Sitting on her bed with her back against her headboard and her knees drawn up, Ashley stared at the notebook on her knees. She had intended to write some on a story she had been working on, but had distracted herself by drawing a little heart at the top of a blank page. Inside, she had written her initials and a question mark. Chewing on her lip, she contemplated that little bit of punctuation. Just a squiggly line and a dot, but it had her thoughts going around and around.<\/p>\n
When she was younger and playing with her dolls, it had always been Ken who ended up wooing Barbie. She had assumed this was the natural order of things. Boys had just begun to enter her thoughts when she met Natty and had her eyes opened to another possibility. Maybe Barbie ended up with one of her girlfriends, instead.<\/p>\n
Therein lied the rub- she had assumed there would be a boy\u2019s initials beneath hers in the heart. Lately, though, she has been leaning the other way. Seeing Loren and Beth looking so happy, then Mindy and Sarah\u2026 She\u2019d be lying if she said she wasn\u2019t at least a little bit envious of how happy the two couples looked together.<\/p>\n
She had come to the realization that she wanted that kind of happiness in her life. This is why she had drawn her little heart and spent the last half hour trying to decide if she wanted a Ken or a Barbie on her arm.<\/p>\n
Thinking about Barbie made Ashley think about the party Carrie had thrown, and the night she had spent with Trisha. Ashley had to smile as she thought, now there is a Barbie if I\u2019ve ever seen one<\/em>.<\/p>\n The eighth grader had been lovely in all her blonde, blue-eyed splendor. Ashley felt the first stirring of desire as she pictured Trisha as she had been that night, lying naked on the bed. Closing her eyes, she could see the tangle of their bodies, the passion that had welled up between them.<\/p>\n They had talked on the phone a few times since the party and Ashley had gotten the feeling the girl might be interested in doing it, again. Her heart beating a little faster, Ashley had to admit she wouldn\u2019t be against it, either.<\/p>\n Being with Trisha had been a little scary and exciting, familiar yet completely new. Up until the night of the party, she had only been with the girls in her little circle of friends. While Trisha was far from a stranger, she had definitely stepped out of her comfort zone when she started flirting with the eighth grader. Mindy, Erin, and Natty were safe, but Trisha had been something of an unknown.<\/p>\n Ashley thought about calling Trisha, maybe set something up to spend some time together. She saw it was a bit late to call her tonight. In fact, Ashley saw she should already be asleep. She glanced at the question mark one more time, then sighed and closed the notebook. She hadn\u2019t accomplished anything tonight.<\/p>\n She completed her pre-bed ritual, then, in just her panties, she slipped between the sheets. In the dark, she stared up at the ceiling. The rain lashed trees back lit by a street light across the street cast dancing shadows, and she watched them sway and twist. For some reason, it made her think of Trisha, again.<\/p>\n I\u2019ll talk to her tomorrow<\/em> Ashley thought, smiling up at the ceiling, see if she really would be interested in a repeat of Carrie\u2019s party<\/em>.<\/p>\n ————————————————-<\/p>\n Ashley found Erin sitting at the lunch table, smiled as she joined her. Opening her milk, she asked, \u201cHow was your trip?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAmazing,\u201d Erin said, grinning, \u201cNatty and I went to the Grand Canyon. I spent more than a week over there. Eight days.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEight days?\u201d Ashley parroted, trying to wrap her head around that, \u201cthat\u2019s\u2026 that\u2019s crazy.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah,\u201d Erin agreed, laughing, \u201cit should be next Sunday, not Friday. I feel like I have the time travel equivalent of jet lag.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI bet,\u201d Ashley said, amused, \u201cyou lost a whole week. Or gained it?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDefinitely a gain,\u201d Erin said, leaning close, \u201cI have so much to tell you, but not here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt was one of those<\/em> kind of trips, huh?\u201d Ashley said, with a knowing smile.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah,\u201d Erin said, a little embarrassed.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m a little jealous,\u201d Ashley said.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019ll be your turn next time,\u201d Erin said, then her eyes cut away from Ashley.<\/p>\n Glancing over her shoulder, Ashley saw Mindy coming towards them. When Mindy sat down, Ashley smiled at her and said, \u201cHey.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHey, yourself,\u201d Mindy said, yawning.<\/p>\n \u201cSarah keep you up late?\u201d Erin asked, amused.<\/p>\n \u201cA little,\u201d Mindy said, sheepishly, \u201cwe talked for another hour after you called.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAw,\u201d Erin said, laughing when Mindy gave her a dirty look.<\/p>\n Glancing at Ashley, Mindy said, \u201cSpeaking of which, who won?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe did,\u201d Ashley said, nodding at Erin, \u201cspent eight days in the Place of Locked Doors with Natty.\u201d<\/p>\n With her eyes wide, Mindy said, \u201cEight days? That\u2019s\u2026 I mean I know time doesn\u2019t pass here when you are over there, but eight days?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe has time travel lag,\u201d Ashley said.<\/p>\n \u201cI bet she does,\u201d Mindy said, laughing, \u201cso what\u2019s the weather like eight days from now?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh my god,\u201d Erin said, excitedly, \u201cI almost forgot to tell you! Did you see the fog this morning?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah,\u201d Ashley said, laughing, \u201cwe all live within a block of each other, remember?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin gave her a dirty look, then went on, \u201cI knew it was going to be foggy this morning because it had been foggy in the Place of Locked Doors Friday morning. Or this morning, I guess.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cReally?\u201d Ashley said, her eyes wide.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah,\u201d Erin said, grinning.<\/p>\n \u201cSo, what\u2026 You saw the future?\u201d Ashley asked.<\/p>\n \u201cYes,\u201d Erin said, then laughed, \u201cmaybe. It\u2019s hard to say how connected the Place of Locked Doors is to here. I do know that time passes over there. Night to day. Summer to fall to winter. And there are different kinds of weather. It was raining here last night and there, too.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t suppose you checked the lottery numbers,\u201d Mindy said, laughing.<\/p>\n \u201cI…\u201d Erin said, blinking in surprise, \u201cdo you think I could have?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cUgh, I don\u2019t know,\u201d Mindy said, then grinned, \u201chow cool would that be? We\u2019d be millionaires!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI think you have to be eighteen to play the lottery,\u201d Ashley said.<\/p>\n \u201cWay to burst my bubble,\u201d Mindy said, pretending to pout.<\/p>\n \u201cStill, we should figure out a way to test if we can see the future in the Place of Locked Doors,\u201d Ashley said.<\/p>\n \u201cHow do we do that?\u201d Mindy asked.<\/p>\n \u201cYour lottery number idea would be an easy way,\u201d Ashley said, shrugging, \u201cI\u2019d have to think about it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHow crazy would that be, if we could use the internet over there to know the future over here?\u201d Erin said, excitement creeping into her voice.<\/p>\n \u201cVery crazy,\u201d Ashley agreed, smiling at her. She glanced at Mindy, expecting the girl to as excited as they were, but she wasn\u2019t. The brunette seemed distracted.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong?\u201d Ashley asked, still looking at the girl.<\/p>\n Blinking in surprise, Mindy said, \u201cUm, nothing.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCome on, Mindy. What\u2019s bothering you?\u201d Ashley asked.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s just\u2026 I\u2019m supposed to see Sarah this weekend. My old babysitter\u2026 And I still don\u2019t know what I should do,\u201d Mindy said, sighing, \u201cI mean, I know what I should<\/em> do but not if I\u2026 Can.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe\u2019s your kryptonite,\u201d Ashley said, repeating something the girl had once told them.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah,\u201d Mindy said, with an embarrassed smile. Her shoulders fell, and she said, \u201cthings would be less complicated if Beason and I\u2026 if the date had gone bad, I guess. Or, she hadn\u2019t asked me out at all. But, she did and I\u2026 I really like her.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe\u2019s mad about you, too,\u201d Ashley said, then realized that didn\u2019t help any, \u201csorry. She is, though.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou know what we think you should do,\u201d Erin said, smiling sympathetically.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah,\u201d Mindy said, then laughed, \u201cyou even offered to, how did you put it- wear me out so I wouldn\u2019t be thinking about sex.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe offer still stands,\u201d Ashley said, playfully, \u201cbut shame on you if you accept it.\u201d<\/p>\n Laughing, Mindy said, \u201cSleeping with you wouldn\u2019t be any better than sleeping with my babysitter. I\u2019d still be cheating on Sarah.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s why I said shame on you if you accept it,\u201d Ashley said, grinning at her, \u201ctoo bad you and Beason aren\u2019t doing it, yet. She could take your mind off your babysitter.\u201d<\/p>\n Blushing, Mindy said, \u201cAbout that…\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d Ashley said, her eyes wide in surprise, \u201cReally? You two have done it?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah,\u201d Mindy said, embarrassed.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen did that happen?\u201d Erin asked, leaning forward for the juicy details.<\/p>\n \u201cUm, Sunday,\u201d Mindy said, then sheepishly, \u201cand Wednesday after school.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTwice! And we are just hearing about it,\u201d Ashley said, pretending to be hurt, \u201cI thought we were closer than that. For shame.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe are going to need the details,\u201d Erin said, grinning, \u201cand just for the record, I think you should just spend the weekend with Beason and blow off your babysitter completely.\u201d<\/p>\n ————————————————–<\/p>\n After lunch, Ashley went looking for Trisha. She had made up her mind to talk to the girl today to see if she might be interested in doing something sometime. Preferably without clothing. She found the blonde standing in front of her locker, getting the books she\u2019d need for her next class. Trisha looked incredibly sexy in her school uniform, and Ashley took a second to drink her in. Long legs, narrow waist, full breasts straining under her uniform top. Ashley thought she might look even better than she had at Carrie\u2019s party and she had looked fantastic then.<\/p>\n God, why am I so nervous<\/em>, Ashley thought, blotting her hands on her school uniform. Right up until she saw Trisha, she had been fine, but she was suddenly a little anxious. She was about to ask an eighth grader out on what amounted to a date. Sure, she had already slept with Trisha, but this still seemed a daunting task, for some reason.<\/p>\n Ashley almost lost her nerve, turned tail, and ran, but she wouldn\u2019t let herself chicken out. Straightening her spine, she took a deep breath, then another to calm down. When it didn\u2019t work, she laughed nervously and walked over to the girl, anyway.<\/p>\n Seeing her out of the corner of her eye, Trisha turn and smiled, said, \u201cHey, Ashley.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHi,\u201d Ashley said, trying to think of what else to say, \u201cum, I was wondering\u2026 would you\u2026 maybe\u2026 want to see a movie sometime?\u201d<\/p>\n Trisha smiled brighter, started to say something, then tilted her head to one side. Maybe she noticed how nervous Ashley was, or just sensed it wasn\u2019t just a friendly request. Leaning closer, she asked, \u201cYou mean\u2026 Like a date?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cUm,\u201d Ashley said, her cheeks feeling hot, \u201cyeah.\u201d<\/p>\n Rubbing the back of her neck, Trisha said, \u201cI\u2026 No.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh,\u201d Ashley said, both relieved and disappointed. While she had wanted to go on a date with Trisha, she had also been scared to.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not that I don\u2019t want to,\u201d Trisha said, smiling at her sheepishly, \u201cit\u2019s just\u2026 Carrie and I are sort of dating.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cReally?\u201d Ashley asked, raising her eyebrows.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s kind of a secret, but yeah,\u201d Trisha said, looking around to be sure no one was paying them any attention, \u201cshe asked me out a couple of days ago.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh,\u201d Ashley said.<\/p>\n With a playful smile, Trisha said, \u201cIf you\u2019d asked three days ago…\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019d have said yes?\u201d Ashley asked.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah,\u201d Trisha said, meeting Ashley\u2019s eyes, \u201cI was kind of hoping you would\u2026 You know, ask.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHuh,\u201d Ashley said, then frowned, \u201cwhy did I have to be the one to ask? You could have asked me.\u201d<\/p>\n Blinking in surprise, Trisha said, \u201cI- I hadn\u2019t thought of that. Usually, it\u2019s the boy who asks the girl out, but…\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah,\u201d Ashley said, grinning at her, \u201cbut.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI guess I\u2019m still getting used to this,\u201d Trisha said, sheepishly.<\/p>\n \u201cUm, me, too,\u201d Ashley said, rubbing the back of her neck. She just looked at Trisha for a second, trying to think of something to say. With no graceful way to exit the conversation, Ashley pointed over her shoulder and said, \u201cI better get to class.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, me, too,\u201d Trisha said, closing her locker.<\/p>\n \u201cUm, bye,\u201d Ashley said.<\/p>\n Ashley started to walk away, but Trisha called, \u201cAshley, for what it\u2019s worth\u2026 I\u2019m not saying no\u2026 Just not right now.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCall me if Carrie drops the ball, then,\u201d Ashley said, playfully. She meant it as a joke, but her heart skipped a beat when Trisha favored her with a sexy smile.<\/p>\n \u201cOkay,\u201d Trisha said, seriously.<\/p>\n Her heart racing, Ashley hurried to her locker. She felt kind of bad for hoping that Carrie would drop the ball. Carrie was her friend, after all.<\/p>\n ——————————————————–<\/p>\n \u201cEarth to Ashley.\u201d<\/p>\n Blinking, Ashley saw Loren looking at her funny. She had been lost in thought, hadn\u2019t realized her step-sister was even in the room. Sheepishly, she smiled at Loren, said, \u201cHi.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe are a couple of exchanges past \u2018hi\u2019,\u201d Loren said, amused, \u201cbut it\u2019s nice that you are actually responding, now.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSorry,\u201d Ashley said, laughing, \u201cwhat\u2019s up?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s up with you?\u201d Loren asked, still giving her that curious look, \u201cit\u2019s Saturday. Why are you sitting here, staring into space?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2026 um, no reason,\u201d Ashley said, her cheeks burning when Loren gave her a \u2018yeah right\u2019 look. Sighing, she said, \u201cI was just thinking, is all.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAbout what?\u201d Loren asked.<\/p>\n Looking at her step-sister, Ashley got the feeling Loren had a pretty good idea what Ashley was thinking about. Sighing, she said, \u201cI asked a girl out yesterday.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOut, out? As in, on a date?\u201d Loren asked, her eyes widening.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah,\u201d Ashley said, her face getting even hotter.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, that\u2019s new,\u201d Loren said, then frowned, \u201cthat is<\/em> new, right?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cUm, yeah,\u201d Ashley said, laughing, \u201cno, I\u2019ve been dating for years now. Haven\u2019t you noticed?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI wasn\u2019t talking about just dating, smart ass,\u201d Loren said, giving her a dirty look, \u201cI was talking about asking out girls.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI know,\u201d Ashley said, looking down at her hands. She could feel Loren looking at her curiously and met the girl’s eyes. Loren gave her a weighing look.<\/p>\n \u201cI take it she said no, since you are sitting here, moping,\u201d Loren said, moving to the couch next to Ashley.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not moping,\u201d Ashley said, giving her a look, \u201cbut yeah, she said no\u2026 But only because I waited too long. Someone beat me to the punch.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHuh,\u201d Loren said, thinking. After a pause, she said, \u201cI didn\u2019t know you were looking for a girlfriend.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI- I don\u2019t know,\u201d Ashley said, then laughed self-consciously, \u201cI guess I wanted to try it on for size. Do you know what I mean?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI do,\u201d Loren said, smiling at her, \u201cI guess I shouldn\u2019t be that surprised. You and Erin and Mindy have been going at it for a little bit now.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWow,\u201d Ashley said, laughing and shaking her head, \u201cgoing at it, huh?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou know what I mean,\u201d Loren said, then sat up straighter as she thought of something, \u201cwait\u2026 It wasn\u2019t one of them, was it? Erin or Mindy?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo,\u201d Ashley said.<\/p>\n \u201cI figure Mindy might be up for having a girlfriend,\u201d Loren said.<\/p>\n \u201cShe has one,\u201d Ashley said, amused.<\/p>\n \u201cReally? Who?\u201d Loren asked.<\/p>\n \u201cA girl named Sarah,\u201d Ashley said.<\/p>\n \u201cWait!\u201d Loren said, leaning close, \u201cher babysitter?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo,\u201d Ashley said, then sighed, \u201cmaybe. It\u2019s complicated\u2026 You know about Mindy\u2019s babysitter?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah,\u201d Loren said, shaking her head, \u201cthere are some\u2026 rumors about Mindy and her babysitter, Sarah. Some of them even circulated around our school.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh,\u201d Ashley said.<\/p>\n \u201cSo Mindy is dating a girl named Sarah, who isn\u2019t her babysitter, Sarah\u2026 She have a thing for Sarahs?\u201d Loren asked, amused.<\/p>\n Laughing, Ashley said, \u201cI guess so.\u201d<\/p>\n Loren looked at Ashley for a long moment, then asked, \u201cDoes Mindy having a girlfriend have anything to do with you asking a girl out?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cA little,\u201d Ashley said, then laughed, \u201cyou and Beth, mostly, though. You two are so cute together\u2026 I guess I wanted what you have.\u201d<\/p>\n Smiling, Loren patted Ashley on the knee, said, \u201cWell, don\u2019t be bummed out one girl said no. You are a pretty girl, and there are plenty of fish in the sea.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI know,\u201d Ashley said.<\/p>\n \u201cGood,\u201d Loren said, standing up, \u201cyou want my advice?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSure,\u201d Ashley said.<\/p>\n \u201cCall Erin, have some meaningless friend sex,\u201d Loren said, winking.<\/p>\n \u201cWow,\u201d Ashley said, laughing.<\/p>\n \u201cBeats sitting around, staring off into space,\u201d Loren said, as she walked away.<\/p>\n When Ashley was alone again, she considered it. Laughing, she got off the couch and went upstairs. She pulled her phone out of her pocket, flopped on her bed and called Erin. Ashley smiled up at the ceiling as she waited for the girl to pick up. She decided Loren was a genius.<\/p>\n \u201cHey,\u201d Erin said, coming on the line.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat are you up to?\u201d Ashley asked.<\/p>\n \u201cJust chilling,\u201d Erin said, then added, \u201cwaiting to hear from Mindy.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWant to come over?\u201d Ashley asked, holding her breath. When she realized she was doing it, she wondered why she was doing it. Maybe it was just anticipating sleeping with Erin. That was definitely something to hold her breath over.<\/p>\n Maybe Erin heard something in her voice because it sounded like she was smiling when she asked, \u201cFeeling lonely?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cUm, that\u2019s one word for it,\u201d Ashley said, then realized she was flirting with Erin.<\/p>\n \u201cHmm,\u201d Erin said, then laughed, \u201clet me ask my parents.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCall me back in a minute,\u201d Ashley said, realizing she hadn\u2019t asked her own if Erin could come over.<\/p>\n \u201cYou didn\u2019t ask permission for me to come over, did you?\u201d Erin asked, amused.<\/p>\n \u201cNo,\u201d Ashley said, sheepishly, \u201cI\u2019m sure it\u2019ll be okay, though.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAsk if I can stay over,\u201d Erin said, excitement creeping into her voice.<\/p>\n \u201cOkay,\u201d Ashley said, hanging up.<\/p>\n Tossing her phone on the bed, she headed downstairs. She found her stepmother in the kitchen, talking to Loren. Ashley groaned inwardly, knowing she was going to catch a ribbing from Loren when she asked if Erin could stay the night.<\/p>\n Her stepmother looked up and saw Ashley. Laughing, she asked, \u201cErin or Mindy?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cErin,\u201d Ashley said, seeing Loren start smiling out of the corner of her eye. She deliberately didn\u2019t look at her.<\/p>\n \u201cStaying the night?\u201d Her stepmother asked.<\/p>\n \u201cIf it\u2019s okay,\u201d Ashley said, feeling Loren looking at her. She could feel the girl\u2019s smile, even if she couldn\u2019t see it.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s okay,\u201d the woman said.<\/p>\n \u201cThanks,\u201d Ashley said, leaving the kitchen before her stepmother could see her blushing.<\/p>\n She ran upstairs, heard her phone ringing. She burst into her room, scooping up the phone. Accepting the call, she said, \u201cYou are allowed.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGood. I\u2019m packing a bag now. I\u2019ll be over in a couple minutes,\u201d Erin said.<\/p>\n \u201cBye,\u201d Ashley said, hanging up. Putting her phone back in her pocket, Ashley felt the first tingle of excitement. Erin was coming over! She hasn\u2019t been with the girl since that time on the beach- or Erin\u2019s birthday, in the real world- and she had to admit she was looking forward to it.<\/p>\n \u201cGoing to have me some meaningless friend sex,\u201d Ashley said out loud, grinning.<\/p>\n She ran downstairs to wait for Erin. Loren was sitting in the living room, and she favored Ashley with an amused look. Her cheeks hot, Ashley said, \u201cHey, it was your idea, remember.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI know,\u201d Loren said, laughing, \u201cbut I didn\u2019t have to twist your arm very hard, though.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShut up,\u201d Ashley said, smiling at her own expense.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t get me wrong,\u201d Loren said, leaning closer, \u201cif I had friends that looked like yours, I\u2019d want them to \u2018sleep over\u2019, too.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat does that mean?\u201d Ashley asked.<\/p>\n \u201cJust saying you have some very attractive friends,\u201d Loren said, smiling.<\/p>\n \u201cUh huh,\u201d Ashley said, giving her a look, \u201cstop checking out my friends, or I\u2019ll tell Beth.\u201d<\/p>\n Playfully, Loren said, \u201cTrying to keep them all to yourself, huh?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo,\u201d Ashley said.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, Erin\u2019s a very pretty girl,\u201d Loren said, a hint of mischief in her eyes, \u201cboys and girls are going to start noticing, if they haven\u2019t already.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSo?\u201d Ashley said, looking at her step-sister.<\/p>\n \u201cWith Mindy out of the picture, you\u2019d be shit out of luck in the booty call department if Erin starts dating someone,\u201d Loren said.<\/p>\n Blinking, Ashley said, \u201cI- well, I have one more option.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAh, Natty,\u201d Loren said, nodding, \u201cthe irresistible dead girl.\u201d<\/p>\n Ashley looked at her step-sister for a long moment, then opened her mouth to say something, but never got the chance. The doorbell rang, and she got up to answer the door. She saw Erin standing on the stoop, wearing tight jeans and a sweater. Her heart beating a little faster, Ashley decided Loren was right- Erin really was a very pretty girl.<\/p>\n Stepping aside, she let her friend inside, closing the door behind her. From the couch, Loren said, \u201cHi, Erin.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLoren,\u201d Erin said, smiling at her.<\/p>\n \u201cI love those jeans,\u201d Loren said, a little something in her tone.<\/p>\n \u201cUm, thanks,\u201d Erin said, looking down at herself, \u201cI just got them.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, they look good on you,\u201d Loren said, smiling playfully at her, \u201cvery flattering.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOkay,\u201d Erin said, confused by Loren\u2019s attention. Still, she gave Loren a big smile, pleased by the compliment.<\/p>\n Ashley thought she knew what her step-sister was up to. She was flirting with Erin to make her point, and Ashley was a little surprised when it made her mad. Blinking, she realized she didn\u2019t like Loren flirting with Erin, that the girl was rubbing against a jealous bone she didn\u2019t even know she had. She made the mistake of meeting her stepsister\u2019s eyes and saw the girl knew it. A bit of smile tugged at Loren\u2019s lips when Ashley blushed.<\/p>\n Satisfied that she had made her point, Loren turned back to the TV.<\/p>\n Erin met Ashley\u2019s eyes, raised her eyebrows. Ashley laughed and said, \u201cLet\u2019s go upstairs.\u201d<\/p>\n As they headed for the stairs, Loren called, \u201cHave fun.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat was that about?\u201d Erin asked, as she followed Ashley upstairs.<\/p>\n \u201cShe thinks you look good in those jeans,\u201d Ashley said, smiling at her, \u201cso do I.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, but why was Loren flirting with me?\u201d Erin said, then added, \u201cshe was flirting, right?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah,\u201d Ashley said, then lied, \u201cI don\u2019t know what she was doing.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWeird,\u201d Erin said, then changed the subject, \u201cyou really think I look good in these jeans?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI do,\u201d Ashley said, which was the truth.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, the view is nice back here, too,\u201d Erin said, goosing Ashley.<\/p>\n \u201cHey,\u201d Ashley said, caught off guard, \u201cwait until we get to the room.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen walk faster,\u201d Erin said.<\/p>\n Her heart beating faster, Ashley ran to her room, Erin close on her heels. She giggled when Erin pulled her into her arms when they burst into her bedroom. They were kissing even as Ashley fumbled the door closed. Ashley found herself pressed against the wall just to the left of her door, Erin\u2019s lovely body pressed against hers. Ashley put her arms around Erin\u2019s neck, kissing her deeply.<\/p>\n Pulling back, Ashley husked, \u201cWe need to slow down.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI know,\u201d Erin said, kissing her, again.<\/p>\n Ashley laughed, and put her hands on her friend\u2019s shoulders, pushed her back gently. Smiling, she said, \u201cThat\u2019s the opposite of slowing down.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou called me up, got me all excited,\u201d Erin said, playfully, \u201conly just to make me wait?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou know how nosy my stepmother is,\u201d Ashley said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ll keep our clothes on, then,\u201d Erin said, taking Ashley\u2019s hand and moving them so she could press up against her again. She kissed Ashley deeply, and Ashley could feel the desire behind it. There was some real heat there, and that fire spread to Ashley.<\/p>\n Since Ashley really didn\u2019t want to wait until tonight, either, she gave into Erin. Pulling back, she husked, \u201cI guess if we keep our clothes on.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin took Ashley\u2019s hand, leading her to the bed. Following her, Ashley wondered about Erin\u2019s new boldness. She\u2019d be lying if she said she wasn\u2019t extremely turned on by her friend\u2019s confidence. It was exciting, the look in Erin\u2019s eyes as she turned and smiled at her. The upturn of her lips was sexy and playful, and Ashley\u2019s already racing heartbeat kicked up even more.<\/p>\n Where did this come from<\/em>, Ashley thought, as Erin pulled her into her arms at the side of the bed. When Erin kissed her, she kissed the girl back eagerly. Just how eagerly told her how turned on Erin had made her.<\/p>\n Ashley stretched out sideways on the bed and Erin joined her, smiling down at her from her hands and knees. Ashley wanted Erin to kiss her so badly, and her friend didn\u2019t disappoint her. Letting Erin\u2019s tongue into her mouth, Ashley caressed it with her own, drawing Erin into a deep, lingering kiss. Again, Ashley felt the passion behind Erin\u2019s kiss, and it fueled her own.<\/p>\n Pulling back, Ashley smiled playfully at Erin, said, \u201cI thought you would have gotten it out of your system, spending eight days with Natty.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThose days technically never happened,\u201d Erin said, stealing a quick kiss, \u201cbesides, I\u2019ve wanted to do this again ever since the beach.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe beach,\u201d Ashley said, her smile widening. She remembered how Erin\u2019s skin had smelled and tasted like the ocean, how their cries of ecstasy had been swallowed by the voice of the sea. It had been very intimate and very personal, just the two of them and their desires for each other. Looking into Erin\u2019s beautiful gray eyes now, Ashley wanted it, too.<\/p>\n Erin nudged Ashley\u2019s legs open, lying between them. Their bodies molded together and Ashley wrapped her legs around Erin\u2019s waist, her ankles crossed behind her. When Erin\u2019s hips began to move, grinding against Ashley, a moan escaped her. Even through her clothes, the pressure on her girlhood was delicious. Flexing her own hips, she pushed up into Erin eagerly. As another moan escaped her, louder this time, Ashley glanced at the door.<\/p>\n Pushing Erin back, she said, \u201cWait. I need to put some music on.\u201d<\/p>\n Erin laughed and rolled off of Ashley. On wobbly legs, Ashley went to her stereo, started some music playing. She turned it up as loud as she dared, loud enough to cover up the sounds of excitement she and Erin might make but not loud enough to make her parents tell her to turn it down. That would be a sure way for her and Erin to get caught in a very compromising situation.<\/p>\n Turning back to the bed, she saw Erin sprawled out on the mattress. Drinking her oldest friend in, Ashley thought there was a lot to like about how Erin looked lying there. It had taken Natty to open her eyes to the possibility, but Ashley couldn\u2019t deny she was attracted to her best friend. Erin was leggy, slender, blonde and easy to look at.<\/p>\n Erin caught her looking and rolled on her side to smile at Ashley. Ashley\u2019s heart skipped a beat at the way Erin was looking at her, and she swallowed hard, thinking God, that smile. She\u2019s smiling at me the way Natty does.<\/em><\/p>\n Natty had this raw sexuality about her, could set Ashley\u2019s heart to racing with a single smile. It was more than a curl of her lips, though. It was in her eyes, too. When Natty started smiling at her, Ashley was hopeless to resist the girl. Now, here was Erin, favoring her with that same sexy little smile and she wanted to run to her.<\/p>\n On legs even more wobbly than before, Ashley walked back to the bed, slipping onto the mattress next to Erin.<\/p>\n \u201cGodsmack?\u201d Erin asked, grinning.<\/p>\n \u201cUm, yeah,\u201d Ashley said, then started laughing, \u201cnot very romantic, is it?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot very,\u201d Erin said, kissing her, \u201cI\u2019m sure we\u2019ll manage alright, though.\u201d<\/p>\n Their bodies came together, and they lost themselves to kissing and exploring each other. Somehow, Ashley ended up on top of Erin, and it was her friend\u2019s turn to wrap her legs around Ashley\u2019s waist. Getting the hint, Ashley dug her knees into the mattress for traction and ground her body against Erin\u2019s. Again, Ashley moaned, the lovely pressure translating even through her jeans. She met Erin\u2019s eyes and saw the girl was feeling it, too.<\/p>\n Godsmack didn\u2019t play the most romantic music, but their upbeat tempos inspired Ashley\u2019s pace, the thrusts of her hips coming with the rhythm of the music. She was glad for the music, because she didn\u2019t think she could hold in the little cries of enjoyment that were escaping her.<\/p>\n Their frantic pace was too much for either of them to bear. When Ashley met Erin\u2019s pretty gray eyes, she saw her friend was right there with her, tiptoeing along the edge of orgasmic bliss. She couldn\u2019t look away as she watched Erin start to come undone. Even as her own body started to lose its grace, she managed to bring the girl to toe curling orgasm. Ashley surrendered to her own climax, and they shook together.<\/p>\n Gasping for air, Ashley smiled at Erin as she leaned in for a kiss. Erin wrapped her arms around Ashley\u2019s neck, didn\u2019t let her pull back from it. Eventually, she released Ashley, opening both her arms and her legs. In no hurry, Ashley didn\u2019t move from her spot atop Erin, nor did she stop kissing her. Not for a while, anyway.<\/p>\n Ashley rolled off Erin, stretching out on her back next to her. She smiled when Erin snuggled against her, thought, Loren was right; this definitely beats sitting around, staring at the wall.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cDid you know Carrie and Trisha are dating?\u201d Ashley said, out of the blue.<\/p>\n \u201cReally?\u201d Erin asked, amused, \u201chow do you know?\u201d<\/p>\n Ashley thought about telling Erin about asking out Trisha, then hesitated. Instead, she said, \u201cTrisha told me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHuh,\u201d Erin said, then laughed, \u201cI guess you missed your chance.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMy chance?\u201d Ashley asked.<\/p>\n \u201cWith Trisha,\u201d Erin said, smiling at Ashley, \u201cyou could have been holding hands and smooching with an eighth grader at the movies.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy do you say that?\u201d Ashley asked, caught off guard. Did Erin know somehow?<\/p>\n \u201cDidn\u2019t you say at the beach you\u2019d be interested in dating a girl?\u201d Erin asked, meeting her eyes.<\/p>\n \u201cOh\u2026 Um, yeah,\u201d Ashley said, laughing.<\/p>\n \u201cWell,\u201d Erin said, snuggling against Ashley, again, \u201cI\u2019m glad you missed your chance. I\u2019d have missed doing this.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThis is<\/em> nice, isn\u2019t it?\u201d Ashley said.<\/p>\n \u201cI could get used to it,\u201d Erin said, smiling at her.<\/p>\n ——————————————<\/p>\n Ashley heard Erin\u2019s breathing slow and knew she had drifted off to sleep. Smiling, she snuggled tighter against the girl. The musky scent of their lovemaking still hung in the air. It had been a repeat of before, only without any clothing in the way this time. They had lain in a tangle of limbs, exploring each other with hand and mouths for hours, until they were both sated. Only then had they slipped back into their bed clothes. That had been just a few minutes ago.<\/p>\n Ashley felt herself drifting, drifting\u2026 when she thought about her notebook, the little heart with her initials and a question mark. Opening her eyes in the dark, she said, \u201cOh.\u201d<\/p>\n Continue to Part Fifteen<\/a><\/p>\n Sitting on her bed with her back against her headboard and her knees drawn up, Ashley stared at the notebook on her knees. She had intended to write some on a story she had been working on, but had distracted … Continue reading