In the dark food court, hidden from the lobby by a low wall, Melanie aimed for Josy’s lips, hoping for that kiss. At the last moment, Josy moved her head out of the way, resulting in Melanie’s lips missing their mark.
Giggling at Josy’s playfulness, Melanie raised herself up, feeling Josy’s hand still between her legs. Another try, this time kissing her chin.
Josy started giggling, bringing her hands up to Melanie’s face and holding her lips inches away from her own. “Wait, stop.”
Stop? What does that mean? Melanie tried to close the gap, but was held back by Josy. Confused, Melanie let herself fall away to the side.
“Mel, no, look where we are. This is crazy. We need to get you dressed.”
Dazed, Melanie wondered why it mattered where they were. Obviously, there was more going on in Josy’s mind than just fear of being caught. A ping from the elevator snapped her out of it, and it was followed by what sounded like a small group coming into the lobby. Though they were shielded from view, she crouched lower.
While Josy sneaked a look over the low wall, embarrassment washed over Melanie at what she’d been doing — jumping Josy and trying to steal their first kiss. She grabbed her jeans, and Josy pushed her panties into her hands. She held them for a moment in confusion, before trying to give them back. Since Josy was again watching the lobby, she just pushed the panties back into Josy’s hands.
Sitting on her bare butt and leaning back, Melanie put her feet into her jeans. She heard the footsteps echoing through the entrance hall and hoped they wouldn’t approach the food court. Struggling to get her tight jeans up her legs, she imagined trying that out on the open street and how that would have looked. There was no way she could have done that.
Lifting her hips off the floor, she pulled her jeans over her butt, finally feeling decent again. As she heard the group of people go out the front doors, she breathed a sigh of relief. Josy helped Melanie with her socks, while she put her coat back on. Finishing with her shoes, she stood up.
The people were gone, as was Melanie’s energy. Feeling deflated, she hugged Josy’s offered arm as they walked to the elevators. On the fourth floor, she stepped out and looked back at Josy. Why had she tried to kiss her? Why had Josy pushed away? She felt dead tired, but the thought of going to sleep alone in her own bed was unsettling. Taking Josy’s hand, she pulled her out of the elevator.
“Mel…” Josy began, but let herself be led along.
Melanie went to her room, while Josy waited outside. She wondered briefly where her roommates were. Preparing an overnight bag, she pushed down hard on the feelings that were threatening tears. Ashamed of what she had tried to do, hurt by Josy’s rejection. She couldn’t let her friend see her like that.
Together they went up to the sixth floor, to Josy’s room, where Melanie took off her coat and let herself fall onto the bed.
As Melanie lay there, she felt Josy take off her shoes and socks, followed by her jeans. After being pulled up off the bed, she let herself be dragged along to the bathroom, wearing just her bra and blouse. Feeling only half awake, she brushed her teeth while she let Josy wash her lower half with a washcloth.
Back in the room, Melanie kept her blouse on, but Josy stood in the way, blocking her path to the bed. Looking up at her friend’s face, she saw a smile that sent sparks of joy to her heart.
Josy unbuttoned Melanie’s blouse, taking it off her arms. Melanie’s bra followed.
Standing there naked, Melanie felt a little better. She tried to interpret Josy’s expression that followed, but everything was fuzzy to her at that moment.
Josy opened her mouth to speak, but instead moved in for a hug. After a moment, she whispered in Melanie’s ear, “you were amazing today.”
Closing her eyes in the embrace, Melanie felt herself slipping away and let herself be guided to the bed.
Shortly after they were snuggled up, Melanie was drifting off with an arm around her midsection that spread warmth throughout her body. She fell asleep feeling a kiss on the back of her neck.
~~~
Friday morning, Melanie woke up, hearing Josy’s phone beeping. She checked the time and wondered why the alarm was going off so early. She felt Josy shifting on her side and the alarm stopped.
Why set the alarm so early, Melanie wondered? Turning towards Josy, she spooned her, with an arm on Josy’s stomach over her nightshirt. “It’s early.”
Josy put her hand over Melanie’s. “Thought you’d want to shower at your own place,” she said groggily.
“I really should, but it’s too early. Can I borrow your shampoo?” Melanie asked as she ran her fingers lightly over Josy’s stomach.
“Of course.”
Melanie was glad she didn’t have to go home just yet, but figured Josy would challenge her to walk naked to the bathroom again. “Aren’t you going to say it?”
“It’s no fun when you’re asking for it.”
Melanie didn’t know what to say, so she lay there quietly. Her mind drifted off to the previous evening. She felt bad for trying to kiss Josy out of the blue. She didn’t even know anymore why she had jumped her. What kind of terrible person was she? Pulling her arm away, she rolled onto her back, tears in her eyes.
“Where did my arm go?” Josy protested. Getting no response, she asked, “Mel? What’s wrong?”
Melanie was sobbing.
Josy turned towards her. “Why are you crying?”
“Because I’m terrible.”
“Why would you say something like that?”
“What I did. Last night.”
“What you did? Oh. You mean…” Josy trailed off. After a moment, she took Melanie’s hand. “It’s okay. I understand.”
“I shouldn’t have… Your ex…”
“No, please don’t compare yourself to him,” Josy insisted, and then mumbled, “… completely different.”
“I thought… you pushed me away. You don’t…”
Josy sighed. “I’m trying to figure it out. Trying to figure myself out. I blame myself for last night.”
“Josy, no.”
“Please, let me finish. I push you so far and then hold you back. This isn’t easy. I think we both know that.” Josy took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. “You caught me by surprise.” Another pause. “You know last night… just not the right moment.”
“It wasn’t,” Melanie agreed.
“Especially not the right place,” Josy giggled.
Melanie couldn’t help it, she giggled along. “No, it wasn’t.”
“Awesome run though.”
“It was, wasn’t it?” A smile crept along her lips.
“You know, it was cloudy, but people will say they saw the full moon last night.”
“Please, no moon puns!” Melanie laughed.
“Seriously though…” Josy paused, and then turned back on her side, away from Melanie.
“What? What is it?” Melanie asked, worried.
“I want my arm back.”
“Oh.” It took Melanie a moment for the meaning to get through to her, and she turned towards Josy.
“Hang on.” Josy wriggled around next to Melanie before saying, “okay.”
There was still a lot left unspoken, but it wasn’t easy for either of them. Worries and insecurities, not just about a budding relationship, but a same sex one. Melanie hadn’t considered that Josy might fear everything it entails so much.
They had both previously said they weren’t lesbians, denounced the same sex attraction as they began exploring their exposer-exposee arrangement. They hadn’t openly discussed it since then, so Melanie couldn’t be sure how much of it had been true for Josy, who might be wondering the same in return. Would either of them dare to raise the subject?
Melanie’s own parents had always seemed open and accepting, and she hoped they would be supportive. Even so, it was just one of many aspects causing worries. She didn’t know how Josy’s parents would feel and react, but it would be on Josy’s mind.
Rather than trying to talk about everything, Josy had just asked for Melanie’s arm back around her, and Melanie appreciated the elegant kindness of that gesture.
Josy looked back over her shoulder as if impatient for the warmth of her arm.
But what if this was as far as Josy would go? Light and playful. What if they would never kiss? Thinking about the fallout of her attempted kiss scared Melanie. She tended to avoid thinking about the whole subject, following her feelings, her passions. However, the passion she had felt last night, now scared her, as it had scared Josy at that moment. By trying to kiss Josy, had she damaged their chances going forward? Had she ruined it for them both? She wondered what Josy was thinking.
“Where are you?” Josy asked, pulling Melanie back to the moment. “Hmm,” she complained.
She moved up closer – her worries keeping her from fully spooning – and put her arm around Josy. As she did, she felt the bare skin of Josy’s stomach. Had Josy pulled her shirt up?
“Don’t tickle,” Josy warned.
Of course not, Melanie wanted to say, but instead she focused on caressing Josy’s bare tummy. In return, she occasionally felt Josy wiggling under her fingers and making soft appreciative noises. She made full use of this first time touching Josy’s stomach. Exploring her belly button, as well as caressing up to her left and right sides.
Only after a while, Melanie thought to slowly move down to find the edge of Josy’s panties. She figured that would be the acceptable limit of her exploration. As she went lower and lower, Josy suddenly stiffened, grabbing hold of her hand.
Wondering how low Josy’s panties were as well as why she was stopped, she asked, “Josy?”
“I… you can’t.”
Melanie was worried she’d gone too far. “I wasn’t going to… I mean I was going to stop at your panties.”
“I know.” Josy’s voice was a mix of amusement and embarrassment. She let go of Melanie’s hand.
Relieved that Josy wasn’t mad, Melanie was suddenly curious about her reaction. Why would Josy be…? Her hand went to Josy’s hip, feeling nothing but skin.
“Mel…” Josy said in a hushed voice.
Oh, my God, Melanie thought, still feeling Josy’s bare hip. No panties? When had Josy changed and how had she not noticed? Well, she had been sort of out of it…
Josy wriggled around a little, taking Melanie’s hand and shifting it back to her stomach. “Behave…”
It would be a challenge to resist that temptation with what she knew, but it was one that Melanie gladly accepted. Without socks, without panties – it meant Josy was lying next to her, naked from belly button to the tips of her toes, only hidden by the covers. Hidden from view, but not from touch. Yes, she would behave. This was bigger than trying to sneak a touch to a forbidden zone. Namely, the meaning behind Josy’s choice to sleep next to her in just her shirt.
Still, Josy wouldn’t mind… Melanie shifted forward, closing the gap to form a proper spoon, and felt Josy’s bare butt against her thighs and hips.
“Hmm,” Josy purred.
They lay there for a while longer. Sometimes Melanie let her hand drift lower, up to where she thought the edge of Josy’s panties would have been. Every time Josy made an involuntary reaction, such as a soft gasp, much to Melanie’s enjoyment. She loved every moment of it and hoped Josy did too. It made her glad Josy had set the alarm so early.
“Time for you to shower,” Josy said, signaling an end to the fun.
Melanie groaned in protest, but knew Josy was right. It was a Friday, after all. They had to go to class. She got up out of bed, purposely not being careful with the blankets, but Josy made sure she stayed covered. Going through her overnight bag, she took the turquoise chemise out. It was the same one she’d worn around Josy’s roommates before – the longer of the two she’d gotten from Reese.
Josy shook her head, “Nuh uh.”
“Please? Last night…” Melanie felt that, exciting though it was, that bottomless walk and run outside had been enough stress to last her a few days.
Josy looked at her sternly, but relented. “Fine, but leave the door unlocked.”
Melanie sighed, but she could live with that. She slipped on the chemise, took her bathroom essentials and went to the shower. On her way she passed Livia, one of Josy’s roommates.
“Uh…Melanie, hi.”
“Hi Livia,” she said, quickly slipping into the bathroom, and only just keeping herself from locking the door.
Shortly after Melanie started her shower, the door opened. A hoarse voice said, “oh sorry, didn’t know someone was in here.”
“Josy, is that you? It’s pretty obvious, you know.”
“Huh? Josy? Oh, are you her friend?”
“Quit pretending, I know it’s you.”
“Boo,” Josy said in her normal voice. “I should’ve sent someone else in.”
Melanie faked a laugh. “Oh, ha ha. Can I use your shampoo?” She had forgotten to grab it.
“Ah, yeah. Sure,” Josy said, and pulled aside the curtain, still wearing her nightshirt as she leaned in and held the bottle. “Here you go.”
“Thanks.”
As Melanie started washing her hair, she voiced a concern that had been bugging her. “Do you think people noticed I was… eh… a little underdressed last night?”
“Sorry, Mel, but I’m sure they did.”
“Oh.” Of course, Melanie knew she had been flashing a lot of people, but it was still disturbing to hear Josy confirm it. “Do you think anyone recognized me?”
“It was probably a good idea to hide your face with your arms as you ran, even though it raised the hem of your coat…”
“Ah, oops, I didn’t even think of that!”
“Even if people captured you on video during your run, you might be safe. During the walk, I don’t know.”
“Video…” That would be awful. How much would any video have picked up in the dark, with her running and avoiding the streetlamps? During the walk, she hadn’t seen any phones, but people might still recognize her face. If someone put the two together…
As these thoughts were going through her head, she heard the rustle of Josy’s shirt. Was she naked on the other side of the showercurtain?
Finishing her shower, Melanie grabbed a towel and stepped out. As she was drying off, Josy was standing next to her, wrapped in her own towel.
“Don’t look,” Josy warned and waited for Melanie to turn the other way.
Melanie heard the towel drop and couldn’t resist.
There Josy was, with her back towards Melanie, completely naked. She stepped past the shower curtain and into the shower, turning a little as she did. She was covering her left boob with her hand. Their eyes met. “You looked!”
“Sorry, not sorry,” Melanie grinned.
“You’re in so much trouble!”
Totally worth it, Melanie thought. Even better than seeing Josy’s cute butt, the way she held her boob in order to shield it from view was just adorable.
“The guy on the bus…” Josy began as she showered, pulling Melanie out of her reverie.
“He’s in my class,” Melanie blurted out.
“What? Really?”
“Yeah. What if he tells everyone in my class?” Melanie voiced her biggest concern.
“What would he say? He didn’t see you, right? I tried to stay between you two.”
“I’m pretty sure he saw I wasn’t wearing a skirt, just the coat.”
“But your bag… Anyway, he seemed pretty drunk. Maybe he won’t remember.”
“Maybe…” Melanie had doubts about that. Why hadn’t Josy let her put on her pants? She couldn’t ask Josy that, casting blame. She could’ve chosen to stay put, stay on the bus till the guy got off, and then cycle back on the return bus.
Josy turned the shower off but did not step out. “Since you looked earlier, you get to wait outside the door.”
“Wait outside? Can’t I just go to your room?” Melanie complained.
“No, you wait outside. Be happy I’m letting you keep the chemise while you wait.”
Melanie waited outside, just as Josy ordered. When the door opened again,she expected Josy to come out, but instead she was gestured back inside.
Back in the bathroom, Josy held out her hand, grinning. “As I said, you’re in so much trouble.”
“But…”
“No buts. Gimme.”
Sighing, Melanie took off the chemise and growing ever anxious, she handed it over.
Josy opened the door, stepped in the doorway, and asked, “Carry my kit, will you?” She started off back to her room.
Taking Josy’s toiletries kit from the counter, Melanie hurried to follow. It was bad enough to be naked in the hallway. She didn’t want to be caught out there alone.
Up ahead, Josy was almost at her door and announced, “shower’s free!”
Someone called back from the common room, “thank you!”
Melanie made it into Josy’s room just as she heard someone approach the hallway. Closing the door, she glared at Josy. “You!”
Josy laughed and folded up Melanie’s chemise. “Put this back in your bag.”
Raising an eyebrow in surprise, Melanie did so, taking out her change of clothes. Today she’d wear a knee length skirt with thigh highs and a long-sleeved blouse. As she laid them out on the bed, Josy threw something at her. Holding it up, she saw it was a dark blue spaghetti strap top.
“Put it on,” Josy said. She looked at the clothes on the bed and added, “your choice whether you wear your thigh-highs, but no panties or bra.”
Melanie slipped into the top. Since Josy was a little bigger up top, it was a little loose, and the v-neck showed the slope of her breasts. Her nipples poked a little through the material, but due to the dark color it was not obvious. The length might be a problem, as it only reached to her upper thighs. “I can’t go out there like this.”
“You can and you will. Because you looked.”
“Am I even covered?” Melanie asked, standing in front of Josy.
Josy ran a finger over the bared swell of Melanie’s breast, and said, “you are.”
“But when I sit…” Melanie frowned.
“Keep your legs crossed. Why are you making a big deal?”
Melanie wondered what Josy was turning her into, as she let herself be guided out of the room and to the kitchen. She hadn’t put on the thigh-highs, but figured it was probably better that way.
Jess and Livia were sitting on the couches, eating their breakfast.
While Josy went to the counter, Melanie sat down at the kitchen table with her back to the couch area, feeling her bare butt touching the seat. Sitting down had made the right strap fall off her shoulder and half her breast was visible, her nipple barely holding up the fabric. She quickly fixed the strap before Josy could see.
Josy took out a plate and started preparing breakfast. At a sound from Melanie, she turned around. Smiling, she took out another plate to prepare food for the two of them.
Glad her friend had understood, Melanie sat there thinking about Josy and recent events until Sophia came into the kitchen.
“It’s my two favorite girls,” Sophia said, announcing herself. She went about making herself breakfast next to Josy.
Melanie thought back to the last time she was in the kitchen with Josy and Sophia, how Josy had stripped her of her chemise, and her pulse quickened.
Shortly after, the three girls were sitting together at the table, Sophia on the side left of Melanie, and Josy opposite.
“Something different today?” Sophia asked, indicating Melanie’s top.
Josy nodded. “It’s one of mine.”
“Do I need to ask?”
“Show her, Mel.”
She cast a worried look towards the couch area, where Jess and Livia were sitting. Although they were facing the other way, they might look around to see what she was doing. Melanie pushed her chair away from the table, but Jess and Livia were engaged in their conversation and did not react. After a look from Josy that said, ‘yes, go on,’ she turned towards Sophia, feeling the heat rise to her face as she uncrossed her legs.
“Never a dull moment with you two,” Sophia glanced between Melanie’s legs, grinning before looking back up. “Are you excited for the weekend? Any plans?”
Melanie looked at Josy, who made a gesture that asked her to keep sitting like that. Keeping her legs uncrossed, she took a bite of her food. Her mouth was dry from nervousness, making it hard to swallow. She tried to keep an eye out for movement from the couch area, as well as ear out for sounds from the hallway. She drank a third of her water and continued eating while Sophia and Josy chatted.
Aside from an occasional glance, Sophia made no big deal of it. She obviously found their ‘game’ entertaining, but other than that did not seem interested in looking.
That made it feel somewhat normal and Melanie started to relax. Looking down, she played with the hem a little, beginning to enjoy the idea of sitting at the breakfast table with her pussy out in the open. As she wondered about what the people in the street might have seen last night, she lifted it up above her mons while taking another bite.
Josy and Sophia were still talking about the weekend, but Melanie wasn’t really listening.
She was thinking about their talk in bed. So, Josy was still trying to figure out who she was and what she wanted. Melanie had to admit she didn’t have it all figured out herself. She was just letting herself be guided by the moment. Like flotsam on a river. Unlike flotsam, she could swim. She had choices to make that would have a big impact on not just her and Josy, but on people around them as well.
The strange thing was that for them so many things had been turned on their head. Like sleeping together. Initially, there had been a different reason. A sensible reason. The nudity as well, which was something else entirely.
She looked down and noticed her right shoulder strap had fallen again, leaving much of her breast bare but the areola was still covered. Melanie smiled to herself. With her smooth lips and mound out in the open, her shoulder strap was arguably not a big deal.
Sensing Sophia looking her way, she quickly pushed the hem down. It was too late, though. Sophia smiled knowingly, renewing Melanie’s blush. Worse still, the quick tug had exposed her right breast.
Josy grinned and Sophia seemed amused. Melanie looked away so she didn’t have to see their reactions as she fixed it, and quickly put the last bite of her breakfast in her mouth.
Josy looked around the table and asked Melanie, “do you have your phone?”
Melanie shook her head, becoming suspicious. Why had Josy asked that? Seeing Josy stand up, she made to get up as well, but Josy gestured for her to stay. She looked towards the couch area. Huh? When had Jess and Livia left? Had they looked her way and seen how she’d been sitting? She felt a knot in her stomach at the thought. Had they left without saying anything, or had she been so lost in thought that she hadn’t noticed?
“I’ll be right back,” Josy said, and left the kitchen, going to her room. Soon after she was back with Melanie’s phone in her hand. “Unlock?”
Melanie sighed and unlocked her phone. It took a moment to enter the password for her secure folder. Why did she do that? Curiosity, of course. What was Josy planning? Wait, why was Josy giving her phone to Sophia?
Josy walked back Melanie, motioning for her to stand up next to the table, and asked, “Could you take a picture of us?”
Sophia looked delighted. “Of you two? Is there something I should know?”
Melanie turned her head, feeling herself blushing. She saw a change in Josy’s face as well.
“Just innocent fun, right Mel?” Josy answered.
Innocent? Melanie swallowed as Josy stood close next to her, putting an arm around her with hand on hip. She tried to smile for the camera and heard Sophia take a picture, but then tensed up as she felt Josy fiddling with the hem. Her pussy was barely hidden by the top, and it would not take much for Josy to reveal it.
Josy ran her hand up Melanie’s side. “Now, as we saw earlier,” she said to Sophia, “this top lends itself perfectly for a particular look.” She pushed the strap off Melanie’s shoulder.
Melanie stood there, frozen, as Josy gently tugged on her top until her nipple lost the fight and her right breast was again exposed. She had just the presence of mind to remove the shock from her face before Sophia took another picture.
“Is this safe?” Sophia asked. “I mean, I’d be a little worried about this being out there.”
Josy shook her head, pointing at the phone. “The locked folder keeps it off the cloud, and it’s Melanie’s phone.”
“Melanie?” Sophia asked. “I want to hear it from you. Is it okay?”
Melanie looked up at Sophia, but couldn’t hold eye contact and turned her head away. Suspecting that she was turning a darker shade of red, she forced the words out. “Yes, it’s okay.”
Josy pushed the strap off the other shoulder, tugging on the top again. “Smile, Mel.”
Instinctively, Melanie smiled even as she felt her other breast come into view. Without the support of either of the straps or her breasts, it slid down her body, and Melanie reacted just in time to hold it against her stomach. Seeing her exposed chest while she stood there in the kitchen, she felt the heat in her face, while Sophia took more pictures. She looked up at the camera and wondered how much of her embarrassment would be captured by the camera. At least her pussy was still hidden.
Josy moved up behind Melanie. “Let go. I’ll fix it.”
With the straps still around her wrists, Melanie let go of the top. It dropped to below her belly button, until it was held up by her hips.
To Melanie’s surprise, Josy did as she’d said. Taking the shoulder straps, she started lifting the top, causing goosebumps on Melanie’s arms and back. Covering Melanie’s breasts, and fixing straps, Josy was done. “A few with her sitting?” she asked Sophia.
Melanie looked worried, but at a gentle push against her lower back, she moved back to the chair. Sitting down, she fiddled with the hem, but it refused to provide more cover.
Josy pushed on the small of her back, correcting her posture. Her chest jutted out emphasizing her hard nipples through the top. She looked down. The move had shifted the hem in the wrong direction, and the whole experience was causing her heart to beat a little faster.
Just as Sophia took the first picture of her sitting, a door opened in the hallway. Turning her head toward the sound, Melanie quickly stood up again, before looking at her phone in Sophia’s hand. She needed to get it and get back to the safety of Josy’s room.
A moment later, the door of the bathroom opened and closed.
Letting out the breath she’d been holding, Melanie held up her hand. “My phone?” she asked Sophia, who looked up from the screen and handed it over with a smile. “Eh, thank you. Also for, you know…” She was glad she had her phone back before Sophia could start browsing the gallery of her secure folder.
“My pleasure,” Sophia said.
While Josy was clearing their plates, Melanie left the kitchen. Shortly after, she was getting dressed.
Josy entered the room and picked up Melanie’s phone. It was still unlocked and Josy began looking at the pictures Sophia had taken. “These are good. I can clearly see you blushing in this one. What did it feel like?”
Melanie didn’t answer, focusing instead on getting ready.
“Sophia is such a good sport. I look forward to next time.” Josy said. “I should ask her when her boyfriend can come over.”
Startled, Melanie looked up and wondered if Josy was serious. Seeing Josy grinning, a cautious smile appeared on her face.
Josy was pushing her again.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you enjoy this story, please feel free to leave a comment below.
Or, if you would rather reach out by email, you can find me at cavethewriter@gmail.com
Oh c’mon! No kiss yet? That’s not fair. Not fair at all, dear author.Why is Josy so self-conscious about her nudity? Isn’t she just as beautiful as our protagonist? Also, why is she so skittish about Melanie touching her? Did that dickhead ex-boyfriend of hers do a number on her confidence as well? Maybe she can find some healing with Melanie.Sophie is a lot of fun. She is becoming a good friend to Melanie and Josy. She seems to get the dynamic between our two heroines.The photo session could have better if the hem was getting raised, right? lol
I’m innocent, just relaying what happened! The hem raised, I assume you mean while they were standing. The posture check after sitting down did raise the hem before Sophia took the last picture, hinted at here:
Thank you for the comment.
Each chapter gets better and better. This is the best one yet. Keep this going! It is great! The characters are so believable that they seem like real people instead of fictional characters.
Great chapter. I look forward to seeing her embarrassed in class.
What really sets your story apart from the others is the realism and pacing. So many other stories would have rushed into things like the two girls kissing or Josy showing her body. But the evolution of the characters as they come to terms with what’s going on is second to none.
I love the way you’re pushing on Melanie submissive side. I think she can do much more if Josy will reward her with a kiss or more. Keep going, great job.
As a reader, I was also denied satisfaction with that kiss missing the mark, yet again. But I think I am beginning to see what’s going on here. I think this first kiss, if it ever happens, will be meaningful in this story. I mean yes, Josy had a point. It was crazy at that moment and Mel needed to get dressed, but that was just an excuse and Mel knew it. That’s why she was deflated after that (great deflation scene btw).
I wonder if the delay of the kiss is gradually becoming harder for Melanie. She was excited in the bus, thinking of a kiss and here she tried to steal one when they were arguably having an amazing, sexy and intimate time. It was all set up and perfect right? No, actually it wasn’t and soon we learn a little more.
It’s a painful delay as it seems like Mel is starting to blame herself. Or wonder if it’s Josy’s ex. Of course, it isn’t either of those things. Josy finally explained some of it herself. Not directly, but indirectly, and enough for Melanie to finally understand better what was going on.
Still, it’s hard to see Mel going through this. And it’s hard for Josy too. But despite the issue, Josy is doing all the right things. When Mel thought their connection was weakening, Josy shows that it is not.
And…
And…
The next morning was also warm. And things were back to normal but with some sexy antics as well. But also the issue was on their minds and it was torturing Mel. So it was really great when Josy started to explain.
But even then, in the drama of the moment when Mel was crying, Josy gently starts to explain. But we see it’s not easy for her to explain, and she even cracks a joke to make Mel laugh and lighten the mood. The intimacy is amazing with these two.
So it makes this issue even more important as some details are partially revealed. Whatever it is, it’s so deeply personal that it’s just too much to say openly, and Melanie managed to intuitively figure out the rest. Mel realizes that her own family might possibly be open and accepting of this type of relationship, and that she had no idea if Josy had the same thing or not. And not only that. Mel simply follows her feelings and follows where things naturally go. She is comfortable letting her sexual identity define itself, naturally. It was hard for Mel to realize that such a thing might not be easy, or the same, for someone else.
I’m still not perfectly clear about the details of what the kiss really means to each girl. The above mentioned details, plus each girl likely has a degree of feelings and/or physical attraction that are also factors.
Or I could totally be off and Mel could just be too carefree and open and Josy could be carefully protecting a tender heart that is easy to be broken. Or maybe Josy knows that she (or one of them) will never be super serious about all this, and that if they kiss, one of them could become deeply hurt. Something the two sexy friends would never want to do to each other.
So there is an endless world of possibilities, and it’s great that we don’t know all the exact details as that’s just how the real world is.
It’s brilliant that the kiss important to both girls in different ways. As a writer, I love this gentle mysterious conflict. It deepens the writing on many levels with just a few actions and words.
Through this writing we readers learn how precious and uncertain a budding relationship like this can be. Regardless if they will ever kiss or not – more important, is to enjoy the here and now and see where this special adventure leads.
ReaderMan, thank you, I enjoyed reading your thoughtful analysis. I trust you’ll understand that I can’t go into details responding to it, as it’s dangerous spoiler territory to do so.
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In any case, it makes me happy to see that the complexity of a budding relationship isn’t lost in the medium of written text. Much of it is read between the lines.
Despite all the intrigue and uncertanty around that missed kiss. It was exciting to see Josy taking a chance, fighting her own shyness in bed. And even greater for Melanie to notice how grand and precious the gesture was. Both encouraging developments! Also wonderful to see how close and in sync these two are:
I really enjoyed the antics in the shower room. Finally Melanie get’s a visual reward. Nice to see things beginning to even up with these two.
The worry about if anyone saw Melanie outside, was also fun to read. Especially the guy on the bus, her classmate! Thankfully he was drunk, but will that really help or make it worse?
The encounter with Sophia in the kitchen was rich ENF action at its best. Classic Josy/Mel ENF action but with a sweet escalation – Sophie! I love how these chapters are balancing sexy antics, fun ENF, and touching drama – all at the same time.
Like for example, it’s hot that Josy can now show off her sexy dominance of Melanie in front of Sophie, but then when Sophie asks if something was going on between them – how Josy and Mel react – so cute! It’s a careful balancing act, to manage that kind of writing and Cave is the MASTER of this type of fun, sexy, intimate, realistic – writing style.
Hi ReaderMan,
It took a while to get back to this.
The conversations and antics in the bathroom. Yes, Melanie finally gets to see Josy naked, but just partially for now. Still, it’s a ‘visual reward’ as you describe it. Josy said not to look, and Mel is in trouble, but as a reader, you could wonder whether that was Josy’s intent all along.
Breakfast with Sophia changes the dynamic. Not just for Melanie, but also for Josy. But what about Josy’s other roommates? Are they all as open minded and accepting as Sophia?
Thank you for the comment and the kind words.
Ahh… thank you for the insights, Cave. Very good points!
Thank you, Big D, Chris, swirlheart and Jofeyes for your kind comments.
It’s wonderful hear that the story is not just a good read, but believable, realistic. Melanie won’t be the only one wondering what will happen in class, or how many people will have found out about her late evening streak.
Even so, for Melanie this is just a minor thought compared to what’s going on with Josy. If she gets a surprise in class, it’ll be interesting to see how she copes, or what the repercussions will be. In any case, I’ll try to keep it realistic.
About Melanie’s submissive side. I sometimes wonder how obvious the dynamic is for readers. It’s rarely mentioned in the comments.
So good I had to read it twice twice.
This opening scene (from the dark food court until they fall asleep in Josy’s bed) brings the different mindsets of our two leading ladies to the fore. Because this is a Mel POV story, we are privy to her innermost thoughts. The poor girl is falling in love. She wants nothing more than for her feelings to be mutual. She tries for a kiss, but comes up empty. Sadly, she ends up kicking herself, regretting the attempt. It’s hard to see her like that.
As the evening comes to a close, Josy comes in for a hug, whispering, “you were amazing today.” So they both are clearly enjoying the relationship, just not in quite the same way.
The next morning, things get heavy, deep, and real. Mel rolls away, tears in her eyes, but Josy wants ‘her’ arm back. “I push you so far and then hold you back,” Josy says. Yes — that is what this reader is witnessing. (So good on a ‘show’ don’t ‘tell’ level.)
All in all, these characters are so very much like real people. (Is this actually fiction? I’ve wondered.) They have insecurities, but in spite of it all, they seem to be growing together.
“Sorry, not sorry.” Great line — forgive me, I couldn’t help myself. And suddenly Melanie is in trouble. LOL!
Such a fun morning, but (for me anyway) the primary story seems to be the intricacies of the relationship between M and J. I guess they aren’t lesbians (?) but they are certainly able to enjoy each other’s company in a way that seems to make men unnecessary. Even though the chapter ends with mention of Sophia’s boyfriend and some concerns about that, I don’t think these girls have use for penises.
25 chapters — such an accomplishment! I’d be lying if I said I was looking forward to the next chapter. Truth be told, I’m looking forward to the next 25 (and the 25 after that)!
Be well and enjoy the Holidays!
Blair
Hi Blair,
I’m glad for your thoughts on this chapter. Along with other comments, it shows me the different ways the story can be read. Every reader has a different focus, each finding meaning in specific sentences and the whole chapter/story. It helps me get a good feeling of whether I’m telling the story the way I mean to.
The first part. Heavy and emotional, yes, and hopefully helpful for the reader’s understanding. A bit of character exposition.
Insofar as to whether it is (all) fiction, it’s best to not think about it too much. I try not to.
I guess they aren’t lesbians (?)
About whether they are lesbians (or bisexual) or not, though they both previously said they weren’t, it may have been denial or they may have been unaware, or a little of both. Though it was probably not necessary to do so, I just wanted to clarify this.
Another 25 or 50 chapters…I’d rather not look that far ahead. How many chapters are left is pretty much open at this point. It depends on how many I need to tell the story.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
Cave
I guess I am quite late for the party. Although I read it right after you posted it, I haven’t had time to comment. So now everything has already been said. But anyway, I add what I think about it, even when some things are just repeating what others already have mentioned.
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This is an amazing chapter! The best one so far, even though the others were great as well. But this one I read twice. I wish I could write like you.
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What I like most, is the realism of your characters, with all their doubts and insecurities, they feel very much like real people. With the cliffhanger in the last chapter, I expected that Josy and Mel will share a passionate kiss, but you surprised me here. And I like this surprise a lot, because it now feels more realistic. At first, I thought you were hinting at Josy’s apparently bad experience with her ex, but I think there is much more to it than just her ex. As in real life, a developing relationship is always very complex, because the people involved never know the whole picture. I like that you don’t rush things. But I can’t wait to find out how their relationship will develop further. The more you write about those two, the more I like the chemistry between them.
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What I also liked was the scene in the kitchen. Like ReaderMan said, ENF action at its best! I like Melanie’s submissive side. But I also liked very much when Sophie at one point was worried what was going on and asked Melanie to confirm if everything was alright. Just a decent, responsible person; and not that everyone is pushing Melanie without thinking.
Hi Art,
Late or early, doesn’t matter, does it? I read your comment the day it was posted, but only now got around to responding.
Life can be difficult, complex. Indeed, we can’t read minds. All we can do is communicate verbally, visually, through touch. If we’re lucky, we find good understanding at least some of the time.
The story started out with me as a beginner writer, and slowly I’ve been growing. It’s difficult for me to accept the compliments in some of the comments, but I can accept at least that I’ve grown since chapter 1. Much of that is through the help of comments, with not just readers letting me know what is good or bad, but feedback and suggestions for improvement.
Thank you, and hope to read more from you.
Cave
It’s tricky being a commenter for new writers. I remember the old days on the old board and Molly couldn’t care less about anything that was positive about her story. But say the tiniest or harsh criticism and you have her complete attention and respect. It’s hard to be supportive of growing writers. We all take feedback differently. When our weaknesses are pointed out (to help us grow) we sometimes like it or hate it. When our strengths have light thrown on them via positive statements we sometimes doubt it or wonder how much is just supportive chatter and such. It’s difficult as a commenter. You see something that blows you away, but if it’s a growing writer then you know they are going to look at you sideways when you tell the truth. Which makes sense because initially, we are balancing being supportive with constructive. Helping a new writer grow in the right directions when they start to do things right. But later, when the writer really grows and we read something that excites us or REALLY impresses us, we need to call it out in hopes that the writer will be able to understand that we are sharing what we want to see more of (a lot more of, because it’s the good stuff). Positive comments are guides, helping the writer see what works. Compared side to side, it’s arguable what is more important. Negative comments point out mistakes and what to not do but can also be demotivating, positive comments show us what we are doing right and can me motivating. The writer often thinks it’s just motivation boosting words, and doesn’t really grasp how well they are really doing. And the communication asking… begging… to please do more of that good stuff is sometimes lost. I guess my point is, positive comments are very important (young) Molly! And the better a writer get’s and the more they do well, you can’t just bath them in praise every single paragraph, even though they deserve it – because then they gradually stop believing you. So it can be tricky. But at the end of the day, even a ‘dude… I liked the chapter.’ is valuable.
This is a great question Blair. I’m sure, like all fiction, we authors grab bits and pieces from real life. The question itself, is also the ultimate compliment to apiece of writing.
Now that I think about it, the photoshoot was so good that I wished that there was more of it. But that was probably the right amount for that moment. I really liked the submissive camera play and hope to see more of it in the future. With someone taking the photos, and Josy helping the model with poses, it was just so good!
This is a fun and sexy story. Its playful but with an edge to it. I thought the last 2 chapters were the sexiest thus far. It reminds me of dating in college – girls were always changing their minds. Too bad I did not meet Mel. Thanks for writing and look forward to future chapters
Hi Not an author, glad you like the story. Playful but with an edge to it? Yes, I think I know what you mean, but it’s difficult to put into words.