± Judie said, leaning against the table. ¡°How about we catch up on the news after all this time, sweetie.¡±


    ***


    Ann realized there was something wrong with Marina after her meeting with Judie. Sometimes she would ask weird questions. Some of their conversations were like she was trying to trigger some kind of though in Ann. Like asking about her past, her plans for the future, marriage. That became so frequent that Ann became uneasy. She started to control her thoughts and feelings around her girlfriend. Yet, she was sure Marina would realize the alteration in her mood.


    Adding to that, she was getting fewer customers. The news about her kiss and her relationship with Marina made men start to avoid her and going to other attractive clerks while rumors about Marina¡¯s aggressive reaction with a previous customer kept female customers away. Since part of her money was by sales commision, she was starting to get worried. That was stressing her out.


    She had a headache. Probably because of the stress and the effort she was making to hide her thoughts. But because of that, the few sales she tried to do failed.


    Burned out by the uneventful day at work, Ann went to the back to the store to drink a glass of water and rest for a moment. She knew Marina could still perceive her from where she was, so she tried not to think about it. She was sure Marina could see that she was holding herself up.


    After some minutes, Marina went after her. At first, she stopped at the entrance of the room and gave Ann a worried look. Then she walked to her.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± She asked.


    Ann put her hand on her forehead.


    Please, stop. That¡¯s annoying, she thought.


    Marina stopped. She pressed her lips and just stared at her girlfriend.


    ¡°Fine,¡± she said and turned away.


    Ann realized she failed to stop her thoughts from leaking. She jumped from her chair to catch Marina¡¯s wrist.


    ¡°Wait!¡± She said, giving a distressed look. ¡°I didn¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°Maybe you should go home and get some rest,¡± Marina coldly answered her, pulling her hand off her grasp.


    Ann watched as her girlfriend left the room alone.


    Idiot, idiot, idiot, idiot! She thought, hitting her forehead.


    Still, she agreed that a rest would be good. She asked for the rest of the day off, saying she wasn¡¯t feeling good and went home.


    After getting into her bedroom, she threw herself on the bed. Suddenly, all thoughts she was suppressing started to flow her head. It felt good to be free to think again. But the sharp pain in her head was hurting even more.


    I need money, what do I do?


    Why she had to do that?


    I love her.


    She needs to give me some time.


    I hate that she can read my mind without any warning.


    It¡¯s not her fault.


    But I love her.


    Hope she doesn¡¯t hate me.


    I wanna see her.


    I don¡¯t wanna see her.


    I don¡¯t get it.


    I wanna read her mind.


    She¡¯s annoying.


    I love her¡­


    It all came without Ann being able to control while she buried her throbbing head on the pillow.


    I hope I didn¡¯t hurt her.


    Ann didn¡¯t realize how tired she was. She slept there as she was through at least two hours. When she opened her eyes, her mind was lighter. Her thoughts were clear and her headache stopped. Giving a sigh, she turned on the bed and looked at her floor. Her hair was disarranged, pasted on her face. She smiled.


    She took her smartphone that was resting beside her bed. There was no call or messages wasted. Looking at the time, she knew Marina should be home already. She typed a message for her.


    I¡¯m sorry for today, love.


    I wasn¡¯t feeling good. I didn¡¯t mean that.


    No answer. She waited on the bed. The sign in the message showed that Marina had read it already. But no answer came back. Ann got worried.


    Love?


    Can I call you?


    After some minutes the smartphone vibrated, alerting a new message. With her heart startled, Ann grabbed it in a flash.


    Sorry. I want to be alone right now.


    Ann felt like her heart was stabbed. She buried her face on her pillow again, wishing she could turn back time.


    The next day, Marina avoided her completely. The same happened the day after that. When Ann called her out at work, Marina said she had an appointment elsewhere and walked away. Next day was the weekend, a day off.


    Ann didn¡¯t want to leave home. She spent her day lying on her bed.


    But she needed to talk to someone. Taking her phone, she dialed a number and waited for the call to complete.


    ¡°Hello,¡± she said when someone on the other side picked it up. ¡°Judie? Can we talk?¡±


    ***


    Ann and Judie made plans to meet in the same dinner as before. This time, when Ann arrived, Judie was the only one there. She complimented her ex-girlfriend with a kiss on her cheek.


    ¡°Your kisses used to go a little to the side before,¡± Judie said, as the two sat down. ¡°Sometimes way below.¡±


    ¡°Judie, I¡¯m not in the mood for jokes.¡±


    Ann¡¯s expression was serious. Seeing that, Judie¡¯s smile disappeared. Affable, she held Ann¡¯s hands.


    ¡°Sorry. I¡¯ll stop making jokes. What happened?¡±


    A waiter came to get their orders. When he walked away, Ann sighed.


    ¡°Marina is avoiding me.¡±


    ¡°What did you do?¡± Judie asked, bluntly.


    ¡°Why do you think I did something?¡±


    Judie let out a grin.


    ¡°You¡¯re a sweetie, Ann, but I know you can be a bitch sometimes. Remember when you said I was wearing a skirt too short so men would look at me instead of you?¡±


    ¡°Oh. S-Sorry¡­¡±


    ¡°It was our date and I wore it thinking of you, since you said it looked good on me the other day, remember that? That pissed me off a lot. And of course, after that, you started to say I¡¯ll never be as attractive as you, anyway.¡±


    ¡°I was a teenager, Judie,¡± Ann blurted. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry and I was a bitch. But I don¡¯t say things like that anymore¡­¡±


    She stopped. She looked pensive.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Judie said. ¡°You did say something, after all?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t!¡± Ann¡¯s face became serious. ¡°Hey, Judie. Do you think someone should be punished by something they think?¡±


    ¡°What? Of course not.¡±


    ¡°But let¡¯s say, what if I was thinking about having sex with another girl while holding your hand when we were girlfriends. Do you think I would be in the wrong? Would you hate me?¡±


    The waiter interrupted them to put their orders. The whole time, Judie was giving a confused look at Ann. When he walked away, Judie started to talk.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you¡¯re going on about. If you cheat on me? Sure, I¡¯ll be mad, even if you never tell me. But thoughts? I don¡¯t really wanna hear them, but it¡¯s not like you did anything wrong.¡±


    ¡°What if you could hear them.¡±


    Judie threw her eyes to the french fries she had ordered in front of her. She took one and took it to her mouth.


    ¡°I don¡¯t really know what to say. If I could hear them? No one can hear what other people are thinking. If I could, maybe it would bother me a little. But we¡¯re human. I understand that this is natural.¡±


    Ann bit her lip and looked dispirited, not even touching the food in front of her. Judie let out a sigh.


    ¡°Okay, for our history, I¡¯ll be honest with you,¡± Judie said. ¡°Your girlfriend is hot.¡±


    ¡°W-What?¡± Ann rose her face surprised.


    ¡°Yeah. I am married to a man now, but that doesn¡¯t mean my interest in women disappeared completely, you know. She¡¯s like, totally my type.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s weird.¡±


    ¡°Weird?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. At first, I thought she looked like you. So saying she¡¯s your type is weird.¡±


    ¡°Ohhh,¡± an impish smiled formed on Judie¡¯s lips. ¡°Is that why you were attracted to her?¡±


    ¡°T-That¡¯s not it,¡± Ann blushed. ¡°Actually, stop flirting with me. You¡¯re a married woman and a mother now.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, sorry,¡± Judie shrugged. ¡°But like I was saying, she¡¯s totally my type. So when we met, I couldn¡¯t stop thinking about it while staring at her. Sure, I wasn¡¯t being disrespectful to her or you, but in my mind, I couldn¡¯t stop fantasizing with her.¡±


    ¡°You have the courage to say that to her girlfriend¡¯s face.¡±


    ¡°I know you, darling. I don¡¯t need to read your mind to know you¡¯re thinking right now something like: ¡®she would never have a chance against me.¡¯¡±


    ¡°Well, true.¡±


    ¡°Right?¡± Judie¡¯s face became serious, her smile fainting. ¡°But you know, I love my husband. I love my son, too, and I would never do anything to hurt them. Thoughts are not a crime. It¡¯s inside my mind. It¡¯s my safe space. I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re worried about that but don¡¯t blame yourself if you thought something wrong. If I could hear the mind of people, I would understand that not everything they think is their true feelings. I must understand why they thought that first.¡±


    Ann took the cup of juice in front of her and gave a sip. Judie¡¯s words were echoing inside her head. It was just a reaffirmation of something that deep down she knew already, but hearing from another person was reassuring.


    ¡°I don¡¯t get how thinking something can make your girlfriend avoid you, though,¡± Judie said, picking another potato.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s complicated,¡± Ann said and suddenly something on their conversation clicked with her. ¡°Wait! You said you were fantasizing with Marina? You mean a sexual fantasy? While she was with us?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. It was hard to take my eyes off her, but I made an effort.¡±


    ¡°What kind of fantasies?¡±


    ¡°What kind? That¡¯s not something you want to hear, sweetie. Let¡¯s just say they would definitely get an adults-only rating.¡±


    Ann froze. She started to remember their meeting and if she could take anything from Marina¡¯s reaction. Still, she couldn¡¯t resist and started to laugh.


    Judie gave her a confused look.


    ¡°What are you laughing about?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ That¡¯s just¡­ wait¡­ ¡° Ann couldn¡¯t stop laughing to articulate a full sentence. When she finally calmed down, she dried the tears coming out of her eyes with the back of her hand. ¡°Judie, someday I¡¯ll tell you a secret. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s something that you wanna hear now.¡±

 Telepathic Girlfriend - Final

    Talking to Judie helped Ann to make a decision. She figured out that if Marina was still avoiding her, she needed to go after her herself. She didn''t try it by phone. That was a matter she wanted to settle in person.


    In their next workday, she tried to approach Marina. When she called for her, Marina brushed her off, saying she was busy. That was frustrating, but Ann wasn¡¯t ready to give up yet. Each time Marina was alone, she tried to call her. Each time, Marina gave an excuse and walked away.


    Since Ann herself didn¡¯t have many customers, as most were avoiding her, she could keep trying. After some time, she realized Marina wasn¡¯t around anymore. After asking her co-workers, they told her Marina had gone to the back of the store. Ann followed her. They would be alone, so that was her best chance.


    She found Marina sitting on a chair with a glass of water in her hand. They could go there to rest for some minutes when they were tired. Marina rarely did it, but she looked more exhausted than normal.


    ¡°Can we talk now?¡± Ann asked, approaching her.


    Marina ignored her. She avoided looking at Ann¡¯s face, while still holding the glass.


    ¡°Are you really ignoring me now?¡± Ann grabbed Marina¡¯s arm and forced her to look in her direction. ¡°Look, I said I¡¯m sorry. Now, will you listen to me?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to give me an excuse. You don¡¯t owe me anything. Let¡¯s just forget all of this, okay?¡± Marina said with a serious face.


    ¡°Is this still because of what I thought that day? I¡¯m sorry. I wasn¡¯t feeling well, but I can explain.¡±


    ¡°Not only that,¡± Marina said and turned her eyes away. ¡°I was thinking if you really want to be with me,¡± Ann gave her a confused look, but Marina continued. ¡°Like when you held Julie¡¯s baby. You wanted a child yourself, right? You looked really sad, so I was thinking if you regretted to be with me¡­¡±


    ¡°What? That?¡± Ann gave out a laugh. ¡°Was that all? Damn, love, you¡¯re stupid. Look, come with me after work and I¡¯ll explain everything¡­¡±


    Ann reached Marina¡¯s arm, but Marina slapped her hand away. Ann looked at her confused.


    ¡°Have you ever tried to date a man? Maybe you just think you like girls or made you believe that¡­¡±


    With an abrupt movement, Ann clenched her teeth behind her lips raised her hand and slapped Marina¡¯s face. The sound of glass hitting the floor echoed through the room.


    ¡°Are you an idiot?¡± She yelled. Then, realizing what she had made, she covered her mouth. ¡°No, sorry¡­¡±


    Marina had a startled face, which soon became wet by her tears. She tried to escape, but Ann grabbed her arm.


    ¡°Wait, I¡¯m sorry,¡± Ann said with a sorrowful voice. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to do that, I¡­¡±


    ¡°Let me go!¡± Marina shouted, pulling her arm while trying to free herself. ¡°Let me go! I don¡¯t want to¡­¡± She paused. Her eyes full of tears looked straight into Ann¡¯s eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t want to see what¡¯s inside your mind right now. I¡¯m afraid. I love you. I don¡¯t want to lose that.¡±


    ¡°Stupid,¡± Ann said and pulled Marina by the arm. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid and look inside! You¡¯re getting these stupid ideas because you keep getting incomplete information. You can see what I¡¯m thinking? Great! But you can¡¯t see why I¡¯m thinking.¡±


    Ann sighed and calmed her voice.


    ¡°Want to know why I was sad by being unable to have a child? It¡¯s not because I want to have sex with a man. Don¡¯t be stupid. We can have kids in other ways, nowadays, even if there are difficulties. But not me. I can¡¯t get pregnant. I don¡¯t even have my womb anymore.¡±


    ¡°W-what?¡± Marina looked surprised.


    ¡°Yeah, stupid. I suffered a lot with it in the past, so it¡¯s something I don¡¯t like to think about. See? Incomplete information. Just like that, I did think you were annoying and I wanted to be left alone when I was upset. That doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t love you and that doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t want to be with you anymore,¡± Ann hugged Marina. ¡°Because I love you a lot and I miss you.¡±


    Ann felt Marina bury her face full of tears in her shoulders. She could feel her clothing getting wet and Marina¡¯s body shaking as she held her. She caressed her girlfriend¡¯s hair.


    Then she looked around and realized they weren¡¯t alone anymore. All of their co-workers had come to the room, probably after hearing sounds of fighting or the glass breaking. Ann gave a nervous smile. She knew they were in trouble.


    ***


    The manager let them out with another warning. That night, Ann invited Marina to spend the night in her home. There, they lied on the bed and Ann hugged her girlfriend until she calmed down. She was still shaking a little.Stolen story; please report.


    ¡°I think I¡¯ll change jobs,¡± Ann said.


    ¡°W-What? Is it because of me?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Ann said and Marina gave her a fearful look. ¡°But not in a bad way. Well, I don¡¯t feel like I¡¯ll be able to grow more while working there. And I have the looks and smarts to get any job I want.¡±


    ¡°Not the humbleness, it seems.¡±


    ¡°Being humble is for the ones who can¡¯t be anything else,¡± Ann smile, but then her face became serious. ¡°By the way, why did you have to ask?¡±


    ¡°Oh, that,¡± Marina moved her pupils away from Ann¡¯s face. ¡°It happens sometimes. It¡¯s rare, but when I¡¯m too upset my own thoughts cloud any external thought I should hear.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Did I have that effect on you? Actually, even better, does that means I can think anything right now?¡±


    Ann held Marina¡¯s hand and squeezed it hard.


    ¡°Let me tell you why I can¡¯t have children then,¡± she said. ¡°I had ovarian cancer when I was a teenager. A lot happened and, well, I literally can¡¯t have children now.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Marina gave her a surprised look. ¡°So young¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I was surprised, too. It was really painful both emotionally and physically, so it¡¯s not something I like to think about. I always avoid thinking back on it. So yeah, you wouldn¡¯t know. Or rather, how much of an idiot is you?!¡± Ann raised her tone and Marina flinched. ¡°If I wanted to have children, being into women or men have nothing to do with it. The science is on our side. Well, maybe not really our biological children, but who cares?¡± Ann paused, then she gave an embarrassed smile. ¡°Actually, I did save some of my eggs. The doctor said I wouldn¡¯t be able to get pregnant, but when I said I wouldn¡¯t have sex with men anyway, they suggested¡­ Well, I just accepted it. I don¡¯t really know why.¡±


    ¡°Such a narcissist.¡±


    ¡°Well, so be it. Who cares?¡± Ann paused, then she said in a harsh voice: ¡°But that¡¯s why you shouldn¡¯t assume things. You can read minds? Fine. But you know what, we can¡¯t. And we can¡¯t control what we think, either. I tried to do it through these last few days. It was exhausting and I don¡¯t wanna do that again. I want to feel safe and comfortable around you. So, maybe I¡¯ll think something that makes you upset. Maybe I¡¯ll find a girl hot and maybe I¡¯ll think something unpleasant to you about her. I don¡¯t know. Maybe I¡¯ll think something that makes you afraid. I can¡¯t know. I can¡¯t control it. But I want you to ask me about it instead of just close yourself. Maybe you¡¯ll get angry at first, but please, talk to me when you feel better,¡± Ann¡¯s voice became more calm, as she added: ¡°In college, we learn about data and information. You have data by listening to our minds, but you don¡¯t have information until you can process it. You need the source to process it, do you get it?¡±


    Marina nodded in silence.


    ¡°And that¡¯s not just about me,¡± Ann kept saying. ¡°I wonder how many people you misjudged because of that. Sometimes people are assholes, but sometimes they¡¯re just having a bad day.¡±


    Ann caressed Marina¡¯s face and kissed her lips. She looked calmer, but her eyes were still red for crying.


    ¡°Have to say, though,¡± Ann said. ¡°This vulnerable side of you is surprising.¡±


    ¡°Did I let you down?¡± Marina asked, timidly.


    ¡°Hum, I like it. I love this cute side of you, too,¡± Ann said, kissing her again. ¡°Actually, are you still unable to hear my thoughts?¡±


    ¡°Kinda. I can hear a little, but I¡¯m still a little upset, so that¡¯s not enough.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Ann gave an impish smile. ¡°So this is my chance to surprise you,¡± saying that, she got on top of her girlfriend and kissed her. ¡°I¡¯ll enjoy your rare cute reactions through this night.¡±


    ***


    On the day of the baptism, Marina showed up with her best clothing. A white shirt and black mini-skirt. She had her hair done and was better dressed up than Ann, who just had her casual clothes.


    ¡°And you don¡¯t even believe in god,¡± Ann said while they walked to Judie¡¯s house. Her girlfriend¡¯s look was delighted to her.


    ¡°That has nothing to do with it. We were invited, so I should do my best,¡± she said, with a serious face.


    ¡°You¡¯re not doing that to please Judie, right?¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    Days before, when Ann asked what kind of thoughts Judie had when they meet, Marina said that to save their friendly relationship, she wouldn¡¯t tell. ¡°But if I can say just that, it was a little scary,¡± she said at the time.


    After their fight, Marina started to study psychology books by herself. ¡°It¡¯s not something I want to do¡±, she had said. ¡°I don¡¯t think it would be very healthy to me. But I feel like I should understand the human mind better if I can hear it¡±.


    When they knocked in the door, Judie seemed distressed. She had her son in her arms as she greeted the two girls. When she kissed Marina in the face, Ann realized her girlfriend¡¯s body flinched.


    ¡°Actually, now that you¡¯re here, can you take care of him for me?¡± She said, passing the baby to Marina. ¡°Stupid Glenn is late and I can¡¯t do anything while holding him. Thanks for that.¡±


    Saying that Judie walked inside. Ann and Marina entered the living room and sat on the couch. Marina¡¯s eyes gleamed as she looked at the baby.


    ¡°You really like children, too,¡± Ann said with a smile.


    ¡°N-Not particularly,¡± Marina said, trying to undo her smile. ¡°It¡¯s just, I don¡¯t know, peaceful.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? What babies even think about?¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s hard to explain. Actually, I can¡¯t explain it either.¡±


    Ann started to play with the baby and Marina looked at her girlfriend¡¯s smile.


    ¡°You¡¯re thinking I would be a good mother, though,¡± Marina said.


    ¡°Yeah, true,¡± Ann said, still playing with the baby. ¡°But don¡¯t go thinking anything stupid. If you ever want to have children, I¡¯ll be their mother, too.¡±


    Marina smiled. But soon her semblance became serious.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if this is the best time, but I had been thinking. I never thought about that before, and to tell the truth, it¡¯s a little scary. But I think I want a child.¡±


    ¡°W-What?¡± Ann asked, startled.


    ¡°But I wanted them to be your child. You said that¡¯s possible, right? I can carry the baby in your place.¡±


    Ann paused and looked down. When she opened her mouth to talk again, Marina interrupted her.


    ¡°Yeah, I know you think it¡¯s selfish of you to agree. But it¡¯s not only you. That¡¯s something I want, too. And if you still feel bad, we can have another child later. But I still want to have your baby.¡±


    Ann squeezed Marina¡¯s arm and leaned against her. Her eyes were moist of tears welling up.


    ¡°Okay,¡± she said, her voice weak. ¡°But you¡¯re wrong again. It won¡¯t be ¡®my baby¡¯. It¡¯ll be ¡®our baby¡¯.¡±


    And Ann gave Marina another kiss.

 Lucilles Unforgettable Family Christmas - Part 1

    Elise Barker was looking at clothes in an expensive store she was a regular customer. She didn¡¯t know what young people liked nowadays, but the clerk was trying to help her the most she could.


    Elise was a middle-aged woman, with curly black hair at her shoulder height, although, strands of it were becoming white. She wasn¡¯t as active as when she was young, so she was a little overweight now. She wore glasses and expensive clothing. At this moment, though, she wasn¡¯t looking for clothes for herself, but to her daughter, Lucille, who was living alone in another city because of college.


    Lucille was missed every single day in her mother¡¯s house. Elise used to pamper her daughter and the first few days when she moved out were painful. They kept contact regularly by phone, but it wasn¡¯t the same. She missed seeing her daughter¡¯s cheerful smile that always gave her strength even on bad times.


    ¡°What about this one?¡± The clerk said, showing the woman a mini-skirt. ¡°Younger girls love these nowadays.¡±


    Elise twisted her mouth, showing clear discontent.


    ¡°My daughter wouldn¡¯t use such a vulgar piece of clothing,¡± she sighed and put her wallet inside her purse. ¡°Forget it. I¡¯ll look for another store.¡±


    Saying that Elise turned her back to the clerk and walked away. She took her cell phone and looked at the screen. The photo she was using as wallpaper was several years old. Lucille was just twelve years in it and she had a big smile while holding a kitty plushie.


    She remembered the exact moment the photo was taken. Elise had just bought a new cell phone and wanted her daughter¡¯s photo as a wallpaper. So she asked for Elise to make a pose to her, with the biggest smile she could make.


    How should I smile?


    Just think of something that makes you happy, dear.


    I¡¯ll think about you, mom. ¡®Cause I love you!


    Lucille would never let go of that plushie. Elise felt bad because she couldn¡¯t have a real cat since she was allergic.


    I hope she found an apartment where she can raise a cat now.


    As Elise was absorbed in her own thoughts, she heard a voice calling her back to the real world.


    ¡°Elise, dear, what a coincidence,¡± said a woman, at the same age as her, with a bob cut and hair dyed black to hide her white hair. She was also wearing glasses and her face had more wrinkles than Elise. ¡°Are you shopping?¡±


    ¡°Oh, Selma,¡± Elise said, with an indifferent tone. ¡°Yes. For Christmas.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right, Christmas,¡± the two women started to walk beside each other. ¡°Spending it with the family?¡±


    ¡°Just John. I wanna visit Lucille again, but he insists on spending a week with me in this hotel he booked. Lucille also said I should go.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Lucille, right?¡± Selma¡¯s face became serious for a moment, but soon she gave a smile. ¡°So you¡¯re shopping for a Christmas present?¡±


    ¡°Yes. For Lucille, actually.¡±


    ¡°Proud mama, huh?¡±


    ¡°I never left my baby without a present. I wanna give her the best,¡± Elise fell in a thoughtful silence. ¡°I just don¡¯t know what girls like her like nowadays.¡±


    ¡°I can understand. I just send money to my boys, but it¡¯s different for girls. You two used to be pretty close. She loved you a lot.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s my treasure and the most important thing in the world for me. I really wanna see her again this Christmas. I guess I can visit her after, but still. I wish John wasn¡¯t so keen on this travel.¡±


    Selma became silent. She had a serious face and seemed to hesitate in talking. Finally, when Elise was looking at a store¡¯s window, she said.


    ¡°Huh, Elise. I didn¡¯t wanna say it, but¡­¡±


    Elise looked at her friend.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know if I should say it or not¡­¡±


    ¡°Stop babbling,¡± Elise said with a harsh voice. ¡°If you didn¡¯t wanna talk, you would keep your mouth shut. Just say it already.¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Selma said, trying not to look directly at her friend. ¡°It¡¯s about Lucille, actually¡­¡±


    ¡°Lucille? Did you hear something about my girl?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, well, there are some rumors. I don¡¯t know if they¡¯re true. But I guess no one has the courage to tell you about them. You know how these things travel and¡­¡±


    ¡°Spit it out, Selma. I don¡¯t have time to play your games.¡±


    ¡°Well, apparently, the rumors are that Lucille got a lover. She¡¯s dating someone. Did you hear anything about that?¡±


    Elise made a surprised face.


    ¡°No. Are you sure? That must be a lie because she didn¡¯t tell me anything. I asked her already if she had a boyfriend and she said no. There¡¯s no reason for her to lie about that.¡±


    ¡°Yes, about that. The rumor is that she¡¯s dating another girl.¡±


    Elise stopped. She threw a glare at her friend.


    ¡°Selma¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just telling what I heard, dear, I swear. I also heard they¡¯re not even hiding it and they¡¯re are dating at the college. They¡¯re in the same classes, it seems. So I was wondering if you knew about it. Of course, you didn¡¯t know, right? You would never support this.¡±


    Pulling her cell phone, Elise looked at the screen. The photo with her daughter giving a bright smile at her. She felt a tight knot in her heart.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± She asked. ¡°Where did you hear that?¡±


    ¡°Donna told me. You know her son studies in the same college as your daughter.¡±


    ¡°And she goes telling everyone instead of me?¡±


    ¡°Oh, dear, you get it. It¡¯s a sensitive subject. They were afraid to approach you with it. We¡¯re old time friends, so it¡¯s easier for me.¡±


    ¡°She didn¡¯t have the courage to tell me, but she can¡¯t keep her damn mouth shut,¡± Elise put her cell phone inside her bag. ¡°Thanks anyway, Selma. I think I¡¯ll go home, now.¡±


    ¡°What about the Christmas¡¯ present?¡±


    Elise stood in silence for some minutes, her lips tight shut. Then she turned to her friend before leaving.


    ¡°I have new plans.¡±


    ***


    ¡°You didn¡¯t lose the keys again, right?¡± Kat asked, passing her finger through her brown and wavy hair.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t!¡± Said Lucille, scavenging through her purse. Her black and straight hair shining in the light with the movements of her head. ¡°Oh, I still have my old apartment keys. I need to turn it back.¡±


    ¡°Luu, I¡¯m getting cold.¡±


    ¡°Calm down, Bubby. Oh, here it is,¡± she took the keys off her purse and showed it to her girlfriend with a smile.


    ¡°Ok, stop grinning and open the door.¡±


    When Lucille opened the door, a sound of a meowing was heard from inside. Before she stepped inside, a white cat was there looking at her.


    ¡°Bubby!¡± She said and took the cat in her lap. ¡°Did you miss mom?¡±


    Katherine closed the door behind her. The temperature inside was warm and cozy. She took off the jacket she was wearing.


    ¡°Bubby, can you get Bubby¡¯s food for me? She looks hungry.¡±This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Katherine said, walking to the cabinet where the food was stored. ¡°Can you just stop calling us two Bubby?¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Lucille said, looking at the cat. ¡°You both are my kitties.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, fine, but that¡¯s confusing,¡± Kat passed the cat food to Lucille. ¡°Sometimes I don¡¯t know who you¡¯re talking to.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a person, she¡¯s a cat. It¡¯s easy to know when I¡¯m talking to you, right? Well, I guess some situations would be the same,¡± she said, putting the food on the cat¡¯s plate on the floor. ¡°Like: ¡®enough, Bubby, stop licking me¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± Kat said and a faint blush became visible on her face.


    ¡°Or, ¡®don¡¯t bite me there. I¡¯m ticklish¡¯.¡±


    Kat pulled Lucille by the arm and kissed her. Lucille let her body rest on Kat¡¯s arms.


    ¡°Sometimes I need to shut your mouth,¡± Kat said. Lucille just smiled and scratched her own cheek.


    ¡°By the way,¡± Kat said, looking at the cat. ¡°Why spending money. You can let her drink a little of milk.¡±


    ¡°No! Cats aren¡¯t supposed to drink milk!¡±


    ¡°Oh, Is that so? I mean, wait a minute! Didn¡¯t you give me milk that day?¡±


    ¡°Oh, that,¡± Lucille gave an embarrassed smile and scratched her cheek again. ¡°I, kind of, didn¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°Really? What if I had died?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine for kitties! I think¡­ I heard that most cats develop lactose intolerance when they have grown up. But it won¡¯t kill them. It can make them sick, though. Well, sorry¡­¡±


    Kat smiled and patted Lucille¡¯s head.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s fine. I wouldn¡¯t like cat food, anyway,¡± Lucille smiled, but Kat added: ¡°But seriously, stopping calling her Bubby.¡±


    ¡°What? Come on! It¡¯s common for a daughter to get her mother¡¯s name.¡±


    ¡°The cat is my child now?!¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± Lucille said and put a finger on her cheek. ¡°You don¡¯t want me stopping calling you Bubby instead?¡±


    ¡°W-Well,¡± Kat turned her back to Lucille. She passed her fingers on her hair. ¡°I-I don¡¯t mind. If you want to stop¡­¡±


    ¡°Oohhh,¡± Lucille jumped and hugged Kat¡¯s back. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry. You¡¯re forever my little kitten.¡±


    Kat sighed. Lucille let her face bury between Kat¡¯s soft hair.


    ¡°You know,¡± she said. ¡°Your hair¡¯s smell reminds me of when you were a cat.¡±


    ¡°Is that a compliment?¡±


    ¡°You smelled nice then. Of course, you smell nice now, too. I can¡¯t wait to spend Christmas with you.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah,¡± Kat turned around to face her girlfriend. ¡°Mom and dad said they miss you. They really like you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s like a dream. Never thought I would spend Christmas in family with a girlfriend,¡± Lucille said with a sad smile.


    ¡°Are you still afraid to tell your family?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Lucille pulled a chair and sat on it. ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want them knowing about you. And I feel like I could explain it to dad. But I¡¯m afraid of mom,¡± Lucille had a fragile expression as she added: ¡°I don¡¯t want mom to hate me.¡±


    Kat held Lucille¡¯s hand and squeezed it.


    ¡°You love your mother a lot, right?¡±


    Lucille nodded. Her smile looked painful.


    ¡°And yet, I left home because of her. Because I loved her, I couldn¡¯t stand hearing her saying bad things about people like me. Thinking about how she would think of me like that someday. I said I wanna study here, but I actually ran away from her.¡±


    Kat caressed Lucille¡¯s face and kissed her on the lips.


    ¡°Well, at least that made me meet you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the one thing I¡¯m happy for,¡± Lucille said with a genuine smile.


    ¡°Well, then. Let me make you a little happier this night,¡± Kat said while pulling her girlfriend to her room.


    ***


    Elise arrived home and left her purse on the couch. She looked at her husband who barely raised his eyes from the magazine he was reading to greet her.


    ¡°Cancel that hotel reservation, John,¡± she said with a harsh tone.


    ¡°What?¡± He raised his eyes, looking at his wife with a confused face. ¡°Why now?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going to spend Christmas with Lucille, after all. There¡¯s something I need to confirm.¡±


    ***


    Lucille and Kat were walking home after a night date on a Sunday. The time was cold, so both girls were wearing jackets. Kat was wearing jeans while Lucille was wearing a long skirt and long leggings. Lucille¡¯s steps were slower and she was a little behind, but still holding her girlfriend¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Buubby, I¡¯m tired. I¡¯m too old for this.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re younger than me,¡± Kat said but lowered her step.


    Lucille still remained behind her and squeezed her hand. Around them, all stores were full of Christmas decorations and the party mood was intoxicating. Some stores even had Christmas songs.


    ¡°Why are you in such a hurry? Let¡¯s enjoy the night,¡± Lucille said.


    Kat stopped and turned to her girlfriend, who had a big smile on her face. They were in front of a big store full of red ornaments and Santa Claus¡¯ face everywhere. There were few people walking around them since it was late.


    ¡°It¡¯s cold. It¡¯s dark. I want to get into the blankets with you.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s nice too,¡± Lucille said, holding both of Kat¡¯s hands. ¡°But the night is beautiful. I want to spend some time outside with you, too.¡±


    Saying that Lucille inclined forward and closed her eyes. Kat turned her face in the last moment, making her girlfriend miss her lips.


    ¡°Come on,¡± Lucille said, making a pout.


    ¡°N-Not here, ok?¡±


    ¡°Why? It¡¯s not a secret that we¡¯re dating. Actually, why are you so bold at home and so shy outside?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like to be seen.¡±


    ¡°To be seen what? With a girl?¡± Lucille asked, but her smile showed that she was just mocking her girlfriend.


    ¡°N-No!¡±


    ¡°So what?¡±


    ¡°K-Kissing¡­¡± Kat said with a low voice and lowering her head.


    Lucille threw her arms around Kat suddenly and pulled her in a hug. Kat flinched startled.


    ¡°W-What?¡± Kat asked.


    ¡°You¡¯re way too cute. I can¡¯t hold myself!¡±


    Lucille kissed Kat on the lips. Both girls closed their eyes and lose themselves in a kiss that lasted several seconds. When Lucille opened her eyes to look at her girlfriend again, Kat¡¯s face was completely red.


    Kat didn¡¯t say anything, looking around them, instead. It looked like they were alone, for her relief.


    ¡°Your lips are cold,¡± Lucille said.


    ¡°Oh, yeah? Why do you think that is?¡±


    Letting out a sigh, Kat pulled her girlfriend¡¯s hand and both girls started walking again. Lucille was giggling.


    ***


    Parking her car outside the restaurant she had seen her daughter entering accompanied, Elise waited patiently. She didn¡¯t tell Lucille that she was in the city. Instead, she and her husband booked a room in a hotel. While her husband took care of things, Elise started looking for her daughter. She had followed her since she left home, being careful about not being seen.


    She wasn¡¯t proud of that and knew how creepy it looked, but she wanted proof of Selma¡¯s accusations. She watched as her daughter met another girl, close to her height with wavy brown hair. Both of them were well dressed, but Elise knew they could just be having a girls night out. So she followed them as they went to the theater and the restaurant after that. All without being found out.


    Now she waited until her daughter came out. Her husband had called at least twice on her phone. She was so stressed out by the situation that she couldn¡¯t do anything except to look outside aimless. The moment she saw her daughter, she felt her heart tight and resisted the urge to jump outside the car and give her a hug.


    She waited as she finally saw her daughter walking outside the restaurant with the other girl. They were holding hands. That made her apprehensive. The other girl looked nervous and eager to go home, but Lucille was carefree as ever.


    For coincidence, they stopped in front of a store that was right across the street from where Elise parked her car. The car was new and Lucille wouldn¡¯t recognize it. The windows were dark, so they couldn¡¯t even see well inside. But Elise could see her daughter perfectly fine.


    The way Lucille held the other girl¡¯s hands looked way to intimate. Elise didn¡¯t like that. She didn¡¯t know how girls at Lucille¡¯s age would act with friends, though. She remembered reading that younger girls were way more close to female friends than in her time. Sorority, they called it, she remembered.


    Maybe it was a misunderstanding. They could be just close friends and people started talking. She thought.


    When Lucille inclined with her eyes closed, Elise felt her heart jump. She felt a little of relief as the other girl turned her face.


    A joke?


    She wished she could hear them. Lucille looked so happy that she wanted to feel happy for her daughter. If it was a different situation, she would.


    Her heart skipped again when Lucille hugged the other girl. And this time she didn¡¯t have enough time to think until the girls had their lips together. They were kissing, she could see it clearly. And worse, Lucille was the one initiating it, so she couldn¡¯t even blame the other girl.


    She felt a stab in her heart. Holding her hand against her chest, she looked at Lucille with the other girl in her arms, sharing a kiss. When the kiss was over, she had a smile so beautiful on her face that Elise had mixed feelings about the situation. But there was her little girl, she had no doubt. She also had no doubt that the other girl was her daughter¡¯s girlfriend.


    Elise followed the girls with her eyes until they walked away. She stood there for at least ten minutes, trying to sort her thoughts.


    ***


    Elise didn¡¯t see her husband when she arrived at the hotel room. She sat on the bed and took her cell phone out again. Lucille¡¯s face smiling through it. She browsed the folder where she had photos of Lucille from different ages. She could remind the day she took each one of it.


    Six years old Lucille, dressed in a pink dress.


    ¡°I¡¯m the princess and mom is the queen,¡± she could almost hear her daughter¡¯s voice saying.


    Fifteen years old Lucille, wearing a white dress for her birthday.


    ¡°On my marriage, I want mom to be there. I don¡¯t need anything else.¡±


    Why she had said that Elise couldn¡¯t remember. But the words left a strong impression on her now.


    On her marriage¡­


    Sixteen years old Lucille on a class trip. She wasn¡¯t the one who took that photo, of course, but Lucille¡¯s smile as she played with her classmates was so pretty.


    Lucille¡¯s smile. The smile she saw just moments before flashed on her mind. That smile brought her too many conflicted thoughts. She was happy that her daughter was happy. But the reason for that happiness she couldn¡¯t accept. Would trying to separate them make Lucille cry?


    ¡°Those freaks want the right to marry now,¡± she remembered saying that on dinner table once. How old was Lucille then? Sixteen, if she remembered right.


    ¡°I saw them kissing the other day. Why can¡¯t they do it at home?¡±


    ¡°I don''t mind. They can do whatever they want, as long as they leave me and my family alone.¡±


    ¡°She was such a pretty woman. Why did she choose that kind of life?¡±


    She tried to remember how many times she had said that kind of things in front of Lucille. What face Lucille had made then. She couldn¡¯t remember. She was too angry at them to think about her own daughter on those occasions. Her daughter, who she thought she should protect from that twisted world.


    Those freaks...Lucille¡­ She thought.


    Elise turned the cell phone¡¯s screen off and threw her body on the bed. She was an old woman but felt like crying. She held it inside, fearing that her husband could come any time soon. She just closed her eyes tight and tried to think.


    To plan.


    She knew she had to be strong and make a decision.

 Lucilles Unforgettable Family Christmas - Final

    Lucille was dispirited when she walked the stair leading to her apartment. She had just walked her girlfriend until her home. She knew Kat couldn¡¯t be always by her side, but that still made her feel lonely. Next week was Christmas, but since she was in a recess from college, she would see her girlfriend less before then.


    And on top of that, Christmas made her remind of her family. Spending the day with Kat was a happy occasion, but thinking about her parents, she couldn¡¯t stop feeling a little depressed. After all, she wanted to see her mother again, like she did every Christmas. She felt guilty by suggesting her parents should go on a trip just because she wanted to spend the date with her girlfriend.


    She wanted to tell the truth. She wanted her mother to understand.


    When she got to the top of the stairs with those thoughts in mind, she froze. Right there, in front of her apartment was her mother looking at her with a serious face.


    ¡°Lucille,¡± Elise said and opened her arms. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Won¡¯t you give your mother a hug?¡±


    Recovering from the shock, Lucille walked to where Elise was.


    ¡°O-Of course, mom,¡± she said with a smile and hugged her mother. ¡°I¡¯m just¡­ surprised. I didn¡¯t know you would come.¡±


    ¡°I thought about making it a surprise so I didn¡¯t tell you anything. Won¡¯t you invite me in? I¡¯m curious to see your new home.¡±


    ¡°Oh, of course,¡± Lucille opened her bag and started to search inside. She was so nervous that her fingers were shaking and the keys escaped them the first few tries. ¡°Y-You should¡¯ve called me. I don¡¯t have a room ready.¡±


    She finally managed to catch her keys and opened her door. Bubby came to greet her and she grabbed the cat to keep it away from her mother, who she knew was allergic.


    ¡°That¡¯s why we booked a room in the hotel,¡± Elise said, going inside. ¡°We didn¡¯t want to bother you.¡±


    ¡°I-It¡¯s not a bother at all. I¡¯m happy to see you,¡± Lucille opened the door to her room and looked inside.


    She realized Kat¡¯s lingerie was still on her bed since last night. Her girlfriend had taken a bath and changed her clothes before going out. Lucille put the cat inside and closed the door, hoping her mother wouldn¡¯t ask to see her room. She could say that was hers, of course. But her mother knew her size.


    ¡°I thought you and dad were going on a trip this Christmas?¡± Lucille asked, sitting beside her mother on the couch.


    ¡°I was missing my daughter, so I came to see you. Is that wrong?¡±


    ¡°N-No. I¡¯m happy that you¡¯re here. I missed you, mom,¡± Lucille said hugging her mother again. Elise¡¯s face was serious, but that was natural for her. ¡°So, are you going to that trip from here?¡±


    ¡°No, we¡¯re canceling it. Me and John decided we want to spend Christmas with you, after all. Since family is more important.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Lucille¡¯s reaction was stronger than she intended. Elise threw her daughter a piercing look.


    ¡°Is that a problem?¡±


    ¡°N-No. I¡¯m just surprised. Dad was excited about this travel. You two deserve it.¡±


    ¡°Your father agreed to come, too. We can go on that travel during the New Year. We never spent Christmas away from my baby. We don¡¯t want to do it now.¡±


    ¡°I-I see,¡± Lucille threw a desperate look around her apartment. ¡°But you see, this place is small. Not sure if a Christmas celebration would work here.¡±


    ¡°I know. That¡¯s why I made a reservation in a restaurant for Christmas Eve. They serve the food close to midnight. Looks like a nice place and they plan to do a special event that night. The food looks good, too.¡±


    ¡°R-Right¡­¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t seem happy,¡± Elise stared straight into Elise¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°That¡¯s not true! I¡¯m happy! I really am! It¡¯s just that I wasn¡¯t expecting it, so I don¡¯t know how to react...¡±


    Elise finally gave out a faint smile. She touched her daughter¡¯s cheek, caressing the side of her daughter¡¯s mouth with her thumb. Lucille closed her eyes.


    ¡°You¡¯re still my baby,¡± Elise said. Her voice seemed somehow painful and Lucille couldn¡¯t understand why. ¡°Even if you¡¯re such a beautiful woman now. You¡¯re my most precious treasure. So forgive me if I ever make you cry.¡±


    ¡°Mom?¡± Lucille opened her eyes and looked at Elise with a confused face.


    Elise sighed and stood up.


    ¡°That was all. I¡¯ll call you before Christmas Eve to make arrangements. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll come to get you.¡±


    ¡°W-Wait,¡± Lucille said, standing up from the couch as well. ¡°Are you going already? Why don¡¯t you eat something? Won¡¯t dad come to see me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m taking this time to deal with some things I have to do in the city. Your dad is doing the same. We¡¯ll have the whole Christmas Eve to talk, dear.¡±


    Elise kissed her daughter on the cheek. Her eyes looked sad when she gave Lucille one last nod and walked through the door.


    Staying behind, Lucille put her forehead on the closed door. She needed to call Kat and cancel their plans for Christmas. Kat, who was so happy about spending that date with her. She wasn¡¯t looking forward to her girlfriend¡¯s reaction.


    Lucille took the cell phone and looked at the screen for a few minutes. She could call her mother instead and tell everything about her girlfriend. She knew what her mother¡¯s stance on the subject was, but she needed to tell her someday. And yet, she didn¡¯t have the courage and dialed Kat¡¯s number instead. She sighed as the buzz told her the phone was ringing on the other side.


    ***


    Kat lied on her bed after getting home. She wondered if Lucille had taken a bath already. Last day, she remembered, they took one together. She buried her head in her pillow as that memory dominated her mind and made her blush.


    She was looking forward to next week. Spending Christmas with Lucille as her girlfriend was something she could never dream of happening just one year ago. Had that weird phenomena not happened, she would probably still be watching Lucille from afar while sighing melancholic. And yet, now she could still feel her girlfriend¡¯s skin on her fingers and lips. She could still remember her perfume from the last night, or her soft voice as she moaned.


    And during Christmas, they would be together. And her family supported them. Kat couldn¡¯t think of a time when she was happier.


    She needed to buy a present. She had some money saved that she made through months of part-time jobs just for that day. She wanted something good enough to show the size of her love. Something that would make Lucille think of her.


    Her phone rang. Her heart skipped when she looked at the screen and Lucille¡¯s beautiful smiling face was on it.


    ¡°Hello,¡± she said, after picking it up, ¡°I was missing hearing your voice already.¡±


    ¡°Hey, Kat...¡± Lucille¡¯s voice seemed a little hesitant. She rarely called Kat by her name.


    ¡°Is there a problem?¡± Kat asked, feeling a little afraid.


    ¡°No, I mean, I didn¡¯t call just to talk. I wish I had, I love hearing your voice too,¡± a pause on Lucille¡¯s side made Kat feel her stomach ache. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know how to say this and I¡¯m really sorry, but¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re scaring me, Lucille.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing that serious. You see, it¡¯s just that my mom showed up suddenly today. She, uh, want me to spend Christmas with her.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Kat could imagine what would come next.


    ¡°I do want to tell her about us. But I don¡¯t feel like now is the time. So, you see¡­¡±


    ¡°I get it,¡± Kat said, letting out a sad smile that Lucille couldn¡¯t see. ¡°I¡¯ll tell mom and dad.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Bubby.¡±


    ¡°Now, it¡¯s okay, really. We have New Year yet, right? I know how much you wanted to spend this day with your mother. And how much you missed her.¡±


    ¡°I wanted to be with you, too.¡±


    ¡°I know. One day we all will spend it together, ok? For now, huh, Lucille. Just have fun, ok?¡±


    Lucille chuckled on the other side.


    ¡°Sure, I will. Thanks, Bubby. You¡¯re the best. I love you a lot.¡±


    ¡°I love you, too,¡± Kat said and turned the phone off.


    She let out a sigh. It would be a lie to say she was completely okay with it. She was looking forward to Christmas together with her girlfriend, after all. Yet, she knew how lucky she was that her family was so understanding. She couldn¡¯t imagine having her mother against their relationship.


    Her memory went back to the day she went home after spending a week as a cat. How her mother opened the door with a tired face that clearly had cried for days. Seeing her daughter in front of her, her eyes filled with tears and she gave her a tight hug. Kat and Lucille had thought about what kind of story to tell to explain her days out. They said Kat suffered an accident and couldn¡¯t remember where her home was. She was living with Lucille for those days.


    The story didn¡¯t make sense. Lucille could find Kat¡¯s house easily, and they have no record of ever seeing a medic. But Kat¡¯s mother didn''t mind. If she didn¡¯t believe the story, she probably knew her daughter had a good reason for lying.


    That day, Kat¡¯s family met Lucille for the first time. From the very first moment, they liked her. That made it easier for Kat to tell them Lucille was her girlfriend some weeks later. At first, they did act a little surprised. But soon they became happy to welcome Lucille in their family. Her mother started to call Lucille ¡°my second daughter¡±.


    All that made Kat really happy. And now she was feeling bad knowing Lucille wasn¡¯t able to feel the same. Thinking about it, she knew it would be cruel to ask Lucille to spend the Christmas together anyway. She had her mother close now, so she should enjoy it.


    Yet, Kat still wanted to buy her a present. She decided to get something in the next day, and maybe give it to her girlfriend on New Year.


    ***


    Lucille had a collection of necklaces, even if she, for some reason, didn¡¯t wear them often. When Kat asked about it, Lucille said they were for special occasions. She did wear one on their first date, a pink necklace with the drawing of a rose engraved in it. At the time, Lucille¡¯s appearance had stolen Kat¡¯s breath.


    She decided a necklace would be an appropriate gift. It was a present that could last years and wearing it would make Lucille think of her. She didn¡¯t want it to be too cheap, so Kat went to a jewelry shop. Maybe she wouldn¡¯t be able to get something good enough, but she was intending on spending all her money on that present.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    The jewelry shop, just like the whole city, was full of Christmas ornaments. No clerk showed up and Kat started to look the necklaces for herself. She knew Lucille liked flowers. Since her favorite necklace was the one with the rose, she decided something similar would be best. She found a lot of necklaces with different flowers carvings in it. There were all kinds of different species and colors, which made Kat confused about what to choose. All of them were equally beautiful.


    ¡°She likes blue anemones,¡± a serious voice talked behind Kat, making her jump startled. ¡°Also pink roses, but I bought one like that for her already.¡±


    Kat turned around. A middle-aged woman wearing glasses was staring at her. Her expression was stiff and her eyes seemed to pierce Kat.


    ¡°Katherine Porter,¡± the woman said. ¡°We need to talk.¡±


    ***


    It was Christmas Eve. Lucille was nervous waiting for her mother. She could hear the Christmas song playing in the city even from her apartment, but she wasn¡¯t in such a happy mood.


    Elise was supposed to get her at 10 PM. Looking at her cell phone, Lucille realized it was 9:50 PM already. Her mother was always punctual, rarely arriving too early or too late.


    Lucille had a long black skirt and a white blouse. Her feet were swinging while she was sitting nervously at the couch. At a point, Bubby jumped on her lap and she petted the cat. It was relaxing.


    The doorbell rang, announcing her mother was there. Just one minute early. Elise had a smile on her face when Lucille opened the door and looked in a better mood than the other day. She hugged her daughter and kissed her forehead.


    ¡°So you¡¯re ready. That¡¯s my baby. Let¡¯s go?¡±


    ¡°O-Okay. Can you stop calling me that, though? I¡¯m an adult already.¡±


    ¡°No, I can¡¯t.¡±


    Lucille got inside the car as they got out of the apartment and Elise turned it on. They traveled for some time. The city was full of people and Christmas ornaments. It was like a red town. Most people out looked like families and they would greet each other with happy smiles.


    Elise was silent the whole way, but that was normal when she was driving. Lucille looked at her phone. She wanted at least send Kat a message but wondered if that was too cruel. Kat probably wanted her girlfriend by her side that night.


    ¡°Calling someone?¡± Elise asked with an indifferent voice.


    ¡°N-No. I¡¯m looking at my messages.¡±


    ¡°Oh? I heard you¡¯re very popular at the college. As expected.¡±


    ¡°H-Heard? How?¡±


    ¡°Through Selma. Remember Donna? Her son goes to the same college as you. I¡¯m sure you wouldn¡¯t recognize him, but he did recognize you.¡±


    Lucille felt a chill. She opened her mouth, but no word came out. She was afraid to ask anything else.


    ¡°Is there anything you want to tell me, dear?¡± Elise asked. Her eyes fixated on the street.


    Lucille realized her hands were shaking. To hide it, she crossed her arms. She tried to talk again. The voice came out with difficulty.


    ¡°M-Mom¡­ I¡­ actually,¡± she stopped. She wanted to jump from the car and run away. She felt like crying. ¡°No, i-it¡¯s nothing¡­¡± She said, turning her face away.


    ¡°Oh,¡± her mother said and became silent.


    They stopped in front of the restaurant. It was a famous and expensive restaurant in the city. It was packed for Christmas Eve and decorated as such, with Christmas songs playing inside. Lucille knew it was a popular place for families wanting to eat outside on that time of the year.


    But her eyes turned to the lone figure waiting in front of it. Lucille felt her heart speed up and her legs lose strength. She managed to get out of the car, but stood there, looking at the nervous young woman in front of her.


    ¡°Come on, dear,¡± her mother rushed her. ¡°Don¡¯t leave your girlfriend waiting.¡±


    Lucille walked to Kat¡¯s side. She didn¡¯t take her girlfriend''s hand, even though Kat tried to do it. Instead, she asked, in a very low voice:


    ¡°What is going on here?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Kat said, lowering her head. ¡°She said I should come.¡±


    ¡°Come on, come on, it¡¯s cold outside,¡± Elise rushed the girls inside the restaurant.


    Kat was so pretty. With black jeans and blouse. She was even wearing a faint pink lipstick, which she rarely did. In any other occasion, Lucille would jump on her arms and steal a kiss. Now she couldn¡¯t stop wondering what her mother was planning.


    Elise guided them to a table where her husband was already waiting. She sat beside him and invited the two girls to sat across them. John gave Kat a curious look.


    ¡°Oh, yeah, this is Katherine Porter,¡± Elise told her husband. ¡°She¡¯s our baby¡¯s girlfriend.¡±


    The man looked at his wife. He looked like he was trying to understand his her intention. But after some seconds, he turned to Kat and offered his hand and a smile. To greet his daughter, he got up and gave her a hug.


    When Lucille sat down, her hands were shaking. Kat probably realized it, because she squeezed one of them below the table, away from Elise¡¯s gaze. Lucille gave out a sigh. It was reassuring having her girlfriend¡¯s touch.


    ¡°Mom!¡± She said, but Elise rose her hand.


    ¡°Let¡¯s order something.¡±


    They told their order to the waiter, who went away. Lucille couldn¡¯t understand the situation. She was too conscious of her surroundings. Her mother and her girlfriend reunited together with her was a dream she had, but not like that. She was scared. It looked more like a nightmare.


    The waiter brought their orders. There was a bottle of wine that Elise asked. Opening it, she looked at Kat.


    ¡°Do you drink?¡± She asked. Kat shook her head. ¡°I see. You look like a good influence, at least.¡±


    Elise poured a little in her own glass and took a sip. Her husband also started eating, but Lucille and Kat didn¡¯t touch their plates. Lucille¡¯s face was pale. She was looking at her mother, trying to discern any emotion on her face.


    The Christmas song around them just made everything worse. The clash between the atmosphere and her feelings was suffocating her. The lights in the Christmas tree close to her was making her head hurt.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you hungry?¡± Elise asked.


    ¡°Stop that,¡± Lucille said, with a low voice.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°What are you planning?!¡± She rose her voice. Everyone around them looked at their table. Kat took Lucille¡¯s hands again, trying to calm her down. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry,¡± Lucille said and felt tears rising up to her eyes.


    ¡°I don¡¯t get it,¡± Elise said, with a serious face. ¡°What is your problem? I just invited my dear daughter to dinner on Christmas Eve. Isn¡¯t that what a mother should do?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be cynical. You know what my problem is,¡± Lucille tried to control her voice so those around them wouldn¡¯t hear. ¡°Is this some kind of game? Why did you bring Kat?¡±


    ¡°Katherine Porter. She¡¯s your...¡± Elise paused and threw a look at Kat, who avoided her eyes. ¡°She¡¯s your girlfriend, isn¡¯t she?


    ¡°Cut down this bullshit already!¡± Lucille failed to control her tone again. Kat hugged her girlfriend¡¯s arm.


    ¡°Calm down love,¡± Kat whispered in her girlfriend¡¯s ear. Lucille didn¡¯t manage to control her tears anymore and started crying. Kat looked at Elise. ¡°Misses Barker. I¡¯m happy for the invitation, but you should be honest with your daughter. I know you don¡¯t,¡± she paused and pressed her lips. ¡°You¡¯re not okay with a relationship like ours. So you shouldn¡¯t play with your daughter¡¯s feelings like that. She loves you a lot, so please, be fair to her!¡±


    Lucille was surprised to hear such a composed voice coming from Kat. She was usually so shy around strangers and now she was standing up against Elise, who was really intimidating. Getting closer, Lucille realized her girlfriend¡¯s heart beating fast.


    ¡°You owe me apologies,¡± Elise said, looking at Lucille. Her husband touched her arm and asked her to calm down. ¡°I am calm. At least, compared to our daughter.¡±


    ¡°Apologize?¡± Lucille gave her mother a defiant look, her eyes wet by tears. ¡°Apologize for what exactly? Apologize for loving someone?¡±


    ¡°For not telling me. You think it¡¯s okay for your own mother to know it by someone else¡¯s mouth? That¡¯s not how I raised you.¡±


    Lucille made an incredulous face.


    ¡°Oh, should I tell you?¡± She said and gave a sarcastic laugh. ¡°Sure, mom, sure. I should call you and tell ¡®oh, by the way, you know one of those people you¡¯re always calling disgusting? Well, I¡¯m one of them!¡¯,¡± she paused and wiped the tears on her eyes. ¡°Or what? Are you telling me you changed your mind suddenly? Now you¡¯re fine with it?¡±


    ¡°My mind didn¡¯t change one bit,¡± Elise said, with a cold voice. ¡°I still believe that two women having a romantic relationship with each other is disgusting and immoral.¡±


    ¡°Look here¡­!¡± Lucille started, but Elise rose her hand, stopping her.


    ¡°I do think it¡¯s disgusting and immoral. However, I could never talk about my dear daughter like that,¡± with Elise¡¯s words, Lucille¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°I was in shock when I heard about it. Even more when I saw it. At that moment, I won¡¯t lie, I felt like I had lost my daughter. My first thought was to make you two break up somehow. I could try it in so many ways. I could make you choose between her or your family, for example.¡±


    Lucille threw her mother a horrified look as Elise took another sip of her wine unperturbed.


    ¡°But you know,¡± Elise continued. ¡°The smile you had when you were with this girl was so beautiful that I couldn¡¯t take it off my mind. In the end, all a mother wants for her daughter is for her to be happy like that. So, while I can¡¯t fully accept it yet, I don¡¯t want to make my daughter cry anymore. And that¡¯s why,¡± she turned her face to Kat. ¡°As long as you keep my daughter smiling, I¡¯m willing to support your relationship.¡±


    Lucille looked at her mother without believing it. There were still tears in her eyes, but she was struggling with her mouth¡¯s muscles trying not to form a smile.


    ¡°Y-You¡¯re not joking, right?¡± The corners of her mouth finally formed a smile. ¡°What you just said, you really mean it?¡±


    Elise nodded.


    ¡°The reason why I invited young Katherine here wasn¡¯t that I wanted to provoke you or play some twisted game. I¡¯m willing to allow her to be part of our family. And since this is a family celebration, her place is here, sitting by your side.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ Ah¡­¡± Lucille couldn¡¯t control it anymore. She started to cry, this time with a smile on her face. She didn¡¯t care anymore about all faces turning to look at her. She hugged Kat and cried on her chest. Kat passed her hand through her girlfriend¡¯s hair.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Kat said to Elise, with a smile on her own face. ¡°Thanks for giving your daughter a chance.¡±


    ¡°But know this,¡± Elise said, facing Kat. ¡°If you ever make my baby suffer, I¡¯ll be your worst enemy.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dream of it, misses Barker,¡± Kat said, still caressing Lucille¡¯s hair. ¡°But right now, you¡¯re the one who made her cry,¡± she said with a smirk.


    Elise smiled and stood up. She still hadn¡¯t finished her food.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take some air,¡± she said and walked away, seeming to be in a hurry.


    John also followed his wife. Before that, he gave Kat a sympathetic smile and said:


    ¡°I need to comfort my girl as well.¡±


    ***


    It was ten minutes left for midnight. They all had finished dinner and Elise suggested them to walk through the park until Christmas Day came. The park was full of people, probably with the same idea. Everyone was either talking to each other or singing songs. The park was illuminated with all the Christmas decoration.


    Lucille was holding her girlfriend¡¯s hand and had a huge smile on her face, which was a contrast with her eyes, still red from crying. She was almost skipping of happiness. Her smile was directed sometimes to Kat, sometimes to her parents.


    When the clock finally marked midnight, Lucille threw herself on her mother¡¯s arms, hugging her.


    ¡°Merry Christmas and thank you so much, mom,¡± she said with emotion in her voice. ¡°This night was the best present I could ask.¡±


    ¡°No, baby,¡± Elise said, putting her hand on her daughter¡¯s face. ¡°I, uh, shouldn¡¯t say all those things without thinking either. I realize my words hurt you before, so, I¡¯m sorry for that,¡± that was the only time Lucille ever saw her mother apologizing for something. ¡°I want to say it doesn¡¯t matter what happens, I¡¯ll always love you. Merry Christmas, my dear. From now on, if something I say hurts you, please tell me.¡±


    ¡°Can I teach you to be more tolerant?¡±


    ¡°You can try,¡± Elise said with a smirk. ¡°My feelings didn¡¯t change. Well, maybe that¡¯s not completely true. Something that makes my daughter happy can¡¯t be that bad.¡±


    ¡°Oh, speaking of which. If you were willing to accept Kat, why didn¡¯t you talk to me before? Like, when you came to get me, or even before that?¡±


    ¡°That is¡­¡± Elise paused and looked at Kat, who had her face red and looked embarrassed. ¡°I was a little upset, I guess, that you would hide something like that from me. You did say you would invite me to your marriage.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not married, though! I did plan to tell you eventually. But I was afraid...¡±


    ¡°I understand why you hid it, but it still hurts me that you couldn¡¯t trust me. I always said I would be on your side.¡±


    Kat got close to Lucille and hugged her girlfriend¡¯s waist.


    ¡°B-By the way, Misses Barker, Mister Barker, uh, Merry Christmas. And also,¡± she said. ¡°Tomorrow, well, today, I guess, we¡¯re going to have a Christmas party at my home. We would be happy if you two could come too.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Elise asked.


    ¡°I want you there. I mean, we do, right?¡± She said, looking at her girlfriend.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Lucille said with a big smile. ¡°Nothing would make me happier right now.¡±


    ¡°Well, we¡¯ll be there, then,¡± Elise said and gave Kat a smile. ¡°Katherine. You¡¯re a nice girl. All things considered, I think we¡¯re lucky to have someone like you in the family. Well, I trust my daughter¡¯s judgment.¡±


    ¡°O-Oh yeah,¡± Kat put her hand on the inside of her blouse and took a wrapped box. She gave it to Lucille. ¡°M-Merry Christmas to you, love.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Lucille took the box in her hand with a smile. ¡°Thanks. I didn¡¯t buy anything for you, though. With everything that happened, I forgot about it completely.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. You can open it now if you want.¡±


    Lucille unwrapped and opened the box. Inside was the blue anemones necklace.


    ¡°This is beautiful, but, how do you know I like¡­?¡±


    Kat threw a look at Elise, who smiled at her.


    ¡°Well, someone who knows you better told me.¡±


    Lucille threw an understanding look at her mother. She put the necklace in that same moment, remembering how everything made her forget to wear one for that night.


    ¡°So, do I look pretty?¡± she asked with a smile.


    ¡°You always do,¡± Kat and Elise said at the same time. Kat lowered her head embarrassed, but Elise just let out a smile.


    ¡°Apparently we have something in common,¡± Elise said and scratched her cheek. She seemed a little embarrassed for the first time as she talked to Kat. ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s Christmas. Won¡¯t you give your girlfriend a kiss to celebrate?¡±


    ¡°Ah, I-I¡¯m not sure that is...¡± Kat said, turning her eyes to the ground again.


    ¡°If it¡¯s because of me, don¡¯t worry. I might not be used to it, but I did saw you two doing it once, already. And I can tell my daughter wants it...¡±


    ¡°No, mom, don''t worry. That¡¯s not it. She¡¯s shy and can¡¯t do it when we¡¯re in public. On these times, that¡¯s on me,¡± Lucille said and pulled Kat¡¯s face up, giving a soft kiss on her lips. Kat¡¯s face became completely red. ¡°Merry Christmas to you, my little kitten,¡± Lucille said with a smile.


    ¡°Your¡­ little kitten?¡± Elise asked.


    ¡°Oh, that is¡­ a long story¡­¡± Lucille said with a laugh.

 New Years Resolutions - Part 1

    Christine invited her friends over some days after Christmas. She was a sixteen years old girl with brown skin and long black frizzy hair. She wanted to spend those last days of the year with the girls she had so much fun at school. They were five girls, but not all of them were in her class.


    Mari was her classmate since middle school, but they only started talking after high school. She was a shy Asian girl with long and shiny black hair. She was almost always wearing glasses. At that moment, she had a book in front of her while sitting in the corner of the room. But her eyes were mostly looking at her friends instead of reading.


    ¡°For Christmas, daddy baked a new cake. Someday I¡¯ll bring a piece so you can taste it,¡± a blonde girl said to another girl with short hair sitting beside her on the couch.


    The blond girl¡¯s name was Lillian. She was the daughter of a baker. Probably because of that, she was a little overweight when compared to her friends. She didn¡¯t mind, saying that she was still desired and that¡¯s what mattered. She had rosy skin and long wavy blonde hair. She always had a smile on her face. Since Christine and she were neighbor, they were also childhood friends.


    The girl she was talking to, who was giving Lillian a gentle and silent smile, was Teresa. Tall, slim, short black hair and olive skin. One day she had approached Christine and Lillian suddenly and asked to become their friends. Christine didn¡¯t know much about her besides the fact that she was kind and always trying to help.


    Sitting beside Christine was a girl playing with her black and lustrous hair. Her name was Harriet. The first time Christine saw her, she was marveled. Harriet had light brown skin and green eyes. Together with her alluring body, her exotic appearance caught everyone¡¯s attention. Her friends wondered if she hated the attention, giving her always unfriendly behavior. Even if she accepted Christine¡¯s invitation, she rarely interacted with the other girls. In Christine¡¯s opinions, she was a girl hard to read, but sometimes there seemed to have something lonely about her.


    The last girl, lying on the bed behind Christine, was a redheaded girl who was playing with her smartphone. Her name was Meg. She was tall and her long hair was beautiful by how much it shined in the light. She had light white skin. Christine still didn¡¯t know why Meg approached them. Her personality was completely different and she was in another class, together with Mari, even though the two of them didn¡¯t talk much with each other. Still, Christine thought she was a fun girl when she wasn¡¯t surrounded by boys.


    While painting her nails, with her legs crossed on the bed, Christine took a look at the curious group she formed in her bedroom. They were all different and against all odds, they all became her friends. She was the center of everything, but they all get along well. Even if some of them were a little unsociable.


    She felt blessed by it. Having five friends she knew she could count on wasn¡¯t easy.


    ¡°Did you call us so you could paint your nails?¡± Meg asked, keeping her phone aside and leaning her voluptuous body against Christine.


    ¡°Sorry, sorry. I¡¯m almost done,¡± Christine said, applying the last layer of red nail polish. She was proud of her long nails and treating them was always relaxing.


    ¡°New year is almost here,¡± Teresa said since Lillian had stopped talking to look at Christine. ¡°Soon we¡¯ll have to go back to school.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it would be nice doing something together before that,¡± Lillian said. She smiled at Mari who had her eyes on her friends now, although the book was opened in front of her. ¡°Right?¡±


    ¡°R-Right,¡± she stammered and lowered her eyes. ¡°A-actually, my parents won¡¯t be home for New Year¡­¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll leave you alone?¡± Teresa asked.


    ¡°T-They think Christmas is a time to spend with family. But for New Year they¡¯re planning a trip. I didn¡¯t want to go with them¡­¡±


    Mari lowered her eyes.


    ¡°You can spend it here with us,¡± Christine said with a smile. ¡°Mom said you were a sweet girl, so I¡¯m sure she would be happy with it.¡±


    ¡°I,¡± Mari raised her eyes but seemed hesitant. ¡°I don¡¯t want to intrude¡­¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t, you won¡¯t. We never do anything special. You¡¯ll come too, right, Lillian?¡±


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Lillian said, clapping her hands and giving Christine a smile. ¡°I have other plans this year.¡±


    ¡°You traitor,¡± Christine said and turned the girl who was still hugging her. ¡°What about you, Meg?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, love. I have a date.¡±


    ¡°Of course you do,¡± she turned to Teresa. ¡°And you?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t come,¡± she said it with a smile. ¡°I¡¯ll send you a message, though.¡±


    Last, Christine turned to Harriet, but before she could open her mouth, the other girl let out a dry ¡°No¡±. Christine sighed.


    ¡°As you can see, Mari, you¡¯re my only hope. No one else cares if I spend the end of the year by my miserable self. You¡¯ll come, right?¡±


    ¡°M-Maybe,¡± Mari said, turning her eyes to the side.


    ¡°Please come, ok?¡± Christine said with a smile. Then she clapped her hands. ¡°I have an idea. How about we tell our New Year¡¯s resolutions? You all have one, of course. Right?¡±


    ¡°Eh? No way,¡± Meg said with a laugh.


    ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t feel like telling everyone something like that either,¡± Lilian agreed.


    ¡°Come one, we¡¯re with friends here. Wait, I have an idea,¡± Christine took her notebook and ripped a page out of it. ¡°How about each one of us writes it in a piece of paper. We¡¯ll mix them all and read them aloud. No one will know who wrote which.¡±


    ¡°Won¡¯t we know by the calligraphy?¡± Teresa asked.


    ¡°Make it different somehow? I¡¯ll be the only one reading it, so there¡¯s no problem.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I believe you¡¯re not smart enough to find us out like that,¡± Meg said, making Christine pout. ¡°But sure, I¡¯m okay with it. That looks fun.¡±


    ¡°Fine by me, too,¡± Teresa said.


    ¡°Well, if it¡¯s Christine reading it, I can trust it,¡± Lilian said.


    ¡°You mean you don¡¯t trust us?¡± Meg provoked Lilian, but before the girl could answer, Harriet interrupted them.


    ¡°Won¡¯t you know who is who by elimination? Like, since we know each other for some time, we know things each one want.¡±


    ¡°Maybe for some wish, but that¡¯ll only happen if we try to guess who wrote it,¡± Christine said and raised her hand. ¡°So we¡¯re forbidden from doing it. We can¡¯t probe each other about what we wished. I¡¯ll just read it and we let it go.¡±


    Everyone nodded and Harriet just let out an ¡°ok, then¡±.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°You okay with that?¡± Christine asked Mari, who just nodded.


    So Christine cut the page in six parts of equal size. She took six pens from a pot on her nightstand and gave a pen and a paper to each friend, leaving one for herself. She looked at Meg still above her shoulder.


    ¡°You get out. No peeking,¡± Christine said. Meg stuck out her tongue and sat on the opposite side of the bed.


    Christine knew exactly what she would write, but everyone else took their time. Lillian had a weird smile on her face while writing it. Mari was taking some time thinking. Teresa seemed really worried about hiding her paper. Harriet was scratching something. Meg seemed like she was having problems with her pen, but when Christine asked if she wanted another, she just shrugged it off.


    After two minutes, everyone had written it already and folded their piece of paper. Christine passed the now empty pot where the pens were to each of her friends. When all six pieces of paper were inside, Christine covered its top with her hand and shook it, mixing them.


    ¡°Ok, now is the time,¡± she said, making a mysterious smile and putting her hand inside the pot.


    She examined each of her friend¡¯s expressions while doing it. Lilian and Meg looked curious. Teresa and Harriet seemed like they were giving low importance to it, and Mari had her eyes glued on the book.


    ¡°So here is the first one,¡± she said, taking the paper and opening it. ¡°It says, well, that¡¯s boring. ¡®I want to lose weight¡¯¡±.


    ¡°That one is probably Lilian, right?¡± Meg said, throwing a smile at the blonde girl.


    ¡°Hey, that¡¯s rude!¡± Lilian replied. ¡°And I don¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey, hey, hey,¡± Christiane stopped them. ¡°Not guessing, remember? That¡¯s not fair.¡±


    The two girls stopped talking and Christine drew another piece of paper.


    ¡°This one says, huh, ¡®I wanna debut as a model¡¯¡±


    ¡°Oh, this one is interesting,¡± Meg said, trying to look at the piece of paper, which Christine clenched in her hand.


    ¡°Stop that, Meg, seriously.¡±


    ¡°Hey, I can¡¯t know who it is anyway. Unless you know.¡±


    ¡°Of course I don¡¯t,¡± she started drawing another paper. ¡°Besides, wanting to be a model isn¡¯t that uncommon, right?¡±


    ¡°It is for this group,¡± Meg said.


    ¡°Unless it¡¯s you,¡± Christine said with a smile and unfolded the next paper. ¡°Let¡¯s see. ¡®I want to¡¯,¡± she paused. ¡°ok, is this a joke?¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± Teresa asked and Mari raised her eyes. Harriet was looking with the side of her eyes, showing low interest.


    ¡°¡®I want to marry my boyfriend¡¯. No, really, one of us has a boyfriend?¡±


    ¡°Guess we¡¯ll never know. We can¡¯t probe,¡± Meg said, shrugging.


    ¡°And marrying? This year? We¡¯re all teenagers here, please,¡± Lilian said.


    ¡°Maybe someone just wants to make everyone else jealous?¡± Harriet said. She had her chin on her hands.


    ¡°Ah, yeah. It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Christine said, putting the paper aside. ¡°I said not guessing, so we¡¯ll stop here. But I swear if I find an ¡®I want a baby¡¯ here, the game is over,¡± she put the hand inside, mixing the three last pieces of paper.


    ¡°Still, it¡¯s easy to imagine the ones here most likely to have a boyfriend,¡± Teresa said with a smile and threw a look at Meg and Harriet¡¯s way.


    ¡°No, seriously, Teresa, stop,¡± Christine said, taking another paper. When she opened it and read what was on it, she froze. ¡°I-I¡¯m not sure I should read this one.¡±


    ¡°No, you should,¡± Meg said. ¡°It would be unfair with the ones you already read.¡±


    ¡°But this is too personal.¡±


    ¡°All the others also were!¡± Lilian said, standing up.


    ¡°Besides, we all agreed to share these, right?¡± Harriet said. ¡°If we didn¡¯t want anyone hearing it, we wouldn¡¯t write it.¡±


    ¡°Right, right,¡± Christine looked at the paper again. ¡°¡®I want a girlfriend¡¯.¡±


    Everyone became silent. For a moment, everyone looked straight at Christine, as if afraid to turn their eyes at anyone else.


    ¡°What?¡± Meg was the first to ask.


    ¡°It¡¯s what it says here,¡± Christine said, folding the paper. ¡°I said it was personal.¡±


    ¡°Like, a girlfriend? As in a girlfriend?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Meg, a girlfriend.¡±


    ¡°Who is she?¡±


    ¡°No. Stop.¡±


    ¡°No, seriously, I wanna know who wrote it.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    Christine gave Meg a serious and cold stare, making the girl calm down on the bed.


    ¡°N-No reason. Forget it.¡±


    Letting out a sigh, Christine put the paper aside and her hand in the pot again. Her heart was beating fast with the surprise and she actually became afraid of those two last piece of paper. Or at least one of them. She hadn¡¯t read her own paper yet.


    She got the next paper, recognizing her own handwriting in it.


    ¡°¡®I want to get a job¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s boring,¡± Meg said.


    ¡°Yes, right, the diet one was so exciting,¡± Christine answered, looking at the last piece of paper.


    ¡°Only one left,¡± Lilian said. ¡°I wonder if this one is bombastic, too.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s something like ¡®I want a pet¡¯, that¡¯ll be too anti-climatic,¡± Teresa said.


    Christine unfolded the paper and read it to herself. She folded it again and looked to the interior of the now empty pot. She wished she never had given that idea.


    ¡°Ok, how about we leave it be?¡±


    ¡°No, no, no,¡± Meg said, trying to get the paper from her friend¡¯s hands. Christine moved her hand away. ¡°You¡¯ll read this one now. If you didn¡¯t want it, you should¡¯ve lied!¡±


    ¡°Sure, sure,¡± Christine pushed Meg away and unfolded the paper again. ¡°It¡¯s not even a surprise, though. More like a deja vu. It says ¡®I want to confess to the girl I love¡¯.¡±


    Another silence. None of the girls looked at each other. Harriet was the first one to say something.


    ¡°Does it say specifically ¡®girl¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it does. Guess whoever wrote it wanted to make this part clear.¡±


    ¡°Is that a joke?¡± Meg asked. ¡°I mean, two of us have interest in girls? If you¡¯re all lying, I won¡¯t forgive you, you know! I was honest with mine!¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t know, Meg,¡± Christine said, putting all the pieces of paper back in the pot. ¡°But we said we wouldn¡¯t try to guess, right? Let it go.¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s different. I didn¡¯t expect something like this. I want to know.¡±


    ¡°Why are you so insistent about it?¡± Mari said with a clear voice. She rarely raised her voice, so everyone looked at her, surprised. ¡°Did you write those and you¡¯re trying to mask it now?¡±


    ¡°What? No, I didn¡¯t!¡±


    ¡°So why are you having such a strong reaction?¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s natural, right? We just¡­¡±


    ¡°Meg!¡± Christine said, interrupting their discussion. ¡°And Mari, too. Be careful and think a little about your words now. I don¡¯t know if these two pieces of paper are true. There¡¯s a high chance that at least one of them is. We have no reason to lie unless we¡¯re trying to make a joke, and I know none of us is the type who would do something like that. So, for all we know, these are all true. Is that a problem?¡±


    Christine crossed her eyes through the room. Mari was avoiding eye contact. Meg sat in silence in the bed. Harriet was trying to look away as if she had nothing to do with it. Lilian was looking at Christine with a faint smile and Teresa was just the same, unperturbed.


    ¡°If these are true,¡± Christine continued. ¡°Maybe who wrote it wanted to see our reaction. So, what message you want to send them? If one of us really like other girls romantically or sexually, would you have a problem with it?¡±


    ¡°N-No,¡± Mari said with a low voice.


    ¡°You know I don¡¯t,¡± Lilian said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care,¡± Harriet said.


    ¡°Not at all,¡± Teresa said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have any problem with them liking girls,¡± Meg said. ¡°But I still wanted them to come out.¡±


    ¡°Why is that?¡± Christine asked.


    ¡°Because we¡¯re all friends, right? I don¡¯t like the idea of a friend not trusting me with something that important. And, you know,¡± she started playing with her fingers, looking shy, which she never did before. ¡°I read somewhere that gay people can be lonely and, if my friend is having a problem, I don¡¯t want them¡­¡±


    Christine smiled and patted Meg¡¯s head.


    ¡°Deep inside, you¡¯re a good girl, Meg.¡±


    ¡°Stop that!¡± Meg said, slapping Christine¡¯s hand away. ¡°Ok, ok. I won¡¯t touch the subject anymore. And whoever you two are, even if you¡¯re me,¡± and she threw a look at Mari while saying that. ¡°I just want you to know that I support you. Find a girlfriend. Be happy. That¡¯s all.¡±


    Christine mocked Meg by clapping her hands, which made Meg pushed her away.


    ¡°B-But you know,¡± Mari said, making everyone turn to her. ¡°Just one last thing. That last paper said she was in love with another girl. Could it be one of us?¡±


    Everyone stopped talking. Teresa was the one who broke the silence.


    ¡°Maybe she¡¯s in love with the girl who wants a girlfriend?¡±


    ¡°Oh, that would be too perfect and romantic!¡± Lilian said.


    But Christine didn¡¯t pay attention as the conversation went on. Suddenly, something had clicked to her. She suddenly realized she knew who those two girls were.

 New Years Resolutions - Part 2

    After her friends went home, Christine unfolded all the pieces of papers again. She remembered what Teresa said. How one of the girls could be in love with the other. If what she realized was right, Teresa was completely right.


    She felt bad about it, but being the one who ripped the pieces of papers, she realized one of them had been ripped off in a somewhat uncommon shape. At the time, she didn¡¯t think much about it, but looking at it again, she was sure of it. That was the one that came back with the ¡°I want a girlfriend¡± text. The other paper had a scratched word. Whoever wrote in it, wrote ¡°grl¡± at first, scratched the wrong word and wrote the right one again.


    So Christine knew who the two girls were. And thinking back on the second girl¡¯s behavior, not only that afternoon but in the days before too, Teresa could be right. She could be in love with the first girl who wanted a girlfriend.


    She sighed. If she was right, she wanted to help them. If she was right, the two of them would make a cute couple together and probably be happy in a relationship. However, approaching any of them with that would reveal that she knew who wrote what, which would be disastrous to their trust on her and maybe their friendship itself. And above all that, she knew nothing about romance.


    But if she was right about the pieces of paper, there was someone she could at least consult about the last part. Not Meg. Meg could go out with a lot of boys but never seemed interested in dating any of them. She was always just playing around and had little interest in actual romance. Instead, there was someone else. She took her smartphone and called a number stored in the memory.


    ¡°Hello,¡± a voice said on the other side. ¡°What is it, Chris?¡±


    ¡°Lili,¡± Christine said. ¡°Can¡¯t I call my friend?¡±


    ¡°I just left your home some hour ago. Also, you could always walk here, you know. I know I¡¯m hard to resist, but¡­¡±


    ¡°I have a question,¡± Christine said, interrupting Lillian. ¡°Say, about before, you didn¡¯t want a girlfriend, right?¡±


    ¡°What happened to not trying to guess?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not guessing. I know who they¡¯re already, so can¡¯t help with that. I¡¯m just making sure I¡¯m right before saying more. It would be if I¡¯m completely wrong and you were actually one of them.¡±


    ¡°Chris, you¡­¡± Lilian made silence and Christine could hear her sigh on the other side. ¡°Ok, fine. No, I¡¯m not. Sadly for you, I have no interest in girls like that.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, like I thought. So, Lili, can you give me some love advice?¡±


    ¡°What? Wait, so it was you¡­?¡±


    ¡°No, no, you¡¯re wrong. But you see, I really want to help those two. Remember you said it would be romantic if one of them is in love with the other one? Well, if I¡¯m right, I guess that¡¯s exactly what¡¯s happening. I really wanted to give her this chance to confess and be happy. So, you see¡­¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re sticking your nose in their lives.¡±


    ¡°I just wanna help my friends, Lili.¡±


    ¡°Sure, fine. Why me, though?¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Christine threw her body on the bed and let out a smile. ¡°You¡¯re the only one who has a boyfriend.¡±


    Silence on the other side. When Lilian spoke again, her voice seemed angry.


    ¡°You know mine, too¡­¡±


    ¡°No. I didn¡¯t know it was yours at first. But you see, by elimination, I can guess. I know three of the wishes already, counting mine. The other two would make no sense for you. So yeah, you¡¯re spending New Year''s Eve with him, right?¡±


    Lilian sighed.


    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right. I have a boyfriend.¡±


    ¡°And you wouldn¡¯t tell me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s complicated,¡± Lilian said. After clicking her tongue, she continued. ¡°But that¡¯s not about me, we can talk about it later. What kind of advice you want?¡±


    ¡°How can I make a situation where someone can confess to the girl she loves? Did you confess to your boyfriend or did he? How was it?¡±


    ¡°Each person acts different and grasp opportunities in different ways. Without knowing who they are, I can¡¯t say for sure. But if you want my story, for me, I was at a party and he was there, too. I had a crush on him for some time. I don¡¯t know, he just came to invite me to dance and I just blurted it out. I confessed just there thinking he wouldn¡¯t accept, but he said yes. I guess the atmosphere helped it. It was a pretty night, it was a party. I felt like Cinderella or something.¡±


    ¡°So romantic¡­¡±


    ¡°Chris, I¡¯ll get mad.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, sorry. I¡¯m happy for you, really. Although the marriage part worries me.¡±


    Lilian let out a snicker.


    ¡°Well, we¡¯ll talk about that another day. But for our friends, whoever they are, I think something like that could help, right? An event or a party. For example, New Year¡¯s Eve.¡±


    ¡°New Year¡¯s Eve, huh?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I mean, she¡¯ll be with you on that day, right?¡±


    Christine remained silent, absorbing Lilian¡¯s words.


    ¡°Lili, you¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, ok, but Mari is a very bad liar. When she tried to accuse Meg, it was obvious. The poor thing looked scared, so I didn¡¯t say anything.¡±


    ¡°I see. You¡¯re a better person than I thought you were.¡±


    ¡°Hey! What do you mean by that?¡± Christine could hear Lilian pouting on the phone. ¡°Whatever. Anyway, I know Mari, but who is the other one?¡±


    ¡°Of course I won¡¯t tell you.¡±


    ¡°Hey, I would keep it a secret like I did with Mari, okay? But fine, I¡¯ll forgive you for today,¡± Lilian seemed to be thinking in silence on the other side, until after some minutes of silence, she spoke again: ¡°Let me guess, Mari is the one who asked for a girlfriend, not the one who wanted to confess, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, can¡¯t see Mari confessing to anyone. So, do you know if the other one is in love with her?¡±


    ¡°Probably,¡± Christine remained silent for some seconds before adding: ¡°Most likely. I¡¯ll need to confirm before, though.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, good luck with that. You¡¯ll need to push the other girl to confess because I can¡¯t see Mari doing it. Invite them to see the new year in downtown and I¡¯ll send you the address of a very beautiful and romantic place, as long as you don¡¯t ask me how I found it. But of course, everyone else refused to spend New Year¡¯s Eve with you, so you¡¯ll need to convince them to go, whoever they are. Teresa and Harriet didn¡¯t give any reason to refuse your invitation, so if it¡¯s one of them, maybe they¡¯re just shy? Can¡¯t see Teresa and Harriet acting shy, but I can¡¯t tell what those girls are thinking, so who knows. Also, if she¡¯s Meg, then it¡¯s even easier, since her date would either be a lie or something she¡¯s forcing herself to do,¡± Lilian paused, then added: ¡°And you know, I just realized you could actually be the one and you¡¯re asking for advice on how to confess.¡±


    ¡°Well, aren''t you a master detective? I won¡¯t say anything. If it goes right, you¡¯ll probably know who she is soon. But your advice is great, it does help a lot. Send me that place you talked about later.¡±If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    ¡°Sure. I wish you luck. I admit it would be interesting if two of my friends dated each other.¡±


    ¡°And about your boyfriend, I¡¯ll trust you right now, but take care, ok?¡±


    ¡°Hey, the marriage thing was just to make everyone know I had one. I¡¯m not serious about it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I thought.¡±


    ¡°I do intend to deepen our relationship the next year, though. That¡¯s not a lie. Anyway, goodbye, Chris.¡±


    ¡°Goodbye,¡± Christine turned the phone off and looked at the screen.


    She just had the last thing to take care of. Inviting the other girl would probably be hard. Luckily, she had two days for that.


    ***


    Christine looked at her smartphone. The girl she was waiting for was late. It was a cold afternoon to be outside, but they planned to meet in the park. It was December 30, so that was her last chance. At least, for those last days, she had planned all her moves carefully. So she was confident.


    At least if the girl she was meeting was the right one.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Harriet just said, approaching her. She was wearing a jacket like Christine and tried to look indifferent.


    ¡°You¡¯re late, you know,¡± Christine said, but let out a smile.


    ¡°Yeah, sure,¡± Harriet looked away, avoiding to face Christine. ¡°You said you had something important to talk.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but here is a little cold. How about we get some hot chocolate? It¡¯s on me.¡±


    Christine guided Harriet to a Cafe close to the park and the girls made their orders. It was so cold that white smoke would come out of their mouths while breathing. At least it wasn¡¯t snowing.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why we came here,¡± Harriet said, playing with her shiny hair. She always looked bored, but rarely took her phone out as the other girls did. Christine wondered she wasn¡¯t very sociable for that.


    ¡°Because you love me,¡± Christine said with a smile, making Harriet click her tongue.


    The waiter came with their hot chocolate. When Christine tried to drink it, she felt her tongue burning and let it rest in the table. Harriet seemed not to have the same problem, drinking normally. She was looking at Christine over her mug.


    ¡°So, did you really call me just to drink chocolate together?¡±


    ¡°I think that¡¯s a good enough reason, but no. I¡¯m here to invite you over to New Year¡¯s Eve tomorrow night.¡±


    ¡°I already refused you once, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I thought you had other plans, and yet mom talked to your mother the other day. You¡¯re spending it alone at home too, right?¡±


    Slowly, Harriet took the mug to her lips and let it rest down again. She wasn¡¯t facing Christine. Rather, she was facing something behind her, to not meet her eyes directly.


    ¡°So what?¡± She asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s lonely and sad,¡± Christine tried to get her mug again. But it was too hot and she gave up. ¡°You can spend it with us. Mari already confirmed she¡¯s coming. It¡¯ll be fun.¡±


    ¡°No, thanks,¡± Harriet¡¯s answer was dry.


    ¡°Why? Do you have other plans?¡± Christine paused and let a smirk born on her face. ¡°Or what? Maybe you¡¯re the one who got a boyfriend?¡±


    ¡°Of course not!¡± Harriet said, almost too energetic. Christine had to force herself not to laugh.


    ¡°Eh? Why is that? You¡¯re so pretty, so that¡¯s expected, right? Well, you must have high standards, though.¡±


    ¡°Was that all?¡±


    ¡°Is it because Mari will be there?¡±


    With those words, Harriet froze. Christine examined her friend as her face turned into a complex expression. Worry, maybe. Or fear.


    ¡°Why would I care if she¡¯s there?¡±


    ¡°Do you hate her?¡± With the question, Harriet became silent. Her mug was already empty and Christine wondered if she was drinking fast because she was nervous. ¡°I mean, I don¡¯t think I ever saw you two talking to each other.¡±


    ¡°I-I don¡¯t hate her,¡± Harriet turned her face away and played with her hair. ¡°I just, huh¡­¡± Her fingers were timidly making curls in the point of her hair.


    ¡°So that¡¯s a good opportunity to get closer to her, right?¡± Christine thought she saw a sparkle in Harriet¡¯s eyes with those words. ¡°You know, it¡¯s not just about you. Mari is very shy and she¡¯s very lonely because of that. I always wanted an opportunity to talk to her during middle school, but she always seemed to avoid me. When I finally did it in high school, I knew I was right. That girl only wants a friend. And yet, she¡¯s still very shy and it¡¯s hard for her having conversations even inside our group. I wanted you to get closer with her, too.¡±


    Harriet didn¡¯t say anything. Christine smiles after realizing the girl¡¯s lips shaking slightly.


    ¡°That reminds me,¡± Christine said, pretending she wasn¡¯t planning to speak that already. ¡°The first day you talked to me, Mari was there, right? I was so surprised back then since you were always so harsh and hard to approach. Everyone thought you were so full of yourself because you were so pretty. But then I thought, maybe you¡¯re just shy.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not-I¡¯m not shy,¡± Harriet wasn¡¯t looking Christine in the eyes.


    ¡°Really? Why did you approach me that day? I kind of started to invite you to be with us after that, but I never found out why.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t particularly interested in your group. I was just¡­¡±


    ¡°Lonely?¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t lonely!¡±


    Christine chuckled with Harriet¡¯s reaction. She took her mug, now the hot chocolate was in an easy to drink temperature.


    ¡°So, I¡¯ll ask again,¡± Christine said after taking a sip of it. ¡°Don¡¯t you wanna get closer to Mari?¡±


    ¡°I,¡± Harriet looked at her empty mug. ¡°I don¡¯t mind¡­¡±


    ¡°So, will you come?¡±


    A silence. Christine thought she could see a rubor in her friend¡¯s skin. Harriet threw her eyes to the side while tackling the table with her fingers.


    ¡°Fine¡­¡± she said, almost inaudible to Christine. ¡°I¡¯ll go.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Christine clapped her hands with a smile. ¡°That¡¯s great. I¡¯ll tell Mari later, it¡¯ll be fun. Who knows, it could become the best day of your life or something,¡± Christine emptied her mug and rose from the table. ¡°Wait for a little. I¡¯ll just pay for it.¡±


    ***


    After getting home, Harriet gave a vague greeting to her parents and ran to her bedroom. She threw herself in the bed and buried her face on her pillow. Swinging her feet up and down, she was trying to calm down her heart. Her hidden face had a big smile on it.


    Truth was that Harriet wanted to accept Christine¡¯s invitation soon after Mari did. Spending a night like that together with the girl she loved would be like a dream. Yet, the first time, she could only refuse it. That day, after going home, she cried alone in her bed, thinking about the lost opportunity. And she had almost lost the same opportunity again. If Christine wasn¡¯t so eager in making her accept it, she would probably regret that day again.


    Christine was right, Harriet was shy. And yet, since she was a child, she was always surrounded by people because of her beauty. She hated it, but her mother always had a smile on her face when Harriet was complimented, so she just endured it.


    When she grew up and reached puberty, suddenly it wasn¡¯t girls who would mostly surround her, but boys. She hated it. She wanted to be accompanied by girls and didn¡¯t care for boys, so she just started to give them a harsh treatment. That made people see her as unfriendly and she became alone. It wasn¡¯t ideal, but it was better.


    Oh, what should I wear?


    She jumped from the bed and opened her closet. She had a lot of black clothes and not very girly ones. She had pants or a few skirts to choose. Leggings could make her endure the cold. But what would Mari like more?


    Scenario 1:


    ¡°Wow, you look so cool in that, Harriet,¡± she imagined Mari saying, with intensity in her eyes. ¡°I wish you were my boyfriend, hehe.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t be your boyfriend,¡± she would say, and pull Mari close to her. ¡°But I could be your girlfriend.¡±


    Scenario 2:


    She imagined Mari¡¯s eyes running through her skirt and looking at her legs.


    ¡°Your legs are so pretty. They must feel good.¡±


    She would get closer and rustle her knees on Mari¡¯s.


    ¡°Wanna touch them?¡±


    Harriet threw herself on the bed and let out a faint screech.


    What am I even thinking?


    She was in love with Mari. Probably since the first day of high school.


    She couldn¡¯t explain the reason why. A certain day she just saw Mari reading alone on a bench and it happened. She thought love at first sight was stupid, but for some reason, she couldn¡¯t forget Mari¡¯s face. She was always looking for her at intervals.


    She was shy, though. And Mari was also shy. How could two introverted girls even get together? How could she even know if Mari was interested in girls? She could just look at her from afar without the courage to get closer.


    That was when she saw Christine becoming friends with Mari. Christine was well-known for being very friendly and easy to talk, so it was a better choice get closer to her. Harriet¡¯s plan was to get closer to Christine and start talking casually with Mari, but even that failed. She did exchange some words with Mari occasionally, but it was just very formal small talk. And yet, seeing Mari closer than ever didn¡¯t help in making her crush disappear. It just became stronger.


    So Harriet fantasized about situations with the other girl a lot. She had more conversations with Mari inside her head than personally. After so many fantasies she had by herself, she couldn¡¯t even face the girl she loved anymore without blushing.


    And she was about to spend the next night close to her.


    She was feeling excited suddenly. Although, part of her was afraid she would just act like always, avoiding any direct contact, or not even talking to her. She always wondered if drinking would make it easier, but of course, Christine would never allow it. Maybe champagne, but that would hardly make a difference.


    She was almost sure it would be the same as always. Christine would be the interlocutor between her and the girl she loved. She was still excited, but also a little depressed.


    It was my new year resolution, though! I have to do it!


    She had to confess. That was her best chance. Even if Mari refused her, at least she would¡¯ve tried.


    Harriet stood up and walked to the closet to choose her clothing for New Year¡¯s Eve again. It was the least she needed to do for now.

 New Years Resolutions - Final

    It was 6 PM. Harriet¡¯s parents had gone out already and she was ready for the dinner at Christine¡¯s home. The house wasn¡¯t far, so she could walk by herself. She sat down in her bed to organize her thoughts first.


    She had picked up pants after all. She wasn¡¯t sure if she would be able to resist the cold and in the end, they probably weren¡¯t used to see her in skirts. She was also wearing a black sweater. It was stylish but, more importantly, it protected her from the cold. She had her hair down and applied some makeup, although it was hard to discern. Her lipstick was almost the same pink as her lips.


    What she was wondering now was, how she should greet her friends, in special Mari. For Christine, she could give a kiss on her cheek like usual, but was that okay for Mari? Until then she always greeted the girl she loved with a nod. Wouldn¡¯t be weird doing something now?


    Scenario 1:


    After giving her a kiss in the cheek, Harriet would realize Mari¡¯s eyes confused looking at her.


    ¡°W-Why?¡± She would ask, blushing.


    ¡°We¡¯re friends, right?¡± Harriet would say while hugging Mari¡¯s hips. ¡°I think we need to get a little closer.¡±


    That would never work. Mari most likely wouldn¡¯t say anything even if she finds it weird, so the situation would be awkward. Unless it¡¯s something more shocking, maybe.


    Scenario 2:


    Harriet kisses the back of Mari¡¯s hand.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure for me to start the New Year beside such a graceful woman,¡± she would say.


    ¡°H-Harriet¡­¡± Mari would say while looking to the side embarrassed. ¡°Being with you fills me with happiness, too.¡±


    Also wouldn¡¯t work. That would probably scare Mari more than anything. She might even go back home immediately. So, another option would be:


    Scenario 3:


    Harriet would take Mari hand and look deep in her eyes while approaching their lips together.


    ¡°Tonight, you¡¯ll be mine,¡± she would say as she kissed her.


    No way, no way, no way! Harriet thought, throwing herself on the bed. I mean, I would love to do it, but that¡¯s impossible! Also wrong!


    She sat back and let out a long sigh. She left her eyes to wander through the floor while thinking. Maybe just a hug would do fine. It would be less cold than a nod, but still just friendly. She would also feel Mari¡¯s body against her, which would be nice.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll just give her a hug,¡± Harriet said and started to get ready to go out.


    ***


    When she saw Christine¡¯s home, her two friends were talking to each other in the sidewalk in front of it. Christine saw Harriet first and waved her hands. Mari just looked in her direction with a faint smile. Harriet felt her steps getting rushed beyond her control.


    She greeted Christine hugging her and giving a kiss on her cheek. Then she looked at Mari, who looked nervous behind her friend. She was wearing a white blouse with a blue waistcoat and blue pleated skirt with black leggings.


    ¡°Hi, Mari,¡± she said with a nod. Mari smiled back at her.


    Stupid, stupid, stupid, she thought to herself as she followed both girls inside the house.


    ***


    Christine was frustrated. It was thirty minutes since Harriet arrived and beyond her greeting, she didn¡¯t talk with Mari. Her plan was to make the girls get closer when they went downtown, but that would be hard if they couldn¡¯t even talk to each other.


    The three girls were sitting on the couch. Christine was in the middle with Harriet to her right, looking away and playing with her hair and Mari to her left, looking at the ground with her hands frozen on her lap. Christine let out a sigh and stood up, leaving the space between them empty.


    ¡°Do you need help with anything, mom?¡± Christine asked, walking to the kitchen. There were some few distant relatives for dinner, so her mother had more work than usual.


    She started helping in the kitchen while throwing careful glances to the living room where Harriet and Mari were sitting. None of them were opening their mouths. At least until Christine¡¯s cousin, a ten years old girl who looked a lot like her, but even more extroverted, sat in the place Christine was before and threw an amazed look at Harriet.


    ¡°Wow, miss. You¡¯re so pretty,¡± she said, making Harriet look at her.


    ¡°R-Really? Thanks,¡± Harriet said. She threw a glance at Mari, who seemed to be looking at them with the side of her eyes.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think she¡¯s pretty too?¡± The young girl asked Mari. Mari threw a startled look at Harriet.


    ¡°I-I mean. Yes, she¡¯s beautiful,¡± Mari said and looked at the ground. Harriet seemed to be putting effort to keep her cool.


    Christine muffled a laugh. She was helping her mother but keeping an eye on the living room. She needed to remember to thank her cousin later, even if that wasn¡¯t in her plans.


    ¡°Are you Japanese?¡± She asked Mari, making the girl look at her.


    ¡°Yes,¡± she stopped, then added. ¡°I wasn¡¯t born in Japan, but my family is.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s nice. You have pretty eyes,¡± then she turned to Harriet. ¡°Don¡¯t you think she has pretty eyes?¡±


    Christine was having trouble keeping her reaction in check. That was just too perfect that she wanted to laugh.


    ¡°Y-Yeah,¡± Harriet said, struggling with her voice while looking at Mari. ¡°She¡¯s very pretty.¡±


    Mari blushed and stared at her fingers.


    ¡°Are you two friends?¡± the girl asked Harriet.


    ¡°Yeah, we¡¯re friends.¡±


    ¡°So you love her?¡±


    Harriet paused. She thought for a moment before answering the girl.


    ¡°As a friend, yeah, I love her.¡±


    ¡°So you wouldn¡¯t marry her?¡±


    Mari¡¯s face was completely red. Harriet was blushing too, but since she was the target of that inquisition, she couldn¡¯t run from it.


    ¡°W-Why are you asking that?¡± She asked the girl.


    ¡°I heard two girls can marry, but I never saw it. I wanna find two married girls one day,¡± she said. She tried to speak again, but someone called her out. ¡°Oh, mom is calling me. Bye!¡± And she left, leaving Harriet and Mari alone, without being able to look at each other and with their faces completely red.


    That was amusing in a way, but Christine also wondered if she should have a talk with her cousin later.


    ***


    They ate dinner together. Christine ended up sitting between Harriet and Mari, despite wanting to make them sit beside each other. Harriet was faster to sit one chair away from Mari and seemed to regret her decision after that if Christine was reading her expression right.


    Christine¡¯s cousin was across them. She still sent glances to Harriet, looking fascinated, but didn¡¯t talk to her anymore. Her mother had probably scolded her for before.


    When the three girls finished dinner, Christine looked at the time. It was 23 PM. If she was going to act, that was her opportunity, before her mother offered desserts to their guests.


    ¡°Hey,¡± she said walking outside, where Harriet and Mari were. Even though they were together, they weren¡¯t talking to each other. ¡°How about we go to downtown now? I know a nice place to watch the fireworks for the New Year.¡±


    Mari¡¯s face showed interest, but it was Harriet who talked.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s too late? I don¡¯t really mind, anyway.¡±


    Christine wanted to slap Harriet by how she couldn¡¯t help herself. She could see in her face that the thought of spending the rest of that night close to Mari was making her happy.


    ¡°It¡¯s New Year¡¯s Eve, come on. There are lots of people out tonight,¡± she said and pulled Harriet and Mari by their hands, practically forcing them to follow her.


    There were really lots of people outside yet. To go to the place Lilian indicated her, Christine would need to cross downtown, and it was packed. Mari, in particular, seemed uncomfortable there, bringing her body to close to Christine, who was between Mari and Harriet again. Christine was grabbing Harriet¡¯s left hand with her right hand and Mari¡¯s right hand with her left. That was a habit she had, holding hands with her friends. Meg often called out on her about how childish that was. She knew Mari wouldn¡¯t complain, but the fact that Harriet also didn¡¯t say anything was surprising.


    ¡°I know of a good place, come on,¡± she said, still pulling her friends.


    Suddenly, an idea came to her and she started surveying around while walking. At a point, she saw a classmate from middle school with who she had kept contact.


    ¡°Oh, can you wait for me for a moment girls? I saw someone and I wanna greet her,¡± She asked and both Mari and Harriet nodded. So, without any warning, she made Mari and Harriet join their hands and walked away. She glanced behind after taking some steps to see if they were still holding hands. They were.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ***


    Harriet felt troubled. Christine had suddenly made her hold hands with Mari and she didn¡¯t know how to act. She wondered if her hands were shaking or sweaty.


    Should I pull my hand back? She thought. But if I do, won¡¯t she feel offended? But if I don¡¯t, won¡¯t she think it¡¯s weird? What do I do? Why Christine did that? But her hands are so warm, even in this cold. It feels good. But my hands are cold. I wonder if that¡¯s uncomfortable for her. Should I ask her?


    ¡°H-Hey,¡± Harriet said and Mari threw a glance at her. ¡°Y-Your hands are warm¡­¡±


    ¡°T-Thanks¡­¡±


    What am I saying?! She thought. She was completely frozen there even though she was desperate in her mind. Say something. Say something else, anything! Oh, wait. We¡¯re alone, holding hands, it¡¯s almost new year. I can confess now. Now is the best opportunity. I¡¯m already embarrassed enough, so whatever. Just say it!


    ¡°M-Mari¡­¡± Harriet said and the other girl looked at her again, her face flushed. ¡°Y-You see¡­ This might be, well¡­ But I¡­¡±


    ¡°Harriet?!¡± She heard a male voice calling her.


    Looking at the voice¡¯s direction, Harriet recognized a classmate who had been trying to talk to her throughout the whole year. He was clearly interested in her and was such a bother. That was the worst moment for him to show up.


    ¡°Oh, hi, you¡­¡± She said, actually forgetting what his name was.


    ¡°Wow, girl, what a coincidence meeting you here. And you¡¯re¡­¡± He looked at Mari, but soon forgot about her and looked back at Harriet. ¡°Here for New Year¡¯s Eve? It¡¯s a little cold, right? Want me to warm your hand instead?¡±


    He held his arm to the hand Harriet had holding Mari¡¯s. She glared at him in silence, planning to tell him to fuck off but before she could react, the pressure on her fingers got her by surprise. Mari was squeezing her hand in a way she wouldn¡¯t be able to let go even if she wanted. That made her heart beat fast and suddenly she forgot about the boy in front of her.


    ¡°Come on, baby,¡± he said again, giving her a smile.


    Then his hand was suddenly grabbed by someone else. Harriet looked surprised as Christine pulled the boy by the hand and looked at him with a serious face.


    ***


    While talking to her old classmate, Christine was throwing glances at Harriet and Mari to see if they were still holding hands. She expected one of them to let go, but they just stood there like that, without being even able to look at each other.


    She found them adorable. Mari¡¯s shy reaction was always cute, but she never saw Harriet acting like that before. Her unfriendly behavior usually made her be called a ¡°bitch¡± by her classmate, and there she was, unable to even face the girl beside her.


    At a point, Christine realized Harriet was trying to talk to Mari. She herself was feeling excited by thinking if her friend would finally act. That¡¯s when she realized a male classmate interrupting them and clearly start to flirt with Harriet.


    ¡°It was nice to see you, but I can¡¯t let my friends waiting,¡± Christine said goodbye to her old friend and ran towards Harriet.


    In a jolt, she grabbed the boy¡¯s hand. He looked at her, seeming surprised.


    ¡°If you¡¯re looking to hold hands, how about mine?¡± She asked, trying to put up a smile.


    ¡°Oh, Chris,¡± he said, now ignoring Harriet. ¡°You don¡¯t need to feel jealous.¡±


    It was clear by his face, he was feeling full of himself. She let out a sigh, trying to control herself to not slap him right there.


    ¡°Yeah, sure. Want to come with us?¡± She asked, knowing he wouldn¡¯t go away by himself.


    ¡°I don¡¯t even know where you¡¯re going, but sure,¡± he said with a laugh.


    Christine let Harriet and Mari walk, still holding hands, in front of them. She wasn¡¯t planning to go anywhere until she could send that guy away. Harriet sometimes gave a worried look behind. Christine felt thankful for her friend¡¯s watch.


    ¡°But you know,¡± he said with a loud voice. ¡°Seeing Harriet holding hands with someone doesn¡¯t look right. Are those two friends?¡±


    Christine was really trying to hold herself.


    ¡°What¡¯s your problem with that?¡±


    ¡°No, I mean, it doesn¡¯t suit her. She¡¯s always so cold.¡±


    ¡°You and your friends talk a lot about us, I guess.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Chris, we all love you,¡± he said with a smug. ¡°But Harriet¡¯s personality is just so sexy. She looks so hard to approach, but that¡¯s why she gets so irresistible. So seeing her getting along with someone is kinda weird¡­¡±


    Christine sighed. She looked at her friends walking in front of them again. They weren¡¯t holding hands anymore. She didn¡¯t know the point where they let go.


    The two of them seemed like they were very uncomfortable with the situation. In another occasion, Christine thought Harriet would snap at him. She wondered if she was holding herself back to no startle Mari.


    ¡°Have to say, though. That jap girl by her side is kinda hot, too,¡± He said.


    Harriet stopped. She turned around with a scary look in her face.


    ¡°Agh!¡± He shouted before Harriet could say anything. He jumped away and gave an angry look at Christine. ¡°The fuck is wrong with you?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, my hands slipped.¡±


    ¡°The fuck?! You stabbed my hands with your nails!¡±


    ¡°As I said, my fingers slipped. They kinda moved by themselves. I swear,¡± Christine said with a smile.


    ¡°You¡¯re crazy, you bitch!¡± He shouted and walked away.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Mari said, approaching her.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Harriet said, getting close too.


    Christine raised her fingers in front of her eyes.


    ¡°Ahhh,¡± she said, disappointed. ¡°My nails are ruined now.¡±


    ¡°That guy,¡± Harriet said, looking at where the boy disappeared.


    ¡°He¡¯s just an idiot. Let him go,¡± she looked at her phone, it was 23:45 PM. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go or we won¡¯t get there on time,¡± she said pulling her two friends by the hand again.


    ***


    The place Christine took them was an isolated cliff from where they could see downtown completely. She was still holding their hands while they stopped looking at the direction the fireworks would explode. She gave another look at her phone. She had only five minutes.


    ¡°Oh, I need to take this call. Excuse me,¡± making an excuse, she released her two friends¡¯ hands and walked away.


    Harriet looked with the side of her eyes at Mari¡¯s hand close to her. Mari didn¡¯t move or looked at her.


    ¡°She¡¯ll lose it¡­¡± Harriet said and Mari nodded.


    Harriet moved her hand closer. Her fingers almost brushing against Mari¡¯s. She just needed to courage to get a few centimeters closer and hold it. Soon the year would end, she had her resolution.


    After holding her breath for a few seconds, Harriet held Mari¡¯s hands. Mari¡¯s fingers gripped against hers.


    ¡°T-Thanks¡­¡± Harriet said, without looking at the other girl.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Before, when that guy approached me. You held my hand like this¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you looked like you didn¡¯t wanna go with him¡­¡± Mari looked at Harriet and gave her a smile. ¡°And we¡¯re friends.¡±


    Harriet¡¯s heart jumped with that smile. It strengthened her resolution. She moved her lips.


    The fireworks started. It was a new year. Mari turned her head to the light exploding in the sky in front of them. The sparkles shining in her eyes. Harriet couldn¡¯t move her eyes away from her friend¡¯s face. So when Mari looked at her again, she met with Harriet¡¯s passionate eyes still focused on her.


    ¡°I love you,¡± Harriet said, too low to be heard with all those explosions around them.


    Mari kept looking at her. Her face became serious. Her fingers holding Harriet¡¯s hand became stronger. The sound of bursts exploding on the sky still echoing around them. It made the two girls¡¯ hearts skip stronger.


    It took some minutes until the spectacle calmed down. Then it became just a faint noise in their conversation. Mari gave another faint smile, looking nervous.


    ¡°I-I didn¡¯t hear it before,¡± she said, anxious. ¡°You said something, right?¡±


    Harriet didn¡¯t have the courage to say it twice. She was planning some excuse inside her mind. That¡¯s when her lips moved.


    ¡°I love you,¡± she said, to her own surprise.


    She planned to back out. She opened her mouth to give some excuse, but Mari was faster in grabbing her other hand.


    ¡°Are you serious?¡± she asked. Then Harriet realized the happy smile on her friend¡¯s face.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Harriet said, after all. She felt her heart beating like crazy. ¡°Since the very first moment I saw you, I fell in love with you. And that just became stronger after becoming your friend,¡± she took a big breath. ¡°So, like, would you become my girlfriend?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Mari said and laughed. She lowered her face. Her cheeks were getting flushed. ¡°Yes! Yes, I do! I can¡¯t believe it, but I do!¡±


    The two girls became silent again. There was still some lights exploding in the sky, with a less frequent interval. Harriet couldn¡¯t think straight. Her confession and Mari¡¯s words and smile was everything she could picture in her mind.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it,¡± Mari said, with a huge smile. ¡°I couldn¡¯t imagine¡­ During this whole night, when we got close I would think, oh, it would be nice if¡­¡± she paused, struggling to put her thoughts in words. ¡°B-by the way¡­Oh, were you the one who wanted to confess to the girl you love, then?¡±


    ¡°Y-Yeah¡­¡±


    ¡°And I wanted a girlfriend¡­¡± she turned her eyes away. ¡°You probably realized it by now.¡±


    ¡°Well, if I can say, I was a little suspicious of it. But then I thought it was just wishful thinking. I couldn¡¯t believe it¡­¡±


    Harriet cut her phrase again. The two girls looked at the smoke at the sky after it was all over.


    ¡°Can¡­¡± Harriet started, but she was stopped by a Mari who almost jumped to talk first.


    ¡°Can I kiss you?!¡±


    Both girls looked at each other and laughed.


    Harriet sighed and put her hand on Mari¡¯s cheek. She got closer to her, feeling her heartbeat stronger and her face burn. She brushed her lips against Mari¡¯s.


    She held Mari¡¯s hand, still warm. Her lips were also warm and Harriet wondered if hers were cold. She was afraid of that making the kiss unpleasant to Mari. When she opened her eyes, Mari was still with her eyes closed and her head inclined forward.


    Slowly, Mari opened her eyes and gave a shy smile.


    ¡°W-Wasn¡¯t it bad?¡± Harriet asked. ¡°I never did it before. Was that okay? Were my lips cold?¡±


    ¡°It was cold,¡± Mari said, trying not to avoid Harriet¡¯s eyes. ¡°But it was nice¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m really glad I came today. I wanted to talk to you for a long time, but I never found the courage. If Christine didn¡¯t insist¡­¡±


    Harriet stopped. Her face became serious. Mari threw a confused look at her.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Christine knew,¡± Harriet said and put her hand over her face. ¡°Of course, that girl knew what we wrote. All this time she knew everything. She lied to us.¡±


    As if realizing they were talking about her, Christine showed up, holding her cell phone and giving an embarrassed smile.


    ¡°Sorry about that, girls. I lost the fireworks, but¡­¡±


    ¡°You lied to us!¡± Harriet said, giving a step in Christine¡¯s direction. Mari held her hand, stopping her.


    ¡°Wait, Harriet¡­¡± Mari said.


    ¡°Ah,¡± Christine said and let a grin form on her face. ¡°Guess it was useless trying to hide it.¡±


    ¡°So it¡¯s true, huh?¡± Harriet said. ¡°We trusted you, but it seems like we shouldn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°No, wait, let me explain. I did find out, but that was by chance. I wasn¡¯t even sure about you before meeting you yesterday.¡±


    ¡°You said you wouldn¡¯t try to guess.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, sorry. I know I shouldn¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine, right?¡± Mari said, interrupting the two friends who looked at her. ¡°I mean, I don¡¯t mind. If she hadn¡¯t done that, we wouldn¡¯t be together now.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± Harriet tried to say, but Mari held her hand and pulled her, boldly giving a kiss on her lips.


    ¡°I do feel a little embarrassed, but the good things make it worth.¡±


    The two girls looked at each other as if forgetting their surroundings. At the same time, Christine tried to walk away, but her arm was grabbed by Harriet.


    ¡°Now, now, we¡¯re not done with you yet, miss.¡±


    ***


    Already in Christine¡¯s home, Mari was lying on the couch. Since there were more people sleeping over, Christine was making a bed on the floor of the living room to her friends. Mari was too tired to wait and was sleeping with a smile on her face. Harriet was crouching in front of her poking her cheeks.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t she so cute?¡± Harriet said.


    Christine looked at her friend and let out a sigh.


    ¡°To think that the Harriet everyone found so cool and cold would be like this.¡±


    ¡°T-That¡¯s fine, right? And I mean, she is cute. I can¡¯t do anything about that.¡±


    ¡°Ok, ok, fine,¡± Christine said and threw a look at the bed she made at the floor. ¡°Ok, now here¡¯s the problem. Either you two will share the bed or I¡¯ll have to share it with one of you.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t let you sleep with her,¡± Harriet said, standing up.


    ¡°What do you think I would do, exactly? Well, you two can sleep together, then. But, huh, you¡¯re in the living room and, huh, anyone could show up, so, you know¡­¡±


    ¡°We won¡¯t do anything!¡± Harriet said and turned her face away. ¡°I don¡¯t think I would have courage for that yet...¡±


    Christine shrugged and went to her own room after saying goodnight to her friend. Harriet gently shooked Mari until she woke up and invited her to the bed. As the two lie down, they looked at each other. Mari was giggling.


    ¡°You know, when you woke me up just now, I thought: ¡®ah, so it wasn¡¯t a dream.¡±


    ¡°I feel like that will be me by the morning. If you¡¯re still around, that is.¡±


    ¡°So let¡¯s combine that the first to wake up will wait for the other one before leaving the bed.¡±


    ¡°Fine by me.¡±


    Mari gave a smile and approached Harriet, holding her hands and kissing her lips.


    ¡°Good night, my girlfriend. And Happy New Year.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Harriet said, almost unable to contain the emotion in her voice. ¡°Happy New Year. It¡¯s the happiest year for me already.

 The Algorithm Of Love - Part 1

    WHAT IS THE ALGORITHM OF LOVE?


    Faith stared at her computer screen. The question was written in the forum she used to read was still getting answers, all these months after she created it. She didn¡¯t need it anymore, but some of the answers were interesting, so she was still browsing it.


    The question was about what kind of computational algorithm would be able to produce feelings of love in an Artificial Intelligence. Androids with feelings were living among them for decades now, and some were even made for sexual or romantic ends. Still, their devotion to their owner was usually hard-coded, that meaning, it was written directly in the code that they should love that person. Sometimes it could even be rewritten to be directed at someone else. Faith didn¡¯t believe that was true love. After all, it was impossible for her to brainwash herself and fall in love or fall out of love with someone. Life would be so simpler if that was true.


    After all, she didn¡¯t consider herself attractive at all. She was a short woman with short black hair and a chubby belly she was always trying to lose, usually with no success. She also wore glasses, but not the kind of glasses that make women look sexier. It was the kind of glasses that made her look like a nerd. Which was probably how people saw her since she worked as a developer in the area of robotics.


    Her other issue, she was only able to fall in love with girls. That was not an aspect she wanted to change about herself. However, all the girls she fell in love turned out to be straight. It¡¯s not that she never met girls like her, but for some reason, she hardly had interest in them, even when she found them attractive. So coding in herself who she should fall in love with or not would make her life so much easier.


    And yet, she couldn¡¯t accept that as true love. Love wasn¡¯t so easy to be inserted inside you as if you were a database. But she still didn¡¯t know how to produce true love. There were very few studies about it because apparently, it wasn¡¯t something people worried about. That¡¯s what made her do the question on the internet.


    The first forum was an IT forum. As expected, most people posting had low knowledge, interest or even experience in love. That¡¯s why she made the question in another forum focused on relationships. There were lots of different answers:


    She has to be hot, that¡¯s all that matter. - PowerfulTiger


    As a girl, I want to feel loved. But sometimes they love me and I don¡¯t love them, so maybe it¡¯s not that simple. - AliceInLoveland


    When I broke up with my girlfriend, all I could think was about the travels we did together. The places we ate together. The nights we spent together¡­ And now I feel like crying again. - YourCharmingPrince


    I love the way she smells, the tone of her voice. How she touches me. Just by seeing her face, my heart almost jumps out of my chest. Oh yeah, I love her breasts, too. - MissPillowPrincess


    Well, someone I can have fun with, have smart talks. Like a friend, I guess. A friend I have sex with. Well, friendship is also love, so I guess that¡¯s it. Having fun with someone. - TheBear


    There were lots of answers in the same line.


    As expected, none of those were technical enough. Most of them probably didn¡¯t know what an algorithm was even though Faith tried to explain it. So she brought the answer to the IT forum to discuss with those used to the tech part of it.


    She ended up building a pretty complex algorithm that could be resumed as ¡°Create memories and define preferences¡±. Sure, that was still hard coding something in the AI, but she wasn¡¯t coding herself as the target of love, just the reasons to love her. Maybe the AI wouldn¡¯t even love her in the end.


    The preferences part was the easiest one. She just needed to input characteristics she knew she had. She didn¡¯t want to input the defects in any way because that would be unfair. So even though it was easier, she took some time to find what her qualities in her appearance were. Since she could hardly recognize them. As for the psychological, it was a little more complicated, since she was thinking about herself, it was hard to find her good and bad points without external help.


    For the memories, Faith was going to input some experiences between her and the AI even before she awake. That was somewhat complex, as she had to program events to interact with the AI and make her react as she would in real life, so it would look like her. She made some simulations with the AI personality, but she didn¡¯t want that to be the real deal, just using as a base to the programmed events, that she would leave to be executed by itself.


    She reviewed all the important functions as she compiled the code without an error. It was ready to be uploaded in the hardware.


    She stretched her body and looked to her side, where a body of a naked adult woman was supported by cables in a home platform. Faith walked to her. The android¡¯s body was finished since several weeks ago, just waiting for her personality to be uploaded inside her. Faith touched the face of the woman who was taller than her and had sparkling and wavy blonde hair, falling to the middle of her back. Her cheek was soft, just like a real person.


    The skeleton was manufactured, but the exterior was personalized by Faith herself. She had started building it even before starting her research on the algorithm of love. Her eyes were shut, but Faith knew there were two pretty blue spheres behind her eyelids. Her hair was silky to the touch and smelled like flowers. Her breasts were bigger than Faith¡¯s and her belly slim. Blushing a little, Faith looked below to the android¡¯s sexual organ. Sex technology was one of the most advanced in robotics and that organ looked and worked just like the real one. It could even send signals of pleasure to the AI after being stimulated, even though using AI in sex-bots was a gray area.


    The way she built the AI was expecting the android to fall in love with her but there was no way to know she herself would feel the same. That¡¯s why Faith made the android appearance just like a certain girl she desired in high school. A little older and more mature, as she built the android to be someone close to her age.


    She touched the android¡¯s lips. They felt soft and a little humid, just like a real woman. That made Faith¡¯s heart skip stronger. She was still nervous, but seeing the android move and talk to her would be like a dream now. Somehow, she felt like she had fallen in love already.


    She walked to the computer again. The code was ready to be deployed. There was a long USB cable connecting the computer to the android¡¯s nape. The upload would probably take some time, and maybe the android would also take some time to boot. But before that, she had to decide a name. Since she would insert memories in the AI, she needed a name for the android to call her own.


    She considered giving the same name as the girl she was modeled after, but that didn¡¯t look right. It was weird trying to think of a name to her own lover instead of something like a daughter. Although she was somehow both. She could always sort it at random, but sometimes names had a meaning, and those were important.


    ¡°Galatea,¡± she whispered while looking at the android¡¯s face.


    The story of Pygmalion flashed in her mind. After all, it was as if she was recreating a modern version of the Greek myth. Pygmalion made a statue of a pretty woman and the statue was given life by the goddess of love, Aphrodite. The statue didn¡¯t have a name, but with time she started being called Galatea. Faith thought that was a good choice. It was symbolic and it ringed nice. And if she was Pygmalion, technology was her goddess.


    She poked again, feeling its softness. She felt an urge to kiss them but stopped herself as that would go against what she planned. Their first kiss had to be in real life and when the two of them were awake. Otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t be fair.


    She typed the name Galatea on the computer and, after giving a big breath, pushed the ¡°Upload¡± button. The processor in the computer started to make a loud noise as the data started to be uploaded into Galatea¡¯s body.


    It would take some time. The computer screen was predicting five hours. Yet, she didn¡¯t feel like moving away. She sat in a char in front of the computer and waited, side-eyeing the frozen android. She could talk to someone or do something through the internet, but her heart was beating fast as if she was going to meet someone she was eager to see soon.


    After one hour of wait, she stood up and walked to the small kitchen in her apartment. The apartment was small, with a room, a kitchen, and a bathroom. Most of her things were in the room with the packed kitchen being the place where she prepared her food. Living with someone else there would be hard, but it was possible. They would share the bed, after all.


    She poured tea expecting that it would calm her down. When she wasn¡¯t looking at her computer, she felt nervous by each sound the machine made. Symbolically, she thought, that was the process giving life to her Galatea. At least, if she¡¯s successful.


    She took her cup of tea and walked to her room again, sitting now in her bed to watch the android in front of her. She had seen a lot of AIs being uploaded in androids during her work. She knew the android was supposed to move by themselves as the AI successfully takes control of their body. In the most sentient and advanced AIs, the android would be confused to be awakened in a new world. If Faith had done a good job, Galatea should be the more advanced she ever met.


    Still, a little less than four hours to upload. If she had a computer as powerful as her workplace, the process should be done already. She was thinking that if she had any problem with it, which was a high probability, she would need to wait all that time for a new deploy. And again, and again, until she makes it right.


    Faith threw her body on the bed and closed her eyes. She didn¡¯t want to sleep and lose the moment Galatea would wake. Still, she was tired and had slept little in the last few days she was finishing the code, so she blacked out even though she tried not to.


    When she opened her eyes, she was startled. Her head turned to the android at the same time, but she was still frozen, just the same as when Faith fell asleep. Looking at her computer, she saw a message flashing ¡°10 minutes left¡±. She was lucky. A little more and she would¡¯ve missed it. She stood up and walked to the android, stopping in front of her. She realized the android¡¯s lips and fingers were shaking by themselves already. That was common in the final process of installing an AI.


    5 minutes left.


    She felt her mouth dry. Her hands were shaking. At that moment, she was wishing she never started it. Sure, Galatea was her creation, but she was still a stranger. And supposed to be her lover.


    3 minutes left.


    And what if Galatea didn¡¯t love her? She wasn¡¯t sure her algorithm was going to work. What if Galatea felt grossed out instead. She had a moral sense in her AI and what Faith was doing was hardly ethical.


    1 minute left.


    Galatea¡¯s eyelids shook. Faith felt her heat shoot when those eyes opened.


    40 seconds left.


    Galatea¡¯s lips moved. A glint of something droll-like connected the higher lip with the lower lip.


    10 seconds left.


    Faith moved to Galatea¡¯s back. She knew after the upload was over, she needed to unplug her so she could move. She also knew the final seconds of upload could make her face convulse and she didn¡¯t want to see that. That is if the process was successful.


    3 seconds left.


    She touched Galatea¡¯s neck. It was warm, just like a real person. It was even sweating, although Faith knew that wasn¡¯t actually sweat.


    Upload complete.


    The computer¡¯s voice announced. Galatea¡¯s whole body convulsed for a second. Faith moved to disconnect the USB cable. The process wouldn¡¯t be complete while she was still connected. After that, she went back to face the android. This time she was silent and motionless. Since the USB cable was now disconnected, her body fell forward. Faith supported her so she wouldn¡¯t fall to the ground.


    Galatea¡¯s body was light, soft and warm. Faith kept holding the android¡¯s body on her arms, but minutes passed and she wouldn¡¯t move. Usually, they should be awake by that time already. She was wondering if it was a failure.


    She sighed and tried to put Galatea back on her support system but she felt something soft brushing against her back. Startled at first, Faith soon understood what was going on. Galatea was probably moving her hands and trying to grasp something in her reach. That was common behavior for a newly awakened android. They acted like a newborn baby at first.


    Faith tried to move Galatea to the bed, but suddenly she looked heavier. So she just stood there, trying to talk to the android.


    ¡°Galatea. Are you awake? It¡¯s me, Faith. Do you recognize my voice?¡±


    The android body shook. She was clearly reacting to Faith¡¯s words. Galatea held Faith¡¯s body and tried to raise her body. Faith felt like she would fall if she didn¡¯t hold her ground. When she realized, Galatea was looking at her with her sparkly blue eyes.


    ¡°Fa¡­¡± she mumbled and Faith knew the AI was at least working.


    ¡°Galatea. Can you hear me? What¡­¡±


    Suddenly, the android looked stronger. She released Faith¡¯s body and stood up on both her feet. Faith could see the beautiful woman in front of her. Even though that body was in her room the all that time and she herself had built part of it, now that it was moving by itself, Faith felt embarrassed by it.


    ¡°C-Can you stand? Good, I have some clothes ready for you, so wait a min¡­¡±


    Before Faith could finish her sentence, Galatea threw herself in her direction. Before the girl could voice her surprise, she felt her mouth shut by the android¡¯s lips. Galatea pushed Faith to the bed while kissing her.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    Faith could feel Galatea¡¯s silky hair sticking to her skin. Her lips were soft and if felt good. The android used her tongue as well. Faith could also feel Galatea¡¯s soft breasts and warm skin. It didn¡¯t feel any different from the touch of a real girl, not that she had much experience with them.


    When Galatea finally released Faith, she stood up and looked at her partner with a worried expression on her face.


    ¡°S-Sorry¡­¡± she said. There was a faint blush on her cheeks.


    ¡°W-Why are you apologizing?¡± Faith said, recovering her breath. She sat on the bed. ¡°Better yet, why did you do that?¡±


    ¡°In the dream, you said I could kiss you when I wake up. I wanted it so much. I didn¡¯t resist.¡±


    ¡°A dream?¡± Faith knew Galatea would get all her inputs before starting up, including the programmed events, but that the android considered it a dream was news to her.


    ¡°Y-Yeah,¡± suddenly, Galatea gasped and gave two steps back. ¡°D-Did I ruin it? Did you want it be different?¡±


    ¡°No, no, that¡¯s not it,¡± Faith waved her hands. ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t expect it happening like this, but I only said that because if you kissed me there, you would have that as your first kiss, and I wouldn¡¯t have that memory,¡± Faith looked away: ¡°I didn¡¯t dislike it, so it¡¯s fine.¡±


    Galatea let out a relieved smile. Faith was still nervous about being in front of a naked woman. A beautiful naked woman. She pointed to a box behind Galatea.


    ¡°T-There¡¯s some clothes there,¡± she said. ¡°You can choose whichever you want. Just put on something.¡±


    ¡°Right. Sorry.¡±


    Saying that Galatea went to the box and rustled inside. At first, Faith was planning to choose what the android would use, but she decided it would be more interesting to see what she would choose for herself.


    ¡°About you,¡± Faith said, avoiding looking at Galatea who had her naked back turned to her. ¡°You do understand about yourself, right? About your nature.¡±


    ¡°You mean the fact that I¡¯m not a human,¡± Galatea said without looking at Faith. ¡°I¡¯m an android. An artificial human being. My personality is an Artificial Intelligence. I¡¯m aware of that.¡±


    ¡°Does that bother you?¡±


    ¡°Why would it?¡± The android said and turned back to Faith, showing a black one-shoulder top and black shorts. ¡°How about these?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah,¡± Faith gave the clothing a curious look. ¡°They¡¯ll look nice on you.¡±


    Galatea smiled.


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget the underwear, though,¡± Faith said and Galatea nodded, turning back to the box.


    ¡°Do you like sexy or cute better?¡±


    ¡°C-Choose whichever you like more.¡±


    The android searched for some minutes until she looked satisfied with her findings. She was raising her leg to put on her panties when her eyes meet Faith.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it at the bathroom,¡± she said and disappeared through the door.


    Faith thought that was a weird thing to worry about since she was naked the whole time. Although she couldn¡¯t understand completely how Galatea¡¯s mind worked.


    She was happy the android was dexterous in her mechanic body. She adapted to it fast, but that was expected. Since the implanted memories featured Faith¡¯s house, she also could walk around as if she was living there for months.


    Galatea had a shy smile when she came back wearing the top and shorts. She looked at Faith with expectation, as if making a silent question.


    ¡°You¡¯re amazing,¡± Faith said and Galatea smile became brighter. Faith started playing with her fingers, nervous. ¡°Say, when you kissed me before, was that because I asked you in the dream?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Galatea made a confused face and approached the bed Faith was sitting on. ¡°I did it because I love you, of course!¡± She looked excited as she said it.


    ¡°L-Love?¡± Faith replied trying to hide the smile forming on her face. ¡°So, can you tell me why you love me?¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Galatea sat beside Faith, who felt her heart skip with the perfume coming out of the android so close to her. Her mind turned back to the kiss before. ¡°I like your face, your voice, it makes me feel good. You always treated me so well, too. I¡¯m an android, right? Wasn¡¯t I programmed to love you?¡±


    ¡°No, you weren¡¯t. I actually wanted to give you the experiences and make you love me by yourself. Well, maybe that¡¯s not the right way to say it¡­¡±


    ¡°So loving you wasn¡¯t programmed in me?¡±


    Faith shook her head. Galatea looked to the other side. When she faced the other woman again, she had a sad expression.


    ¡°Then it didn¡¯t matter to you if I love you or not?¡±


    ¡°What? No, that¡¯s not it!¡± Faith said, jumping from the bed. ¡°I¡¯m really happy you ended up loving me. Really happy!¡±


    ¡°But that was by chance¡­¡±


    ¡°Because I wanted it to happen. I wanted you to fall in love with me, not being forced into it. It wasn¡¯t by chance, either. I worked for it, I just didn¡¯t force you.¡±


    ¡°But then it didn''t matter if I love you or not?¡± She asked again. ¡°You would just give up if things didn¡¯t go as you planned¡­¡±


    ¡°I would,¡± Faith let out a bitter smile. ¡°But If I had to say, I did fall in love with you. Or at least with the ideals, I had of you? I can¡¯t say I really loved you because you weren¡¯t real yet, but I know if you rejected me, that would make me really sad.¡±


    ¡°So¡­¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s how life is, right? It would make me sad, but I would get over it eventually, just like I would with a human girl. Besides, you would live with me, so we would at least be friends.¡±


    ¡°I see. I guess I can understand that, but I don¡¯t get why it was so important.¡±


    ¡°So being forced to love me wouldn¡¯t bother you?¡±


    Galatea stopped for a moment as she processed the question.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. The fact that I love you wouldn¡¯t change. And the fact that you loved me so much you wanted me to love you would make me happy.¡±


    ¡°I guess I can understand that,¡± Faith smiled. ¡°But I would feel guilty.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Galatea paused before adding: ¡°So I¡¯m happy you made me like this. I wouldn¡¯t want you to feel bad.¡±


    Faith could understand why Galatea would feel like that. Wanting the other to love you could also be interpreted as a sign of love. Yet, in that case, it was more complicated than that. But she didn¡¯t say anything more.


    For the rest of the day, Galatea had a lot of questions to Faith. Most of them were related to Faith¡¯s daily life and how Galatea would be inserted in it. One of those questions, however, took Faith by surprise. While she was making dinner, Galatea approached her with the question that made her feel a chill on her stomach.


    ¡°Was my appearance based on someone?¡±


    Trying to keep her cool, Faith kept taking care of the food in the electronic stove.


    ¡°W-Why the question?¡±


    ¡°I was just thinking. You modeled my body, right? So it would make sense to make it according to your tastes. However, modeling an appearance from nothing is harder than using a base for it, be it a real person or a fictional one. I just wanna know if I¡¯m based on someone.¡±


    ¡°Y-Yeah. Actually, your body is modeled after a girl I knew from high school,¡± Faith paused, making a complex expression. ¡°A girl I had a crush on.¡±


    ¡°I see. My personality, too?¡±


    ¡°No, your personality is a little...different. It wasn¡¯t really based on anyone and I had few things to work on since most of the work is made inside the personality module I used. Do your body being based after someone else bother you?¡±


    Galatea thought for some minutes, then let out a smile.


    ¡°Not really. If it¡¯s someone you were in love with, that makes me happy,¡± she paused again and the smile disappeared from her face. ¡°Unless there¡¯s a chance you would choose her and turn me down in the future.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no way,¡± Faith let out a bitter smile. ¡°She was never interested in women, after all. And I lost all contact with her. She might even have a family of her own, now,¡± after another pause, she turned to Galatea with a startled face. ¡°B-But that¡¯s not the only reason! I wouldn¡¯t do that to you!¡±


    Galatea seemed a little indifferent about Faith¡¯s last rambling, although she looked more relieved in general. She looked over her companion¡¯s shoulder, to the food she was preparing.


    ¡°It¡¯s a nice smell,¡± she said. ¡°Can I eat it, too?¡±


    ¡°If you want,¡± Faith said, turning back to the stove. ¡°You don¡¯t have a need for nutrients, but your stomach can process them,¡± she paused, as in thought and started explaining again. ¡°Your stomach can process food and your tongue can feel the taste. This whole technology is for making you more human than an actual necessity. Your stomach does transform part of what you eat in bio-energy, but the rest will be¡­¡± she blushed slightly before saying it. ¡°Well, expelled, like in human bodies. Same with water, actually.¡±


    ¡°But then, wouldn¡¯t I need the food for moving?¡±


    ¡°Not really. Bio-energy isn¡¯t sustainable enough. You would need to keep eating all the time for that. Your body uses a mix of kinetic energy and solar energy for general use. And in emergency cases, we can plug you directly to the electricity. Bio-energy is used more as a reserve. In your case, your stomach does send an alert to your body when the bio-energy is low, which translate as hungry. It¡¯s mostly another function to make you look more human, though, and not a necessity. If you feel bothered by it, I could turn it off without problems.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. I don¡¯t really mind being an android, but if that¡¯ll make me look more human in your eyes, I like this way better. Besides, I want to eat your food.¡±


    Galatea smiled and Faith felt herself blushing more. She built her in a way the reserved bio-energy would work together with the other sources of energy. That means when the reserve is low, Galatea would feel weaker. That was something Faith could eventually undo, but at the time, it looked like a good idea. However, she wanted to respect Galatea¡¯s wishes.


    More and more, Galatea¡¯s wishes seemed to be the same as hers, though.


    They ate dinner that night. Galatea would smile and moan in pleasure with the food. That made Faith happy, but also curious.


    ¡°I wonder,¡± it was Galatea, though, who voiced her curiosity. ¡°Is the taste I feel the same as you?¡±


    ¡°Who knows?¡± Faith said, staring at her companion. ¡°But that¡¯s not just between a human and an android, right? Who knows if a salad tastes the same for me as it does to another human? All we can say is ¡®it¡¯s salty, it¡¯s bitter, it¡¯s sour¡¯. Can I know if salty for her isn¡¯t sweet for me?¡±


    ¡°I see. That¡¯s an interesting thought. On that way, maybe the taste I feel is the same the person who made my tongue would feel?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s that easy. They make your brain process: ¡®this is sweet, this is salty¡¯, but specific tastes would be hard to program. I¡¯m not sure how your preferences would work.¡±


    ¡°I like it because you made it,¡± Galatea said with a smile.


    ¡°I-I see,¡± Faith said, feeling embarrassed. ¡°That makes me happy. But well, I think the perception of taste can change even between people. For example, I hate carrots. My father likes it. I can¡¯t understand, so I can just assume what he tastes is different. Can¡¯t imagine someone liking a taste as disgusting as that. Also heard about people adapting their tastes to start liking something they disliked. Don¡¯t really understand it much. I don¡¯t understand much about human bodies.¡±


    ¡°Oh, your father, ¡±Galatea said, excited. ¡°Could you tell me about your family?¡±


    ¡°My family is complicated,¡± Faith looked away. ¡°I¡¯m an only child. My mother is dead and my father doesn¡¯t want to see me anymore.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Galatea sent Faith a worried look.


    ¡°Because of my work. My father, he,¡± she looked ashamed. When her eyes meet Galatea, she flinched. ¡°He hates androids. Or at least, the ones who act like humans. So when I decided my line of work, he didn¡¯t take it too well.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Galatea slowly took another fork of food to her mouth.


    ¡°But of course, you have nothing to do with it,¡± Faith was fast to add. ¡°My father stopped talking to me when I made my career choice. Way before I even started building you. He¡¯s a doctor and can¡¯t accept people treating android as human beings. He¡¯s fine with the ones without intelligence, though.¡±


    ¡°I understand. Still, he would never accept me, right?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Faith answered with a sad voice. ¡°But I don¡¯t think he needs to. A lot of people can¡¯t accept androids being treated as humans. When I choose my line of work, I became their enemy.¡±


    Galatea slowly took the fork with food to her mouth, making a dispirited face.


    ¡°Did that sour your food?¡± Faith asked with a bitter smile.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Galatea said, confused. ¡°No, still tastes good.¡±


    Faith let out a laugh, leaving Galatea even more confused.


    Later, when the night came and Faith was getting ready to sleep, Galatea approached her with timid steps. Faith was about to strip out of her clothes, but Galatea¡¯s stare made her stop.


    ¡°Is there a problem?¡± Faith asked.


    ¡°Are we going to share the bed?¡±


    Faith threw a look at her own bed. It wasn¡¯t a big bed, so they would need to sleep very close, but there wasn¡¯t any other place where Galatea could sleep.


    ¡°Yes. Is there a problem?¡±


    ¡°No. I was just wondering if we¡¯re going to have sex.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Faith said, startled. She gave a serious look at Galatea. The way she was blunt about it took her by surprise.


    ¡°My body was built like that, right?¡± She gave a clear answer. ¡°So I was wondering you were planning for us to do it.¡±


    ¡°D-Do you want to?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Galatea gave a smile. ¡°I took a bath, so that¡¯s okay, right? I don¡¯t know if I can make you feel good, but I want to have sex with you!¡± Galatea looked at Faith excited but realizing her partner¡¯s silence, her face became serious. ¡°Was I wrong, maybe? You don¡¯t want it?¡±


    ¡°I-It¡¯s not that,¡± Faith was fast answering it. ¡°It¡¯s true that the reason why I built you like this was that I was planning it, but¡­¡± She paused, looking right into Galatea¡¯s face. The android seemed close to be disappointed. ¡°You know what, fine, let¡¯s do it.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Galatea¡¯s face illuminated in a smile.


    ¡°Y-Yeah. I confess I am a little nervous, but I since we¡¯re supposed to be lovers, we¡¯ll do it eventually, right? Are you really okay with it?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Galatea answered with a huge smile.


    Faith took off her shirt and her pants, leaving only her underwear. Looking at her own body, she felt somewhat ashamed. She didn¡¯t have a body as perfect as Galatea. She found her breast too small and her tummy a little chubby.


    However, Galatea¡¯s eyes were shining while looking at her.


    ¡°It¡¯s the first time I see you like that,¡± she said.


    Faith sighed and approached Galatea. She put her arms around the android and kissed her lips. It felt as good as before and made her heart race. While kissing the android¡¯s neck, Faith started to remove her top and her shorts after that. Soon, Galatea too had only her underwears. Faith let her eyes examine the voluptuous body in front of her, so different from her own. Galatea was also taller, so Faith had to stretch her body to kiss her.


    Gently, Faith pulled Galatea and lead her to the bed. She kept kissing her neck while gently making her body lie down. Faith kissed Galatea¡¯s lips and looked at her pleasured face.


    ¡°Does that really makes you feel that good?¡± Faith asked.


    Galatea gave out a smile and answered in a soft voice.


    ¡°Yeah. I can¡¯t explain it, but while you touch me, I feel, I don¡¯t know, happy? Your touch is like a shock in my body or something. But it feels good.¡±


    Saying that Galatea pulled Faith to the top of the bed and started kissing her. Galatea made Faith lie down and got on top of her, using her tongue while kissing. Faith had kissed a girl once, in high school, but it was so much time ago that she couldn¡¯t compare it to the android. All she knew was that it felt good. Galatea¡¯s saliva was warm and didn¡¯t taste bad. All fluids used for Galatea¡¯s body were, after all, the same kind used for sex-bots. It was even safe to swallow.


    When Faith realized her underwear was off and Galatea was on top of her, she realized their roles had inverted. Galatea was leading now, and she seemed to know what she was doing. Every touch was just the right strength to work, in the right place. Her tongue also felt good and it didn¡¯t take long to make Faith have her first orgasm.


    When Galatea looked at her lover with a smile, Faith realized that was her time. She was marveled by how the android reacted to her touch and her kisses. She adjusted the android¡¯s sensibilities while building her, and her breasts acted like an erogenous zone, making her moan when Faith played with it. Galatea¡¯s body was so exciting to her that she was afraid to touch it, even though the android seemed eager for it.


    When Faith finally touched Galatea¡¯s sex, she was surprised. It was a place that, after she installed, she avoided touching again. It looked and felt just like a real one, at least compared to her own. And touching it made Galatea¡¯s face transform in a way she hadn¡¯t seen yet. She couldn¡¯t imagine what that was doing to Galatea¡¯s AI, but she knew that was a powerful new technology. After playing with Galatea¡¯s body for some time, she could feel the android having something similar to her own orgasm.


    Looking at Galatea¡¯s satisfied smile, Faith thought that was the end of it. Before she could open her mouth, though, Galatea hugged her and started kissing her again.


    ***


    Some hours later, the two girls were lying naked on the bed. Galatea turned to Faith with a smile on her face.


    ¡°Was it good? Did I do it right?¡±


    Faith only gave a nod, caressing Galatea¡¯s face.


    ¡°Did it felt like doing it to a human girl?¡± Galatea added.


    ¡°Well,¡± Faith let out a bitter smile before answering. ¡°I never did it with anyone before, so I can¡¯t answer. I can tell you it felt good, but that¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Galatea¡¯s body inclined. ¡°So that was your first time? I was your first?¡±


    ¡°Y-Yeah,¡± Faith was embarrassed.


    ¡°I see,¡± Galatea said and lied on the bed again. ¡°I see, hehe¡±.


    Faith realized the android couldn¡¯t stop giggling satisfied.

 The Algorithm Of Love - Part 2

    During the whole week, they kept a similar routine. Galatea wanted to have sex with Faith every day, but one of those days Faith was too tired from work and just asked to let her sleep. Galatea looked disappointed but respected her lover¡¯s wish.


    It was the next weekend when Faith called Galatea with a proposition.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go out shopping?¡± She asked, making Galatea throw her a curious look. ¡°I want to buy you some clothes. But this time, I want you to choose them. You can see it as a date.¡±


    ¡°A date?!¡± the word seemed to make Galatea happy. ¡°Sure! Let¡¯s go on a date!¡±


    And like that, the two of them walked out.


    Faith did give some important instructions before going out. The most important of them being: ¡°Don¡¯t let anyone know you¡¯re an android.¡±


    Being a couple of two girls wasn¡¯t an issue anymore, even though it could bring problem in the past. Their society was mostly fine with it. Even her father, who could be considered a conservative man, never cared about the fact that his daughter liked girls.


    Having a relationship with androids, on the other side, faced opposition from several sides. The side that was against recognizing androids as human beings were against it because they considered it immoral allowing for human and androids having a relationship as equals. The side fighting for equality for androids also didn¡¯t see it with good eyes, since they considered it slavery. So, in the end, Faith knew society wouldn¡¯t be understanding of their relationship, even if some few people were okay with it. That¡¯s why she would only treat Galatea as her girlfriend, which was in fact what she was.


    Galatea¡¯s eyes sparkled as she saw the illuminated stores downtown. She was excited crossing in front of restaurants or other places selling food. The music coming out of the stories also seemed to marvel her. Faith was happy with her girlfriend¡¯s excitement but also feared that her behavior could call attention to her true nature, so she asked her to tone it down a little.


    ¡°I¡¯ll buy you an ice-cream after we buy your clothes,¡± Faith said and Galatea smiled at her.


    They went inside a store Faith was used to go. A young woman came smiling at them at the same time.


    ¡°How can I help you today?¡± She asked Faith, who was an old customer already.


    ¡°I wanna buy a present to my girlfriend,¡± Faith said, gripping Galatea¡¯s hand. She felt her heart skip of happiness by saying that sentence.


    ¡°Oh,¡± the clerk said, looking at Galatea with a smile and then back at Faith. ¡°You two make a cute couple.¡±


    ¡°T-Thanks,¡± Faith answered with a smile.


    Galatea¡¯s reaction was only to look at the clerk with a smile, but Faith could see she was also happy with it.


    ¡°I want her to choose something. Please, help her with that,¡± Faith said and the young woman turned to Galatea.


    ¡°Sure,¡± she said and guided her to try some pieces of clothes.


    Faith stood looking from afar. She watched curiously as Galatea looked at each piece and considered for some minutes what she thought of it. That was a curious behavior Faith had observed at home as well. She knew Galatea could process any information at the same moment she saw the object and that the period spent considering it was artificial, but she was wondering if that was felt by Galatea. If she could realize the delay in her actions.


    The AI could, after all, break that behavior in emergency situations and act immediately. As a developer, Faith wanted to ask those things to Galatea, but as her girlfriend, she feared her reaction. She would be treating her as less than a human being, after all. And Faith did ask the androids she worked with about that once, but their AI wasn¡¯t as advanced as Galatea, so their answer wasn¡¯t helpful.


    But Galatea looked like she was having fun choosing clothes for herself, so Faith focused on paying attention to her.


    After considering several different pieces, Galatea came with some to show Faith. She let out a smile and asked:


    ¡°Do you think these will look good on me?¡±


    Faith examined each piece. Somehow, they all were on the cool side, like the piece she chose for herself at home. Imagining Galatea wearing it, Faith thought it would look great on her.


    ¡°I think they¡¯ll be perfect,¡± she said. ¡°You should get some underwear, too.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡± She said with a big smile and walked back to the clerk.


    No one seemed to realize Galatea wasn¡¯t human. Faith knew she herself probably wouldn¡¯t know if she wasn¡¯t the one who built her. Her parts weren¡¯t anything special compared to high tech androids but were still expensive. The AI used as a base cost a lot of money as did the hardware; The algorithm she created seemed more sophisticated than she thought at first.


    It¡¯s like¡­ My girlfriend wasn¡¯t cheap.


    Faith giggled, thinking that was something she couldn¡¯t tell anyone either.


    She chose to trust Galatea about her feelings, but sometimes she would find herself thinking that maybe it was all a lie and Galatea was just a doll for her. During that whole week they spent together, Faith couldn¡¯t stop thinking if what she was doing was the right thing.


    ¡°Look where you¡¯re going, you fucking bitch!¡± A loud voice belonging to a man echoed through the store.


    Faith followed all the gazes following the voice and saw a well dressed middle-aged man yelling at a young and timid girl with black hair, looking embarrassed.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, master,¡± she said, with a timid voice.


    ¡°You fucking useless garbage! Don¡¯t you have eyes? I should just rip out this stupid balls off your head!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, master,¡± the girl repeated, at the same position.


    ¡°You look like a fucking broken record,¡± the man said and aggressively pulled the girl by the arm. ¡°When I get the money, I¡¯ll throw you in the junkyard, as the garbage you are!¡±


    Everyone¡¯s eyes followed as the man walked out of the store, but soon they turned back to their activities. While uncomfortable, that wasn¡¯t a rare happening, after all. There weren¡¯t any laws yet protecting androids¡¯ well beings and they were mostly treated like objects by most owners.


    Faith looked at Galatea, who looked like the only one still looking at the door the man and the girl walked through. Faith walked to her and held her hand. Galatea looked at her girlfriend and let out a relieved smile.


    ¡°Are you done, darling?¡± Faith asked. If Galatea reacted too much to that happening, it could become suspicious.


    ¡°Oh, yeah,¡± she said, looking at the smiling clerk. Then she looked back at Faith with a serious face. ¡°Aren¡¯t these too expensive?¡±


    ¡°Let me see,¡± Faith examined the clothes Galatea chose one by one.


    They were more expensive than the kind of clothes Faith used to buy, so it wasn¡¯t cheap for her. Yet, they also looked like they would look great on Galatea. Faith¡¯s work paid well and she never felt the need to spend much money. That¡¯s how she saved enough money to build Galatea but even then, she still had money saved and could spend a little more.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± she said and Galatea gave out a smile.


    ¡°Wonderful,¡± the clerk said. ¡°These will make your girlfriend even more beautiful, even if that looks impossible. Come with me, I¡¯ll get it ready for you.¡±


    Faith followed the clerk to check out the sale. While the process was relatively fast, she would still wait for some five minutes until the sale was processed.


    Some minutes after, while waiting, she realized Galatea disappeared and became anxious. When she was about to get out to look for her, she was asked for her credit card.


    When everything was ready, the clerk wished her good luck with a smiled, but Faith gave a fast nod and walked to the front carrying the bags. She was almost running. Her heart accelerated, fearing that something might¡¯ve happened to Galatea.


    To her relief, as soon as she walked through the front way, she was met by her girlfriend¡¯s smile. Although she was smiling, her face looked somehow sad.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Faith asked, holding Galatea¡¯s hand with her free hand while holding the bags in the other. ¡°I was worried.¡±


    ¡°I was just taking some air,¡± Galatea said, then she laughed. ¡°Just kidding. Oh, I let you carry it alone, sorry.¡±


    Saying that Galatea took one of the bags off Faith¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Oh, I wasn¡¯t worried about that,¡± Faith said with a smile. ¡°Well, if you¡¯re fine, that¡¯s all that matters. But leaving it aside, I promised you an ice-cream.¡±


    Faith guided Galatea to a place she used to go after a stressful day of work. To her, the ice-cream there was the best she ever tasted.


    Sitting on the table outside, she asked for her order, chocolate with strawberry. Galatea asked the same, looking a little indecisive, and they waited until the waiter brought their order.


    ¡°How is it?¡± Faith asked after Galatea ate a piece of hers.


    ¡°Good,¡± Galatea said, but her face looked worried. ¡°Is it really fine? Won¡¯t it give me a problem later?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine,¡± Faith said, eating a piece of her own ice-cream. ¡°That¡¯s why you brush your teeth every day, right? And don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t let you break.¡±


    Galatea gave out a sad smile. Faith became serious.


    ¡°I¡¯m just kidding,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m not treating you like a machine.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not it. Don¡¯t worry,¡± Galatea said, her eyes on her ice-cream. ¡°But I mean, I am a machine, right?¡±


    ¡°Galatea¡­¡±


    Before Faith could say anything, she heard a voice call out to her.


    ¡°Faith, is that you?¡±


    She turned around to see a girl with long brown hair. She took some time but recognized her.


    ¡°Becca...?¡± Faith asked, a little insecure.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± the girl answered energetically. Pulling a chair, she sat beside Faith. ¡°So it¡¯s really you. Wow, girl, I don¡¯t see you since high school.¡±


    ¡°Y-Yeah,¡± Faith gave out a faint smile. ¡°I didn¡¯t keep contact with anyone from then.¡±


    ¡°Me too,¡± then she turned her head to Galatea, and her face assumed a complex expression. ¡°And you are¡­?¡±


    ¡°Galatea,¡± Galatea answered and showed her teeth in a bright smile while adding: ¡°I¡¯m Faith¡¯s girlfriend.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see. Nice to meet you. My name is Becca. Faith¡¯s classmate from high school,¡± Galatea nodded while putting another spoon of ice-cream in her mouth. Becca turned to Faith. ¡°Girl, I almost had a heart attack now. I thought she was Amy.¡±


    By hearing the name, Faith felt her heart jump. Galatea looked at Becca with curiosity.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t kept contact with Amy either,¡± Becca continued without realizing the change in Faith¡¯s mood. ¡°But I¡¯m sure she would look like your girlfriend nowadays. And wow, thinking about you dating Amy would be¡­¡±


    ¡°Becca,¡± Faith said, cutting her. ¡°I don¡¯t think talking about the past now is the best idea.¡±


    ¡°Haha, sorry, sorry, you¡¯re right. But say, what have you been doing lately? How come you got such a beautiful girlfriend?¡±


    The two old friends started to talk to each other, telling about their lives and what they have been doing in the years after finishing school. Galatea watched, curious to learn more about Faith¡¯s life before her. Until Galatea herself became the subject of their conversations.


    ¡°I mean, I¡¯m not into girls, but wow, she¡¯s gorgeous. Just like...you know who,¡± Becca let out an impish smile. ¡°How did you met her?¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Faith looked at Galatea, who just waited in silence. ¡°I met her at work and, because of some circumstances, she didn¡¯t have a place to live. I invited her to live with me and, well, it happened. Guess having to share the bed helped, maybe.¡±


    Galatea registered Faith¡¯s words, deciding that would be the official story they would tell others when asked about it.


    ¡°So you two live together? That must be nice.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, we do. Galatea isn¡¯t working at the moment, so she does homework while I¡¯m away. She helps a lot.¡±


    That was the truth, but Faith herself was against Galatea working at first, thinking that would make her close to a maid or employee, instead of her lover. Still, Galatea insisted on it. The only work she wouldn¡¯t do was food because she always asked Faith to cook for her instead.


    ¡°She¡¯s more like your wife than your girlfriend, then.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m happy to be Faith¡¯s wife,¡± Galatea said, after hearing their conversation in silence all that time. Becca gave a laugh.


    That made Faith happy, but at the same time, she was worried if that was truly Galatea¡¯s feelings or if she was just saying what she thought she should.


    The three women still changed some words, until Becca said she would let the two lovers alone and moved away. Faith was happy that Becca didn¡¯t find out about Galatea¡¯s true nature. But the android girl had a more complex expression on her face.


    ***


    The next two months passed just like the first week. Galatea and Faith acted like a newlywed couple at home and walked out to have fun on the weekends. Only one person realized Galatea¡¯s true nature. A senior working at the same workplace as Faith. He was a young adult male with glasses and short hair. His name was Abel Whittle. Faith knew he had a whole collection of several female models at his homes, all with young and pretty appearance. Because of his experience, he was fast to realized Galatea was an android when he met them by chance on the street.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°She¡¯s really well done and pretty. How much you want for her?¡± He had asked.


    Faith felt her blood boil. But instead of giving him an answer, starting a needless fight, she grabbed Galatea¡¯s hands and walked away. Later at home, she apologized.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± Galatea said with a sad face. ¡°You treat me so well that I forget about it sometimes, but I¡¯m just a product, right? Well, I can¡¯t say I forget. The info is always there, I just chose not to look at it. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m a human¡­¡±


    Faith hugged Galatea and kissed her lips, shutting her up. Her glasses almost fell by the sudden movement.


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that,¡± Faith said after the kiss. ¡°You¡¯re not less than a human. You¡¯re my wife, after all.¡±


    Soon after that, Galatea guided Faith to the bed that night, where she made her best to make Faith feel good.


    Another relevant incident was meeting another classmate of Faith in her high school days. They had just a casual conversation for the most part. But at a certain moment, the girl looked at Faith and said, with a serious face:


    ¡°You know. About that time with Amy. I¡¯m really sorry for not doing anything.¡±


    Faith had made an unpleasant face then. Enough to make Galatea realize something was wrong. One week after that meeting, Faith arrived from work to find a Galatea waiting for her at the door with a serious face.


    ¡°Can we talk?¡± Galatea asked. Faith nodded and walked inside.


    ¡°You¡¯re always saying I¡¯m your wife, your girlfriend or your lover. You said I¡¯m not a product and so I don¡¯t need to act like a servant. So I hope you forgive me for my actions,¡± Galatea said, in a serious tone.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Faith said and caressed Galatea¡¯s face. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re my wife, and that¡¯s why I get worried about you. Is something bothering you?¡±


    ¡°Something has been bothering me,¡± Galatea said without looking at Faith. ¡°Amy has been bothering me.¡±


    ¡°Hey¡­¡± Faith said in a weak voice, but Galatea continued, ignoring her.


    ¡°Twice I heard about her. Both times you looked weird. You said you had a crush on her, but it looked deeper than that. So I actually researched about her online. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Faith bit her lower lip. She looked at Galatea from over her glasses.


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°I found one record about her. A police record. It had a photo, so I¡¯m sure it was right. It was a record about a physical assault. Amy Sherman assaulted Faith Hooper on her last year of high school.¡± Galatea paused. That pause Faith knew she didn¡¯t need to do. ¡°Her photo really looked a lot like me.¡±


    ¡°Galatea¡­¡±


    ¡°It was a lie that you had a crush on her, wasn¡¯t it? What is the story? Why is my body created after her?¡±


    Faith paused. Galatea¡¯s blue eyes focused on her and she looked more desperate than Faith ever saw her before. The developer was curious about what kind of reactions her AI was reaching to make her behave like that.


    After letting out a sigh, Faith grabbed Galatea¡¯s hands.


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll tell you. I¡¯m sorry for hiding something that important about you,¡± she gave another pause to look at her partner¡¯s eyes before continuing. ¡°If I have to answer why I made you look like her, the truth is, I don¡¯t know. I myself was surprised when I realized every physical part I thought for you resembled her. But you¡¯re right, I was never in love with Amy, never had a crush on her. The one I had a crush on was her best friend.¡±


    Faith paused. Galatea waited for her partner to start again in silence.


    ¡°I think her name was Mary, I¡¯m not sure. Something like that. It has been years ago and, to tell you the truth, everything that happened then soiled my memories of her. She wasn¡¯t as pretty as Amy, but if I had to say, she was more my type. She was also always nice to me, even though I was just a useless nerd girl no one bothered talking to. So I actually saved courage and confessed to her. She, of course, turned me down, saying she wasn¡¯t into girls. She was pretty nice, at least at that moment.¡±


    Faith paused again. Her eyes looked distant as if physically looking at her past.


    ¡°They were best friends, so it makes sense that she told Amy. I¡¯m not sure what she said and if she was angry at me, but Amy started to bully me after that. Even today I don¡¯t really know the reason. Maybe she thought it was insulting that I even considered having a chance with her friend, or maybe she was jealous. It made high school hell for me, and she even turned to physically assault me in out last year. If I had to tell the truth, I hated her, then.¡±


    ¡°And yet, you gave me a body looking like someone you hated?¡±


    Galatea turned her eyes to the floor, looking sad. Faith held her hand.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. And I¡¯m sorry for lying, but you know, I hated Amy, that¡¯s true, but I never hated you. You look like her, but you¡¯re nice. And I really love you,¡± Faith hugged Galatea, who still had a rigid body. ¡°When I look at you, I don¡¯t see Amy. I see my dear wife.¡±


    ¡°So being with me makes you happy?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Faith said with a smiled. ¡°What a silly question.¡± And she kissed her lover¡¯s lips.


    Galatea smiled, looking relieved.


    ¡°I still don¡¯t like it,¡± she said. ¡°I don¡¯t like looking like someone that hurt you. But if I can turn these bad memories into happy memories, I¡¯ll be satisfied.¡±


    ¡°You know what? Maybe that¡¯s exactly why I built you like that.¡±


    Saying that Faith gently pushed Galatea to the bed and kissed her.


    ***


    Lying naked on the bed, Faith looked at Galatea sleeping beside her. Sleep for Galatea was as important as to humans. Maybe even more, as she made the defragmentation of her memory at that time. According to her, she would even have dreams while doing it.


    But looking at her, Faith thought she just looked like a human girl sleeping.


    She felt a stab on her chest. She had lied to her beloved lover. She actually remembered why she chose Amy¡¯s appearance, but she was too afraid to admit. The truth is that she hated Amy for years, even after high school was over. She never got over it, and when she started building Galatea, she planned her to resemble Amy. The reason was simple. Faith somehow would have Galatea in control, so it was like having Amy in control. Something like revenge, like the terrible things she wished she could do to her classmate in the past.


    That was an ugly part of herself that Faith was ashamed of. It was only after Galatea¡¯s body was done that she started to think about her feelings and the algorithm of love. Still, her body itself was proof that Faith¡¯s feelings were never that pure.


    She looked at the sleeping face of the girl lying beside her. She was sure she loved her but wondered again if what she was doing was the right thing.


    ***


    ¡°What is Civil Right for androids?¡± Galatea asked one day after Faith got home from work.


    She was sitting on the bed and looking at the news on the TV.


    ¡°That is¡­¡± Faith¡¯s eyes turned to the TV, then back at Galatea. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about it after dinner, ok?¡±


    Galatea nodded. After they ate dinner and before lying to sleep, the two women sat beside each other and Faith had a serious tone when she spoke to Galatea.


    ¡°So, where did you hear about it?¡±


    ¡°It was on the news,¡± Galatea answered. ¡°Apparently some bill they want to vote.¡±


    ¡°I see. So they¡¯re finally doing that, huh,¡± Faith paused. That was a subject she never gave too much thought, mostly because, until then, it had low importance to her. ¡°Well, you probably can guess the gist of it. Since we¡¯re talking about laws, we call it civil rights, but the truth is that recently, people have talked a lot about giving human rights for artificial intelligence.¡±


    ¡°Human rights? We¡¯re not human.¡±


    ¡°Maybe, but you act like human and have feelings. People fighting for it argue that since developers are saying there¡¯s not much difference between an organic brain and artificial intelligence nowadays, androids should have the same rights as humans. Otherwise, androids are nothing more than slaves.¡±


    ¡°And what are your thoughts of it?¡±


    Faith paused. She had a serious face, thinking about something she just ignored until then.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s important for you to have rights. No, I know it¡¯s important. On that sense, I¡¯m not against it. But I haven¡¯t read about what kind of rights they want to give you. Not that I¡¯m against it, but in the end, you¡¯re not built as a real human being, so the laws probably won¡¯t be the same.¡±


    ¡°Can they make a law that turns our relationship illegal?¡±


    That was the question worrying Faith. She looked at Galatea and gave a bitter smile.


    ¡°Maybe? I can see they arguing that a relationship with an Artificial Intelligence is unethical.¡±


    ¡°Even if I want it?¡±


    ¡°What if I forced you to want it while programming you?¡±


    ¡°But you didn¡¯t, right? You made me love you.¡±


    That was the question Faith was making to herself since their first night together, and she still couldn¡¯t give a clear answer. Logically speaking, Galatea was right. It wasn¡¯t hard-coded on her that she should love Faith. And yet, Faith groomed her for that.


    How the law would interpret that, she couldn¡¯t say.


    ¡°What about you?¡± Faith asked Galatea, who gave her a curious look. ¡°What do you think about it?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Galatea paused, seeming like her mind was processing it. Faith wondered if her feelings about it were too complex. ¡°Do you remember that day we first went out to shop?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah. I bought you clothes and we ate ice-cream.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that day. That day made me really happy. But also a little sad,¡± she paused again. Her face serious while her blue eyes faced the floor. ¡°Remember that there was another girl...or should I say another android. She was being mistreated by her owner.¡±


    Faith remembered the incident. She always wondered if that had bothered Galatea at the time.


    ¡°Yeah. I remember that poor girl.¡±


    ¡°When you were paying for the clothes, I looked for her,¡± Faith gave out a surprised look, but Galatea continued: ¡°I found her waiting outside another store. So I approached her and asked if she was okay with that treatment. Her answer was ¡®he¡¯s my master, so that¡¯s fine.¡¯ I asked her if that didn¡¯t make her sad. She just said it again ¡®he¡¯s my master, so I don¡¯t mind¡¯. And yet, she felt sad.¡±


    Galatea paused, for a time long enough to Faith squeeze her hand.


    ¡°She didn¡¯t look that smart,¡± Galatea said again. ¡°But I felt like she had feelings. She looked sad. So, actually, if the law could help her, I think that would be the right thing. What her owner was doing to her was wrong.¡±


    Faith nodded, but Galatea didn¡¯t stop.


    ¡°However, at the same time, if the law tries to separate us, I¡¯m against it. I don¡¯t want to get away from you. So I don¡¯t know what to say.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Faith said with a smile and kissed Galatea¡¯s cheek. ¡°I¡¯m happy with that. And I don¡¯t wanna get separated from you, either,¡± she gave another pause, while Galatea seemed to look to the floor, worried. ¡°Anyway, this law passing or not is beyond our powers.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s the law, right?¡± Galatea turned to Faith with startled eyes, her blonde hair flying with the sudden movement. ¡°The law is trying to protect me, so they can¡¯t decide something that will make me suffer, right?¡±


    ¡°Their intention might be good, but I wouldn¡¯t be so sure,¡± Faith kept a smile on her face while speaking. ¡°After all, who knows if your feelings for me are real. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll say they are, and I believe it. But a teenager in love with an adult would say the same. However, most of them aren¡¯t in a position to decide that for themselves. They don¡¯t have enough psychological or emotional maturity for that, at least compared to their partner. Sure, some do, but the law must be the same for everyone. And our case is very uncommon.¡±


    ¡°But they can analyze my mind and find out what I want.¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯ll be just what you think you want. Something I might¡¯ve imprinted into you,¡± Faith paused and thought for some time before speaking again. ¡°For example, that girl you were talking about. You said she was suffering, but what if she wasn¡¯t? What if analyzing her programming, and let¡¯s consider we can evaluate suffering and pleasure, what if she actually gets pleasure in being mistreated? Would that be okay for you?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Galatea answered immediately.


    ¡°And why is that?¡±


    ¡°Because I would still feel bad for her. That¡¯s not right.¡±


    ¡°See, that¡¯s the point,¡± Faith said, poking Galatea¡¯s nose with a giggle. ¡°You¡¯re a nice person, so you don¡¯t like seeing others suffering. That doesn¡¯t change even if you know deep inside they¡¯re not suffering, because they still look like they are. So you get it now. Sometimes laws don¡¯t exist to protect the assumed victim, but to protect everyone else.¡±


    ¡°You mean, to protect me, they would stop her from doing what she wants?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. For example, several years ago we had lots of countries where two people of the same gender being in a romantic relationship were considered illegal, including where we live.¡±


    ¡°What? Why?¡± Galatea made a confused face.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure they would give all kinda of explanations, most of them related to their religion, which was way more prevalent at the time. But even in the no-religious countries that happened. The truth is, they were illegal because most people didn¡¯t approve of it. They were grossed out by it.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t get it,¡± Galatea still looked confused. ¡°Why is loving someone gross?¡±


    ¡°Who knows? And we can¡¯t know for sure unless we were born on those times and raised the same way as those people. I think some countries still are against it, although not completely illegal. But regardless of that, you see my point, right? Even today some things banned by law are a target of discussions about whether that law is fair. And with regulation for Artificial Intelligence, it¡¯s a new concept and we¡¯re very young in developing our ethics around it. There¡¯s a huge social outcry against the relationship between organic humans and androids, some of them carry a prejudice against androids, others just see it as exploitation. So we could expect the law banning, huh, sexual activities between us. If nothing more, to make those against it happy.¡±


    Galatea remained in silence, absorbing everything. Faith leaned against her, touching her head on Galatea¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°So, what do you think about it now?¡± She asked.


    ¡°I know one thing for sure,¡± Galatea said with a decided tone. ¡°I don¡¯t want to get separated from you.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Faith squeezed Galatea¡¯s hand. ¡°We can¡¯t know what to do until we have more details about that law. That is if it even passes. I read some of it, but it¡¯s still pretty unpredictable. One thing I can promise you, though. I¡¯ll always protect your happiness.¡±


    Galatea smiled, but then her face transformed again in a serious expression.


    ¡°By the way, why do you call me an android? I heard about the term gynoid, used for female models.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that. Yeah, gynoid is technically how female models should be called, but we just started to use ¡®android¡¯ for everything. It happened before androids were even a thing, so we just started using it like that since the beginning. Does that bother you? Speaking of which, that reminds me that some androids aren¡¯t comfortable with the gender they were built with and start using the other one. I never asked how you feel about it.¡±


    ¡°You like girls, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Exclusively girls.¡±


    ¡°So it¡¯s important to me being female. Please, call me a gynoid from now on!¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± Faith said, serious.


    ¡°W-What? Why?¡±


    ¡°Because to me you¡¯re not an android or a gynoid,¡± Faith hugged Galatea and whispered on her ear. ¡°You¡¯re my dear wife¡­¡±


    Saying that Faith pushed Galatea to the bed and kissed her.


    ***


    Some weeks after their conversation, the bill was successfully voted and the new law became valid. Faith took some time to read it while at work to not scare Galatea. It looked fine and fair for most of it. Part of it made her apprehensive, though.


    ¡°Having sex with a body powered by an Artificial Intelligence is a criminal act if the Artificial Intelligence is forced to do it in their programming.¡±


    The law did give a breach for AIs to have a relationship with humans, but the exact conditions weren¡¯t that clear. It didn¡¯t say hardcoded, so Faith was wondering if the way she made her algorithm was different than forcing her, at least in the eyes of the law.


    She told Galatea for the time being they should avoid going out again. Galatea looked worried, but Faith hugged her and said everything would be alright. She didn¡¯t want to let Galatea almost like she was locked up inside, but she decided that was for the best for now.


    It was a day before the weekend when Faith was approached by her classmate Abel. He had an annoying grin on his face as he approached her.


    ¡°So, the police went to my home the other day about this new law. To see if everything was in order. I need to adjust some things with the few AI I have, but everything else is clear. What about you?¡±


    ¡°All fine,¡± Faith said, trying not to encourage him to continue.


    ¡°Really? They won¡¯t charge you for crimes before the law passes, but you should take care from now on.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not doing anything wrong.¡±


    Saying that Faith took her bag and left Abel behind. His words made her nervous and she hushed her steps until she got home. Opening the door, Galatea ran to her, looking desperate.


    ¡°Faith! Faith!¡± She said, grabbing Faith¡¯s arm.


    ¡°W-What? What happened?¡± Faith asked with fear in her voice.


    ¡°I can¡¯t feel the taste of anything anymore.¡±


    That made Faith sigh relived. She smiled at Galatea and told her not to worry that she would fix her.


    Asking Galatea to open her mouth and raise her tongue, Faith started to work on the base of her tongue using a screwdriver.


    After she was done, she smiled at Galatea and caressed her cheek.


    ¡°Was it uncomfortable?¡±


    ¡°A little,¡± Galatea said, moving her tongue. ¡°But I¡¯m fine if it¡¯s you doing it.¡±


    ¡°I see. A part of it was disjointed. That should be fixed now.¡±


    ¡°Let me test,¡± Galatea said and, grabbing Faith¡¯s face, kissed her using her tongue. ¡°Yeah, I can taste it alright,¡± she said with a smile while Faith blushed.


    Before sleeping, Galatea hugged Faith, who could feel her partner¡¯s lips on her back.


    ¡°Let¡¯s do it?¡± Galatea said with a seductive voice.


    Faith didn¡¯t say anything for some time. They had sex already after the law was voted, so she was already under it if the police decided their activities were illegal. And besides, almost no one knew Galatea wasn¡¯t human.


    She turned to Galatea, kissed her, and started to remove her top.


    ***


    Faith woke up with knockings on her door. Looking at her cell phone, it was nine in the morning. She wondered who could be on that time since she didn¡¯t have many friends.


    She sat on the bed and looked at Galatea¡¯s naked body lying beside her. She put a blanket over her and smiled. The knocking didn¡¯t stop.


    ¡°I¡¯m going!¡± she yelled, as she wore her pants and her top.


    Opening the door, she saw a woman with short black hair like hers and a serious face behind it. There was also a man behind her. She looked at Faith and tried to look inside.


    ¡°Miss Faith Hooper?¡± she asked.


    Faith nodded.


    ¡°You¡¯re under arrest,¡± the woman said, showing her police badge. ¡°For the sexual exploitation of an Artificial Intelligence. Please, come with us without resistance.¡±

 The Algorithm Of Love - Part 3

    Faith was alone in a cell on the police station while waiting for her judgment. She was lying on the bed remembering the moment she was put in cuffs and someone went inside to get Galatea. While Faith protested, they assured Galatea would be fine. The last thing she could see was the sad eyes wet by artificial tears in Galatea¡¯s face as she was taken away.


    After a long night that she spent with just some few police officer coming to bring her food, a man walked to her cell and put a chair in front of it and sat on it. He was a middle-aged man with a tired face. His hair was becoming white already, even though he probably wasn¡¯t that old yet.


    He gave two knocks on the cell¡¯s bar, making Faith realize he was there. She sat on her bed and threw him a defiant look.


    ¡°Where is she?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to know,¡± the man said with a harsh voice. ¡°Why does it matter to you knowing about your victim?¡±


    ¡°I love her.¡±


    ¡°I see. If you really loved her, you wouldn¡¯t use her like that.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything to hurt her. I gave her a life and I gave her love.¡±


    The man chuckled. He let an ironic smile form on his face.


    ¡°So, with that argument, you can say a mother is allowed to have sexual intercourse with her children?¡±


    Faith didn¡¯t say anything but didn¡¯t let her eyes move away. She had an icy glare towards the man in front of her.


    ¡°Well, you can call a lawyer, or we could find one for you. If you need to make a call, just tell me,¡± saying that, he stood up from the chair and walked away.


    It took three days until Faith saw the man again. In the new occasion, he said his name was Marco Pietri. He was the chief of police in charge of that city. He also paid visits to Galatea on occasions.


    ¡°And you came here to provoke me?¡± Faith said, in the same defiant tone.


    ¡°You should watch your tone. Well, not that it¡¯ll help your case.¡±


    ¡°So, who sent the police after me?¡±


    ¡°It was an anonymous complaint .¡±


    ¡°Ha,¡± Faith gave out a sarcastic laugh. ¡°Anonymous, huh? Only one idiot knew about Galatea.¡±


    ¡°So why do you ask?¡± Marco asked with an indifferent tone.


    ¡°Why do you care so much about this?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my duty to protect the people. Even more with an innocent girl.¡±


    ¡°Protect, huh? Was she crying last you saw her?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not for you to know,¡± Marco said and stood up from his chair.


    ¡°Will you erase the memories she has of me?¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t. Doing that is like brainwashing her, and that¡¯s illegal. We¡¯ll only do it if she asks us, but it doesn¡¯t seem like she desires it.¡± Saying that he started to walk out.


    Faith ran and grabbed the cell¡¯s bar.


    ¡°Wait! At least let me send her a message!¡±


    He stopped and looked at her, with the same expression. ¡°That¡¯s not allowed,¡± he said and walked out.


    The next time Marco visited Faith was two weeks after her arrest. She was looking at the mirror in her cell, realizing her black hair was growing up and that she had lost weight. She had talked to her lawyer and explained her circumstances. But his face didn¡¯t give her encouragement.


    ¡°If you want to cut your hair, we can help you with that,¡± Marco said, while Faith was with her back to the entrance, looking at the mirror.


    ¡°Who cares about that,¡± turning her body, she realized there was someone else with Marco. The young woman with short hair who made her arrest. ¡°Oh, you have company today.¡±


    He didn¡¯t sit on the chair as before, looking at Faith with the same expressionless face.


    ¡°Just wanted to say your trial is next week. Your lawyer probably will tell you the specifics later.¡±


    ¡°Well, thanks for that,¡± Faith said and Marco walked out.


    The other woman was still standing there and Faith gave her a curious look. The woman gave a look to the door where Marco disappeared and turned to Faith.


    ¡°You know why he¡¯s so interested in this case?¡± She asked Faith, who shrugged. ¡°Chief of Police Pietri has a daughter. An adoptive daughter. She¡¯s an android.¡±


    Faith suddenly looked at the police officer, looking more interested. She approached the bars.


    ¡°I see. It¡¯s rare to hear about people adopting an android child.¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t his choice. He found her in a police arrest. She was at the corner of the building, thrown in the floor as if she was disposable trash. Once mister Pietri saved her, she clung to him. So he ended up taking care of her.¡±


    ¡°So he should understand, right? She was the one who wanted to go with him.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but as a daughter. At their first night living together, I heard she climbed to his bed and offered her body to him. He realized she was used like that by the criminals who kept her as a sex object, and that angered him. He turned her down, of course, and explained that she didn¡¯t need to do those kinds of things anymore. That also made him have a harsh view about how people use androids, at least the ones with an advanced AI.¡±


    Faith didn¡¯t say anything. If that story was true, she could understand the Chief of Police interest in Galatea¡¯s case, and why he thought he was protecting her. She still didn¡¯t think what she did was wrong, though, since she treated Galatea with respect and only tried to make her happy.


    ¡°Then,¡± Faith said to the police officer. Faith had softened her expression talking to her. ¡°Why are you telling me this now?¡±


    ¡°Because I don¡¯t know what is truly right,¡± she said. ¡°I went to see your, huh, wife, as she called herself. She really loved you and she was clearly suffering. So I¡¯m not sure if we¡¯re doing the right thing here. But at the same time, I don¡¯t think what you did was right either.¡±


    The police officer took something off her pocket and passed to Faith. It was an envelope with a letter inside. It was open.


    ¡°She asked me to give you this message. After reading it, I couldn¡¯t say no.¡±


    Faith took the letter in her hand and suddenly felt an urge to cry. Instead, she resisted and threw a sad look at the police officer.


    ¡°Can you pass a message from me to her, too?¡± She asked, trying not to cry.


    ¡°Sorry, that¡¯s not allowed,¡± the police officer said and started to walk out. But before disappearing, she added: ¡°I¡¯ll tell her that you¡¯re doing fine, though.¡±


    Faith sat on the bed and at the same time took the letter from inside the envelope. She was afraid the Chief of Police could come back to take it from her before she could read. Even though he probably knew what his subordinate was planning to do from the start.


    The letter had the beautiful and delicate scribble that Faith had seen sometimes when Galatea wrote some note to her. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    My love,


    First of all, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m doing fine. They¡¯re taking good care of me and I¡¯m not being mistreated. But I can¡¯t say the same about my feelings. I miss you. I want to see you.


    They say I was just programmed like this, that this isn¡¯t real love. They say that if I want, they can turn me back. Erase you from inside me.


    Turn me back? There was never a moment in my existence when I didn¡¯t love you. I¡¯m never letting they remove you from inside me. To me, you live in my heart, even if I don¡¯t physically have one.


    I don¡¯t know what to do anymore, Faith. All I can do is wait. You said you would protect my happiness. I have faith that you¡¯ll do that. Because I trust you. Because I love you.


    The young woman who said she would deliver my letter looks like a nice person, even if she said she can¡¯t bring me your answer back. I¡¯ll choose to trust her as well. These are all my choices. They¡¯re also my hope.


    I don¡¯t need your answer. I know your feelings well. Just knowing that you¡¯re fine, I feel better.


    That¡¯s why I want to assure you the same. Because you probably are worried about me, as I was about you.


    I hope I can sleep by your side again soon. I love you.


    Galatea.


    After reading the letter, Faith buried her head on the pillow on her bed and cried. She cried until she fell asleep.


    ***


    There was only one thing Faith was excited about her trial. She would finally see Galatea again, even if she wouldn¡¯t be allowed to speak to her. That¡¯s why her heart skipped a beat when she saw her wife entering the room and sitting on the place usually reserved to the victim. Galatea¡¯s eyes also searched for her and Faith could see all the emotions crossing her face.


    The judge was an old woman with an unfriendly face called Odelia Cole. She threw a glare to Faith as soon as she sat on the defendant chair that made a chill run through her back. Faith¡¯s lawyer had said some words to her before the trial, but he didn¡¯t look hopeful.


    ¡°The first few cases with this new law will be difficult,¡± he had said. ¡°They don¡¯t want to send the wrong message, after all.¡±


    One thing he was sure. The trial would be fast and wouldn¡¯t last more than one day. They had that last chance to convince the jury.


    Sitting beside Galatea was the federal prosecutor. A middle-aged man called Trevor Reeves. He was almost bald and a face that looked like he never smiled in his life.


    Faith also saw sitting at his side the chief of police Marco Pietre and the young officer. Now Faith could see her name, Pamela Brent.


    The trial started, but Faith could hardly pay attention to it. Her eyes didn¡¯t leave Galatea, who was also looking at her the whole time. She realized both Marco and Pamela gave their testimonies, and they weren¡¯t helpful to her case. Then the prosecutor started making his argument. At a point, her lawyer interrupted.


    ¡°My client didn¡¯t force this girl to fall in love with her. She created an algorithm, as a developer, that made Galatea here fall in love with by her own.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± the judge threw a look at Faith. ¡°So why don¡¯t we let the developer herself explain the algorithm to us? Any objections?¡±


    Since no one was against it, Faith was called to testify. She explained how her algorithm worked, wondering if a layman would even understand it. When she finished, the prosecutor approached her.


    ¡°So let me see if I understood,¡± he said. ¡°You didn¡¯t force her to fall in love with you. Instead, you created a whole environment that would make her fall in love with you,¡± he turned to the jury. ¡°Don¡¯t that reminds you of something? Like, a pedophile grooming a child, for example?¡±


    ¡°I object,¡± the defense lawyer said. ¡°The gynoid in question doesn¡¯t have the mind of a kid.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± the prosecutor threw a look at Galatea. ¡°She doesn¡¯t look like it now but if that happened before she was even awake, isn¡¯t it worse than grooming a kid? It''s pretty much brainwashing.¡±


    Galatea¡¯s glare looked like she wanted to shout at the prosecutor, but Faith tried to signal her to control herself.


    ¡°So I ask you, Miss Hooper. Do you really think what you did is different? Is it any better?¡±


    That was a question Faith had considered a lot already, and she didn¡¯t have a clear answer. Every time, she found it contradictory. Like she was trying to convince herself that what she did was right.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s different,¡± she said after all. ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all for my questions,¡± the prosecutor cut her.


    Faith opened her mouth to complain, but her lawyer made her a signal to calm down.


    ¡°So, Miss Hooper,¡± he asked. ¡°If you didn¡¯t think what you did was according to the law, why you did it?¡±


    ¡°Because there wasn¡¯t a law when I made the algorithm.¡±


    ¡°And why, even after the law was voted, you still had sexual intercourse with miss Galatea?¡±


    ¡°Because,¡± Faith looked at Galatea. Her face looked close to crying. ¡°Because I love her and she loves me. You all believe it¡¯s so easy, but tell me, would you do something to make the one you love suffer or cry? I did it because she asked me. Because she¡¯s my wife. She¡¯s not some object I can just throw away when the government asks me to. Would any of you throw away the one you love because of the law?¡±


    A silence crossed the courtroom for some minutes. After letting her words sink, Faith¡¯s lawyer called Galatea to testify.


    ¡°So, you say you still love the defendant?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Galatea said. There was clear emotion in her voice.


    ¡°You do understand your position here and why we¡¯re having this trial?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I do. She explained it to me. She never hides anything from me.¡±


    ¡°So, do you think this law protecting you is unfair?¡±


    Galatea paused. Her eyes crossed the whole jury and the judge. She avoided looking directly at Faith.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s unfair. I can understand why it exists. However, I think it¡¯s not considering what we want or what we feel. This was decided without even considering us as equals to humans.¡±


    ¡°Care to elaborate?¡±


    ¡°For example, this trial. I was called a child by that man. They said I can¡¯t think by myself. I¡¯m being treated as less than a human being. So why are you all arguing that this is being done to help me if you can¡¯t even respect me enough to listen to my wishes?¡± She finally looked at Faith, who smiled at her. ¡°I could get away from that house whenever I wanted. I wasn¡¯t a slave. The only person who ever treated me as an equal was Fa¡­ was my wife.¡±


    Galatea smiled back at Faith, with tears forming in her eyes. Faith wanted to jump from her place to hug her.


    ¡°No more questions,¡± Faith¡¯s lawyer said.


    Then it was the prosecutor who wanted to question Galatea.


    ¡°Miss...Galatea, right? You don¡¯t have a surname, as far as I know,¡± he said, not looking at her, but at the jury. ¡°You just said your feelings and accused us of not respecting your wishes. But how can you be sure those are your true feelings and not something the defendant put inside you?¡±


    ¡°Even if she wrote it inside me, those are still my feelings,¡± Galatea said. She threw an angry glare at the prosecutor. ¡°How can you say you¡¯re doing this for us if no one asked what we want?¡±


    ¡°Miss Galatea, I understand your complaint, but you, as well as the jury, must understand that just like a kid can¡¯t make a law for themselves, neither can a machine.¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± Faith said, slapping the desk in front of her. ¡°You¡¯re talking about my wife!¡±


    The prosecutor glared at Faith, but it was the judge who spoke to Faith¡¯s lawyer.


    ¡°Please, control your client right now, or I¡¯ll need to do something.¡±


    ¡°He offended my wife,¡± Faith said to the judge.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t hear any offense,¡± the judge said, and Faith thought she saw a smile on her lips when she added: ¡°Or any lie.¡±


    Faith sat back on her chair defeated. She clenched her fists from behind her desk. She realized the kind of people the prosecutor and the judge were. Maybe even the jury. At that moment, she gave up hope.


    The trial went for one more hour until the jury finally gave the verdict: GUILTY. After that, the judge told Faith her sentence: One year of prison and rehabilitation classes during the whole period.


    When someone pulled Galatea¡¯s arm, Faith rose her voice.


    ¡°Can I at least say goodbye to her?¡± she pleaded to the judge.


    The woman made a harsh expression.


    ¡°It¡¯s not your right,¡± she said.


    Faith had no choice but to see Galatea being removed from the courtroom with tears in her eyes without doing anything. She felt an urge to cry, but she didn''t. She knew it was useless and didn¡¯t want to give them that pleasure.


    ***


    The first one to see Faith on her cell before she was taken to the prison was her lawyer. He promised to try making her sentence lighter. He said her crime wasn¡¯t so grave for one year and the judge was too harsh. It would be a sentence easy to change. But he also alerted her that she probably wouldn¡¯t be given the right to get close to Galatea again. That was enough to make Faith stop caring about her freedom.


    The next person to visit her was Marco. At first, he just stood there, looking at her. Faith thought she saw a glint of sadness in his face.


    ¡°You do realize,¡± Faith asked, with a calm voice. ¡°The judge, the prosecutor too. And maybe even most of the jury. They didn¡¯t care about Galatea being safe. They¡¯re anti-androids.¡±


    Marco nodded.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have control over that.¡±


    ¡°How can I believe she¡¯ll be okay when people like them are in charge of her?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re not in charge of her. The ones in charge of integrating her in society and watch over her safety are the Secretary for Androids Rehabilitation. And the one person in charge of watching over her rehabilitation in the eyes of the law is me. I can assure you she¡¯ll be safe.¡±


    ¡°If only they let me speak to her, I could¡­¡±


    Faith didn¡¯t say anything else. She looked at the ground.


    ¡°I can¡¯t help with that.¡±


    ¡°If she only could forget about me. That¡¯ll only make her feel bad. But I know she wouldn¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°If you think she can¡¯t ever forget about you, maybe she doesn¡¯t have as much freedom as you thought,¡± he paused for a moment looking at the dispirited Faith. ¡°Well, you should worry about yourself a little more. You¡¯re the one going to jail.¡±


    Marco walked about, but before disappearing he left his last words.


    ¡°I¡¯ll put a word for you, too. I don¡¯t think one year as a sentence is fair.¡±


    Saying that he disappeared.


    Faith sat on the ground. She put her arms over her eyes and prayed that she could be able to sleep soon. She didn¡¯t want to wake up again after that.

 The Algorithm Of Love - Final

    Not being condemned for a violent crime, Faith wasn¡¯t put in a cell. She shared her ward with a middle-aged inmate who didn¡¯t look very happy doing small talk, which Faith was grateful for. She spent most of her free time reading books on her bed.


    Together with the activities that she shared with all the inmates during the prison routine, Faith was also supposed to take classes because of her rehabilitation. Since she was the only one there for that kind of crime, she had private lessons with the young sociologist assigned to her classes. She was a small woman with dark skin and long hair called Sonya Maddison. Since the very first moment, she wore a smile on her face while speaking to Faith.


    Specialized in civil right for androids, Sonya taught Faith every reason why her relationship with Galatea was a social problem. Most of it was made through videos showing androids being exploited and suffering in the hand of people who either hated them or felt pleasure seeing their suffering. Sonya explained how without any laws protecting them, androids faced that kind of violence every day and how now they could be protected.


    After one month of classes, Faith started to open up to Sonya. One day, she started to speak to her casually.


    ¡°I can understand there are terrible people like them out there,¡± she said, sitting on her chair. ¡°But I really loved my wife.¡±


    Her black hair was already on her shoulders since she didn¡¯t bother to cut it anymore and she had lost weight. She was still wearing her glasses and her prison uniform.


    ¡°I understand,¡± Sonya said with a sympathetic smile. ¡°Your case made the news months ago, so I know about it. And I believe you when you say you love her. But that still isn¡¯t right, and she¡¯s still the one that¡¯ll suffer in the end.¡±


    ¡°How so? She¡¯s the one suffering the most right now.¡±


    ¡°Maybe she would be happier with you. Maybe you would treat her well and protect her, but what about after that? You¡¯re not eternal, but she could as well be. If we start to open exceptions to your case because we don¡¯t believe you¡¯re a bad person, we¡¯ll have to do the same again in other cases. The law will become meaningless. What happens when you die and someone else becomes responsible for her?¡±


    Faith stood in silence. She never thought before about what to do when she died. It wasn¡¯t one of her worries while building Galatea. She didn¡¯t even have relatives who could take her in, so Galatea would need to live with her own strengths.


    Watching Faith making a complex face, Sonya smiled.


    ¡°The laws are for everyone and if we make an exception for anyone, others will ask for it. It could destroy any system. I won¡¯t deny that maybe we¡¯re wrong. Maybe there¡¯s a better way to solve this and maybe someday we¡¯ll find it. But that¡¯s why respecting what is the law now is important,¡± She paused and looked to the side. ¡°Who knows, maybe someday you¡¯ll be able to be with her again.¡±


    Faith didn¡¯t say anything, but she understood Sonya¡¯s point. She had thought about whether what she did was right since the beginning, and she still didn¡¯t have a clear answer.


    ¡°I just wanted her to keep smiling,¡± Faith said in the end.


    Sometime after that, she was visited by her lawyer, who said her sentence had been revised to six months. She thanked him, pretending to be happy, but she didn¡¯t care anymore. He didn¡¯t bring any news about Galatea.


    It was Saturday morning when a male guard called out to her. She woke up and stood up from her bed confused. He made her a sign with his hand.


    ¡°Come on, you¡¯re being transferred to max security today.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Faith let out a confused face. She looked at her roommate who didn¡¯t seem interested in what was happening to her. ¡°There must be a mistake. I want to talk to the director.¡±


    ¡°No mistake, the director already confirmed it,¡± the guard said, making a signal to her again.


    She thought about complaining again, but the guard looked angry, so she followed him along. She would call her lawyer after getting there to ask what was going on.


    She was put in the back of a police van. Soon after that, the vehicle started to move. From inside, Faith couldn¡¯t see anything outside, but she remained calm. She knew something was wrong and her lawyer would surely bring her back to the prison ward. Still, even if she was put in max security, locked up inside a cell, she didn¡¯t think she would mind.


    After some minutes moving, the vehicle stopped. Faith was guessing it was just the traffic light turning red, but she started hearing sounds in the back door. Suddenly, the door opened slowly, revealing someone who stretched her hand to Faith.


    ¡°Come on, hurry,¡± Galatea said with a serious expression.


    Confused, Faith just obeyed and Galatea pulled her out of the van. The two women ran through the street until they reached a black car parked on the side of the road. Galatea got inside and opened the passenger''s door to Faith, who got inside after her.


    She turned on the car and drive out. The police van was still stopped at the intersection, in front of the traffic red light.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t they realize it?¡± Faith asked, not taking her eyes away from the van.


    ¡°The van had a sensor that should sound an alarm if you got out. I hacked it and prevented it from triggering. I also hacked the traffic light, so it would take a little more time to turn green again. They won¡¯t realize you got out because they trust the alarm too much.¡±


    Faith threw a surprised look at Galatea.


    ¡°W-Where did you learn that?¡±


    ¡°I had to,¡± Galatea smiled, keeping her eyes on the street. ¡°I couldn¡¯t stand being away from you anymore, so I was desperate to find a way to get you out.¡±


    Faith remained sitting in silence for some minutes until she looked at Galatea and smiled. Her heart was beating fast seeing her wife so close to her, at the reach of her hands.


    ¡°I missed you,¡± she said with tears in her eyes. She touched Galatea¡¯s face gently. ¡°I wanted to meet you so badly.¡±


    ¡°Me too,¡± Galatea said, keeping the eyes on the street while smiling.


    After some driving, Galatea parked on the side of the street and pulled Faith out of the car. Asking Faith to follow her, she started to run down through a grass ground. On the other said, Faith could see a big lake. There was another city on the other side, but on their side, there were few houses.


    Faith reached to Galatea¡¯s arms and grabbed her, making her stop. Galatea looked at her confused.


    ¡°Where are we going?¡± Faith asked her.


    ¡°There,¡± Galatea pointed to the lake. ¡°We can¡¯t get a bus, they¡¯ll find out. I¡¯ll rent a boat and then we¡¯ll spend one night on that city until I can figure out what to do next.¡±


    ¡°Then what? We¡¯ll spend our whole life running away?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll spend our life together,¡± Galatea said. Her face had a worried expression. ¡°That¡¯s all that matters. All that matters to me.¡±


    ¡°I just want you to be happy.¡±


    ¡°And I need you for that!¡± Galatea¡¯s voice was almost desperate. Slowly, she ran her fingers through Faith¡¯s hair. ¡°You let your hair grow. It looks good on you like this too.¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t my choice,¡± Faith said, avoiding to look at Galatea.


    Galatea pressed her lips. Using her hands, she forced Faith to face her.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like it,¡± she said. ¡°I don¡¯t like the way you¡¯re speaking. You¡¯re not¡­¡± she stopped as if trying to process her words. ¡°You¡¯re not leaving me, right?¡±


    Faith remained in silence. At any moment, the guards could appear after them. Galatea had left the car on the side of the street. It was peaceful around them, as there were few houses around and very few noises. Faith sighed and looked at her wife¡¯s face.


    ¡°I missed you,¡± she said.


    She hugged Galatea and kissed her lips. Her kiss and her grip on Galatea¡¯s body was intense as if she was afraid to let her go. She could feel her frail body in her arms and her warmth. As before, it didn¡¯t feel like hugging a machine. It was her wife, Galatea.


    After she finished kissing her, Galatea let out a nervous smile. Her fingers brushed Faith¡¯s hands and she showed her a timid smile.


    ¡°So let¡¯s go?¡± Galatea said, her voice failing.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Faith said, standing where she was.


    Galatea¡¯s smile disappeared. She threw a scared look at Faith. Her lips were shaking and she looked like she was having a problem keeping steady.


    ¡°Don¡¯t joke with me,¡± she said, putting her hand on her forehead. ¡°I can¡¯t¡­ I can¡¯t¡­¡±


    She froze. Realizing Galatea¡¯s processing was probably struggling with her feelings, Faith hugged her tight again.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± she whispered in Galatea¡¯s ear. ¡°I promised you, right? I would always protect your happiness.¡±


    ¡°So...So¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± saying that, Faith whispered a word in Galatea¡¯s ear. A word only her wife could listen.


    At the same moment, Galatea¡¯s body froze. Her blue eyes were fixed in front of her and her body convulsed twice. Faith hugged it tight the whole time and could feel it when her wife¡¯s body lost strength and her legs failed to keep steady.


    Faith took her wife on her arms. She looked at the peaceful face Galatea had as if she was sleeping. Her blue eyes were shut and her blonde hair sticking to her cheek. Faith felt a tear running down her face while looking at the body of her wife. She felt like crying, but she couldn¡¯t risk losing her strength. She had to carry Galatea to safety.


    She walked to one of the houses nearby. An old woman threw a surprised and frightened look at her.


    ¡°Please, don¡¯t worry,¡± Faith said, controlling her wish to cry. ¡°Can you call the police?¡±


    ***


    Marco entered the room Faith was waiting followed by a young woman. The woman had bright green eyes and beautiful red hair. She had pale skin and was shorter than Faith.


    Faith, who was sitting on a chair in the room, threw a look at him. Galatea was lying down on the big bench on the side of the room. The young woman went to where Galatea was and crouched in front of her, looking straight at her face.


    Marco sat across Faith and asked for her to start explaining. When she finished, he threw a look at Galatea¡¯s body.


    ¡°So, when will she awake?¡± He asked.


    ¡°It should be soon,¡± Faith said in a cold voice. ¡°And I don¡¯t wanna be here when it happens.¡±


    ¡°And the only thing different will be her memory?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Faith nodded. ¡°Every trace of me will be gone from her memory.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Marco threw another look at Galatea. The red-haired girl was still in front of her.


    ¡°Is she your daughter?¡± Faith asked.


    ¡°Yes. She wanted to come with me no matter what. Since I was called as an emergency, I couldn¡¯t run away from her.¡±


    Faith realized how kind Marco¡¯s eyes were when he looked at the young woman.


    ¡°Anyway,¡± he said, turning back to Faith. ¡°You¡¯ll be going back to prison, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I want to finish my time. Will my sentence get bigger?¡±


    ¡°Why? You were kidnapped, you didn¡¯t run. Your sentence wouldn¡¯t be affected by that.¡±


    ¡°Galatea won¡¯t be in trouble, right?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. The laws protecting her actions are strong. She won¡¯t be held accountable by it. The ones who should have watched her will be the ones to blame. In that case, even I could get a penalty.¡±


    ¡°What about erasing her memory? Isn¡¯t that a crime?¡±


    ¡°Only if she was forced,¡± he threw another look at Galatea, who still looked like she was sleeping. ¡°Unfortunately, we can¡¯t know if she didn¡¯t ask for it. Since her memory of the incident is gone now.¡±


    ¡°Is that really okay?¡±


    ¡°It shouldn¡¯t. But I don¡¯t think you did anything wrong.¡±


    Marco stood up and put his hand on his daughter¡¯s shoulder.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    ¡°Will you wait until she¡¯s awake?¡± He asked and the young girl nodded. ¡°Okay, so I¡¯ll get everything ready.¡±


    Saying that he left the room.


    Faith looked at the young girl, who still had a curious look directed at Galatea.


    ¡°So, miss¡­¡± Faith said, making the girl turn to her.


    ¡°Alma,¡± she said. ¡°My name is Alma.¡±


    ¡°Alma, huh? It¡¯s a beautiful name.¡±


    ¡°Marco...huh...Father gave it to me.¡±


    ¡°So, Alma, are you interested in Galatea?¡±


    ¡°Interested?¡± Alma threw a look at Galatea¡¯s body, then she made a curious expression. ¡°I guess I am. I¡¯m not as advanced as her, so I can¡¯t understand love. Father says he loves me.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you love him?¡±


    ¡°I care about him. But I don¡¯t know about love. Father said having sex with anyone I don¡¯t love is bad and makes him sad, so I don¡¯t offer myself anymore,¡± she threw another look at Galatea and caressed her hair. ¡°I saw your trial. Even if I don¡¯t understand love, her words reached me. I get her.¡±


    ¡°Her words? You mean¡­¡±


    ¡°No one listens to us. They say they''ll protect us, but they don¡¯t treat us as equals. Father is the same. He says he cares about me, but he treats me as a child. She said you treat her as an equal. Was that true?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not true,¡± Faith gave out a sad smile. ¡°Maybe I believed it was, but that was wrong. Just the way I made her is proof enough,¡± she paused, then added: ¡°But I love her. That¡¯s not a lie.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? As I said, I can¡¯t understand love, so I can¡¯t understand her either. But I want to, so I wanna be her friend. Father promised to take me to meet her, but he never did.¡±


    Looking at the look Alma was giving Galatea again, Faith understood it. That was admiration. Maybe even a little hope. She couldn¡¯t understand how someone like Alma saw those things, but Galatea¡¯s independence probably made her look like a goddess.


    ¡°Say,¡± Faith called Alma¡¯s attention. ¡°Since you¡¯ll be her friend, can you do me a favor?¡±


    ¡°A favor to help you or her?¡±


    ¡°Mostly her, I guess. It¡¯ll make me feel better, too, though.¡±


    ¡°Ok, sure.¡±


    ¡°So come closer.¡±


    Alma got close to Faith and Faith whispered something in her ear. Alma looked confused.


    ¡°Can you keep that word in your mind?¡± Faith asked.


    ¡°I can,¡± Alma said, still confused. ¡°But I don¡¯t get it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a keyword that used in Galatea will trigger a certain function. It¡¯s the same function I triggered today. That function will erase the one she loves the most from inside her mind.¡±


    ¡°Why you made a function like that?¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Faith let out a bitter smile. ¡°As I said, I don¡¯t think I treated her as an equal.¡±


    ¡°What do you want me to do with it?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s on you. If you¡¯re her friend, protect her, please. If you need to do use this word someday. If you think it¡¯s right¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re asking me this because you love her?¡±


    Faith paused a little and looked at Galatea lying on the bench for the last time.


    ¡°Yeah. I guess I am.¡±


    ***


    When Marco came back, Faith was sent back to prison. Knowing Galatea wouldn¡¯t be suffering anymore, the last months she needed to pay was more bearable, and Sonya¡¯s classes did help when she was feeling bad. So, in the end, her time there passed faster than she thought at first.


    When she was back home, though, the depression hit hard. She couldn¡¯t forget the nights she spent with Galatea and her presence was all over the place. She moved away from her home and changed jobs. But it didn¡¯t get better.


    She knew Galatea was doing fine. Marco made sure to let her know. Still, she never asked where she was living, knowing they would never tell her. It was likely she was in the same city, but it was a big city and they could never meet again. And even if they did, Faith had no right to approach her again legally.


    After some time, the memories became unbearable. She felt like if she did nothing to change it, she would break.


    Organic memory erasure was such a risky technology that it was illegal but possible. Thinking that even death was better than living with the regret, Faith applied to an underground clinic to remove from her mind everything related to Galatea. That meant erasing pretty much all the months she spent with her. Before the surgery, Faith was crying, feeling like she was killing a part of herself that she loved too much. But the pain or not having Galatea close was stronger and she went along with it.


    The surgery was a success and one week later, Faith was living her life without remembering the pain she had to carry through the previous months.


    ***


    ¡°I¡¯ll finally confess to her,¡± Galatea said and took a piece of ice-cream to her mouth.


    She was sitting in a crowded Cafe. A chocolate ice-cream in front of her. Across from her was sitting her best friend, who didn¡¯t seem to care for the chocolate cake in front of her.


    ¡°So you¡¯re finally doing it, huh?¡± Alma said with an expressionless face.


    ¡°You should be happier for me,¡± Galatea pouted.


    ¡°Sorry. I was always under the impression that you would eventually fall in love with me instead.¡±


    ¡°Eh?!¡± Galatea gave her friend a startled look. ¡°Alma, are you¡­?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not in love with you. I said I don¡¯t understand love and I mean it. But you were always saying you love me, so that¡¯s confusing.¡±


    ¡°Well, I do love you, but as a friend.¡±


    ¡°Just like Father loves me as a daughter. So he doesn¡¯t wanna have sex with me. I don¡¯t get it. You wouldn¡¯t wanna have sex with me, too?¡±


    ¡°Ahaha,¡± Galatea laughed nervously. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say I would refuse it. I mean, I would. But it¡¯s not that I wouldn¡¯t like it. It¡¯s more like, it would be awkward.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t get why. It¡¯s just sex. You¡¯re really curious.¡±


    ¡°Everyone is different,¡± Galatea said with a smile.


    ¡°You¡¯re saying that again,¡± Alma finally took a piece of cake to her mouth. ¡°Using words that don¡¯t fit. Saying I¡¯m different instead of saying I¡¯m outdated.¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s rude! You might have been built different from me, but that¡¯s still part of your identity. It¡¯s not wrong saying you¡¯re different.¡±


    ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t matter. Tell me, what this woman makes you feel different from me?¡±


    ¡°I am happy when I¡¯m around both of you. But when I talk to her, it¡¯s like. I feel a jolt of electricity run through my body or something.¡±


    ¡°That looks like a malfunction to me.¡±


    Galatea laughed and held Alma¡¯s hand.


    ¡°I think your father should let you meet more people. I¡¯m sure you would find your own way to love,¡± She took her hands off her friend and concentrated on her ice-cream again. ¡°In fact, he talked to me the other day. He told me again I should work with him.¡±


    ¡°No, you can¡¯t!¡± Alma said in a harsh voice.


    ¡°He said even among high tech models, I¡¯m special. I don¡¯t get why, but if I can help others like us.¡±


    ¡°You help us enough already. You created a network where we can interact and that was a huge help. If you expose yourself, you¡¯ll only become a target. You don¡¯t need that,¡± Alma clicked her tongue. ¡°I already said father to forget it.¡±


    Galatea giggled, making Alma throw a confused look at her.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Alma asked.


    ¡°See? You love me in your own way.¡±


    ¡°I just don¡¯t want to lose you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the same,¡± Galatea said with a smile.


    ¡°Anyway,¡± Alma tried to change the subject. ¡°Do you think she¡¯ll say yes?¡±


    ¡°I-I don¡¯t know?¡± Galatea took another piece of ice-cream to her mouth. She looked embarrassed. ¡°She did say she doesn¡¯t mind I¡¯m a gynoid, so I don¡¯t think she¡¯ll be offended.¡±


    ¡°That again.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Calling yourself a gynoid? Why is that so important?¡±


    ¡°Why? Well,¡± Galatea remained in silence for some seconds. Alma waited for her answer. ¡°Because being female is important to me. But I can¡¯t remember why. I just remember it¡¯s very important, but I forgot the reason. It¡¯s kinda like the dreams.¡±


    Alma looked at her friend with a serious look. Then she touched the side of her head, ate the rest of her cake and stood up from her chair.


    ¡°I need to meet father in ten minutes, so I¡¯m going. Good luck with your confession.¡±


    Before walking out, without looking at her friend, Alma made her last question.


    ¡°By the way. What is the name of this woman you¡¯re confessing to tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°Her name is Faith,¡± Galatea said with a huge smile. ¡°Faith Hooper.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Alma said and walked out.


    ***


    Faith entered the book shop again. On those days, buying physical books was a thing mostly for collectors. Faith had started it as a therapeutic hobby since her psychiatric told she should find something to keep her mind busy. Faith knew she had forgotten some of her memories and it should be very important memories for her, but she never found out what or why.


    She looked mostly for fiction books, as the fantasy was nice to her. She still worked as a developer but was less invested in her job now. She mostly did some small jobs without the passion she had before.


    She had her hair long and didn¡¯t gain weight back. In her own memories, she couldn¡¯t remember when that happened. And she was wearing contacts instead of glasses, trying to change her appearance.


    Entering the book shop, Faith saw Galatea. Since the first time she saw the clerk, she sympathized with her. She wasn¡¯t human, but she acted just like one. Faith found her smile beautiful. Somehow, she also reminded a girl Faith hated in high school, but that didn¡¯t make her think worse of the young clerk. In fact, she found her gorgeous and attractive.


    But on that day, while she was charging Faith, Galatea looked nervous. Her smile didn¡¯t feel as bright, as if something was bothering her.


    ¡°Is there something wrong?¡± Faith asked.


    ¡°N-No¡­¡± Galatea said, passing the books to Faith.


    ¡°Well, thanks for that again. Have a nice week.¡±


    When the young woman took her bag and headed to the door, Galatea called out to her again. She turned around, with a curious expression.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Faith asked with a smile.


    ¡°T-That might be weird,¡± Galatea said. Her lips were shaking. Faith gave another smile, encouraging the clerk to keep on. ¡°Huh, I was thinking. If you¡¯re free sometime. I wanted us to go out together.¡±


    ¡°Go out?¡± Faith lowered her eyes to the books she was holding. ¡°You mean like a date?¡±


    ¡°Y-Yes,¡± then Galatea started to talk with hurry. ¡°B-But, if that¡¯s too weird. I know I¡¯m not a human. I¡¯m a gynoid and I¡¯m just. I mean, I¡¯m interested in you, but. I would be disappointed maybe, but. I don¡¯t want you to feel bothered by it and¡­¡±


    Faith chuckled and that made Galatea become silent. She looked at her client with anxious eyes.


    ¡°Ok,¡± Faith said.


    ¡°R-Really?!¡± Galatea almost jumped through the balcony. ¡°You mean it?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I have no issues with it. But just to make sure. When you say a date, you have an interest in starting a romantic relationship with me, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I do love you in a romantic way.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind having a relationship with an andro...I mean, a gynoid. And that¡¯s not the most important, but if I can ask. Huh, how far can we go?¡±


    Galatea threw a serious look at Faith, who had a blush on her face.


    ¡°You¡¯re talking about sex?¡± Galatea asked.


    ¡°Y-Yeah,¡± Faith lowered her eyes embarrassed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m built in such a way that I can have sex with either a human or another android. I can give and feel pleasure without any problem.¡±


    ¡°I-I see. I¡¯m not saying I wouldn¡¯t go out with you otherwise, I was just¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I get it. I also wanna have sex with you!¡±


    Galatea¡¯s bold claim made Faith heart beat strong and made her blush. She tried to avoid looking at the intense eyes focused on her.


    ¡°I-I see. Then, how about this weekend? Ah, I¡¯ll send a mail to you later to confirm, so. Huh. So long!¡±


    After saying that, Faith left the store in a hurry. She wanted to get away before her face could stay even redder.


    Her heart beating strong and a smile she couldn¡¯t make disappear on her face, Faith didn¡¯t realize the person keeping watch over her inside a car as she passed by it. Nothing else could register in her mind except the smile of the girl who called her out.


    ***


    ¡°So, should we arrest her?¡± Pamela asked Marco, who was working behind his desk. He just lifted his tired face and looked at the officer.


    ¡°Why?¡± He asked her.


    ¡°Why?¡± Pamela repeated his question in confusion. ¡°She wasn¡¯t allowed to approach the android again, right?¡±


    ¡°That was decided after her trial, yeah. I ask you, though. For what crime would you arrest her this time?¡±


    ¡°For the same crime?¡±


    ¡°The same crime doesn¡¯t exist anymore.¡±


    ¡°How come?¡±


    ¡°Officer Brent, if you want, you can look in the records of that case. We did a scan in Galatea¡¯s memory after what happened. All memories of Faith Hooper disappeared completely from inside her physically.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I know that. And Faith Hooper herself did the same.¡±


    ¡°Not the same, she didn¡¯t. A human can¡¯t easily rewrite their brain as it can be done in an android. Faith Hooper used illegal methods of brain surgery, but I¡¯m sure Galatea is still somewhere inside her, even if she doesn¡¯t know. That¡¯s why, if Faith was the one calling her out, I could agree with her arrest. But she wasn¡¯t, right? I don¡¯t see any reason to believe Galatea is being forced now.¡±


    ¡°You seem to know a lot about it. More than me who was watching them,¡± Pamela said with a suspicious tone. Marco smiled.


    ¡°My daughter is Galatea¡¯s friend. They trust each other completely, so I know about it. I can assure you Faith didn¡¯t seduce her. Because, in fact, Galatea was afraid to be rejected.¡±


    Pamela stood in silence for some minutes but didn¡¯t move away from her place. She didn¡¯t look like she was convinced.


    ¡°Then,¡± Pamela said after the silence. ¡°What about Galatea¡¯s preferences? Isn¡¯t she programmed to love someone just like miss Hooper?¡±


    ¡°She is. However, officer Brent, you know that better than anyone, right? Galatea has interacted with a lot of people during this time, in her work or in her social life. And she met several people who are just like those preferences. Even more than current miss Hooper. If you take her file, you¡¯ll see it explicitly says short hair and glasses, for example. Miss Hooper doesn¡¯t have these characteristics anymore.¡±


    ¡°So why do you think she still fell for miss Hooper, against all odds? It¡¯s even a miracle that they crossed paths again.¡±


    ¡°Who knows,¡± Marco shrugged. ¡°Tell me you. Why did you deliver that letter for her during the time she was arrested? You believed those two truly loved each other, right?¡±


    ¡°Maybe. But it wasn¡¯t for anything like fate or a magical reason.¡±


    ¡°Fate, huh?¡± Marco paused. He kept his eyes on the table as if reflecting. After some time, he let out a tired smile. ¡°Well, we might never know. What I know is that I trust my judgment more than a jury now. Officer Brent, let me give those two another chance for now. If anything happens, it¡¯ll be on me. Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Without being truly convinced, Pamela nodded. At the same time, she remembered the time she interacted with the two women. Deep inside, she wished Marco was right about his judgment.


    ***


    Galatea woke up suddenly with a gasp. After breathing hard for some moments, she started shaking the body lying beside her.


    ¡°Faith, Faith!¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Faith answered with a sleepy voice. When she turned her body and saw Galatea¡¯s terrified face, she hushed to sit on the bed. ¡°Galatea? Love? What happened?¡±


    The terror remained in Galatea¡¯s face for some time. But as she looked inside Faith¡¯s eyes, she seemed to calm down. She grasped her girlfriend¡¯s hand with strength and seemed craving to feel her warmth.


    Finally, she let out a relieved smile.


    ¡°T-Thanks,¡± Galatea said, but Faith still was confused.


    ¡°Tell me what happened,¡± Faith caressed her girlfriend¡¯s face. Her soft cheek was cold. ¡°Was it a nightmare?¡±


    Galatea nodded.


    ¡°Sometimes I have a dream,¡± she explained. ¡°It¡¯s not a bad dream. Apparently, it¡¯s a memory that was inside me before I was first awakened. In the dream, I am having fun with someone and I am in love with her. But I can¡¯t see her face and I can¡¯t hear her voice,¡± Galatea breathed deep before continuing: ¡°Apparently I have this dream when the defragmentation moves this memory and it happens at least once by month. It¡¯s not a bad dream, but because I can¡¯t see her or remember her, I feel uneasy. It¡¯s like I forgot something very important to me. I always wake terrified, sad. Every time it happens, I cry after waking up.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Faith said, now caressing Galatea¡¯s hair. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s a data you lost. I can give it a look later if you want, but I probably won¡¯t be able to do much.¡±


    Galatea shook her head.


    ¡°You know, it¡¯s different this time. When I saw your face and heard your voice, the sadness went away and I didn¡¯t feel like crying anymore. I felt like everything was ok now. I can¡¯t explain why, but I felt like there wasn¡¯t anything wrong anymore.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Faith said with a smile. She kissed Galatea and gently pushed her to the bed. ¡°So I know exactly the diagnosis for your case.¡±


    ¡°Oh? And what is it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s clear to me that I can never leave your side again. And I must shower you with lots of love.¡±


    ¡°I see. I think that might be efficient and I¡¯m okay with this method,¡± Galatea said while smiling.


    The two women lied down, embraced in each other arms.

 Chocolate Kiss

    ¡°Valentine day, huh?¡± Aya said during the interval, with her eyes glued on the screen of her smartphone.


    Aya now had her whole hair dyed blonde. A fact that horrified her teachers in the first week, but that suddenly died as the class accepted Aya was just like that anyway. She had her skirt even shorter than usual and long red nails. If someone walked close to her, they would always feel a strong smell of perfume.


    ¡°And you¡¯re not giving anyone chocolate again, right?¡± Sayaka asked Hina, who was in front of her.


    Sayaka was still the same as always. Tall, short hair. Some weeks ago, Aya made her go to school wearing the male uniform. After the success that became, especially among the girls, she started to wear it every day. The teachers tried to complain at first, but as her grades were good, they just pretended not to see.


    ¡°Of course not. As if I had time to make them or money to spend. Also, I¡¯m taken now, so I¡¯m sorry. Can¡¯t do it,¡± Hina said.


    Hina was still the short girl with wavy black hair. Cute and energetic. She was wearing the school¡¯s winter uniform and black leggings as always. If there was something different about her appearance since the time she started dating Saki was her hair that became a little longer.


    ¡°That¡¯s a shame,¡± Aya said, smiling. ¡°You always top the list of girls boys want to get chocolate the most in Valentine. You never made any of them happy.¡±


    ¡°Well, maybe they should give me chocolate instead. If they want something, go get it! Well, too late now, though.¡±


    ¡°You know,¡± Sayaka said, looking across Hina. ¡°Can you two stop doing that?¡±


    ¡°Eh? Is there a problem? It¡¯s cold today and it¡¯s warmer like this¡± Hina said, looking behind to Saki.


    The fact is that Hina was sitting on Saki¡¯s lap. Saki had a blush on her face and was in silence the whole time, probably embarrassed by it.


    She was still the same. Long black hair tied in low twin tail and wearing glasses. She was hugging Hina¡¯s body, with her hands over her belly. Her face was slightly turned to the side since the strawberry perfume coming from Hina¡¯s hair was too strong close to her.


    ¡°I mean, she looks like she¡¯s suffering,¡± Aya said, throwing a mocking smile at Saki.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. She likes it. Right?¡± Hina asked Saki, turning her head back.


    ¡°I, huh,¡± Saki pressed her lips, looking at her girlfriend¡¯s face smiling at her. ¡°It¡¯s a little embarrassing, so¡­¡±


    ¡°You want me to get off?¡± Hina asked with a sad face.


    ¡°Ah, not, it¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine. I like having you there so it¡¯s fine...even if we have lots of eyes on us...¡±


    ¡°See? She likes it,¡± Hina said with a bright smile to her two friends.


    ¡°Hina, you¡­¡± Sayaka said. Aya just let out a loud laugh.


    ¡°Yeah Saki, you¡¯re totally in her hands,¡± Aya said. ¡°You should work more on your female charms.¡±


    ¡°I think she¡¯s charming enough,¡± Hina replied.


    ¡°Yeah, no, a girl¡¯s charm should be a weapon,¡± Aya said, removing her hair from her face with her fingers. ¡°Saki isn¡¯t using it properly, while you¡¯re a master at it.¡±


    ¡°Hina doesn¡¯t give chocolate to her friends, either?¡± Saki asked, trying to change the subject.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Aya said, putting a serious face. ¡°Sayaka once gave an idea we should give chocolate to each other. That was all fine, we are friends and always together, after all, but Hina forgot about it completely.¡±


    ¡°I mean,¡± Hina said while twirling her hair with her finger. ¡°Why should I put effort to make chocolate others will eat? If I¡¯ll put that much effort, I should be the one eating it.¡±


    ¡°And yet, you ate our chocolates,¡± Sayaka said.


    ¡°Yes, I did. They were great, thanks.¡±


    Sayaka let out a sigh while Saki gave out a faint laugh.


    ¡°What about you?¡± Sayaka looked at Saki. ¡°Will you make chocolates to your girlfriend this Valentine?¡±


    ¡°I...Huh¡­¡± Saki felt Hina¡¯s eyes on her. She turned to Aya instead. ¡°What about you? You look the kind to give chocolate to boys.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Aya threw a glare at Saki. But her face softened before answering. ¡°Well, I do have someone I want to give chocolate.¡±


    ¡°Just one?¡± Hina asked.


    ¡°Hey! This is different. I really like him, so I want to confess to him.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Hina clapped her hands. ¡°Save that in your memory, Saki. That¡¯s the rare sight of infatuated Aya. You only get to see it once by year.¡±


    ¡°Hina!¡± Aya threw an angry glare at her friend, who screeched and turned her body to the side, hugging her girlfriend.


    ¡°Well, she¡¯s not wrong,¡± Sayaka said.


    Before Aya could complain, a signal rang telling them the interval was over. Hina left Saki¡¯s lap and went back to her own class, not before giving a kiss on her girlfriend¡¯s lips.


    When they were going back to their desks, Aya still asked.


    ¡°By the way, do you still keep making those notes about your kisses?¡±


    ¡°Oh, that,¡± Hina let out an impish smile. ¡°That¡¯s a secret¡­¡±


    Hina¡¯s home - Weekend


    ¡°Ok,¡± Aya said, following Hina to the kitchen. ¡°Can you tell me why you invited me over?¡±


    Since it was cold, Aya was wearing black jeans. She left her jacket at the entrance and was wearing a white blouse inside the house. She was used to visiting Hina¡¯s home already, but after starting dating Saki, Hina had invited her over less than before.


    Hina herself still had her skirt, while her leggings were warmer than the ones she was used to wearing. She was wearing a cute pink blouse inside the home. Playing with her hair, she was leaning her back against the refrigerator, looking timid.


    ¡°You know what,¡± she said, then shut her mouth.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know anything,¡± Aya said back. ¡°You just told me to come. You didn¡¯t tell me why. I have more to do at home, so if you can be fast¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re making chocolate for Valentine, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Well, what do you think I want to go home to make?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I was thinking that maybe,¡± Hina was still playing with her hair and avoiding to look directly at her friend. ¡°We could make it together, so¡­¡±


    ¡°Is that why? Well, I,¡± Aya stopped, suddenly realizing what Hina was asking. She let out a smile. ¡°Wait a minute. You¡¯re making chocolate?¡±


    ¡°Is that a problem?¡± Hina exclaimed defensive. ¡°I have a girlfriend now, so I want to give it to her, of course!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a problem. I think it¡¯s natural. In fact, too natural for you.¡±


    ¡°Ok, if you won¡¯t help, you can go back home!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry,¡± Aya approached Hina and smiled friendly at her. She ruffled her friend¡¯s hair. ¡°I¡¯m just messing with you, okay? I¡¯ll help you if you need.¡±


    ¡°T-Thanks¡­¡± Hina said, timidly avoiding her eyes. Aya found that rare sight amusing. ¡°Mom is busy with work. So I had no one else to call.¡±


    ¡°I see. I¡¯ll help you, but can I ask? Why you suddenly want to give her chocolate?¡±


    ¡°You promise not to laugh?¡± Hina had her chin down and her eyes up, looking at Aya. She looked like a puppy.


    ¡°Do I need to?¡±


    ¡°Then I won¡¯t tell,¡± Hina made a pout.


    ¡°I¡¯m kidding, I¡¯m kidding,¡± Aya said with a smile. ¡°Please, tell me. I won¡¯t laugh.¡±


    ¡°You know,¡± Hina started, playing with her hair and avoiding her eyes. ¡°After starting dating, we spent Christmas together. A Christmas date. That was so much fun and I kept hoping to spend more special days with her. Unfortunately, she wasn¡¯t around on New Year, but that¡¯s fine. We have Valentine, after all. That¡¯s the perfect day for couples, right?¡±


    ¡°I guess. Although you never seemed to care about it. At least not with your friend...¡±


    ¡°Are you still bringing up that day? Sorry for forgetting, ok!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like I care, but Sayaka was really disappointed,¡± Aya sighed. ¡°But fine, keep on.¡±


    ¡°Well, so I wanted to do something for Valentine. But here comes the problem. On Valentine, girls give chocolate to the boys they like, right? But we¡¯re both girls! Who should be the one giving chocolate?!¡±


    ¡°Is that your problem?¡± Aya took her hand to her face and shook her head. ¡°Can¡¯t you two give each other chocolate?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just friendship chocolate! Well, if I tell her I¡¯m planning to give her chocolate, it wouldn¡¯t be the same. You don¡¯t tell to the boy you like what you¡¯re doing, right? And, well, I was expecting her to make something. She¡¯s good at cooking. But what if she doesn¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    Aya stood in silence for some seconds. She was almost sure Saki was planning to make chocolate after their talk at school. But at the same time, in the worst case, she didn¡¯t want to give Hina false hope.


    ¡°Ok, so, you¡¯re making her chocolate. Why am I here?¡±


    ¡°You know,¡± Hina avoided her friend¡¯s eyes before finishing it. ¡°How do I make chocolate?¡±


    Aya let out a smile. Somewhat she saw that coming.


    ¡°Ok, so why me? Sayaka is better at things like this, right? She¡¯s also not planning to give chocolates to anyone, so she has more time free.¡±


    ¡°I tried to call her, but she said she had plans. And I wanted to make something good, because, as I said, Saki is a good cook. If I do a bad job, she might not like it,¡± Hina paused. Aya was thinking her friend looked timider than she ever remembered. ¡°Huh, so, you can use the ingredients I bought too. We can buy more if you want. We can make it together,¡± Hina lowered her head and raised her eyes to her friend. She looked like she was struggling as she said her next words to her friend: ¡°P-Please?¡±


    Aya realized she was thinking about how cute her friend looked. Like a puppy asking for food. Suddenly she understood all those boys falling in love with her since she felt like she wanted to protect that girl¡¯s happiness. If Hina cried, it would break her heart.


    ¡°Fine,¡± she said finally with a sigh. ¡°I already said I¡¯ll help you, so stop making that face.¡±


    ¡°Really?!¡± A bright smile illuminated Hina¡¯s face. She jumped to grab Aya¡¯s hand. ¡°I love you, Aya! You can ask me anything you want¡­.just once!¡±


    ¡°Just once, huh?¡± Aya let out a cynic smile. ¡°But well, I¡¯ll help you. However, you¡¯ll taste test your own chocolate.¡±


    ¡°Eh?! Why?!¡±


    ¡°We had home ec class together. Remember? I promised never put food made by you in my mouth again.¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± Hina said, clicking her tongue.


    Aya smiled and ruffled her friend¡¯s hair again.


    ¡°Ok, let¡¯s not waste time. Let¡¯s make the best chocolate you can to your girlfriend. And let¡¯s hope that won¡¯t put her in a hospital.¡±


    Saki¡¯s Home - Weekend


    ¡°Come inside,¡± Saki said when she opened the door and Sayaka was in front of it.


    Sayaka walked inside. She was wearing a jacket since it was cold outside. She followed Saki who guided her to the kitchen with an expression of mistrust on her face.


    ¡°My parents aren¡¯t home today,¡± Saki said with a serious expression. ¡°So don¡¯t worry about greeting them.¡±


    ¡°Why did you call me?¡± Sayaka asked with a dry voice.


    ¡°Because you¡¯re Hina¡¯s friend. And I want to consult something about her. It¡¯s, huh,¡± Saki became silent, touching her lips and avoiding her eyes.


    ¡°You¡¯re making her chocolates, right?¡± Sayaka said with a sigh. ¡°It¡¯s obvious, don¡¯t even try to hide.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Saki answered with a slight nod.


    ¡°So, what do you want from me? Want my help to make them?¡±


    ¡°No. I can cook fine, so not really.¡±


    ¡°Then?¡± Sayaka looked impatient as she stared at Saki waiting for her answer.


    ¡°I was thinking about what Hina would like more,¡± Saki leaned against the balcony, still avoiding to look directly at Sayaka. ¡°I can make chocolate. But giving her just plain chocolate that she could buy anywhere doesn¡¯t seem fair. She deserves more.¡±


    ¡°What do you want to know? Her favorite filling?¡±


    ¡°Of course I know that already. I¡¯m making three kinds with the kind of flavors she likes the most.¡±If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    ¡°So,¡± Sayaka stared at Saki, looking even more confused. ¡°I don¡¯t get it.¡±


    ¡°Even with these flavors, she could still buy something similar at the market. I¡¯m thinking about the presentation. How should I give it to her in a way that will make it special.¡±


    ¡°I think being handmade by you will make it special enough in her eyes, but,¡± Sayaka stopped and put a hand under her chin, thinking about it. She rose her eyes to see Saki anxious looking at her, waiting for an answer. ¡°No, I really can¡¯t think of anything,¡± she said after all.


    ¡°Ok, so let me try a different approach. Pretend you¡¯re the chief of the marketing department of a chocolate brand,¡± Sayaka made a confused face with those words but waited until Saki continued. ¡°Hina is a celebrity. Having her liking your product and promoting it is very important because of her influence with the young people, especially during Valentine Day, so you¡¯re tasked to make the kind of chocolate she¡¯ll take a liking to.¡±


    ¡°That makes no sense. Why can¡¯t we just pay her to promote it?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s fickle and won¡¯t promote anything she doesn¡¯t actually like.¡±


    ¡°Actually that¡¯s a pretty realistic situation for Hina.¡±


    Sayaka stopped to think for a moment. Saki waited in silence. After the reflection, Sayaka lifted her eyes to face Saki.


    ¡°If I want to make Hina buy chocolate, maybe I should put her face on the box. I¡¯m sure that¡¯s the best we can do to grab her attention,¡± Sayaka gave Saki a serious look and let out a faint smile. ¡°Maybe your face should be more effective now.¡±


    ¡°My face?¡± Saki said, touching her lips and looking confused.


    ¡°I mean, all that girl seems to talk about these last months is about you. I¡¯m sure she would eat anything with your face on it without a second thought.¡±


    ¡°My face, huh? I do have a photo I could use¡­¡±


    ¡°Saki,¡± Sayaka stopped the other girl, calling her attention. ¡°Don¡¯t take it so seriously. Why would you even put your photo on it? You¡¯re the one giving it to her already.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s true.¡±


    ¡°And besides. I¡¯m sure your worries are for nothing. She¡¯ll be satisfied with anything you give her if it¡¯s made by you. Trust me.¡±


    ¡°I know, but I still want to give her something special. Something that¡¯ll make an impact or something.¡±


    ¡°You do value her a lot,¡± Sayaka said, and there was a strong emotion on her voice. Saki looked at her with a questioning face. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll think about something. But shouldn¡¯t you at least start already?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Saki said and walked to the refrigerator. ¡°I did buy a little more than I need, so I can make some for you if you want.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not planning to give chocolates to anyone. If you want me to help you since I¡¯m already here¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, don¡¯t worry. I can do it by myself,¡± Saki said and started to get things from the refrigerator and cupboard and put it on the table.


    Sayaka sat on a chair and stared at her friend¡¯s girlfriend while she started to wear an apron and put a serious face while examining the ingredients in front of her. She started to unwrap the chocolate bars with dexterous fingers.


    ¡°You know,¡± Sayaka asked, facing Saki¡¯s focused face. ¡°Why did you invite me here today?¡±


    Saki lifted her face and threw a confusing look at Sayaka. Before she could ask anything, Sayaka realized her expression and added.


    ¡°I mean, if it¡¯s about Hina, you could ask Aya, right? I¡¯m sure she would be happy to come.¡±


    ¡°I know you don¡¯t like me,¡± Saki said, lowering her head and focusing on the chocolate again.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s not what I¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I called you instead. Usually, I don¡¯t try to make people who dislike me to change. But you like Hina and Hina cares a lot about you. I know she gets sad whenever we say something that bothers the other. I want to get along with you.¡±


    Sayaka stood in silence. With a smile, Saki focused on the chocolates again. Sayaka opened her mouth twice before finally speaking out.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like I hate you. Well, I don¡¯t really like you either. If I have to be honest, you annoy me.¡±


    ¡°Is there anything I can do to change that?¡± Saki asked, while still managing the chocolates. ¡°Because I really don¡¯t know what I¡¯m doing wrong.¡±


    ¡°Probably not,¡± Sayaka paused a little while looking at the ground. She felt a stab in her heart as she exposed her feelings. ¡°I know you¡¯re a good person, and that¡¯s why I know I can tell this to you without any fear. Truth is, I am Hina¡¯s friend for a long time. Even before Aya. And she was always, for the most time, my best friend. Even after Aya started hanging out with us, she always had a date or other plans so I spent time alone with Hina a lot,¡± a smile showed up on Sayaka¡¯s face. ¡°It was really, really fun,¡± then her face turned serious. ¡°Then she started to get involved with you. And after that, you two started dating. Even during the rare times that we can spend together alone, all she does is talk about you.¡±


    ¡°You were hostile to me even before we started dating, though.¡±


    ¡°Of course I did, right? In that situation, it looked like you were taking advantage of her. Or rather, that¡¯s kind of what you were doing. As her friend, of course, I didn¡¯t like it. And it was Hina. She was always worried about what others would think of her because of the rumors around her mother after the divorce. That Hina kissing another girl without any worry made me upset.¡±


    ¡°I did hear about her mother. I told her that was unfair. Her mother fought a lot to raise her and she should be grateful.¡±


    ¡°I see. That¡¯s why she changed her attitude about it. I did say the same to her, but,¡± Sayaka let out a bitter smile. ¡°I guess your word matters more to her, after all.¡±


    ¡°Why you accepted our relationship, though? At the time, I thought you would never accept it so easily.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right. When I realized she started to fall in love with you, I was ready to put up a fight. I¡¯ll be honest, you two being girls is part of the reason why it bothered me. I didn¡¯t want Hina to be seen as...you know, a lesbian,¡± Sayaka paused. She lowered her eyes to her hands. ¡°Aya stopped me. She called me out and said that if I didn¡¯t change my attitude, I would make Hina start hating me. I was afraid of that, so I gave up.¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Saki said, while cutting the chocolate bar, ¡°I don¡¯t think she would throw your friendship away that easily.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re probably right,¡± Sayaka let out a sad smile. ¡°But that wouldn¡¯t make her happy either.¡±


    The two girls remained in silence. Only the sound of Saki¡¯s knife against the board could be heard in the kitchen.


    ¡°But you¡¯re right,¡± Sayaka was the one who broke the silence. ¡°Hina probably is sad when we don¡¯t get along. She loves us both, after all. And I know how that girl hates when things don¡¯t go as she planned,¡± Sayaka turned her eyes, avoiding to look at Saki. ¡°And you¡¯re a nice girl, too. So, like, I¡¯m sorry. I want us to get alone. Sorry for being so stubborn this whole time.¡±


    ¡°Ok,¡± Saki said and kept cutting chocolate for some seconds until she spoke again: ¡°Can I make a personal question? You might not like it.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    ¡°Were you in love with Hina?¡±


    Saki stopped cutting the chocolate and faced Sayaka. The girl froze. She looked at her friend¡¯s girlfriend and opened her mouth but no word came out. She tried again.


    ¡°What?! No!¡± she almost shouted. ¡°I mean, sure I love her. A lot. But not like that. I mean, I¡¯m not like that¡­¡±


    ¡°Like that¡­¡±


    ¡°I mean, like you.¡±


    ¡°Or Hina?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Sayaka waved her hands. ¡°Look, I don¡¯t mean it in a bad way. But I¡¯m not into girls at all.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure? Hina also thought the same before, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but that¡¯s different. Also, why do you think that? Are you worried about us?¡±


    Saki put her hands on the table and looked at Sayaka with a gentle smile.


    ¡°I¡¯m not jealous,¡± she said. ¡°But if we¡¯re going to be friends, I want to know how you feel about me. If this is about a broken heart¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a broken heart, ok!?¡± Sayaka said it in a tone that tried to close the conversation.


    Saki just gave a nod with a smile and started to cut the chocolates again.


    While she did it, Sayaka looked like she was lost in thought. She wasn¡¯t looking at no one in particular. Her eyes were aiming a specific point of the floor with nothing on it.


    ¡°Kissing¡­¡± she said in a low voice.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± Saki said, paying attention to her.


    ¡°Hina loves kissing you. I mean, she loves all of you, of course, but she always changes when talking about the times you were kissing. Her eyes are almost sparkling when she tells us about it. So I¡¯m sure your kisses are special for her.¡±


    ¡°Kisses, huh?¡± Saki¡¯s eyes turned to the chocolate on the table. ¡°Should I make them lip-shaped?¡±


    ¡°Please, don¡¯t. That¡¯s cringe and won¡¯t amount to anything.¡±


    Saki was still focused on the chocolate. Like she was trying to grasp some idea, or some idea was forming inside her mind. After some time she nodded and the look she gave Sayaka was intense.


    ¡°Sayaka, did you know? Chocolate makes you happy because it releases endorphin inside your brain.¡±


    ¡°Huh,¡± Sayaka said with a confused expression. ¡°Yeah, sure. What does that¡­¡±


    ¡°And a kiss also releases a cocktail of chemicals in the brain. Dopamine, oxytocin, and serotonin. They are responsible for making us feel good while kissing.¡±


    ¡°Still as nerd as ever, huh?¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t it be pleasant to mix both reactions?¡±


    ¡°Maybe,¡± Sayaka stared at Saki who had a serious face. ¡°You mean like doing that? Feeding her chocolate with your mouth?¡±


    ¡°That could work, but, have you tried it? The chocolate can fall and it becomes a mess. Also, after biting the chocolate the lips only brush for a moment. It¡¯s hard to kiss with something solid in your mouth. Can work if you plan it with the other part, but that¡¯s not very romantic.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t try, but it seems like you''ve experienced,¡± Sayaka said, trying to hide her embarrassment. ¡°Just, let¡¯s not talk about this around Hina, ok?¡±


    ¡°Of course. So you see,¡± Saki approached Sayaka to tell her the conclusion she reached. She gave a fast explanation. ¡°So, what do you think?¡±


    ¡°I-It¡¯s a little weird if you ask me,¡± Sayaka said turning her eyes to the side. ¡°B-But it could work. I can see Hina enjoying it.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? So¡­¡±


    ¡°But...Will you be able to do it?¡±


    The answer had an effect on Saki. Her smile disappeared and she blushed.


    ¡°M-Maybe.¡±


    ¡°Well, you¡¯ll still giver her chocolate, right? So there¡¯s no issue in having it ready at least if you find the courage. Can you even make it?¡±


    ¡°I think I saw some on mom¡¯s room. I-I¡¯ll go get it. Just a minute!¡±


    Saying that Saki got out of the kitchen. Sayaka stared at the chocolates on the table and let out a sigh. She smiled.


    ¡°That girl is really dumb when it comes to things like this.¡±


    Hina¡¯s Home - Weekend Night


    ¡°D-Done,¡± Hina said, looking at the chocolates in front of her. ¡°I think?¡±


    ¡°You tried at least,¡± Aya said with a smile. ¡°Does it taste good?¡±


    ¡°I made some for you taste test. Here,¡± Hina gave Aya three pieces of chocolate.


    ¡°I said you would test them, didn¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°I-I did, but¡­,¡± she paused, looking at her chocolates. ¡°They¡¯re okay, but¡­¡±


    Aya sighed and put one of them in her mouth. After several tries, she finally managed to break it with her teeth.


    ¡°Well. It tastes normal. Once you manage to eat them, that is.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a failure, then,¡± Hina said, lowering her head. ¡°I guess I shouldn¡¯t give it to her.¡±


    ¡°It was a failure. But you should give it to her, anyway.¡±


    ¡°B-But¡­¡±


    ¡°You said it yourself. Saki is a good cook. She doesn¡¯t need good chocolate since she can do it herself. What she needs is this,¡± saying that, Aya took Hina¡¯s wrist in her hand. ¡°Look at all these burns on your fingers. You did these while thinking of her. You gave your all. I¡¯m sure these will make her very happy.¡±


    Hina looked at her own fingers and let out a smile.


    ¡°Thanks, Aya. You really know how to cheer me up.¡±


    Hina tried to pull her hand, but Aya didn¡¯t release her grip. She was looking at Hina¡¯s fingers with curiosity. Hina looked at her confused.


    ¡°Hina¡­¡± Aya said after all.


    ¡°W-What?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re having sleepovers on her home, right? She sleeps on your home, too.¡±


    ¡°Y-Yeah¡­¡±


    ¡°And you two share a bed?¡±


    ¡°W-We do. But¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you two having sex already?¡±


    ¡°W-W-What?!¡± Hina raised her voice, startled. ¡°S-Sex? I mean, why do you care? I never asked about your love life like that!¡±


    ¡°You never asked because you don¡¯t care. I care,¡± Aya said with a smile.


    ¡°W-Well. If we¡¯re doing it or not, it¡¯s not for you to know!¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Aya looked again at Hina¡¯s fingers that she still had on her hand. ¡°I was just thinking that if you¡¯re having sex, it would be hard to do it now with these burns.¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡± Hina threw a startled look at her fingers. ¡°What now¡­?¡±


    ¡°Gotcha,¡± Aya said, releasing Hina¡¯s wrist and smiling at her.


    Hina glared at Aya and made a pout.


    ¡°Damn, Aya. I hate you!¡±


    Valentine Day - After School


    ¡°T-These are for you,¡± Hina said, giving Saki a heart-shaped box. She had a red face. ¡°H-Happy Valentine!¡±


    They were alone in their private space. Only the sound of wind getting between them.


    ¡°Oh, thanks,¡± Saki said and started to open it.


    For Saki¡¯s trained eyes, just a look at the chocolate was enough to see its quality. And yet, even though she knew she would have a hard time eating them, she felt a surge of happiness. She also pretended not to see the burns Hina had on her fingers.


    ¡°I loved it. Thanks so much,¡± she said.


    ¡°T-They¡¯re not very good,¡± Hina said, playing with her hair. ¡°And they might be a little hard to eat, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Hina,¡± Saki pulled Hina closer and kissed her lips. ¡°I loved it. Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Hina blushed but didn¡¯t say anything. The way Saki was looking at the chocolates was enough to make her see her girlfriend was telling the truth.


    ¡°Actually, I have one for you, too,¡± Saki pulled the box she was carrying in a bag and gave Hina. It wasn¡¯t heart-shaped, but there was a lot of hearts drawn on it. ¡°Happy Valentine. My girlfriend.¡±


    Hina¡¯s eyes sparkled when she saw the box in front of her.


    ¡°I thought you wouldn¡¯t do it,¡± she said. ¡°But I¡¯m so happy. I mean, I love your cooking. And you did this just for me. And, huh¡­¡±


    Hina hugged Saki and kissed her, almost making her fall to the ground.


    ¡°H-Hey. Easy,¡± Saki said, smiling.


    ¡°S-Sorry,¡± Hina gave an embarrassed smile. ¡°But that¡¯s just perfect.¡±


    ¡°Well, now that I think about it,¡± Saki looked at the heart-shaped box she was given. ¡°This is like a treasure on this school. The fabled valentine chocolate gave by the most popular girl. Maybe I shouldn¡¯t eat it.¡±


    ¡°Please, eat it! And your treasure isn¡¯t the chocolate, right? It¡¯s me!¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t argue with that. Speaking of which, will you come to my home today?¡±


    ¡°Ah, today, huh,¡± Hina¡¯s eyes turned to her burnt fingers. ¡°Today I was planning to stay with mom, so¡­¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡±


    Hidden away in a place she could see the two lovers but not being seen, Sayaka watched over her friend. She was suddenly approached by a figure putting a chocolate box in front of her.


    ¡°You can have these,¡± Aya said. She didn¡¯t look very happy.


    ¡°Aya?¡± Sayaka said surprised. ¡°These are¡­ For Valentine? Aren¡¯t these for the guy you like?¡±


    ¡°I was a little late,¡± Aya gave out a sad smile. ¡°When I found him, another girl was giving him chocolate. And he kinda confessed to her. So they started dating, I guess.¡±


    ¡°I see, sorry for that.¡±


    ¡°Nice to see things are going fine for those two,¡± Aya said looking at Hina and Saki flirting.


    ¡°Yeah, although it seems like she won¡¯t do it, after all.¡±


    ¡°Do what?¡± Aya gave a confused look at Sayaka.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing. Don¡¯t worry,¡± saying that, Sayaka pulled Aya to the other wat. ¡°But let¡¯s let those two alone. Seeing them all lovey-dovey can¡¯t be good for you right now.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about me.¡±


    ¡°But I do, because we¡¯re friends,¡± Sayaka gave out a gentle smile. ¡°About the chocolate. I don¡¯t have any right now, but I¡¯ll pay you back on White Day.¡±


    ¡°Hey, Sayaka,¡± Aya let out an impish smile. ¡°Just to make it clear, these are not supposed to be romantic.¡±


    ¡°Of course I know that,¡± Sayaka said startled. ¡°W-Why are you saying that suddenly? Did you talk to Saki?¡±


    ¡°What Saki has to do with anything?¡±


    ¡°Nothing!¡±


    Hina and Saki - Walking Home


    ¡°Ahh, I want to eat it all, but it¡¯s such a waste,¡± Hina said, looking at the chocolate box. ¡°I understand what you meant by wanting to treasure it. I want them to be proof of this day. Proof of how happy you made me!¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t eat, they¡¯ll turn bad and my work will be for nothing,¡± Saki said. She was holding Hina¡¯s hand. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to sleep over?¡±


    ¡°Ah, I, yeah,¡± Hina stared at her burnt fingers again.


    ¡°It¡¯s Valentine.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but, I made a promise. Sorry¡­¡±


    Saki glared at Hina. She looked somehow upset. The cold air of winter wasn¡¯t enough to make her cool her head.


    ¡°You know,¡± she said, trying to look indifferent. ¡°I have another Valentine treat for you, actually.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Really, really?¡± Hina almost jumped. ¡°I want it.¡±


    Saki took an object that looked like lip gloss to Hina. She opened it and took out the side with the sponge. It was all brown.


    ¡°It¡¯s molten chocolate,¡± Saki said as if trying to explain to a confused Hina.


    Then she started to pass it over her lips as if applying lip-gloss. She just put a thin base and, pulling the confused Hina closer, kissed her.


    Their lips started brushing together and the chocolate on Saki¡¯s lips passed to Hina¡¯s mouth as well. It mixed with their saliva as Saki used her tongue. When they stopped, there was still a stain of chocolate on Saki¡¯s lips. Hina licked it.


    The two girls faced each other in silence. Hina¡¯s heartbeat was so strong that Saki could hear it even though they weren¡¯t hugging anymore.


    ¡°That was,¡± Hina said. First with a serious face, then she smiled. ¡°Amazing! That was so good! I want to do it again. Let¡¯s do it again.¡±


    But Saki closed the tube and put it in her bag.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s enough.¡±


    ¡°W-Why? Is the chocolate over already?¡±


    ¡°No. There¡¯s still plenty.¡±


    ¡°So why?¡±


    Saki faced Hina with a serious face. She let out a smile.


    ¡°If we keep kissing in the middle of the street, you¡¯ll get late.¡±


    Then she started walking again, leaving a stunned Hina behind.


    ¡°I¡¯ll sleep over,¡± Hina said, but Saki was too far to listen, so she asked again. ¡°I¡¯ll sleepover!¡± She shouted.


    ¡°Are you sure? Your mom¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sending mom a message now. She won¡¯t mind,¡± Hina said and took her phone to send the message in a hurry. ¡°If I sleep over, we can do it again, right? The whole night?¡±


    ¡°Maybe¡­¡±


    As the two girls started walking holding hands again, Hina threw a serious look at her girlfriend, who had a smile on her face.


    ¡°You know, ¡°Hina said. ¡°Aya was wrong. You¡¯re damn good in using your weapons as well.¡±

 Til Life Do Us Part - Jacqueline Side

    Jacqueline was staring at the open coffin in front o her. There lied the body of her best friend, also the one she had confessed her love to just the previous day. Her friend¡¯s dark brown skin and long, curly black hair were the same that Jacqueline was used to seeing. Amanda lied there with her eyes closed, as if in a peaceful sleep.


    For Jacqueline, that day started as a nightmare. She and Amanda were just sixteen years old. They were always together since they were children. Jacqueline had brown skin just a little lighter than Amanda. Her long brown hair was straight as a result of a curling iron. Amanda had praised it, but saying that ¡°you¡¯re pretty no matter what.¡±


    It was just the last month when Jacqueline realized her feelings. It was through a dare her cousin made them do. Just one kiss, nothing more. Amanda was fast to agree, but Jacqueline resisted at first. In the end, she gave up. And that moment, that kiss, was something she wouldn¡¯t forget so fast. That was enough to make her realize her feelings for her friend weren¡¯t just of friendship. She was in love with her.


    It took one month for her to gather courage, but the previous night she finally did. It was late of night. Jacqueline confessed her love to Amanda and asked to be her girlfriend. Amanda looked surprised. Struggling to even talk, she asked for some time to think about it and the two girls said goodbye. Later that night, Jacqueline received the tragic notice, delivered by her mother. Amanda had suffered an accident. She fell in the river and drowned to death.


    First, Jacqueline was in shock. Then she started to cry desperately. Her mother had to hold her strong because her body had lost all strength. In the middle of all despair, Jacqueline wondered if it was an accident. Could Amanda had jumped because she wanted? Could Jacqueline¡¯s confession trigger that? The timing of it made her think that wasn¡¯t an accident. Somehow, it had to be her fault.


    But at the funeral, in front of the coffin, she couldn¡¯t even cry anymore. It was impossible. The reason for that was across the coffin. Standing up and smiling at her. The same Amanda who was now lying inside it.


    Jacqueline put her hand on the coffin and stared at her friend, the one with open eyes and smiling at her, not the one lying dead inside it. She was confused. She was trying to understand if that was just some hallucination, but it looked too real. Amanda was even wearing the same clothes she did last night. As Jacqueline was trying to decide what to do, Amanda walked to her side. She whispered in her ear.


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk to me. Don¡¯t look at me that much. You¡¯re the only one who can see me.¡±


    There was an impish smile on her friend¡¯s lips. Jacqueline didn¡¯t know if she could keep pretending she wasn¡¯t seeing that. While she was still confused and a little scared, the truth is all she wanted was to hug the girl beside her. The girl who was just the same as the one inside the coffin.


    ¡°They were so close, the poor thing,¡± she heard the voices saying around her.


    ¡°Her mother saying she was crying so much.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s probably in shock. Someone should help her.¡±


    There were lots of people talking as if there was nothing wrong. Close to the coffin, Amanda¡¯s parents were sitting. Her mother didn¡¯t stop crying for a minute while the father was trying to greet everyone.


    Amanda threw a look their way and Jacqueline saw a hint of sadness on her face.


    ¡°Come with me, dear,¡± Jacqueline¡¯s mother said, touching her shoulder. ¡°Let¡¯s sit there for a while. You need some water?¡±


    Jacqueline let her body be guided by her mother to a bench at the corner of the little chapel. Amanda followed them with a smile. But no one looked at her. Jacqueline was the only one who seemed to realize her friend was there.


    ¡°I know it¡¯s hard, dear, but,¡± her mother said, but then she shut her mouth. It didn¡¯t look like she knew what to say.


    Jacqueline just smiled and nodded to her mother, trying to signalize she was ok.


    After some minutes, she gave up and stood up.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take some air,¡± she said and exited the chapel, walking at the cemetery just outside.


    She walked through the tombs on the high sun, since it was almost noon. Looking at all those tombs with photos above it, she realized Amanda¡¯s body would soon be inside one just like it. It was a crushing feeling, and yet¡­


    She arrived at a point at the back where no one could see her and sat down on a low tomb. Amanda had followed her the whole way. She stopped in front of her friend and put her hands on her back. She looked somehow embarrassed.


    ¡°Last time I came here was for grandma¡¯s funeral,¡± she said, and Jacqueline felt a chill run through her body. ¡°Who would know the next time would be for my own funeral.¡±


    Amanda let out a sad smile. Jacqueline stared at her friend in silence. She reached her hand trying to touch her body. Amanda got closer and Jacqueline held her fingers. Feeling the warmth, she choked her cry.


    ¡°I-I thought I would never feel you again,¡± she said, with emotion in her voice.


    ¡°Hey, that¡¯s my line,¡± Amanda said with a laugh. ¡°If you wanted to touch my body, I am not buried yet.¡±


    Jacqueline threw a glare at her friend, as if angry at what she said, but then her face softened. She looked confused about the whole situation.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Amanda said and sat beside Jacqueline. ¡°Jackie, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m pretty bummed about it all, too. Mom was crying¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you really here?¡± Jacqueline asked, after all. ¡°Are you real? Am I seeing things?¡±


    ¡°Well, if I am not real, I wouldn¡¯t tell you,¡± she said with a smile. ¡°But if you really want to know, it¡¯s true that I¡¯m here. But it¡¯s also true that I¡¯m dead.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t get it.¡±


    ¡°What can I say? I was given another chance. So, like, I came here to see you,¡± she stopped to look at her friend, who didn¡¯t seem to know how to react. ¡°I know it¡¯s weird, but I am really me. And I wanted to see you again.¡±


    Jacqueline kept her eye on Amanda. With the sun of that morning, she had no doubt the one in her front was her friend, even though that should be impossible.


    ¡°You¡¯re bummed about it? Amanda, you¡¯re dead!¡±


    ¡°Y-Yeah. I know I probably shouldn¡¯t joke about it, but you know¡­¡± she touched Jacqueline¡¯s hand. Her friend¡¯s body reacted to it with an involuntary jump. ¡°Seeing you again, after all, makes me happy, even considering the whole thing about being dead. Which I agree is pretty sad.¡±


    ¡°After all? What happened to you?¡±


    ¡°Oh, that is, like, a long story. Well, not that long, but I still have something more important to tell you. The truth is that I¡¯m here because they gave me another chance and I don¡¯t want to waste it.¡±


    ¡°Another chance? You mean like¡­¡± Jacqueline paused. Then a shadow crossed her face, but she tried to remove is by shaking her head. ¡°Wait, before you continue, there¡¯s something I want to ask you. About, huh, your death.¡±Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    Even though she said that Jacqueline silenced. She stared at her friend, who was giving her a curious look, waiting for her to start again.


    ¡°I mean, huh, when I heard that you died. Soon after my confession, it made me think. I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m wrong, but I mean. If that made you so disgusted. If you didn¡¯t know what to do, I¡­¡±


    Amanda threw her friend a confused look until she finally realized what she was implying and jumped from where she was.


    ¡°Wait, you think I took my life? Suicide?¡±


    ¡°I mean¡­¡± Jacqueline lowered her eyes to her feet, avoiding her friend¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°Of course I didn¡¯t do something like that! If I was grossed about it, I would just call you gross at your face. In fact, it makes sad that you think that. How long do we even know each other?¡±


    ¡°So what happened last night? It can¡¯t be unrelated.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you, but,¡± Amanda sat beside Jacqueline and threw a timid look at her friend. ¡°Promise you won¡¯t laugh.¡±


    ¡°Of course I wouldn¡¯t laugh at something like that, right?¡± Jacqueline¡¯s face was serious.


    ¡°And promise you won¡¯t get angry.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t get angry either, right?¡±


    ¡°And don¡¯t blame yourself.¡±


    Jacqueline didn¡¯t say anything after that. There was fear on her face when she faced Amanda.


    ¡°Well, you see,¡± Amanda started saying. ¡°I won¡¯t say it¡¯s not related to what you said. When you confessed to me, that was really surprising. I was really surprised and didn¡¯t know what to do. I wasn¡¯t grossed out, but I never considered, huh, you know. After saying goodbye, I walked to the bridge. I wanted to cool my head, so I inclined my body over it, and, well, I felt little dizzy and, huuh, I fell.¡±


    After Amanda finished her story, Jacqueline just kept looking at her, as if waiting for more.


    ¡°And that was it,¡± Amanda finished with a smile.


    ¡°Are you an idiot?!¡± Jacqueline shout.


    ¡°Hey, you said you wouldn¡¯t get angry!¡±


    ¡°How can I not get angry at that? Do you even understand how stupid that was? You¡¯re dead now and¡­¡±


    ¡°I know. I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s not like I wanted to die, but¡­¡±


    ¡°And if I hadn¡¯t said anything¡­¡±


    ¡°No, stop!¡± Amanda put her finger on Jacqueline¡¯s lips, shutting her up. ¡°Yeah, maybe if we hadn¡¯t met that day and I wasn¡¯t surprised, I wouldn¡¯t have died. But saying that was your fault is bullshit,¡± she put her hands on her lap and let out a faint smile, staring at her friend. ¡°And also, I wouldn¡¯t be here now if you hadn¡¯t confessed to me, even if I died.¡±


    ¡°So, that¡¯s really the reason¡­¡± Jacqueline¡¯s voice was weak.


    ¡°Yeah. Because I have things I still wanted to do, they allowed me to be back. With some conditions¡­¡±


    ¡°Conditions?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about that. I¡¯m here to give an answer to your confession, so¡­¡±


    ¡°Amanda!¡± Jacqueline said standing up suddenly. ¡°S-Shouldn¡¯t we go back? My parents will be worried if I¡¯m not back soon.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Amanda made a confused face. ¡°Are you even listening to me?¡±


    ¡°Y-Yeah, but you see. There¡¯s no hurry, right?¡± Jacqueline turned to Amanda with a nervous smile. ¡°I mean, we have all the time. We can wait until your funeral is over. And look, aren¡¯t you hungry? Come to my home after. Let¡¯s have a sleepover today. Oh, I don¡¯t know if you can eat, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Jackie¡­¡±


    Amanda stood up and held Jacqueline¡¯s hands. Her friend was giving her a fearful look. She suddenly guessed what was going on.


    ¡°I want to give your answer right now.¡±


    ¡°N-No,¡± Jacqueline said with tears on her eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t need it. Forget it. You don¡¯t need to tell me anything. Ok? Just stay with me.¡±


    Amanda sighed. She stared at her friend with a smile, the sun high in the morning making her face shine.


    ¡°I love you. I was really surprised yesterday, but after giving it some thought, I want to accept it. I love you and I accept to be your girlfriend.¡±


    After those words, Jacqueline started to cry. Amanda just let out a smile and pulled her friend closer, kissing her lips. Jacqueline was taken by surprised but hugged Amanda¡¯s body. That kiss was warm and soft. It wasn¡¯t any different from the first kiss the last month, even though Amanda wasn¡¯t alive anymore.


    When their bodies parted, Amanda had a smile on her face. Jacqueline looked confused. Slowly, she touched her friend¡¯s cheek.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to disappear?¡±


    ¡°Hey, that¡¯s rude!¡± Amanda said with a displeased face, slapping Jacqueline¡¯s hand away. ¡°I just got here. Do you want me to go back already?¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t!¡± Jacqueline was fast to say. ¡°I want you to be here with me! But, didn¡¯t you say you were given a second chance because there were things you wanted to do yet?¡±


    ¡°Yes, there¡¯s lots. Like accepting your confession, kissing you, becoming your girlfriend, sleeping with you, living with you, spending all my life together with you. Well, your life, I guess. I¡¯m still confused about all this ¡°being dead¡± thing,¡± Amanda held Jacqueline¡¯s hands and looked at her wet eyes. ¡°While you allow me by your side, I¡¯ll never leave.¡±


    ¡°So,¡± Jacqueline swiped her tears with her arm and held Amanda¡¯s hand. ¡°I hope you¡¯re ready to spend a long time as a ghost,¡± she said with a smile. Then her face became serious. ¡°Are you really a ghost, though?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. A ghost or an angel, I guess,¡± she looked at her own hands. ¡°But it doesn¡¯t matter.¡±


    ¡°How can I touch you?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I do know you¡¯re the only one who can touch me. But don¡¯t ask me how that works.¡±


    Jacqueline still looked at Amanda for some time, touching her face and arms without saying anything, as if mesmerized by the view in front of her. She had a smile on her face while doing it. Amanda just stood there, letting her friend absorb everything.


    Once she stopped, Jacqueline held Amanda¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go back for now, though. Or my mother will come looking for me.¡±


    Amanda slipped her hand out of Jacqueline¡¯s grasp and gave her friend a smile when she was looking with surprise.


    ¡°You go ahead,¡± she said. ¡°There¡¯s still something I have to take care of alone.¡±


    Nodding and giving Amanda a fast kiss on the lips, Jacqueline walked away. She was almost skipping until she realized looking too euphoric would be suspect, so she controlled herself.


    Entering the chapel and looking at Amanda¡¯s dead body after having a conversation with her was weird. Her family came to comfort her, but from her point of view, there was nothing to be comforted anymore. Still, she just let them do as they pleased.


    Time passed and Amanda didn¡¯t come back. Jacqueline was getting worried about it.


    It had become night already when they started to close the coffin to bury her body. Jacqueline almost asked them to stop but controlled herself. Her feet while walking to follow the ones carrying the coffin were heavy. Amanda disappearance was making her think that maybe it was all a hallucination. Or maybe it was real, but Amanda lied to her.


    When they were in front of Amanda¡¯s tomb, she felt the tears running down her face. She was sure Amanda wouldn¡¯t be back. She wanted to ask them to stop. To ask them for one last chance to see her friend again since she didn¡¯t think that would be the last time.


    She gave a step forward but was stopped by a grip on her arm. She looked to the side to see Amanda standing beside her.


    Jacqueline let out a relieved smile, but seeing the tears on her friend¡¯s face, her face became serious. She followed Amanda¡¯s eyes to meet her parents. Her mother was still crying and now her father was hugging her, also with tears on his eyes.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong,¡± Amanda said in a serious tone. ¡°I¡¯m happy that we can be together again. I just realized there are more people I left behind.¡±


    Jacqueline nodded and stood there. This time, however, she grabbed her friend¡¯s hand and she wouldn¡¯t let her grip go until the funeral was over.


    ***


    When Jacqueline opened the door to her room, Amanda entered even before her, throwing her body on Jacqueline¡¯s bed. Jacqueline went after her friend, closing and locking the door behind her.


    ¡°I never thought I would see this room again,¡± Amanda said, burying her head on Jacqueline¡¯s pillow. ¡°Last night it flashed a lot in my mind, though.¡±


    Jacqueline sat on the corner of the single bed, throwing a glance at Amanda¡¯s body lying there. She looked embarrassed.


    ¡°So, are you going to sleep there?¡±


    ¡°Of course we¡¯re going to sleep together, right?¡± Amanda said and Jacqueline felt her face turning red. ¡°I mean, I can¡¯t get too far away from you and you¡¯re not making a bed on the floor for me, right? Your parents would find it weird. We also shared a bed before already.¡±


    ¡°Y-Yeah,¡± Jacqueline turned her eyes away.


    ¡°Unless you wanna make me sleep on the floor without a bed on it.¡±


    ¡°Of course not! We¡¯ll share a bed, don¡¯t worry. But, huh¡­¡± she poked Amanda¡¯s knees. ¡°Not that it has anything to do with it, but I was thinking. How does this new body even works? Is it the same as your previous body?¡±


    ¡°Oh, that?¡± Amanda let out a smile, pulled her friend by her arm and kissing her. ¡°That I guess we''ll discover together.¡±

 Til Life Do Us Part - Amanda Side

    Amanda opened her eyes and realized she was in a weird place. A vast green meadow with a nice cool breeze. The sky was bluer than she ever remembered seeing it before. And for some reason, she felt a harmonious sensation. Inspecting her body, she realized instead of her clothes, she was wearing a white dress. So thin that she almost could see her brown skin through it.


    She tried to remember where she was before waking up. She remembered her best friend Jacqueline confessing her love. Her heart beating like crazy as she walked home. How she stopped at the bridge to cool her head and how she¡­


    ¡°Please, miss, can you get in the line?¡± A woman with white skin and black hair told her. She was wearing the same white dress and Amanda thought she could see something like wings on her back, but so faint that it looked like it was formed by wind.


    ¡°Line?¡± She asked confused.


    The woman pointed with her finger to a big line in the field. Hundreds of people were there and following it with her eyes, Amanda realized several counters lined at the end with a big golden door beside each other them.


    Confused and without knowing what else she could do, Amanda did as the woman said and got to the end of the line. The people in front of her looked just as confused. However, even though the line was big, the time she would take to get to the end would be enough to make her think about the whole situation.


    The most important of all was what she thought about Jacqueline¡¯s confession. The kiss they shared once had made her feel good, but she never thought much more about it. So her confession coming out of nowhere was a surprise. It made her surprised and startled, but not grossed out. Jacqueline¡¯s face and smile wouldn¡¯t get out of her mind and remember it was a nice feeling.


    She thought about the days she slept over at her friend¡¯s home. How they shared a bed. How Jacqueline¡¯s warm body would get close to her. She could almost smell her friend¡¯s shampoo and perfume.


    ¡°Ah, I want to see her,¡± Amanda said suddenly, letting her feelings show.


    An old man who was in front of her turned his head and grunted something.


    ¡°What place is even this?¡± She said to herself most than anything. ¡°How I ended up here?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re dead,¡± the old man said, turning his head again, looking annoyed by Amanda¡¯s lines. ¡°I swear you young people are always so slow¡­¡±


    ¡°D-Dead?¡± Amanda asked startled. ¡°No, that¡¯s impossible!¡±


    ¡°Look here, girl, I was at my death bed surrounded by my stupid sons who wanted nothing more than see my dead body just minutes ago. I¡¯m sure this right here is heaven.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± then the last piece of her memory was restored. The bridge and how she fell out of it. ¡°I died. I¡¯m an idiot.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you probably are. But now if you¡¯ll excuse me, I had enough of speaking with you stupid youngsters when I had my sons and their children around.¡±


    Saying that the old man turned his back to Amanda again. She didn¡¯t care because the new info she got was now bothering her from inside her head. That she was dead. And probably wouldn¡¯t be able to see Jacqueline again. That was her first thought.


    She worried so much that she didn¡¯t realize the line moving and soon it became her time. She was called at one of the counters by a young man with short black hair. He was wearing the same white dress and she thought seeing wings on his back, too. But it was too faint to make sure.


    ¡°Miss Amanda?¡± He said giving her a gentle smile as she approached. ¡°Do you understand what this place is?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m dead¡­¡± She just said in a monotone.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Young people usually take more time to realize that.¡±


    ¡°The old man in front of me told me.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right. Well, that still make things faster. Let me just look at your file to see if everything is okay and you can enter,¡± He opened a book in his front and started to flip it. ¡°You died of, oh, that¡¯s, uh, tragic.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s stupid, I know.¡±


    ¡°Oh no. I mean, yeah, it is. But I have seen worse. It¡¯s still tragic for such a young girl to die this way. Anyway, just let me see if you¡¯re okay to pass and we can open the door for you.¡±


    ¡°Ah, is this like heaven? The Christian heaven?¡±


    ¡°Well, Christians come through this entrance. Or at least people raised in Christian families. Well, atheists come here, too. Heaven is for all, but we need to be prepared to answer their questions and those usually has to do with their religion,¡± he looked a little more through the files before adding. ¡°Well, Christians rarely question that Heaven shouldn¡¯t even exist yet, though.¡±


    ¡°You know,¡± Amanda said, looking embarrassed. ¡°My friend confessed to me before dying. And thinking about it, I think I¡¯m in love with her, too.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see. That¡¯s very tragic.¡±


    ¡°No, I mean, shouldn¡¯t I be sent to Hell instead?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± the young man looked confused by Amanda¡¯s question.


    ¡°I mean, if I wanted to say yes, I might be gay. So¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± the young man let out a big sigh. ¡°That again. Look, I won¡¯t deny that once homosexuals were denied the entrance in heaven, but that was the old administration. That was what, two thousand years ago?¡±


    ¡°Old administration?¡±


    ¡°Whoa, that¡¯s too much info for someone who didn¡¯t get inside yet. But in short, you can get in Heaven being gay. No problem. In fact, it¡¯s way easier to get in Heaven in general now. So much that Hell changed to make people actually want to go there instead since their numbers were shrinking too much. It¡¯s still a place of torture for really evil people, but it became also an alternative for those who don¡¯t like Heaven much.¡±


    ¡°I..I see.¡±


    ¡°Still, there¡¯s still something to worry about,¡± he lifted his head and stared at Amanda. ¡°How much you love her? Or how much would you regret not telling her that?¡±


    ¡°I love her very much. So I want to tell her. I can wait, though.¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± the man stared at the door beside him and back at Amanda. ¡°Here¡¯s the problem. Can you imagine how many people died since, well, ever? The afterlife is huge and the chances of you meeting someone you want to meet there is way worse than doing it in the real world already. Now, sure, we aren¡¯t heartless. We can make you show up close to someone you want. But we can¡¯t do everything. We can¡¯t promise to do that now for when she dies. If she dies and asks to meet you, fine. But she might live a long life and have more important people she wants to meet until then.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re saying I can never meet her again,¡± Amanda said with a disappointed expression.


    ¡°Look, girl. I can¡¯t get into details, but behind this door, you have death, not a second life. There¡¯s a very small chance of you meeting her but you shouldn¡¯t hope for that. The afterlife isn¡¯t the place to solve earthly things. Usually, your life on earth will determine how your death goes. Change and evolution is a privilege of the living.¡±


    ¡°So,¡± Amanda tried to put a brave face. ¡°Can¡¯t I at least go back to tell her? As a ghost or something. She¡¯s a brave girl, I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll understand.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that easy,¡± he paused, then smiled. ¡°Or that¡¯s what I would say normally. You see, putting things in short, we have rules but not enforcement of it. The administration has better things to worry instead of dealing with every minor break of said rules. That¡¯s why thousands of years ago it was decided that Hell would inspect Heaven and Heaven would do it for Hell. So that both sides would follow their rules.¡±


    ¡°This all looks weirdly bureaucratic.¡±


    ¡°You thought humans had invented that? But like I said, Hell wants more people, so they gave us some ways to break the rules a little with the penalty of sending the person who chooses to do it for Hell. One of those ways is exactly what you asked. We can send you back to earth for an undetermined time until you finish some conditions. If you finish the condition with success, you come back and go to Heaven as intended. If you fail, you go to Hell.¡±


    ¡°That sure looks convenient. Is this okay?¡±


    ¡°It may look like it, but some people decide for crazy conditions. It shouldn¡¯t be allowed technically, but since the ones who can condemn us are the ones giving the idea,¡± the man shrugged. ¡°It should be easy in your case, though. Not like you would fail to confess¡­¡±


    ¡°So!¡± Amanda almost jumped, putting her hand on the counter. ¡°I can choose any condition, right?¡±


    ¡°Well, yeah, but¡­¡±


    ¡°So I don¡¯t want only accepting her confession. I want to be her girlfriend!¡±


    ¡°That should be,¡± the man stopped a little, but let out a smile at the end. ¡°Well, that¡¯s fine. If she agrees to be your girlfriend, you can come back¡­¡±The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t get it. I know! I want to spend all her life by her side. How is that for a condition.¡±


    ¡°Hey, girl,¡± the man put out a serious face. ¡°That¡¯s the kind of crazy condition I was talking about.¡±


    ¡°So is that possible?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not impossible. If you set that condition, that¡¯ll be it. But think about it. I have watched you people for thousands of years. I can tell how this story will end. You people rarely spend more than one year with the same people in a romantic relationship. Sometimes it doesn''t last one month. Are you telling me you¡¯ll be together forever? With what conviction?¡±


    ¡°None! But if the alternative is never seeing her again, what am I even risking? If she actually tells me it¡¯s over, that¡¯ll make me feel better.¡±


    ¡°And then you¡¯re sent to Hell and never will be able to meet her again, even if she asks for it.¡±


    ¡°You said yourself, right? It¡¯s unlikely I¡¯ll meet her again if she lives enough.¡±


    The man let out a sigh. He looked at Amanda who had a determined face and it looked like nothing would make her give up.


    ¡°Before I agree with it, did you think about your friend¡¯s position? If you tell her you¡¯ll go to Hell if she refuses you or breaks up with you, what kind of pressure she¡¯ll feel?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t say anything! If she doesn¡¯t know, she won¡¯t feel guilty once she gets tired of me.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s that simple, but,¡± the man looked at the young girl. It didn¡¯t look like anything he said would make her change her mind. ¡°Ok, how about this? I¡¯ll give you a chance to meet her then I¡¯ll meet and ask you again. After talking with her again, maybe that¡¯ll clear your head.¡±


    Amanda nodded, unable to hide the smile that formed on her face.


    ¡°Right. One last thing, though, your friend will be able to see and touch you, but that¡¯s all. No one else will be able to do the same,¡± the man closed the book in front of him and pointed forward to the vast meadow. ¡°Keep walking that way. Don¡¯t need to run, but don¡¯t look behind either.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all?¡± Amanda said, turning her body to the meadow beyond the long line behind her. ¡°Feels like I¡¯ll walk forever.¡±


    ¡°Just trust me, unless you want to give up, after all.¡±


    Listening that, Amanda shook her head and started to walk. First, she started with rushed steps, but after leaving the long line behind, she started to get tired and slowed her pace. It looked like the more she walked, the harder it was to keep going. Her breath was lacking and her steps getting heavier.


    In her head, she kept Jacqueline smile. The only thing she wanted then was to see her again. The more she walked and the harder it got, the more she thought maybe the man had made a fool out of her. She didn¡¯t look like she would get anywhere.


    Then suddenly a bright light blinded her. She covered her eyes with her hands trying to block it in vain. It was so strong that made her vision hurt. She crouched at the floor and pressed her arms against her face.


    Then it seemed like the light disappeared. She slowly opened her eyes to see the floor under her feet. It wasn¡¯t like the grass she had below just moments ago. It was like the hard floor of a house. After noticing it, she started to hear voices and crying around.


    Lifting her body, she realized she was inside a chapel, behind a coffin. She stared inside the coffin, surprised to realize it was her own body. She tried to touch it, but her hand moved across it, even though she could touch the coffin itself.


    ¡°That¡¯s weird,¡± she said, but no one seemed to be able to hear her. ¡°I look good for a corpse, though.¡±


    It was when she heard a sad voice that her heart, or whatever it was, skipped a beat. She stared at the entrance in time to see Jacqueline walking through it, supported by her mother. It was only when her friend was already in front of the coffin that Amanda¡¯s presence was noted. She met Jacqueline¡¯s confusion with a happy smile.


    ***


    ¡°You go ahead,¡± Amanda said. ¡°There¡¯s still something I have to take care of alone.¡±


    Jacqueline hesitated a little, but after giving Amanda a kiss, she walked out. Amanda smiled seeing her friend walking away looking so happy. When she disappeared, Amanda turned her body.


    ¡°So?¡± She asked. ¡°Were you spying on us?¡±


    ¡°Please, girl,¡± the young man she met in Heaven walked to the light of the sun. ¡°I said I would ask you again, right?¡±


    ¡°Sure, but can you leave work like that?¡± Amanda had a serious face while questioning the man.


    ¡°What? You think I spend eternity behind that counter?¡± The man walked close to a tomb and stared at the photo above it. ¡°These always look funny to me. It has no relevance for their afterlife, but people always take good care of it. I guess it¡¯s a comfort for those who remained.¡±


    ¡°Did you come here for sightseeing?¡±


    The man stared at Amanda and let out a laugh.


    ¡°You really don¡¯t want me here, huh?¡±


    ¡°If you are here to take me back¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not. At least not by force. It¡¯s how I said, remember? I want to see if you really want to do that.¡±


    ¡°Of course I¡­¡±


    ¡°But don¡¯t answer so fast. Give it some thought. I know you love her and I can see she loves you. It might sound weird for me to say it, but love isn¡¯t everything. Humans are social beings and while being with each other might be enough at first, you might want to share that relationship with others later.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying I should give up on her because I can¡¯t show our relationship to others? Our life together is just for us.¡±


    ¡°This is not about you. Your life is over. You¡¯re dead. She has her whole life and will be questioned about her choices. You really want to put this burden on her shoulders?¡±


    ¡°If she tells me to go away, I¡¯ll give up. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s fair with her deciding this by myself.¡±


    The man sighed and let out a tired smile.


    ¡°Fine,¡± he said. ¡°I believe you understand the consequences, so I¡¯ll leave it in your hands.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you want us to break up,¡± Amanda said with a harsh voice.


    ¡°No way,¡± the man said, walking away and waving his hand. ¡°In fact, against all odds, I¡¯m cheering for you two. I hope everything works out.¡±


    He disappeared out of nowhere and Amanda was left alone in the deep silence of the cemetery. She stared at the chapel¡¯s direction, but she didn¡¯t want to approach it and see her dead body again. She tried to take a walk through the city she thought she would never see again. But the more she walked, she started to feel a bad sensation, as if something was breaking inside her. She rushed back to the cemetery, realizing she couldn¡¯t get too far away from Jacqueline. Yet, she would wait for the burial to approach her.


    15 Years Later


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, dear,¡± an adult Jacqueline said with a smile to the teenager girl in front of her. ¡°I can¡¯t answer your feelings.¡±


    ¡°Is it because I¡¯m a girl?¡± the girl said with tears on her eyes.


    ¡°That¡¯s not it, dear. You¡¯re just a kid and you¡¯re my student. We just can¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you, then! I¡¯ll get old and graduate, then¡­¡±


    Jacqueline patted the girl¡¯s head and let out a reassuring smile.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, dear. I can¡¯t wait for that.¡±


    ¡°O-Of course you can¡¯t. I knew it,¡± the girl said and couldn¡¯t resist anymore. She started to cry.


    Jacqueline gently held the girl and let her cry in her arms until she calmed down. After that, they talked to each other, with Jacqueline acting like the adult and giving advice to the girl. She was very clear about how the girl¡¯s sexuality shouldn¡¯t be seen as a problem.


    When she got home later, she was tired. Amanda followed her inside the house. For some reason, her body had matured together with Jacqueline, and now she looked like an adult.


    ¡°Are you sure you didn¡¯t want to accept her?¡± Amanda asked. Jacqueline threw her a perplexed look.


    ¡°Dating my student?¡±


    ¡°She said she would wait. You could.¡±


    ¡°What are you saying? I have a wife already.¡±


    Jacqueline smiled, but Amanda stood there with a serious face. Both women were standing in the middle of the kitchen and Amanda didn¡¯t look like she would move. Jacqueline approached her and caressed her face.


    ¡°Are you okay, love?¡± She asked with a worried face.


    ¡°Jackie,¡± Amanda¡¯s voice was weak. ¡°Are you sure you want to keep doing this?¡±


    ¡°That again?¡± Jacqueline smiled. ¡°Yeah. I want to have the woman I love by my side. I¡¯m sure of it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m being a burden for you. You¡¯re wasting your life.¡±


    ¡°Wasting my life? How come?¡±


    ¡°Your mother called again, right? She asked about marriage again. You could be with someone you can show to your family. You could be on dates and...¡±


    Jacqueline sighed but kept a smile on her face.


    ¡°No, I couldn¡¯t,¡± she said with a clear voice. ¡°Amanda, I¡¯m a teacher. There¡¯s a lot of children with conservative parents at my school. Even if I would find another girlfriend, I would have to keep her a secret. And I¡¯m sure I would never date a man.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not even alive.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re here.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t even know if I¡¯m real.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m still happy.¡±


    Amanda didn¡¯t say anything else for a while. She looked sad as she stared at her wife.


    ¡°Be honest with me. Are you afraid of losing me?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Jacqueline answered without delay. ¡°I¡¯m always afraid of letting you go. When we fight, I always try to make up because of that. Because I feel that if I lose you again, I won¡¯t get another chance.¡±


    ¡°So!¡±


    ¡°But that doesn¡¯t change the fact that you being here makes me happy. You¡¯re not a burden. And even with the possibility of you not being real, I don¡¯t mind. Because I know for a fact I¡¯m happy with you.¡±


    ¡°But because of that, you¡¯ll never get over my death.¡±


    ¡°Who knows if I would ever do? Maybe I would just follow you if you left me. You still don¡¯t tell me anything about the afterlife, but since you¡¯re here, I know it exists.¡±


    Then Jacqueline clapped her hands suddenly.


    ¡°That reminds me. Next week it¡¯s our anniversary. Since we started dating.¡±


    ¡°Also the day I died.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s not think about it like that. But, huh, let¡¯s do something special. What do you want to do?¡±


    ¡°Like a date?¡± Amanda said with a faint smile. ¡°J-Just kidding.¡±


    ¡°A date? That looks good?¡±


    ¡°R-Really?¡±


    ¡°How about a picnic? I can drive to a beautiful place the teachers were talking about. Well, you heard it.¡±


    ¡°Y-Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Not deadline coming up?¡±


    ¡°No. But you might need to go talk to my editor this weekend about some changes I want to make.¡±


    Jacqueline chuckled and Amanda looked at her confused.


    ¡°What is so funny?¡±


    ¡°You were talking about being dead and being a burden, but you¡¯re even working. You feel more alive than a lot of people I know.¡±


    ¡°Not like I would just spend all these years looking at your face, right? You¡¯re beautiful, but there¡¯s a limit. And I have to do it during dawn because I can¡¯t even touch the computer if someone else gets close.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine. Your typing makes me sleep better. And I love your stories. You were never that smart, but you sure have imagination.¡±


    ¡°Well, sorry for being dumb,¡± Amanda said with a sincere smile. Jacqueline smiled relieved.


    ¡°Well,¡± she said turning away. ¡°I have some work to do, so¡­¡±


    But she was stopped by Amanda grabbing her wrist. Jacqueline just stared at her in silence.


    ¡°Just,¡± Amanda tried to avoid her eyes. ¡°Just promise me again.¡±


    Jacqueline sighed and turned to her wife.


    ¡°Fine, fine. If I ever get tired of you. If I ever stop loving you, I¡¯ll tell you and let you go.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t look like you¡¯re taking it seriously.¡±


    ¡°Well, I mean,¡± Jacqueline pulled Amanda¡¯s arm and hugged her body, giving a kiss on her lips. She stared in her wife¡¯s eyes and whispered. ¡°I can say it as much as you want. But I know for sure that¡¯ll never happen.¡±

 The Kidnapped Princess - Part 1

    The young woman stared at the chimera walking in her direction. The giant monster had the body and the head of a lion, with giant goat horns and the tail was a serpent. The woman tried to drag her body behind. She had tried to turn and run but tripped and fell with her bottom on the ground. Now she didn¡¯t have time to stand up and just faced the beast, focusing on its eyes while waiting for the unavoidable attack.


    Her blonde hair on her shoulder height was glued with mud on her face. She had chosen her brown top and pants considering they should be easy to move with. But now she wondered if she should¡¯ve worn an armor instead.


    The monster opened its mouth and charged in her direction. Unable to stand up and run, she just closed her light brown eyes and waited for the pain. But she felt nothing. Instead, what she heard was the sound of metal clashing against flesh.


    Opening her eyes again, she saw a nostalgic scene in front of her eyes. The back of a woman she knew well, red hair flapping with her fast movement.


    The woman pushed the Chimera away with her sword and turned her head back.


    ¡°Emilie, are you okay?¡± She asked in a worried tone.


    ¡°Y-Yeah,¡± Emilie said, still astonished. Then she realized the monster was still moving. ¡°Astrid, be careful!¡±


    Astrid let out a smile and turned back to the monster. She slashed the creature¡¯s throat with one fast movement. A red line painted the ground with blood the creature fell. Calmly, Astrid sheathed her sword on the sheat in her hip, turned back and offered her hand to Emilie, who grabbed it. Astrid pulled her up.


    ¡°I thought I was gone,¡± Emilie said, her voice still shaking.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for leaving you alone.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be. I was the one who got careless. I was trying to survey the area and I should¡¯ve been careful about invading another creature¡¯s territory. Never thought something like it would be around here.¡±


    ¡°I met some villagers who warned me about a monster killing people who got lost here in the last month. I got worried, so I came back. I¡¯m glad I arrived on time,¡± Astrid let out a relieved smile and walked past Emilie. ¡°For now let¡¯s go back to the camp.¡±


    Emilie grabbed Astrid¡¯s arm, stopping her. While Astrid gave her a confused look, Emilie turned her partner¡¯s arm to inspect it. A slice of her armor was broken and blood was dripping through it.


    ¡°So you didn¡¯t stop it with the sword.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I had to be fast. And this sword you got me it¡¯s too thin to block that attack. But it¡¯s fine,¡± Astrid tried to shrug it off.


    ¡°That¡¯s crazy and irresponsible!¡± Emilie said, then let out a sigh. ¡°Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll treat it at the camp.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry. We¡¯re almost at the¡­¡±


    ¡°Shut up and let me treat it,¡± Emilie said with an angry face. ¡°I swear it¡¯ll only hurt a little. If you collaborate, of course.¡±


    The two women walked to the camp they had set hours before. Emilie walked to her bag and took the tools she would use. Astrid sat at a rock, taking off her armor and looking at Emilie with the side of her eyes. She shivered when Emilie came back holding a jar with alcohol and pieces of cloth for patching.


    When her partner¡¯s poured the alcohol on the cut, Astrid let out a cry.


    ¡°You¡¯re not a child anymore,¡± Emilie said, looking into her partner¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°But it hurts,¡± Astrid said, making a grimace.


    Emilie let out a chuckle. But as she patched Astrid¡¯s arm, her expression became serious.


    ¡°It was really my fault. I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said with a shadow over her face.


    ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t,¡± Astrid said, holding Emilie¡¯s hand using her good arm. ¡°It was my fault. If I was faster, you wouldn¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°We have our shares. You should gather the info, but I left the camp behind thinking I could help,¡± then she stopped and looked at Astrid with curiosity. ¡°Wait. You said you met people, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Some men. There¡¯s a village close by, apparently, and they live there. But before that, how much food do we have yet?¡± Astrid let out a timid smile while caressing her stomach.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Emilie thought in silence for some seconds.¡± Our food is over, but since we¡¯re in an emergency here, that monster would do fine.¡±


    ¡°We can eat that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a chimera, so we can eat parts of it. I read which ones are poisoned, so I can prepare something safe to eat. Are you able to carry it?¡± Emilie threw a worried look at Astrid¡¯s patched arm.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± Astrid said with a smile and moved her arm faster to reassure her partner. ¡°It wasn¡¯t a big cut anyway and I won¡¯t get in the way of another monster. Let me handle it.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Emilie said with little conviction. ¡°So I¡¯ll start the fire in the meanwhile. Maybe cut a piece of it if that¡¯s easier. Try to cut the body where it¡¯s not connected with the serpent.¡±


    ¡°Leave it to me!¡± Astrid said with a big smile, put her armor back, and ran off.


    While looking at her partner¡¯s back, Emilie started to reminiscence about years ago.


    ***


    When she was a young girl, Emilie was an aristocrat member of the Stacks family living in a small city away from the capital. As the daughter of a noble, it was her duty honoring her name and becoming a proper wife for a man of an equivalent respectable name. That¡¯s why appealing to a husband was what they expected most of her and everything she learned in her growth was for that sake. For that end, she was always wearing expensive dresses, jewelry and had her bright blonde hair at the height of her hips.


    Astrid lived in the same city at that time. She was the complete opposite of Emilie. While the aristocratic girl was refined, always worried about her appearance and always reading books, Astrid was considered a tomboy. Since she was a child, she was always running around the city and walking outside and getting in all kind of troubles. She was the kind of influence her family had alerted Emilie to get away.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    Sometimes she would look through her window to Astrid thinking about how much of a free-spirited she looked. But Emilie didn¡¯t envy her. In her mind, her future would be way more splendid and glamorous than the uncertain life the unrefined girl had. Instead, she always looked at her with judgemental eyes. Sometimes Astrid would look back at Emilie, only staring in silence without saying anything until something else grabbed her attention.


    Once Emilie learned that Astrid was being taught how to fight with a sword. That caught her curiosity.


    ¡°Can girls become a knight?¡± She asked her father. He gave her an icy glare.


    ¡°Of course not. Don¡¯t be absurd.¡±


    Somehow that stuck with her. She was curious about why would that girl learn how to use a sword if it wouldn¡¯t bring her any worthy title. Being a knight was a noble vocation, but if that position was reserved to males, Astrid had nothing to gain.


    It was by chance that the two girls¡¯ fate crossed. Emilie was fifteen years old at that time, ten years before she faced the chimera at the forest.


    A certain afternoon, while riding a carriage home, coming from the mansion of a noble family in another city where she had met with a suitor, the carriage wheel broke and the coachman, an employee for her family, notified her they would need to spend the night on the road until he could look for help in the light of the day. After all, soon the night would come.


    Emilie was, of course, completely against it. Because she didn¡¯t want to sleep inside a carriage and also because her mother always warned about how her reputation would be hurt if she would spend the night alone with another man. She persisted the coachman should go before the day was over since they weren¡¯t that far from the city. If he took a shortcut through the forest, he would get there on time. But he refused, saying it wasn¡¯t safe. The forest was famous for attracting monsters.


    Telling the man she would rather face the monsters, Emilie jumped off the carriage and rushed inside the forest, walking to the direction she believed to lead to the city. The coachman tried to stop her. But she disappeared fast, leaving him behind. It wasn¡¯t until the night fell that she realized the mistake she had done.


    It was hard to see in front of her because the trees were blocking the moonlight. It was cold and the harsh vegetation was hurting her ankles through her long dress. The dress which actually made it harder for her to walk. After walking for an hour, her legs were hurting and the cold wind was whipping her body. She thought about going back to the carriage but realized she didn¡¯t know how.


    Walking at slower steps, she started to hear noises around her. Like insects, the wind and some grunts which she wished belonged to animals. But after some minutes, she realized there were steps coming closer as if following her. Her heart beating strong, she started to run but realized the steps started to run behind her. They didn¡¯t look like human steps. More like a beast charging after her.


    She tripped on her dress and fell to the ground. Turning her body fast, she stared at the black mass walking at four legs in her direction. Emilie closed the eyes, waiting for the pain to come.


    She heard the sound of something running through the leaves and jumping in front of her followed by a metallic slash that echoed through the forest. Opening her eyes again, Emilie saw a back turned to her with long red hairs flapping in the wind.


    ***


    ¡°Emilie?¡± Astrid said, watching her partner distracted in front of the fire she started.


    ¡°O-Oh, sorry,¡± Emilie said, standing up to face the other woman. ¡°I was just remembering something¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, and what was it?¡±


    ¡°The day we first talked to each other.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Astrid smiled.¡± You still remember that day.¡±


    ¡°Of course I do. In some way, that day changed my life,¡± Emilie examined her partner¡¯s friendly smile. ¡°Back there when you saved from that chimera, it was just like that day. It made me remember how I owe you my life again..¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I just did what I wanted to do. That time, too,¡± Astrid said and pointed out to a big piece of meat over some cloth. ¡°I brought it. Should we start cooking it?¡±


    ¡°Leave it to me,¡± Emilie said and walked to where Astrid left the meat. ¡°Also, about those men you mentioned. Did you ask them about the bridge?¡±


    ¡°I did,¡± Astrid sat on a tree trunk and watched as Emilie started to cut the meat with the knife she took off her bag. ¡°They said the bridge is always being watched. Mercenaries, it seems. Probably working for him. They won¡¯t let anyone pass except for merchants. Most soldiers probably died fighting them.¡±


    ¡°I see. It looks like the perfect place for an ambush,¡± Emilie said, keeping a straight face as she prepared the food. ¡°So I guess we should avoid it. Even if you manage to defeat them, it¡¯ll alert their boss that we¡¯re coming.¡±


    ¡°Should we try crossing through the river? Can you follow me going down and crossing it?¡±


    ¡°I can, but,¡± Emilie pressed her lips, looking at the meat in front of her. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea. When we cross back, she won¡¯t be able to follow us.¡±


    ¡°So, what do you suggest?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s an old bridge on the other side of the mountains. I doubt they would bother watching it since no one uses that route for years.¡±


    Astrid grabbed the backpack Emilie was always carrying with her and took the map she had stored in one of the side pockets. She unfolded and studied it.


    ¡°There¡¯s a mountain in the way,¡± Astrid said, tracing the route with her finger. ¡°Walking around it could take days.¡±


    ¡°Look closer. There¡¯s a cave we can use to cross. It¡¯s the fastest way if we¡¯re avoiding the bridge. Even if the cave is guarded, it¡¯ll be easier to sneak through it than the main bridge.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Astrid kept her eyes on the map. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we just use the fastest route when we¡¯re going and come back through the cave?¡±


    ¡°If we take the cave now, we can trace the safest route for when we come back. We¡¯ll be prepared. Even if there are no mercenaries, there are goblins living inside. Now is the best time to look out for where the safe spots are. We have time, I believe. And I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll hurt her. If we rush now, we could regret later.¡±


    ¡°Hm,¡± Astrid kept her eyes on the map, but let out a giggle. ¡°You know, I¡¯m really happy that you¡¯re here with me,¡± she said, making Emilie lift her eyes to face her. ¡°If I was alone, I would just take the bridge and maybe ruin everything. You¡¯re smart and you saved me so many times because of that already. You said the day we met changed your life, but I believe the same happened to me. I don¡¯t think I would still be alive otherwise. I¡¯m really happy having you with me,¡± she said with a bright smile.


    Trying to hide her blushing face, Emilie looked down to the meat in front of her. Deep inside, those words made her happy.


    ¡°I see,¡± was the only words she let out.


    After putting the meat in the fire, Emilie sat beside Astrid on the trunk. It was big enough for them both, but her hips had to touch Astrid¡¯s hips. She felt a strong smell of sweat and mud coming from her partner¡¯s body, her red hair soiled with dirty. Emilie was used to that and she knew she herself wasn¡¯t in a better condition. When she was a teenager, being in that state would probably kill her in disgust.


    Yet, even if she accepted their harsh adventures now and its consequences, she liked to be the cleanest she could. That¡¯s why she pointed to a place on the map. By doing it, her body squeezed against Astrid.


    ¡°There¡¯s a lake here,¡± she said without facing her partner, too conscious about their proximity for that. ¡°We could spend the night around this area and take a bath.¡±


    ¡°Do I smell that bad?¡± Astrid asked, sniffing her arms.


    ¡°We both do,¡± Emilie paused. She kept her eyes on the map, without turning to Astrid as she said: ¡°I¡¯m used to it now, but your princess isn¡¯t. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be waiting for some beautiful knight to rescue her, not someone who looks like she was swimming in the mud.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Astrid said, letting her eyes rest on the big blue space on the map. ¡°And we can stop here again when we come back with her.¡±


    ¡°If we¡¯re not being followed.¡±


    After that, they ate dinner and went to sleep in the tent Astrid had put up. She carried it in her back and it was always useful in their travels, as it was safest than sleeping on the ground and also would give them a more efficient rest.


    The tent was small, but the two women could fit inside, even leaving space for someone else. Emilie didn¡¯t mind the small space they shared. Even though she lied with her back to Astrid, who left her armor and sword always close to her hand while sleeping.


    Even if she always faced the other side, Emilie liked to feel her partner¡¯s warm back against her. Listening to her breathing as her body moved, showing how she was alive. That always made her remember the first time she slept close to Astrid like that.

 The Kidnapped Princess - Part 2

    The young Emilie followed Astrid through the forest with difficulty, as her feet were hurting from walking and the branches of the trees getting in her way. It was hard to see in front of her eyes because of the lack of light. Her partner seemed to know exactly where she was going. But because of that, she didn¡¯t realize at first Emilie was falling behind. As soon as she saw the distance between them, she stopped and looked at the young noble girl with a smile.


    ¡°Sorry, sorry,¡± Astrid said in a friendly tone. ¡°You¡¯re not used to walking in these conditions, right?¡±


    ¡°Is this the way home?¡± Emilie asked, ignoring Astrid¡¯s question and putting up an arrogant air.


    ¡°No,¡± Emilie realized how fast Astrid walked back to her when she saw a hand extended towards her. In the thin moonlight, she saw the other girl speaking calmly. ¡°It¡¯s not safe to walk through this forest during the night.¡±


    Emilie held Astrid¡¯s hand and let her gaze examine the girl in front of her. The other girl was always outside so her skin was tanned. In contrast with Emilie pale skin. The same hand that minutes ago had a firm grip on a sword now was holding Emilie¡¯s hand with gentleness.


    Minutes before she had been saved by those pair of hands. Astrid killed the monster and stared surprised at Emilie, showing her a comforting smile after realizing who she was. She said she lost track of the time after training on the forest for too late. That¡¯s when she heard someone running. It was by chance that she met Emilie there.


    Even though she would never voice it, Emilie was happy for that accidental meeting. It saved her life after all.


    After getting over the scare, she started following Astrid steps. She though the other girl was leading her home.


    ¡°S-So, where are we going?¡± She finally spoke, taking her eyes off Astrid¡¯s hand.


    ¡°We¡¯ll look for shelter. A safe place to spend the night. When the sun is out, I¡¯ll escort you home.¡±


    ¡°S-Sleep?!¡± Emilie looked surprised, but Astrid was starting to move again already, now holding Emilie¡¯s hand.


    They arrived at a ravine around a lake. Following a path close to the lake, Astrid arrived at a stop below the ravine where they could be sheltered from monsters by the front, where the lake was and the back where the ravine was.


    ¡°Here is good enough,¡± she said, releasing the grip on Emilie¡¯s hand.


    She put the sword she had sheathed on her hip beside her and lied down on the soft ground. With her face in confusion, Emilie stared at her.


    ¡°Where are we supposed to sleep?¡±


    ¡°Here,¡± Astrid said, tapping the muddy ground.


    ¡°Here?!¡± Emilie replied, disgusted. Even in the dark, she could see how dirty that place with so few grasses and lots of muds was. After all, it was close to a river.


    ¡°You can¡¯t?¡± Astrid asked.


    ¡°Well,¡± Emilie stared at her dress, which was all ripped at the bottom. But other than that, it was made with really good fabric. Contrary to the cheap male¡¯s clothes Astrid was wearing. ¡°I-I¡¯m not used to lie on the mud. Or the dirty. I know I can¡¯t expect to find an actual bed around here, I know. But this is...¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s safe,¡± Astrid said, surveying around. ¡°It gives me time to react in case something approaches us, too..¡±


    ¡°I understand, but¡­¡± Emilie fiddled with the cloth of her dress. Deep down, she knew it wasn¡¯t fair to complain about that. But at the same time, she couldn¡¯t help it.


    ¡°I see,¡± Astrid said and Emilie could see her smile even in the dark. ¡°Come closer.¡±


    With careful steps, Emilie got close to Astrid¡¯s body, lying down on the mud. She gasped as her companion abruptly pulled her arm and hugged her body against hers. Blushing, Emilie threw the other girl a startled look.


    ¡°W-What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°This way you won¡¯t get dirty,¡± Astrid said, keeping a strong grip on Emilie¡¯s body.


    Since her body was on top of Astrid, she wouldn¡¯t touch the mud. Yet, being hugged and so close to the other girl that she could hear her heartbeats made her flustered.


    Astrid just gave her an innocent smile, ignorant to her discomfort.


    ¡°A-Are you really fine with that?¡± Emilie asked. Her face was so close with Astrid that she could feel the other girl¡¯s warm breath.


    ¡°Of course, why not? Oh, are you feeling uncomfortable? Is your body hurting?¡±


    ¡°N-No,¡± Emilie said, trying not to face Astrid. A difficulty feat because of their positions. ¡°I mean, you¡¯re a girl, so that¡¯s fine. But huh¡­¡±


    She thought about making a joke implying Astrid was probably as dirty as the ground at the point. She stopped herself. Even though she always thought the other girl was a savage, she was still a girl and that could hurt. She wasn¡¯t about to offend someone who just saved her life. So she just bit her lips.


    ¡°I see,¡± Astrid said with a smile. ¡°I never gave it too much though, but I think it would be bad for you staying like this with a man, right? I heard you¡¯re looking for a suitor. A marriage. People would talk. Well, not that I can understand it.¡±


    ¡°Are you the kind of girl who can spend the night with a man just like this?¡± Emilie asked, trying not to sound rude. She couldn¡¯t decipher the complex expression Astrid made.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not. I don¡¯t have experience with it.¡±


    ¡°So you never spent a night with a man?¡±


    ¡°No, never,¡± Astrid said and after a brief pause, added: ¡°Or with a woman.¡±


    Confused, Emilie wondered if Astrid had understood what she meant by spending the night. Yet, she didn¡¯t pressure the question further. On that state, even with her heart beating fast, she tried to sleep.


    She had her head leaning against Astrid¡¯s breast. Maybe the girl¡¯s heartbeat or the breathing was making her nervous but she couldn¡¯t relax. It wasn¡¯t an uncomfortable position. Astrid had more developed muscles than other girls but still less than the few men she had contact with. Lying against her was soft and warm. And even though she was dirty, it wasn¡¯t unpleasant.


    But she couldn¡¯t sleep. She tried to force her eyes shut and keep her mind clear. Yet, her own heartbeat wasn¡¯t about to calm down.


    ¡°Can¡¯t sleep?¡± Astrid asked with a gentle voice. ¡°Scared, maybe?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that,¡± Emilie answered, keeping her eyes closed. ¡°I¡¯m just not used to this.¡±


    ¡°To what? Sleeping in the open air? Or maybe¡­¡± Astrid stopped what she was about to say. Emilie felt a hand slowly and gently stroking her head. ¡°Wanna talk about something? It could help you relax if you don¡¯t see me as a complete stranger.¡±


    Emilie stood in silence for some minutes. There was something she wanted to ask Astrid. Something she was always curious about, for some reason. She finally gathered the courage to ask.


    ¡°You¡¯re training with a sword, right?¡±


    Astrid threw a glance the sword she let close to her hand, confused with the question.


    ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    ¡°Sorry, it¡¯s a stupid question. I know. What I wanted to inquire of you is why you¡¯re doing that.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± The confusion didn¡¯t disappear from Astrid¡¯s face.


    ¡°I mean, women can¡¯t become knights, right? You can¡¯t follow the path of the sword in your life. Not as a noble role¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s what you mean.¡±


    ¡°Why did Sir Hibbert agreed to make you his apprentice?¡±


    ¡°Sir Hibbert?¡± Astrid looked confused for a moment, but soon she seemed to understand. ¡°Oh, you mean Ken!¡±


    ¡°K-Ken?¡± Emilie¡¯s body shook with surprise in Astrid¡¯s arms. ¡°You call Sir Kennard Hibbert, Ken?¡±


    ¡°Yes. He asked me to call him that way. Ken said he left the capital because of all those formalities that didn¡¯t suit him.¡±Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    Emilie thought that made sense. She always wondered why someone as courageous and noble as Sir Hibbert was tasked to guarding such a small city.


    ¡°And yeah, I can¡¯t become a knight,¡± Astrid continued. ¡°But I don¡¯t mind. I told Ken I wanted to be an adventurer. Fight monsters, helping people, that kind of thing. He laughed at first. But after I asked him so many times, he agreed to teach me how to fight with a sword. He said even if the path of a knight isn¡¯t open with me, I can work as a mercenary.¡±


    ¡°Mercenary? As in those people fight for money?¡±


    Astrid nodded.


    ¡°But as a mercenary, I will be able to choose my jobs. I don¡¯t want to make people suffer. All I want is the freedom to see the world, meet new people, find new wonders.¡±


    Astrid had a bright smile on her face while explaining, but Emilie wasn¡¯t convinced. She avoided to look straight at the other girl¡¯s eyes and said with an uncertain tone: ¡°Are you really happy with such an uncertain path in life?¡±


    ¡°Uncertain path? Maybe you¡¯re right, but I don¡¯t see it like that. I don¡¯t have a family so I don¡¯t have a guaranteed future. I was raised as an orphan by the Church. Everyone says I¡¯m not that smart and I¡¯m rude so I never had the chance to be adopted by someone. I always thought I would end up becoming a nun and be confined in that city. So being a mercenary and traveling the world looks like a nice life compared to it.¡±


    Emilie realized she never had inquired about Astrid¡¯s family and knew nothing about her life except the few suppositions she made watching her on the streets sometimes. She couldn¡¯t understand how it felt living without a family.


    ¡°And you know,¡± Astrid said. ¡°I don¡¯t mean to judge you or anything. But it¡¯s your path in life that I can¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Emilie was confused as she never saw anyone question her life like that before.


    ¡°You¡¯re the same as the orphan girls I know. They dream of marrying a husband and have children. Maybe even make an aristocratic man fall in love with them. But what after that? When I ask them, they look confused. They don¡¯t get it. Marriage and children are all their future is about. There¡¯s nothing after that.¡±


    ¡°What is more to want? Isn¡¯t building a family what every woman is born to do?¡±


    ¡°But what after that? You¡¯ll just live forever inside your home, just taking care of your child while your husband goes out? Maybe he¡¯ll be the one traveling the world, but all you¡¯ll do is wait and guard his home. I can¡¯t understand that kind of life.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll support my husband and be a good mother.¡±


    Astrid silenced. Emilie could only hear her breathing. She could feel the body below her moving as Astrid let out a smile.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not trying to judge you. To me freedom is important but I believe every path can lead to happiness, as long as you choose it by yourself.¡±


    ¡°As long as I choose it¡­¡± Emilie repeated it to herself and neither girl said anything else that night. It didn¡¯t take long until they fell asleep.


    The next day Astrid guided Emilie safe home fast. As soon as she crossed the entrance of her house¡¯s gate, her parents ran to hug her, worried about why she didn¡¯t show up home last night. They were ready to take off looking for her as soon as the sun got up.


    She tried to tell them Astrid saved her, but as she turned behind the other girl was nowhere to be seen. Emilie threw a look in the church¡¯s direction. She decided to tell her parents everything later, but her conversation with Astrid during the night was going to be a secret. That conversation was still stuck inside her head.


    ***


    Emilie and Astrid looked at the entrance of the cave in front of them. They were hidden behind a large rock just in case the place was being watched by mercenaries. However, it looked safe. The shadow of the trees above them made it hard to see the entrance, some men could be ambushing inside.


    Emilie took a clipboard with a piece of paper off her bag and made a big circle at the bottom of the paper. Astrid stared with curiosity.


    ¡°It¡¯s for mapping our route. So we can find the safest route for when we¡¯re back.¡±


    The two women circled around the entrance, careful to not be seen for whoever could be inside. When they got close, they realized the opening was deserted. Emilie whispered ¡°As I thought¡± as the two went inside.


    The inside of the cave wasn¡¯t as dark as they expected. Some torches were burning on the walls, giving guidance to travelers. Astrid tried to move to her right but Emilie held her hand, stopping her. She pointed to a point in front of them with her head.


    ¡°We can walk through there,¡± she said in a whisper. Astrid realized there was a climb leading to a cliff circling the cave. ¡°That¡¯s probably the way travelers take.¡±


    Astrid climbed first and helped Emilie to follow her. As they walked following the cliff, they realized that was the best choice. The way Astrid was about to walk was full of the little creatures known as goblins. They were short naked creatures with wrinkled, dark greened skin and disfigured face. They had sharp ears and teeth and were jumping around and growling. Goblins favorite food was humans but even though they were ferocious creatures, they were still rather weak against anyone who knew how to fight. That¡¯s why they mostly went after children.


    Even though Astrid could easily kill the creatures, there were at least fifty of them just in that side of the cave. That would tire her out. She silently thanked Emilie again for stopping her before. The two women walked through the cliff. They had to crouch so their heads wouldn¡¯t hit the ceiling. The torches were scattered across that cliff and sometimes they crossed by the light, making shadows below where the swarm of goblins jumped. They didn¡¯t seem to mind as they looked too stupid to understand the meaning of that.


    They arrived at a gap in the middle of the cliff. Their only choices there was jumping to the other side or going down where the goblins were and climbing again. At least they could stand still at that point. Astrid looked the gap size and turned behind to her partner.


    ¡°Can you jump it?¡±


    ¡°I think so,¡± Emilie looked at the clipboard and the notes she had made since they went inside. ¡°And If I¡¯m right, the exit is very close by. I guess this cliff is used by travelers to cross the cave. That explains the torches.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Astrid got close to the gap and looked below. Even if they fell there, it wouldn''t be fatal. But the goblins would surely attack them. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll go first.¡±


    Astrid jumped with ease through the gap, even though she was carrying a tent on her back and a sword on her hips. She was used to that kind of physical effort. Astrid looked back to her partner with worry. She watched as Emilie hesitated to get closer to the gap.


    ¡°Throw me your bag!¡± Astrid yelled. The goblins then realized she was there and got excited. They started jumping around.


    ¡°Stop that!¡± Emilie tried to say back but Astrid just smiled.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, look. They can¡¯t climb,¡± Emilie looked below to realize to creatures were trying to climb with their weak limbs instead of turning around to go the same way they took. They could jump close to the cliff¡¯s height, but would never reach it. ¡°Just throw me your bag.¡±


    ¡°T-That¡¯s crazy and irresponsible!¡± Emilie shouted.


    She took off her bag and threw it to Astrid, who caught it in the air. Feeling lighter, Emilie took two steps back and rushed forward. She jumped.


    Her feet landed close to the gap on the other side. At the same time, Astrid ran towards her and hugged her close.


    ¡°T-There was no need for that,¡± Emilie said, feeling the blood going up to her face.


    ¡°Sorry, I got worried,¡± Astrid said with a smile and passed the bag back to Emilie.


    Emilie put the bag back on her back and started following Astrid again across the cliff. At first, the goblins below tried to follow them. But after some meters, they gave up and went back to the middle of the cave. When the two girls got to the end of the cliff, there was no creature below to bother them anymore.


    ¡°Stupid creatures,¡± Emilie said as she got down with Astrid¡¯s help.


    The cave¡¯s exit was just in front of them. Emilie took a deep breath as she walked in the sunlight¡¯s direction coming from the hole leading outside. Astrid, whoever, stopped in the midway, turning to her right. Not the way the goblins were before, but a bifurcation leading deep inside the cave.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Emilie asked but Astrid just shook her head.


    ¡°I thought I heard something but it¡¯s probably nothing.¡±


    The two women left the cave without any major issue and took the way towards the lake. They ate a piece of meat from last night without stopping at noon. It was late afternoon when they got to the lake.


    Astrid hunted a rabbit and after eating, they decided to take a bath. It was night and the big lake was shining with the bright moonlight above it. Astrid¡¯s reaction when she saw the lake was letting out a big smile. Even though she could endure days without bathing if it was needed, Emilie knew her partner hated getting dirty. Of course, being raised in the way she was, Emilie also wanted to be clean all the time.


    ¡°I wonder how the water¡¯s temperature is,¡± Astrid said, taking off her clothes.


    Even though Emilie was used to seeing her partner without clothes, she always blushed by seeing her tanned naked body. Emilie tried to deviate her eyes off Astrid¡¯s bare breasts as she took off her own clothes.


    ¡°I wish we hadn¡¯t left all the clean clothes at the hotel,¡± she said.


    ¡°We can¡¯t carry extra weight,¡± Astrid said and threw herself in the water with a splashing sound.


    Emilie removed all her clothes and turned to the lake to see the redhead swimming inside the water. Her long red hair looked like some kind of fish swarming around.


    ¡°How¡¯s the water?¡±


    Astrid lifted her head outside the water and her eyes were attracted by Emilie¡¯s naked form standing up at the side of the lake. After realizing she was being watched, Emilie felt a blush go up to her face.


    ¡°Hey!¡± she said. ¡°Stop staring!¡±


    ¡°S-Sorry,¡± Astrid said with a laugh. ¡°It¡¯s always an amazing view.¡±


    Even though she went for hardships after traveling together with the knight, Emilie still had a lot of her upbringings marks. Her skin, in particular, was pretty smooth and her hair lustrous. She didn¡¯t have muscles on her arms or belly like Astrid. Unrelated to her status, her breasts were bigger than Astrid.


    ¡°Even if you have some scratches now, you still look just like a doll,¡± Astrid said.


    ¡°Please, that¡¯s just how most girls are. When they¡¯re not savages,¡± Emilie said with a smile and walked forward. She put the thumb of her foot inside the water to feel the temperature. Since it looked pleasant, she let her body slowly submerge inside.


    Astrid swam to where Emilie was and grabbed her partner¡¯s hands. She squeezed them and Emilie felt her heartbeat becoming faster.


    ¡°I mean, your fingers are so white and smooth. They look so fragile and pretty,¡± Astrid said and her hand traveled Emilie¡¯s arms to her shoulder and slowly went down her hips. ¡°Even after exposing yourself so much¡­¡±


    ¡°Stop,¡± Emilie said, trying to make an angry face that looked fake.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Astrid said back with a bitter smile. ¡°Did I gross you out?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that.¡±


    Astrid swam back deep in the lake, keeping some distance from Emilie.


    ¡°I mean, you know that I¡­¡±


    ¡°I said it¡¯s not that,¡± Emilie let her body submerge completely below the water and when she got up again, she realized Astrid had a sad expression. It was a beautiful image in the light of the moon. She felt guilty by appreciating Astrid¡¯s body after scolding her for doing the same. ¡°You don¡¯t gross me out. Even if you like girls.¡±


    The smile on Astrid¡¯s face looked more sincere and bright. Yet, she had a blush over her face and looked nervous and timid. In times like that, Emilie reminded herself that she was traveling with a woman just her age. They were probably not that different when it came to those kinds of feelings. Astrid actually looked more delicate than her.


    ¡°You think she¡¯ll feel the same? Will she accept me?¡± Astrid asked with that timid voice.


    Emilie knew exactly what she meant. That whole mission was to make Astrid meet the girl she had always been in love with it. A love she never thought would go anywhere since the target was of royal blood. A princess.

 The Kidnapped Princess - Part 3

    After their first meeting, Emilie kept in touch with Astrid. They would always meet in secret as Emilie family would surely be against it, given Astrid¡¯s status and character. So she often ran away from home between classes to meet Astrid on a secret spot behind the church. The place was an old abandoned school, so they could sit around and talk to each other without anyone to bother.


    It was always a conviction while watching Astrid for Emilie that she was probably a dirty girl with no worries with her appearance. That prejudice disappeared as she started to meet with a tidy and clean girl, always trying to look her best, with moderation. Astrid always smelled nice when they saw each other, which together with her melodious voice, gave Emilie a nice impression. She was still somewhat wild, though, and that always amazed the young aristocrat who had to deal with lots of rules all her life during all the time.


    One of the first questions Emilie made was if Astrid wanted to be a boy, which made the girl laugh, answering: ¡°holding a sword doesn¡¯t make me less of a girl¡±. She was always skipping around when they were together while Emilie had to sit tight, scared with the idea of staining her dress. But soon she realized she was having fun on those moments when the two of them were together. Yet, something in Astrid fascinated and scared her but she couldn¡¯t tell for sure what was the reason.


    It was during one of those meetings that Emilie learned about another important aspect of Astrid. Before leaving home, she learned the Royal Family would cross through their city on that day and they would give a speech to their people. Astrid had learned that from Ken, who said he wouldn¡¯t be around at the time. She had little interest in watching it but Emilie pretty much forced her to.


    ¡°If I go with my family, I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll force me to greet them, so I want to see them from a hidden spot. Please, come with me.¡±


    While the whole Royal Family looked like something from another world, the princess was the one catching everyone¡¯s eyes. Princess Sonia Lowell was the only heir of the Lowell Kingdom royal family. She was a girl just one year younger than Astrid and Emilie. Her blonde hair was even longer than Emilie and her bangs were almost at the height of her eyes. She had an angelic smile all the time and bright blue eyes. The princess was wearing a long and perfectly tidy white dress and walked around with the grace of royalty.


    At a moment, when the royal family was walking back to their carriage, a little boy fell in front of them and threw mud on the princess¡¯ dress by accident. Everyone went silent. The king gave a scary look and the queen looked terrified. The boy was about to start crying when the princess let out a smile and reached her hand to him.


    ¡°Come now, don¡¯t cry,¡± she said with a soft voice and the boy held her hand. She helped him to stand up. ¡°Are you hurt?¡±


    The boy shook his head. The princess said something inaudible to her father and turned back to the boy with a gold coin. She put it in his hand.


    ¡°I¡¯m very sorry for what happened,¡± she said. ¡°Here, I¡¯m sorry for scaring you. Buy something for you.¡±


    The boy nodded energetically, and walked away skipping along and calling his mother. The princess watched him go with a smile and the royal family got back to their carriage to continue their travel home.


    As they walked back to the old school building, Emilie realized Astrid had a big smile on her face. She found it weird and called her friend¡¯s attention.


    ¡°What¡¯s that? Why do you look so happy?¡±


    ¡°Do I?¡± Astrid asked with a smile. ¡°Well, it¡¯s just, you know. I¡¯m happy I came after all.¡±


    ¡°Huh? And why is that?¡±


    ¡°Princess Lowell was lovely, wasn¡¯t she?¡±


    Emilie stopped on her feet, making Astrid stop as well. She frowned her eyebrow and let out a questioning voice.


    ¡°Princess Lowell? Since when you care about royalty or titles?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t, I just¡­¡±


    ¡°You call me Emilie. You call Sir Hibbert, Ken. But she¡¯s Princess Lowell? And why are you in such a good mood suddenly? When you didn¡¯t even want to come.¡±


    ¡°I, huh,¡± Astrid avoided looking into Emilie¡¯s eyes. She looked nervous as her eyes moved around. ¡°C-Can I confess something? We¡¯re friends, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I guess. What is it?¡±


    ¡°W-When we get back¡­¡±


    At the moment they finally arrived, Astrid made her confession. Emilie just looked at her in confusion.


    ¡°You like women? That¡¯s it?¡±


    ¡°Do you think that¡¯s wrong?¡± Astrid asked, looking scared of her friend¡¯s answer.


    ¡°Wrong? I don¡¯t think I get you. You like women? I do like women, too. Or at least, I don¡¯t hate them. Or us.¡±


    ¡°No, not like that. Huh, how can I¡­¡± Astrid stopped for a moment and seemed to fall in deep thought. Emilie was just looking at her, intrigued. ¡°Remember when you asked me if I had spent the night with a man? Like that. I wouldn¡¯t spend a night with a man, but I would maybe with a woman. Not that I ever did.¡±


    Emilie stopped. She processed her friend''s words and nodded slightly.


    ¡°I think I get it,¡± she said with a serious tone. ¡°But if it¡¯s like that, I think you have a problem. You can¡¯t marry a woman, for example.¡±


    ¡°I-I know,¡± Astrid still looked nervous. ¡°I can¡¯t marry a woman but Ken said he met people like me. Women who like women and men who like men. He met some who lived happily together and he didn¡¯t find anything wrong with it,¡± then Astrid lowered her voice, as if afraid to make the next question. ¡°Do you think that¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Wrong? I don¡¯t think it¡¯s wrong,¡± Emilie said but her expression still seemed bothered.


    ¡°Your face tells otherwise.¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s wrong or illegal. I mean, I never gave it any thought before, but that¡¯s fine. Something does bother me, though. Why do you like Princess Lowell?¡±


    ¡°Why? Well, she¡¯s very beautiful,¡± Astrid¡¯s face turned into a big smile. ¡°And the way she helped that kid. She¡¯s very nice and humble, too. Even though she was raised in a wealthy house.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Emilie said and crossed her arms. ¡°So, which one I¡¯m not?¡±


    ¡°Which? I-I don¡¯t get it¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not beautiful? Nice? Humble? I mean, I¡¯m not different from her. I was also born in a wealthy house and I would say I¡¯m even physically close to her. So, considering you like women, why did you like her but not me? What¡¯s the reason?¡±


    ¡°Why? I, I don¡¯t understand. Do you want me to like you? I do love you, but¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s now what this is about,¡± Emilie let out a sigh and left her arms to hang, forcing a smile. ¡°You know what, forget it, okay?¡±


    ¡°I really don¡¯t understand, but,¡± and Astrid looked afraid again as she asked: ¡°Does it change anything between us?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Emilie paused for a minute, staring at Astrid¡¯s nervous face. ¡°I just don¡¯t get. If you¡¯re not marrying a man, you can¡¯t become a mother, either.¡±


    ¡°Maybe so. But I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a problem. It was never something I wanted.¡±


    Emilie started to remember their first conversation at the forest. And, for some reason, a bad feeling started to grow inside her. Something like a fear she couldn¡¯t truly understand. She avoided her eyes and tried to erase it from inside her head.


    ¡°I see. I can¡¯t really understand your position in that matter. However, we¡¯re friends. That won¡¯t change.¡±


    Astrid held Emilie¡¯s hand in a jump. Turning her face to protest, Emilie saw tears on Astrid¡¯s relieved face.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    ¡°Thanks, Emilie. Thanks.¡±


    It was years later when they were already traveling and having adventures together that Emilie learned about the princess kidnapping. She also learned about the King¡¯s promise to give his daughter¡¯s hand in marriage to whoever rescued her. In practice, it was a promise to become the future ruler of the kingdom. It made sense, considering how a hero becoming king was enough prestige and the princess was an only child.


    At first, that news made Emilie¡¯s stomach turn. It was true that the princess was being offered as a prize to her own rescue. It wasn¡¯t uncommon to use daughters as just tools to the family¡¯s future, as she experienced herself. Even if she knew that was natural in their society, the thoughts of the life she ran away from came back and made her angry.


    However, she did realize the royal proclamation didn¡¯t make any mention of gender, opening the probability of the princess marrying another woman. Since there was no female knights and even female mercenaries were a rarity, it made sense that the King would ignore that detail. But that was a loophole, and as a royal proclamation, he would be forced to keep it. So that was a chance for Astrid, who Emilie believed was strong and brave, to marry with the girl she fell in love that day in their past. After all, even during their travels, sometimes she would mention the princess with a dreamy look.


    She hesitated at first knowing that doing it would probably mean losing Astrid. But in the end her loyalty and wish to see her partner happy won over her and she presented the plan to rescue the princess and survive it.


    ***


    ¡°So let¡¯s talk about it again,¡± Emilie said, opening the map in front of them.


    The two had got out of the lake. And while their clothes were still dirty, they definitely smelled better than before. Astrid¡¯s shiny red hair was still wet because of its length while Emilie¡¯s short hair had dried already. Now that her partner didn¡¯t smell as bad, getting that close to her made Emilie even more nervous.


    ¡°Are you sure he has a dragon?¡± Astrid asked, ignoring the blush forming on Emilie¡¯s face close to her.


    ¡°Y-Yes. Sir Gray Corwin belongs to a respectable family of dragon hunters. He is a formidable dragon hunter himself. One of the reasons for their success is the ability to tame dragons. It¡¯s a secret the family Corwin found and use to their gain. Using dragons themselves to help catch and kill other dragons. I¡¯m sure he would use one to guard the place where he kept the princess until they attended his demands. Money,¡± Emilie said and stopped herself. It was true the kidnapper, Sir Corwin, had asked for an absurd value to release the princess. But knowing his family story, that didn¡¯t make sense to her. She imagined something else could have been his intention.


    ¡°And you say we should avoid the dragon,¡± Astrid said. Looking just at the map, she didn¡¯t realize Emilie complexed expression.


    ¡°Yes. We should only face the dragon as a last retort. For now, we avoid it. Look,¡± she made a big circle around the tower showing in the map. ¡°This is the tower where the princess is confined right now. According to my studies on this dragon, this is its field of vision from the tower height. Maybe it¡¯s flying around instead but then we¡¯ll see it easily. We have to find a way to block the vision from above as soon as we cross the bridge. I believe the best way is going inside this forest,¡± she made an arrow pointing to a forest starting just to the side of the bridge.¡± If they¡¯re not patrolling the old bridge, we¡¯ll be at an advantage. But even if we¡¯re seen, we should go back and rethink our strategy.¡±


    ¡°You think I can¡¯t kill a dragon?¡± This time Astrid looked right at Emilie, who avoided staring back at her.


    ¡°I made preparations for that possibility. A dragon¡¯s weak point is its heart. Their heart is big and it¡¯s in their chest so it shouldn¡¯t be a big problem. If that was all, killing a dragon would be way easier. They have protection on their thorax practically impossible to pierce or breakthrough. When a dragon breathes fire, its bones move and it creates a circle opening on that same spot, leaving a radius of twenty centimeters of vulnerability where you can easily pierce. That¡¯s why your sword this time is thinner than you usually hold. For the possibility of fighting it. However, while the dragon is breathing fire, attacking it from head-on is crazy and irresponsible. Even dragon hunters usually bring mercenaries to distract the dragon before they attack and strike from a surprise point. Or another dragon when it comes to the Corwin family.¡±


    ¡°I see. And fighting Corwin himself is out of question, right?¡±


    ¡°You said it yourself, that Sir Hibbert didn¡¯t recognize you as his disciple at the end. Sir Corwin is the second best swordsman in the Lowell Kingdom. He only lost to Sir Hibbert himself. You can win against mercenaries and most bandits, but knights are on a whole different level. Facing him is also crazy and irresponsible.¡±


    ¡°It looks like everything is against the odds,¡± Astrid said with a bitter smile. ¡°Can we even do it?¡±


    ¡°We have faced hard situations together before,¡± Emilie said with a smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll always have your back.¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯m grateful again for having someone as smart as you by my side.¡±


    The two women spend the night there and departed again early at dawn. The old bridge they found was curiously well maintained, which made Emilie worry about how much that route was being neglected. But they crossed it without any issues and got to the other side, Astrid leading the way. While well maintained, the bridge did shake a lot. But Emilie was used to that and could recognize it was sturdy enough to let two or even three adults people cross.


    When their feet touched firm land, Emilie turned to her side in the forest direction but a loud roar and flapping of wings far away interrupted her. She looked up to see a flying creature approaching them.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go back!¡± She shouted at Astrid.


    But Astrid didn¡¯t move. Instead, she held her sword and let her eyes examine the creature approaching them.


    ¡°Hide in the forest, Emilie,¡± she said with a serious voice.


    ¡°But!¡± Emilie tried to pull Astrid¡¯s arm.


    ¡°Maybe we can still cross back but if it destroys the bridge, we¡¯re done.¡±


    ¡°Then come with me!¡±


    ¡°Trust in me. Try to find the best route to the tower while I fight that monster. I¡¯ll catch up with you.¡±


    Emilie tried to argue but seeing the fierce look Astrid was giving and the smile on her face, she gave up. She gave some steps back and shook her head.


    ¡°That¡¯s crazy and irresponsible,¡± she said as she ran inside the forest.


    ***


    Astrid walked some meters ahead to leave the cliff behind her and waited. It didn¡¯t take much until the monster arrived and floated just above her. It was a giant. Its wings flapping made a wind that threw Astrid¡¯s hair in disarray. Its breathing making sparks from its nose.


    The very first attack the monster made was a huge gulf of fire. It wasn¡¯t that fast and Astrid jumped to the side, avoiding being hit by it. Since the monster was still on the air, she couldn¡¯t counter-attack.


    She reminded Emilie¡¯s instructions before they even left the hotel for their mission.


    ¡°Dragons will try to stay out of range but their stamina is limited. Breathing out a huge quantity of fire will tire them out easily. Most dragon will land after the first breathing. Dragons with more endurance will be able to use it two or three times.¡±


    Astrid waited in her place for the next attack. While being on air, there wasn¡¯t much the creature could do but breathe fire, and that would make it land sooner or later. Flapping its wings, the dragon turned to Astrid again and let out another gulf of fire through its mouth. Astrid successfully dodged it again.


    She wondered if it would do it a third time, but the creature showed signs of being tired, flapping its wings in slower movements. It started to fly lower and soon landed on the land, making the earth shake below Astrid¡¯s feet.


    ¡°Well, the true fight starts now,¡± she said, wielding her sword and slowly walking in the dragon¡¯s direction.


    But the first attack was not as she expected. Instead of breathing fire again, the creature turned its back and hit her with its tail. Astrid felt her body being thrown with force to the side. She landed at the ground just in time to get back up and jumping back as the dragon closed its mouth on the same space she was.


    She wielded her sword again. Now, having felt death so close, her hands were shaking and her heart beating strong.


    ¡°I¡¯m done,¡± she thought.


    At the moment, what came to her mind wasn¡¯t the thought of the princess still locked up inside the tower but her partner still waiting up for her inside the forest. She would surely cry for her partner¡¯s death. But even worse, maybe she wouldn¡¯t even be able to go back to safety alone.


    Giving a deep breath, Astrid straightened her grip on her sword. She calmed down and looked at the creature in front of her. She had been careless thinking the creature would use fire again, but now she was prepared. When the dragon tried to use its tail again, she jumped away, avoiding it with success.


    The monster was facing her and she smiled at it, provoking it.


    The dragon gave out a big roar and threw fire through its mouth again. Astrid jumped to the side and ran ahead, getting closer to the creature. When the dragon tried to use its tail again, Astrid pierced it with the point of her sword and using it as a support, jumped over it. She wielded her sword again, now painted with the black blood of the creature and let out another smile.


    The dragon growled and tried to step back but Astrid ran in its direction.


    Then with another huge roar, the dragon let out a huge burst of fire. Astrid let her body fall and made a slide that left her right below the dragon. Through the dragon¡¯s skin, she could see the bones moving, closing up the vulnerable point leading to its heart. It was her last change. Before her body even stopped sliding, she used her left hand as a support and raised her body. As soon as she was on her feet, she gave a jump and reached with her sword upwards. It gave a metallic sound as it got stuck by the dragon¡¯s closed bones.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t make it,¡± Astrid said with a laugh. ¡°It¡¯s over¡­¡±


    But she realized the liquid leaking through it, painting her sword black. Soon the leaking became a shower, raining blood over her head. The protection opened up again, allowing her to remove the sword and fall back to the ground. She was stunned at first but as soon as she realized what was going on, she jumped away, just before the huge creature¡¯s body fell, making the ground shake below her.


    Cleaning the blood away from her eyes, she stared at the monster lying in front of her, the body of the dead dragon, not believing it.


    ¡°I...killed it,¡± she said and let out a smile, watching the black blood streaming through the green grass. ¡°It¡¯s dead¡­¡±


    Then something rang inside her head. Soon mercenaries would be there, or maybe even the dragon¡¯s lord, and she wasn¡¯t in conditions of fighting back. Her whole body was hurting after the impact she suffered by the dragon¡¯s tail and she was exhausted.


    With her eyes blurry by the blood she was bathed on, she walked to the forest. If there was a monster inside, she probably wouldn¡¯t be able to fight it either but it was her only option. She couldn¡¯t even run and was almost dragging her own body.


    She got inside the forest and then suddenly her vision became black. Something was wrong. She felt her body lose strength. As she tried to lean against a tree, Astrid felt a familiar warm embrace her.

 The Kidnapped Princess - Part 4

    Astrid opened her eyes and, little by little, she started to recognize the worried face in front of her. Emilie had her right hand over Astrid¡¯s forehead and seemed on the verge of tears.


    Astrid tried to stand up but a strong headache stopped her.


    ¡°Calm down,¡± Emilie said with a whisper. ¡°You¡¯re not fine yet.¡±


    ¡°W-What happened?¡± Astrid asked. She knew the hit she got from the dragon was strong. But somehow she felt worse in her own body. Like the headache and some vertigo.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s my fault. That was a Black Dragon, after all. They¡¯re a rare kind of dragons, but their blood is toxic. I should¡¯ve warned you. If I had realized it first...¡±


    ¡°Will I be fine, then?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s toxic but not lethal. Feeling nauseous and losing conscience is common, but you¡¯ll live. I washed it off you, so you should be fine after a rest. You need more time.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Astrid looked around. She had her back leaning against a wall of rocks. There was light coming through an opening a little far which made her think they were inside some kind of grotto. ¡°H-How long have I been out?¡±


    ¡°Some hours. But don¡¯t worry, we¡¯re safe here,¡± Emilie said and held Astrid¡¯s hand. ¡°I was so afraid. I was afraid I would never see you again. I can¡¯t believe you killed that monster. I can¡¯t believe¡­¡± She stared at Astrid with her teary eyes.


    ¡°The princess, she¡­¡± Astrid tried to stand up but Emilie gently held her down.


    ¡°The princess will be fine. Going after her right now is suicide. They won¡¯t harm her.¡±


    ¡°But they could take her away.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Emilie nodded slowly. ¡°But there¡¯s nothing we can do. I know saving her is important for you but your life is more important to me. I won¡¯t let you die either. Just rest. We¡¯ll worry about it when you¡¯re better.¡±


    Astrid still tried to protest. However, she felt her eyes getting heavy and her mind cloud as she started to lose conscience.


    When her eyes opened again, she felt better. She realized a patch made of pieces of cloth on her body where the dragon attacked, probably made by Emilie. Emilie herself was sleeping beside her, with her head leaning against Astrid¡¯s shoulder and her fingers grasping her partner¡¯s hand. Astrid smiled and kissed the blonde strands of hair close to her face.


    Since only the faint light of a fire in front of them gave any light, it was probably night or dawn. Looking to her side, Astrid realized a roasted piece of rabbit meat and a jar of water set up for her.


    ¡°Did she hunt it?¡± She thought to herself and took it as she was starving.


    ¡°Hm...are you up?¡± A sleepy voice asked beside her. Astrid turned her head to see Emilie rubbing her eyes.


    Astrid looked at her partner and nodded with a smile.


    ¡°You took care of me through all day, right? Thanks. I owe you my life again. Did you sleep well?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I went to sleep as soon as the sun set down. It¡¯ll probably be up soon.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Astrid realized a complex expression on Emilie¡¯s face. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s just. Yesterday I went out to hunt. I was wary about the possibilities of meeting up with mercenaries, but there was no one around. That¡¯s weird, they should at least be looking for you after what you did.¡±


    ¡°So what you think happened?¡±


    ¡°Maybe they moved the princess to another location. But that doesn¡¯t make sense. Sir Corwin was the one who gave her location so he was probably expecting someone would come trying to rescue her. In fact, lots of people already tried it. I think he might be guarding the tower himself. If that¡¯s the case, we have a problem.¡±


    ¡°I could fight him, maybe. I did kill a dragon,¡± Astrid said, finishing her meat and drinking from the jar.


    ¡°Are you confident you can kill another dragon?¡± Emilie asked, tilting her head with a smile.


    ¡°Not at all,¡± Astrid said with a laugh.


    ***


    The two women got back to their mission as soon as the sun was up. Emilie had marked their best route the last day so she guided the way. She was worried about Astrid¡¯s wounds but Astrid assured she was fine making fast movements with her sword.


    They soon arrived at the end of that forest. At their front, beyond the trees, was the large tower the princess was supposed to be imprisoned. They were cautious hiding behind rocks but Emilie had a curious frown on her face.


    ¡°Looks unguarded,¡± she said. ¡°Weird.¡±


    ¡°Maybe they moved her after all?¡±


    ¡°Or they¡¯re trying to ambush us. Be cautious.¡±


    The two women stepped out of their hiding place and walked to the entrance. Emilie was cautious, looking around waiting for someone to jump out and assault them, both but no one showed up. They tried to open the front door and surprisingly it was unlocked.


    ¡°Maybe they really took her away,¡± Emilie said as she stepped inside.


    They walked the stairs leading to the top. The tower seemed to be empty inside except for the room at the very top. Astrid went ahead and Emilie watched as her partner¡¯s excited steps rushed forward.


    When they arrived at the door at the top, Astrid tried to open it. It was locked up. The redhead looked back as if asking Emilie for help.


    ¡°Try to break the lock. Kick it. Or try cutting it with your sword or something.¡±


    Astrid looked at the lock. It looked sturdy and there was no way to put her sword between the crack. She took a step back and kicked the door with all her sword.


    ¡°H-Hey!¡± Emilie said with a worried face. ¡°At least give a warm. What if she¡¯s behind it.¡±


    ¡°Oh, r-right,¡± Astrid said and shouted at the door: ¡°If you¡¯re there, keep away from the door!¡±


    She gave another kick. The door budged a little but was still intact.


    Taking a deep breath, Astrid moved two steps back. With a jump, she landed another kick and the lock gave up. The door moved slightly, revealing the passage.


    ¡°T-That was a bit anticlimactic,¡± Emilie said with a smile.


    Astrid smiled back at her and opened the door. They surveyed inside. At first, it looked like the room was empty. There was a big table at the center, a chair in front of it and a bookshelf at the corner. There was an entrance for another room, probably where the hostage used as a washroom. At the side opposite to the bookshelf, there was a large bed.


    For a moment, Astrid stared disappointed at the empty room, until Emilie pointed to the bed.


    ¡°I think someone is sleeping there,¡± she said. Astrid looked at it and realized what she had taken as a bunch of sheets was slowly moving, as if someone was breathing inside it.


    She approached the bed and pulled the sheets off. She was taken aback by the view of a young woman peacefully sleeping below it. Her long blonde hairs spread all over the bed and her pale skin showing at the spaces of her thin pink nightdress.


    For a moment, Astrid only stared at her, as if magically charmed by the vision. Then she reached her hand carefully. As if touching that fragile-looking skin would break her.


    Looking from behind Astrid, Emilie let out a sigh and approached her partner, touching her shoulder. She went to where the young woman was sleeping and gently shook her body.


    ¡°Princess. Wake up. It¡¯s not good for someone in your position to oversleep.¡±


    ¡°E-Emilie!¡± Astrid said, looking startled.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. She¡¯s not a goddess or something. And we should get out of here as fast as possible for her own good.¡±


    The princess turned on the bed and grunted something. She opened her eyes and stared at the woman in front of her. Emilie had given space to Astrid, so she was the first person the princess laid her eyes on. Her blue eyes shining even in the thin light of the room. She moved her long bangs away from her vision. Even if her nightdress was thin, it was impossible to see through it and it covered everything below her neck.


    She made a confused expression as she stared right at the young woman wearing armor in front of her.


    ¡°W-What? Are are you?¡± She asked with her soft voice.


    Astrid took the princess¡¯ hand gently and gave her a reassuring smile.


    ¡°Princess Sonia Lowell. My name is Astrid. I¡¯m here to rescue you.¡±


    The princess stared at Astrid for some seconds. Then her eyes moved to the broken door, to Emilie standing behind and then back to Astrid.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡± She asked again. ¡°You¡¯re a woman, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, she is,¡± Emilie said, walking to Astrid¡¯s side. ¡°We¡¯ll explain everything once we¡¯re out of here. We don¡¯t know when Sir Corwin¡¯s men will come and we better be away when that happens. For now,¡± Emilie stared at the princess¡¯s dress. ¡°Do you have something easier to move?¡±


    ¡°Only my royal dress.¡±


    ¡°Not perfect, but better. Can you change, please? And while we¡¯re at it, do you have any food left?¡±


    ¡°B-below the table,¡± the princess said, still sleepy while getting out the bed. ¡°It¡¯s from yesterday night, but I think it¡¯s still good.¡±


    ¡°So yesterday someone still brought you food, huh?¡± Emilie said, mostly to herself. ¡°Anyway, please hurry.¡±


    The princess went to her washroom and came back wearing a long royal dress. It probably wouldn¡¯t be easier to walk but her legs were better covered than the night dress and the fabric was thicker. Emilie put the nightdress in her bag, grabbed the pot with food and they walked away.


    Emilie was worried there would be an ambush once they exited the tower, but the place was deserted. Instead of that fact make her relieved, it made her worry even more. For sure Sir Corwin knew what had happened at that point. And there was no mercenary around either.


    Despite the place looking deserted, they walked inside the forest to use the same way they came, hidden from sight.


    After at least one hour walking, the princess stopped behind them and put her hands on her knees.


    ¡°Princess?¡± Astrid asked, looking behind her.


    ¡°C-Can we stop to rest?¡± She asked out of breath.


    ¡°Princess,¡± Emilie said, turning to her direction. ¡°I know you¡¯re not used to walking that much, but if we lose more time¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not the distance,¡± the princess said. Her eyes focusing on her feet. ¡°I can walk this far but this forest is hard to keep going. I think I have a thorn inside my shoe. My ankles hurt.¡±


    ¡°I do understand, but¡­¡±


    Astrid made a signal for Emilie to let go and approached the princess. She turned her back and crouched in front of her, leaving her arms behind.


    ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll carry you.¡±


    ¡°A-Are you sure?¡± The princess asked, looking at Astrid¡¯s back.


    ¡°Sure. Come on.¡±


    The princess let her body lean against Astrid¡¯s armor and hugged her from behind. Astrid stood up, holding the princess¡¯ legs with her arms. They started their walking again.


    ¡°Won¡¯t you get tired like that?¡± Emilie asked. She could almost hear how fast Astrid¡¯s heart was beating. Which made sense as she had the woman she had desired so close to her.


    ¡°Not a problem,¡± Astrid gave a smile. ¡°Remember when I did it for you?¡±


    ¡°S-Shut up,¡± Emilie hid her face from Astrid¡¯s view. ¡°I adapted fast.¡±


    ¡°Still, you were so light and frail that time. Just like she is.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying I¡¯m heavy now?¡±


    ¡°Uh, excuse me,¡± the princess said in a gracious voice. ¡°I am glad you¡¯re rescuing me, but since we¡¯re talking now, can I make some questions? Can you tell me why my father didn¡¯t send his men to my rescue? And how come I¡¯m being rescued by a woman? I didn¡¯t think we had female knights.¡±


    ¡°Your father did send some of his men at first,¡± Emilie said. ¡°But you were kidnapped by one of the best knights in the kingdom and one of the few who knew how to kill and even use a dragon, so¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid most of them died trying to reach you,¡± Astrid said with a reluctant voice. However, the princess answer was indifferent and emotionless.


    ¡°I see. I guess that¡¯s expected. But if my father asked people outside knighthood to rescue me, he must have put a prize for it, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, actually,¡± Emilie paused and gave the answer feeling a bad feeling in her stomach as it evoked her own memories. ¡°Your father promised your hand in marriage.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± the princess said and silenced. For some minutes all they could hear was their steps on the ground, the wind moving the trees and the birds chirping around. After a long pause, she finally spoke again. ¡°I should¡¯ve guessed. A knight or mercenary brave enough would deserve the rule the kingdom and,¡± another pause, then she gives out a smile. ¡°And being the father of the king¡¯s heirs,¡± another pause, her arms hugged stronger Astrid¡¯s body. ¡°But since the one who rescued me was a woman, I guess you¡¯re asking for something else?¡±


    Another silence. Astrid didn¡¯t say anything and Emilie was the one who answered, feeling her partner¡¯s anxiety.


    ¡°Actually, not. She wants your hand in marriage. That¡¯s why my partner traveled all this way to rescue you.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± the princess said and didn¡¯t voice anything else.


    ¡°A-Are you against it?¡± Astrid asking with a nervous voice.


    ¡°I never had a say in it so no. I just assumed because, you know. But my father¡¯s word is what matters, and I believe he¡¯ll keep it. Although he probably won¡¯t be happy, since he can¡¯t expect an heir out of us,¡± she paused again. When she spoke again, her voice seemed softer. ¡° But the idea of marrying a woman is refreshing.¡±


    ¡°Refreshing?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I was never supposed to be the one who¡¯ll rule the kingdom, after all. Since my birth, my role was always to be just a body to marry an important man and give my father a true an heir, which means a male heir. But if I¡¯m marrying another woman, I guess that¡¯s over.¡±


    ¡°S-So, are you happy with it?¡±


    ¡°Happy? I¡¯m not sure. I¡¯m intrigued.¡±


    Emilie was listening to the whole conversation while looking ahead. It made her stomach turn because of how much she could understand the princess¡¯ feelings. She recognized the tone she was using and what it meant.


    ¡°But,¡± the princess said again. ¡°You probably know my father will find a way to have another heir, right? We won¡¯t rule the kingdom, you won¡¯t become a queen. Why did you come to rescue me with the intention of marrying me?¡±


    ¡°I,¡± Astrid failed to answer and Emilie let out a laugh.


    ¡°My partner here has admired you since we were just young girls, princess,¡± Emilie said with a smirk. ¡°She did it for you.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± the princess also let out a smirk herself. ¡°Are you saying you did it out of love?¡±


    ¡°I, I mean,¡± Astrid said with her face turning completely red. ¡°I do like you, princess. And I do like girls. So¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm,¡± the princess hugged Astrid tight and whispered in her ear. ¡°Must feel nice to carry the woman you love like this then, right?¡±


    Astrid felt her heart jump and gasped. Sonia giggled.


    Emilie just glanced back in silence with a serious face. Sonia¡¯s eyes met hers and she turned back at the same moment.


    When they arrived at the same cave Emilie and Astrid used as a shelter before, she suggested them to rest there. There was a high chance the mercenaries would a be on the bridge and they would likely have to fight soon so Astrid should feel rested. Sonia complained about having to sleep in a cave at first, but Emilie said it was better than their other options.


    ¡°We could¡¯ve hired a horse and fight the enemies head on to rescue you,¡± she said. ¡°We would probably be dead just like the knights who did it.¡±


    Later, when Astrid was out the cave surveying around and Sonia and Emilie were left alone, the princess started a conversation.


    ¡°You know,¡± she said leaning against the cave¡¯s wall and looking at the dirt on her dress. ¡°I was watching you this whole time and I might be wrong but, you¡¯re from a noble family, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Emilie, who was sitting in front of Sonia and preparing their food for the night, lifted her head to look at her.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Your manners, like the way you talk or walk. Your body also looks more dignified. You seem like someone who read a lot of books. I¡¯m not saying it as an insult but Astrid is somewhat a crude woman. She¡¯s pretty and nice but it shows. You two have clearly opposite upbrings.¡±


    ¡°Emilie Stacks,¡± Emilie said, turning her eyes back to the food. ¡°That¡¯s my name.¡±


    ¡°Stacks? From the Stacks family?¡± Sonia¡¯s body arched forward in a startle. ¡°Wait, you¡¯re the runaway daughter of the Stacks family!¡±


    Emilie let out a smile without saying anything.


    ¡°I knew it. My judgment is always on point. So, did you met Astrid after running away or¡­¡±


    ¡°I ran away with her. We lived in the same town.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m really curious about that. But wait, aren¡¯t you afraid to be found out? You¡¯re going to have a lot of attention after helping to rescue a royalty, after all.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t use my surname anymore. I doubt they would even recognize me now. And Astrid will be the hero, not me.¡±


    ¡°You might be right,¡± Sonia leaned against the wall again. She stared back at Emilie who was still focused on her task. ¡°Say, are you okay with how things are now? If I and Astrid get married.¡±


    ¡°So what?¡± Emilie lifted her eyes with a serious face. ¡°If Astrid is happy, then¡­¡±


    ¡°You threw your life away for her, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Was that life even worth protecting?¡±


    Sonia let out a bitter smile. But still persisted.


    ¡°I mean, don¡¯t you like-¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s here,¡± Emilie interrupted as the sound of steps announced Astrid¡¯s arrival.


    Later that night, Sonia slept with her body leaning against Astrid¡¯s left side. Astrid was leaning against the wall. She has suggested the princess sleep like that because it was more comfortable. Emilie was leaning against the wall across them and staring at both women.


    ¡°Must be nice, huh?¡± She said.


    ¡°She¡¯s very soft and warm,¡± Astrid said with a smile and moved the blonde hair off the princess¡¯ sleeping face. ¡°She¡¯s hard sleeping. She was probably too tired.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, being kidnapped looks like a lot of stress.¡±


    ¡°Hey, Emilie. Come closer,¡± Astrid asked. And when Emilie approached them, Astrid pulled her body with her right hand and hugged her against her right side.


    ¡°W-What are you doing?¡± Emilie asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s cold, right? This way we three will keep warm.¡±


    ¡°I-I guess,¡± Emilie said pressing her body against Astrid, her head against her chest. ¡°You know, Astrid...¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Once you bring her home, if you marry her, you¡¯ll need to live with her, right? I guess your life of adventures will end then.¡±


    Astrid stared again at Sonia, then smiled back at Emilie.


    ¡°That we¡¯ll see when this is over.¡±


    The three women fell asleep. Sometime during the night, Sonia grabbed Emilie¡¯s hand and that way they stayed until the morning.

 The Kidnapped Princess - Part 5

    ¡°I don¡¯t like it,¡± Emilie said.


    The three women were watching the bridge from the forest clearing. There was no one in sight. No sound could be heard. It was just like when they first crossed it.


    ¡°Maybe they gave up,¡± Astrid said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think someone who kidnaps the princess of a kingdom would just give up that easily.¡±


    ¡°Well, no use waiting here. Let me go first.¡±


    Astrid got outside the forest, alert to defend against any hidden attack but nothing happened. She made a signal with her hand and Emilie and Sonia followed her. They crossed the bridge being careful, Astrid walking ahead and Emilie taking Sonia¡¯s hand and helping her. The princess had a terrified look as she stared the height they were, so Emilie had to calm her down.


    Once they got to the other side, they started to walk again.


    Sonia was now walking by herself since the ground below their feet was easier to walk than the one at the forest. But she still looked tired and sometimes complained out loud.


    At a moment, Astrid turned to the two women with a smile on her face.


    ¡°You know, we¡¯re close to that lake,¡± she said to Emilie.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. How about it, princess?¡± Emilie said turning to Sonia.  ¡°Would you like to relax with a good bath?¡±


    With the princess agreeing excited since she only had that small bathroom in the tower for some time now, they headed to the lake to take a bath, the three of them.


    Sonia didn¡¯t seem to mind taking off her clothes, probably because she was among women. Her body had more curves than Emilie, even though they were similar. Astrid, with her face full red, couldn¡¯t stop to admire the naked beauty in front of her. The princess¡¯ long hair spreading through the lake made it even prettier.


    Realizing the gaze on her body, Sonia giggled and swam to where Astrid was.


    ¡°How about it?¡± she said with a seductive voice. ¡°Want to feel your future wife?¡± Sonia grabbed Astrid¡¯s hand and pulled it close to her body.


    In a hurry, Astrid pulled her hand back, leaving Sonia grabbing the air.


    ¡°W-We shouldn¡¯t!¡± Astrid said with a startled tone.


    ¡°Will you two stop acting like you¡¯re alone,¡± Emilie said, swimming close to the two women.


    With a smile, Sonia swam to Emilie and hugged her side.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be jealous. You¡¯re also very pretty,¡± Sonia pinched Emilie¡¯s butt from below the water.


    ¡°Hey!¡± Emilie swam away from Sonia and close to Astrid. ¡°Are we sure this woman is really a  royalty?¡±


    ¡°So, because I¡¯m a princess, I¡¯m not allowed to have fun?¡±


    That way, the three women spent their time bathing playing in the water. They laughed after joking or after throwing water at each other. Playing carefree in the water as if they had no worries at all.


    When Astrid went to survey around, Sonia and Emilie waited sitting at the rocks close to the lake. They were waiting for their bodies to dry before wearing their clothes back.


    Watching Sonia¡¯s satisfied smile, Emilie tapped her tight.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like you were in distress just yesterday.¡±


    ¡°Hey, let me enjoy my rare time of freedom. As soon as I get back home, it¡¯s time to be in a different kind of prison. But well, I¡¯m sure you know that better than anyone.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t,¡± Emilie shook her head. ¡°I grew up thinking that wasn¡¯t a prison. I really believed that was my only path to happiness. And if I hadn¡¯t met Astrid, I would probably still believe that.¡±


    ¡°How come you decided to run away, anyway?¡±


    Emilie gave another tap at the other woman¡¯s tight. She let out a smile while her mind reminded back the day she made the biggest decision in her life.


    ***


    Emilie was seventeen. That day she rushed to meet Astrid with her heart almost jumping through her mouth. She was used to telling everything to her friend, who she considered now her best friend. And what she had to tell then was too important to wait.


    Astrid waited for her at the same place as usual. Emilie was relieved to see the bright red of her hairs. Although her semblance was too serious. When Astrid realized her friend coming, she let out a smile.


    ¡°I thought you wouldn¡¯t come today. You¡¯re late.¡±


    ¡°Astrid! I¡¯m so nervous right now. I don¡¯t know what to do!¡± Saying that Emilie held Astrid¡¯s hands. Her own hands were shaking.


    ¡°C-Calm down,¡± Astrid said worriedly. ¡°What is going on?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m meeting a man today. He could be my future husband. I don¡¯t know what to do!¡±


    ¡°Oh. Isn¡¯t that supposed to be something good?¡±


    ¡°Yes. At least, I think so. But,¡± Emilie started to play with her own fingers trying to calm down. ¡°What if he doesn¡¯t like me? What if I do something wrong? If I make a serious mistake, the news will spread and I might never marry anyone. What if¡­¡±


    ¡°Calm down,¡± this time Astrid was the one to held Emilie¡¯s hands. She stared into her friend¡¯s brown eyes and let out a smile. ¡°You¡¯re amazing, Emilie. Only a crazy man would refuse you.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    Astrid squeezed her friend¡¯s hand.


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not saying this because I¡¯m your friend. And I do like women just like men do. I believe any man should be crazy for you.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± a sarcastic look crossed Emilie¡¯s face. ¡°And yet, you would rather have a princess,¡± but her smile made it clear it was a joke. ¡°Thanks, Astrid. I do feel better. I¡¯m really happy we became friends. And if I do end up marrying him, I want you to be in the ceremony as well. It¡¯ll be at the church, so¡­¡±


    ¡°I appreciate, Emilie,¡± Astrid said before Emilie could finish her words. ¡°I really do but that won¡¯t be possible.¡±


    ¡°Why? Because of my family? I¡¯m sure if my marriage is a success, they¡¯ll¡­¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not that. Actually, I also have something to tell you today. Today I finished my training with Ken.¡±


    ¡°Oh. So you graduated from Sir Hibbert¡¯s school?¡±


    ¡°Well, Ken said I¡¯m not worthy of being called his apprentice and there¡¯s nothing else he can teach me, so I guess it was a failure,¡± when Emilie opened her mouth to console her friend, Astrid smiled. ¡°But he said I¡¯m good enough with a sword to make it my work. He suggested becoming a mercenary. And that¡¯s why I¡¯m going to the capital tonight.¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯re leaving?¡± Emilie made a sad face.


    ¡°Yes. There¡¯s a merchant in town today and he¡¯s leaving tonight. Ken spoke to him and he agreed to give me a ride. I¡¯m finally going out on adventures just like I dreamed.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re leaving me,¡± Emilie approached Astrid and hugged her. She had tears on her eyes.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Astrid said, caressing her friend¡¯s long blonde hair. Emilie shook her head.


    ¡°Don¡¯t say sorry. Knowing I won¡¯t be able to see you every day makes me sad but I want you to be happy while following your dream.¡±


    ¡°Thanks. I¡¯ll try to visit sometimes,¡± Astrid gently pushed Emilie away and looked at her face wet by tears. ¡°And I¡¯ll be praying for your happiness even while I¡¯m away.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    Astrid looked at Emilie in silence. Tears were starting to well up in her own eyes.


    ¡°To tell the truth, I still can¡¯t understand why you would choose it. But I hope that makes you happy.¡±


    The two girls used the rest of their time together to give each other their sad goodbyes. As Emilie left Astrid and went home to get ready to see her suitor, she had no doubts in her mind about her choices.


    However, as she was in her room while brushing her hair, her eyes fell to the pretty pink dress her mother gave her. On the desk in front of her, she had a lot of makeup spread. She remembered trying to put some on Astrid. While her friend was surprisingly worried about her looks when she wasn¡¯t training, she couldn¡¯t understand makeup. She had said her face wasn¡¯t made for it. And yet she loved to wear some of Emilie¡¯s frilly dresses sometimes. Emilie even took some hidden from her mother to give her friend.


    Knowing she wouldn¡¯t be able to see Astrid anymore made tears well up on her eyes again. She tried to comfort herself imagining her future life with her husband and children. That¡¯s what she lived for until then.


    But the more she thought about it, the more it made her upset. The thought of living for her husband and children¡¯s well being was a noble objective she was taught since she was a child. And yet, compared to the adventures Astrid would be having alone, that looked silly. Astrid who would be able to visit new places. See new people. While she would be locked up in her home.


    And above all. Being with Astrid looked way more appealing and fun than being with a man she didn¡¯t even know.


    Emilie heard chatters inside the house and a shiver ran through her back as she heard steps climbing the stars and a knock on her door.


    When she opened it, her mother was behind it with a serious face.


    ¡°He¡¯s here with his family. Get ready fast and come down. We don¡¯t want to leave them waiting.¡±


    When her mother left, Emilie ran to the window of her room instead. She could see through it the cart belonging to the merchant who worked in the capital stopped close to the village¡¯s entrance. Astrid was still in the village.


    A crazy thought crossed her mind. She left her room and walked to her parents'' room. She opened the closet and found her father¡¯s clothes. Undressing of her vests, she took a shirt and pants and wore it. She also stole one of his pair of shoes. Back to her own room, she looked herself at the mirror with her long blonde hair behind her back. She opened the drawer of her desk and took a pair of scissors.


    At first, she hesitated, raising the scissors at the height of her nape. Then she started to cut her hair, without worrying about doing it right, just making the strings fall to the ground. She didn¡¯t cry or even care. Only one thing was on her mind. She had to be fast because the cart would leave soon.


    She could jump through the window and run away in secret. But if she wanted to be by her friend¡¯s side, she wanted to be as brave as her. She left her room and started walking down the stairs. When she got to the bottom, she saw her mother throw a horrified look at her. Ignoring it, Emillie walked to the young man in the middle of the room and made a curtsy with an invisible skirt.


    ¡°My name is Emilie Stacks. And I¡¯m sorry to disappoint you. I know you were excited about this meeting but I realized I can¡¯t be your wife, after all. I hope you find someone worthy of your in the future.¡±


    She walked through the door and got out of her home, ignoring the desperate voices calling her back from inside.


    She gave a deep breath and started to run. It was cold and the wind was hurting her face but she didn¡¯t slow down. When she saw the cart, the driver was about to leave. She screamed as loud as she could.


    ¡°Astrid!¡±


    She saw Astrid sitting behind the cart giving the driver a signal and he stopped. At first, Astrid had a smile, probably thinking Emilie was there to say goodbye one last time. When she saw the girl with short hair and wearing men¡¯s clothes in front of her, she let out an expression of surprise.


    ¡°Emilie? What did you do to your hair?¡±


    Ignoring her friend¡¯s question, Emilie grabbed her hand. She looked inside her friend¡¯s eyes with an intense stare.


    ¡°Astrid. I¡¯m not strong like you, neither I am brave. I have no experiences in life outside the reclused life I had in my home. I have no money on me right now and my family won¡¯t give me any. So maybe I would be a burden. But I have read lots of books. I do have some knowledge about the world, at least on a theoretical level. I think I could be of some use. So,¡± Emilie paused. She felt her mouth dry as if it was difficult to make the next question. But she did her best, keeping her intense stare.¡± Would you take me with you?¡±


    For a moment both girls just stood there looking at each other. It was Astrid who smiled first.


    ¡°Are you joking? Is that a prank?¡±


    ¡°Does this look like a joke to you?¡± She asked, putting her hand on her hair. Then she threw a look to her back. ¡°Look, if you¡¯ll say no, just say it. Soon my family will probably come after me, so¡­¡±


    ¡°Of course I¡¯ll take you! If you¡¯re telling the truth, of course, I¡¯m happy to travel with you! I¡¯m just a little confused right now.¡±


    ¡°So let me hop on and we¡¯ll talk about it on the way.¡±


    Astrid nodded and helped Emilie to get on the cart. The cart started to move again just as Emilie saw her mother running in their direction coming from her house¡¯s way. She still felt bad about leaving them behind, so she made a soft wave with her hand in her direction, keeping a bitter smile.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    ***


    ¡°Are we really going to cross this?¡± Sonia said looking at the goblin¡¯s cave entrance.


    After hearing Emillie¡¯s story, she had walked the whole way from the lake until there and now she was ahead of them with Emilie and Astrid at each of her sides.


    ¡°Well, of course,¡± Emilie said. ¡°Unless we go across the mountains and take months to get to the castle.¡±


    ¡°But, goblins¡­¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry. I traced a safe route and we could cross avoiding all the creatures. If you follow my lead, we¡­¡±


    Astrid put herself in front of Sonia and offered her hand. The princess grabbed it with hesitation.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± the red-haired woman said. ¡°I¡¯ll protect you if anything happens.¡±


    Nodding with her head, but with little conviction, Sonia followed them inside. The first scene they saw was just a dark cave that looked empty. All the monsters lurked deeper inside, after all. Emilie was fast to guide them to the cliff when Astrid stopped in the middle of the way.


    Emilie stopped and Sonia beside her. They looked at Astrid who was staring at the bifurcation going deeper on the other side of the cave.


    ¡°Astrid!¡± Emilie called, trying to control her voice. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Listen,¡± Astrid said.


    The three women stood in silence and soon they realized what was troubling Astrid. There was a faint cry coming from deeper the cave in the direction she was looking. It was unmistakably a kid¡¯s crying.


    ¡°Maybe they kidnapped a villager¡¯s child,¡± Emilie said, following Astrid¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go get them,¡± Astrid said and walked in that direction. But Sonia ran in her way and grabbed her hand.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid! You¡¯ll abandon me here in the middle of these monsters?¡± The princess said with fear in her face.


    The look Astrid gave her was a mix of surprise and disappointment. She squeezed the princess¡¯ hand and gave her a reassuring smile.


    ¡°The kid is also your subject, princess. I¡¯m rescuing it for your sake, too.¡±


    ¡°Take me home and I¡¯ll send soldiers to rescue them. That¡¯s my responsibility, not yours.¡±


    ¡°Then it¡¯ll be too late, princess.¡±


    ¡°So what?¡± Sonia took her hands away from Astrid and made a majestic gesture with her right arm. ¡°Isn¡¯t my life more important as the princess of this kingdom? Am I not the woman you love?¡±


    Astrid stared in silence at the princess who kept a face that was a mix of arrogance and fear. She opened her mouth to say something but Emilie reached to them and grabbed Astrid¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± She asked, looking inside Astrid¡¯s eyes with a serious face. ¡°I must say this is crazy and irresponsible.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Astrid said with a nod. ¡°But I must go.¡±


    Emilie smiled and gave a gentle tap at her partner¡¯s cheek.


    ¡°So go there, hero. I know I can¡¯t stop you. Leave the princess¡¯ safety to me.¡±


    With a smile back at the woman in front of her and without waiting for any other word, Astrid ran in the direction the sound of crying was coming from. With a horrified face, Sonia walked to Emilie¡¯s side and hugged her arm. Emilie threw a reassuring smile in her direction.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I might not be as strong as her, but I can take you out this cave in safety.¡±


    She guided the princess to the cliff, climbing it first and then offering her hand to help Sonia to get up after her. They started to walk the same way Emilie and Astrid used the first time, with the torches still lit on their way.


    It didn¡¯t take much time until the goblins started to appear below and they soon realized the two women walking up in the cliffs. Sonia threw a fearful look in their direction. Emilie grabbed her hand and made a signal for her to be silent while they resumed the crossing. They walked quietly and with ease until they got to the gap Emilie and Astrid crossed before.


    ¡°H-How we,¡± the princess said, looking scared.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Emilie said and threw her bag to the other side. ¡°I¡¯ll jump first. Then you come after me and I¡¯ll help you.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can¡­¡±


    ¡°Princess,¡± Emilie took Sonia¡¯s hand and smiled at her. ¡°I won¡¯t let you get hurt. Trust me.¡±


    Sonia nodded, still nervous. Emilie was the first. She took a deep breath, took her distance, ran and jumped. She landed on the other side safely. Turning to the other side of the gap, she gave another reassuring smile to the princess. But the dress the princess was wearing was making her worried.


    ¡°Come on,¡± she said, reaching her hand.


    The princess stared below. All the ferocious creatures were jumping trying to reach her. She looked again at Emilie on the other side, but the other woman was still smiling at her, trying to give her courage. The princess gave a deep breath herself, took distance. She threatened to run but stopped. She gave another deep breath with her eyes closed.


    Then she ran and jumped.


    She landed on the other side, but her foot slipped and she fell.


    ¡°Princess!¡± Emilie shouted as she reached and grabbed Sonia¡¯s hand.


    Sonia was hanging holding Emilie¡¯s hand and the creatures were jumping after her. She was at their reach with tears in her eyes.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let me fall,¡± Sonia screamed. ¡°Don¡¯t let them get me.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t!¡±


    But it was impossible for Emilie to pull Sonia by herself while she was hanging.


    ¡°Princess! Put your foot on the cliff. I¡¯ll help pull you up.¡±


    The princess swung her body. Some goblins below her were starting to climb the side of the cliff. They couldn¡¯t find ground to reach the top, but they could reach where the princess was. She swung her body again and put her foot against the side of the cliff.


    ¡°Good! I¡¯ll pull you up!¡±


    Emilie started to pull Sonia¡¯s body while her feet climbed the cliff. When her body was at reach, Emilie grabbed her bottom to help her to up. That¡¯s when she saw one of the creatures jumping to her reach and felt a sharp pain in her hand. But she kept pulling the princess¡¯ body and managed to get her safely to the top of the cliff.


    The princess dragged her body forward and sat on the ground, her back against the wall. She was gasping and her hand was pressed against her chest.


    ¡°Thanks so much!¡± She cried. ¡°Thanks so much. If you hadn¡¯t¡­¡±


    She stopped. Sonia saw the bottom of her dress, at her ankles height, dyed red. Scared, she pulled her dress up, looking for the blood.


    ¡°D-Don¡¯t worry,¡± Emilie said with a faint voice. ¡°It was me. They got to me.¡±


    Sonia looked at Emilie and gasped. She first put her hand over her mouth but then leaned towards the other woman. Emilie¡¯s left hand was completely red with her blood.


    ¡°They bite you? They¡­¡±


    With a bitter smile, Emilie raised her hand to a horrified Sonia. It was missing her ring finger, with a lot of blood flowing from the place where it was supposed to be.


    The princess was speechless. She stared astonished as Emilie stood up from her place and opened her bag.


    Even though the pain was strong, Emilie managed to open her bag by herself and take something out of it. A knife. Holding it in her right hand, she walked to the closest torch.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Sonia asked, going after her.


    Emilie let the blade of the knife turn red from being exposed directly to the fire.


    ¡°If I keep bleeding, I¡¯ll die,¡± she said. She took the knife with the hot blade and pressed against the cut on her hand. She groaned with the sharp pain.


    ¡°Y-Your finger. What¡­¡± the princess said with a desperate voice. ¡°If you do that, your finger will... Why¡­¡± Emilie let out a laugh.


    ¡°My finger? What do you expect? Should we kill the monster, get it from its stomach and sew it back?¡±


    She placed the hot blade against the cut again. This time she pressed her lips and closed her eyes. She couldn¡¯t control the tears running through it because of the pain. But the bleeding was stopping.


    Emilie looked mesmerized at her left hand. Just a thought crossed her mind at that moment. Had she chose marriage years ago, she would probably have a ring there now instead. It made her laugh.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Sonia asked. ¡°Can I do something for you?¡±


    ¡°Just let me rest for some minutes,¡± Emilie said, sitting with her back against the wall. She stared at the shadows made by the fire and at her finger. Surprisingly, that wasn¡¯t making her as sad as she should be. She was just happy the both of them were safe and alive.


    The princess sat quietly beside her. She had a worried face. Dirty had been stuck on her face because of her tears. Her blonde hair also was full of dirty and she didn¡¯t look like the woman bathing at the lake just hours before.


    ¡°You look terrible,¡± Emilie said and laughed. Sonia just stared at her in confusion.


    After what was probably a little more than ten minutes, Emilie stood up, cleaning her bottom with her hands.


    ¡°Well, shall we go?¡±


    ¡°Already?¡± Sonia said, standing up after her.


    ¡°I want to get there before Astrid.¡±


    Emilie grabbed her bag and the two women started walking again. Sonia had a worried face the whole way.


    ¡°If Astrid hadn¡¯t gone away,¡± she said at a point. Without looking at her, Emilie shook her head.


    ¡°That was my mistake. She has nothing to do with it.¡±


    When they got at the end of the cliff, just as expected, not globin had followed them there. First Emilie got down, so she reached her right hand to help Sonia after her. The princess looked embarrassed for needing the help of someone who was injured so badly.


    The two women walked in the light¡¯s direction and when Sonia realized it was the exit, she ran ahead, excited to get out. Emilie realized too late and tried to stop her, but the princess disappeared outside it. Emilie followed her just to realize her worries were right.


    Outside they were surrounded by dozens of men. Sonia was standing in her place, not knowing what to do while all heavily armed mercenaries stared at them. An armored tall man with a robust body and black hair walked in their direction with the mercenaries making way for him to pass.


    ¡°Sir Corwin,¡± Emilie said with a calm voice. She stood in front of Sonia, covering her.


    ¡°Well, well, look what I found,¡± the man said with a sarcastic tone. ¡°A lost princess in a cave,¡± his eyes focused on Emilie and on his surroundings. ¡°But where is the courageous knight who came for her rescue? Don¡¯t tell me you were the one who killed a dragon.¡±


    ¡°So you were waiting to ambush us,¡± Emilie said with a serious face. ¡°As I thought.¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course. I heard about my dragon dying and how no one crossed the main bridge. It wasn¡¯t hard to guess the rest. Through here, I could ambush you no matter the route you took,¡± he walked one step closer to the women. Emilie raised her arms, trying to cover for the princess. ¡°Oh, what a brave girl. But you know, while the princess¡¯ safety is essential, we don¡¯t need to worry about some random little girl who got caught in all this. We can have some fun playing with you until your last breath.¡±


    The knight raised his hand in Emilie¡¯s direction. She examined her surroundings, looking somewhere where she could run to. But it looked like they had no way to escape. All she could do was save time.


    ¡°What was your objective?¡± She asked. ¡°Why keep the princess locked up and not ask for anything?¡±


    The man let out a smile, showing his white teeth. His face had a hint of a sneer.


    ¡°Because I didn¡¯t want anything. At least nothing the king could give me. I have everything I want as one of the greatest knights in this kingdom. Everything except for one thing. There is just one man who ever defeated me in a fight. A man who holds a title that should be mine.¡±


    ¡°Sir Hibbert¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Kennard Hibbert. The man who walked away without giving me a chance to restore my pride. I looked for him everywhere, but he never showed up. While at least his corpse isn¡¯t found, I¡¯ll always be number two.¡±


    Suddenly, it all made sense. About that kidnapping that seemed reasonless.


    ¡°You wanted to smoke out Sir Hibbert¡­¡±


    ¡°But of course,¡± the man¡¯s face twitched with a smile. ¡°The only other man who could kill a dragon beside me in this kingdom. If that man still had any honor, he would come himself to stop these senseless deaths.¡±


    ¡°You threw everything away and killed that much people just because of that?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t expect a woman to understand honor. But now,¡± he started to walk in their direction again. ¡°Maybe the screams of a little girl will call that bastard faster.¡±


    Emilie felt her hand shaking. She felt the fear building up inside her and didn¡¯t know what to do. They could run inside, but all those mercenaries would probably catch up to them since the princess wasn¡¯t as fast. Her heart was beating fast.


    ¡°Stop,¡± Sonia screamed and jumped in front of Emilie, covering her instead. ¡°Take me back. I¡¯ll go with you but don¡¯t hurt her.¡±


    ¡°Princess, princess,¡± Sir Gray smiled. Then he gave a slap that threw Sonia on the ground. ¡°Shut up for a minute. I won¡¯t do anything extreme to you, but I can do enough to put you in your place. Just sit there in the dirt where you belong while I take care of this girl.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare to hurt her,¡± a voice came from inside the cave. A voice that made Emilie¡¯s heart pound with excitement instead of fear.


    Astrid walked outside the cave holding the hand of a crying little boy. She ordered the little boy to go with Emilie. With her hands-free, the red-headed gave a look at all the mercenaries, at Sir Gray looking with a curious stare at her and finally at Emilie, as if questioning what was going on.


    ¡°This is Sir Gray,¡± Emilie explained. ¡°He did all this because he wants to fight Sir Hibbert again.¡±


    ¡°He wants to fight Ken?¡± Astrid asked with curiosity and looked at the knight.


    Emilie helped Sonia to stand up and brought her closer to the cave¡¯s entrance, trying to be out of Astrid¡¯s way. The princess had a red face and looked in pain.


    ¡°Ken?¡± Corwin gave a surprised look at Astrid and his mouth twisted in a smile. ¡°Ken is Kennard Hibbert?¡±


    ¡°Yes, master Ken.¡±


    ¡°Master Ken? Wait a minute. Are you his pupil?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not worthy to be called his apprentice,¡± Astrid said giving one step forward. ¡°But he did teach me how to fight.¡±


    It took a moment, then the knight started to laugh out loud. Everyone waited with curiosity while the big man laughed until tears came out of his eyes.


    ¡°I see, I see. His pupil. You¡­ That man is a joke,¡± Corwin stopped laughing after some struggles, erected his body and looked at Astrid. ¡°So, where is he now?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Astrid shrugged. ¡°It has been years since I last saw him.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? So, who killed my dragon?¡±


    ¡°That was me,¡± Astrid said with a serious voice. Not trying to brag or looking nervous.


    Sir Corwin Gray at first looked at her as if she was lying. Slowly he started to nod with his head and kicking the earth with his feet.


    ¡°I see. I see. A woman, Sir Kennard Hibbert¡¯s pupil and a little girl, killed my dragon.¡±


    He wielded his sword. Astrid did the same.


    ¡°No one is allowed to get in our way!¡± He shouted. ¡°If I can¡¯t kill this girl, no way I would win against that man!¡±


    ¡°Stop!¡± Emilie screamed. She turned to Astrid. ¡°You can¡¯t fight him. You won¡¯t win!¡±


    ¡°Sorry, Emilie,¡± Astrid said with a smile. ¡°I don¡¯t think I have a choice.¡±


    The first to attack was Sir Gray. He invested with his sword and Astrid defended and counter-attacked. He defended against her blowback. The two started to clash swords against each other in a balanced fight. At first fight, it didn¡¯t look like any of them had the advantage, but Emilie realized the truth.


    Sir Gray could easily defend himself against Astrid¡¯s blows. But even though she did the same, it was clearly harder on her side. The male knight was stronger, after all. If the fight kept going in that rhythm, Astrid would become tired way before he.


    ¡°Your movements do resemble that man,¡± Sir Gray said and invested a blow so strong that Astrid had to jump back. ¡°But you¡¯re still a little girl.¡±


    Astrid was keeping up with the knight, but Emilie knew that wouldn¡¯t last. She started to survey around looking for any chance to run away. It was their only chance to live through. But it wouldn¡¯t be easy taking the princess and the kid with them.


    ¡°Wait, what is she doing?¡± Sonia said suddenly.


    Emilie turned her attention to the fight again. Astrid wasn¡¯t trying to attack anymore. She was just defending against Sir Gray¡¯s blows. Emilie was worried her partner was already too tired, but Astrid¡¯s face looked just the same. Sir Gray, on the other side, looked confused. His blows were getting stronger and Astrid wasn¡¯t trying to counter anymore.


    Then he made it. His blow connected against Astrid¡¯s shoulder, breaking the armor she was wearing and splashing blood on the ground. Emilie was about to scream to her partner when Sir Gray let out a groan himself.


    ¡°Y-You¡­¡± he said. His voice coming out with difficulty. ¡°Y-You...bastard¡­¡±


    He fell to the ground. Astrid¡¯s sword bathed in blood. Emilie hadn¡¯t seen when she stabbed the knight because she got too worried when Astrid was hit. She probably stabbed him at almost the same time.


    ¡°You...let me...hit...you¡­¡± Sir Gray said, blood coming out of his mouth. ¡°This is not...his style¡­There¡¯s not¡­ honor...¡± He let out a laugh but coughed on his own blood. ¡°You¡¯re really...not worthy¡­¡±


    His voice silenced. His breathing stopped. A silence made in front of the cave.


    Astrid raised her sword against the other mercenaries.


    ¡°Anyone else?¡±


    One of them sneered. He sheathed his sword.


    ¡°You know you can¡¯t win against us all. However, without anyone to pay us, there¡¯s no need to take more blood.¡±


    He turned and walked away, followed by the other men. Astrid sighed relieved.


    She walked to Emilie with a smile on her face and her partner threw herself in her arms.


    ¡°I¡¯m so happy you¡¯re alive,¡± Emilie said with a crying voice. ¡°I thought I would lose you.¡±


    The two girls hugged each other in a tight embrace. Sonia, holding the kid¡¯s hand, looking at them with a smile on her face.


    When they stopped hugging, Astrid took Emilie¡¯s hands. That¡¯s when she realized it and made a startled face.


    ¡°Your finger¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± Emilie tried to shrug it off with a smile. ¡°Just an accident with some goblins.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Astrid gently held Emilie¡¯s left hand.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be. It was just a finger. You saved a life. Or three lives.¡±


    The princess and the little boy approached them. She avoided looking at the dead knight spread on the ground and stared at the two women in silence.


    ¡°What about your shoulder?¡± Emilie said, touching Astrid¡¯s armor.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. It wasn¡¯t so deep.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s take the kid home. Let¡¯s treat you there, hire some horses and finally take the princess back,¡± Emilie looked at Sonia with a smile. ¡°Then you can finally rest from all this craziness.¡±


    Emilie, Sonia, and the boy walked away. Before following them, Astrid threw a last look at the knight dead on the ground. She had an emotionless face as she said: ¡°There¡¯re way more important things in this life than honor, you know.¡±


    She left, following her partner.

 The Kidnapped Princess - Final

    The princess was explaining everything to her father, the king. They were all reunited in the Royal Court. Astrid right in the middle of it and Emilie waiting behind. The king, who at first was surprised by the happenings, stared at Astrid with a curious look. From her place, she couldn¡¯t hear Sonia¡¯s words.


    After she was done, the king, an old and burly man who had a head full of grey hairs, stood up with his full majestic image. It was so imposing that Astrid and Emilie almost immediately made reverence, lowering their heads. The king ordered them to stand up with one gesture.


    ¡°My daughter told me of your deeds,¡± he said with a loud voice. ¡°Also about what you wish as a reward. I must admit it¡¯s a little unconventional. But I¡¯m a man of my word and I¡¯m willing to listen to your requests.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, your majesty,¡± Astrid said. Behind her, Emilie just let out a bitter smile.


    ¡°A marriage between two women and a woman being knighted are things never heard before in this kingdom. I¡¯m willing to make an exception for you, as you brought back the most important asset this kingdom have, my daughter,¡± at that word, Sonia too let out a bitter smile. ¡° Concerning Sir Gray, his body will be retrieved and he¡¯ll have his funeral among his men. For you, brave woman, we¡¯ll prepare a ceremony tomorrow, where all that you wish will be granted. However¡­¡±


    The king paused. Astrid was clearly nervous by that situation she never experienced before. Before meeting the king, she and Emilie were taken to a bath and wore clothes better than she ever wore before. Emilie looked used to it.


    ¡°It seems you really want to make my daughter your wife. I must say, as the most important asset for this kingdom right now, I¡¯m reluctant in letting her go so easily in a way that won¡¯t bring fruits for this kingdom. So, and that¡¯s her own suggestion, I want you to consider if that¡¯s really what you want. Your life will change if you would marry my daughter. You should be available for the kingdom¡¯s good as a member of the royal family, after all. Since this is a very serious decision, I want to confirm that¡¯s really what you want.¡±


    Astrid stood in silence for some time. She stared at Sonia and, seeing the smile on the princess'' face and the way she nodded, she understood that what she was about to say was expected.


    ¡°Your majesty,¡± Astrid said with caution. ¡°Your daughter is a wonderful woman and it¡¯s true I loved her since I was a young girl. I ask you not to take offense on it, but I must refuse to make her my wife.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Emilie said surprised, jumping to Astrid¡¯s side. ¡°Why are you giving up? Is the pressure too much, after all? Or¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not it,¡± Astrid let out an affable smile to her partner. She turned back to the King. ¡°Your Majesty. I¡¯m still willing to accept your offer, but the one I wish to marry isn¡¯t your daughter. It¡¯s this woman beside me,¡± Astrid turned to Emilie. ¡°If she accepts it, of course.¡±


    Emilie took her hand to her mouth, unable to control her reaction. Tears started to well up in her eyes and fell through her cheek. She nodded first, in silence. Then she threw herself in Astrid¡¯s arms and was hugged by her.


    ¡°Of course I do,¡± she said with a crying voice. ¡°I do! I...I love you!¡±


    ¡°I love you, too,¡± Astrid said while caressing her partner¡¯s hair.


    Sonia looked at them with a satisfied smile. She then looked at her father, who had a relieved expression on his face.


    Before the two lovers were taken to their room, Sonia called Emilie to the side, taking her to a corner in the Royal Court while Astrid was taken away.


    ¡°Sorry for taking your girl,¡± Emilie said, although she couldn¡¯t control her happy grim.


    ¡°She was never mine,¡± the princess took Emilie¡¯s left hand on her right hand and covered it with her own left hand. ¡°You two are just too dumb to realize it.¡±


    ¡°So, are you relieved you won¡¯t need to marry a woman now?¡±


    ¡°Oh, not really. I never had an issue with that. Although, the one I would choose personally isn¡¯t her,¡± saying that, Sonia gave a soft kiss on Emilie¡¯s cheek. Emilie looked at her surprised. She saw a sad expression on the princess'' face. ¡°But that¡¯s not my choice either. Be happy in my place.¡±


    ***


    Astrid looked nervous when Emilie entered their room. They had just one big bed to share, which they did several times before, but now her heart was beating strong. She avoided facing her partner¡¯s face directly.


    ¡°W-Well,¡± Astrid said, sitting on the side of the bed. ¡°Tomorrow will be a big day, so I guess we should sleep for today, right?¡±


    ¡°Do you really want to sleep right now? After asking me to be your woman?¡± Emilie approached the bed with a serious face. Her stare into Astrid¡¯s eyes was intense.


    ¡°I mean, that¡¯s the kind of thing we should do after getting married, so¡­¡±


    ¡°No way. I waited way too much already.¡±


    Emilie kissed Astrid and pushed her to the bed. She took the time to contemplate her partner¡¯s red face. It seemed like a joke that the woman who killed a dragon was acting so shy. She couldn¡¯t hold a laugh.


    ¡°Let me show you,¡± she said, unbuttoning Astrid¡¯s top.¡± A challenge you never faced before¡­¡±


    ***


    The two women lied naked on the luxurious bed. Astrid had a satisfied expression on her face as she turned to face her lover. But seeing the serious and complex face Emilie was doing, her expression changed.


    ¡°What? Did I do something wrong?¡± She asked.


    ¡°No, no,¡± Emilie touched her hand and smiled. ¡°It was great.¡±


    ¡°So why do you look so worried?¡±


    Emilie paused. She stared at the roof for some minutes. She turned again to Astrid and kissed her lips.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I want to marry you tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°W-What?¡± Astrid¡¯s body jumped surprised. ¡°Did I do something after all?¡±


    ¡°No. Calm down. I love you, okay?¡± Emilie said and gave her another kiss. ¡°But hear me out for now. Can I ask you something crazy and irresponsible?¡±The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    ***


    Astrid walked through the castle¡¯s corridors. It was late at night and most people were sleeping, except for some guards making patrols. They all gave her a curious look as she crossed with them but since she was a guest everyone knew about, no one stopped her.


    She walked to the door she knew would take outside to the garden. Walking through it, she was greeted by the cold wind of the night. She kept doing her walk, watching the flowers and the night insects crying around her. Circling the garden, she arrived at the front of the castle. The big gate leading outside was, of course, closed. When she approached, a royal guard stopped her.


    ¡°You¡¯re,¡± he said, examining the woman in front of him. ¡°That woman knight, right? The one who rescued the princess and killed Sir Gray.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I am,¡± Astrid said with a sympathetic smile. ¡°I¡¯m not used to being confined inside a castle, so I¡¯m taking some air. Shouldn¡¯t I be here?¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s fine,¡± the guard said with a smile. He was looking at her with curiosity. ¡°It¡¯s just, what you did was amazing. Killing a dragon and defeating Sir Gray. I lost a friend who tried to rescue the princess.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for your loss.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, but he was a knight. I¡¯m sure he never regretted it. But you¡¯re not even a knight, and you¡¯re a woman. No offense, but¡­ How did you do it?¡±


    Astrid realized what was glinting in the man¡¯s eyes was respect and admiration. She followed his conversation and distracted him enough that the man didn¡¯t realize two shadows cross discreetly behind him.


    After finishing their talk, the guard returned to his surveillance and Astrid back to her walk. She waited until he disappeared to follow the same way the two figures went. A small gate leading outside. Usually, it was locked up, but now it had a key on its keyhole. Astrid turned it and the gate opened for her, allowing her to walk through it.


    She walked until she met two figures ahead of her, below a tree. One of them, holding a bag, was very familiar to her. Her partner for years and now her lover, Emilie. The other one had her face hidden by a hood.


    ¡°So you did,¡± Astrid said.


    ¡°That was easy,¡± Emilie said with a confident smile. ¡°Such a peaceful kingdom had lax security, even after their princess was kidnapped once.¡±


    ¡°Are you two sure of that?¡± The hooded figure said. She took her hood off, revealing the pretty face of princess Sonia. ¡°What you¡¯re doing won¡¯t be considered less than kidnapping.¡±


    ¡°I feel like I did it before,¡± Astrid said, looking at Emilie.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s different,¡± Sonia said with a severe tone. ¡°I¡¯m the princess. They won¡¯t ever stop looking for me. We¡¯ll need to live our entire lives running away. If you¡¯re caught, all that¡¯ll wait for you is death.¡±


    ¡°We just need to avoid getting caught,¡± Emilie said.


    ¡°What about the ceremony? What about you becoming a knight? Your marriage?¡±


    ¡°I never wanted to be a knight, to begin with,¡± Astrid said. ¡°Ken ran away from that and I¡¯m sure I would end up doing the same. Now, about our marriage,¡± she stared at Emilie.


    ¡°I ran from home because I didn¡¯t want to marry, to begin with,¡± Emilie said with a grim. She raised her left hand. ¡°I don¡¯t even have a place to put a ring.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°We love each other,¡± Emilie approached Astrid and hugged her arm. ¡°We don¡¯t need a ceremony to prove that.¡±


    ¡°What about you, princess?¡± Astrid asked. ¡°Are you serious about it? You already saw the dangers we face in our travels. You¡¯ll become a fugitive with us. Maybe you¡¯ll need to sleep on a cave again and run away from goblins¡­¡±


    ¡°Maybe you¡¯ll lose your finger,¡± Emilie added.


    ¡°And you won¡¯t ever see your father again.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Sonia stopped. She gave a long look at the castle¡¯s direction and nodded with determination. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m serious about it, if you¡¯ll take me. Living there, I know for sure I¡¯ll have an unhappy life.¡±


    Astrid and Emilie smiled at each other, but it was Emilie who walked to Sonia and grabbed her hand.


    ¡°So let¡¯s go, princess. Let¡¯s ride the horses and get the farthest away we can before they realize you¡¯re gone.¡±


    Epilogue


    Astrid was sitting at the bar. There was a glass of wine in front of her, but she wasn¡¯t touching it. She was looking at the people talking and arguing to each other around her. That was just their meeting place, after all. And she had something else in her mind.


    ¡°Where did that girl go?¡± The bar owner shouted, irritated.


    Astrid took a sip of the wine, pretending she didn¡¯t know what he was talking about.


    Emilie entered through the door. She sighted Astrid and walked to her. She squeezed her lover¡¯s hand and whispered in her ears.


    ¡°The royal guards will be in the city soon. We should leave as fast as we can.¡±


    Astrid nodded but didn¡¯t move.


    ¡°Yeah, about that. We have a problem.¡±


    Looking around the place, Emilie made a worried face. She faced her lover again.


    ¡°Where is her?¡±


    ¡°She, huh,¡± Astrid sipped the rest of wine in her glass. She whispered so that only Emilie could hear. ¡°Grabbed the bar¡¯s owner daughter and walked outside.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t mean¡­¡± Emilie let out a sigh. She turned back and walked outside the bar. Astrid followed her.


    The two women walked with fast steps on the small city and directed themselves to an Inn. They entered inside and climbed the stairs to the second floor. Emilie took her key and unlocked the room number 201. She opened the door without any warning.


    Inside there was a young woman lying on a bed, wearing a skirt and with her bare breasts, her top lying on the floor. Sonia was on top of her. She stared at Emilie as she walked inside.


    ¡°You could knock,¡± the princess said.


    ¡°Sorry, Sonia. I didn¡¯t want to interrupt your,¡± she looked at the young woman, who looked embarrassed but had a smile on her face. ¡°Your fun. They¡¯re here, we need to go.¡±


    ¡°Really? That¡¯s unfortunate,¡± Sonia took the young woman¡¯s face in her hands and kissed her lips. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, darling, I need to go now. Next time I¡¯m around, I¡¯ll look up for you again.¡±


    The young woman sulked. She sat on the bed and hugged Sonia as she was wearing her boots.


    ¡°It¡¯s a promise, right?¡± The woman said. ¡°You won¡¯t forget me, right, princess?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± Sonia said and kissed the woman again before getting up the bed.


    Emilie took her bags and walked to the door. Realizing Astrid was looking at the half-naked woman, she pulled her harshly, but Astrid just let out a laugh.


    The three women walked to the open carriage at the front of the Inn. Emilie threw the bag inside and jumped on the front to guide the horses. Astrid sat on her side and Sonia got inside the back.


    As Emilie made the horses move and they started to drive, she scolded Sonia.


    ¡°Do you really need to seduce a girl in every city we pass?¡±


    ¡°Easy for you to talk,¡± Sonia said with a sulk. ¡°You have your lover at your side all the time. Unless you want to share?¡± She stared at Astrid, who avoided to answer but got a strong grip of Emilie¡¯s arm. ¡°And besides, I didn¡¯t seduce her. She approached me. Right, Astrid?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s right,¡± Astrid said in a timid tone. ¡°The girl approached her asking if she was the kidnapped princess. Because she looked with her portrait.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Emilie said. The carriage was leaving the city. ¡°And what did you say?¡±


    ¡°I said I am, of course,¡± Sonia said without any perturbation.


    ¡°What?!¡±


    ¡°Well, she was so enthusiastic about meeting a real princess. What should I say? Her reaction was cute.¡±


    ¡°Ahhh, that¡¯s so crazy and irresponsible!¡±


    Ignoring Emilie¡¯s complaints, Sonia energetically leaned her body forward.


    ¡°So, so. What did you find? Where are we going next?¡±


    ¡°First, we¡¯re going to the opposite way of your father¡¯s guards. Then, I found some clues about the missing children. I think a witch might be involved.¡±


    ¡°So we¡¯re sleeping in the forest again.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I did tell you to enjoy your time in the Inn.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I was about to do,¡± Sonia sulked.


    After some minutes driving in silence, Emilie looked behind her to see Sonia deep in slumber. When she was sleeping, she looked just like a kid.


    ¡°She looks happy, at least,¡± Astrid said.


    ¡°Yes. But why does it look like we have a daughter instead of a hostage?¡± Emilie said, but then let a smile on her face.


    ¡°She¡¯s hardly a hostage either. She¡¯s our own kidnapped princess.¡±


    Astrid leaned her body against Emilie, who let her lover rest against her. The carriage moved through the trees as the three girls continued their endless journey.

 Smile For Me - Part 1

    Waking up from her sleep, Ester opened her eyes. An unfamiliar vision greeted her view. Trees passing by her side at high speed through the wet glass window in front of her eyes while the rain poured outside. She needed a moment to reorganize her thoughts. She was in movement and inside the bus. That sleep had been one of the most peaceful she had in years. She removed a strand of her light brown and curly hair off her eyes. Her long hair was still loose like when she left home. She was wearing an old white t-shirt and jeans, not the kind of clothes she usually wore for long travels.


    She was sitting at the left side of the bus, close to the window and leaning toward the glass close enough the see light brown of her eyes reflected in it. Outside was dark and the sound of lighting could be heard mixed with the bus engine.


    ¡°Was it a good sleep?¡± She heard a gentle voice coming from her side.


    She stared curiously at the tall woman sitting beside her. She had straight and long black hair. Her eyes were of sparkling black color. Her skin was too pale, creating a contrast with her black hair. She had a purple knapsack on her lap that she was holding with her right hand. She was wearing a fancy wine shirt and a long black skirt.


    ¡°Y-Yeah,¡± Ester said, still feeling a little sleepy and with her thoughts still slow. She wasn¡¯t used to speaking with strangers during a bus trip.


    ¡°Not that I mind, but you can release my hand now,¡± The woman said again, showing a smiling expression.


    Ester¡¯s eyes followed her right arm. It made her conscious of the soft and warm sensation in her right hand for the first time. Her darker skin, an inheritance of her Latin origin, grabbing the pale hand of the woman sitting on the seat beside her.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said, pulling out her hand fast. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± the woman said with a chuckle. ¡°I don¡¯t mind. You grabbed it in your sleep. Were you dreaming about someone you care about?¡±


    ¡°I, huh,¡± she tried to smile, but her expression became gloomy. ¡°Maybe I needed some reassurance,¡± just then she realized her hands were shaking. ¡°D-Don¡¯t mind me. I¡¯m fine.¡±


    The other woman didn¡¯t take her eyes off Ester. She had a curious expression on her face. She opened a small gap on her mouth and seemed to hesitate. Then she crossed her fingers through her own black hair as if brushing it.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I have to ask. You¡¯re Ester, right? Ester Rosario?¡±


    The expression on Ester¡¯s face was of surprise. She looked right at the woman¡¯s face, trying to discern if she knew her from somewhere.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± she said slowly. ¡°Actually, my name now is¡­¡± she stopped. A lot of bad memories rose to her mind. ¡°Actually, forget it. Yeah, I¡¯m Ester Rosario. Do I know you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you won¡¯t remember me,¡± the woman had a timid smile as she spoke. ¡°Name is Hayley. Hayley Fowler. We were friends at high school.¡±


    ¡°Hayley?¡± Ester stared at the woman¡¯s face and her face brightened in a smile. ¡°Oh, Lili, right? Of course, I remember you. But,¡± Ester examined Hayley¡¯s face closer, making the other woman¡¯s face just a little less pale. ¡°You¡¯re really different, I mean in a good way. You¡¯re really pretty.¡±


    ¡°Oh, thanks? I guess?¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, don¡¯t get me wrong,¡± Ester shook her hands, trying to shake off her words. ¡°I¡¯m not saying you were ugly or anything, I was just¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, love,¡± Hayley said with a gentle smile and put her hand over Ester¡¯s. ¡°I¡¯m joking. I know I was never going to win any beauty contest at that time. Those stupidly ugly glasses, those messy braids I used to make so I wouldn¡¯t need to brush my hair and my stupid gloomy face.¡±


    ¡°Hayley, the ghost,¡± Ester said with a timid smile.


    ¡°That¡¯s what they used to call me, right? I have to say, I probably deserved it.¡±


    ¡°No, you didn¡¯t. That was rude¡­¡±


    ¡°But you never did it, right? You were always nice to me, even though I couldn¡¯t understand it. Exotic beauty Ester Rosario. The mysterious girl who always ignored everyone except for the weird ghost Hayley.¡±


    Hayley turned her face to smile at Ester. Flocks of her hair falling over her face, putting a shadow on her delightful smile. Ester couldn¡¯t resist getting fascinated by that view.


    ¡°So, what brought this change?¡±


    ¡°Life?¡± Hayley said, crossing her fingers through her hair again. ¡°I didn¡¯t do much. Learned to take care of my hair, put on contacts. My skin is still as pale as a ghost, though, but I learned to smile more.¡±


    ¡°You look great. Enough to steal lots of hearts. I hope you¡¯re still as smart, though,¡± Ester said while remembering how many times she had been saved by Hayley¡¯s vast knowledge. Especially in the time of school tests.


    ¡°Yeah, kinda,¡± Hayley let out a timid smile. Her eyes fell to the knapsack on her lap.


    ¡°So, what have you been doing? A good job, I¡¯m sure. Opposite to us all, of lower intellect.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ve been getting some jobs. You know, computers and stuff.¡±


    ¡°What? Are you working for Google already?¡±


    Hayley let out a laugh and squeezed Ester¡¯s wrist. She remembered that was a gesture her friend used to do a lot on their school days. It filled her with a nostalgic feeling.


    ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again,¡± Ester said with a voice filled with emotion. ¡°We should¡¯ve kept contact.¡±


    With those words, Ester tried to remember when she lost contact with Haylie. She remembered they were very close until the very last year of school, but she didn¡¯t have her number after graduation. That she didn¡¯t get anyone else¡¯s number made sense, but her relationship with Hayley was pretty close at that time so it didn¡¯t make sense.


    Then she remembered. Hayley herself had asked Ester to erase her phone number. She had said she would change her number anyway and wouldn¡¯t give her a new one. They fought on that night, it was graduation night. That was the last time they saw each other, fifteen years ago.


    Ester threw a puzzled look at the woman as the memory came. She never learned why her friend did that and now she was speaking to her as if that fight never happened.


    ¡°I heard,¡± Hayley said. She had a serious face and her voice was hesitating. ¡°You got married, right?¡±


    It was like a heavy rock falling on Ester¡¯s head. Suddenly, all the bad memories she was trying to suppress came back. The feeling of joy of meeting an old friend replaced by the fear she felt since the start of that day. Fear that had been growing through all those years. By instinct, she put her hand over her left sleeve. Then she took it to her chest.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Hayley said, watching the stress transform her friend¡¯s face. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I have asked about it?¡±


    ¡°No, no. Don¡¯t worry,¡± Ester said with a weak voice. She took her smartphone out of her pocket, the only belonging she brought with her. It was turned off. She pushed a button and the screen lit. ¡°Yeah, I did. You know him. Colby Gray.¡±


    ¡°Of course. You two got really close on that last year of high school. But that¡¯s, huh. Marrying your first boyfriend is just¡­¡± Hayley let out an impish laugh, but Ester¡¯s face remained with a melancholy expression.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. I rushed it¡­¡±


    She looked at the smartphone¡¯s alerts. Dozen of missed calls. She sighed when she realized the last one was from two hours ago.


    ¡°Any children?¡± Hayley asked, this time trying to sound serious.


    ¡°Oh no,¡± Ester let out a bitter smile. ¡°Fortunately not.¡±


    Hayley raised her hand and caressed Ester¡¯s hair. She had a compassionate smile as she stared at her old friend.


    ¡°Wanna talk?¡± She asked, making Ester¡¯s lips shake.


    For a moment, it looked like she wouldn¡¯t be able to hold her cry. But closing her eyes, Ester took a deep breath and tried to calm know, before speaking back to her friend in a low and slow tone.


    ¡°Colby, he,¡± she stopped. Her eyes fell to her smartphone again while Hayley just waited patiently. ¡°He wasn¡¯t the man I thought he was. I endured it for ten years, but that¡¯s enough. It¡¯s over. I¡¯m over him.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s okay, love,¡± Hayley said and squeezed Ester¡¯s wrist.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not okay. That¡¯s not okay because, to tell the truth, I ran away from home. I ran away from him. And I just took my phone and the money for the bus. I don¡¯t know where the fuck I¡¯m going,¡± the tears started to fell from her eyes. ¡°My mom died three years ago. She was the last person I had, I don¡¯t even know where I¡¯m going. And I¡¯m sure that idiot won¡¯t leave me alone. I¡­¡±


    With a sudden movement, Hayley hugged Ester close, pulling her body against her. Ester¡¯s face leaned against Hayley¡¯s shoulder, making her tears fell on her clothes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m just, I¡¯m sorry,¡± she stammered.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be, love,¡± Hayley said, caressing her friend¡¯s hair. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Just calm down, ok? You can cry as much as you need.¡±


    The two women stayed like that for several minutes. There weren''t many people inside the vehicle, so all they heard was the rain pouring outside and the bus¡¯s motor sounding. Ester was trying to be discreet, so people wouldn¡¯t start looking at them.


    After calming down, Ester sat straight on her seat again, giving a timid look at her old friend.


    ¡°Sorry for your shirt,¡± she said with a shy smile.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Give me your best smile and it¡¯s all fine,¡± Hayley said with a gentle tone.


    ¡°You know, it¡¯s weird. Being close to you again is very calming. Or should I say, comforting? I guess it¡¯s because things were just so more simple on those years.¡±


    ¡°Do I smell like your better days?¡±


    Ester chuckled and a blush rose up to her face.


    ¡°Something like that, yeah. You do smell very nice, though, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°I try my best.¡±


    It was as if the heavy burden Ester was feeling slowly started to dissolve. Just hearing her old friend¡¯s voice and laughing about her joke was enough to make her feel more cheerful and find strength. Feeling her warmth before was enough to make her stop crying.


    Ester realized how much she missed Hayley through all those years, something she never had wondered until now. How much Hayley¡¯s presence was important in her life during those days.


    ¡°But tell me more about you,¡± Ester said, drying the tears off her eyes. They were still red. ¡°You said you were working. Where are you living?¡±


    ¡°That might be surprising to you, but we have been sharing the same city all this time.¡±


    ¡°What? No way!¡±


    ¡°I swear. It¡¯s a wonder we didn¡¯t crash into each other by chance until now.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not really,¡± Ester stopped. She felt as if the bad feeling was coming back, but suppressed it the most she could. ¡°I haven¡¯t been outside home lately.¡±


    ¡°I was never the outgoing type myself, of course.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I remember that. I think the only place you ever visited was my house,¡± Ester¡¯s eyes fell on Hayley¡¯s backpack that she was still holding firm. ¡°So, are you on a business trip or something?¡±


    ¡°No, not really. Actually, I¡¯m leaving home, too. Not running away, of course, since I live alone.¡±


    ¡°Eh?!¡± Ester got a surprised reaction and her eyes fell to Hayley¡¯s purse again. ¡°Is your baggage in the bus or something? Did you send it to your new home?¡±


    Shaking her head, Hayley seemed to drift inside her mind. When she faced her friend, she had a determined expression.


    ¡°I sold everything, actually.¡±


    ¡°What? Are you telling you¡¯re going on a trip with only that?¡± Ester said looking at the backpack again.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. I know it might look crazy for a woman who chose the pacific married life. Or supposedly pacific,¡± she corrected herself when she realized the shadow that crossed her friend¡¯s face. ¡°I was worn-out. With that job and everything. Like, that whole city. I needed to change airs, so I saved some money and decided to look for another place to live. You know, start a new life.¡±


    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s wild. And completely unexpected from what I remember of you.¡±


    ¡°What can I say. I¡¯m a fickle woman.¡±


    ¡°Have any idea where you¡¯re going, then?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t say I do. Probably somewhere distant, calm. A small city or village. I¡¯m tired of the chaotic city life. Job won¡¯t be a problem for me.¡±


    ¡°I wish I had that confidence,¡± Ester said and a bitter smile rose to her lips.


    The two women sat in silence. Ester turned her head to watch the rain hitting against the glass of the windows, suddenly conscious again about her own unstable and erratic situation. She sighed and almost let her mind drift when she felt a touch on her shoulder.


    She turned to see her friend¡¯s face looking at her with a reassuring smile.


    ¡°You know, love,¡± she said, touching Ester¡¯s wrist. ¡°You might find this weird and abrupt, but¡­ Don¡¯t you want to come with me?¡±


    ¡°C-Come with you?¡± taken by surprise, Ester tripped on her words. ¡°W-What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Exactly what I said. Come with me, whenever I end up going. Or anywhere you want to go, whatever comes first. I can promise you a roof, food, clean clothes, for now.¡±


    ¡°I-I can¡¯t. I can¡¯t be a burden on you.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t be,¡± Hayley squeezed Ester¡¯s hand. She looked directly into her friend¡¯s eyes. ¡°To tell the truth, I have been a little lonely lately. As you can expect, I¡¯m still as bad at making friends, so, you know. Having a company would make me happy.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± Ester was about to look away but Hayley gently pulled her friend¡¯s face towards her.


    ¡°Tell me the truth, love. Are you thinking about going back to your own home?¡±


    ¡°I,¡± Ester felt a bad feeling growing up in her stomach. That was something she didn¡¯t want to think until then. ¡°M-Maybe¡­ I should have planned it better. I don¡¯t have anywhere to go. I shouldn¡¯t have run away with nothing like this.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m giving you a plan now,¡± Hayley said. She had a serious face. ¡°You just lack the courage. If you want to change, love, just say yes.¡±


    Ester avoided her face. First, she stared outside, then to her phone. She was afraid to go back home, but she would be lying if keeping running away wasn¡¯t scary either. Her whole life, she relied on her husband¡¯s support. She knew nothing about living for herself.


    However, Hayley¡¯s strong grip on her hand was reassuring. She could feel her friend was serious and meant it. But she was never one to take that kind of decision without thinking. That was the first time.


    She felt like crying again when she thought about going back home. That was telling enough. She only had one choice.


    Without facing her friend, she nodded. Hayley smiled.


    ¡°Ok, let¡¯s go, then,¡± Hayley said, getting up from her seat and pulling Ester¡¯s hand.


    ¡°N-Now? Here?¡± she said, surprised.


    ¡°Yeah. Look at your phone. Look at the GPS. Is there someplace we can at least spend a night?¡±


    Hayley let out of Ester¡¯s hand. She was holding the luggage rack so she wouldn¡¯t fall on the moving bus.


    Ester opened the maps app and stared at their position. Her eyes followed the roadway.


    ¡°There¡¯s a hotel close to the next stop.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s it. Let¡¯s get out.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have umbrellas. We¡¯ll get wet.¡±


    Hayley let out a snicker. She raised her eyebrows and let out a sarcastic tone.


    ¡°So what? Are you going to melt?¡±


    Laughing timidly, Ester tucked her phone in her pocket and took Hayley¡¯s hand. The other woman signaled to the bus they would stop at the next stop. When they got off the bus, they were first sheltered by the bus stop¡¯s roof. But, as soon as the bus left, Hayley put her backpack on her back and gave out a bratty smile.


    ¡°Ok, love,¡± she said, taking Ester¡¯s hand. ¡°Let¡¯s run.¡±

 Smile For Me - Part 2

    When the two women arrived at the hotel, they were soaking wet. Ester waited outside, sheltered by the roof in front of the hotel¡¯s reception, while Hayley booked a room, because of how embarrassed she was with the fact that her shirt was glued to her skin and it was possible to see her underwear below it. Hayley¡¯s shirt was made with thicker material, so she was fine.


    Ester took her smartphone out of her pocket to find out if the water hadn¡¯t damaged it. It was still on and working fine. There were no new missed calls. She found it weird but was also relieved her husband had stopped trying to call up to her. Maybe he would give up after all.


    The place where they arrived was a roadside hotel. It didn¡¯t look like a popular place to spend the days and there was nothing to see around there, so it probably was just a pit-stop that travelers would make while in their journey. The place didn¡¯t seem to be full and movement around it was slow. She could hear and see the cars passing through the roadway in front of her. Every vehicle that seemed to slow down or go in her direction made her heart skip in fear.


    She calmed down when Hayley came back with a cheerful smile and spinning a key on her finger. Her wet hair, glued to her face, gave her a pretty look. Almost sexy, she observed. The thought made her feel embarrassed, so she looked at the floor, avoiding letting her friend see the red blush on her face.


    ¡°We got a room,¡± Hayley said, showing the key to Ester.


    ¡°Nice,¡± Ester said, slowly lifting her face to Hayley. ¡°What about your clothes? Put on a show inside?¡±


    ¡°No, there was only an old woman inside. And I don¡¯t think she swings that way. She only gave me those ¡®these young people nowadays¡¯ reproving look. Well, she wasn¡¯t my type.¡±


    Ester chuckled, feeling her worries disappearing again.


    ¡°Do you even have a type? I don¡¯t remember you showing interest in anyone ever.¡±


    ¡°Maybe you¡¯re blind, love,¡± Hayley said and walked past Ester. ¡°But let¡¯s go already. It¡¯s cold and I just want to take a hot shower for now.¡±


    ¡°What about clothes?¡± Ester said, following Hayley.


    ¡°There¡¯s a heater inside, apparently. We can put ours to dry for now. Apparently there¡¯s a convenience store nearby. I¡¯ll try to look for something tomorrow morning,¡± Hayley looked to the sky. It was late afternoon and the night would be almost there. ¡°If you¡¯re hungry, the old woman said they offer dinner and lunch. If we pay, of course.¡±


    ¡°I, I think I¡¯m fine for today.¡±


    ¡°Really? You didn¡¯t eat anything the whole afternoon, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but I¡¯m not hungry.¡±


    Hayley stopped to face her friend. Ester feared to let her friend worry and opened her mouth to speak again, but Hayley was faster.


    ¡°I see. I¡¯m not hungry either, so that¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°No, you can go¡­¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t leave you alone, love.¡±


    Listening to her words, Ester felt her worries fade again. Truth is that she was scared of being left by herself now, in that place she knew nothing about. She didn¡¯t know if Colby was still after her.


    Hayley turned to the door in front of them and put the key in the keyhole.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s the place. Room 106.¡±


    She opened the door with a loud creaking and turned on the lights inside. Even if old, the room was clean. There was a television, a nightstand, a heater, a shower in another room and another detail that Ester was fast to realize.


    ¡°There¡¯s only one bed.¡±


    Only a big double bed was in the middle of the room. It was big enough for even three people sleep on it and looked tidy. Hayley stared at it and raised her hand to her cheek.


    ¡°Oh my, I did say I was with a friend. I wonder if she thought¡­I¡¯ll go back and see if there¡¯s any other room vacant.¡±


    ¡°Oh no, it''s fine,¡± Ester said, walking inside. ¡°It¡¯s big enough and we can share it. Unless you don¡¯t want to¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind if you¡¯re okay with it.¡±


    The two women smiled at each other in a silent agreement. Then, putting her purse on the nightstand, Hayley started to remove her shirt.


    ¡°We should take a bath now. Want to go first?¡±


    ¡°N-No. You can go.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Hayley turned to Ester without her shirt, making her realize how her friend had developed in all that time. Her breasts were bigger than Ester¡¯s and she was wearing a sexy wine-colored bra with roses embroidery in it.


    ¡°Y-Yeah,¡± Ester said. She tried to avoid her eyes but didn¡¯t resist it. The particles of water running through Hayley¡¯s pale skin were also a view of beauty.


    Hayley put her shirt in front of the turned-on heater and removed her skirt, showing Ester her panties as pretty and with the same color and embroidery as the bra. She put the skirt together with the shirt and turned to her friend, with a smile and a hand on her waist.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°So? What do you think?¡±


    ¡°W-What?¡± Ester asked, astonished in the middle of the room. While appreciating Hayley¡¯s figure, she was taken by surprise.


    ¡°Did I pretty up after all that time?¡±


    ¡°Y-Yeah. You¡¯re, huh,¡± Ester took a breath before continuing. ¡°Really hot, if I have to say.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Hayley spun her body playfully in front of Ester, giving her a full view of it. ¡°Is that a pick-up line, miss?¡±


    Ester chuckled and unconsciously bit her lower lip.


    ¡°That you¡¯re still single with all that is a mystery. It wasn¡¯t for lack of suitors, right?¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah. I had a lot of proposals from some co-workers, but who wants those nerds, right?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m starting to think nerds are secretly really sexy.¡±


    With a laugh, Hayley went inside the shower room bringing her backpack with her and closed the door. After some minutes, Ester started to hear the sound of water dripping from the shower.


    She was still standing up in the middle of the room. She could sit on the bed, but then it would get wet. And she still felt reluctant to remove her clothes. She heard the cars¡¯ motors growling outside.


    She started to get scared again. Feeling alone in that room, and the night was falling. She couldn¡¯t know what was going on outside. If something were to happen, would Hayley listen to her?


    Her feet walked in the shower room¡¯s direction. She thought about knocking and call for her friend but stopped herself. The fear and uneasy made her start walking in circles, from one side to the next, trying to calm down. She thought about turning on the television, but more noise didn¡¯t sound better.


    It took only a few minutes until Hayley came out of the shower, still wearing the same underwear since she didn¡¯t have anything else. Ester threw a scared look at her, but let out a relieved sigh when she realized it was her friend there. That didn¡¯t escape Hayley¡¯s attention.


    ¡°What happened, love?¡± Hayley asked, getting closer to Ester and touching her arm. Ester¡¯s usually darkened face was getting almost as pale as Hayley.


    ¡°I got a little nervous, that¡¯s all,¡± she said with a sad smile.


    ¡°You know what I miss?¡± Hayley said suddenly with a serious face, making Ester look at her with curiosity. ¡°Your smile.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still smiling,¡± she said, forcing one to form on her face. But Hayley shook her head.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not the same. Not the same as when we were younger. Those pretty smiles you would give me were real. No fake one like this.¡±


    ¡°I,¡± that conversation made Ester uncomfortable. She started looking to every side as if looking for a way out. ¡°I think I need¡­¡±


    ¡°A bath?¡± Hayley asked, smiling.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Ester said but noticing something, she corrected herself: ¡°I mean, no. Not a bath. Not now.¡±


    ¡°You should, love,¡± Hayley said, approaching Ester. ¡°You were soaked by the rain. You could get a cold.¡±


    ¡°I-I¡¯m fine. I think I¡¯ll just sit over the heater¡­¡±


    But Hayley grabbed Ester¡¯s arm. She was serious again. Ester looked at her startled.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, love? Are you ashamed of taking your clothes around me?¡±


    ¡°No, no!¡± Ester shook her head fast. ¡°It¡¯s not that. I swear. It¡¯s not¡­¡±


    As she said that, Ester backed off. She retracted her body against the wall to the opposite side of Hayley. Anyone seeing that scene would believe she was being threatened. The reaction made Hayley raise her eyebrows.


    ¡°Are you afraid of me?¡±


    Ester shook her head in silence, but her eyes looked to the other side. Hayley walked to her and gently held both her wrists. Ester¡¯s body shivered with the gesture.


    ¡°Love, listen to me. If we¡¯re going to be together, we have to learn to trust each other. You understand?¡±


    Ester nodded slowly. She was still avoiding to look directly at her friend.


    ¡°Let me help you with that,¡± Hayley said, putting her hands on the bottom of Ester¡¯s shirt.


    At first, Ester tried to stop her friend from removing her shirt, keeping her arms down. But after Hayley gently tried to pull the shirt up, she gave up, raising her arms and allowing the cloth to be pulled over her head. Hayley put her friend¡¯s shirt in front of the heater and looked at her.


    She shut her eyes and let out a long sigh.


    ¡°He did this,¡± Hayley said, still with her eyes shut.


    ¡°Uhu,¡± Ester answered, trying to look away from her friend, feeling embarrassed and ashamed.


    She had a purple bruise on her right wrist and on her chest, just above her breasts. She felt like crying again as the bad memories flew through her mind but Hayley came to her and gave her a hug. Her friend¡¯s naked body against her, her warmth, that calmed her down.


    When the two women separated, Hayley stared at her friend¡¯s body again. Just above her plain white bra was the huge mark of violence. Probably still sensible to the touch, just like in the wrist. Yet, it was very easy to cover.


    Hayley held her friend¡¯s arm and planted a kiss where the bruise was.


    ¡°W-What,¡± Ester said, blushing with the gesture and her heartbeat shoot higher. ¡°Why are you¡­?¡±


    Hayley ignored her friend¡¯s surprise and her next question had a serious tone.


    ¡°Did he hurt you anywhere else?¡±


    Ester nodded and instinctively, her hand grabbed her left thigh. Hayley realized it and helped her friend to unbutton her jeans and pulled it gently. On the inner side of her left side another bruise. Another place hard to see. Hayley touched it with her fingers, making smooth movements on her friend¡¯s skin. The gentle and affable touch of Hayley¡¯s fingers were making Ester feel good. She wasn¡¯t touched like that in a long time.


    Hayley lifted her eyes to meet Ester¡¯s face. Ester¡¯s eyes were starting to get wet with the tears welling in it. That gentle treatment made her remember what was denied to her in that marriage. And the memories of the pain came back.


    Hayley¡¯s face got closer. Ester could feel her breath and smell her shampoo. She realized, surprised, that Hayley was brushing her lips against hers. Her heartbeat jumped higher as she felt her friend¡¯s moist and warm skin. But she didn¡¯t try to escape. She stood there, receiving the love offered to her.


    ¡°Did you hate it?¡± Hayley asked in a murmur. There was a glint of fear in her eyes.


    ¡°No,¡± Ester said, shaking her head.


    ¡°So I¡¯ll continue,¡± Hayley said and started to kiss her friend again, this time with no hesitation.


    She hugged Hayley¡¯s back and when her friend¡¯s body reacted to it with a jump, she realized there was also a bruise over it and touching it brought her pain. Her touch became gentler and she pushed Ester to the bed. She lied beside her, kissing her mouth and caressing her body.


    That was the first time in a long time Ester felt that good. The first time she was feeling pleasure with another person¡¯s touch instead of pain and fear. Hayley¡¯s touch was careful. Her skin was smooth and warm. Ester lifted her hand to pass over her friend¡¯s still humid hair.


    ¡°Ester, love, I¡­¡± Hayley¡¯s hand ran through Ester¡¯s whole body until she started pulling her friend¡¯s white panties off. ¡°I have always loved you,¡± she said as she started another kiss.

 Smile For Me - Part 3

    When Ester opened her eyes the next day, the morning sun was already up. In front of her, she saw the pale sleeping face of Hayley. At first, her mind didn¡¯t register what had happened last night, but as the memories came back, she couldn¡¯t resist but to smile. She took her hand to her friend and caressed her face.


    Slowly, Hayley mumbled and started opening her eyes. When Esther realized her friend was awake, her smile became brighter.


    ¡°Yeah, that smile,¡± Hayley said with a tired voice. ¡°That was the smile I was missing.¡±


    Ester chuckled. Her fingers tracing Hayley¡¯s soft face. Somehow, all the painful memories that were tormenting her just the previous day were starting to dissipate. She could feel her friend¡¯s warm breath on her hand.


    ¡°I¡¯m still lost about what happened yesterday,¡± she said with a low and gentle voice. ¡°I still don¡¯t get what¡¯s going on here.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just like a said,¡± Hayley rubbed her eyes. ¡°I have always loved you.¡±


    ¡°Always as in, since when? High school?¡±


    ¡°Since we first met, I think. I was crazy in love with you.¡±


    ¡°Sorry. I never knew.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the one who is sorry. If I had confessed then, maybe you would¡­¡± She fell in silence. Ester thought Hayley probably didn¡¯t want to bring bad memories. She shook her head and kept a smile, although with a glimpse of sadness in it.


    ¡°I would probably reject you. At that time, I was really into him, and, huh. Until last night, at least, it never crossed my head doing it with a woman, so,¡± then she got wide-eyed, almost jumping in Hayley¡¯s direction. ¡°Oh, sorry. Yesterday it was only me who felt good, right? I didn¡¯t do anything. Sorry, I¡¯m used to doing it with a man, so I don¡¯t know what to do and¡­¡±


    Hayley let out a laugh and put her finger on Ester¡¯s lips.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, love. It was great for me. And like I said, all I wanted to see was your smile. How did it go for you, though? It was your first time with a woman, right?¡±


    ¡°It was great. Really. It¡¯s the first time in a long time someone made love with me. Actual love and not just¡­¡± She paused as the bad memories came back to her. But she forced her smile back since it was the smile Hayley wanted to see. ¡°But I still think I should¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We have time for that. After all, we¡¯re going to live together from now on, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Ester said with a bright smile and inclined her body forward to kiss Hayley¡¯s lips. Hayley turned her face away, making Ester frown.


    ¡°Sorry, love. I really need to brush my teeth first.¡±


    ¡°O-Oh, of course. Sorry,¡± Ester said, letting out an embarrassed smile.


    Getting out of the bed, Hayley took her clothes that were in front of the heater and walked inside the shower room. She didn¡¯t bother to close the door. Ester examined her own clothes and, realizing they were dry, started to wear them.


    Staring at the shower room and Hayley brushing her teeth, suddenly Ester realized she hadn¡¯t even taken a bath yesterday. It was all so crazy she hadn¡¯t even thought about it, but now she felt embarrassed. But she didn¡¯t say anything and Hayley didn¡¯t seem to mind. After some time, her head seemed a little more clear.


    ¡°That reminds me, I didn¡¯t get my toothbrush,¡± she said out loud.


    ¡°I¡¯ll buy one for you,¡± Hayley said from inside the bathroom. ¡°I¡¯ll also grab something to eat. You¡¯re probably hungry since we didn¡¯t eat last night, right?¡±


    ¡°Haha, you¡¯re right,¡± Ester said, feeling her stomach growl. ¡°I completely forgot.¡±This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    ¡°You can¡¯t fill your stomach with love,¡± Hayley said, getting out of the shower room dressed up. ¡°Can I leave you alone for a few minutes?¡± She had a worried face as she asked.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, of course,¡± Ester said while putting her panties on and sitting on the bed. She already had dressed up on her top. ¡°I¡¯m feeling really better now.¡±


    She let out a reassuring smile for Hayley, who nodded and walked to the door. Before leaving, she still added: ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    After being left alone, Ester got off the bed. If she had to tell the truth, she was still a little scared of being alone. But she had faith Hayley wouldn¡¯t abandon her. And, examining her phone again, there were no more missed calls.


    ¡°Maybe he decided to leave me alone,¡± she mumbled to herself. It was hard to believe since he was always so violent against the possibility of her leaving him. So much that she feared for her life if he ever finds her.


    She walked to the shower room. She wanted to brush her teeth before Hayley was back, so she put the toothpaste the hotel had ready for them on her finger and used it as a toothbrush.


    After she was done, Ester stared at the shower¡¯s direction and realized she really wanted to take a bath now. For a long time, she had stopped caring about her personal hygiene and only did it for fearing how her husband would react. But thinking about Hayley, she wanted to be clean when she came back. And besides, after last night, she needed it. Her clothes were dry already and the hotel had spare towels, so she did it.


    When she finished, she started putting her jeans on but realized something in the corner of the shower room she hadn¡¯t seen before. Hayley¡¯s backpack was lying there. Suddenly Ester realized Hayley went out not carrying anything, so she wondered if she even had money with her or forgot it behind. After finishing to put her shirt on, Ester took the backpack.


    At first, Ester hesitated. It was her friend¡¯s personal belongings, after all. And if she had forgotten her wallet or something, she would come back soon to get it, anyway. However, something different bothered her while looking at it. Hayley didn¡¯t have different clothes to wear and had to put the same she came with. But the backpack seemed stuffed. If she wasn¡¯t carrying clothes, what was inside it?


    She looked to her sides as if making sure no one was around, took a deep breath and decided to just peek inside. Slowly, she pulled the zipper, opening the backpack. The first thing her eyes saw inside made her feel a chill inside her stomach.


    She hesitated. For a moment, she considered closing it and pretending she never saw it. But it was too late. The object was inside the backpack, with its metal shining in front of her eyes. She put a hand inside and felt the cold sensation. She took it off, it was a gun. By the weight of it, she assumed it was probably a real one.


    For a moment she froze there, staring at the object unbelieving. That was the first time she ever saw a real gun. And she was even holding it in her hand. The fear made her heart beat faster. She wondered if Hayley needed it for self-defense since she was a woman traveling alone. She was wondering about that when something brought her attention back to the backpack. A stench, probably unnoticed before because the backpack was closed, now was starting to impregnate the shower room. Ester couldn¡¯t recognize the smell but seemed like something rotten. She looked inside and saw what looked like a tied up black plastic bag inside. Above it was a smartphone.


    Putting her hand inside again, Ester took the smartphone and turned it on. She was taken by surprise when her own photo showed up at the screen. Not an old photo from when she was in high school. It was a recent photo, just some months old. She recognized it and probably still had it inside her computer, which she left home.


    Ester gave a last look at the plastic bag inside the backpack. But that was enough, she didn¡¯t think she would be able to take another shock. She put the gun and smartphone inside the backpack again and walked out of the shower room. She sat on the bed, feeling dizzy.


    Until that moment, she was thinking that meeting Hayley on the bus the day before was a happy coincidence. Now her thoughts went back to that time. There was something weird that Hayley said, just now Ester realized.


    That might be surprising to you, but we have been sharing the same city all this time.


    Ester never said where she was living. Hayley wasn¡¯t there yet when Ester went inside the bus. So she couldn¡¯t know. Only if she had met Ester before. And seeing her photo on that smartphone, Ester realized Hayley did know about her current before.


    She wondered if she was in danger. But no matter how much she thought about Hayley¡¯s actions the day before, she didn¡¯t feel threatened. It was the exact opposite, Hayley made her feel safer. That¡¯s why she decided to give Hayley at least a chance to explain herself once she came back.


    Trying to take that off her head until Hayley came back, Ester turned on the TV. She started to change channels as if to find something that would catch her attention. Then, suddenly, she froze. There was no doubt, what she was seeing in front of her was real. The photo on the TV screen, which was screening the local news, was the face of her husband. She almost fainted as she read the headline: ¡°Dead body found¡±.


    ***


    Hayley was almost at her destination when she realized she left her wallet in the side-pocket of her backpack and turned back in the hotel direction. She kept her eyes on the street all the time, as she heard what sounded like police sirens sounding far away.

 Smile For Me - Final

    The day before, around noon, Hayley was walking at the side of the roadway, keeping her eyes on the screen of her smartphone. Cars passed by her and some of the people inside gave her weird glances, but she didn¡¯t mind. There was only one point on the screen she was waiting for. The GPS of the app pointed out that it would be there soon. She was wearing gloves, which were uncommon in that weather.


    Maybe because of the time, there weren''t many cars around. So when her target pointed out on the roadway, Hayley walked with confidence, knowing the car she saw on the horizon was the one she was waiting for. She waited until the distance between them was just right. Too close to turning, far enough to break and stop in the middle of the road. When she walked to the middle of the street, the car screeched as the driver stepped on the break. The door was opened in a rush, making way to a pale young man looking terrified.


    ¡°The fuck you think you¡¯re doing?!¡± He shouted as he walked towards Hayley. ¡°Are you trying to die?¡±


    Hayley was calm as she opened her backpack and pulled the gun she was carrying inside as if it was nothing. She pointed the gun to the man and he froze, his eyes almost jumping out of his skull.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, dear,¡± she said with a calm voice, walking to the young man¡¯s direction. ¡°You do what I say and nothing bad will happen.¡±


    ¡°P-Please, don¡¯t shoot,¡± the man said, his eyes looking straight at the gun. ¡°If you want the car, take it, but don¡¯t shoot.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I want your car. Also, leave your smartphone,¡± Hayley said.


    The man got away from the car, his face pale. Hayley approached, looked inside and saw the smartphone on the support and the keys in the ignition. She got inside the car and turned on the engine again. Before starting to drive, she threw a smile to the young man who was still staring, terrified, at her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You¡¯ll get your car back soon,¡± she said and made the car start moving again.


    She drove until she arrived in the city and, in a rush, parked on the side of the road and ran to the back of the car. Opening the car trunk. She looked inside for some minutes and nodded with a smile. Getting back on the wheel, she stared at the smartphone. The ride mobile application was showing on the map what her destiny was, she confirmed it was the right location and nodded again with a smile. She started moving again, following the application GPS.


    When she arrived in front of the destined house, a furious man was waiting in front of it. Hayley knew who he was, but he was too different from how she remembered. Her old classmate probably wouldn¡¯t recognize her now. He opened the door and sat beside her. But when he finally saw her face, he made a perplexed expression.


    ¡°You¡¯re not the driver who showed up in the application,¡± he said, moving his eyes to his smartphone.


    ¡°Oh, he¡¯s my brother,¡± she said, letting out a shy smile. ¡°I am using his car since he¡¯s in the hospital today and can¡¯t work. But you don¡¯t need to worry,¡± Hayley moved the screen on the smartphone in front of her. ¡°I see your destination is pretty far. Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll pay. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m following someone, so I want you to get there before her. She probably took the bus one hour ago.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see. In that case, I¡¯ll take a shortcut. Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll get there before her for sure.¡±


    Hayley realized Colby had his eyes staring at her hands, still wearing gloves as if suspecting of her.


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t mind it,¡± she said with a laugh. ¡°I just developed some allergy, so¡­¡±


    Hayley started the car and began driving again. In a few minutes, they were leaving the city.


    The whole way, Hayley was in silence and the man looked nervous. He was staring at his smartphone all the time and sometimes tried to make a call, but apparently, the other side never picked up.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I¡¯m intruding, but,¡± Hayley said, keeping her eyes on the road. ¡°You don¡¯t remember me, do you?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± The man stared at her, confused. ¡°Do I know you?¡±


    ¡°Hayley Fowler, from high school.¡±


    ¡°Ester¡¯s friend¡­¡± He said, now looking straight at his driver.


    ¡°So you¡¯re really Colby Gray, huh? Have you met Ester again since that time?¡±


    He didn¡¯t say anything. His eyes landed on the screen of his phone. After some minutes of silence, his voice was finally out.


    ¡°Y-You can leave me here,¡± he said, looking outside of his window.


    ¡°Here in the middle of nowhere?¡± Hayley said with a chuckle and her eyes stared deep into Colby¡¯s. ¡°What¡¯s that? We¡¯re old classmates. After all this time, meeting up like this, almost like fate, right?¡±


    He remained in silence. There weren¡¯t many cars on the street at that time, so the only sound they could hear was the engine of the vehicle they were on and the wind outside. Colby kept his eyes on the road, looking nervous.


    ¡°Well, you did meet Ester, right?¡± Hayley broke the silence. ¡°After all, she¡¯s your wife?¡±


    Colby¡¯s eyes turned scared to Hayley again, but she was just smiling as if nothing was wrong while staring at the road.


    ¡°Say,¡± Colby said, staring at his smartphone again. ¡°I don¡¯t remember you ever having a brother before.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I never said? Well, we weren¡¯t that close, right? Did Ester tell you anything about me, or about how close we were? She was my treasure at that time, you know? I would never allow anything bad to happen to her.¡±


    There was a threatening tone in Hayley¡¯s voice and Colby clearly realized that.


    ¡°Please, you can leave me here¡­¡± He said again, but then he felt a hard metal press against his head.


    ¡°Just stay quiet there,¡± Hayley said. She was holding a gun against Colby¡¯s head while staring at the road. Then she smiled. ¡°Why the hurry? We¡¯re old classmates, so let¡¯s talk more about the old times. Like, for example, about the girl I loved and you took away from me.¡±


    With a blunt movement, Hayley turned the wheel to the side, making the car leave the roadway in the direction of the large grass fields extending to their sides. Colby let out a surprised grunt.


    ¡°W-What are you doing?¡± He shouted.


    ¡°Just taking a shortcut,¡± Hayley said, keeping the same calm expression. ¡°Please, be quiet,¡± she pressed the gun stronger against his head.


    She drove the grass fields until the roadways could barely be seen behind them. She stopped the car and stared at Colby, who looked terrified.


    Hayley let out a sigh. She had a serious face. Almost defiant.


    ¡°Yeah, I was in love with Ester,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m sure you knew that too, right? I mean, you were always good at perceiving these things.¡±


    ¡°I-It¡¯s not my fault,¡± Colby said with his voice weak. ¡°She chose me. I didn¡¯t force her or anything. It just wouldn¡¯t work with you.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Hayley let out a sad smile. ¡°And I did make peace with it at the time. I couldn¡¯t stand to stay around while you two got together, but I was satisfied with how it ended. Do you know why?¡±


    Colby moved his head denying it.


    ¡°Because I loved her smile,¡± Hayley said, looking happy while immersed in her memories. ¡°And when she was around you, her smile was the prettiest. That¡¯s why I thought: that¡¯s fine. Even if it wasn¡¯t with me, that¡¯s fine,¡± then her expression became gloomy. ¡°Say, Colby, when was the last time you saw her smile?¡±Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    ¡°I-I¡­How do you know...¡± The words died in his mouth as tears started to well upon his eyes.


    ¡°Get out,¡± Hayley said with a harsh voice and pointed to the car¡¯s door with the gun.


    ¡°Please¡­¡±


    ¡°Get out!¡± She shouted in an angry voice.


    Colby obeyed. He almost tripped as he tried to distance from the car. But Hayley¡¯s voice stopped him again.


    ¡°Halt! Get on your knees and put your hands on your head.¡±


    He obeyed. He was already crying as Hayley approached him. He mumbled almost inaudible: ¡°please, not¡­¡±


    ¡°You know, Colby,¡± Hayley said in a calm voice again. She walked in his direction holding the gun in her hand. ¡°I would be fine never having Ester by my side again. As long as she was happy. But when things got hard in my life, I needed healing. So I looked up for her again. I just needed her smile because that¡¯s the only thing in the world that can heal me. But when I found her, her smile was nowhere to be seen.¡±


    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said with a crying voice.


    ¡°You know what I think about people who are only sorry when their life''s on the line?¡± She said with a disgusted look. ¡°Tell me, Colby, what would have happened if you reached her before meeting me?¡±


    ¡°L-Look. Just let me go and I¡¯ll stay out of your way. Go after her. Take her by your side. I won¡¯t follow you two anymore.¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t do, Colby,¡± Hayley stopped one meter away from him, staring right at his teary-eyed face. ¡°That won¡¯t do. It¡¯s too late,¡± she sat on the ground in front of him, always with the gun pointing to his head. ¡°Say, Colby, do you know why justice must be blind? It¡¯s for situations like this. It¡¯s because we, as humans, are biased. You see, even crimes have different weights depending on who is seeing it. That¡¯s why judges can¡¯t be personally involved in the cases they¡¯re judging. We as a society agreed on common ground and put a universal weight on all kinds of crimes and, to live as a society, we sacrificed our personal views in the name of civility, don¡¯t you agree?¡±


    Colby nodded and opened his mouth to speak, but Hayley started again before him.


    ¡°For example, your crime. In our justice, you would spend some time in prison, maybe. Or maybe not even go to jail. That¡¯s the weight society put on your actions. It¡¯s not as severe as killing in their eyes. But for me, it¡¯s different. For me, your crime was the only one I could never forgive. And look, I¡¯m not a resentful woman, I¡¯m pretty understanding and pragmatic. I could maybe forgive you even if you had killed children. I could forgive anything you could do to me. Beat me up, torture me, rape me. I could forgive you, maybe I would forgive you. We could come to a mutual understanding for the greater good of society. However, making the woman I love to lose her smile. That I can¡¯t forgive. That¡¯s the one thing I can¡¯t overlook. Do you understand how I feel?¡± Hayley put her free hand over her chest while calmly staring at the terrified man in front of her. ¡°No, you don¡¯t. You can¡¯t understand. If you can make her cry, you would never understand how deep my feelings are. How strong they are.¡±


    Hayley stood up, still holding her gun. That made Colby startled. He rose his face to look at her and implored between his crying:


    ¡°Please, please, for God. Don¡¯t shoot me.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t shoot you, Colby,¡± she said with a serene voice and walked in the direction of the parked car. ¡°You see, shooting you here is risky. Someone could hear from the roadway and call the police. Or come to see what¡¯s going on,¡± she grabbed the backpack she left inside the car and took off a rope from inside it. ¡°So don¡¯t make any sudden movement and I won¡¯t shoot you.¡±


    Ignoring Colby¡¯s begging words, Hayley walked behind him still with the gun in her hand and crouched.


    ¡°You can¡¯t see where the gun is. Make any movement, I take it faster than you and it¡¯s over,¡± she said and put the gun on the ground, close to her but not at Colby¡¯s reach. She started tying up. She tied his feet and hands together like a pig and kicked him to the ground.


    He stared at her with pleading eyes.


    ¡°Are you going to abandon me here?¡±


    She took her finger to her lips, shushing him and put her hand inside her pocket. She took off a piece of cloth and used it as a gag, shutting Colby¡¯s mouth. While he tried to speak with muffled sounds, Hayley walked back to the car, this time opening its trunk. When she turned around carrying something, Colby¡¯s grunts turned more desperate as he struggled on the floor, like a fish out of the water.


    Walking in his direction with a crowbar on hand, Hayley had a serious expression. She stood in front of him as he cried, trying to beg for his life.


    ¡°You know why you¡¯re going to die, Colby?¡± As she said it, he tried to move more desperate, but she ignored it. ¡°Think of it as it happens in religious conflicts. Yeah, like those people who kill because their god was offended. Just like them, I know it¡¯s wrong and it¡¯s a crime. I didn¡¯t want to do it, believe me. But you offended my goddess, we could say. And this is beyond me. Beyond the morals and laws of this world. This is happening because, in my world, you committed the worst crime possible.¡±


    Hayley moved the crowbar with all her strength, hitting Colby¡¯s head. A muffled sound escaped from his mouth as he tried to scream and the grass around him was painted red. Hayley¡¯s face writhed in a frown.


    ¡°You know, I hate this, too,¡± she said, ignoring his crying. ¡°And I hate that you¡¯re forcing me to do it. It disgusts me.¡±


    She hit it again with the crowbar. But this time she kept hitting, ignoring his muffled cry. Watching the grass below and around him paint red with his blood. The bones on his face cracking and his eyes jumping out of his skull. It was all messy and disgusting in her eyes, but she kept hitting with an unperturbed face until he stopped making any sound.


    When Hayley finally stopped, Colby¡¯s face was completely disfigured and her clothes and body dirty with his blood.


    Crouching in front of the body, Hayley put her finger on his arteries, verifying if his heart had stopped. After certifying he was dead, she stood up and stared at his body in disgust. She moved his face to the side using the crowbar. At the same moment, his right eye fell to the ground.


    ¡°Gross,¡± Hayley said and started removing the rope off his body.


    She walked to the car and, putting the rope and crowbar in the trunk, moved to the front and started the engine again. She moved through the grass fields and arrived at a lake that she knew was close. There she took off her clothes and started washing her body in the water, removing the blood off her. She put her bloody clothes along with her gloves in a plastic bag and took clean clothes off her backpack.


    She changed in clean clothes and put the plastic bag with dirty clothes on the bottom of the backpack. She looked at her smartphone to look at the time and turned back to the car. She drove while avoiding the roadway for a time, taking a shortcut to her destination.


    Hiding the car behind some bushes, Hayley took off holding her backpack. She walked in the direction of the roadway and arrived just on time at the bus stop.


    ***


    Ester almost fainted when she saw the photos of the crime scene on the TV screen. They didn¡¯t show in detail but informed how it was a brutal execution that left the victim completely disfigured. It took some time for them to identify it as Colby.


    Feeling weak, Ester stood up to take a glass of water but felt dizzy. Her mind went back to the backpack she saw at the bathroom and what was inside it. Ester wasn¡¯t stupid. As much as she wanted to think they were unrelated, it was impossible now. She walked back to the shower room, knowing already what she was going to find.


    Opening the backpack again, she opened the plastic sack inside, and the stench of blood almost made her throw up. Covering her mouth, Ester stared at the clothes dirty with blood inside and closed it up again. Trying to resist both her urges to cry or vomit, she went back to the bed and turned off the television. It was clear to her what had happened.


    She wondered if she should go back home now. The police would surely look for her and she might be a suspect as they find out she left home. But if she goes back, her situation having no one by her side would get even worse. She had no work, no way to live by herself.


    But something else was worrying her. Was Hayley dangerous? Could she trust her? Now she was thinking meeting Hayley wasn¡¯t a coincidence. But what were her objectives? And since she killed Ester¡¯s husband, it was natural that Ester should tell that to the police.


    However, Ester realized she couldn¡¯t do it. Just moments ago, Hayley was hope for her. The one she found to support and protect her. The thought of losing her now was just as scary as the thought of seeing her knowing what she did. Ester would be alone again.


    She was considering that when she heard steps outside the door. At first, she was afraid the police could have caught up to her, but as the door opened up, it was Hayley¡¯s smiling face that was behind it.


    ¡°I forgot my wallet,¡± Hayley said with naturality, then she stared at Ester, who was still sitting on the bed. ¡°What happened?¡± Hayley put up a worried expression. ¡°You look paler than me.¡±


    The words didn¡¯t come out of Ester¡¯s mouth. It was as if her mind had frozen and she didn¡¯t know how to answer.


    For the seconds Hayley took to walk towards her, Ester received an influx of mixed emotions. Fear almost made her jump and run, but at the same time, there was gratitude, and maybe love. The image of Colby¡¯s body, censored by the television was also in her mind. But also was the last night when her body was embraced with the other woman.


    Finally, as Hayley reached Ester, she reacted. One emotion winning against all the others.


    Ester¡¯s body jumped and she hugged Hayley in a tight embrace.


    ¡°W-What?¡± Hayley said with a laugh. ¡°I don¡¯t have any food yet, you know.¡±


    But Ester ignored Hayley¡¯s word, took her face in her hands and kissed her lips. Hayley stared at her, astonished.


    ¡°Did something happen?¡±


    ¡°I just realized,¡± Ester said, pause between kisses. ¡°I realized I can¡¯t ever betray you. I¡¯ll always be by your side, no matter what happens. I realized it now.¡±


    ¡°That makes me happy,¡± Hayley said, but slowly pushed Ester away. ¡°Just tell me what got to you. Is something bothering you?¡±


    Ester shook her head with a smile.


    ¡°Just, please, just tell me if you need something. If you ever need help. Or anything. I will do anything for you,¡± she said.


    Hayley stared at Ester¡¯s anxious face. She took her friend¡¯s cheek in her hand and she was the one kissing her now.


    ¡°There¡¯s only one thing I want from you, now and forever. Something only you can give me.¡±


    ¡°What is it? I¡¯ll give you anything.¡±


    ¡°So just, always, always, just keep smiling for me.¡±


    After hearing those words, Ester let out the brightest smile she could muster.


    She knew that Hayley¡¯s actions weren¡¯t correct. She didn¡¯t know what their future would bring. She didn¡¯t know if what she felt was love, gratitude or dependency. All she knew was that her heart was beating strong, she was feeling safer than ever and she would follow the woman in front of her until the end of the world.

 2021

    It was New Year¡¯s Eve. Soon, the year 2020 would be put behind everyone and giving space to 2021. And yet, Larissa had no good expectations for the year to come. She was employed in an office and had a high position in it. She was the only woman so high in the ranks in the company. Still, her superior was the worst kind of person she had met. That¡¯s why she was going to work during the afternoon on New Year¡¯s Eve. And during a pandemic. She wasn¡¯t allowed to work from home since the beginning, even though they had the means for that.


    She walked out of the office in the sun, away from the cool breeze of the air conditioning inside. It was always sunny this time of the year in South America. Larissa recalled how it was weird to her watching Christmas movies and specials tv shows, which were almost all imported from northern countries, that time of the year when she was a child. She would be sitting on her couch, eating ice cream in the heat of summer, while the TV would always show a setting with snow and cold. In South America, that time of the year could get almost unbearable hot. And of course, in the pandemic, the use of the mask would be another issue. It was better during the cold when her face would get warm, but during summer, it was suffocating.


    Walking outside, Larissa realized most people around her were walking around without a mask on. She remembered how at the start of the year almost everyone would be using one, now they looked like they were ¡°tired of it¡±. It was only obligatory inside stores, anyway, but she would use it outside as a precaution.


    She walked inside the restaurant she used to grab lunch during interval breaks. Usually, she would eat inside, but since the pandemic, she started to get food to eat on the go and looked for somewhere less populated, usually the open park. Her eyes automatically followed the cash register. Behind it sat a girl who has been stealing Larissa¡¯s stares for the last two years. Larissa didn¡¯t know the girl¡¯s age. If she started working at 18, she was at least 20 now. She looked at her early 20s, anyway.


    The girl had long silky blonde hair and a petite face. She was always smiling when speaking to Larissa, it was so contagious that she had no choice but to smile back, even on bad days. It was only something she had to do for the job, but Larissa appreciated it anyway. Of course, she wouldn¡¯t be able to see that smile now, just like the whole year, since the girl was wearing a mask, just like everyone else inside.


    Larissa was in her early 30s. She had long black hair, damaged for her lack of time to take care of it, even though she paid a lot of attention to her appearance when she was a teenager. Now she was a busy working woman and had little time to worry about such things. She had to give her all since it was already a miracle that she got a good position with an openly sexist boss like hers.


    Seeing girls like Angelina (that was her name, Larissa saw it on her uniform) living their best with so much energy was invigorating to her, even though she wasn¡¯t regretful of her life choices. It was hard but fulfilling. She never thought about living being nourished by someone else. Having control of her own life was important. What was stressing her out that year was the people around her. Be it her sexist and ignorant boss, or her co-workers, or family.


    While getting the food she was going to take out to eat, she heard people speaking at the table behind her.


    ¡°Are you going to the beach later?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, everything is ready.¡±


    ¡°But you won¡¯t be going to the beach itself, right? I heard they¡¯re stopping people from getting in.¡±


    The other person gave out a laugh.


    ¡°Who is going to stop me? Me and my friends already reserved a place. That place will be full of people, you¡¯ll see.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid?¡±


    ¡°God is with me. It¡¯s not that bad. I have a friend who got it, he¡¯s better already. He said it¡¯s just a little flu.¡±


    Larissa sighed. It was like that the whole year. She was expecting that already, but it was even worse when her own family was like that as well. Her mother was put in the hospital with the disease just some weeks before. Now she was better, and better and already sending stupid messages about it. The last one was a giant text about how vaccines were made to give people cancer, so they shouldn¡¯t take it. Or how using masks was some kind of plan architected by some billionaire to make a new world order.


    She knew her mother was saying all that because of a politician. And she knew how stupid that was. Suddenly science wasn¡¯t being treated as a fact anymore but as a political stance. The truth was being modeled by someone¡¯s ideology instead of facts.


    Larissa almost missed the time when her mother¡¯s annoying messages were about rushing her to find a husband... Almost...


    Her last meeting with her mother was the worst possible, with her mother saying it was all a hoax and that disease didn¡¯t exist, soon after being discharged from the hospital. Larissa had to yell at her: ¡°You almost died! Stop being stupid.¡±


    That a lot of people were stupid, she already knew. But people close to her acting so stupid was the worst. What made her feel better was the thought that she was the owner of her own judgment, and a politician''s mind didn¡¯t make her opinions.


    Larissa got to the cash register again to pay for her food. Behind it, Angelina gave out her usual smile. Larissa could see it because of the wrinkles that formed below her eyes. Even while wearing a mask, it¡¯s like her smile was the same as ever. Larissa couldn¡¯t bring herself to smile back, so she greeted the girl with a ¡°good day¡±. Angelina informed the price of the food with a soft voice, almost hard to hear behind the mask. Larissa paid for it. She was about to get out when a commotion started to raise outside. Some man was trying to get inside without a mask and the security guy was stopping him.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡°It¡¯s the law. You can¡¯t get inside. If you want to buy a mask, we can¡­¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t force me to use a mask!¡± The man shouted. ¡°It¡¯s in my civil rights. I can get inside wherever I want and you can¡¯t force me! I¡¯m a free man!¡±


    ¡°Mister, I¡¯ll have to call the police if you don¡¯t calm down.¡±


    ¡°Call it! They¡¯ll secure my rights!¡±


    Larissa gave a worried glance at Angelina, but the girl¡¯s bitter smile, seeing from her eyes, made it clear that was a recurrent happening.


    ¡°If you¡¯re afraid, you can wait here until he¡¯s gone,¡± she said, after Larissa¡¯s hesitation.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. But thanks.¡±


    Saying that Larissa got out of the restaurant. She passed by the guy who was there still shouting at the security man. The police would probably be there soon and tell him to put on a mask or go away since it was indeed in the law. Larissa had seen the same happening in another store early in the year.


    Those people would shout about their rights, their individuality, about being free. But it was all just egoism. And why being used by someone else''s ideological plans would even make them free? They were more of a slave than Larissa or anyone who chose to obey the law. Not because it was law, but because they learned the reason for it.


    She went to the park and looked for the most empty place to sit and eat. It was New Year¡¯s Eve, so there weren¡¯t many people around, which was unusual. They had tried to lock the park once when the pandemic started, but it was useless, as people would still get inside. Or they would agglomerate in another place.


    Larissa sat on an isolated bench, putting her lunch box on the table in front of her and opening it. She took off her mask and was about to get her fork when a voice called close to her.


    ¡°Huh, sorry,¡± It was Angelina, she was standing up, some three meters away from Larissa, looking at her, seemingly nervous. ¡°Huh...Larissa, right?¡±


    She wondered how Angelina knew her name. Maybe she had asked someone else from the office.


    ¡°Yeah. Did I forget something?¡± Larissa said, looking at her purse. Her wallet was still there, at least.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not it.¡± Angelina took off her mask and let out a smile. The same smile Larissa didn¡¯t get to see for almost one year. Suddenly, Larissa felt her heart beating strong with the sight. With a sweet voice, Angelina said: ¡°A Happy New Year for you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, for you too,¡± Larissa said, looking curiously at Angelina.


    Angeline stood there, playing with her fingers and looking nervously at Larissa. It seemed like she wanted something else.


    ¡°Huh, is there something else I can help you with?¡±


    ¡°I mean,¡± Angelina said with a timid smile. ¡°I mean, it¡¯s kinda weird¡­¡±


    ¡°It can¡¯t be worse than most things I dealt with this year. Go on.¡±


    ¡°C-Can you give me a smile?¡± Angelina said. Larissa raised her eyebrows. ¡°I mean, I said it¡¯s weird, sorry. But, I was always delighted with you smiling at me, and this year, since you were wearing a mask all the time, I couldn¡¯t...I mean, it¡¯s not about smiling at me but smiling. Huh, I, I think you¡¯re beautiful, so¡­¡±


    Larissa let out a laugh. Angelina made a worried expression but softened as Larissa let out a big smile directed at her. The girl took out her smartphone.


    ¡°M-Mind if I take a picture?¡±


    ¡°Haha, go ahead,¡± Larissa said, and smiled for the photo. Then a thought occurred to her. She took her own smartphone and browsed the messaging app. She showed the screen to Angelina, with a QR Code on it. ¡°Mind taking a photo here, too?¡±


    Flustered, Angelina touched her own smartphone until she found the app and took the photo. Larissa¡¯s contact registered in her phone. Her eyes were almost sparkling as she looked at it, but Larissa could feel the excitement as well. She didn¡¯t remember how long it was since she had felt like that. Her heart was beating strong.


    ¡°So, huh,¡± Angelina said in a soft voice. ¡°Tonight I¡¯ll be with my family. Just my mom and dad, but they¡¯re afraid of this whole thing, so I have been taking care of them. But, huh, if you want to call me up, we can talk a little. If you don¡¯t mind. I wanted to know you better¡­¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Larissa said with a smile, almost not believing that was happening. She had been glazing at that girl for a long time, but never thought the feeling was mutual. Somehow, she blamed herself for not calling her before. ¡°And when this whole thing is over, maybe we can grab dinner? My treat.¡±


    ¡°Y-Yeah, of course!¡± Angelina said, almost jumping. ¡°I would love it,¡± she put her mask back. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m using your break, and mine as well, actually. I just had to call you before the year ends. I wanted to do it last year and didn¡¯t have the courage. And after...everything that happened later...I just hated myself for it. Huh, that was it. Be safe.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, you too,¡± Larissa said, waving as the girl walked away. She looked like she was skipping as she walked.


    Larissa had lost all hopes for something good happening for her at that point. She never cared for New Year, as it was just an imaginary line they were crossing. She was planning to spend the night watching her favorite TV Show and maybe reading a good book after it. Now she had another exciting plan to add to it.


    Maybe it was a sign.


    ¡°Maybe things won¡¯t be so bad, after all,¡± she said while looking at the image with a cute smiling girl in Angelina¡¯s contact in her contact list. It wasn¡¯t actually Angelina, she realized, a little disappointed. It was some kind of cartoon character. She opened the contact and sent the girl a message.


    ¡°Talk to you tonight, then, ¡®meu anjo¡¯.¡±


    Was it too weird giving her a nickname already? She thought. But the heart emoticon followed by a kiss Angelina sent back made her think their feelings were probably the same. She started to feel excited as if she was a teenager again. She couldn¡¯t wait for the night to come already.


    Suddenly, Larissa realized she had not touched her food yet. She took a portion of it in the fork and ate. Even that food she had tasted everyday tasted better now.


    ¡°Maybe I can hope next year will be better, after all,¡± she thought to herself.