“You have completely lost your mind! I am not jumping.” I
crossed my arms over my ample chest, and moved very purposefully towards the
safety of the car.
Then I heard a whistle, and PLOP.
I squeaked at the wet shorts that smacked me on the back of
my head. Then I turned around. “That was low!”
Tory, golden hair now wet and matted to her face just
laughed and swam away from me. I stood there, watching her, the way she
gracefully moved through the water, so comfortable with her lithe, athletic body, so… at ease with who she was.
We were worlds apart, Tory and I….I grew up in East Clifton,
with my mother and four sisters. I was the different one though... I was the
light skinned one... The white girl... They called me that even though they
weren’t much darker than me. They told me I talked funny; they made fun of me
for everything I did…
All my life I was put down for anything I tried or
discouraged from anything I was interested in. Yet it was ME that got me out of
the ghetto; No one else. On the opposite end of that spectrum was Tory, she was
a military brat, daughter of an ex-marine, high school swimming champion, college
graduate and I….
I had just gotten myself at that point.
“You just going to stand there gawking are you? Or are you
going to get in the water?”
I moved to the edge of the bank once more. We were at a
little creek just outside of town called Caddo. The water looked murky, and the
sky was darkening into a soft twilight. I looked down dubiously, feeling every
inch the city girl, even though I did love the country. That is why I attended university
out in the middle of nowhere… Well that and the very low tuition rates. “There
is likely so much bacteria in that water”
Tory rolled her eyes and swam toward me, pausing to look me square
in the eyes. Hers were hazel, to the point where you couldn’t tell if they were
green or blue…. Her nose was a little long for her face, yet her lips were
shapely, and she had this girl next door kind of cuteness… “and there is tons
of bacteria living inside your intestines… It’s natural… Honestly Kierra. You
were the one that said you wanted to start trying new things.. To not hold yourself
vack.”
I stared at her… grudgingly I admitted that she was right. I
chewed my lip. “Turn around” I said as I leaned down to untie my shoes. I heard Tory snort, yet I was pleased when I
looked up her head was turned. She was a gentlewoman.
“You don’t have anything I haven’t seen.”
I snorted. “Just the same I don’t think you’ve seen things
in these proportions” I highly doubted
it. She was the type of lesbian that went out with skinny girls who looked like
dolls and wore make up all the time. On a good day I could pull of makeup..
Most days I went natural, and at times I went through long periods of wearing
running shorts and a loos shirt. I shook
my head and kicked off my shoes, then wiggled out of my jeans.
“My last girlfriend was a size 10”
“I haven’t worn a ten since I was 14” I grunted and removed
my shirt. I wasn’t going to take off the underwear. I didn’t know her THAT well.
I heard her mumbled something. “Hold on I’m going in” I winced as I ran and
jumped into the water. It was chill, yet not freezing and yet the entire
sensation shocked my system. I felt the familiar pulling, sinking sensation
when you initially dive into a pool, then I peddled my way up with my hands and
took in a lung full of air when I reached the surface. “Ha! There!” I shouted at Tory, moving toward
her with enough grace that I didn’t make an ass of myself. “What were you
saying?”
Her mouth was tight with concentration when she looked at
me, and she lifted her hand… instinctively, I winced, yet she continued,
pushing a curl from my face. “I said I think you’re beautiful as you are.” She
said, pulling her hand away.
Her words sent an unusual flutter into my chest and down
into my tummy. “Oh “ I said, failing words.
“Well… thank you” I said, feeling awkward.
Something darkened her eyes that I couldn’t fathom and she
leaned toward me, then stopped, midway and reverted to her original position. “I’m
sorry.”
“Huh?” I said. “For what?”
Silence hung in the air and I could see Tory debating over
her next words. Then she sighed as if in acceptance and said “I wanted to kiss
you. I don’t mean to make you uncomfortable…”
“I wouldn’t have objected” I broke in, surprising myself. There
was another long, waited silence, and we just stared at each other. In time, my nervousness won out and I looked away, glancing up in the
sky. There was a fat, southern moon hanging up in the sky. What was I thinking?
She wasn’t serious… I mean Tory hadn’t exactly asked me out on a date anyway.
We just sort of… ended up spending the day together. It was far to soon. To
even get an idea of what kind of person she was, even Iif I only heard glowing
things of her around town.
“Kierra?”
“That moon is huge.” I said , following that train of
thought, I turned around. Somehow while I was musing she’d gotten really close.
“Huh?” She said. Her stare was hard now, hard and charged…
The coming night made it almost too dark to see, and yet it was just enough to
make out shapes
“The moon… “ My voice
sounded small to my own ears.
“Oh…” She glanced up. “Yeah that’s a harvest moon alright.
Did you mean what you said?”
“Huh?”
Her white teeth shown in a grin, and I rusted out into
laughing.
“The kiss part.” She said, and either laughter or
nervousness caused her voice to squeak.
“Mmhmm…” I was compelled to honesty. “Who wouldn’t?” I
added. There was a sloshing of water and then I saw the flash of her eyes just
moments before she kissed me. Her lips pressed against mine, just a gentle
pressure, not forceful. My lips parted a little and I could taste her breath.
She pulled away slightly, and then I felt her lips again, my eyes fluttered
shut, her tongue was moist as it slid into my mouth, and I responded, caressing
the silken, damp flesh with my own.
I felt her arms snake around my waist, our chests pressed
together, mine dwarfing her smaller pair. I moaned in response, and then, embarrassed
by the sudden flush of hot arousal that flooded my system and likely would
cause the whole creek to boil, I pulled away from the kiss, and tried to catch
some air.
Her hands slacked, and I immediately missed her grip. “Too
much?” Her voice was still short of breath and I was stupidly pleased with
myself.
I wanted to say no. I did, and yet I didn't want to come off
as easy either. I licked my lips. She’d tasted so good, like sweet soda. “A
little” I said. “Well? Are we gonna swim or not? “
In answer, she turned and dove into the water.
I sighed, still tingling in places I knew would torment me...
and followed her.
