Stroke of Luck

<8>

Standing in the middle of the dark street May watched the lights in her house turn on and off. There was some yells and some banging, but May only watched emotionless knowing they couldn't see her from the lack of light.

She knew her mom was inside looking for her.

Feeling a breeze comb her hair forward the young girl sighed and dug through her Jean pockets until she found what she was looking for. Unfolding it she studied the number written in blue ink. Her boss was kind enough to share her personal cellphone number after their dinner in the park. She had dropped her off hours ago but she went to the other side of the street and waited for her parents to come home.

She knew they'd be home early and she really didn't want to be there for it. Thinking about it she probably should have stayed with Natalia, made their time together go slower by talking, but she didn't want to keep her. Looking back down at the number she remembered what her boss had said: "You call me using this phone ok? I'm never too busy." Sighing the girl sat down on the curb and thought about the blonde. She was so so beautiful, like the actresses she would watch on the TV. Her smile was kind and her touch was so soft.

Maybe she wasn't real, maybe she had finally just cracked.

Taking out the burner phone and dialing the number May cleared her throat as the phone rang only two times.

"May what's wrong?"

"Nothing horrible." She answered staring at the living room lights go dark. She didn't know how to explain to the woman that she just needed to hear her voice. It didn't matter she had heard it only two hours ago. She wanted to hear it again.

She had this lisp that was like a melody. Especially when got really excited.

"Don't lie to me May."

Looking down at the paved road the brunette didn't respond as she picked up a rock and looked it over.

"May?"

Clearing her throat the young girl remembered she needed to talk. "They are home early." She paused shaking her head, "I knew they would be but I didn't want to tell you."

"Why?"

"I thought I could do it by myself like I always have." May took a deep breathe "But I couldn't do it... I need-" she wiped her nose with her sleeve. "I needed to talk to you."

The line was silent for a moment.

"I'm sorry to bother you."

"No May you aren't bothering me at all."

The girl smiled, "You say my name a lot."

"It's a pretty name." The woman responded making the girl shiver. Something about the way her voice carried through. A rough but smooth voice. Like the whiskey she tried from her moms pantry. That's what her voice sounded like. "Where are you?"

"I'm ok."

"Are you?"

May paused seeing all the lights from her house finally go out.

"Can I come get you?" The woman waited for a response but sighed when there was none. "What are you thinking May?"

"I'm wondering if I can trust you." She admitted laying back on her neighbors green grass. "I'm thinking you scare me. More than anyone else has, because I've never let myself be so vulnerable with anyone else so all the power is handed to you." Biting the inside of her mouth the young girl looked up at the stars that shimmered. "And you have blue eyes like the girl's on TV do. I like looking at them but I still get scared you won't want me to look at them like I don't let anyone look at mine. I don't know, maybe I'm not making any sense." She paused again, "Are you still there?"

Furrowing her brows and sitting up May watched a car pull up slowly, her boss rolled down her window with the phone still up to her ear, "I'm here."

Smiling the young girl got into the passenger side. She closed her phone and looked down at the time it read on the cover.

Natalia watched her for a minute before leaning over and picking grass out of her hair.

"You said you liked girls Ms. Simmons." May whispered.

Closing her eyes Natalia braced herself. She knew what was coming and she knew she wouldn't be able to stop herself from telling the truth.

The car stayed quite for a while as the tension hung tightly in the air. But May never said anything more, she only cleared her throat.

Looking over at the young girl Natalia clenched her jaw while she observed her beautiful features, her being vulnerable just made her so much more stunning.

The only problem was she was young, she was her employee, and she was going through so much. She didn't want to make her feel like she was taking advantage of her. That was the only reason she didn't reach over and kiss her.

"Are you mad at me?"

The blonde laughed and started the car, "No."

Driving down the empty road May looked over at the older woman again. "Where are we going?"

"To my house."

May took a deep breathe and looked out the window.

Seeing how nervous the girl became Natalia reached over carefully and took her hand into her own. "If you get too uncomfortable We can go somewhere else."

Staring at their interlocked fingers May smiled slightly and let her thumb run along the older hand. "I think I'll be ok."

Biting her lip Natalia tried to keep her breathes under control even though she was freaking out like a middle school girl. She didn't know how she could be 35 years old and barely feel giddy from a touch.

"Do you do this with all of your employees?" May whispered still staring at their hands.

Starting to laugh the blonde stopped seeing the girl look up serious. "No I don't." She cleared her throat and sat up slightly in her seat. "Just you."

"Why?"

"Well I-" Natalia stooped the car and turned off the headlights. "I don't know." Unbuckling her seatbelt she started to pull away but was stopped as the girl held tighter. "We have to go inside sweetie."

May nodded finally letting go unwillingly.

*unedited.*