"Come Tumbling Down" Mira van Dijk was stunned. It would probably take her a day for all of it to sink in. The lingering smell of sex, skin, and sweat hung in the air patiently as she laid there, still breathing hard. Wow! What an experience! She knew that sex was good, but no amount of talking with her friends could prepare her for the actual event. The groping, the kissing, the erotic panting and moaning, the smells and the sights of naked skin, the touch of sensitive areas and the suspense, oh the suspense before every first touch, before her first real orgasm (and on a lesser note, before every other subsequent one), the sheer thrill and thrust of it all! And here she was, naked and breathing hard, Usha wiped out on one side of her and Blake the other, their heads more or less resting on her body. "Unbelievable," she managed. They had really done it—sex! They did it! It had been worth the wait! What an experience indeed! All three of them, wrestling and moaning like whores, sharing each other's bodies, touching and rubbing until it hurt, thrusting and suckling till' they wept from the beauty of it all! If only Mira could properly describe it. Sex was more than she had bargained for; nothing could be said about it, except perhaps for perfection. Yes. Perfection, personified and magnified. ...Perhaps for too long. There was an awkward pause that stretched long past its time, before it was decided that they should all take a shower together. They'd probably spend the rest of the day cuddling, kissing, or at the least, talking, and would probably end up sharing the same bed. Having a passionate threesome on one bed (in Mira's room, no less) was quite an experience; sleeping in one would be something else. Maybe the restrictive quality would be a curse, or blessing. Well, first they needed to bathe; then they could worry about sleeping together. Of course, once they were all under the pressure of the spigot, the playfulness began anew, wet soapy bodies congesting the tiny stall. Actually, the three lovers did not spend the day naked in each other's grasp, as they thought they would. Usha mentioned wanting to help out with tsunami relief during a serious moment, and Blake and Mira agreed that it would be a better way to spend the day. Most of Stanton was pitching in somehow to avail those poor people affected by that nasty tsunami in late December, and Usha, being the person she was, was one of the volunteers. Once the three dried off and got dressed, she led the pack, glad to at least have a distraction from her remorse. Usha Krishnan, the whole time, had borne a sense of guilt on her shoulders. Not for the sex—she had been just as eager as the others, and frankly loved it—but something else nagged at her, something older and darker. She had a feeling it would come up again, probably at a time that was socially inconvenient. Things like that usually had a way of making bad time. ...... Olivia hadn't been with Yuki long, and she was already contemplating breaking up with her. Now there was no doubt in her mind that Yuki was a sweet kid and a good girlfriend, but she was just too weird for Olivia. Miss Johnson resolved that if she ever decided herself to be completely lesbian, she would be with a girl who was aggressive without being mean, somebody talkative and fun to be with, a person—preferably a redhead or brunette—who knew when to be serious and when to have fun. Somebody who...to be honest, wasn't totally obsessed with their so-called split personality. Having a girlfriend that spouted out odd mantras while on a date just didn't swing with Livvy. On the other hand, Yuki had a great body. Olivia learned this the fun way after kendo practice. Yuki might've been odd, but she was definitely one of the best in the club, perhaps Ancelin's equal. Olivia herself was poor thanks to her sickliness and lack of coordination, but Yuki encouraged her and loved her, and though it was unintentional, rewarded Olivia with a nude, wet, soapy version of herself in the showers after practice. It was no secret that the girls in kendo class (and gym class, and art class, and math class, and...) checked each other out in the shower. Most of the time it was harmless—a compliment here, a smile there, an envious glare now and then—but Olivia had seen the lusty eye several times, some of them even training on her. She admittedly ogled beautiful Mihoshi in the shower—her petite body, the curvy shoulders, the dip her back made before descending to her bottom, her muscular legs, that snowy hair of hers flying everywhere... Johnson admitted to being a prude sometimes, but there was no doubting it: she craved hot passionate lovemaking just as much as anyone else, and in spite of wanting to end things with Yuki, she also wanted to fuck her fast, hard, now. Good thing those feelings were mutual, albeit not exactly with the same words... The dam burst. To hell with prudence and protocol, Olivia reasoned: her carnal desires were far too great, soon coming to overwhelm even her sense. Perhaps the animal in her had been tied down too long and had broken loose, or maybe it was her inhibition gone for the day—she was already naked, and so was Yuki, so why not? Maybe she craved sex, good and hard and seething. Maybe she wanted to give Yuki another chance. Whatever the reason, she came over and first, holding tight to what little intelligence she had left, kindly washed Mihoshi's back and her white, white hair. Washing led to rubbing, and that led to touching, and that led to embracing, staring, and kissing, kissing, kissing everywhere. The two had kissed on their first date, both finding the taste of each other sweet, and so a meeting of lips was not new. But this was desperation borne from love; the eruption after the cough of smoke, the storm after the trickle, the rampage once the animal was loose. Olivia needed Mihoshi to suffocate her, she needed to feel that unique Japanese skin with her brown hands, to taste those pink nipples, to smother what her mouth had neglected. "Get a room," groaned Ivory, who had turned to see it all. The first few minutes had been entertaining, but even she had her limits. Yuki was wailing with unexpected pleasure (NOT wanting it to end, by the way), unable to answer. Olivia just gave Ivory a dirty look. Rozalia made a nasty face. "That is just awful. I'd rather take a shower in the toilet. Ugh." She hugged herself, embarrassed just to be around those two horn-dogs, and scampered out of the shower, Ivory and Ancelin following (the former using this time to stare politely at the latter and compliment, once they were safely away from the two sex-fiends, "You look really sexy." Ancelin then blushed and smiled, and gave Ivory a very sultry appraising stare as she walked away, hips waving seductively). Olivia wanted to feel every moment of the sudden sex, just as she wanted to feel Yuki, outwardly and inward. She wanted to turn off her brain, scream at her reasoning, and just concentrate on fucking, fucking so sweetly—and fuck Yuki she did, beautifully and gently, slow with unhindered roughness, pressing her slippery brown skin against Yuki's smaller pale body, feeling their breasts interact through curtains of water (hands exploring, wheezing now in pleasure and lack of breath), their crotches burning with lust in spite of the rain. Olivia knelt before Yuki and indulged herself, for the very first time, in the sex of another female; to say that Mihoshi enjoyed it was like saying the Sahara had a sand issue. When they did finish (somehow managing to turn the water off before they drowned), they really couldn't say anything to each other except how wonderful it had been, how much Yuki had wanted to do that, how great they both were, blah blah blah. The petite Japanese pixie had a merry spring in her step as she walked away, starting on the journey home, but Olivia felt worse than month-old garbage. Well, she had seen the wonders of sex (and felt, and tasted, and...), but she still felt empty. No, not empty—horrible. She was in conflict now! Should she stay with Yuki, but only for the sex? What an awful thing!! But the alternative was worse: break up with her after all that magic? It was a wonder she made it home in one piece. ...... Lilian Nachtheim didn't care for coffee, but she loved a nice hot chocolate drink early on a cold morning, and she knew just the place to go for it. She'd never set foot inside a Starbucks unless she had to, so she opted for someplace better, smaller, more...innocent, in a way, with its freshness and intimacy. It hadn't been in business long, yet the lovely albino had already fallen in love with the place. It was simply called Respite—apt if nothing else—and it had, in her opinion, the best early morning drinks available. The shop being new, Lilian had no idea who worked there or even what the full range of their menu was; she had just ordered chocolate each time (sometimes two, to share with Gabrielle). She came in there one early morning, preparing for a chilly February day full of school, study, and some conflict at home, and smiled at the cashier, a slightly older woman with striking features and unmistakable wavy hair, colored like roasted walnuts. The woman couldn't help but stare as Lilian asked for her usual cup, and being an albino, Nachtheim was used to leery eyes. But what happened next caught her off guard. "...Lilian? Lilian, is that you?" The words, noted Frau Nachtheim, had been German, pure and unmistakable. She stared back at the woman, wondering if they had met somewhere in the past, perhaps at some dull social event her parents had dragged her to. "Uh...ja, I am Lilian. How do you know me?" "Lilian Nachtheim?" With uncertainty, Lilian nodded her head. The cashier lit up in wonder and in spite of the counter between them, scurried around and ran up to give the confused girl a big hug. "I can't believe it! It's really you! I never thought I'd see you again, let alone here!" "I...don't know what you're talking about!" she managed. The girl released her, smiling into Lilian's puzzled red eyes, and idly played with the girl's cute silvery ponytail. "I guess you don't remember me. Well it's hard to forget you, especially since you, uh, always stood out so much. Remember, camp? About six or seven years ago? We met there and became friends! Don't tell me you forgot!" Lilian gasped suddenly as it all came back to her. Of course she remembered! How could she forget? That had been the happiest moment of her life up until recent times! She easily recalled every moment of that beautiful golden age, and spoke the woman's name shakily. "...Ramona?" "YES!!" Lilian embraced the girl fiercely, weeping for joy and nostalgia. It was the stuff of fairy tales, meeting one's own first love in an unlikely place. Oh, they had so much catching up to do!! Despite wanting to spend the whole day together, the two had other obligations to fulfill, but promised to meet again once school and work let out. Those were by far the longest and yet most magical hours for Lilian, and each class seemed like an eternal dream, drip-dropping into her brain with every passing second. Ramona! Of all the people and in all the places, of all times! How could that have happened?! The suspense became painful, and for once, Lilian wished she was away from school quickly, anything to get back into the outside world and see Ramona. Finally they both met again, embracing desperately—and then Ramona kissed Lilian, deeply and lovingly with all the sweetness that had been building up since they parted. Lilian was taken into the kiss and transported to her childhood, forgetting everything else as this beauty reminded her who she was, and why their bond was so special. When they broke apart, Nachtheim's face was flushed and grinning. After the initial barrage of "I thought I'd never see you again," "You've changed so much," and "I'm so glad to see you again," they each asked each other what they had been doing in the past few years. Lilian told her story in a dull voice, stressing with great interest her "new life" in Stanton, and all the friends she had made. Ramona told her that after parting, she had went into ballet, and was currently training for her first serious performance as a professional dancer (the coffee and cocoa shop job was a means to an end). Lilian's face brightened as she heard this. "Ballet? I never thought you'd get into ballet." "There's a lot yet we don't know about each other. I'm just happy you remembered me." "How could I forget?" she whispered, feeling tempted to kiss Ramona. She did, twice, feeling the past and the present collide into one serene moment. Ramona grinned. "I wonder if we can pick up where we left off," she said, reaching for Lilian's hand. "We're both grown adults now. We can be honest with each other and not bother being childish. Back then, I was content to be with you, to kiss you, to play with you. If you're not wholly bothered by the idea, Lilian, I'd really love to be your girlfriend." "My girlfriend?" Ramona nodded seriously. "I admit, I fell in love with you back then, and I never stopped thinking about you. I've had relationships since then, of course, mostly with boys, but I could never forget the wonderful shy little albino girl that plucked the strings of my heart. I oftentimes caught myself thinking we could live together as lovers, if we ever met again. I never really thought of it as wishful thinking, though I rationalized several times the improbability of it all." Lilian merely nodded, content to listen. Since she and Ramona had met at camp when they were still adolescents, naturally the girl was fluent in German, and so they could speak to each other in their own tongue, something few other Stantonites could offer. "I...fantasized about it as well," Lilian added quietly. Despite the presence of Gabrielle in her life (and prior to that, Miss Madsen), Lilian had never stopped dreaming of Ramona, of the time they spent together, of the love they had shared and what sorts of possibilities could await them. Of course, the right thing to do would be to tell Ramona about Gabrielle, admit that she was already in love, and be content to carry a friendship with the older girl. But old flames and first loves are hard to forget, and Lilian's yearning for Ramona outweighed her other dedications. She touched the girl's hand and smiled. "It would be so wonderful... I would love nothing more." "So you're not...against the idea of us seriously dating?" "No, not at all. I think you were the main reason I became to attracted to girls anyway." "Same here," admitted Ramona with a grin. She wanted to kiss Lilian so badly... Then, she wanted to show Lilian her apartment so much... After that, she desperately wanted an intimate dinner for two... Still after that, just intimacy, plain and simple. The thought of Gabrielle never crossed Lilian's mind as she and Ramona made love to each other that night. ...... Hitomi Madsen rubbed her eyes. She wanted to be sure she was getting this right. "Let me get this right," she stated: "You want for both of us to see other people." "Yes," said Abby plainly. "What, is there something wrong?" Madsen blew out exasperation. "Abby, I know we've had our fights, but that doesn't mean—" "No-no, it's nothing like that at all. I still love you; I just want...to be sure." "...To be sure? Abby...that's just...silly! Why would we even bother if we're both in love with each other?" "Look, I just want to...be sure." "Abby, you're not convincing me. One minute you say you love me, the next, you say we should see other people!" "Look, I just think it would strengthen our relationship." "HOW? By breaking it up? That doesn't make any sense!" "Look, bear with me. I think seeing other people would make us realize how much we love each other." Hitomi sneered. "Why do I have the feeling you already have my replacement up and waiting?" "Nobody's replacing you, dear," said Abby, trying to pacify the angered woman. "I don't even have anyone in mind. I'm just saying, maybe we should—" "Look, if you wanted to break up with me, you could've at least told me." "I don't want to break up with you, I just thought it'd be nice if we could—" "Break up," stated Madsen harshly. She glared at Abby, adding venomously, "Well consider this relationship over. You want to be with other people, you go right ahead. God forbid I fool myself into thinking I could be in a real relationship!" Hitomi spun around and stormed off, deafening herself to Keeping's cries. "Hitomi! Don't take it that way, you know I didn't mean it like that! Hitomi! Hitomi!!" She was long gone, though, racing through the hallways, attracting attention, looking for a place to hide where she could be alone. She threw herself into a bathroom, blocked the door, tumbled into a stall, and wept bitterly. Of all the things for Abby to do! She would've been better off ripping her own heart from her chest and throwing it into traffic! Once again Hitomi felt shaken, alone, abused, but by the one person she thought would never do any of that to her—dearest Abigail, her closest friend and cherished love. What nonsense! Just another sad reminder of how valued she really was in that world! As Hitomi wept, she heard somebody coming out of the stall next to hers, the toilet flushing as well. The faucet ran water. A few paper towels were torn out. A knock came a few seconds later, then a voice. "Are you all right in there?" "No," she groaned. "I'm miserable." "...Can I come in?" Hitomi sighed and unlocked the door. She looked up and saw the sad, supportive smile of Miss Raulson, who obviously didn't expect to see the stately Madsen all wrecked up like this. She knelt down and took Hitomi into her arms, and let the woman cry on her shoulders. As Madsen shuddered, Janna fished around in her pockets, pulled something out, and handed it shyly to her fellow teacher. "Need a cigarette?" Hitomi greedily snatched it and the subsequent lighter. "More than you know," she managed as she lit up. ...... In conclusion, life for many couples in Stanton was tumbling down, even though outwardly, things were building up with tsunami relief. A week after she first had sex with Yuki, Olivia broke up with the poor girl, citing her unusual activities as the main cause for their rift. Poor Yuki literally ran home crying, and didn't stop bawling for hours, even when her mother tried consoling her (she had at least enough sense to not mention the specifics of her emotion, for even telling her mother of a break-up with another girl would've been disastrous). Later, Mihoshi would understand why Olivia did that to her and would forgive her, and soon after that, would be glad of it, but for the moment, she was despondent. Lilian confessed everything to Gabrielle when they went out on their next date. The redhead had of course heard about Ramona—she had gotten to know Lilian and her history very intimately—and was at first thrilled to hear of their reunion. She even wanted to meet Ramona personally, which made things worse. Shyly, with more guilt than she could bear, Lilian muttered the truth: in a fit of passion, she had slept with the older woman. She was in love. Gabrielle was eerily quiet for a long time. "...Oh," she said at last. "Hey, ya know what, you should be with her." "What?" "You should be with her! Really. I mean, she is your first love, and ya haven't seen her in a long time, and being together again surely would be good for you. I mean...you'd be happy, right?" "But...aren't you mad?" "No!" she insisted. "Why would I be? Ya can't help havin' those feelin's for yer first love. It's completely natural. And...if ya still kept those feelin's all these years...then maybe a little sex is expected. Look...from the way you say things, ya love her dearly, and you've loved her for a long, long time. I can't possibly compete with that sort of bond." "Gabrielle..." "No," insisted the redhead, her voice wavering noticeably. "You should be with her. Your happiness is all that matters, and you'll probably be happier with her anyway. I mean...let's face it, I ain't exactly sophisticated or nothin', but this lass...she sounds nice. Right up your alley. So go on, I mean it. You be with her." "I...can't do that!" she managed, her voice throaty. "Yes you can! I want'cha to be together—really, I mean it! I want this! Go on, now, you've wasted enough time with me. Look—all I really want is for you to be happy. That's it." Lilian fought just to look up. Gabrielle seemed serious, even though anyone could tell that she was hurt and shattered by the news. She was fighting too, just to convince herself of this so-called truth. She wanted to believe so badly that what she was doing was right. Lilian dared to speak. "...Really?" "Yes, I'm serious. C'mon, you know me, I'm a romantic at heart. If one of me friends gave me that story, why I'd do no less! And ye are me friend, and you've been me friend longer than you've been me girlfriend. Look, I only want what's best for ya, Lil, and I think this lass'll do it for ya. Go on." Lilian shook her head. No, she wasn't hearing this, not from Gabrielle. Nobody was this selfless, not even her. "What about you?" "Bah! I've had girlfriends before, I'll have'm again! Three or four right before you! And this is the time to see what's really out there, while we're still young! I got the rest of my life to find the love of my dreams. But you...I can honestly say that you've probably found it. Your place is with Ramona." "Don't tell me where my place is." Gabrielle half-frowned, and bent down to kiss Lilian's forehead. "All right. But you should do this. Don't worry about me—and if you're still concerned, consider this an official breakup. I'm settin' you loose so you can go after this lass ya love. I'll just be...out and about, I guess. I mean, when it all boils down to it, we're still friends, by and through." Lilian was stricken dumb. How could she say anything after hearing all that? Gabrielle had made things horrible for her, killing her with kindness—she wasn't even fighting! Could any such selflessness exist? Lilian didn't have the luxury of talking it over, because Gabrielle was soon gone, smiling sweetly even though deep down, she was a ruined version of herself, soon to crumble further. It was for the best, she convinced herself. For the best, for both of them. She just had to believe that. ...... T. S. Eliot was mistaken. April was not the cruelest month, but February. Refraining from St. Valentine's Day blues, more heartbreak was associated with that month than any other, though it seemed random chance and not any whim of God that so much trouble could be focused on a month typically associated with love. It was upon that month that Olivia and Yuki parted, that Hitomi called it quits with Abby, that Gabrielle broke up with Lilian, and Hero, painfully but dutifully, ended her relationship with Ayanna. She cried all night in spite of concluding things herself. She had cited the laws of God as a final and absolute reason to stop seeing Ayanna as a love interest. No matter what the tide of popular opinion was in the world, and no matter how utterly devoted to Ayanna she had been (not to mention how deeply she really loved her), Hero was still more devoted to God and His laws than any other feeling or idea. It was God's warning against homosexual practices that decided for her—that and so many other smaller details. Ayanna took the news harshly, but at least she was civil: "Well, you're just following your religious code," she had replied after thinking it over. "That's the way things are with you, Hero. You know your standards, and you follow your morals well. It's what I've always loved about you, so...it's all right. Just didn't think your most attractive quality would be the thing to drive us apart." Hero had not defended her actions when Ayanna walked out on her. She just stood by them quietly, knowing that she had done the right thing, no matter how painful it would be to her. Yes. The right thing. Not what other people wanted, not what she wanted, but what God wanted. That was what she wanted to do—His will be done, eh. And she stood by that, even though she cried and desperately hoped there could be another way. Her parents could only offer solace and their condolences. They had grown fond of Ayanna since their daughter started dating her, but...if Hero felt breaking up with the other girl due to religious obligations was right, then they would accept it. Moving on—being able to look each other in the face for the rest of their tenure at Stanton—would be the hardest part of all. Bernadette Marbel arrived home late, but her lover and wife Joanna was later still. She checked the mail and the phone messages—bills and wrong numbers, as usual—and went to make dinner. She drew a bath as the stew cooked slowly, and by the time she and supper were ready, Joanna was still not there. This was unusual because she always called if she was going to be late, and up until that day, she had been true to her word. Marbel's concerns were put to rest as her wife came home at last, disheveled and disorganized. She was awfully pale, and looked sick. "Good heavens, are you all right, Jo?" said Bernadette, rising in surprise. Her wife gave a meek smile, let her effects pile on the floor haphazardly, and grunted. "No, actually, I'm not all right. I'm a bit pulled apart in every direction." "Oh, one of those days." "Worse than you think, love," she whispered eerily. What she said next took Marbel completely off guard: "I've been having an affair, Bernie, and it's been going on for a month and a week. The whole thing's weighed heavy on my conscience like a rock, and I thought if I never told you, I'd be taken away by the men in white coats. I'm a lying no-good cheat of a wife, a woman who doesn't deserve anything but your scorn, and you're damn welcome to come hit me all you like; I deserve it." She closed her eyes in shame, leaving her wife the unfortunate business of processing everything that had been said. Well, she considered lightly, talk about ironic. Maybe laughing wasn't the best solution. "Don't make this worse than it is, Bernie!" snapped Joanna, too upset to call her lover by her "other" name. Marbel got her smile to fade, apologized, and explained. "It's just so funny you say that, dear. You have no idea how horridly similar we really are now." "What do you mean?" Marbel gave her wife a sad pout. "I've been doing the same, and worse. I'm just as rotten as you think you are. I've had an affair as well." "Don't lie," she snorted. "I know you're just trying to make me feel better." "I am not lying. I have...had very improper thoughts about another woman. I've even...well, we have not exactly engaged in sex, but then again, I didn't exactly repulse her advances either. Shame to say that I liked the attention." "Oh, Ber..." Joanna moaned, collapsed on a couch, and placed her hand on her forehead, too overwhelmed to do anything else. "Oh Ber," she sighed again, "Ber, Ber..." "Sad, no?" She sat down next to her love, clasping their hands together, and laughed. "Sad, that we old maids are still chasing skirts, both of us guilty of the same sin! It really is silly if you think about it. We're not one of us innocent!" She chuckled, which made Joanna lighten up and smile as well. "Our weakness is terrible. And here I thought you'd tear me apart or cry." "Oh, I felt the same, burdened and everything. I'm glad we at least got it out in the open." "Makes me appreciate how forgiving we both are. Or how clumsy." Bernadette smiled, sharing a big grin with her wife, and leaned her head against the other woman's shoulder, too sad and happy to say. And then suddenly, from out of the bleakest corner of her mind, an idea formed that would've angered her at any other time in her life. But perhaps the silliness could go on, or else stop there and let bygones be bygones. "Sapphire," she purred, "I just had a rather nasty idea..." "Oh? I'm starting to think I shouldn't hear it." Bernie laughed and tickled the woman's ear. "If it disgusts you, I'll understand. I just thought...since we knew about each other's indiscretions...maybe we could allow each other to...continue them?" Joanna sat up in shock, nearly screaming at her wife. "Bernadette, really!" "Aah! I'm just saying, is all. If you want to see what it's really like with this other girl, you could do it, and I'd have that same freedom. Neither one of us could be innocent, and at least we'd know about it." "Bernadette," she snorted, "that is by far one of the more vile ideas that's passed through that noggin of yours. Are you saying you're tired of me?" "You cheated too!" she countered. Civility took over soon; "Look, I'm not suggesting any lack of love for you. After hearing this revelation, I could only adore you more. I am just saying that...well, perhaps after forty years of being with the same person, we could give it a go. At least see what it's like. Then after a month, let's say, we end the relationships peacefully and come back to each other. Kiss me if you disagree." Joanna's lips stayed right where they were. Or rather, they smirked with intrigue. "You do realize that I will benefit from this...agreement as well, don't you?" "Yes." "And you can't be jealous of me." "No, not at all." "And we probably won't see much of each other until the time is over." "I can live with that. You do become tiresome after awhile." "Well thank you for the information!" she exclaimed, singing with sarcasm. She laughed, though, and hugged her wife, both of them forgiving each other for what they had done in the past—and what they would certainly do in the future. Well, Sonia, looks like you'll have a whole month with me all to yourself. I have to admit, I am looking forward to this, though why you'd go after me is a mystery. Ah well. ...... Kula was helping with tsunami relief for two reasons. One, she had a heart for victimized people, especially those living in otherwise tropical conditions. Her own beloved Hawaii had seen its fair share of maritime disasters, some in her own lifetime, so she knew exactly what those poor people were going through. Her more sinister reason, however, was to speak with Usha Krishnan—not as enemies, but as one concerned citizen to another. During a lull, Kula tracked Usha down and stood next to her, trying her best to be patient. Usha finally noticed her visitor and nodded politely. "Hello and namaste, Kula. I'm happy to see you here. It seems I find something new about you all the time. Are you usually donating your time to causes like this?" "When they pop up," she answered. "Uh, look, I didn't just come over to say hi. I first wanna apologize for being an ass. It was real hard for me to leave home and come here, and I didn't have the right to take it out on you, no matter how much I hated you back then." "Oh. So you don't hate me now?" "Not really," she said with a smile, "but you are still a pain. At least you're doing something I can't hate now, though. This whole tsunami thing puts you in a better light." "Thank you," she said with a smile. "I've always tried helping people, whether with my time or with my ideas...and I'm afraid sometimes my good intentions get me in some trouble. I really don't mean to come off as goody-goody; I just want to do the right thing." "Fair enough." "So I accept your apology, which means," she stressed, "you don't need to apologize again. I've been saying that ever since I got out of the hospital!" "Sorry," murmured Kula, clearly embarrassed. "Uh, whoops, that was an apology too. Well damn, seems I can't get away from it. Well whatever! Anyway, I need to say somethin' else to you—something serious, woman to woman. Got a minute?" "I owe you that at least. Sit, I'm all ears." The two girls found a private place to talk, which was difficult considering the size of the volunteer force. There were more than just people from Stanton there; many others, students and adults alike, had come to give their resources to the cause, and more would come still. For the time being, it was just another thing in the outside world. Kula and Usha only had each other now. "Okay," said Nanahara, taking and releasing a big breath, "here goes. Now don't think of this as a way to ruin your life; I really am trying to help." "Go on. No need to make excuses." "All right. All right." Sigh. "Usha...uh...let me put it this way. Don't you think it's morally wrong to be in love with two girls at once, and parade around with both of them, calling em' your girlfriends and stuff?" "Oh. So that's what this is about." "I'm not trying to ruin your life now!" she exclaimed, holding her hands up in defense. "Like I said, I'm just tryin' to help. I just don't think it's right, is all. Now that don't mean I'm a homophobe; I'm all for it. I kinda like girls too, in my own way. I mean, if you had one girlfriend, I'd have no problems. But you've got two, and last I heard, polygamy was outdated, like, a century ago." "I'm not going to...marry them," Usha said, but she instantly regretted saying it. Oh, how could she? She loved Blake, and she loved Mira! She wanted to be with both of them for the rest of her life! "Oh dear, I see your point," she remedied. "Kula, I don't think you understand. We all love each other, we really do. And we're all working to keep our relationship intact. There's not to be any jealousy between us; we each have two people that love and care for them." "And that's all fine and good!" she insisted. "I mean, God knows I'd love that kinda relationship, and if it made the world a better place, everyone should too! I'm just saying...sooner or later down the road, you're gonna run into a lot of difficulties. I mean, you wanna be in the political arena somehow when you graduate, right? Okay, say you're a lesbian and you have a girlfriend, or a wife, or whatever. Well, say by that time, people are okay with Senator Krishnan being married to a woman, or whatever. But do you really think this country would look kindly on you having two wives? Hell, it's not even legal with the Mormons anymore!" "I'm not...I don't think..." She didn't want to trap herself by claiming she wouldn't marry them both, but neither did Usha want to admit that she would. And Kula was right—perhaps that was why it was so hard to accept. Not because this was Kula talking, but because she was absolutely right. Usha could not let her heart run in two directions. The three-way relationship could not work out, not at all. She wept as she realized the horrible truth, the truth that had in fact been eating away at her since the moment she and Mira and Blake had called themselves a couple: She would have to break up with one or the other. "Look," said Kula, her voice gentle and her hand gentle as she placed it on Usha's shoulder. "I may not like you all that much, but I care enough to intervene when somebody's doing something senseless. I do this because it doesn't make sense...plus, I really hate it when a gel can just walk around with two lovers and say it's all right. I mean, that's borderline whore." Usha sob-laughed, emitting tears and a chuckle at the same time. "I know," she wailed, "I know. It's just...going to be hard. I've become attached to them both. I love them both the same, not one more than the other. I couldn't bear leaving them like that!" "So break up with them both," she blurted. Kula turned red as she realized her slip, but it was too late to take it back. Usha didn't seem fazed; she actually looked like she agreed. "Maybe that would be best," she whispered. The young lady stood up, smoothed out her clothes, and bowed to Kula, who got up and scratched her leg. "Thank you for telling me what I needed to hear, Kula. Only a true friend would do that. Perhaps we could start over somehow and come to a friendship. I'd like that." "...Yeah," she muttered, "me too." "Namaste." "...Yeah, uh, you too...whatever that means." Usha smiled at her and was gone. Kula was surprised to find that she was shaking. Why was she so nervous? Why did she feel so bad? Was it possible to also feel good at the same time? "Whatever," she muttered, "I gotta get something to eat." ...... After school the next day, Kula heard a knock at her front door. With mom and pop out shopping, she was left by herself, and all the better for it. Muttering "All right, hold your horses," she walked to the door and looked through the peephole. She was surprised to see Usha standing there impatiently, cold and sad, so she opened the door carefully. "What are you doing here?" she wondered. "And how'd you get my address?" "The phonebook," answered Krishnan quietly. Kula stepped back, not wanting to be impolite. "Uh, sorry. Come in. Can I...do something for you?" Usha breathed in and out raggedly as Kula closed the door. She explained every gory detail as she shucked her coat off and followed the younger girl into her room. "Well, I did it. I broke up with them. I ended the relationship." "You did, really? I didn't think you'd actually..." "It was harder than I thought it would be," she admitted. Usha sat on Kula's bed, so depressed that she was unaware of where she was and who she was with. That didn't matter; young miss Nanahara had no intentions of starting anything rough. "When I told them," she continued, "they didn't believe me. I used your reasoning, that we shouldn't go around like that, and it made us all look like whores. They didn't take it well, especially Mira. You should've seen her; she can have quite a violent temper if she's provoked. At least Blake was civil." "So it's over now?" "Yes," she sighed, "I ended it with both of them. At least now they have each other. Blake and Mira could be very happy together, I'm sure." Kula edged closer and touched Usha's hair, combing through it with gentle fingers. "You did the right thing. Look, like I said before, if you had only one or the other, no big deal." "I know... You were right, I'll admit. None of my other friends would ever tell me that. They're just a bunch of yes-girls. I consider it a very good quality of a friend, telling me what I need to hear no matter how much I dislike it." "Oh, so you consider me a friend now?" Usha smiled sadly and nodded. "I would like that. I'd like to give you a second chance, start over, get to know you better." "Yeah, I need someone keeping me honest!! And hey...who better than you, eh?" Usha smiled sweetly and took Kula into her arms, hugging but also crying a little. She had to admit, the breakup had been emotionally draining, and she didn't think she could ever look at Blake or Mira ever again in the same light. She would just have to cope—but with people like Kula policing her, caring for her in their own way, she would make it. Usha felt Kula's hands rub her back tenderly, so gentle without any malice at all. What a painful life she must've had to come into Stanton in such a rage! She must've loved Hawaii dearly; to part with it had to have been the cause of her anger. Usha was happy that it had subsided since, and that they could look at each other without spite or fear, and be this close without discomfort. Kula edged her head over and even kissed Usha on her brow, symbolizing how greatly she had changed. The kiss turned from her forehead to her face, then shakily to her lips, where it stayed and fueled into a stronger version of itself. For the second time, Usha felt herself kissing back the girl who had once hated her, and was thrilled from the unexpected rush. She felt guilty and afraid and yet happy all at once, and let her fingers wander—"Mmmm," she sighed—to Kula's cute braids, to her face, to her body. They ended the kiss and smiled, and began it again with more fervor. Kula felt dizzy as Usha forced her tongue through those rough, girlish lips. There was no point in describing it; complex pleasure had no words for it, only the dynamic feelings, that of two passionate tongues merging and making love inside moist cavernous mouths, unrestricted now with their bonds cut loose, bodies drawing closer for the exhilaration of contact. Usha whined out faintly as Kula's lips pecked lower, going from her chin to her neck, staying there for ages, sending a shiver up her nerves with every delicate touch. Kula had been wanting this for ages, ever since visiting Usha in the hospital after Homecoming. True, she still disliked the older girl, but there was plenty to love about her as well—and she was changing, this was evident. They both were, which might've been a contributing factor for their unexpected lust. Usha let herself be dominated as Kula thrust her tongue deep inside her mouth, let her hands wander down to her sweater, and slowly lift up. She raised her arms and allowed her skin to be shown—and shared a purr of wanting as she buried her face in Kula's neck, willing for the girl's wintry outfit to come off as they submitted to unusual desires. Next time: The Seven-Part Series, "Week Children"
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