A Night with the Queen

PART I   Well, it looks like I’m done for the day. Lisa pushed the rim of her glasses up on the bridge of her nose and put her hands up to stretch. She’s been slouching and cramping her small body for hours, diligently pounding on the keyboard and squeezing every ounce of information out of her brain to produce the essay her History teacher required. It wasn’t due until next month and wasn’t really worth a huge chunk of her grade but the fair-haired student had an affinity for studying and writing. Lisa isn’t good at a lot of things, but she is good at studying. Almost too good. That’s is why she has now run out of schoolwork to do. On a Tuesday. Every paper, lab report, homework, and essay had been finished a week before the deadline. It’s overkill, but Lisa knew she can’t afford to slack off now—not on her senior year. Even with her scholarship, her mother barely has any money to send her off to the private high school she’s attending. However, after finding out that Lisa was born exceptionally gifted from an early age, her mother pushed to get her the best education she can have. Lisa has her mind dead set on going to an Ivy League school. She has been polishing her long list of credentials and 4.5 GPA for years. It could have been higher but alas, she just had to have a letter grade in P.E. and Health on her freshman year. I wasn’t as smart then. Straightening her back and stretching for the last time, she gathered her things and turned the library computer off. While waiting for it to shut down, she glanced around the vicinity for a while and caught a glimpse of a framed photo on the wall. It’s their school’s cheerleading team after they won the nationals last year. April 16, 2015, it read in shiny, silver letters. Her eyes shifted and focused on a certain person on the photo. Jaimee Reed is a dancing legend. She made it in the cheerleading team on her freshman year and won the school its first national championship. The next year she became the captain and St. Briana’s has never lost ever since then. Looking closely, Jaimee can only be described as breathtaking. Even Lisa who’s usually so indifferent and removed from the world can’t resist gazing at the girl. In person, Jaimee walked like she owned the world and carried herself in a manner which made people never forget her presence. Not so surprisingly, the girl also had a reputation for being a spoiled brat. Lisa lay witness to one of Jaimee’s tantrums one day and for a second, Lisa almost ran away after Jaimee’s angry, electrifying blue eyes met her own tame ones. But as if under her spell, everybody loved and admired Jaimee. People throw themselves at the blue-eyed teen just to get close to her—even back when she was still a freshman. That is how she got the nickname ‘Queen’. And it was, in a way, a name suited for someone like Jaimee. The library computer beeped, indicating that it has shut down and Lisa was yanked back into reality. She slung her bag on her shoulder and stood up, glancing on the nearby clock in the process. Her face scrunched up, realizing that she had stayed longer than she should have and her mother must really be worried now. Lisa readjusted her glasses for the third time and started walking out of the library. She didn’t worry about overstaying because she has permission from the principal himself to stay overtime on weekends for her to continue working on her fully-funded research on canine cancer cell growth. Lisa hauled her ass out of the library after shutting off the lights in haste. She was just about to head out when she heard something from one of the classrooms in the left wing. Curious, she paused for a second and waited for the sound again. And then she heard it again. It was a sniffle; a muffled sob. Lisa’s heart raced while she argued with herself if she should check the sound or not. Really, she could think of a thousand reasons why she shouldn’t go inside but she still found her herself walking towards the room. Finally giving in, Lisa walked towards the door and rested her hand on the doorknob. She slowly pushed the door open with a twist and realized it was dark inside. The hairs at the back of her head stood up and she peeked her head inside to check for anyone. And then Lisa heard it again. A tiny sniffle. The teen entered the room and closed the door behind her softly. But what she failed to hear was the tiny click of the door locking. Little did she know just how much that door would change her life later on. Lisa’s hand blindly reached out to switch the lights on. The bright light blinded her for a split second while she heard a high-pitched voice exclaiming in surprise. “What the fu-?” And then, she saw Jaimee. The same Jaimee that she had just been thinking about. The cheerleader was on the floor, hugging her knees while Lisa can see her eyes were red and puffy. She appeared to have just finished crying. “I-uhh-” Lisa struggled to find the right words to explain herself, not knowing why she felt the need to do that in the first place. “Get out!” Lisa immediately turned around and headed towards the door only to find out that it was locked. She shook the knob, twisted it numerous times, and pushed it with all her might but it wouldn’t budge. Oh no. “What’s the matter?” Lisa heard Jaimee say. “The uh… the doo-” “Oh, you gotta be shitting me!” A few seconds after that outburst she was shoved aside while the other girl tried to open the door herself. “f**k!” Jaimee ran her long, delicate fingers through her hair, frustrated and more than a little pissed. Lisa could only watch her, starting to her panic too. “Give me your phone,” Jaimee suddenly demanded, straightening up and looking pointedly at Lisa. And there were those piercing blue eyes again, Lisa noticed. “I don’t have one…” Lisa replied, dropping her gaze. She heard Jaimee give a small gasp. “Who doesn’t have a phone at this time and age?” “Me,” she managed to squeak out. “What about your phone?” Jaimee groaned and buried her face in her palms. “I don’t f*****g have it. I left it in my car. Maybe the janitor can hear us though.” Lisa shook her head. “It’s no use. Mr. Castor already went home.” “We can use the windows.” “It’s too narrow. And besides, it’s a thirty-feet drop from here.” “Goddamn it. And just our luck, this is the only room without a working telephone. Wow, I must have really pissed the heavens today.” Lisa heard the distressed teen muttering under her breath before slumping down on the floor while Lisa herself sat down on one of the chairs. Her head spun. She didn’t want to be stuck in a classroom all night—much less be stuck with someone like Jaimee. And it’s not like Jaimee’s the eat-you-alive kind of scary, but the girl just had a strong effect on Lisa. For a few peaceful moments, only the random car passing by and the silent curses from the aggravated teen could be heard. Until another sound joined in, that is. The sound, in particular, was a low and deep rumbling; almost inaudible. Lisa looked at the girl on the floor who had a slight blush on her cheeks which darkened the moment Jaimee realized Lisa was staring at her. “I’m hungry. So what?” The cheerleader hissed, clearly embarrassed. Lisa looked away and fetched her bag on the floor while hiding a small smile. Her hand rummaged around for a few moments before eventually grasping the desired object. Lisa stood up before timidly approaching Jaimee. Meanwhile, the cheerleader observed a granola bar emerge from Lisa’s extended hand. Jaimee’s eyebrows furrowed. “You expect me to eat that?” Lisa shrugged. “It’s the only food I have on me. You can have it.” Jaimee stared at the offered snack for a few seconds, thinking about what she would do, before her stomach rumbled in protest. “Oh, screw this,” she murmured before taking the granola bar from Lisa. Lisa went back to her corner and busied herself with the trigonometry problems scribbled on the board. She tried her hardest to ignore the pounding in her chest and the burning stare she felt on her back. Lisa spent the good part of an hour madly scrawling answers on the board, stopping only when she almost filled the entire thing. That’s when she heard someone clear their throat behind her. Startled, Lisa abruptly spun around and found the teen watching her. She must have been watching Lisa for some time now. “So,” Jaimee started, looking at anyone but her, “uh… thanks for the food.” It almost looked like she was uncomfortable thanking someone. And Lisa was willing to bet that she was. Lisa’s shoulders lifted into a shrug and she smiled at Jaimee. “No problem.” Silence. “So, what do you suggest we do?” The suddenly calm Jaimee asked. Who knew all she needed was a granola bar? Lisa sat down on the nearby chair and let her eyes wander around the room. “We wait, I guess. Wait until someone unlocks that door. Mr. Castor usually gets here around five am.” “Five am?” Jaimee asked in shock. “We’re gonna spend the night here. Just great,” the teen huffed and pouted, mood souring faster every second. Lisa found her eyes trailing down towards Jaimee’s lips and she shook her head to pull herself away from her thoughts. “It couldn’t be that bad…” she spoke, not realizing the meaning her words could have on Jaimee. The blue-eyed girl lifted her gaze and raised an eyebrow at the pretty nerd. “Oh really?” Jaimee folded her arms across her chest. “That may be the case for you, but definitely not for me.” Lisa was surprised, but not really surprised. She was expecting the other girl to really start snapping at her for some time now. Really, she was expecting it. But the teen’s nasty comment burned, and Lisa didn’t know why it affected her so seriously. Does she think I’m liking this situation just because she’s the most popular girl in school and getting to hang with her is a freaking blessing? Lisa didn’t want to admit it, but she was hurt. For the conceited girl to think such lowly of her made her shoulders sag and her eyes start to moisten. And Lisa is again reminded why she didn’t have friends. She is a unique, extremely smart young woman who is bound to get picked on. She wanted friends, she really did. But the idea of actually approaching other teens who were surely older than her terrified Lisa. And so she just didn’t try. The crestfallen girl sighed and walked to sit by the window, facing away from Jaimee. It didn’t take long before she heard the other girl sigh in frustration and start walking towards her. “Okay, I’m only going to say this once. I-… I’m sorry.” Lisa stiffened but she remained quiet. Until Jaimee moved a chair in front of her and sat down, legs crossed. “Are you going to ignore me all night? I figured if we’re going to be stuck here all night, we might as well know each other a little.” Lisa looked at Jaimee, a little shocked that she actually wanted to chat. “Aaaaand, since you’re obviously not gonna talk, I’m gonna go first. What’s your name?” It took a split second for Lisa to comprehend that she was asked a question. “Uh, I’m Lisa.” “And I’m Jaimee,” the cheerleader said as if nobody knew her. “So, Lisa. Why were you here late?” The smaller girl grew uncomfortable and she fidgeted under the Jaimee’s gaze. “I was using the computer to finish something up.” Jaimee looked curious. “Why do it here?” Lisa is honest about her financial situation and in some ways, she knows her honestly is the cause of the strange looks she gets from her peers. After all, she goes to a private school which usually caters to the upper-class part of their city. She almost wanted to lie to Jaimee, but under those scrutinizing bright eyes, she found herself spilling the truth. “We don’t have a computer at home. I’m on an academic scholarship and without it, I probably can’t even study right now.” Jaimee looked at the small girl, not knowing what to say. The cheerleader is raised from a more than well-off family and isn’t familiar with these type of problems. “What does your mom do?” Jaimee asked instead of commenting further and possibly hurting the girl. She knew she has a nasty habit of running her mouth sometimes. “My mom doesn’t have a regular job. She just… she grows spices and we sell them to a couple of restaurants downtown.” Jaimee was slowly drawn into the girl, bit by bit. “How about your father?” Then, Jaimee observed the girl more keenly. She seemed to squirm before eventually sighing. “My father left us when I was two. My mom said it was for the better.” Jaimee felt a tug at her heartstring. This was one of the rare times she appreciated everything that she had. She had a complete family, a too-big of a house, enough money to support her lavish lifestyle, and a healthy body. Without really knowing why, Jaimee leaned in, placed two fingers under Lisa’s chin and lifted it up for their eyes to meet. “Don’t you believe your mom? That it was for the better?” Suddenly, tears started welling up a bit in the corner of Lisa’s eyes. Jaimee felt surprised, and weirdly, a strong urge to wipe them away. But she resisted, and carefully backed away from the emotional girl. “Yeah,” Lisa agreed. “I would have loved to meet him though.” Jaimee grew uncomfortable. She didn’t know how to comfort the girl. In the end, she settled for handing the girl her very own handkerchief, her name embossed on the dainty edge. The teary-eyed girl accepted it and dabbed the corner of her eyes with it. They grew quiet for some time. No one really knew how to start the conversation. That is until Lisa spoke. Lisa looked at Jaimee, “How about you? Why were you here so late?” Jaimee avoided the gaze, “I was just finishing up some work. Just like what you were doing.” It was clear that there was something more to why she found Jaimee in tears. But asking such a thing is a guarantee to make the teen clamp up and ruin a somehow decent conversation. “Well, I hope everything’s going alright for you,” Lisa just said, “You know, you’re really lucky.” Jaimee’s face twisted in clear distaste. She had her own problems, but complaining about them now would be such a drag. In fact, Jaimee felt a tiny bit guilty just from thinking she had a problem. She bet her problems are nothing compared to what Lisa has experienced. “Yeah,” she replied passively but then seeing something on the smaller girl’s temple. “That’s an interesting mark you got there.” Lisa blindly traced the heart-shaped birthmark she knew would be on her temple and tenderly smiled. “I know. I was born with it.” “That’s really cute,” the cheerleader gave a half-smile and twirled a blonde lock around a finger. “I have one on my butt. Wanna see?” Then she grinned and watched as the shy girl blushed profusely. “Uh… n-no thanks.” Lisa struggled to control the sudden heat that enveloped her face. “I like your birthmark. It’s unique and not to mention rare,” Jaimee said. “You must get that all the time.” Lisa shook her head. “No one really notices it since no one gives much attention to me. In fact, aside from my mom, you’re the very first person to compliment my birthmark.” “Don’t you have any friends?” Jaimee asked, a little puzzled. Again, Lisa shook her head. “I’m too shy to approach anyone. Much less talk to them.” Jaimee smirked. “And yet you’re talking to me.” “Another first,” Lisa admitted shyly. Suddenly, Jaimee’s eyes sparkled and she shot up from her seat. “I know! Let’s see how many firsts we can make you do tonight!” Lisa was taken aback. “W-what? Why me?” The blue-eyed girl grinned, showing her perfect set of pearly whites. “Let’s just do it! It’ll be fun.” Lisa was quite hesitant. But the moment the teen held her hand and pulled her up, she knew she couldn’t refuse even if she wanted to. “Hmmm… let’s see,” Jaimee thought for a moment. Then her eyes gleamed. “I bet you’ve never vandalized before.” Lisa’s eyes widened. “Don’t tell me-?” “Yes! Come on,” Jaimee dragged Lisa to the whiteboard and handed her a marker, urging her. “Go on.” Lisa accepted the pen and removed the cap. Then, as she was ready to write in the whiteboard, she heard Jaimee sniggering behind her. “What are you doing? You are supposed to deface something. If you’re gonna write in the whiteboard, someone’s just going to erase it,” Jaimee bemusingly shook her head. “Try on one of the desks.” “What?” Lisa protested. “But that’s against the rules!” Jaimee grinned. “That’s the whole point of this activity.” Lisa was horrified. She never, in her life, imagined that she would be peer pressured into vandalism. She always envisioned that if she ever was to commit a crime, it would be something big and grand like arson or murder. “Come on, Lisa. Just a tiny bit,” Jaimee egged Lisa on. Lisa is slowly giving in. The thought of doing something naughty for the first time in her life was just so appealing. “What should I even write?” The shy girl asked as the last-ditch effort to sound reluctant. Jaimee grinned, knowing that Lisa is actually considering vandalism. “Write something like ‘Mrs. Kendall smells like a rotten egg’.” Lisa almost choked. “That’s too much!” “Honey, that’s grade school level vandalism,” the teen laughed a little. “How about you just write the date today then?” Lisa calmed down a bit after hearing Jaimee’s compromise. That, she can do. “Okay,” she approached a desk with trembling hands. Then she leaned down, pen uncapped and ready. She wrote ‘09’, a dash, then a ‘10’, and lastly a ‘1’ and ‘5’. Lisa held her breath the whole time, feeling excitement slowly start to bubble up inside her. It was exhilarating. After her hand did the last stroke, Lisa was surprised as she felt a pair of arms wrap around her for a second before it disappeared again. “That’s one!” The cheerleader joyfully exclaimed. “This is gonna be more fun than I thought.” Feeling another blush creeping in, Lisa hung her head. “Actually, that’s two. I-I’ve never been hugged by anyone except my mom before...” Lisa finished in a small voice. Jaimee was absolutely floored now. Just how sheltered is this girl, she thought. Looks like they’re going to be breaking a lot of records tonight. “Let’s proceed to number three then?” Jaimee suggested, instead. Lisa eagerly nodded, starting to bounce up and down giddily. Jaimee thought about the next one. It was going to be difficult. They are limited inside a small classroom after all, but she knew she could make it work. “Have you ever danced in front of someone before?” The fair-haired girl gulped. “Only when I was younger and it was with my mom.” Jaimee perked up upon hearing that. “Yup. We are going to dance. I’m gonna teach you how.” Lisa froze, mortified. No matter how hard she tried, her childlike body rejected gracefulness. She knew even someone like Jaimee can’t teach her how to dance. “Look, I’m not really...” “Please?” Jaimee interrupted her. “Do it with me? Just once.” She tried her best to resist, but the other girl had captivated her. “Fine, but-” Jaimee genuinely smiled and stood directly behind Lisa before the latter could even begin to protest. “Don’t worry. This will be easy. And I promise I won’t laugh at you.” Lisa felt soft hands on both of her hips. “Easy there. How about we just sway for a bit?” Lisa’s body trembled a little and her knees grew a tad bit wobbly as she felt the heat from Jaimee’s hands on her hips. The cheerleader hummed a neutral beat. “Come on. Lift your foot alternately like this. Yes, that’s good!” Lisa’s face heated up as she tried her best to follow the other girl’s instructions. Her mother always quipped that for someone of Latin American descent, Lisa should be more confident about her dancing. Her father is half-Cuban and after her parents had her, he disappeared without a trace. In reality, Lisa has light skin, naturally blonde hair and a curveless body; whatever’s left of her Cuban heritage could only be traced to her long lashes and expressive eyes. To add more insult to injury, Lisa’s bad at salsa—both the dance and the condiment. Lisa never learned to dance properly and has a pretty bad tomato allergy. Jaimee suddenly closed the distance between them and the hairs on the back of Lisa’s neck rose. Her palms began to sweat. What’s happening to me? “Now, can you move your hands like this?” The blue-eyed teenager put one hand on her shoulder to steady her. “There you go! You’re a fast learner. You almost have it now, Lisa. Just relax your shoulders a little.” Jaimee encouraged. As Lisa moved closer, her butt moved directly in front of the Jaimee’s front. The blood was pounding in her chest and she was sure she was already beet red. A few moments passed by before Lisa stood up, ears red and truly embarrassed. She faced the other teen abruptly and was startled at how their bodies were pressed so close. Jaimee seemed out of it too and looked pretty dazed. They gazed at each other’s eyes for a hushed moment, neither willing to break away. Until Jaimee got a hold of herself. The flushed teen blinked a couple of times and shook her head after breaking their intense staring contest. She smiled at Lisa sheepishly. “That was wonderful. Have you ever danced with someone before?” The smaller girl shook her head. Jaimee grinned and put one of Lisa’s hands on her shoulder while she put hers on Lisa’s waist before taking hold of the timid girl’s remaining hand in hers. “Let’s see how you waltz.” Jaimee guided them forward with a certain melody in mind. Confident, unnerved; not bothered by furniture at all. Lisa struggled to catch up. “Wait, I-” “Just close your eyes and move with me,” the teen said to her, chuckling softly before starting to hum and whisper each step into Lisa’s ear. The blonde girl closed her eyes and went with Jaimee’s instructions. Then she gently laid her head on the crook of the other girl’s neck, surprising both of them. Jaimee’s eyes widened; she almost missed a step before she glanced down at the girl she’s dancing with. She didn’t know why, but it felt good. She felt herself getting sick, her stomach felt weird and acted all tingly and warm. It felt good. But it was weird. Jaimee hesitantly stopped and willed herself to pull away from Lisa before giving her a small smile and curtsying. “You dance very well,” the blue-eyed girl spoke softly. Finally, she smiled. “Well, that’s another two to cross off of your imaginary list.” “What’s next?” Lisa asked, cheeks still aflame. She couldn’t believe she was actually feeling eager for their next activity—regardless of how crazy Jaimee might make it be. “Well, I was thinking about having you destroy something in this room.” Lisa’s jaw went agape. Jaimee smiled mischievously as she continued. “—but it seems boring. How about ‘arranging’ Mrs. Kendall’s files instead?” “And by ‘arranging’, you mean—?” “To cause complete and utter chaos? Yes, now come on,” the cheerleader’s eyes gleamed with mischief. Jaimee led Lisa by the hand towards Mrs. Kendall’s desk and the two giggling teenagers noticed that the drawers weren’t even locked. “Here, you swap out the pictures on the students’ index cards while I change her lesson plans. She’s too old she’ll never notice something’s up,” Jaimee instructed, barely holding in her laughter. “Here, I’m gonna write ‘How the Germans won the Second World War’.” Lisa’s heart thundered in her chest while she wondered about Mrs. Kendall’s reaction to this little stunt they pulled. For the life of her, Lisa actually looked forward to seeing the distressed Mrs. Kendall. It was horrible. They both giggled and started ‘arranging’ the files. Sometimes, Lisa would exchange documents with Jaimee before putting it back. The fair-haired girl, scared out of her wits at being caught, made sure to make the crime scene look flawless. Lisa took extra care in making it look like everything was back to where it was. But God knows the chaos they created inside, Lisa chuckled to herself. It took them roughly an hour to finish everything up, giggling and chatting without a care in the world. “See? Being bad feels sooooo good, doesn’t it?” Jaimee asked Lisa who was all smiles. Jaimee thought it was refreshing to see Lisa start loosening up. The smaller girl raised her hands in the air dreamily. “Oh God, yes. This feels almost therapeutic.” “I can’t even begin to imagine the stress you’re always in,” Jaimee spoke as she leaned back against the wall. “Now I know why you look familiar. You are the kid genius the school sent to China last summer, right? And then you were on the news a couple of other times for that research about dogs. Very impressive.” Lisa scratched her temple, not knowing how to respond to Jaimee’s comment. “I guess? I mean, it was me. But I uh... I was sent to Singapore.” “Dang,” Jaimee smirked and crossed her arms across her chest. “How did you get this smart?” “Genetics, mostly.” “So your parents are smart too?” Lisa shook her head. “Not really, no. They are average people. Intelligence has something to do with genes and certain inherited traits, but they can often be recessive and won’t show in a few generations. Though I find it highly debatable because geniuses are oftentimes made, and this is what propels the whole ‘nature versus nurture’ argument. Would you like to discuss Francis Galton with me?” Jaimee sucked a breath in before chuckling. “I would love to, Lisa, if only I knew who the heck that Francis Balton guy is.” “Galton,” Lisa corrected. “Francis Galton. He’s Darwin’s cousin.” Jaimee nodded, deep in thought. Then she raised her head to look at Lisa with all seriousness. “Darwin’s the guy who invented the light bulb, yeah?” “No, that would be Edison, but close enough,” Lisa smiled, holding back a laugh. Eventually, Jaimee realized her mistake and shook her head wistfully. “This is why I’m getting a music degree in college.” That piqued Lisa’s interest. “What instruments do you play? “Piano, mostly. But I am also good at stringed instruments.” “How come I never see you play?” Lisa asked. “Because it would mess up my manicure, duh,” Jaimee replied, bumping Lisa’s shoulders playfully. “But I am good. Not to toot my own horn, but I am considered as a musical genius myself.” And Lisa didn’t doubt it one bit. One glance at Jaimee’s long and delicate fingers told her that. “I’d love to hear you play one day,” the smaller girl innocently remarked. Jaimee was taken back for a second, before smiling softly. “That would be awesome.” Silence enveloped them once more while Lisa curiously observed Jaimee. It was so unusual to see the other girl so relaxed. What surprised her more is how easy Jaimee is to talk to—even for someone like Lisa. “Hey genius, I bet you’ve never gossiped before,” Jaimee spoke out of the blue. Lisa’s eyebrows furrowed. “Do you want us to gossip?” “I don’t see why not. You’re not going anywhere soon, are you?” Jaimee grinned before patting the space beside her on the floor, motioning for Lisa to sit down. “So,” Jaimee started. “Did you know Mr. Gomez is having an affair with the Principal?” Lisa’s eyes widened. She knew Mr. Gomez. He is the kindest, most gracious teacher in school. He loves his wife and never fails to mention her in his classes. How could he have done it? Jaimee noticed the shocked look on Lisa’s face and burst out laughing. “Oh, honey. That wasn’t true. It was just gossip. You know, gossips are made up stories that you say to destroy other’s people’s lives for sport. Mr. Gomez is a good man.” Lisa breathed a sigh of relief. She almost believed that one. “Now it’s your turn to make up a gossip. It can be anything that you want,” Jaimee cheered. Lisa thought for a while before a small smile crept up her face. Jaimee thought it was cute how Lisa’s eyes seem to reflect the smile. “Uh, Ms. Jackson smokes m*******a during lunch break,” she finished, looking at Jaimee for confirmation. Jaimee laughed, a bit surprised. “The classic pot joke. That was a good one,” she ruffled Lisa’s hair a bit. “But did you know Ms. Jackson also sells cocaine to her students?” Lisa giggled. “Oh no, Miss Jackson isn’t the one selling the stuff. It’s Mr. Castor!” Jaimee was amused at how the shy girl easily adapted to their little game. “The janitor? How could he?! But you know, I heard he slips it inside his customers’ lockers.” “Karl Dunns caught Mr. Castor transacting one day and Mr. Castor threatened to expose Karl as a gay stripper if he reported him.” “Whoa, tiger! That was, uh, surprising,” Jaimee giggled. “Drugs and strippers, huh? But I heard they had s*x after that.” Jaimee and Lisa giggled madly at that. The gossips got worse and worse. First, it was another student who was dealing drugs. Then, it was the principal. There were more made up affairs and each scenario became increasingly comical and ridiculous. By the time their game ended, there was already a cult and they ran out of people to gossip on. They were silent for a while, still trying to get over the recent stories when Lisa visibly shuddered. “Cold?” The other teen asked. The small girl nodded her head. Jaimee scooted closer and draped an arm over Lisa. Why she did that, she didn’t know. But it felt good to hold the smaller girl. Silence befell them once again but Jaimee didn’t quite mind it. She pondered over the fact that she actually likes talking to Lisa. How crazy is it that just this morning, she didn’t even know the other girl existed. Hell, Jaimee thought that if she sees Lisa in the hallways she wouldn’t even spare her a glance. Now that they know each other, Jaimee is floored. She actually liked the other girl. “Won’t you tell me why you were crying?” Lisa asked in a small voice, interrupting Jaimzee’s train of thoughts. Jaimee paused, unsure of what to say. She had always been guarded about her family. Her family is very influential and hold political power over the city. “It’s better if I—” she didn’t get to finish it when she felt a soft hand hold her trembling ones. “It’s okay. But you know it’s not healthy to hold it in. We may just have met, but I’m free to listen.” That was Jaimee’s undoing. She let her head droop and rest on the other girl’s shoulder before she felt the first tears slip out. It was like that for a while. Jaimee quietly shed tears while Lisa caressed her back and tenderly comforted her. “I don’t know what to do,” Jaimee started, with a voice Lisa can barely hear. “I just feel so trapped sometimes. I want to be free to do the things that I love, but...” “But?” Lisa coaxed out. “My life is already planned out for me. I’m presumed to learn the family trade and take over the business; to marry some rich businessman, and when the time comes, have his children,” Jaimee shared. “On top of that, I also have to do well in school and maintain a pristine reputation outside these four walls.” It was only then that Lisa realized why Jaimee acts the way she does. Their school is the only place she could be herself and gain some kind of control. Lisa sympathized at how burdened Jaimee must feel—even more than her. And Lisa isn’t ignorant; she knew pain isn’t a competition. Nevertheless, Jaimee has so much more to lose. “I want to explore the world backpacking. I want to build a career out of something that I love, which is music. And god, how I’d love to not have security on my ass 24/7,” Lisa cringed hearing that part. She almost forgot Jaimee is rich—ridiculously rich. “Sometimes I don’t even want to get up from my bed. But then Alfred gets on my case and then I’ll really get in trouble.” “Who’s Alfred?” Lisa asked curiously. “Oh, Alfred? He’s our butler,” Jaimee answered like it’s normal for everyone to have butlers. “So yeah, and now Josh is pressuring me to have s*x with me.” At that, Lisa stiffened. Of course, how could she forget about the boyfriend. However, she let the distressed girl ramble on. “My friends keep telling me that it’s about time, but I want my first to be with someone I have a connection with. Call me a romantic, but I don’t just want to do it to get it over with.” Lisa was surprised. “Your first?” Jaimee nodded and admitted shyly. “Yes, I’ve never done it before. Suppose you’re going to judge me for it now?” “No, of course not. I was just... surprised.” And pleasantly so. The blue-eyed teen laughed bitterly. “You really are something else, Lisa.” They spent a few more minutes holding each other until Lisa opened her eyes and found beautiful blue eyes staring directly at her. “You know, you have beautiful eyes,” Jaimee said in a daze before reaching out to remove Lisa’s glasses. Jaimee didn’t notice it before, but Lisa is actually strikingly pretty. Lisa just didn’t have much of a presence or any sense of fashion to stand out and be noticed. As Jaimee stared at Lisa’s eyes, she realized that it’s easier to share yourself with a complete stranger. But at the same time, Jaimee feels like she had known Lisa her whole life. It’s cliche, but being near the shorter girl brings a sense of tranquility to her being. They stared at each some more, caught in the moment until Jaimee spoke breathlessly. “You’re great. You’re so great.” And with no other words, she leaned in and captured Lisa’s lips in her own in a sweet kiss. Her arms wound and wrapped themselves around the smaller girl. Lisa’s eyes went wide while her body stiffened instinctively, feeling the unfamiliar touch of another person’s lips on her own. A few seconds passed and the unfamiliar sensation was replaced by a slight tingling which started from the top of her head to the tip of her toes. Finally, Lisa closed her eyes and let her body relax. Jaimee’s heart pounded against her chest. It wasn’t the first time she kissed someone, but it was her first time kissing another girl. She was experienced enough in kissing to not expect fireworks, but the moment their lips touched, that’s exactly what happened. It was a dizzying, breathtaking experience. And she knew then that kissing Lisa felt different because Lisa is special. Her lips moved delicately against the smaller girl, careful not to scare the girl away. Jaimee particularly liked how soft and plump Lisa’s lips felt. Her left hand came up and tentatively cupped Lisa’s cheek while her other hand supported her as she leaned closer, deepening the kiss. Lisa felt herself falling down on the floor so she traced her hand up to Jaimees arms and pressed her palm on the back of the other girl’s neck. She then surprised Jaimee by opening her mouth a fraction and kissing back with as much intensity as someone starved for years. And in a way, Lisa was. Their kiss was only broken when they felt the need to breathe. Quietly panting for air, they both took this time to comprehend what had just happened between them. Jaimee was at a loss for words. All of a sudden, the lights went out and the whole room became pitch black. She felt the small body beneath her tense up, so Jaimee pulled her closer. “Are you afraid of the dark?” She asked softly, her voice still shaky from their kiss. Lisa nodded, burying her face in the crook of Jaimee’s neck. Lisa was aware that she was acting like a child, but to be complete darkness was always one of her biggest fears. Jaimee cooed and stroked Lisa’s hair in an attempt to calm the little thing in her arms until the room became brighter from the moon’s natural luminosity. She pulled away to caress and observe Lisa’s face at which the moonlight directly illuminated. She is cute. Hella cute. How did anyone not notice this before? And before she can help herself, her head dipped lower to make their lips meet again in a more passionate and heated kiss. The way their bodies fit together was unbelievable, and the heady pleasure she got just from kissing Lisa was slowly making Jaimee lose any control. She broke away from the kiss and planted small ones on Lisa’s jaw down to her neck. She was rewarded with a low, throaty moan which Lisa tried to suppress at first. Jaimee smirked at that. Lisa wasn’t sure if the room became hotter or if it was just them, but she felt feverish. She boldly cupped Jaimee’s face and lifted it up, connecting their lips once again. She shivered when she felt the other girl’s tongue take a gentle swipe at her upper lip. “Wait,” Lisa broke away, panting. “Why?” Jaimee, ever the impatient one, tried to connect their lips once more but Lisa was determined to talk. “We—please stop doing that,” Lisa tried to sound as stern as possible while the other girl started gently biting and nibbling at Lisa’s neck like some sort of sexy parasite. “Oh don’t mind me. Do go on,” Jaimee smirked playfully as she felt the smaller girl’s hand lightly push her away. “No. I-I need to know. What does this mean?” Jaimee paused. Then, she looked directly at Lisa’s pleading brown eyes. “Honestly, I don’t know. All I know is holding you right now feels perfect; kissing you is perfect. Every moment that we spend together is perfect,” she admitted. Lisa looked at Jaimee and saw the sincerity in her tranquil blue eyes. “You’re so beautiful,” she whispered before kissing her hungrily. Jaimee laid Lisa down on the floor and gently laid her body on top of hers. Her hands wandered all over Lisa’s body, feeling all its curves. Then she boldly slipped her hand under Lisa’s shirt and caressed the skin just above her panty line. Feeling the creamy skin and hearing the smaller girl let out a gasp bought such joy in her. She broke their kiss and looked at Lisa for one final confirmation. “Are we gonna—?” Lisa, feeling all hot and bothered, nodded and prepared herself for what was about to come. She was scared, but it was with Jaimee. The other girl and her had a connection; she knows Jaimee will never hurt her. She wasn’t sure if what she’s feeling is just lust or god forbid, love, but being held by the blue-eyed teen makes her feel like everything will be alright. Jaimee smiled and sat up, pulling Lisa with her. She reached out for the hem of Lisa’s shirt with trembling hands and lifted it over her head. She tried hard not to stare at what she just uncovered, sensing that it will make the smaller girl uncomfortable. She did steal a quick glance, liking what she saw. She liked it very, very much. Instead, she leaned forward and planted small kisses across Lisa’s collarbone and shoulder. Jaimee tried her hardest to hold back, but she wasn’t a very patient person. Her hands did quick work on Lisa’s jeans, tugging it off and revealing inch after inch of creamy skin. Being just in her underwear, a plain set of cotton panties and bra, made Lisa feel vulnerable. But it was soon forgotten when Jaimee embraced her and kissed her like there was no tomorrow. “You’re beautiful. Don’t hide from me,” Jaimee whispered before pulling away and shrugging her own clothes off, undressing in record time. Now it was Lisa’s turn to be in awe as the other girl was finally exposed to her and she was left wondering how all of these perfections fit into a single person without causing her to explode. Jaimee is simply breathtaking. “Hey,” Jaimee pulled her away from her thoughts. “Don’t back out on me now,” then she chuckled, but it was laced with nervousness. “Are you scared?” The blue-eyed teen asked. When the smaller girl nodded, she paused. “Of me?” Lisa kissed Jaimee’s forehead. “No, silly. I’m not scared of you. I trust you. It’s just that... I’ve never done this before. I’m clueless.” “Shhhh... Remember? I’m clueless too. I don’t want to mess this up.” “Then, shall we be clueless together?” Lisa spoke in a voice so faint Jaimee almost didn’t hear it. But she did, and the butterflies in her stomach fluttered wildly. Jaimee smiled tenderly. “Let’s.” And with that, the cheerleader gave Lisa a chaste kiss and pulled her even closer. Lisa gasped when all of a sudden, her bra was taken off of her. Then she felt the other girl’s nimble fingers on the hem of her panties. “May I?” Jaimee asked. Lisa nodded and just like that, she was naked as she was on the day she was born. Jaimee didn’t stare long but put their bodies closer, whispering softly in her ear. “I feel like I’ve known you all my life. Is that weird?” Lisa’s heart swelled. “I feel the same way. You don’t know how glad I am to hear that.” Jaimee smiled, feeling content wash over her. She let her lips wander over to Lisa’s ears to her neck, making sure to pay extra attention to the spots which made Lisa moan. She marveled at how adorable Lisa’s little moans were. With a swift move, she placed herself between Lisa’s legs. She had no idea what to do, but once she placed herself on Lisa and felt the heavenly friction, her body immediately knew. They were meant to be. And so that night, they shared something beautiful. Something that others so desperately wanted, but couldn’t get. They just didn’t know it was love yet.