Witch of the Wild Woods

Chapter 13 - Jesus, Etc.

Chapter 13 - Jesus, Etc.

Julia kept her head down. She walked the path directly in front of her with the heavy rope across her shoulder, terrified to look up at Aiden, Nina, Luna, and Lane. Her shaking hands gripped the rope tighter as the councilors were all pulled forward across the slopped football field toward the dried up Potter's Lake.

"I'd just gotten out of the shower when I heard them all enter. The other councilors." Julia started in a strained whisper. "I don't know why I got scared. Embarrassed? Whatever." The invisible burden on Julia's shoulders seemed to have doubled in weight, "I just reacted. I hid."

Nina tried to comfort her fellow co-councilor, "I understand not wanting to be around crowds, especially when changing or being-"

"No," Julia interjected quietly, "I mean, sure, I'm not used to communal bathing. I was afraid they could tell that I'd just..." She subconsciously glanced down at the space between her legs.

"Masturbated," Luna spoke delicately.

Julia nodded.

"I wouldn't have been able to tell," Aiden offered. The rest of the group shot him with looks to silence him. Aiden in turn over corrected, "I mean, it wouldn't have occurred to me that girls even did that. At least, not as much as guys. You know what?" The others had the tact not to audibly groan at a man just trying his best. "You know, I'm gonna go ahead and see my self out of this conversation: sorry for interrupting."

Lane tried to steer the conversation back on track, "Our apologies, please, continue. What happened next from your perspective?"

Julia swallowed and nodded quickly, "I hid. Ducked into the closest place before anyone could see me. I hadn't realized the shower stall I'd walked into was already occupied." Shifting nervously. "I'd never really seen another girl naked before. Like, I've changed at the gym before, but this was different. It felt like, for the first time, I actually saw her."

It did not go unnoticed by both Land and Luna that Julia's cheeks were glowing red hot.

Lane looked up the line of councilors at Franki a few paces behind Jordan. Athletic, shaved head, a loose tank top covering a tall muscular frame, she was certainly beautiful to look at. It would be an entirely different thing to actually see someone as Julia had. Not merely physical beauty, but the type of connection that two souls make when bonded for the first time. 

To clarify, Lane asked Julia, "You saw her differently?"

"I don't know if I can--" Julia stammered. "I shouldn't."

Luna took the short blonde's hand in hers; "It's okay. We want to help, not judge."

Reassured, but still mortified, Julia's hand reached across her chest defensively as if cover up with an invisible blanket, "She was... Breathtaking." She waited for the others, but no one interjected.

"She must have just finished showering. The way droplets slowly rolled off her shoulders, cascaded off her caramel skin, her hands, her lips: my mouth watered. She has eyes like pools of honey. I kept wanting to dive in closer. She was right there, naked, staring back at me, unblinking. Each step I took towards her, my heart pounded faster and faster." Julia shuttered. Her eyes were closed. She had fully sunken back into that sweet memory.

"Then I reached out, my fingertips caught a stray bead of sweat that rolled off her cheek. My hand touched her cheek. Then I-- I kept touching. I wanted to feel every square inch of her. How could I not?" Julia laughed a tiny, desperate laugh, "She didn't stop me. She opened her arms up wider and invited me in. My heart was going to explode out of my chest."