\u2026 K-I-S-S-I-N-G. First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes a baby in a baby carriage.\u201d<\/p>\n
Shaking her head and laughing, Brooke said, \u201cYeah, that\u2019s not helping.\u201d<\/p>\n
Her best friend Aubrey grinned at her and said, \u201cI know\u2026 It had to be done, though.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI came to you for advice, and this is all I get?\u201d Brooke said, hoping to shame her friend out of teasing her more.<\/p>\n
They were sitting on Brooke’s bed, the radio playing to keep Brooke’s parents or her nosy little brother from overhearing their conversation. Aubrey hadn’t even changed out of her school clothes before answering Brooke’s cry for help, coming straight over after school. Brooke’s mom had raised her eyebrows seeing the girl in her uniform, then had just shrugged and went back to cooking.<\/p>\n
\u201cAlright,\u201d Aubrey said, shaking it off, \u201cI got it out of my system, now. Talk to me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLike I said, Danny and I have been dating for over a month now. Kelly, Annie, Stacey\u2026 Even Becky have all kissed their boyfriends, already.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOkay,\u201d Aubrey said, looking at her expectantly.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat if Danny wants to kiss me?\u201d Brooke asked, chewing on her lip nervously.<\/p>\n
\u201cDo you want him to kiss you?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d Brooke said, laughing self-consciously, \u201cI\u2019ve never kissed a boy before.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m sure he hasn\u2019t, either,\u201d Aubrey said, a playful grin spreading on her face, \u201ckissed a boy, I mean.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShut up,\u201d Brooke said, laughing. Sobering up some, she asked, \u201cDo you think he\u2019s kissed a girl before?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt hasn\u2019t made it around school, if he has,\u201d Aubrey said, then laughed sourly, \u201cand you know what that place is like. I\u2019d put money on his lips still being a virgin.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHuh,\u201d Brooke said, nodding, \u201cyou are probably right.\u201d<\/p>\n
Aubrey gave her a weighing look, asked, \u201cWould it matter if he had? You know, kissed another girl?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe,\u201d Brooke said, then went on when Aubrey\u2019s eyebrows went up, \u201cit\u2019s just\u2026 It would be nice if one of us knew what they were doing.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat you were doing?\u201d Aubrey parroted, still looking at Brooke for an explanation.<\/p>\n
Blushing, Brooke said, \u201cWhat if I suck at it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d Aubrey asked, laughing, \u201cKissing?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah,\u201d Brooke said, her cheeks burning with embarrassment.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow do you suck at kissing?\u201d Aubrey asked, clearly amused by the idea.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d Brooke said, laughing at her own expense, \u201cwhat if I accidentally kiss his nose\u2026 Or his chin, instead of his lips?\u201d<\/p>\n
Aubrey\u2019s eyes narrowed, and she just looked at Brooke for a long moment. Finally, she broke out in a smile, asked, \u201cYou are serious? You are really worried about that sort of thing?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cA little,\u201d Brooke said, which was a lie. She had filled up a whole diary page about how her first kiss could go wrong. Meeting her friend\u2019s eyes, she saw Aubrey wasn\u2019t buying it. She rubbed the back of her neck nervously, said, \u201cOkay, a lot. I read an article in one of Mom\u2019s magazines about how not to be a bad kisser, and now I\u2019m freaking out. What if I\u2019m a bad kisser?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI doubt you are a bad kisser,\u201d Aubrey said, then added when her words didn\u2019t ease Brooke\u2019s anxiety any, \u201ceven if it does suck, I think you get some leeway if it\u2019s your first.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, but I don\u2019t want it to suck,\u201d Brooke groaned, then had to laugh at herself, \u201cGod, listen to me!\u201d<\/p>\n
Aubrey laughed, \u201cIt is kind of nice that you are the neurotic one for a change.\u201d<\/p>\n
Brooke was usually the more composed of the two and pretty good at taking life in stride. Aubrey, not so much. Brooke was kind of impulsive, and Aubrey agonized over every decision. It was what made them such good friends- they balanced each other out.<\/p>\n
Sighing, Brooke said, \u201cI don\u2019t want to be the neurotic one- I just want to know if I\u2019m a good kisser or not so I can get on with my life.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou could always take matters into your own hands and kiss Danny first. No more waiting and wondering,\u201d Aubrey offered.<\/p>\n
Brooke thought about it for a moment, then sighed and said, \u201cI guess that\u2019s an option, but I\u2019d still rather know ahead of time.\u201d<\/p>\n
Aubrey looked at her for a long moment, then started laughing.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s so funny?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cJust had a thought,\u201d Aubrey said, digging a tub of Chapstick out of her purse. Tossing it to Brooke, she said, \u201cYour lips are chapped.\u201d<\/p>\n
Laughing, Brooke said, \u201cCan you stay focused?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI am focused,\u201d Aubrey said, giving Brooke a dirty look, \u201cyou can\u2019t be a good kisser with chapped lips. Hence the Chapstick.\u201d<\/p>\n
Giving her friend a dubious look, Brooke looked at the tube of lip balm in her hand, then shrugged. She popped the top, then ran the medicated gel across her lips. When it stung a little, she realized how chapped her lips had become in the dry winter air. She gave her friend a sheepish grin as she put the cap back on and tossed it to her.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd you doubted me,\u201d Aubrey said, with a sad shake of her head.<\/p>\n
\u201cSorry,\u201d Brooke said.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou are forgiven,\u201d Aubrey said, taking a deep breath, \u201cnow kiss me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cKiss you?\u201d Brooke parroted, her eyes wide.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou want a fair assessment of your smooching abilities\u2026 Well, as your friend, I promise to tell you if you suck\u2026 In the most supportive way possible, of course,\u201d Aubrey said.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou want me to kiss you?\u201d Brooke said, dubiously.<\/p>\n
Aubrey batted her eyelashes playfully, said, \u201cIt would be a dream come true.\u201d<\/p>\n
Laughing, Brooke said, \u201cSmart ass.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSo are we going to make out or not?\u201d Aubrey asked, grinning.<\/p>\n
Brooke looked at the girl for a long moment, trying to decide if she was serious or just messing with her. Then she thought about what Aubrey was really suggesting, and she made a face at the thought of locking lips with the girl. Even as she started to balk, she reconsidered. Who could she trust if not Aubrey? Hell, it wouldn\u2019t even be the first time she has kissed the girl, even if the context would be a little different this time.<\/p>\n
Still not sure if Aubrey was just having fun with her, Brooke asked, \u201cIf I say yes are you going to laugh and make fun of me?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe,\u201d Aubrey said, her eyes full of mischief.<\/p>\n
\u201cShit,\u201d Brooke said, indecision rearing its ugly head. She was pretty sure Aubrey was serious- well, as serious as she ever got- but she has been wrong before. Aubrey had a helluva poker face.<\/p>\n
\u201cStop being a chickenshit,\u201d Aubrey said, putting her hands on Brooke\u2019s cheeks and kissing her.<\/p>\n
The kiss was over before Brooke even knew it was going to begin and she could only lamely say, \u201cI\u2019m not a chickenshit.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen why did I have to kiss you?\u201d Aubrey asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was still trying to decide if you were messing with me or not,\u201d Brooke said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow are you not a chickenshit, again?\u201d Aubrey said, pointedly.<\/p>\n
\u201cShut up,\u201d Brooke said, laughing. Sobering up some, she asked, \u201cHow was it?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOkay, I guess,\u201d Aubrey said, shrugging, \u201cI don\u2019t see what the big deal is.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCan we try again?\u201d Brooke asked, blushing when Aubrey started laughing, \u201cI wasn\u2019t ready last time.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThink it\u2019ll make a difference?\u201d Aubrey asked, her amusement clear in her voice.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d Brooke said, laughing at her own expense. Her cheeks burning even hotter she stammered, \u201cMaybe\u2026 If we, um\u2026 Do it the other way?\u201d<\/p>\n
Aubrey just looked at her, clearly not following her. Brooke didn\u2019t know her face could get any redder, but she managed an even deeper shade of crimson. Suddenly Aubrey\u2019s eyes widened, and Brooke thought it had dawned on the girl what she had been asking.<\/p>\n
\u201cWait! A French kiss?\u201d Aubrey asked, laughing in surprise.<\/p>\n
Brooke took a deep breath and nodded. Aubrey laughed harder, and Brooke was pretty sure every drop of blood in her body was now in her face. Still, the girl hadn\u2019t said no to the idea. Brooke had to wonder about her own insecurities that she had her fingers crossed her friend would go along with her crazy idea.<\/p>\n
I just need to know<\/em>, Brooke thought, taking a deep breath.<\/p>\n Sobering up some, Aubrey said, \u201cThis stays between us, right?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d Brooke said, laughing, \u201cyou think I\u2019m going to brag about it at school?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI guess not,\u201d Aubrey said, grinning, \u201cno one would believe you made out with a hot chick like me, anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHey,\u201d Brooke said, giving her friend a look.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m kidding,\u201d Aubrey said, laughing, \u201cyou could make out with any chick you wanted to.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDamn right I could,\u201d Brooke said, making her friend laugh.<\/p>\n \u201cAssuming you aren\u2019t a horrible kisser, that is,\u201d Aubrey teased, drawing a punch in the shoulder from Brooke, \u201cOw!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat wasn\u2019t funny,\u201d Brooke said, then laughed anyway.<\/p>\n \u201cYou are really that hung up on this whole kissing thing, huh?\u201d Aubrey asked.<\/p>\n \u201cI just want to know,\u201d Brooke said.<\/p>\n \u201cOkay,\u201d Aubrey said, laughing, \u201clet\u2019s find out if you are a good kisser.\u201d<\/p>\n With a deep breath to calm her nerves, Brooke nodded, said, \u201cOkay.\u201d<\/p>\n Aubrey closed her eyes and pursed her lips, ready for Brooke\u2019s kiss. Smiling, Brooke felt a burst of warmth for the girl. Aubrey was a great friend and not just because she was willing to do this for her. She has cemented her position as the \u2018Coolest Friend Ever\u2019 hundreds of times over. Maybe thousands in the seven years they have been besties.<\/p>\n Closing her eyes, she kissed Aubrey. She felt a jolt of excitement, not because she was kissing Aubrey but because her lips pressed against the girl\u2019s lips and not her nose or her chin. Her aim was true even with her eyes closed, which was one fear laid to rest.<\/p>\n When Aubrey\u2019s lips parted, Brooke slipped her tongue into her friend’s mouth. It was just the briefest of kisses before Aubrey snorted and started giggling. Breaking it, Aubrey pulled back, put her hand over her mouth. Brooke looked at her questioningly, and Aubrey blushed, said, \u201cSorry.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s okay,\u201d Brooke said, her own face hot.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s one thing to say you are going to do something, but to actually do it…\u201d Aubrey said, with an embarrassed little laugh. She straightened her spine, shook her hands to loosen up. She met Brooke\u2019s eyes, almost lost it again, but managed to bite back a nervous giggle. Finally, she took a deep breath, said, \u201cOkay, lay it on me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou want to try, again?\u201d Brooke asked, surprised.<\/p>\n \u201cYou still want to know, right?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, yeah,\u201d Brooke said, meeting her friend\u2019s eyes.<\/p>\n \u201cThen kiss me,\u201d Aubrey said, closing her eyes.<\/p>\n Brooke looked at Aubrey\u2019s lips, then shook her head as she closed her eyes. She pressed her lips to Aubrey\u2019s, again. This time when her friend\u2019s lips parted and Brooke slipped her tongue into her mouth, Aubrey didn\u2019t start giggling. They were actually kissing. Aubrey\u2019s tongue caressed Brooke\u2019s, drawing her further into the kiss than expected. It lingered a lot longer than it needed to.<\/p>\n Finally pulling back, Aubrey met Brooke\u2019s eyes and gave her a sheepish grin, said, \u201cI\u2026 Well\u2026 You are definitely not a bad kisser.\u201d<\/p>\n Her lips tingling from were Aubrey\u2019s had pressed hers against them, Brooke said in a husky voice, \u201cAre you sure?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPretty sure, yeah,\u201d Aubrey said, with a little laugh, \u201cthat was more of a kiss than I was expecting. I think that was pretty amazing for your first kiss.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMy first kiss?\u201d Brooke parroted, blinking in surprise. She wondered, did this count as my first kiss<\/em>? Rubbing the back of her neck, she said, \u201cThis wasn\u2019t my first kiss\u2026 Just practice for the real thing.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t mean your first kiss, first kiss, just\u2026 Well, you know what I mean,\u201d Aubrey said, sheepishly, \u201cyour first practice kiss.\u201d<\/p>\n Frowning, Brooke said, \u201cMy first<\/em> practice kiss?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell yeah,\u201d Aubrey said, meeting her eyes, \u201cpractice makes perfect, they say.\u201d<\/p>\n Then Aubrey kissed Brooke, again. Brooke was surprised at first, but then she found herself kissing Aubrey back. Time got a little funny, and she didn\u2019t know how long their lips met. It could have been seconds or hours- all Brooke knew was that her heart was racing and she was warm and tingly all over when they finally pulled back from the kiss.<\/p>\n Their eyes met, and Brooke saw Aubrey looked as dazed as she felt. They just looked at each other for a second, then started to smile. Aubrey cracked first, starting to giggle. Brooke wasn\u2019t far behind, and they fell out, clutching their sides they were laughing so hard.<\/p>\n When the giggles finally dried up, Aubrey turned to look at Brooke, said, \u201cYou are a nice kisser.\u201d<\/p>\n Smiling at her friend, she said, \u201cYou are, too.\u201d<\/p>\n Aubrey shook her head and snorted. Looking up at the ceiling, she said, \u201cYou can never tell anyone about what just happened.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI was hoping to brag about it at school on Monday,\u201d Brooke said.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019d never believe you, anyway,\u201d Aubrey said, and they both laughed.<\/p>\n They were quiet a moment, then Aubrey looked at Brooke. Chewing on her lip, she asked, \u201cDo you want to practice some more?\u201d<\/p>\n Smiling at her, Brooke said, \u201cYeah.\u201d<\/p>\n ——————————-<\/p>\n Sitting on her bed with her back against the headboard and her knees drawn up, Brooke was looking at the picture of Danny on her phone but not really seeing it. Nor was she hearing the music she had put on as background noise. She was lost in thought, trying to make heads or tails out her own feelings. They were a mess and trying to straighten them out now was like untangling a pile of string. The more she tugged at the loose ends, the more knots of confusion she seemed to make. It seemed like every time she untied one, she found another one further down the string.<\/p>\n Frustrated, she set her phone aside and opened the little drawer in her nightstand, taking out her diary. Looking at the worn cover of the composition notebook, she smiled. It was the third one in her diary, two more just like it filled to the brim on the bookcase across from her bed. The one on her knees was about three-quarters full of her thoughts and feels and just general observations on the world she was growing up in. There was even the occasional short story she had written.<\/p>\n Brooke found writing soothing, like a balm on whatever was troubling her. With pen in hand, she could write away her frustrations and fears, could work through any dilemma and bring meaning to her hormone-addled thoughts with a few lines on a page.<\/p>\n This was something she desperately needed now.<\/p>\n Opening the notebook to the last entry, she smiled at the gibberish on the page. At least, it would be gibberish to anyone else who was trying to read it. It was encoded with a simple cipher, one of her own creation. Simple but enough to keep her nosy brother out of her personal thoughts.<\/p>\n Not that she had any big secrets hidden in the pages of her diary, no dirt she was worried about the little creep finding out about. Mostly, it was the principle of the thing. These were her private musings, and he didn\u2019t have her permission to read them.<\/p>\n So, she had created the cipher and memorized the key so she could destroy it. The only code breaker was lodge in the gray matter between her ears. It wasn\u2019t foolproof- she knew if her parents suddenly felt the need to invade her privacy, they\u2019d be able to figure out her code with a little effort. Still, without the key laying around, she felt secure enough to not hide her diary.<\/p>\n The cipher she had thought of was rather clever, and she had been proud of what her seven-year-old brain had come up with. She had assigned the letters of the alphabet a number, with \u2018A\u2019 being 1 and \u2018Z\u2019 26. That number was how many letters were skipped ahead to create the cipher. \u2018A\u2019 would A plus one, or \u2018B’. \u2018B\u2019 would B plus two, or \u2018D\u2019. To make the code slightly more difficult, she had decided that once a letter was used in the cipher, it was marked out and not counted on the next letter. Thus, \u2018C\u2019 became \u2018G’ instead of \u2018F\u2019. By the end, she was making multiple trips around the alphabet to find letters that had not been used to fill in the blanks in her code.<\/p>\n She had found it funny that \u2018R\u2019 ended up being R.<\/p>\n Using this same code for almost six years now, she didn\u2019t see the jumbled letters, anymore, but the words they represented. She could read it like it was everyday English.<\/p>\n She reread the last entry she had written, the one about making out- um, practicing- with Aubrey. They must have \u2018practiced\u2019 a half dozen times since that first kiss. Each session had lasted longer than the one before it and always left her wanting more. She had written about each one of them. This one was about how kissing Aubrey made her feel- the butterflies in her stomach right before their lips met; the tingling all over her body like all of her nerve ending were responding to the caress of Aubrey\u2019s tongue; the way her heart would race and breathing would get all funny; how time seemed to pass without her realizing the second hand was still moving.<\/p>\n Sighing, Brooke picked up her pencil and started writing in code:<\/p>\n It finally happened. Danny kissed me. It was\u2026 okay. There were no fireworks like I was expecting. Maybe I\u2019m just a foolish girl, but I was expecting\u2026 More. More from my first time kissing a boy.<\/strong><\/p>\n Maybe I built it up in my head, was expecting something amazing to happen when Danny kissed me. Have I been misled by those sappy love stories I\u2019m a sucker for? Where was the magic? I didn\u2019t even get the butterflies like when I kiss Aubrey<\/strong><\/p>\n Shaking her head, Brooke thought, I had more of a movie moment with Aubrey. Moments, actually.<\/em><\/p>\n Her heart hadn\u2019t raced when Danny kissed her like it did when she kissed Aubrey. Which was the root of her confused thoughts. Why did she respond to Aubrey and not Danny?<\/p>\n Looking down at her diary, Brooke sighed. Journaling wasn\u2019t going to get it done, this time. Setting the composition book aside, she picked up her phone instead.<\/p>\n Aubrey answered on the second ring, \u201cHey.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHey. You busy?\u201d Brooke asked.<\/p>\n \u201cNah. You coming over?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah,\u201d Aubrey said, smiling.<\/p>\n \u201cSee you in ten,\u201d Aubrey said, hanging up.<\/p>\n Getting off her bed, Brooke stepped into some shoes and grabbed her coat. She headed downstairs, found her mother in the living room. The woman glanced up from the book she was reading, saw Brooke with her coat over her arm, then went back to her book.<\/p>\n \u201cBe home before dark?\u201d Brooke asked.<\/p>\n \u201cYep,\u201d her mother said.<\/p>\n \u201cLove you,\u201d Brooke said, shrugging into her coat.<\/p>\n \u201cLove you, too,\u201d her mother said, turning a page, \u201ctell Barb I said hello.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOkay,\u201d Brooke said, on her way to the front door.<\/p>\n Aubrey lived one street up and three over, so the winter chill barely had time to nip at her nose before she was knocking on Aubrey\u2019s front door. Her friend greeted her with a smile and stepped aside so she could enter. The warmth inside quickly thawed her out and she was shedding her coat as she followed Aubrey upstairs to her room.<\/p>\n Just inside of Aubrey\u2019s room, Brooke caught the girl\u2019s arm, spun her around. She startled a gasp from Aubrey as she kissed her. Then her friend was kissing her back, and somehow Brooke ended up pressed against the door. The kiss lingered, deepened. Brooke felt herself responding to Aubrey- the racing heartbeat, the flush of heat all over, the curling of her toes, the breathless excitement.<\/p>\n What the hell, Body<\/em>, Brooke thought, where was this when we were kissing Danny?<\/em><\/p>\n Aubrey finally pulled back to favor her with an amused grin, said, \u201cWhat? Did you just want to come over to practice some more?\u201d<\/p>\n Slipping from between the girl and the door, Brooke sighed and said, \u201cActually, no. I don\u2019t need to practice anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou don\u2019t?\u201d Aubrey parroted, frowning. Her eyes got impossibly big as what that meant sank in and she asked, excitedly, \u201cWait! He kissed you?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah,\u201d Brooke said, smiling at her friend\u2019s comic reaction.<\/p>\n Grabbing Brooke\u2019s hand, Aubrey dragged her to the bed. The girl\u2019s eyes were alight with excitement as she said, \u201cTell me all about it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe kissed me,\u201d Brooke said.<\/p>\n Aubrey looked at her for a long moment, her eyebrows knitting together. She hadn\u2019t missed the tone of Brooke\u2019s uninspired answer and knew something was wrong. This first kiss was all they had been talking about for weeks, after all, and suddenly Brooke was clamming up.<\/p>\n Finally, Aubrey asked, \u201cHow was it?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt was…\u201d Brooke said, then asked in a rush, \u201cWhat do you feel when I kiss you?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat do I feel?\u201d Aubrey asked, surprised by the question.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah,\u201d Brooke said, her face hot.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy?\u201d Aubrey asked, a mix of concern and curiosity in her eyes.<\/p>\n \u201cJust tell me, okay?\u201d Brooke said, anxiously.<\/p>\n \u201cUm,\u201d Aubrey said, clearly embarrassed as she looked away, \u201cWell, I\u2026 I feel warm all over, and my heart beats really fast\u2026 Sometimes I feel a little dizzy\u2026 I\u2019m not sure if that\u2019s what you are talking about or not.\u201d<\/p>\n She feels the same way I do<\/em>, Brooke thought, not sure if that helped or not.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s how I feel when I kiss you, too,\u201d Brooke said, her face so hot it was in danger of catching fire.<\/p>\n \u201cOkay,\u201d Aubrey said, meeting and holding Brooke\u2019s eyes.<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t feel any of that when I kissed Danny,\u201d Brooke said, shyly, \u201cnot racing heartbeat\u2026 no tingling all over\u2026 no butterflies right before our lips met.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHuh,\u201d Aubrey said, frowning. She seemed lost in thought for a moment, then something Brooke had said dawned on her. She favored Brooke with a curious smile, asked, \u201cYou get butterflies before I kiss you?\u201d<\/p>\n With an embarrassed laugh, Brooke asked, \u201cSo that\u2019s what you got from all of that?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSo you do?\u201d<\/p>\n If her face weren\u2019t already bright red, she would have blushed as she said, \u201cYeah.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut not with Danny?\u201d Aubrey asked, her smile slipping.<\/p>\n \u201cNo,\u201d Brooke said, wringing her hands in her lap.<\/p>\n \u201cIs he a bad kisser?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo,\u201d Brooke said, laughing.<\/p>\n \u201cI had to ask,\u201d Aubrey said, grinning, \u201cI thought maybe he kissed your nose or your chin.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI wish that was all it was,\u201d Brooke said, looking down at her hands.<\/p>\n Aubrey looked at her for a long moment, then asked, \u201cWhat does this mean? Are you going to break up with him?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d Brooke said, which was the truth. Suddenly she had Aubrey\u2019s arms around her. It turned out it was what she really needed right now, and she hugged her friend back.<\/p>\n ————————————<\/p>\n In bed but without much chance of falling asleep, Brooke stared up at the ceiling. Her mind had been freed of distractions when she turned off her TV and her bedside lamp, and it insisted on thinking about Danny and the kiss. She had given up on reining in her racing thoughts, just let them run around and around in her head.<\/p>\n It hadn\u2019t been a bad kiss and, with a stab of jealousy, Brooke wondered who he had practiced with. She had to remind herself that just because he was a good kisser, didn\u2019t mean he had practiced. Maybe he was just naturally skilled. Even if he had practiced, she was the last person who should be getting jealous. After all, she had practiced with Aubrey. If anyone should be jealous, it was Danny. She had practiced kissing with Aubrey on seven different occasions- well six, since that last one earlier wasn\u2019t really practicing anymore. With a twinge of guilt, she realized she had more than \u2018practiced\u2019 kissing with the girl. At some point, she\u2019d have to admit to herself she had made out with her best friend a bunch of times while dating Danny. The fact that she had liked it more than she wanted to admit only made her feel even more guilty.<\/p>\n If only I could feel the same way about kissing Danny<\/em>, Brooke thought, then grinned up at the ceiling, or if only I found Aubrey as cute as I did Danny. I could just dump him and date her<\/em>.<\/p>\n It was supposed to be a joke, but Brooke found herself contemplating the idea. More than that, she was surprised to discover the idea of dating her friend wasn\u2019t all that ludicrous. If Brooke were to put Danny and Aubrey to a comparison, Aubrey would have a whole bunch more check marks in her column. They liked the same books, movies, and were generally speaking miserable without each other\u2019s company.<\/p>\n Too bad I\u2019m not attracted to her<\/em>, Brooke thought, then reconsidered, well, I don\u2019t think I am. I\u2019ve never looked at her\u2026 like that.<\/em><\/p>\n Brooke thought Aubrey was pretty, slim and leggy, but that wasn\u2019t her sexual opinion of the girl. Just a friendly observation. She didn\u2019t even know where to start looking to find something appealing on another girl. She smiled, thinking about the boys her age and their fascination with boobs, but they didn\u2019t have any sway over her.<\/p>\n Why am I even thinking about this<\/em>, Brooke wondered, shaking her head, I\u2019m not a lesbian, for God\u2019s sake.<\/em><\/p>\n She rolled onto her side and closed her eyes. Forcing her mind to go blank, she inhaled and exhaled slowly. It took a while, but she felt herself starting to slip into sleep. The last thought that popped into her head before it completely took her was, Why do I like making out with Aubrey so much, then<\/em>?<\/p>\n —————————————–<\/p>\n …Brooke found herself skinny dipping in the pool behind Aubrey\u2019s house, again. Aubrey was in the pool with her and just as naked. Part of her knew she must be dreaming because it was still winter and there should be a couple of inches of snow on the ground from the latest winter storm that had rolled through earlier in the week. Instead, it was sunny and warm outside, the perfect weather for frolicking in the pool. She was also pretty sure it was a dream because the last time she naked in this pool, she had been seven. She wasn\u2019t seven now, but twelve going on thirteen. So was Aubrey, her almost teenaged body just beginning to fill out. That was another way she knew this was a dream, because she hadn\u2019t seen the girl naked since before puberty started shaping her into the woman she would become. She had seen Aubrey in a bikini this summer though, so her imagination only had to fill in the naughty bits.<\/em><\/p>\n Aubrey caught her looking at her naked body and smiled this little sexy smile. She came over Brooke, moved against her. Their bodies molded together in the summer sun. Aubrey put her arms around Brooke\u2019s neck and kissed her deeply. Brooke was suddenly warm all over, and it had nothing to do with the sun on her shoulders. She put her arms around the girl\u2019s waist, not letting her pull away as she kissed her back. Her heart was racing, and she felt a little dizzy with need. She didn\u2019t want Aubrey to ever stop kissing her.<\/em><\/p>\n Aubrey did though, pulled back from the kiss to favor Brooke with a brilliant smile. Brooke recognized the smile- it was the one Aubrey wore when she had mischief in mind. Seeing it now in this context, made her heart skip a beat, then start racing even faster. It knocked around her rib cage like a jackrabbit on methamphetamines.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cLet\u2019s go up to my room,\u201d Aubrey said, still smiling at her like that.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cWhy?\u201dBrooke asked. The last thing she wanted to do was leave the pool and the warmth of Aubrey\u2019s embrace.<\/em><\/p>\n Aubrey\u2019s smiled turned up even more, and she said, \u201cTo have sex, Silly.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Brooke came awake with a start, her heart racing in her breast. She knew it had been a dream, but she could still feel Aubrey\u2019s body pressed against hers. The feeling faded slowly as the dream lost its hold on her. Although brief, the dream had done a number on her, had left her a hot and bothered mess. She blushed at how turned on the dream had left her. Her nipples were hard, straining against the thin t-shirt she had worn to bed, and there was a pleasant warmth between her thighs.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat the hell, Brooke?\u201d She said out loud, brushing the hair from her face.<\/p>\n She didn\u2019t have an answer to her own question. She has never had a dream about Aubrey like that before, or any other girl for that matter. More than that, she couldn\u2019t understand her body\u2019s reaction to the dream. It had left her horny and confused.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t read too much into it<\/em>, she cautioned herself, taking a deep breath to calm down, it\u2019s just your subconscious jumbling up your feelings about kissing Danny and Aubrey, confusing your body in the process. It\u2019s just surging hormones and unresolved questions, a potent cocktail for some weird dreams, for sure<\/em>.<\/p>\n Brooke wasn\u2019t sure about her logic, but she was happy to accept it for now. It was easier than considering the alternative, that an erotic dream about making out with Aubrey had turned her on this much. While she had made out with Aubrey on numerous occasions and had to admit she liked it, she didn\u2019t want anything more. It was a big jump from kissing to having sex. Right?<\/p>\n \u201cI can\u2019t believe I\u2019m even thinking about this,\u201d Brooke said, out loud, \u201cstupid dream.\u201d<\/p>\n Staring up at the ceiling, Brooke tried to return to taking comfort in the convoluted logic she had adopted upon waking, but the more she thought about the dream, the more hollow her argument seemed. The dream had had nothing to do with Danny\u2019s kiss or her lack of response to it, no matter how much she wanted to make it about those things.<\/p>\n It was about you making out with Aubrey and liking it. That\u2019s what you were thinking about when you fell asleep<\/em>, her mind decided to remind her, which didn\u2019t help any. The last thing she needed right now was to think about how her body responded to the brush of Aubrey\u2019s lips against her own, but it was too late. She was thinking about it.<\/p>\n Shaking her head, she muttered under her breath, \u201cStupid dream. I\u2019m never getting to sleep tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n She glanced at her alarm clock, saw it was after one in the morning. She sighed, knowing it was too late call one of her friends, even though she could really use an ear to bend. Then again, did she really want to have a conversation with one of them about her dream and her reaction to it? It seemed like it would raise a whole bunch more questions than it would answer, questions she wouldn\u2019t have the answers for. Like why was she thinking about sleeping with Aubrey?<\/p>\n I\u2019m not thinking about sleeping with Aubrey, anyway<\/em>, Brooke thought, chewing on her lip. It was still the truth, even if it was getting a little frayed around the edges. She really didn\u2019t want to sleep with Aubrey, but she thought she was a lot closer to considering it than before they had kissed.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not considering it,\u201d Brooke said, not liking the fact that she felt the need to keep repeating it.<\/p>\n The dream hadn\u2019t even been that erotic. Other than the nudity, it could have been a TV movie sex scene. At best, it was a scene out of one of the late night HBO or Cinemax specials, the ones with a lot of simulated sex. She really didn\u2019t understand its effect on her. Her hormone drenched mind had conjured up plenty of dreams that made this one seem PG by comparison. So why is this one stuck in her head?<\/p>\n Sighing in frustration, Brooke rolled onto her side and closed her eyes. This time, the self-hypnosis technique she had used earlier to fall asleep didn\u2019t work. She couldn\u2019t shut off her thoughts long enough for the breathing exercises to work.<\/p>\n ————————————<\/p>\n \u201cYou look like crap.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t sleep very well last night,\u201d Brooke said, yawning.<\/p>\n \u201cI can see that,\u201d Aubrey said, laughing, \u201cwhat happened?\u201d<\/p>\n Brooke found herself in unfamiliar territory- there was something she couldn\u2019t talk to Aubrey about. Well, she could, but that seemed like an awkward conversation at best…<\/p>\n So, I had an erotic dream about you last night and I woke up all hot and bothered. Couldn\u2019t get back to sleep. How about you? Have any weird dreams you want to talk about? No? You are just going to walk away and never talk to me, again? Okay. That seems fair.<\/em><\/p>\n She must have taken too long to answer because Aubrey was looking at her expectantly. Not wanting to lie to her best friend, Brooke said, \u201cI had a weird dream. Couldn\u2019t get back to sleep for a while.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat kind of weird dream?\u201d Aubrey asked.<\/p>\n Shaking her head, she said, \u201cI\u2019d rather not talk about it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat bad?\u201d Aubrey asked, laughing.<\/p>\n \u201cBad? Bad really isn\u2019t the word I\u2019d use\u2026 Just unexpected,\u201d Brooke said, hoping Aubrey would just let it go. She was getting dangerously close to either lying to her best friend or telling her about the dream, and she really didn\u2019t want to do either.<\/p>\n \u201cOkay,\u201d Aubrey said, still laughing, \u201cdo you need to talk about it?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot really,\u201d Brooke said, which was kind of a lie. She really did need to talk to someone about it, but not with Aubrey. Or any of her other friends for that matter.<\/p>\n Shrugging, Aubrey said, \u201cWell, if you change your mind…\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThanks,\u201d Brooke said, smiling at her.<\/p>\n \u201cSubject change,\u201d Aubrey said, leaning closer, \u201cdid you figure out what you are going to do about Danny?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo,\u201d Aubrey said.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was just one bad kiss,\u201d Aubrey said, meeting Brooke\u2019s eyes, \u201cmaybe it\u2019ll get better as you go.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMaybe,\u201d Brooke said, nodding. Snorting, she said, \u201cIt was pretty amazing from the get-go with you, though.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s because I am<\/em> amazing. How could it not be?\u201d Aubrey said, grinning.<\/p>\n \u201cAmazing, huh? And modest, too,\u201d Brooke said, amused.<\/p>\n \u201cI try to stay humble, even with all this awesomeness,\u201d Aubrey said, making Brooke laugh. Getting serious, she said, \u201cGive the guy a second chance. Maybe a third. If you still don\u2019t get the tingle in your dingle, then dump him.\u201d<\/p>\n Laughing, Brooke asked, \u201cTingle in my dingle? What the hell is a dingle?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cA valley or a dell, I think,\u201d Aubrey said, grinning, \u201cand your<\/em> dingle is-\u201d<\/p>\n Shaking her head, Brooke cut her off, \u201cNo, I get it. You don\u2019t need to explain.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI just came up with that, by the way. I\u2019m going to get it patented, so everyone has to give me a quarter to say it.\u201d<\/p>\n Brooke laughed and said, \u201cI wouldn\u2019t expect to get rich off of it. I\u2019m pretty sure you are the first person to say it for a reason.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou are just jealous,\u201d Aubrey said.<\/p>\n \u201cAnyway,\u201d Brooke said, changing the subject, \u201cwhy did you want me to come over?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI have to have a reason?\u201d Aubrey asked.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, yeah. Even if it is \u2018I was bored\u2019 or \u2018I missed you\u2019,\u201d Brooke said.<\/p>\n Rolling her eyes, Aubrey said, \u201cFine. I was bored, and I missed you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m glad you did, because the Monster has a couple of friends over,\u201d Brooke said.<\/p>\n \u201cDo you need to stay the night?\u201d Aubrey asked.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah,\u201d Brooke said, groaning. Her brother was obnoxious by himself but was doubly so when he was around his friends. Two of them were spending the night at Brooke\u2019s house, so if she could sleep here tonight, that would be wonderful.<\/p>\n \u201cLet me ask Mom,\u201d Aubrey said, hopping off the bed.<\/p>\n Pulling her phone out of her back pocket, Brooke called her house. Her mother picked up on the third ring, said, \u201cAre you avoiding the house tonight?\u201d<\/p>\n Brooke laughed, \u201cYeah.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI figured,\u201d her mother said, sighing, \u201cdon\u2019t suppose I could come too?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd leave Dad alone with the heathens?\u201d Brooke asked, smiling.<\/p>\n \u201cRight,\u201d her mother said, sighing again, \u201csee you tomorrow, Kiddo.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLove you,\u201d Brooke said.<\/p>\n \u201cLove you, too.\u201d<\/p>\n The phone went dead in her hand, and she stuffed it back in her pocket. A minute or so later, Aubrey returned, and she nodded. Asking was mostly a formality- neither set of parents would turn the girls away.<\/p>\n \u201cMom wanted to come too,\u201d Brooke said.<\/p>\n Laughing, Aubrey said, \u201cI don\u2019t blame her. Your brother is a real turd around his friends.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhich is why you are my hero for letting me stay,\u201d Brooke said.<\/p>\n \u201cAre you going to run home for clothes?\u201d Aubrey asked.<\/p>\n \u201cUm\u2026 Do you have something I could borrow?\u201d Brooke asked.<\/p>\n Aubrey laughed, \u201cYeah. I think you still have clothes here, anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cProbably,\u201d Brooke agreed.<\/p>\n Aubrey came to the bed, flopping on her back next to Brooke. She glanced at Brooke, looked like she wanted to ask something, then seemed to change her mind. She looked away, fiddling with her shirt distractedly. Brooke was pretty sure the girl had been about to ask her something, then had chickened out.<\/p>\n \u201cSomething on your mind?\u201d Brooke asked, intrigued.<\/p>\n \u201cUm no,\u201d Aubrey said, not looking at Brooke.<\/p>\n \u201cLiar,\u201d Brooke said, grinning at her, \u201cwhat is it?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI was just wondering if\u2026 you know, since you and Danny finally kissed\u2026 if you\u2019d still want to practice some more,\u201d Aubrey said.<\/p>\n With a little laugh, Brooke said, \u201cI don\u2019t think it\u2019d count as practice, anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, you are probably right,\u201d Aubrey said, looking up at the ceiling.<\/p>\n Brooke looked at her friend for a moment, surprised that she seemed disappointed. Then again, she guessed she shouldn\u2019t be all that surprised. She hadn\u2019t had to twist Aubrey\u2019s arm very hard to get the girl to kiss her. In fact, \u2018practicing\u2019 had been Aubrey\u2019s idea a couple of times.<\/p>\n Her heart beating a little faster, Brooke said, \u201cWe could make out a little, if you want.\u201d<\/p>\n Gasping in surprise, Aubrey looked wide-eyed at her.<\/p>\n Blushing, Brooke said, \u201cTo be honest, it stopped being practice after about the second time.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI-I guess it did,\u201d Aubrey said, sitting up.<\/p>\n \u201cSo\u2026 What do you think?\u201d Brooke asked.<\/p>\n \u201cI think\u2026 I think if you kissed me, I\u2019d kiss you back,\u201d Aubrey said, looking down at her hands in her lap.<\/p>\n Her heart racing, Brooke looked at the girl\u2019s lips. They were soft and looked very kissable, but did she dare? They weren\u2019t even pretending to be \u2018practicing\u2019 anymore. If she kissed Aubrey now, she\u2019d be officially making out with her best friend. The difference was both small and monumental at the same time, a half step and a giant leap.<\/p>\n After her dream last night, she knew it probably wouldn\u2019t be a good idea to kiss the girl. She had had some pretty confusing thoughts about Aubrey after starting awake. Kissing her now would only confuse them even more.<\/p>\n Then there was Danny, her boyfriend. It seemed unfair to condemn their relationship on just one lackluster kiss. She thought Aubrey was probably right about giving him a second chance, or maybe even a third to, as Aubrey had put it, put the tingle in her dingle.<\/p>\n Still, she really wanted to kiss the girl. Chewing on her lip indecisively, she sort of wished Aubrey had just said yes to making out or, even better, had kissed her first. Aubrey was making her decide whether to do it or not.<\/p>\n Then a thought popped into her head, If I\u2019m giving Danny two and three tries, shouldn\u2019t I give Aubrey at least one? After all, she does have more checks in her column than Danny<\/em>.<\/p>\n Last night, she had jokingly thought if she was attracted to Aubrey, she could dump Danny and date her best friend. She had also realized she had never looked at Aubrey like that before. What if she looked now and found something she liked? She knew what she liked when it came to boys, but what about a girl?<\/p>\n Her heart racing, she looked at Aubrey sitting there in her snug jeans and long-sleeved t-shirt. With her cheeks hot, she remembered how Aubrey had looked in her dream, naked in the summer sun. The Aubrey in her dream had been very convincing, her subconscious dragging up memories of the girl in her bikini as a reference. The heat in her face spread between her thighs thinking about the dream and, again, she had to wonder about its effect on her.<\/p>\n Was it the dream or Aubrey<\/em>, Brooke thought, her eyes widening, the way I feel when I kiss her\u2026 Maybe my body is trying to tell me something<\/em>.<\/p>\n Brooke looked at Aubrey\u2019s lips, again, and they still looked very kissable. She found herself putting her hand on her friend\u2019s cheek. When Aubrey looked up, she kissed her. It was a little hesitant at first, like they were both very aware of the difference this time, but it deepened quickly. Brooke felt herself responding- the pounding heartbeat, the butterflies, the bated breath.<\/p>\n Pulling back, Aubrey said with a nervous giggle, \u201cWe are making out.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cUm, yeah. I guess we are,\u201d Brooke said, smiling at her.<\/p>\n \u201cI like kissing you,\u201d Aubrey said.<\/p>\n \u201cI like kissing you, too,\u201d Brooke admitted.<\/p>\n Their lips met again, and Brooke opened mouth to let her friend\u2019s tongue into her mouth. Teasing it with her own, she drew the girl into an even deeper kiss. Maybe a little too deep, because time got a little funny, again. When they finally came up for air, Brooke wasn\u2019t sure how long they had been kissing. It took it a second to register that they had gone from sitting up to lying on their sides facing each other. She wasn\u2019t sure how they had gotten here.<\/p>\n Aubrey looked down at her own body, frowning. She seemed as confused as Brooke felt and when she looked questioningly at Brooke, Brooke could only shrug.<\/p>\n \u201cI think we got carried away,\u201d Brooke said.<\/p>\n \u201cI guess so,\u201d Aubrey said, with a nervous laugh, \u201cI don\u2019t remember laying down like this.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMe, either.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMaybe we should slow down,\u201d Aubrey said.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah,\u201d Brooke agreed, kissing her. She had meant to keep it slow but didn\u2019t seem able to. The girl made her dizzy with a need for more and she couldn\u2019t contain herself. The kiss got away from them, again.<\/p>\n This time, when their lips finally parted, Brooke realized Aubrey\u2019s body was pressed against hers like it had been in the dream. Lost in the kiss, Aubrey had moved against her, or maybe she had moved against Aubrey, the space between them evaporating. Aubrey was warm and soft in her arms, smelled like shampoo and soap. Brooke liked how she felt molded against her.<\/p>\n Her cheeks red, Brooke said, \u201cMaybe we should stop for a minute.\u201d<\/p>\n Aubrey nodded, separating from Brooke. She brushed her hair behind her ear shyly, met Brooke\u2019s eyes. Her voice was a little thick with excitement as she said, \u201cWhat just happened?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d Brooke said, laughing nervously.<\/p>\n ——————————————–<\/p>\n Brooke yawned, again.<\/p>\n Aubrey saw her and laughed, \u201cAre you ready to go to bed?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m so tired,\u201d Brooke said, shaking her head. She hadn\u2019t gotten much sleep last night, finding it hard to get back to sleep after dreaming about Aubrey. It was only nine-thirty, but she was having trouble keeping her eyes open.<\/p>\n Shrugging, Aubrey said, \u201cWe can call it a night, if you want.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou don\u2019t have to go to bed because of me,\u201d Brooke said, getting off the bed, \u201cbut I think I\u2019m going to turn in.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI think a couple of your shirts are in my closet or you can borrow whatever you need to sleep in,\u201d Aubrey said, \u201cyour toothbrush is still in the bathroom.\u201d<\/p>\n Nodding, Brooke headed to the bathroom. As she brushed her teeth, she wondered about what had happened earlier. It wasn\u2019t anything new; she had been wondering about it ever since it happened. She thought if they hadn\u2019t stopped when they did, their little make-out session might have gotten way out of control. She didn\u2019t think she was over exaggerating when she thought they were one kiss away from whatever came after kissing. She wasn\u2019t even sure what that was, but they had been in real danger of finding out.<\/p>\n Brooke met her eyes in the mirror, thinking about the dream that had ruined her night of sleep. After what had happened earlier, that dream didn\u2019t seem as preposterous as it had then. Worse, she was about to share a bed with the girl.<\/p>\n \u201cNothing\u2019s going to happen,\u201d she told her reflection as she rinsed her toothbrush and put it up. The girl in the mirror didn\u2019t look so sure.<\/p>\n She finished her business in the bathroom, then headed back to Aubrey\u2019s room. Aubrey left Brooke to find something to wear to bed, taking her turn in the bathroom. Brooke went to the girl\u2019s closet, shaking her head when she spotted more than a couple of her shirts hanging from the rod. She smiled when she thought Aubrey would probably find some of her clothes at Brooke\u2019s, too. They shared everything.<\/p>\n Taking a t-shirt out of the closet, she slipped out of her sweater and bra, then into it. She kicked off her shoes, then unbuttoned her jeans. She shimmied out of them, kicking them aside. In just her panties and the t-shirt, she crawled under the covers.<\/p>\n A couple of minutes later, Aubrey came back. The girl went to her closet, grabbed a t-shirt to sleep in. She pulled her long sleeved shirt up and over her head, tossing it at the hamper. Popping the button on her jeans, she started to work them off her hips. She stopped, glancing at Brooke.<\/p>\n Blinking in surprise, Brooke realized she had been watching the girl undress. More than that, she must have been looking pretty hard, if Aubrey had felt her eyes on her. Her cheeks hot, Brooke looked away, but she couldn\u2019t get the image of Aubrey in just her bra and her jeans half off out of her head.<\/p>\n She risked another glance at her friend, swallowing hard when she saw the girl in just her bra and panties. As she watched, Aubrey popped the catches on her bra, slipping out of it. Brooke looked away in a hurry, her heart racing.<\/p>\n Closing her eyes, she tried not to see Aubrey in just her panties but failed miserably. After her dream last night, she had wondered if she took the time to look at Aubrey as a potential partner, could she find the girl attractive. Seeing the girl now wearing nothing but a flimsy pair of panties, Brooke realized she had her answer, and it wasn\u2019t what she had expected.<\/p>\n Oh God, I\u2019m attracted to Aubrey<\/em>, Brooke thought, still seeing the girl clearly in her mind. Maybe it was the dream or the intense make-out session earlier, but she was definitely looking now, and she couldn\u2019t deny it. Aubrey had long, shapely legs; hips just beginning to fill out; a flat, sexy belly; a round, perky backside; and small, up-swept breasts. She had looked so inviting standing there, all that soft and smooth skin on display.<\/p>\n Brooke felt Aubrey\u2019s body weight settle onto the bed beside her and Brooke tensed up. Her sleepiness was gone in an instant, washed away by adrenaline. Being in bed with Aubrey now that she realized she was attracted to the girl had triggered her fight or flight response. She couldn’t do either of those things, could only lie there stiff as a board.<\/p>\n \u201cBrooke?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah?\u201d Brooke said, opening her eyes and looking at her friend.<\/p>\n \u201cAbout earlier,\u201d Aubrey said, shyly.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat about it?\u201d Brooke asked.<\/p>\n \u201cI was thinking about how I ended up in your arms,\u201d Aubrey said.<\/p>\n \u201cThe kissing just got away from us, is all,\u201d Brooke said, her heart beating faster.<\/p>\n \u201cI know,\u201d Aubrey said, with a nervous little laugh, \u201cI sort of panicked when it happened.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMe, too,\u201d Brooke said, smiling at her.<\/p>\n \u201cI panicked because I liked it,\u201d Aubrey said, searching Brooke\u2019s eyes.<\/p>\n \u201cYou did?\u201d Brooke asked.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah,\u201d Aubrey said, still holding Brooke\u2019s gaze, \u201cdidn\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n Taking a deep breath, Brooke said, \u201cI did. Kissing you\u2026 being in your arms\u2026 All of it.\u201d<\/p>\n It was the truth, but it still felt weird to admit it. A little embarrassed, she wanted to look away, but the look that passed over Aubrey’s face wouldn’t let her. The girl had never looked at her like that before.<\/p>\n \u201cDo you think…maybe you\u2019d\u2026 want to try again?\u201d Aubrey asked.<\/p>\n \u201cTonight?\u201d Brooke asked, searching her friend\u2019s eyes. There was definitely something new there.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah,\u201d Aubrey said, her voice a little shaky with excitement, \u201cwhat if I turn out the light and we can make out some more\u2026 Maybe not stop this time?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI-I don\u2019t know if we are ready for that,\u201d Brooke said, thinking about how they had been on the brink of moving from kissing to whatever came after kissing earlier.<\/p>\n Grinning, Aubrey said, \u201cChickenshit.\u201d<\/p>\n Brooke laughed, \u201cAsshole.\u201d<\/p>\n Aubrey just winked at her and rolled over to turn out the bedside lamp. In the dark, the girl moved against Brooke. For all of her uncertainties and hesitation, Brooke put her arm around the girl. Brooke had butterflies in her stomach as she sensed Aubrey leaning in to kiss her. She was a little scared of what would happen if Aubrey pressed her lips to hers and they didn\u2019t stop this time. A little scared but also a little curious and more than a little excited. For all of her uncertainty and hesitation, she hoped the girl did kiss her.<\/p>\n Then it happened, Aubrey\u2019s soft lips meeting hers. Brooke\u2019s heart was knocking around her breast as she opened her mouth to let Aubrey in. The caress of Aubrey\u2019s tongue against her own teased her into a deep lingering kiss. As she started to respond, Brooke\u2019s hesitation evaporated, burned off by the warmth spreading all over her body. She kissed Aubrey back eagerly, once again losing herself to the kiss.<\/p>\n She barely noticed Aubrey\u2019s hand on her hip until it slid up her flank to cup her breast through her t-shirt. Breaking the kiss, she laughed, \u201cWhat are you doing?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGetting to second base,\u201d Aubrey said.<\/p>\n The girl\u2019s touch made Brooke\u2019s nipple stiffen, and the lovely friction of her palm dragging across that straining nub made Brooke shiver. She bit her lip as a moan threatened to escape her, but she couldn\u2019t contain it. The little sound of pleasure hung in the air between them, and Aubrey seemed to take it as encouragement or maybe permission because her hand didn\u2019t move from Brooke\u2019s breast.<\/p>\n \u201cDo you remember what Tessa was saying about her cousin in eighth grade?\u201d Aubrey asked.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d Brooke asked, finding it hard to think with Aubrey touching her like that.<\/p>\n \u201cTessa said her cousin had dry sex with her boyfriend,\u201d Aubrey said.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah,\u201d Brooke said, remembering the conversation. Tessa had told them about it at lunch, all the girls leaning in for this juicy bit of information. Apparently, the cousin and her boyfriend had rubbed against each other in their underwear until they both had orgasms.<\/p>\n Even with her thoughts addle by Aubrey\u2019s sweet torture on her tender nipple, Brooke thought she knew why the girl was asking. She swallowed hard, realizing her erotic dream from last night was in real danger of coming true.<\/p>\n \u201cDo you think it would work if it\u2019s\u2026 two girls?\u201d Aubrey asked.<\/p>\n Brooke thought it probably would, but she was too surprised to answer. Was Aubrey really suggesting this, that they have dry sex? While Aubrey hadn\u2019t come right out and asked, Brooke was pretty sure the girl was circling the question.<\/p>\n She managed to find her voice to say, \u201cI- I think so.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMe, too,\u201d Aubrey said, a nervous excitement creeping into her voice.<\/p>\n \u201cAubrey, I…\u201d Brooke started to say something more but faltered. Taking a deep breath, she tried again, \u201cDo you\u2026 Why are you asking about dry sex?\u201d<\/p>\n Even in the dark, Brooke could see the girl blushing. The girl\u2019s voice was shaky when she answered, \u201cI thought maybe with the way you were looking at me when I was changing for bed\u2026 and what happened when we made out\u2026 I thought maybe…\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh,\u201d Brooke said, with a nervous laugh.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s okay if you don\u2019t want to,\u201d Aubrey said, hastily.<\/p>\n Brooke thought Aubrey was holding her breath, waiting for her to answer. Aubrey did that sometimes, usually when she was hoping for something to happen. Swallowing hard, Brooke realized that Aubrey was not only serious but really wanted to have sex with her. More than that, she thought it had been on the girl\u2019s mind for a while. Aubrey was kind of neurotic, didn\u2019t do anything without agonizing over it for a while first. If she was asking if Brooke wanted to sleep with her now, it wasn\u2019t a spur of the moment idea.<\/p>\n Maybe I\u2019m not the only one having erotic dreams<\/em>, Brooke thought, her heart racing. Thinking about the dream, she found herself saying, \u201cThe dream that kept me awake last night\u2026 It was about you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMe?\u201d Aubrey said, surprised.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was\u2026 God, I can\u2019t believe I\u2019m telling you this. It was an erotic dream,\u201d Brooke said, her face hot.<\/p>\n \u201cReally?\u201d Aubrey said, laughing. Her eyes were shining with interest in the dark.<\/p>\n \u201cWe were skinny dipping in the pool and making out, when you said let\u2019s go upstairs. When I asked you why, you said \u2018to have sex\u2019,\u201d Brooke said.<\/p>\n \u201cThen what happened?\u201d Aubrey asked, sounding more than a little curious.<\/p>\n \u201cI woke up,\u201d Brooke said.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s it?\u201d Aubrey asked.<\/p>\n \u201cNot much of a dream, right?\u201d Brooke laughed.<\/p>\n \u201cNot really,\u201d Aubrey agreed.<\/p>\n \u201cIt wasn\u2019t the dream that kept me awake last night,\u201d Brooke said, meeting her friend\u2019s eyes shyly, \u201cit was how it made me feel.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHow it made you feel?\u201d Aubrey parroted, her eyes not letting Brooke look away.<\/p>\n Still not believing she was saying any of this, Brooke said, \u201cIt made me\u2026 horny.\u201d<\/p>\n Caught off guard, Aubrey started laughing, \u201cWow.\u201d<\/p>\n Taking a deep breath, Brooke said, \u201cI think I had it because of the way I feel when you kiss me. I was confused by my body\u2019s reaction to you and not Danny. Then this dream\u2026 I think my body has been trying to tell me something for a while, but my brain is just now beginning to figure it out.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s that?\u201d Aubrey asked, holding her breath, again.<\/p>\n Brooke thought the girl might actually want to hear what she had to say next, which intrigued her. Did Aubrey have feelings of her own? Taking a deep breath, Brooke said, \u201cDanny\u2019s kiss didn\u2019t make my heart race or give me butterflies in my stomach because I think I\u2019m supposed to be with you.\u201d<\/p>\n Aubrey\u2019s pent-up breath rushed out of her, and she kissed Brooke heatedly. Pulling back, she said, excitedly, \u201cGod, I\u2019m so glad you think so, too.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou are?\u201d Brooke asked.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was after the second time we practiced kissing,\u201d Aubrey said, a little shyly, \u201cI started wondering about how I felt when you kissed me. Like you said, my body was trying to tell me something. Only, I figured it out a little quicker than you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhen did you figure it out?\u201d Brooke asked.<\/p>\n \u201cAbout the fourth time we practiced kissing,\u201d Aubrey said, then laughed, \u201cyou are right about it not being \u2018practice\u2019 after the first time. For me, at least. I just wanted to kiss you some more.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m pretty sure it wasn\u2019t practice for either of us,\u201d Brooke said, smiling at her.<\/p>\n \u201cYou have no idea how good it feels to admit this,\u201d Aubrey said, with a nervous little laugh, \u201cI\u2019ve been trying to work up the courage to tell you how I feel.\u201d<\/p>\n Brooke found the girl\u2019s hand in the dark, interlocking her fingers with Aubrey\u2019s. If she had had any doubts that this was what she wanted, they blew away with the joining of their hands. It just felt right, like it was meant to be like this.<\/p>\n Aubrey kissed her then, and Brooke felt all those things that only Aubrey\u2019s lips could bring. She felt a burst of warmth for the girl that had nothing to do with their years of friendship. This affection was something new, something more. She already loved Aubrey, but she thought she might be falling in love with her, too.<\/p>\n Her thoughts were interrupted as Aubrey\u2019s hand slipped under her shirt, touched her stomach. A shiver of excitement worked through her as that hand moved higher to cup her breast. She felt another burst of warmth, but this one was more about lust than love.<\/p>\n Breaking the kiss, Aubrey said, \u201cI think your dream is about to become real.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a little cold outside for skinny dipping,\u201d Brooke teased.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ll just have to skip to the end then,\u201d Aubrey said, kissing her deeply.<\/p>\n Her body starting to respond to Aubrey\u2019s touch, Brooke thought she was about to have something in common with Tessa\u2019s cousin. She was about to have dry sex, not with her boyfriend but her girlfriend.<\/p>\n My girlfriend<\/em>, Brooke thought, trying it on for size. She was a little surprised how well it fit. Her heart got a little funny in her breast as she thought, Aubrey is my girlfriend<\/em>.<\/p>\n Brooke was distracted from her thoughts as Aubrey put her hand on her shoulder, gently pushed her to her back. The room wasn\u2019t completely dark, the myriad of electronic equipment with their LEDs cast enough ambient light that Brooke could see Aubrey get to her hands and knees. Her heart skipped a beat as the girl moved atop her, nudging her legs open with a knee so she could lay between them. Brooke couldn\u2019t quite bite back a nervous giggle as their bodies nested together.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t we have to take our clothes off?\u201d Brooke asked.<\/p>\n \u201cI think Tessa said her cousin kept her panties on,\u201d Aubrey said.<\/p>\n \u201cThat was so his thingy wouldn\u2019t accidentally slip inside,\u201d Brooke said, grinning, \u201cnot much chance of that happening with us.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI guess not,\u201d Aubrey said, laughing. She leaned in and kissed Brooke deeply, before saying, \u201cDo you want me to take my clothes off?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI think we are supposed to,\u201d Brooke said.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s not what I asked,\u201d Aubrey said, playfully.<\/p>\n Laughing, Brooke kissed her, again. She sat up and urged Aubrey to get to her knees. Hooking her fingers in the bottom of Aubrey\u2019s shirt, she pulled it up. Aubrey put her arms up, helped Brooke remove the shirt altogether. Brooke could just make out Aubrey\u2019s small breasts in the darkness. Biting her lip, she put her hands on Aubrey\u2019s flat stomach, slid them up until she was cupping them. They were pliant and soft, just fit in her hand. She felt Aubrey\u2019s nipples stiffen in response to her touch and the girl moaned as she teased them.<\/p>\n \u201cIs this okay?\u201d Brooke asked, meeting the girl\u2019s eyes.<\/p>\n \u201cIt feels good,\u201d Aubrey said, her voice a little thick with excitement.<\/p>\n Brooke let her hands slip from Aubrey\u2019s breasts, back down her stomach to the elastic waistband of her panties. She heard the girl\u2019s breathing get a little funny as she pushed the underwear down around her knees. Aubrey sat back, lifted her legs in the air so Brooke could remove the panties completely. Naked, she looked at Brooke expectantly.<\/p>\n Looking at the girl, Brooke could just make out her body in the dark. Not satisfied, she reached past Aubrey and turned on the bedside lamp. She closed her eyes at the sudden glare, but when she opened them, she saw the girl smiling at her.<\/p>\n \u201cI wanted to see you,\u201d Brooke said. Her eyes roamed over her friend\u2019s body, drank her in. Dream Aubrey had been shapely and sexy, but paled in comparison to the real Aubrey. She looked soft and very touchable sitting there wearing nothing but that playful little smile.<\/p>\n Aubrey got back to her knees, hooking her fingers in Brooke\u2019s shirt. Pulling it up, she said, \u201cI want to see you, too.\u201d<\/p>\n Brooke put her arms over her head, and Aubrey removed her shirt, tossed it aside. She shivered, Aubrey\u2019s eyes hot on her bare breasts. The corners of Aubrey\u2019s mouth turned up even more, and Brooke\u2019s heart skipped a beat. It made Brooke feel sexy, the way Aubrey smiled as she looked at her.<\/p>\n Aubrey slipped her fingers into the waistband of Brooke\u2019s panties, and she lifted her backside off the bed so the girl could remove them.<\/p>\n \u201cWow,\u201d Aubrey said, grinning as she leaned in for a kiss.<\/p>\n \u201cYou too,\u201d Brooke said, her voice husky with excitement.<\/p>\n \u201cWe should probably turn the light out,\u201d Aubrey said, glancing at the door to her bedroom, \u201cMom and Dad are still awake. They might check on us.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah,\u201d Brooke said, taking one last long look at the girl before reaching for the lamp.<\/p>\n In the dark, Aubrey moved between her legs again. This time, there was nothing between them and Brooke giggled nervously. Their bodies were nested together very intimately, closer than they had ever been before. It was a little awkward but exciting, and a naughty shiver worked up her spine at what they were doing. She and Aubrey were really going to have sex. She thought when a boy and girl did this, it was dry sex because there was no penetration. She thought when she and Aubrey did it, it would just be having sex.<\/p>\n Lesbian sex<\/em>, she thought with wonder, this all started with one little kiss and look how far Aubrey and I have come<\/em>.<\/p>\n A little hesitantly, Brooke ran her hands over Aubrey\u2019s back. The girl\u2019s skin was so warm and soft that she found herself unable to stop touching her. Aubrey\u2019s soft sighs as Brooke explored her body only emboldened her more. Her hands slipped onto the girl\u2019s buttocks, kneading them. Aubrey giggled but didn\u2019t tell her to stop.<\/p>\n Aubrey\u2019s hands were on her, too, and she thrilled to the girl\u2019s caresses. The girl\u2019s fingertips left Brooke\u2019s skin tingling in their wake, her nerve ending crying out for her hands to come back. She shivered as heat spread across her body. Biting her lip to keep her moans in check, she thought Aubrey had her a horny mess.<\/p>\n Her hand on the back of Aubrey\u2019s neck, Brooke pulled her in for a kiss. Her already racing heart beat even faster as their lips met and their tongues teased each other. She could feel Aubrey\u2019s excitement behind her kiss, knew the girl was as turned on as she was.<\/p>\n Breaking the kiss, Aubrey smiled down at Brooke. She pushed her hips forward, rubbing their pussies together. Brooke gasped as it sent a little wave of pleasure crashing through her body. Her eyes wide, she laughed. Aubrey nodded, and her smile widened as rolled her hips, again. The lovely friction of their bodies coming together forced a moan from Brooke. The moan made both of them giggle excitedly.<\/p>\n \u201cWorks,\u201d Brooke said.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah,\u201d Aubrey said, kissing Brooke. Without breaking it, she started moving her hips, grinding their bodies together. The kiss was punctuated by moans and sighs from both of them, their little sounds of enjoyment filling the air above them.<\/p>\n Brooke had discovered the joys of masturbation when she was eleven, and this felt kind of like that, only more so. Aubrey\u2019s body moving against hers had her clutching at the girl\u2019s shoulders like she was holding on for dear life. In a way, she was. The roll of Aubrey\u2019s hips was taking her to heights of pleasure she has never reached on her own. It was a little scary how good this felt. She didn\u2019t think she\u2019d ever be able to get enough.<\/p>\n She found she could push her body up into Aubrey\u2019s thrusts and the pressure on her bud was that much more intense. She couldn\u2019t hold in her little cries of pleasure.<\/p>\n \u201cI think we need\u2026 need to be quiet,\u201d Aubrey said, around a moan.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m trying,\u201d Brooke said, laughing, \u201cyou are making it impossible.\u201d<\/p>\n Smiling, Aubrey kissed her deeply, said, \u201cI hope my parents don\u2019t come upstairs.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMe, too,\u201d Brooke said, her eyes going to the bedroom door. She really didn\u2019t want to get caught having sex with Aubrey. Mostly, because she was pretty sure she was going to want to do this, again. And again.<\/p>\n She put her knuckle between her teeth, biting down to keep as quiet as she could. It helped some, but not much. Aubrey really was making it impossible to hold in her excitement. It got even harder as Aubrey\u2019s hips moved faster and faster. She was in danger of drawing blood, she was clenching her teeth so tight on her knuckle.<\/p>\n \u201cOh God,\u201d Aubrey said, her eyes widening, \u201cI\u2019m going to!\u201d<\/p>\n Brooke thought she knew what the girl meant even without her saying the word. Sex has become a common topic of conversation at school, and she knew all the words for it. Orgasm. Climax. Come. Whatever she wanted to call it, Aubrey was about to have one. Brooke was right there, too, and Aubrey\u2019s words brought on her own orgasm. Aubrey stiffened atop her, gasping. Only half a heartbeat behind her, Brooke\u2019s body exploded with pleasure.<\/p>\n Trying to catch her breath, Aubrey laughed, \u201cHoly shit.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah,\u201d Brooke agreed, kissing her, \u201cthis definitely works.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDid you?\u201d Aubrey asked.<\/p>\n \u201cI had an orgasm, yeah,\u201d Brooke said, sighing contently, \u201cand a good one, too.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMe, too,\u201d Aubrey said, excitedly. She rolled off of Brooke, stretching out on her back next to her. Shaking her head, she said, \u201cI can\u2019t believe we had dry sex.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot dry sex,\u201d Brooke said, moving against the girl\u2019s flank, \u201cjust sex.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, I guess you are right,\u201d Aubrey said, kissing her, \u201cwe had sex. That\u2019s pretty crazy, huh?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cA little,\u201d Brooke said, smiling at her, \u201cnot as crazy as the fact we are dating, though.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe are dating?\u201d Aubrey asked.<\/p>\n Brooke realized the topic really hadn\u2019t been broached. She had just assumed after they opened up about their mutual attraction. Meeting the girl\u2019s eyes now, she asked, \u201cWhat do you think? Do you want to be my girlfriend?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI do,\u201d Aubrey said, kissing her, again, \u201cdo you want to be mine?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI do,\u201d Brooke said.<\/p>\n ———————————<\/p>\n Brooke drifted off to sleep in Aubrey\u2019s arms, and she dreamed about skinny dipping, again. It was the same dream as before, except when Aubrey asked if she wanted to go upstairs, she said yes. Coming awake, she looked at Aubrey sleeping next to her. Smiling, she thought her dream really had come true.<\/p>\n \n \n \n \u2026 K-I-S-S-I-N-G. First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes a baby in a baby carriage.\u201d Shaking her head and laughing, Brooke said, \u201cYeah, that\u2019s not helping.\u201d Her best friend Aubrey grinned at her and said, \u201cI know\u2026 It had … Continue reading