Exquisite

Chapter 5

We stopped at a gas station on the way back for snacks. Jen saw that I was still in a weird mood and said she'd go in alone.
"What candy do you like?"
"Uhhh... you choose, I'm easy."
I took a twenty out of my purse and held it out to her. She batted my hand away.
"Nope, stop it," she scolded, "We're still on a date. I'm getting it."
She came out with a carrier bag full of different candy in one hand and a bunch of brightly coloured tulips in the other.
"Did you buy the whole store?" I snorted.
"I wanted to make sure there'd be something you'd like in there," she shrugged, "And these, of course, are for you."
She held out the tulips. I couldn't help grinning.
"I love tulips... that's so sweet, thank you!" I gushed.
She took a pack of cigarettes out of the bag and lit one up, rolling the window down, then offered the pack to me. I had acquired a taste for smoking over the last week of hanging out with Jen and her friends. I took one out and started flicking the lighter. It wouldn't light up.
"Here," Jen chuckled, handing her lit one to me and expertly lighting up the other one.
"I can't believe I've started doing this now," I rolled my eyes at myself, "Thought I'd never touch one."
"Hey, you're only in college once. It's not like you're knocking back twenty a day."
I rolled my window down too and took a puff. I had to admit, it did settle my nerves, and I felt more relaxed.
When we got back to the dorm room, we both politely alternated stepping out of the room so the other could change into comfy clothes. When I came back in, Jen had dumped the bag of candy on her bed and was opening up her laptop.
I grabbed a hair tie off my night stand and pulled my hair up into a ponytail.
"God, look at you," Jen sighed dramatically.
"What?" I looked down at myself, "do I have something on me?"
"No, stupid, you're just fucking gorgeous," she leaned back on her hands.
"Oh, shut up," I blushed, laughing.
"I must say, I have been particularly enjoying your choice to dip your toe into the 'free the nipple' movement recently," she winked.
I blushed even deeper, "Stop it!"
She laughed wickedly, "Okay, okay! I'm sorry. Come sit with me."
I hopped up next to her on the bed and she wrapped her arm over my shoulder.
"I was thinking, since I showed you one of my favourite movies, why don't we watch one of your's now?"
I bit my lip, "I mean, my favourites are probably kinda lame."
"I don't mind! I wanna get to know you better," she squeezed my shoulder, "Come on- favourite movie of all time. What is it?"
"Honestly? 'Carrie'. The original from '75 with Sissy Spacek."
"Haven't seen it," she said, "But I kinda know the gist of it. Killer prom queen?"
"Yeah, but it's so much more than that. I got the book from the library when I was like fourteen and then I watched the movie online when dad was working late and I just related to her so much. You'll see what I mean. And I always dreamed I'd have that moment she did where I just had to put on a pretty dress and fix my hair and suddenly I'd be beautiful and people would see that underneath 'Sister Grace' there was just... me."
My cheeks went red again.
"Sorry... that sounds so stupid."
"No, it doesn't sound stupid at all."
She found it on Netflix and put it on.
I didn't tell her as we watched it how freakishly similar Carrie's experience of starting her period was to mine. Thank god, I hadn't gotten it in the showers after gym class, but I did get it at school. I still remember hearing the sniggers of my classmates when I stood up in English to give a presentation and had blood staining the back of my skirt. The teacher very gently pointed it out and I freaked- thought I was dying. Dad had to come pick me up and, god, was he mad. By that time, the school nurse had explained everything to me, and I was pretty mad at him too. When I dared to mention that it might have been a good idea for dad to tell me about this before it happened, my skirt got bloody on the front too- from my nose, this time. I had to stay off school for over a week to let the black eyes go down.
"So did you also spend prom night using your telekinetic powers to get revenge on your fellow students?" Jen joked when we got to that part of the movie.
"I spent prom night at home," I snorted.
"You didn't go to prom?" She said sadly.
"Nope. Can't imagine it would've been much fun for me."
I took a sour patch kid out of one of the packets and popped it in my mouth.
When the credits rolled, she shut her laptop and sat it on her night stand.
"Jen?" I said.
"Uh huh?"
"Thank you. For taking me on such a nice date. I've had a really nice time with you."
"Well, I'm glad. But you don't need to thank me. I had a really nice time with you too."
"I don't wanna go to bed," I sighed, "I don't want the night to end."
"Hey, the night is young. Who says it has to end yet?"
She reached for my hand and held it in hers, our fingers intertwining.
"Remember how I said we should see how our date goes before I kiss you?" She said.
I nodded, looking into her eyes. They were a rich, chocolate brown- I felt like I was melting into them.
"Well, it seems like we both think it went pretty good," she gave my hand a squeeze.
I nodded again. I must have been leaning in, because I realised how close our faces were. Her free hand settled on the back of my head, stroking my hair. Embarrassingly, I could feel myself trembling.
"You're shaking," she whispered, pulling back slightly, "We don't have to- not if you don't want to. We can wait, or..."
"No," I interrupted, "I want to. I'm just nervous."
"I get it. But you don't need to be. I've got you, and we'll take this at your pace. As quick or as slow as you want it to be. I'll never make you do something you don't wanna do."
"Talk to me some more," I breathed, "Your voice makes me feel calm."
She laughed fondly, "God, you can be so cute sometimes."
"Keep going," I joked.
"But you're so much more than just cute," she said seriously, "Grace, you're so, so beautiful. The more I get to know you, the more I like you. And I can't believe you're even considering letting me kiss you after how much of an ass I've been at times. But it's all I've thought about all week and, god, I really want to."
I put my hand on her chest, leaning in until the tips of our noses bumped against each other. Her breath was warm on my face.
"Can I?" She muttered.
"Please," I breathed, "Yes."
She let her lips brush against mine, then press into them. My heart was pounding. Her lips were like silk, gently blotting my mouth with her kiss. I began to relax into it, kissing her back. She tasted like candy. Her arms wrapped around my waist, pulling me closer until our bodies were pressed against each other. I thought this must be what a rollercoaster felt like. I never wanted it to end.
Eventually she pulled back, and we both caught our breath.
"You good?" She gasped.
"Uh huh," my chest rose and fell, "I'm great."
It was me who leaned in for more first, greedy for the feeling of her lips on mine. She pulled me around so I was on top of her, her hands running up and down my waist as my legs wrapped around her hips. She reached up and pulled my hair tie out, her hands running through my hair as it tumbled past my shoulders. When one of her hands made its way under my shirt, I didn't stop her. She gently touched my breast, squeezing as she let the kisses travel down my neck like petals landing on my skin. I still didn't stop her when she pulled my shirt up and off over my head, both of her hands now fondling and squeezing, her thumbs brushing over my hard nipples.
She pulled back, looking down at my body. Her fingers traced the freckles on my shoulders, down my arms.
"Wow," she breathed deeply, "Somehow you're even more beautiful."
She planted a soft kiss on my collarbone, then pulled me into a tight hug, kissing my shoulder, my neck, my cheek. She felt like the softest blanket wrapped around my bare skin.
"As tempting as it is to take this further," she said, lifting my head to look at me, "Maybe we should stop here."
I nodded.
She picked up my shirt, handing it to me, "I'm sorry, I didn't even ask you if I could do that. I got carried away. Was it okay?"
"Yes," I blushed, "It was.... Nice."
I put my shirt back on, moving to sit next to her again. She sighed, smiling at me.
"You're shaking again," she pointed out, rubbing the goose pimples on my arm.
"I'm just a little... giddy," I admitted, "And a little cold."
"Oh, well, we can't have that can we," she tucked my hair behind my ear, then lay down on the bed, "Be my little spoon?"
I rolled on to my side, my back to her, and she wrapped her arms around me.
I felt her softly kiss my shoulder.
"Jen?"
"Yeah?"
"This has honestly been the best night of my life. Thank you."
"Wow, high praise indeed. I'm gonna have to work hard to top that."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean I'm gonna have to make the next one even better, silly."
"The next one?"
"Yeah. You know... like, our next date?"
"You wanna do this again?" I smiled, confused, but beaming.
"Of course! You don't?"
"No, no, of course I do!" I assured her, "I just kind of assumed this was gonna be a one time thing for you. Like, you were just being nice."
"Jesus, Grace, you are something else!" She shook her head, "What about any of this implied I was just being nice?"
"I don't know," I sighed, "But I'm glad you weren't."
"Of course I wasn't," she reached for my hand and squeezed it.
I thought for a moment, "Why did you wanna stop? You know, kissing?"
"Oh, we can kiss all night if you want," she laughed, "I just felt like if we didn't take a breather things were gonna go, well... further than they probably should just yet."
"Why didn't you want it to go further?"
"Damn, detective Grace is really grilling me tonight," she laughed again, "Look, I suppose a part of me- a very big part of me- did want it to go further. But I don't think we should rush into that."
"Why not?"
"Well, because it would be your first time, as far as I know. And because I think we should keep getting to know each other before we do that."
"But you fucked Carly the first night you met her," I pointed out with a pang of jealousy.
She sighed, "When did you get so blunt?"
"Sorry," I bit my lip.
"Look, if you must know- Carly was never meant to be more than a one night thing. It was just meant to be a bit of fun. But you... are... special. And I think you mean more to me than that. And I don't wanna fuck this up."
I rolled over to face her, trying to hide my grin.
"And you need to stop thinking about Carly," she said firmly, "She has nothing to do with this."
"Okay," I said sheepishly.
She laughed fondly, "Come here, you."
She pulled me closer and kissed me softly, enveloping me in her arms.