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JJ and Ashley Ch. 01

By: DarkFang



January 4th, 2011

JJ arrived back in Sierra Falls just as the sun was rising. Traffic seemed light for a Tuesday, until she remembered that winter break was probably still in effect. Driving through the streets brought back memories which were quickly stifled. 

"I'm not here for a trip down memory lane. Just deal with the house, get rid of it, and get out. Nothing else." She muttered, waiting to turn left at a stop light.

While she waited she looked at the folder on the passenger seat. Inside it held a copy of the last will and testament of Mack Jameson. It held papers that legally placed her childhood home and its contents in her name, in her possession. Those papers made the old house a nightmare again, only this time JJ was determined to be done with it for good when she left town again. The papers had also given her access to a large sum of money, which would fund any renovations and fees required for selling the house. 

As the light changed and she made her turn, JJ wondered again why Mack had sat on the money for so long. The majority of it had come from a life insurance policy that had been taken out by Mack on her mother, Emily. When she'd died Mack had been awarded the money but instead of using it, he'd stuck it in the bank and forgotten about it. The same thing had happened when Mack had died. Money from the life insurance policy had been placed in the bank and now belonged to JJ. Eight hundred thousand was more money than JJ ever thought she'd see in her lifetime. 

It didn't take long for JJ to come to her final destination. She parked her truck at the sidewalk next to the mailbox and looked the house over. It looked terrible. Shingles were missing in large patches from the roof and the gutters were gone. The front windows were broken and dark, the decorative shutters hanging off or gone completely. It was obvious even from where JJ sat that the front door wasn't sitting properly and the steps to the old porch were missing. The porch itself didn't look very stable, but at least it was still there. The garage door was badly rusted and needed new windows. JJ would be surprised if it worked. The driveway and front yard were covered in a blanket of snow but JJ knew there would be a lot of landscaping needed. The ranch style fence was riddled with what looked like termite holes. 

JJ pulled her keys from the ignition and left the warmth of the truck. Her boots crunched through the thin layer of snow as she trudged through the front yard to the side gate. The old gate swung unevenly, halted in its progress by a pile of snow and debris from years of neglect. JJ shoved through the gap, took one look at the amount of snow that had gathered and decided to try the front door. 

Her old key still fit the lock and a well applied shoulder got the door moving. The smell instantly had JJ regretting the entire situation. The sound of insects scurrying away made her skin crawl as JJ shoved the door wide open. She couldn't see very far in, but what she could see wasn't encouraging. Piles and towers of garbage filled the living room. Newspapers, food containers, bottles and cans were what JJ could identify. The smell told her there was rotten food and possibly rodents mixed in too. 

"I just hope he didn't have a pet," JJ muttered, covering her nose with her sweatshirt. She returned to the truck for a large flashlight and some fresh air. Steeling herself, JJ ventured into the house. 

The heaps of garbage and junk were taller than JJ in places. She didn't go any further than the hall entrance, able to see that the entire house was in the same state as the living room. The kitchen was where the worst of the smell was coming from. JJ could only guess what was in the fridge and how long it had been sitting getting rotten. She wasn't about to open the sucker and find out. 

JJ shone the light around the room again as she headed back to the front door. There was a lot of work to be done before she'd have any idea what condition the structure of the house was in. All that was clear at this point was the house needed to be gutted of garbage, furniture, appliances and the carpeting. 

Locking the door on the stench didn't help clear her nose but JJ didn't think she'd ever forget it as long as she lived. She pulled her sweatshirt off on her way to the truck, the cold air a relief after the gross stagnant air of that house. JJ dug around in a duffel in the bed of the truck and found another hoodie and a plastic bag for the old one. 

Next step was finding a place to stay for a while. She had one year to get the house fixed, up to code, and either sell it or keep it. JJ had set a goal of six months for herself, not wanting to be in town any longer than was absolutely necessary. JJ climbed back into her truck and brought its engine roaring to life. Step one, find a place to make home base. Step two, make home base. Step three, start calling exterminators and find someone to deal with the trash. 

By evening JJ had a small motel room stocked with food, other homey comforts, and crammed with her few belongings. She'd set up the rental of an industrial dumpster and had a pick up schedule worked out with the company. No one was willing to deal with the garbage, so JJ would brave that mess herself. Exterminators were only able to come out after some of the pests had been identified. The guy she'd spoken with on the phone had offered to send someone out to inspect the house and look for nests, which she'd gladly accepted. She had a week to clear out as much of the hoarded mess as she could. 

JJ leaned back against the floppy pillows and opened her laptop. She was a little bored, but didn't want to roam the town just yet. She'd already been recognized at the grocery store and wasn't eager to stir up the gossip. Best to lay low for a while. 

She checked her emails, responding to a couple new ones from friends back east. Everyone had been surprised when the lawyers had found her and dumped everything in her lap. Her friends had encouraged her to deal with it right away, then put it behind herself completely. 

Only Veronica, her ex, had been hesitant to see JJ off. Ronnie knew the full story of JJ's upbringing and realized the stress this situation could cause. JJ didn't see it as stressful per se, just inconvenient. JJ sent Ronnie a quick email reassuring her she was in town, safe, and would have her cell phone on her every day.

Signing off and shutting down, JJ closed the laptop and set it aside. She sighed and shrugged back into her jacket to step outside for a cigarette. She lit up and leaned against the walkway's railing to blow smoke into the night sky. Boredom sucked and JJ was already chaffing under its irritating finger. She nodded at another motel patron who walked past, bundled against the chilly air. A walk around the block couldn't hurt. She'd be wrapped up in her jacket and had a beanie she could wear. No one would recognize her that way. Flicking the butt away JJ exhaled the last of the smoke and stepped back inside to get dressed. 

Walking turned out to be a good idea. No one paid her any attention, focused on their own lives and business. She found a book store and pharmacy store within walking distance of the motel, along with the old diner. Behind the diner was a club, new enough that JJ didn't remember it. JJ wasn't sure she was ready to venture that much, so she avoided the line and kept going. She smoked while she walked, happy to see that things had changed in Sierra Falls, if just on the outside. 

The lady who'd rung her up at the grocery store had done a double take when JJ had paid, staring hard at JJ. That was the sort of attention JJ didn't want so she'd gathered her bags and left quickly. Time had changed her, but her physical appearance hadn't been affected much. She was still short with a delicate bone structure under the lean musculature she'd worked hard for. A haircut could only do so much and didn't change her creamy pale skin or hide the wide, dark brown eyes that were all she'd gotten from her father. Every other physical feature was a dead ringer for a mother she'd never met and had only seen in one photograph. 

JJ was wrapped up in these thoughts and had her head down as she rounded a corner heading to the park. She didn't see the runner coming until the last moment when she raised her hand to take a drag off her dwindling cigarette. There wasn't time to do anything except brace for impact, which JJ did just as the jogger tried to slow but couldn't. 

They smacked together and JJ stumbled back, a hand catching a trim waist, helping to steady them both.

"Oh shit, sorry. I didn't see you!" the woman panted, shaking a blonde braid over her shoulder, stepping back out of JJ's space. 

"Same, sorry about that." JJ tucked her hand back into her pocket and let her lips curve into a half grin, a kind of awkward, polite gesture. She waited for the woman to move, but she didn't, which confused JJ and made her instantly wary. JJ tugged her beanie a little lower and took a step back, looking down at the sidewalk. 

Her movement seemed to shake the woman out of her thoughts, whatever they were. "Sorry, um, I'll just..." the woman gestured down the road and started off, her pace picking up with ease. 

JJ shook herself when she realized she'd been watching the firm ass bounce away. "No time for that. Get done and get out," she admonished, hunching her shoulders against the cold wind trying to slip inside her coat.

She headed straight back to the motel, not wanting anymore run-ins. She got ready for bed even though she wasn't all that tired. Tomorrow was going to be a long and exhausting day.

***

Ashley let the hot water beat on her shoulders and loosen the muscles that had gotten tight during her run. She couldn't shake the feeling that something elemental had happened, but other than bumping into another pedestrian, nothing out of the ordinary had occurred. 

A knock at the door had Ashley poking her head around the curtain. "Yeah?" she called.

"Hey sweetie, I'm home, just letting you know." Her mother's voice came through the door.

"Okay, thanks. I'll be out in a few." Ashley called back, then ducked back into the shower's steam. She stretched her spine, arching this way and that, rolling her shoulders. Good enough for now. A quick run with her razor under her arms and she turned off the water. 

Dry, dressed in her favorite sweats and a college sweater, hair braided up again, Ashley wandered into the living room but headed to the kitchen when she spotted her mom.

"Hey mom. Bathroom's empty if you need it." Ashley sat on a stool in front of the island. 

"Thanks. I'll jump in after my snack. Sorry I had to pull a late shift. James threw his back out again." Debbie looked apologetically at Ashley who waved it off.

"It's okay mom, it happens. I got a run in and made some plans with the girls. We'll all be in town this weekend, so if it's okay with you we were going to have a sleep over." Ashley watched her mom think it over.

"I don't mind, I have to work Friday, but I should be off this weekend. Everyone's here?" the older woman popped a stray tomato into her mouth and stabbed some more lettuce with her fork. 

"Yep. Rebecca and Amy are visiting her mom but have to fly back Sunday. They squeezed in some time for us, which makes us all feel very special." Ashley let the playful sarcasm out, grinning when her mother rolled her eyes.

"Then you ladies enjoy yourselves. Same rule, no one leaves here drunk without a designated driver. And no strippers." Debra added, giving her daughter the squinty eye. 

Ashley held her hands up in innocence. "That was not my idea. Chloe is the one who thought that little scheme up." 

Debra chuckled. "I know, I'm only half teasing. Enjoy yourselves. You said you got a run in?" 

"Yeah. It was pretty good. Accidently mowed someone down coming around a corner, but didn't kill anyone." Ashley slipped off her stool to get a glass of water.

Debbie shook her head and leaned her hip against the counter. "Well at least I'll know why if the sheriff comes calling. What's the rest of your night look like?"

Ashley shrugged, "Not doing much of anything. I've already finished all my assignments and done all the laundry I brought home. It looks like I'm free." She poured her water and looked over her shoulder at her mother. 

"Then what do you say we have a little girl's night? Pick out a good chick flick while I hop through the shower, then I'll make the popcorn." 

Friday morning found Ashley at the grocery store picking up junky snacks for the sleepover that afternoon. Everyone was given something to bring, Ashley landed the snacks this time. Rebecca and Amy were supplying the alcohol, Brenda was springing for pizza while Chloe was bringing movies and Sarah the dessert. 

Ashley circled the bakery section again. Was one package of cookies enough? She'd been on a no- simple-sugar diet for so long Ashley didn't have any concept of what was acceptable. She was lucky if she got away with sneaking a half a cookie. Best pick up a couple more, maybe sugar and peanut butter for some variety. 

Ashley added the boxes to the cart, already full of soda, chips, cheese puffs, chocolate covered pretzels and raisins, and various candies. She could practically taste the sugar that was sitting in her cart right now. Satisfied that she had enough junk to completely ruin everyone's diets for a night Ashley headed to pick up the fruit and vegetables her mom had asked her to get. 

The produce section was were Ashley was more comfortable, having been on a strict diet for track. Junk like the food that currently occupied her cart was a huge no-no. Fruits, vegetables, lean meats and whole grains were what she knew and thrived on. Her body had changed in the last two years, losing what little fat she'd had to lean out. With the help of her coaches she'd gotten to the point where she was in optimum condition, consuming enough fuel to power her body through a day without gaining anything except muscle when she was actually training. Tonight would be her first 'cheat day' in two months and Ashley was determined to enjoy the hell out of it. 

Bananas, kale, apples, celery and carrots, avocado and pears joined the cart, piled in the child seat. Ashley bagged some romaine and green beans, then looked over the grapefruit and oranges. She picked up both, pleased with the sale and the quality. 

The cashier chuckled when she saw Ashley's item come up the conveyor. "It looks like you're stocking up for a year of cheat days, Ash." 

Ashley grinned at her, recognizing the girl as from a few years ahead in school. Most people in town knew her name, even if she couldn't remember theirs. More than one paper had covered her track accomplishments. "Just a girls' night. I figured whatever we don't eat Mom could bring to work. Have the guys at Home Depot bouncing off the walls on a sugar high." 

"You look like you plan a fun girl's night. If there's beer and pizza, I might join." The girl joked, tossing a pale blonde ponytail over her shoulder. "If I wasn't working all night that is," she added as an afterthought. 

"Long day ahead of you?" Ashley asked, pushing her empty cart to the bagger, who began filling bags with impressive speed. 

"Yeah, I have a full day scheduled, the first of many. I just enrolled myself in community college and figured if I work a bunch of extra hours before I start, then I can work part time while in school. I'll already have money saved up for books and whatnot. "

"That sounds like a good plan. I hope it works out for you. What are you studying?" Ashley set her purse on the small ledge to find her debit card.

"Education with a focus on child development. I want to teach, but I don't want to simply hand out worksheets and make them recite out of the textbooks." The girl rang up the last item and gave Ashley her total.

Ashley swiped her card and went through the menus to complete the transaction before tucking her wallet back into her purse and slinging it over her shoulder. She watched the cashier punch a button and turn to catch her receipt. The girl froze for a moment, her eyes glued to the next customer in line. 

Looking back, Ashley froze too. Her heart skipped two beats and her body flashed first cold, then hot. Standing behind her was one of the last people Ashley had ever expected to see. JJ was clearly grown, all her once familiar features had an unfamiliar maturity to them. Those deep brown eyes were the same though.

"Hey Megan. Long time no see." JJ continued to set her items on the belt, stashing her empty basket underneath. She straightened and looked from Megan, the cashier, to Ashley. "Hey Ashley." 

Ashley felt the hysterical giggle erupt out of her mouth. "Ten years and you say 'Hey Ashely' like it's nothing." She snapped her mouth shut before anything else could come out and turning abruptly, left the store, her cart rattling in protest to her hurried pace. 

Halfway home Ashley sat at a red light gripping the steering wheel tightly to keep her hands from shaking. So many emotions were fighting for attention that she was beginning to feel sick. Taking a deep breath Ashley focused on calming herself down. The anger burned out first, fizzing out the fear that had been inside her for the last ten years. 

Happiness bubbled up in the wake of the anger. Happiness that JJ was alive and well, that she had come back, that all those fears were unfounded. Ashley realized she'd been happy to see JJ again. Perhaps she'd handled the situation badly being overwhelmed with shock at seeing JJ, but happy to see her none the less. 

Why had JJ come back? Was it because Mack had died last year? Was this a permanent move? Was she single? Did she have any interest in their childhood friendship? What had she been doing the last ten years? Had she made it all the way to Maine? The questions flooded Ashley's mind as she accelerated through the intersection and changed lanes to make the next right turn. "No use wondering about it. Best to let her come around if she wants to." Ashley reasoned with herself. She'd learned years ago that JJ needed space, chasing after her only made her run away.

Feeling much better Ashley arrived home and unpacked her groceries, stashing the vegetables in the fridge and setting the junk on the center island for easy grazing. The soda was tucked on the fridge door to chill, then Ashley ducked down the hall to her room. 

She tossed her purse on the desk and sat on her bed to take off her shoes and get ready for the girls to come over. It was a rule that an extreme casual dress code be adhered to. Sweats or pajama pants, tee shirts and ex-boyfriends' sweaters were a must. No make-up, no hair products or fussing with styling. 

Jeans were traded for thick grey sweats with her school's track team logo trailing down one leg and her nick name, The Flash, printed across the seat. She pulled off the long sleeve thermal shirt she'd worn and slipped back into her sleep shirt, the hem reaching her knees. She hadn't done anything to her hair that morning, so the abundant golden curls were already free to bounce around. 

There were still a few hours to kill before anyone came over. Ashley cleaned her room and washed up the few dishes that were in the sink. Those chores finished, Ashley looked through the house, satisfied it was presentable. 

When the doorbell rang Ashley had settled into the old armchair and was busy spraying zombie brains all over tarnation. She paused the video game and opened the door. Two women stood on the porch, one redheaded with a curvy figure and the other tall and slender with a bright blue Mohawk, combed to the side. The taller had a box of alcohol bottles in her arms. 

"Becca! Amy! C'mon in, you're the first here." Ashley stepped aside to let them in, Amy heading to the kitchen to set the booze down. Rebecca dropped their overnight bag near the door and swept Ashley up in a hug. 


JJ and Ashley Ch. 01



"How have you been? I know it's been forever, life, ya know." Rebecca squeezed Ashley tightly before letting her go and heading to the kitchen to help Amy unload the box. 

"I'm doing alright, had a nice quiet break. How are you two doing way up in Rhode Island? Freeze your asses off yet?" Ashley took the bottles of wine and beer as Amy handed them over, lining them up in the fridge. 

"It's cold, but nothing we can't adapt to. Plus it gives Becs an excuse to buy a ton of jackets. I think she has about fifteen, some with fur lined hoods." Amy teased her girlfriend, looking over her shoulder to smile at Rebecca.

Rebecca stuck her tongue out at Amy who grinned wider. "Save it for later babe." 

Ashley rolled her eyes at the couple and put the bottles of hard liquor in the freezer. A knock at the door interrupted any further banter. 

It wasn't long before everyone had arrived, everyone talking at once to catch up as quickly as possible. Pizza was ordered amidst the cacophony, silence finally descending when it arrived and was dished out along with the beer Amy had brought. 

After pizza the girls took over the living room, spreading blankets and pillows out on the floor to create a comfy nest to lay about in. They'd discovered in high school that a huge group nest was more comfortable than individual spots and everyone ended up snuggling throughout the night anyways, so individual sleep spots were abandoned for the big sleep pile. 

Once the nest had been arranged they brought over the snacks Ashley had bought and picked out a movie to watch. As the movie began the girls continued chatting about their activities over winter break, sharing stories of vacations, time with family, and relationships. 

Other than Amy and Rebecca, Sarah was the only one who was seeing anyone. She blushed over the questions, but answered all of them about her boyfriend Nathan. He was just a couple years older than them, attending the local community college. That was where they'd met, sitting next to each other in their ethics class freshman year. They'd been friends since then, hanging out between classes and going to social functions around campus. He'd asked her out on a date halfway through their junior year and after a few causal dates, they'd decided to be exclusive. 

"So have you two banged yet?" Chloe asked around a bite of cookie. Sarah blushed even harder, her cheeks nearly as red as Rebecca's hair. "I'll take that as a yes." Chloe snickered, elbowing Ashley who grinned at Sarah. Sarah grinned at the girls and nodded, which made everyone giggle. Brenda passed Amy the bag of Cheetos and asked, "So, on a scale of one to ten, one being you'll never let him take his pants off again, how was it?" "I might burn all his pants." Sarah admitted, "Because I'd say it was about a twenty-seven." 

Ashley half listened to the rest of the conversation, caught up wondering what it would be like to have sex. Of all the girls, she was the only one who hadn't given it up. She'd dated a few guys in high school, had fooled around with a couple guys, but just hadn't taken that last step. She wasn't sure why exactly. Saving herself for marriage wasn't something she'd ever consciously wanted to do. Dating during college hadn't been a priority, and had been nearly impossible with school work, track training and working part time nearly every day. 

Further introspection would have to wait. The movie had gotten the attention of the group, Amy Adams making the ultimate choice between two men. 

"I'd forget the men and go for her. Neither of those guys are all that attractive." Chloe wiped her mouth with her arm. 

Rebecca laughed and looked over her shoulder at Chloe. "Have you ever fucked another woman?" 

Chloe shook her head, "No, but it can't be that hard to wing it." 

"Winging it might work with guys, but you try that with a woman, even just on a one night stand, you'll disappoint her." Amy spoke for the first time, stretched out beside Rebecca, arms folded behind her head. 

"So what's the secret?" Chloe asked, sprawling on her stomach to listen. 

Amy shrugged. "There's no big secret, you need to know what you're doing is all." 

"Well that's not cryptic at all." Chloe flicked Amy's hair and rolled over. 

They put on another movie as the first ended, everyone getting up to refresh beverages and snacks. Halfway through this second video Debbie arrived home from work. The girls greeted her and invited her to stay, but she declined, already having plans of her own for the night. She did snag a couple slices of pizza and a beer before showering and dressing. She left the girls to their night of fun, already knowing she'd return tomorrow to find them passed out and possibly hung-over. 

After the movie, they set up a video game tournament. They decided to start with Wii Sports to warm up. Loser of each game had to chug their drink, as had been their rule since they had all turned 21. Bowling eventually gave way to boxing, then golf as they consumed more and more alcohol. It quickly became a competition between Brenda and Amy to see who could outlast the other. 

"I say switch back to boxing. That's harder than golf." Rebecca slouched against the couch, watching her girlfriend's ass wiggle with each swing. 

"That's because you suck at it." Sarah pushed her glasses up her nose and sipped on the small glass of wine she'd poured after she'd been eliminated. 

"Well I can't be good at everything." Rebecca sighed, making everyone chuckle. 

"And we already know you should stay far away from the kitchen. You've already proved how much you suck at that." Chloe chortled, nudging her bare toes with their sparkling blue polish against Rebecca's leg. 

Rebecca rolled her eyes, but Amy turned. "I haven't heard this one. Why should she stay out of the kitchen?" 

"Because the last time we put her in charge of making popcorn she burned it." Ashley giggled around her beer. 

"No, she didn't burn it. She damn near melted it to the bottom of the pan." Brenda smirked, flipping through the game menu to queue up boxing. 

"Really babe? You burned popcorn?" Amy squatted next to Becca to sip her drink. Rebecca flipped her hair over her shoulder and crossed her arms over her chest.

"It was once, I was completely wasted. These bitches should be thankful I didn't burn anything else that night." She explained, sticking her nose in the air. 

"Well trust us, we won't make that mistake again, Becca." Sarah smiled.

"Everyone's a critic. Knock her dead babe." Rebecca patted Amy's ass as the taller woman stood to play the first boxing round. 

Amy won by a slim margin, taking her winners shot of whiskey without flinching. Brenda shuddered through her two tequila shots, sucking hard on the lime. 

By two in the morning they'd finished off all the wine and beer, switching to sipping from the liquor bottles being passed around the group. The last movie ended, and Chloe giggled drunkenly as the credits rolled.

"We should play spin the bottle." She suggested, leaning against Ashley, who snorted at the idea. 

"What?" Sarah mumbled, her head in Rebecca's lap where the redhead was lazily combing her fingers through the thick brown strands. 

"Chloe wants to play kissy face. You up for that?" Rebecca repeated, smiling down at Sarah. 

"Why does she always want to play when it's just us girls? We never get to play with boys." Sarah stage whispered. Amy covered her laugh with a cough, but Brenda and Ashley opening giggled, Chloe even joining in. 

"I don't know. Maybe she just wants to try some pussy but doesn't know how to get any." Rebecca whispered back, loud enough for the group to hear. 

"It's harmless! We're all drunk and it's late. Isn't this what we're supposed to do at a sleepover?" Chloe sat up, an empty wine bottle in hand.

"Fine. But I'm not letting any of you past first base." Sarah sat up sluggishly, the alcohol in her system seriously messing with her balance. 

"Damn. I always wanted to get my hands on your knockers." Brenda teased her, sitting across from Sarah. 

"Uh-uh, these belong to Nathan now, missy." Sarah blushed when she said this, but it was nearly impossible to see in the dim light. 

"Alright, so rules." Chloe cleared her throat dramatically. "You spin the bottle. You kiss the girl it lands on. You get kissed then it's your turn, so on and so forth." 

"Who spins first?" Sarah asked, nearly missing her glasses when she tried to push them up. 

"I say Chloe. It was her idea after all." Amy leaned back on her arms, smirking at Rebecca across the small circle. 

Chloe spun the wine bottle, setting the game underway. Ashley watched the bottle spin turn after turn, kissing whoever spun her, then taking her own turn. She sat back down and sipped off the small rum bottle next to her. It was when she watched Amy and Rebecca kiss, the tongue use obvious, that her mind slipped briefly into dangerous territory. Would JJ kiss like that? What would it be like to be held so close to another person and kissed, touched, with so much enthusiasm and passion? 

"Okay love birds, break it up, or get a room." Brenda spoke up when Amy's hand slipped under Rebecca's loose tee. 

"My room is so not being used for hanky panky." Ashley sat up, seeing the look on Rebecca's face.

"Has it ever?" Rebecca shot back, no heat behind her words as she returned to her place, nudging the sleeping Sarah out of her seat. 

Ashley was taken aback by the question, pausing too long. 

Rebecca frowned and leaned forward. "Don't tell me you're still a virgin."

Ashley swallowed hard, aware of all the curious eyes. "Just because my room's never been used for sex doesn't mean I'm a virgin." 

"Omigod Ashes is a big old V." Chloe snickered, lunging across the circle. "Want us to fix that? Anyone got a dildo or something?" 

Amy slapped Chloe's shoulder lightly and sat her back down. "Leave her alone. It's not for us to take unless she wants to give it. I believe it was your turn baby." 

The game continued, but the next time Rebecca spun and landed Ashley, the redhead's raised eyebrow told Ashley the question was still valid. Ashley lowered her chin just the slightest, then kissed Rebecca, letting the other girl slip her tongue in for a quick taste. 

Chloe eventually passed out and that signaled the end of the game. Brenda slipped Mean Girls back into the DVD player and Ashley set the timer, then they all settled into their sleep spots, curling around Sarah and Chloe. 

Ashley laid curled up in her blanket and stared at the screen without seeing the movie. The booze and the game had left her horny, something she'd normally fix on her own. Being this close to her friends, masturbation was out of the question. Her mind wasn't exactly helping, throwing up X-rated images of bodies entwined and intimate touches that would bring the ultimate pleasure. 

Closing her eyes she pushed them away, only to make room for something worse. Completely out of the blue, the memory of being underneath JJ at the park that day long ago, sprang up. The memory was incredibly vivid, something she'd blame later on the alcohol. The feel of JJ's weight on her pressing her into the grass. The smell of summer in the air mixed with JJ's own darker scent. The look that had been in JJ's eyes. The way her pupils had expanded to consume nearly her entire iris. The softness of her lips against Ashley's own. 

Ashley shifted, blushing in the darkness at how powerful that memory was. The heat between her legs had become a slick dampness and the urge to do something about it was almost overwhelming. Glancing around, it looked like everyone was asleep, or focused on the movie. Ashley snuck a hand into her sweats then between her thighs and cupped herself. A shiver raced up her spine at the contact. If she could be discrete, this wouldn't take long. 

Closing her eyes Ashley let herself remember the rest of that day. The way they'd snuck up to the tree house and sat for a while pretending nothing had happened at the park. Then JJ had quietly asked what Ashley wanted to do now, and Ashley had answered honestly, despite the pounding of her heart. 

"I was kinda hoping we could, you know, kiss a little more." She'd said, watching JJ carefully. 

JJ had scooted closer and smiled. "I was really hoping you'd say that." 

They'd resumed kissing, kneeling together awkwardly until JJ had tentatively pulled away to lean against the tree house wall, then pull Ashley onto her lap. They'd kept the kisses simple and chaste, neither of them brave enough to add tongue.

Ashley pressed the heel of her hand against her mound, highly aware of the squishing and slipping. She made tight circles and ducked her head to cover her mouth with the blanket hoping that would mask her heavy breathing. 

A muffled moan made her freeze, alarmed it had slipped from her own mouth. Opening her eyes she could just see Rebecca and Amy huddled close together. Amy had her head nestled in Rebecca's neck and was lying still behind her. Rebecca was covering her mouth with her own hand, eyes screwed shut. Her body shook and trembled subtly before relaxing. Amy moved, her arm coming up, her hand pausing before Rebecca's. The redhead moved her own hand and took her girlfriend's offered fingers into her mouth, sucking on the long fingers. 

Ashley swallowed and shuddered, knowing what they'd just been doing. Her pussy clenched tightly and she shook quietly, her fingers growing damp where they were pressed against her panties. She lay still to come down, drifting off to sleep before she'd even recovered from the short but intense orgasm.



JJ and Ashley Ch. 02



Jan 9th, 2011

It was Sunday morning and Ashley, Chloe and Brenda were all bundled into Ashley's small sedan on their way back to school. The first stop was the airport, where they'd drop Chloe off. The petite blonde was studying theater and fine arts at Denison University in Ohio and had a five hour flight to catch. 

Ashley chewed her lip as she drove, wanting to tell her friends about seeing JJ again. It was the fair thing to do, since they'd all been friends and everyone had been upset by JJ's leaving. She probably should have spilled the beans at the slumber party, but the information had been so new, she'd kept it to herself until it really sank in. 

"You gonna chew your lip like that the whole way there?" Chloe grumbled from the passenger seat. She was curled up against the door, the hood on her grey hoodie pulled over her head. She was a dedicated night owl, so being up and around at 8 am was just a little too early. 

Ashley immediately stopped gnawing her lip, but turned to look at her friends. "I have something to tell you two." Brenda looked up from her book, and Chloe grunted. 

"I ran into JJ this last week." Ashley wasn't prepared for their reactions. Chloe sat up straight and pushed her hoodie back, her pale blue eyes wide. Brenda dropped her book and leaned so far forward her chin was practically on Ashley's shoulder. 

"Oh my god, when?" "Where?" "Did you talk to her?" "Is she really back?" "Where did she go, why didn't she ever call us?" "Please tell me she's okay." "Why didn't you say anything before now?" 

They shot questions at her, and Ashley fumbled to answer. "It was Friday at the grocery store. She was in line behind me. She looked okay, you know, all in one piece. I didn't really talk to her, I was in shock I guess. Actually, I kinda yelled at her." 

"You yelled at JJ? I've never heard you yell. Not even after the stripper incident." Chloe shifted to sit more squarely in her seat. "Have you ever heard Ashley yell?" Chloe asked Brenda, who shook her head.

"No, never. What in the world made you that upset?" Brenda pushed her brunette braid back her shoulder, only to have it slip over the opposite side. 

Ashley braked for a red light and blushed. "When I saw her, I was completely speechless. I mean, we all thought we'd never see her again. She looked at me and said 'Hey Ashley' in the same tone she'd said hello to the cashier with." Ashley shrugged and accelerated when the light changed. "It pissed me off that that's all she had to say the first time we see each other in ten years."

Brenda, ever sensible, nodded. "That would have pissed me off too. Yelling probably wasn't the best idea though." 

"I didn't really yell. I just kinda snapped at her. It was too surprising. I wasn't prepared for it at all." Ashley looked over at Chloe, who was watching her.

"Do you think she's back because her dad died last year?" Chloe asked, her sharp eyes watching Ashley intently.

"I have no idea. Like I said, I didn't really talk to her." Ashley changed lanes so she could get on the freeway.

"Are you gonna talk to her?" Chloe pressed, but Brenda shot her a look and butted in.

"If you have a chance to talk with her, since you still come back to town more often than us, tell her we say hi, and that we've missed her." Brenda patted Ashley's shoulder and sat back again. 

"You'd better tell Rebecca and Sarah too. They'll be upset that they're out of the loop." Chloe advised, then sensing that the conversation was being dropped, pulled her hoodie back up and zoned out for the rest of the ride.

Two weeks later Ashley was driving back home for a weekend of peace. She'd been so busy with school, track, and her part time job that her only free time was when she slept. She was beyond ready for two days of nothing. 

The drive took less time than usual, traffic light and the weather perfect. Ashley found herself home before her mom so, while she hauled her duffel in, Ashley made plans to meet Debbie for a late lunch. When she'd emptied her bag and started a load of laundry, Ashley hopped back in the car and drove to the local Home Depot where her mother worked in the floral department. 

Walking through the doors she inhaled the familiar smell of lumber and plastics. Waving to a few familiar faces, Ashley wandered the aisles, making her way slowly to the back where the landscaping department and flowers were kept. 

Turning a corner she stopped short to avoid a collision with another shopper. "Oh, excuse me, sorry." Ashley apologized, looking up into the woman's face. Her heart skipped and her throat dried up.

"It's all good, you didn't hit me." JJ replied taking a step back, her basket rattling. 

Ashley nearly stepped around JJ and continued on her way. Remembering what Brenda had said, Ashley paused. "It's good to see you again, you know. Everyone missed you." She spoke quietly, looking JJ up and down discretely. Her dark hair was cut short, buzzed and faded on the sides with much longer strands left up top. 

JJ moistened her dry lips before she spoke, the flash of her pink tongue sending butterflies into a frenzy in Ashley's tummy. "Yeah, it's good to see you too." Her voice was different, husky and lower than Ashley remembered.

"What brought you back to town?" Ashley asked, curious despite her nerves. She knew she'd have to arrange a skype call with the girls later to catch the girls up.

"Mack died about a year ago," Ashley nodded, remembering hearing the news, "I've got to get the old house fixed up so it can be sold." JJ stuck a hand in the pocket of her jeans, worn men's jeans, Ashley noticed. 

"I haven't been by there in forever. Does it need a lot of work?" Ashley moved to let another customer pass by. 

"Yeah, it needs a ton of TLC. I'm hoping to get it on the market before the end of the year." JJ cocked her head to the side, her dark eyes traveling down Ashley's body. 

Ashley blushed a little, but spoke, "Well, I'm guessing you've got more shopping to do, so I'll let you get back to it." JJ nodded, dark hair falling forward into her eyes. 

Ashley had only taken a few steps when JJ spoke again. "It was really good to see you, Ashley." Ashley looked over her shoulder at JJ, nodding because her throat felt too tight for words. 

She met her mom just inside the double doors of the gardening section and the two women set out for a quiet lunch. Debbie was quick to pick up on Ashley's funky mood and asked about it when they'd sat down with their subs.

Ashley shrugged, "I ran into someone unexpected and I'm not sure how I really feel about it." She unwrapped her food, but just picked at the bread.

Debbie frowned, "It didn't happen to be JJ, did it?" She unwrapped her sandwich, separating the halves.

Ashley looked surprised. "How did you know?"

"Mother's intuition. You never cried over any of your boyfriends, so I don't think seeing any of them would have you feeling confused." Debbie popped a fallen olive into her mouth. "And I saw her walking through the store."

Ashley sighed, "Yes, it was JJ. I just...I don't know. I felt like I was finally over the whole thing. It's been a few years since I've thought of her constantly. Old memories aren't painful anymore, you know. It took so long to get over her leaving and now it's all back. Like someone ripped the bandaid off and took half the scab with it." 

"It takes a long time to heal, Ashley, especially when you don't have the answers to your questions." Debbie shared a sad look with her daughter, sipped her drink, and then continued. "Sitting down and talking, if she's willing, might be the only way to put this behind you completely. I'm not saying that this will fix everything and you'll be best friends again. Too much time may have passed for that. The best you can hope for is answers, and maybe giving her the same." 

Ashley couldn't help the doubting tone in her voice. "You really think she'll want to know what I've been doing for the last ten years?"

"She might. At least give her the benefit of the doubt." Debbie patted Ashley's arm before finishing her sandwich. 

Ashley walked her mom back to work then returned home to finish her laundry and work on the essay she'd brought along to finish. After she'd finished her work, she fired off an email to her friends to set up a skype night. That cleared up the rest of her day to mull over what her mother had advised.

***

Sunday morning found Ashley running, as most mornings did. She started early, before the sun had risen and didn't plan to be home until after the sun was up. She ran and ran until her thoughts blanked out and she was completely focused on the rhythmic pounding of her feet and the complimentary thump of her braid on her back. 

She was on her way back home when she took a left instead the right she normally would have. Running down along the sidewalk she came upon the old Jameson house. She'd been by there a few times after JJ's ran away, but not since she'd left for college. Instead of an empty driveway there was a huge industrial dumpster placed crookedly on the slanted cement and a big black truck parked at the curb. 

The house was in need of major care, clearly having been neglected for some time. Ashley couldn't imagine having to take on a project as huge as this, but JJ had seemed confident she could handle it. 

The front door banged open, startling Ashley. JJ emerged with a roll of old carpet on her shoulder. Ashley watched JJ haul the carpet to the dumpster and toss it in. The years really had changed JJ. While she wasn't much taller than Ashley she was no longer the gangly child she'd been. Muscles bulged in JJ's arms and sweat soaked the thin undershirt she wore so it clung to her, revealing a sleekly muscled torso. Her entire eft arm was covered in an intricate tattoo, but Ashley couldn't tell what it was. 

JJ spotted Ashley on her way back to the house and paused, seemed to hesitate then came forward, removing the facial mask she wore over her nose and mouth. 

"Hey." JJ shucked her gloves and ran fingers through sweaty hair, combing it back from her eyes.

"Hi. I went for a run and found myself in your area. You were right, this place needs some love." Ashley gestured to the house then peeked at J's arm. It was a bunch of lines, delicate lines that twisted and curled along her arm, complementing the swell and curve of JJ's muscles. 

"Yeah, it's a pain in the ass more than anything, to be honest." JJ looked back at the house with barely hidden disgust. 

Ashley looked up in time to catch the look. "If it's such a hassle, why bother at all?" 

"Because Mack left it to me, so it's in my name now. If I leave it, then I'm the one who gets fined by the city for neglect and vacancy. I'd rather deal with it right away and be done with it once and for all." JJ turned back to Ashley while she spoke, tucking her gloves in her back pocket. 

Ashley found herself hesitant to ask JJ about sitting down like her mother had suggested, so she kept her mouth shut, which led to a silence that was becoming awkward. "Well, um, I'll let you get back to work. I'm sure you've got a lot to do." 

JJ sighed and nodded, running her hand through her hair again. Ashley looked up at the old house again as she turned to walk away. It was hard to believe this was the place where JJ had grown up, the place where she should have been safest, only to have the opposite environment. 

"You're welcome to stop by again, if you have time later." JJ called, still standing where Ashley had left her. 

"I'm going back to school today, but I might stop by next time I'm in town." Ashley smiled, waving at JJ. "Take care." 

"You too." JJ waved back and watched Ashley start jogging, then running down the sidewalk. Shaking her head JJ turned away from the enticing sight of Ashley's taut ass bouncing with each step. There was work to be done and ogling asses wasn't gonna get it done. 

She replaced her gloves and mask before re-entering the house. It had taken a week to bag up and throw out all the garbage in the place. The exterminators had taken the better part of the following week to clear the house of the pests and insects. Luckily, most of the nests had been amongst the rotted garbage, so much of the house was untouched by bug problems. It had been getting the leftover bugs to flee before they could start making nests and homes that had been key.

Now that the place was bug and rodent free, JJ was left with ridding the place of the outdated and trashed carpet and cabinets. It had been pretty cathartic to tear up the cabinets, taking a crowbar to them and even a sledgehammer to the old Formica countertops. The carpets were filthy so they were getting the same treatment. Cut into manageable chunks with a box cutter, she was methodically rolling up and throwing away the old shag carpet and the completely ruined padding beneath. 

She'd found concrete under most of it, but in the hallway, bathroom, and kitchen, there was beautiful hardwood flooring. She wasn't an expert, but it looked like it needed a good buffing to be good as new. She'd have to remember to ask about that next time she went to the hardware store. 

JJ walked back to the master bedroom where she had just one last chunk to roll up. Yanking sharply to rip it up at the edge, JJ started rolling up the carpet, leaving the pad behind. It would get its turn. She threw herself into the work and by the end of the day had the rest of the house carpet free. It was hard work and JJ was incredibly tired as she trudged to her truck. 

She ignored the neighbors who were getting home and staring. She didn't care what people thought, especially not when she was filthy and tired. Climbing into the truck she gunned the engine and pulled away from the curb. She wanted a hot shower and a good meal. In that order, right now with perhaps a strong drink to follow. 

JJ rolled her window down on the ride home, the crisp air chilling her skin and blowing through her hair. It felt good after sweating her ass off all day. What the cold air didn't do was keep her mind off Ashley. They'd bumped into each other twice in as many days. It was a small town, but shit, it wasn't that small. JJ braked for a red light and ran fingers through her hair. Today had been Ashley's doing, but yesterday had been by chance. Was there a reason for them seeing each other like that? Did Ashley expect something from her?

JJ shook her head and laughed at herself. She certainly hadn't expected Ashley to grow up to be such a stunner. Whenever she'd thought of Ashley, she'd looked the way she had at twelve, with skinny arms, knobby knees on long coltish legs and hair that refused to behave. Now Ashley's hair was long and JJ'd seen it loose two days ago, a curly blonde mane. Those long legs had filled out with strong muscles and her body had the slender curves JJ herself had never really grown into. Where JJ's own hips were slim and decidedly boyish, Ashley's hips were curved and perfectly proportioned to the rest of her body. Yeah, little Ashley Turner had grown up all right. 

The light changed and JJ accelerated a little too fast, shooting out before anyone else. She wasn't very comfortable with this train of thought. It made her want to go find Ashley and apologize for everything. For the silence of the last ten years, for never coming back, and for acting like nothing had happened when she did return. A part of her wanted to go back to the way things had been between them. No more awkward silences or stilted conversations, but whispered secrets and smiles. Holding hands and kissing in the dark. 

"Stop it. That's never going to happen." JJ shifted in her seat and looked at herself in the rearview mirror. "You're here to do the house and get out. Nothing else." She changed lanes sharply and made the next right turn into a small strip mall shopping center. She parked at Eddie's, a small and run down looking liquor store. She slid out of the truck and walked into the store, ignoring the old men who looked up from their chess game. She went right to the back where the Wild Turkey sat on the top shelf. She still had to stand on tip toe to reach it, but this time she would be the one drinking it, not Mack.

Eddie didn't look like he'd changed in the last ten years, his gnarled fingers gripping the bottle to scan it. His cloudy grey eyes watched her as he took her money and made change. "You look like your mother. You drink like your father. Watch it or it'll kill you too." 

JJ took her change and the booze, leaving the store without a word. "Crazy old man." She muttered, laying the bottle on the bench seat of the truck behind her tools. She backed up and drove back to her home base, the modest hotel room feeling much too small tonight. 

After a hot shower and vigorous scrubbing JJ dressed in clean jeans and a tee, covering up with a thick hoodie. She traded the dirty work boots for old red high tops and slipped her wallet and keys into pockets. JJ took the beanie out of habit, pulling it low over her ears. She smoked a quick cigarette on the way to her truck, flicking the filter away before climbing back in.

She ordered a hearty meal at the old diner, smiling at the older black man who cooked the meal and came around from the kitchen to hand it to her. "Thanks man." She picked up her fork and knife, and started to cut up the steak. 

"You probably hear this all the time, but you look just like your momma. Except for the haircut, course." The man blinked eyes that looked a bit watery. "Your momma used to work for me, before she married your daddy and had you, of course." 

JJ paused and looked up at the man, surprised at the information. "I didn't know that." 

The gentleman sat down heavily, his long body folding into the booth with some difficulty. "I expect there's quite a bit you don't know about your momma. I don't think your daddy was too happy to talk about her." 

"No, he never talked about her." JJ shook her head and continued cutting the steak, hunger finally overcoming her surprise.

"He was a good man, but losing your ma like he did ruined him." The man shook his head and patted her arm. "I wish you'd know him before that."

JJ stabbed a bite of steak on her fork, "I wish I had too." 

"Al, we need you back in the kitchen." The waitress smiled at JJ, winking when JJ smiled back. 

"I'll leave you to eat in peace then, missy." Al patted JJ's arm again and standing, shuffled back behind the counter. 

"You let me know if you need anything," the waitress tapped JJ's table then drifted off to take another customer's order. 

JJ let her eyes drift down the woman's back and linger on her legs, but knew that the flirting wasn't going anywhere. The woman was older than her and certainly attractive, but JJ wasn't a fool. She'd spotted the wedding band.

JJ cleared her plate and downed the soda before leaving enough cash on the table to pay for the meal plus a hefty tip. She nodded to Al before pushing the door open to leave. She smoked half a cigarette before driving back to the hotel, standing outside her door to puff on another before heading inside for the night.

Inside she shed her clothes, tossing jacket and jeans in the single armchair and kicking her shoes underneath. In just her undies and a tee shirt she grabbed the Wild Turkey and T.V. remote and stretched out on the bed. 

Sipping from the bottle and flipping channels without really watching, JJ lost herself in her thoughts. She'd known that bumping into Ashley was a possibility when she'd returned, but JJ hadn't really expected to see the other girl. Now that she had, all those old memories were surfacing. 

She and Ashley had been friends for four years, the best of JJ's childhood. It still astounded JJ how quickly they'd bonded and become friends, especially considering the age difference and her own less than social attitude. And the other girls in Ashley's group, JJ had considered them friends as well. Did any of them still live in Sierra Falls? How had they taken the news all those years ago? 




JJ and Ashley Ch. 02



JJ closed her eyes and sighed. If she was completely honest with herself, then she'd have to admit that she regretted leaving and waiting so damn long to come back. She regretted not writing or calling. She still had Ashley's number memorized, but every time she picked up a phone to dial, she froze up. JJ knew that Ashley had probably waited for a letter or phone call and it ate her up inside to think that the younger girl had waited in vain. 

Maybe she should just do what she wanted, find Ashley and apologize, grovel if necessary and ask her forgiveness. Explain where she'd gone and how difficult things had been. And scary. JJ shivered at the memory of trying to hitchhike at 16, flagging down truckers and being terrified for her life and safety. 

JJ sniffed, exhaling roughly. There was no use trying to dig up ancient history. Let Ashley be and focus on the house. Ashley had her own life and JJ wasn't about to butt her way into that and fuck anything up again. "Best to let dead dogs lie, right?" she asked the empty room.

***

Work on the house started off slowly. Once the carpet was torn up and removed, JJ scrubbed every surface she could. The drywall, the concrete under the carpet, and the wood floor all received a thorough cleaning. She'd been forced to rip out the old baseboards, half of them rotten and starting to grow mold. When she finished with the inside JJ turned her attention to the outside, removing the old fence in the front yard and knocking down the half rotted front porch. She fashioned a makeshift set of stairs with some old cinderblock, thankful that the back porch was still intact. 

The city came and removed the huge dumpster mid-February, about the time JJ was starting to buff and refinish the hardwood floor. She'd picked the brains of several carpenters at Home Depot for tips and how to best treat the floor. She had the house cleaned from top to bottom, the old lingering stench of rotten garbage finally gone. 

With the help of Chris, the Home Depot paint department manager, JJ had a plan for the rest of the interior. She'd finish the hardwood floor, then paint all the walls. When she was done painting, she could order cabinets, appliances, and carpeting. After the carpet had been installed, she could replace the baseboards. Chris estimated this would take her until late March, possibly April, depending on how fast cabinets and such was delivered and installed. By then she could work on the smaller things like replacing windows in the garage door, which surprisingly enough, worked and just needed some oiling to be perfect. 

The front porch would be next, but for now the cinderblocks worked. She would need to wait for the weather to warm up a little before she could do any landscaping or work on the roof. Not much was needed on the roof from what JJ could see. There were some missing shingles and the gutters needed to be cleaned up, but that appeared to be it. After that, there would be just some small touches to take care of. Light fixtures, clearing out the few boxes and the workbench in the garage that had survived the initial purge. 

Painting turned out to be slower than JJ expected. She got the color on the wall pretty quick, but it was the wait for it to dry that killed her. Rather than paint every room, she started with one and waited until she had done a couple coats before moving to the next. Starting with the living room first, she painted it a pale yellow, called Invigorating. It was a subtle color, not the yellow out of a crayon box, and she was pleased with the way it looked up on the wall. The first coat was on in a matter of hours, and needed even longer to dry. 

JJ puttered around in the kitchen for a while, double checking the window and back door. Both were in better working condition now than they'd been while she grew up here. Growing bored, she headed to the garage to start going through the shit left in there. 

Most of the boxes were old clothing, both from Mack and herself. She was a little surprised that Mack had kept her outgrown clothing, always assuming he'd trashed it. She re-boxed everything, making a mental note to stop by the small thrift shop and make a donation on her way home. She got through a quarter of the cardboard boxes that afternoon before it got too dark to see clearly. She decided to leave the two footlockers, the tool chest, and the free weight rack for later. 

This became her routine for the next two weeks. Paint a room, then putter until it dried. By the time the house was painted, she'd replaced all the garage door windows and removed the bars from every back window, which all opened easily now. She even had time to rebuild a front porch. February had given way to March and the last of the snow had melted under the slightly warmer weather. This meant that she'd be able to start working on the roof ahead of schedule. 

JJ sat on the new front porch and took a sip from the water bottle she held. Overall she was pleased with her progress. March was half over and she'd gotten the house halfway live-able. Not bad for one person, not bad at all. She had cabinets ordered for delivery in a few days along with carpet about a week later. She'd need to have an electrician and plumber come and work on the house, getting the pipes and wiring up to code, then she'd pick out appliances, a toilet and shower. 

She was tempted to take the rest of the day off, find something to do around town. She had been working hard, and it was definitely paying off. The house would be done early if she could keep the pace up. Best to take a break and rest up over the weekend before putting her nose back to the grindstone. "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy," JJ muttered under her breath, watching a group of high school kids tromping up the street, schools getting out early on Fridays. 

Finishing off the water with a cigarette to chase it JJ packed up the few tools she'd left out and locked the house up. She drove to Al's Diner for her lunch, smiling broadly at the older gentleman. "Hey man, I'll have a club sandwich with bacon when you've got a minute." She slid onto a stool at the empty counter.

"I've got plenty of minutes for you little lady." Al chuckled, "You want a drink, or a pickle with your sammich?" 

"Sure, can I get two of those pickles?" JJ asked, leaning on the counter to peek at the beer tabs. 

"Course you can, but I'm gonna charge you extra." Al gave her a look, followed by a smile.

"No problem. A glass of Heineken would be awesome too." JJ sat back and watched Al make up her food, plucking two plump pickles from the jar before sliding it onto the counter for her.

"And a Heineken, here you go." Al poured her beer and placed it on a cardboard coaster. "You got any plans for the weekend little lady?" Al asked, wiping his hands on his apron. 

"Not really, I was thinking about finding something to do, take a break from the house for a couple days." JJ took a bite of the sandwich, nearly groaning at the crispness of the fresh food. 

"That club behind us is having a themed dance tonight, it's probably about the biggest thing this town will have to offer for you young folks." Al rubbed his grizzled chin, thinking. "There's the movie theater and the old arcade. They revamped it a few years back to get new games or some such thing." 

"What's the deal with the club?" JJ asked, sipping her beer.

Al shrugged, "It's a club. They play loud music and probably offer all kinds of colorful drinks with crazy names. They have nights for under 21 kids to come and dance, but mostly it's 21 and over only. They've been doing things to keep people coming back. Themed dances, free drinks for ladies, men, or groups over a certain number. They were rented out for someone's bachelor party not too long ago. It seems like a fine place for youngsters like yourself." Al waved to a new customer, then turned back to JJ.

"I've never been inside, being much too old to keep up with kids these days. I've heard plenty of good about it though. Here's a flier for their shindig tonight." He laid a pink piece of paper on the counter. "That's the theme, Modern Masked Ball." Al patted JJ's arm and hobbled over to take the new patron's order, heading right back to the kitchen to start their food. 

JJ read over the flier as she finished off her sandwich. Wear a mask and get your drinks for free, first 200 only. Doors open at 9pm. Dancing and having a couple drinks sounded like a really good way to relax. It wouldn't be hard to find a mask at the local craft store. She'd seen them there before. 

Al ambled his way back as JJ finished off her beer. "You all done, little lady?" he asked.

"Yep. That was delicious, as usual." JJ wiped her mouth with a napkin and pulled her wallet out. 

"Let me ring you up. You're sure you don't want dessert today?" Al asked again, as he did every day.

"No, not today. That sandwich filled me up." JJ pulled some bills out, already having calculated her bill. 

Al returned with her bill but JJ handed him the cash without looking at it. "Change is yours. I'll see you tomorrow, man." JJ slid off the stool and waved before pushing the door open to leave. 

***

JJ parked her truck in the huge lot across from the club and double checked her pockets before slipping out. ID and debit card, check. Cell phone, check. Strap on safely tucked into her pants, check. Mask in hand JJ locked the truck and crossed the street, getting in the growing line before placing the black plastic over her face. It wasn't long before the bouncers had given her a red wrist band and let her inside. 

The music was loud, the bass thumping the walls and vibrating the floor. JJ squinted against the flashing lights that offered some visibility in the darkness. There were tables set up on a small raised perimeter around the dance floor, some with chairs and some with booths. The DJ sat in the furthest corner, his table strung with white lights. JJ was surprised at how dark the back wall was, then realized it gave couples a perfect place to get frisky. She headed for the bar which took up most of the wall immediately to the right of the door. 

Wedging between two couples JJ flagged down one of the bartenders, a cute girl with purple streaks dyed in pale blonde hair. "Hi, I'm Chloe. What's your poison?" 

"I'll take a beer and two whiskey shots." JJ had to shout to be heard, but had her alcohol almost immediately. 

"There are three of us that'll be making your drinks tonight. If you can't find me, or I'm busy, Jason," Chloe pointed out the tall and rail thin bartender at the other end, "or Richard," she jerked her thumb over her shoulder towards the burly man stacking freshly washed glasses, "will get you taken care of." Chloe grinned. "Nice mask, by the way." 

"Thanks." JJ grinned and knocked back her shots, chasing them with the cold beer. She turned around and leaned against the bar to scan the floor. All the tables were full, but JJ wasn't interested in sitting. She came to dance and enjoy herself. The dance floor was full of bodies without being cramped. The music was fast paced and the DJ was good, smoothly going from one track to the next. Men and women danced and writhed together, some wearing masks, others choosing to go without. It looked like there were a few groups who were sticking together as they moved about the floor, parting the other dancers in their passing. 

JJ finished off the beer while she watched the floor, then set the empty on the bar before making her way into the fray. It didn't take long for her body to be moving with the beat, almost as if the music was controlling her. She danced with men and women both, moving on before too long. Only once a young man got the wrong idea, wildly grinding against her. JJ wasn't sure what he was looking for, but when she took his hand and helped him cup her strap on he vanished pretty quickly. 

She returned to the bar twice for a cold beer and to catch her breath. The club was getting more packed as the night went on and the crowd on the dance floor was constantly changing. She had yet to dance with anyone twice, although the masks made it hard to be sure. She downed the beer and ran a hand through her hair, finger-combing the damp strands back in place while she weaved through people and back to the floor. 

JJ hit the floor just as a new track began pulsing through the club. Her body was moving to the strong and fast beat, her heart pounding along too. She started to linger with her partners, the alcohol in her system fueling her sex drive and eating away at her resistance. It wasn't long before she tossed her original plan to simply dance and started looking for someone to take home. 

There were plenty of girls to choose from, the dance floor more than half full of women. There were a couple false starts, one older woman with huge tits barely contained in a tight tube top had really gotten JJ worked up, only to leave when another man showed interest. JJ nearly gave up and turned to head for the bar when another dancer moved into her space. 

This girl was younger than tube top tits, probably closer to JJ's age although it was hard to be sure with the white mask covering her face. The mask matched her dress, a tight white slinky number that had wide shoulder straps and a short hem. It showed off strong shoulders and slender arms with just a hint of muscle. JJ let herself be approached, her eyes lingering on the girl's legs, also shown off to perfection by the short dress. Under the flashing lights her wild mass of curls were every color imaginable.

JJ was pleasantly surprised when the girl showed interest in dancing together, going so far as to wrap her arms around JJ's neck and rub her hips against JJ's. Very quickly they had a smooth, almost effortless rhythm and after dancing for a few songs, progressed from dancing to a grind that was essentially dry humping. When the girl pulled away and tugged JJ with her, JJ couldn't think clear enough to resist. Instead she watched the girl's ass, imagining how it would look bare and raised up in the air waiting for her cock. 

That image was still fresh in her mind when the other woman leaned against the dark back wall and pulled JJ to her. JJ kissed her, aggressively pulling her partner's tight body against her own and rubbing the rigid bulge of her cock against her. She was almost too far gone to notice the slight hesitation that turned into eager participation. Pulling back JJ looked into the young woman's face only to have her nose suddenly buried in the thick mane of curls that spilled over the girl's back and shoulder. Hot lips were exploring JJ's neck and a curious tongue was licking at the light sheen of sweat JJ had worked up dancing. Small hands pushed inside the unbuttoned shirt JJ wore over a thick black undershirt to roam up and down JJ's back. JJ groaned and cupped the girl's tight ass, squeezing the taut cheeks. She buried her nose a little deeper into the curls, and inhaled. Something sweet and crisp came to mind, clean and juicy. Like peaches or watermelon. 

Teeth tugged at JJ's earlobe, catching the small stud briefly. The hands inside her shirt tugged at the undershirt tucked into JJ's jeans and slipped underneath, slipping in the sweat coating JJ's skin. JJ shivered. It had been so long since another person had touched JJ intimately that just the girl's hands on her stomach was driving JJ crazy. JJ pulled away from the exploring hands and shook her head to clear it.

"Wanna get a drink?" JJ asked, nipping the girl's earlobe in a bit of payback.

"Sure." The girl grinned shyly at JJ before leading her to the bar. 

"Back for more?" Chloe asked, wiping the gleaming bar with a soft cloth. 

"You bet. Another beer for me, then whatever the lady wants." JJ helped the girl in white up onto a barstool. She missed the look of recognition between Chloe and her dance partner, wiggling herself into the space between the stools. 

"What would the lady like?" Chloe asked, shaking a loose strand of hair back. 

"A beer would be lovely. Thanks." The girl turned her attention to JJ as Chloe moved to get them both a cold one. 

Rather than talk the girl reached out and combed JJ's hair back, running a thumb over the shorter strands where JJ's fade ended. JJ gave her a little half smile and tugged on a curl, watching it spring back when released. Chloe set two beers down and winked at the girl before moving on to the next customer. 

In the slightly better lighting of the bar JJ realized the girl's hair was blonde, rich gold blonde that could only be natural. She also noticed the girl's mask wasn't just white, it was covered in tiny white feathers. 

"Nice mask." JJ didn't realize she'd spoken until the girl turned to look at her. 

"Thanks. I like yours too. Black's a good color on you." The girl looked JJ up and down with an exaggerated motion.

JJ chuckled, "Thanks." She sipped her beer, the cold bitter liquid cooling her down. "Do you come here a lot?" 

Even with the mask, JJ could see the girl's less than amused reaction to the question. "Not really. I'm not in town much these days with college." 

"I only ask because this is my first time here. I was curious if it was always this busy. I'm new to town." JJ explained.

"Welcome then. I'd say this place sees some good business most nights they're open. They keep it interesting, with drink deals or themes like tonight. I've come here a few times with the girls, but never on my own before." The masked girl downed half her beer in a long swallow. She seemed to realize what she'd said and gave JJ a sidelong look. 

"Are you going to need a ride home?" JJ set her beer down, wanting to be as close to sober as possible if the girl needed a ride. 

"No, that's not necessary." The girl declined, picking at the label on the bottle.

JJ watched her for a moment, knowing she'd made the girl uncomfortable. "Okay. Let me know if you change your mind. I'm not trying to be pushy." JJ held her hands out, "I've been alone at bars before and learned the hard way cab drivers aren't all good guys. Just trying to watch out for another girl is all."

The young woman turned to look JJ over, up then down. "You're female? I didn't realize." 

JJ shrugged, mentally kicking herself. She was seriously out of practice. "Small boobs. What's a girl to do?" 

"There's nothing wrong with small boobs. I just had the impression you were a guy." The girl gave JJ's pants and the obvious bulge a pointed glance. 

JJ cleared her throat and turned her hips to adjust. "Sorry. I wasn't trying to trick you." 

"You're fine," the girl waved her hand, brushing away JJ's apology. "I like it. You're pretty convincing."

JJ grinned at the compliment and picked up her beer again. "Glad to hear it." 

The girl leaned in close and touched the tip of her nose to JJ's ear. "I'd like to be convinced some more if you're up to it." 

They were soon making out right at the bar, JJ's hands roaming up and down the girl's thighs and hips. One of the girl's arms was wrapped loosely around JJ's shoulders while the other, the one closer to the bar, was between their bodies cupping JJ's cock, pressing the base against her aroused mound. JJ nibbled on the young woman's plump bottom lip and pushed her hips into the girl's hand. 

"You two done with these?" The burly bartender asked, gesturing to the empties. JJ pulled back and nodded. "Good. Now take your fun elsewhere. I got thirsty people to take care of." He smiled to soften the rebuke. 

JJ tugged the girl off the stool and made her way through the floor to the back wall, finding a nice dark spot. She gently pushed the girl into the brick wall and nestled into her neck. Small hands pulled JJ's hips into the girl who ground enthusiastically against JJ's crotch, one leg lifted and curled around JJ's hip. Sensing the rising urgency in the girl JJ scraped her teeth over the soft skin of her partner's neck, licking at the fast beating pulse just below the surface. 




JJ and Ashley Ch. 02



She continued to kiss and nuzzle the girl's neck while one hand supported her leg and held them tightly together. Her other hand ventured into unexplored territory and found a perfect boob to cup and squeeze. It was larger than JJ's own, but felt real and perfectly shaped, plump yet firm. JJ brought both hands up and tugged down on the dress's bodice, not able to free the girl's boobs completely but able to expose more of her modest cleavage. There didn't appear to be a bra in the way so JJ ducked her head and licked one plump swell, then the other. She nibbled and licked, sucking roughly on the left breast when the girl bucked extra hard against her. 

"Ohmygod." The girl gasped, a hand burying itself into JJ's hair to hold her head to the girl's chest. JJ recognized the jerky pumping and groaned into the soft flesh. She sucked harder, her hand on the girl's ass helping guide her grinding. "Oh..." the girl gave one last pump and shuddered, going limp between JJ and the wall. 

JJ unlatched with a wet pop and helped the girl stay on her feet. "Easy girl." JJ smoothed curls away from the girl's damp forehead and kissed the smooth skin just above the mask. 

"Ashley. My name is Ashley." The girl panted, her head falling heavily to JJ's shoulder. 

JJ's entire body went rigid with shock. How could she not have realized? College girl. Abundant, curly blonde hair. The way she smelled, something that hadn't changed in ten years. JJ's very suddenly sober mind was revolting at the knowledge that Ashley Turner had just cum in her arms, dry humping her cock. 

Ashley didn't notice JJ's reaction right away. She lifted her head and pushed curls out of her face, smiling behind the mask. When she caught on to JJ's stiff posture and body language she frowned. "What?" 

"Ashley Turner?" JJ asked, already sure of the answer.

"Yeah. How'd you know?" Ashley asked, suddenly cautious. 

JJ pulled her mask off and watched the instant recognition flash across Ashley's face. "Oh fuck." 

"You could say that again." JJ snapped her mask back in place and grabbed Ashley's wrist. "We need to talk." 

Ashley let herself be led outside to avoid a scene, but balked at getting into JJ's truck. "I'm not going home with you." She said firmly, pulling her arm from JJ's grip. 

"I'm not taking you home. Jesus." JJ opened the door and waited. Ashley hesitated, staring at her, but got into the truck. 

JJ drove carefully to one of the few places still open, a small coffee shop along Main Street. She parked and ditched the mask, tossing the black plastic onto the dash. Ashley left hers on the passenger seat and followed JJ inside. 

JJ ordered their coffee, paid and picked a small booth in the corner. Ashley sat across from her, squinting against the harsh lighting. JJ avoided looking at Ashley directly, instead she tunneled her hands in her own hair and glared at the Formica table top, trying to gather her scattered thoughts and wits. She didn't see the tired waitress who plunked their cups down, but she did hear Ashley's quiet moan of pleasure. That had her jerking her head up to see Ashley sniffing her coffee, eyes closed and smiling dreamily. 

That a simple sound could scatter her thoughts was worrisome for JJ. No other girl had ever gotten under her skin like this. She needed to figure out how to get Ashley out of her system, how to stop the effect the blonde had. 

"Did you know it was me?" JJ blurted, watching Ashley's blue eyes open slowly. 

"No. I seriously thought you were a guy at first." Ashley sat up and glanced down at JJ's shirt, her black undershirt mostly hidden under the open button down. "You're dressed the way I've seen some guys dress and like you said, small boobs. Not to mention a certain something else that seemed to be very blatantly male." Ashley sipped her coffee, eyeing the sugar longingly. 

"You didn't even guess, after I told you I was female?" JJ pressed.

"No. You're not the only lesbian in town." Ashley informed JJ, blowing gently on the dark liquid in her cup, pulling a slim phone from a hidden pocket in her dress.

JJ took a deep breath. She knew she was overreacting, but she didn't know how to react. Ashley Turner had just had an orgasm in her arms. Should she feel happy? JJ sipped her coffee to give herself a moment to gather herself back together. 

"I'm sorry. I really am. I'm not normally this agitated." JJ looked back up at Ashley, who gave her a small smile, fingers busy tapping away at the phone.

"Well, you're working all by yourself on that house. I'm sure that's stressful." Ashley pushed curls over her shoulder and JJ caught sight of the fresh hickey she'd put on Ashley's left boob. 

JJ looked away hastily and nodded. "It was at the start, but I think I'm about done with the hard stuff."

"A full home renovation is a daunting task even for a group of people. You're doing it alone." Ashley watched JJ comb her dark hair back yet again. "You're gonna be bald before you're thirty if you keep pulling at your hair like that." 

JJ made a disbelieving sound in her throat, but took her hands out of her hair. She shook her head and sighed again. "I'm really sorry about this. I overreacted. You were the last person I expected to see tonight. I didn't know you were in town." 

"Spring Break starts this week. It's only a week, so I'll be here for the next six days." Ashley looked at her phone when it buzzed, then answered the text message. 

JJ sipped her coffee, curling her hands around the warm cup. "I didn't...hurt you or anything...did I?" JJ asked, her eyes flicking up to the dark smudge on Ashley's boob. 

"No. Just the opposite in fact, which I'm sure you know." Ashley looked across at JJ, blushing rather hard.

JJ blushed too, a light pink stain covering her cheeks. They sat in silence, sipping their coffee and avoiding eye contact. 

"Well, now what?" Ashley asked, her coffee gone and the silence beginning to feel strained.

JJ shrugged, tipping her cup to get the last of her own coffee. "I don't know, Ashley." She set her empty aside and rested her arms on the table. "I've never been in a situation like this. Coming back somewhere after so long, and finding myself bumping into old friends without knowing how to handle that." JJ clarified. 

Ashley looked at JJ while she considered things. She felt like they had unfinished business, and it sounded like JJ felt the same way. Maybe closure was what they needed to move on for real. "Would you be willing to sit down with me, some other time when we're not both tired and don't have alcohol in our systems, and talk about things?" 

"Yes, I would." JJ nodded, relieved that Ashley already had this thought out. 

Ashley smiled, a real smile lighting up her face. "Great. Maybe later this week?"

"Anytime that works for you. I'm flexible. Did you have somewhere in mind?" JJ asked, pulling her phone out to set up a reminder.

"I was thinking somewhere private might be better. Things are bound to get a little emotional." Ashley cleared her throat, glancing at JJ.

JJ thought for a second, then passed her phone across the table. "Put in your number, then call or text your phone so you have mine. You pick the time and the place, then let me know. I'll meet you there."



JJ and Ashley Ch. 03



March 22nd, 2011

Ashley texted JJ the following Monday asking if she found meeting in Ashley's treehouse around 11 am that Tuesday acceptable. Despite herself JJ couldn't help grinning at the thought of sitting up there with Ashley. That treehouse was a place with good memories, first conversations and shy kisses. 

JJ agreed to be there, then filled her day with work on the roof. Over the weekend she'd gotten up there and realized the whole thing needed to be re-shingled, the shingles that were left either beginning to fall apart, or barely hanging on. This led to JJ tearing everything up, then going back to Home Depot for a crash course in laying roof shingle. 

She put those lessons to good use Monday, finding a good rhythm and finishing a little more than half the roof. She finished early and after another satisfying meal at Al's diner, went home to get some much needed sleep. 

JJ rang the bell the following morning right at 11. She had spent the morning puttering about the motel room, not wanting to start working on the roof, then pause to come over to the Turner's. She stuffed her hands into the pockets of her leather jacket and looked down at herself, still unsure about not giving into the desire to dress to impress Ashley. Her jeans were clean, but there was a hole in one knee and her tee shirt had seen better days. Its picture was faded so badly JJ couldn't even remember what it had been. She'd decided the leather jacket was necessary when she'd stepped outside for her first cigarette and the cold air had whipped right through her hoodie. 

The door opened, putting an end to JJ's wardrobe concerns. Ashley was wearing baggy sweats and a sweater with small holes along the neckline. "Hey, right on time. C'mon in."

JJ stepped into the house, overwhelmed briefly by a sense of déjà vu. Not much had changed. While the electronics were modern and there were new pictures on the walls, the couches were the same, arranged as JJ remembered. The house smelled the same too, warm and like something homemade. Following Ashley into the kitchen JJ found the source of the smells. Cookies were cooling on wire racks, covering half the island. 

"Do you want something to drink?" Ashley asked, continuing to fill a glass of milk. She looked up at JJ when she screwed the lid back on the jug. 

"Well I'd really like a beer, but you'd wanted to do this sober. Which is a good idea. So, just water." JJ cleared her throat and flexed her shoulders nervously. 

"We have soda and juice too." Ashley offered, opening the fridge. 

"Water'll be fine." JJ stepped up to the island, peering down at the cookies. "Did you make these?" 

"Yeah. One of the guy's Mom works with, his wife is having a baby shower. These are for that, later today. They invited everyone in the floral department. I guess it is a pot-luck style thing." Ashley explained, pouring cold water from a jug in the fridge into a tall glass for JJ.

JJ gladly accepted the water, her throat already feeling dry. She wasn't sure why she felt so nervous, her belly filled with hyper butterflies. She gulped some water, then set the cup down again. "So, you ready to do this?" 

Ashley looked over, her eyes sliding along the rim of her glass. She finished drinking and lowered the cup, a thin milk mustache left behind. "I am. Are you okay?" 

"Yeah." JJ lied, her gaze following the pink flash of Ashley's tongue as it swept the milk from her upper lip.

"Okay, just let me get a few things." Ashley turned and dug through a cupboard to find a Tupperware container, which she filled with cookies that were sitting off to the side of the rest. This she handed to JJ before picking up two thermoses from the back counter. "C'mon." 

It was a short walk outside, the cold still had a bite to it. Ashley climbed up a slanted wooden ladder that JJ didn't remember into the tree house. JJ followed, making slow progress with one hand full. 

She emerged into the wooden structure and handed the cookies to Ashley, who scooted back to give JJ room to get in. Straightening, JJ looked around, taking in the changes. There were less toys and more books. Larger pillows and even one of those armchair pillow things, just the back and arm rests that you lay on. There was still a pad and some colored pencils, but pastels had been added. Tucked into one of the larger shelves was a small camping lantern. The tarp that was stretched over the top in rainy weather or when the treehouse wasn't being used was folded neatly on another shelf, held down by the telescope. Ashley had a thick flannel blanket curled around herself, the cookies and thermoses in the center of the house. 

"Here. I don't know if you'll need it, with your jacket, but it's for you." Ashley handed JJ another blanket, the flannel material soft. 

"Thanks." JJ spread the blanket over her legs, the cold air seeping through the denim. 

"I made us some hot chocolate, dad's recipe." Ashley gestured to the thermoses.

JJ wasn't sure how to feel about all this. Ashley clearly had this planned out more than she did. Was she expecting something more than a talk? "This is cozy." JJ commented, not sure what else to say. 

Ashley blushed. "I'm not trying to turn this into anything. I just figured it would suck to sit out here and freeze our asses off. I'm guessing this talk will be difficult enough, why not be comfy and warm?"

"Hmm. Your logic is sound." JJ raised an eyebrow, a small smile growing on her lips when Ashley giggled.

They sat for a minute, quiet and watching each other. JJ was scrambling to figure out what to say when Ashley spoke up. "Did you ever make it to Maine? To your uncle?" 

"Yeah. It took me two months to get there. Bought a bus ticket, up at the station. I got kicked off at the first transfer the bus made. Someone had snagged my ticket and half my money when I was sleeping. Plus, I looked like shit." JJ scrunched her nose, remembering. 

Ashley looked at JJ's nose, remembering how terrible she'd looked that night. It had looked broken, angled completely wrong and thick congealed blood half filling JJ's nostrils. Looking at JJ's nose now, there was no sign it had been broken. No bump, no wonky twist or kink. It looked perfectly straight. 

"Did you try to get medical attention?" Ashley asked, curious. 

"I had to, if I wanted to get back on another bus. I found a little emergency clinic and they cleaned me up, reset my nose and wrapped up my ankle. They made me fill out a report too, but I gave them false information. I didn't want Mack to find me." JJ slipped her hands under the blanket to keep them warm. 

"By then I'm guessing you were out of money." Ashley prompted. 

"Yeah. I hitchhiked my way from Missouri to Kentucky where my luck finding truckers willing to pick me up ran out. I found some help in the first town I walked into. I ended up staying there for a while, an entire month. My ankle had a hairline fracture and walking on it wasn't letting it heal." JJ smiled, thinking back. "I walked into the first shop I found. It was a music store, where they sell instruments and stuff. The couple who ran the place let me stay with them, wouldn't let me leave until I was almost completely better. He taught me how to play a guitar and she helped me get another bus ticket."

"They sound like good people. Did you keep in touch with them?" Ashley probed.

"I send them an email every month or so. Just an update." JJ leaned forward and picked out a cookie. They were still warm on the bottom, the chocolate chips just cool enough to retain their shape. 

"Anyways, I had better luck with the second bus, making it to Maine. Uncle Ted was surprised to see me, but he didn't turn me away. Took me in and I stayed with him for a couple years." JJ bit into the cookie, sighing at the comforting taste. 

"It's good to know you managed to get there in one piece. I worried about that for years." Ashley tucked her blanket around herself more snugly. 

JJ looked at Ashley, chewing her cookie. She'd known that Ashley would worry but hadn't realized she'd done so for years. JJ had assumed that since she never wrote to Ashley or called, the younger girl would eventually forget about her. Her nerves were greatly settled by starting to talk, and JJ felt the need to keep talking, tell Ashley everything.

"No, I got there just fine. Uncle Ted wanted to tell Mack where I was by the second day, but I threatened to leave again. It was probably our only argument in the entire two years. He helped me get my GED and a couple jobs under my belt. I decided to leave after I was eighteen, the idea of traveling with just a bag of extreme essentials appealing. Uncle Ted wasn't real fond of that idea." JJ popped the last of the cookie into her mouth.

"It sounds like you and Uncle Ted were pretty close." Ashley noted, watching JJ lick melted chocolate from her thumb.

"We were. He told me about my mom, things Mack never shared. She and I could be twins, except for our eye color. She had blue eyes, light blue." JJ shifted and pulled her phone out, clicking through menus to pull up a picture that she showed Ashley. "I think Uncle Ted felt like I was her, that he had another baby sister to look out for."

Ashley looked from the photo to JJ, then back. There was a very strong resemblance. JJ had been right, the only difference was their eye color. Well, and the hair. JJ's mother had long straight hair that she wore down her back while JJ's was cut very short.

"So where did you go after you left? And what falls under the 'extreme essentials'?" Ashley sat back, pulling over a pillow to lean on. 

"Clothes, simple hygiene products. Money for food. That's all I took with me, since that's all I had. I traveled everywhere. Through most of the Midwest and parts of the south. I used the hell out of the Greyhound system. I picked up odd jobs here and there to pay for things. I kept it simple though, not buying anything I couldn't fit into a backpack or duffel."

JJ brushed her hair back from her face. "I was on another bus heading to the west coast when another passenger approached me. He worked as a photographer and wanted me to do some modeling for him. I know, it sounded like a complete gimmick." JJ caught Ashley's skeptical look and raised eyebrow.

"I was just as unimpressed as you are. He was headed to the same stop I was, so he gave me his business card. I looked him up and found out he was telling the truth. You ever heard of David Billington?" JJ asked.

"Yeah. He's the guy that does all the Victoria's Secret shoots and stuff." 

"Yep. That's what got him famous, but he does a ton of other work. He prefers to work with people, but I've seen some of his pictures of animals, puppies and kittens mostly. Adorable stuff. Anyway, I checked him out as thoroughly as I could then I called him to see if he had been serious. Long story short, I worked with him for about a year and a half." 

Ashley just stared at JJ, her mouth open in disbelief. "You were a model for David Billington?" 

"Only for a little while. Most of his models have much longer contracts." JJ grinned. 

"So, what kind of pictures did he take? I mean, I can't exactly picture you as one of those Victoria's Secret angels or whatever they are." Ashley snagged a cookie and took a less than dainty bite. "And what was he doing on a fricking Greyhound bus? Doesn't he have people to drive him around?"

"He had me doing something he called lifescapes. Portrayals of everyday life for the average American. I worked on a few other projects, but that was the big one he wanted me for. You got some chocolate..." JJ pointed to her own chin, indicating where Ashley needed to wipe clean. Ashley licked her chin, her tongue streaked with chocolate too.

"So you were a model. That both is and isn't hard to believe. I mean, with your looks, yeah I can totally see that." Ashley looked at JJ, taking in her flawless skin and delicate, yet strong facial structure. "I still can't believe he was on a bus though." 

JJ shrugged. "I dunno why he was there, but I'm kinda glad he was. I made some good money working for him."

"But you stopped after a while." Ashley reminded JJ, prompting the rest of her story.

"Yeah. I liked the money and didn't mind the work, but my contract was up and I was getting antsy. I still wanted to travel some more. So I did. By then though, it was late 2008 and I had accumulated more stuff. I ended up buying my truck and loaded her up to drive around the country. Well, the west coast. I did that for another year and a half, starting to think about settling own and having a place of my own. It was starting to get less exciting, staying in hotels and camping out in my truck. I made it to San Francisco, got an apartment with a friend, and got a new driver's license with the address. I'm pretty sure that's how the lawyers found me after Mack died." JJ shrugged again, "That's when I came back here." 

Ashley nodded, absorbing JJ's story and sorting out her remaining questions. "So, why didn't you ever write or anything? I waited to hear something from you. We all did." 

JJ exhaled heavily, some of her nerves returning. "I wanted to. I sat down to write you a letter. Wrote like three pages, telling you everything. I started to second guess myself, sure that you'd read it but not respond. I was scared, Ashley, and becoming a little jaded or skeptical of how I thought life worked. I mean, I was only in Maine because my own father had damn near beaten me to death." 

JJ pulled her knees up and wrapped her arms around her legs. "If the one person in the world who is supposed to love me and protect me isn't doing that, then why should I expect anyone else to care?" JJ held up a hand to stop Ashely's protest. "I wasn't in the best headspace then. That was how I felt then, and for a few years afterwards, despite Uncle Ted's care and love. Mack never treated me the way Uncle Ted does, with respect and true affection. He covered the physical and material essentials but that was it." 

Ashley blinked, her eyes tingling as tears started to form. "I didn't know things were so bad, JJ. Why didn't you say anything? I could tell things weren't the same for us, but I didn't know he basically ignored you." 

"I wasn't about to make myself vulnerable to anyone. I learned the hard way that wasn't a good idea. And by the time I was comfortable around you and your family and friends I was ashamed of what I didn't have." JJ rubbed her chin, thinking back to how her younger self would bottle up the pain and longing for anything close to the normalcy Ashley had.

Ashley frowned sadly, but didn't press JJ. "For the record, I would have read any letter or postcard you'd sent. And I would have replied too. I would have written you half a novel, if I'd known where to send it." 

JJ smiled, reaching for the thermos closest to her. "I can see you doing that." She opened the top and took a sip of the rich warm liquid. "Oh man, that's good."

"Dad's recipe." Ashley gave JJ a small smile. "So, this is probably a really forward question, but I'm curious. With you traveling and bouncing around so much, how was the dating scene?" 

"Uh." JJ hadn't expected that question and tried to think of how to explain.

"Sorry, I'm just, I had the impression you've got quite a bit of experience." Ashley's cheeks were a deep pink, and her pupils had dilated noticeably.

"I wouldn't call what I did dating. More like one night stands, and more than I'm really proud of. Well," JJ's lips curled up into a cocky half grin as she remembered a few girls. "There are plenty I'm proud of, but it's more the overall number and the way I went about it that's not so great. What about you? What have your dating experiences been like?" JJ turned the question on Ashley, still grinning when the other girl blushed again. 

"I figured out dating towards the end of high school. And not quite as fast as Chloe and Rebecca did. Chloe was all over boys from our first day and hasn't quit since. She's not slutty about it," Ashley clarified, defending her friend's honor and reputation, "She enjoys men, sex, and isn't shy or ashamed of it. I know for a fact that she's careful about her partners and protection, even if she seems to have a carefree attitude about it." 

"I wouldn't know. I haven't run into anyone else but you." JJ was glad that Ashley still had her circle of friends, a small part of her bitter about not having something like that.

"She was the bartender at the club." Ashley reminded JJ, who raised her eyebrows in surprise. "She works weekends there when they call her and have an opening. But, back to dating, I was a little slower about it that the rest of the girls. Most of the boys weren't really appealing to me, being too immature or just plain crude. There were a couple who I liked and dated. Do you remember Franklin Blackwood?" JJ frowned, and shook her head. 

"He was in my class, a shy guy who most other girls didn't seem to see. We were paired up for a biology project freshman year and became friends. We dated through most of our junior and all of senior year, but we both knew it wasn't really going anywhere. I love him but more like a brother than a boyfriend. Frankie was going to Harvard and I was staying closer to home, so we ended things after graduation. We text every so often, he's got the prettiest girlfriend ever and they're both so head over heels for each other. They're almost as bad as Rebecca and Amy." Ashley shuddered, which made JJ ask for clarification.

"You remember Rebecca. Bossy and so overly confident. She was sure she'd be queen bee of our class by the end of our first week of high school. Half the guys were already drooling over her by the end of summer. So we get through half of our first day, meet for lunch like we planned and she comes over with this girl, tall and really thin, with the craziest hair. Shaved, on the sides," Ashley gestured around her own head, "All her hair left up top and in the back. She kept it braided because it was really long. That was Amy. Her family had moved over the summer and she was a transfer student. I think she'd only been in town about three days." 

Ashley sipped from her own thermos, the cold air and all the talking drying her throat. "So Rebecca sits down and introduces Amy to all of us, then they spend the rest of lunch, like, an entire fifty minutes, just staring at each other with goofy grins on their faces. We all kind of thought it was just puppy love. We were fourteen and none of us were looking for a soul mate. We just wanted to survive high school." 

"So are they still together?" JJ was curious now, remembering the brash redhead. She felt a sense of pride that Ashley and her friends had, seemingly, so easily accepted that their friend was in love with another girl. 

"Mmhmm. They live in Rhode Island, freezing their asses off and working their brains to mush. Becca is studying to be a nurse while Amy is in a mechanics trade school." Ashley tucked her thermos just inside her blanket, holding it close to her body.

JJ enjoyed hearing about Rebecca and was glad she'd found someone she was happy with, but she found Ashley still hadn't answered her real question. "But, what about you? I'm sure there are more mature guys around now that you're in college." 

"There are. I'm not in any kind of a rush to start a relationship though. Between track, keeping up my grades, and working part time, I don't have the time that would be necessary for a relationship. It wouldn't be fair to any of the guys I know. They're all too nice and good to take advantage of like that."

"And I'm not really into the whole, casual sex thing." Ashley blushed at JJ's direct stare. "I mean, there's nothing wrong with it, if that's your thing. I would just prefer to have my first time with someone I really love, like, with my entire being. Heart and soul." Ashley explained, keeping JJ's gaze even though she wanted to duck her eyes down, feeling especially shy.




JJ and Ashley Ch. 03



"So you've never," JJ let her question hang.

Ashley shook her head. "No. Not yet. I'm not trying to save myself for marriage, just something and someone really meaningful to me. I want what Mom and Dad had." 

JJ frowned. "Had?" 

Ashley swallowed and took a deep breath. "Dad died five years ago. He was flying back from covering a story halfway across the country. It was a small plane with about twelve passengers. It crashed after being in the air for less than an hour. One or two people survived, but not Dad." 

JJ reached out and laid a hand on Ashley knee, her throat tight. "I'm so sorry Ashley." 

Ashley sighed and gave JJ a small smile. "Thanks." 

JJ scooted closer, wanting to give Ashley a hug or something. "Did anyone investigate?" 

"Yeah. They never gave an official reason, but they think it was just poor engine maintenance. Bolts were worn and snapped. Boom." Ashley shrugged. "Mom and I still have each other, but it was rough for a while. Still is some days." 

The girls sat in silence for a minute. Ashley found herself without any more questions. She hunched her shoulders, feeling depressed. She tried to shake it off, not wanting a poor mood to spoil her talk with JJ.

JJ could see that Ashley was still upset. Wrinkling her nose at her own hesitation JJ moved next to Ashley, ditching her blanket to wrap an arm around the blonde. Ashley stiffened briefly, not expecting the contact, then relaxed into JJ. In an effort to lighten the mood JJ plucked up a cookie and offered it to Ashley. "Cookie?" 

Ashley smiled and took the treat. "Thanks." She sighed and rested her head on JJ's shoulder. As she nibbled on the cookie Ashley soaked in the calm quiet that JJ seemed to radiate. She'd forgotten how comforting JJ's presence could be. She'd already been reminded how exciting it was to be near JJ. The memory of dancing so intimately at the club brought a blush to Ashley's cheeks, but she pushed those thoughts aside. Instead she enjoyed the comfort JJ was giving. She inhaled deeply, JJ's dark and spicy scent mixing with the natural smell of the leather jacket. Ashley snuggled into the hug, relishing the warmth and the memories that sprang to mind with each breath.

"So, now what?" JJ asked quietly, her arm still around Ashley. She was enjoying the closeness, but wasn't sure if their talk was over. She didn't want to leave with any unfinished business or unanswered questions.

Ashley raised her head and separated from JJ a little, readjusting her blanket and thermos. "Well, I'm not sure. I wasn't too sure you'd show up, even though you agreed to talk." She whispered the last sentence, not wanting to hurt JJ's feelings with her honesty.

"I don't really blame you. I haven't exactly kept promises before." JJ looked down at her hands, picking at a hangnail.

"While that's true, I understand why. And I forgive you. I didn't think about how difficult things were for you. Like I said earlier, I knew we had different upbringings. By the time I was old enough to see most of the differences, I'd just thought that being a single father, Mack struggled to make ends meet and maybe didn't quite know what to do with a daughter." Ashley clicked her thermos open and took a long swallow of the warm liquid chocolate.

"Hence the baggy second-hand boys clothing?" JJ asked, watching Ashley swallow, then looking away quickly. 

Ashley blushed lightly. "Yeah." 

"You were right about half of that. He had no idea what to do with me." JJ leaned her elbows on her knees, her hair falling over her forehead. 

Ashley watched JJ run her fingers over the grain of the wood floor. She thought about everything JJ had shared, her own feelings and thoughts both now and over the last ten years. She'd been in love with JJ when she'd run away. Ashley knew that, but had dismissed it as puppy love over the last decade. The club had made it obvious they had a certain physical chemistry. More than that though, Ashley felt like she and JJ had a deeper connection. Maybe she was just reading too much into things, projecting from and exaggerating their childhood relationship. 

"I have a question." Ashley hooked some hair behind her ear, a curl springing free almost immediately. "But first, I need to ask you to be completely, bare bones honest with your answer." 

"Okay." JJ sat up and gave Ashley her full attention.

"Where do you think we'd be right now if you'd never run away? Like a best case scenario 'what if'." Ashley folded her hands, twisting her fingers nervously.

JJ blinked in surprise, nothing coming to mind right away. If she hadn't run, if Mack had never found out, then they would have been free to continue. To kiss in private and let their childish new love grow and mature as they did. If she kept this within the bounds of a best case scenario, then JJ could see them growing past private kisses. Holding hands in public and going everywhere together. As a couple. 

The thought threw JJ for a moment, her dark eyes glancing at Ashley who silently watched her. Blonde eyebrows lifted but JJ looked away again. Could they have been a couple? Really been committed and true to each other. Her eyes slid back to Ashley, lingering. Ashley waited patiently, her eyebrows lifting again under JJ's gaze. 

JJ took a deep breath, looking into Ashley's pure blue eyes. "I think we'd be a couple, committed partners."

Ashley blushed but smiled at JJ. "That was what I always imagined." She admitted quietly. 

Neither knew what to say after that. JJ found herself swamped with memories of sitting in this treehouse with Ashley perched nervously in her lap as they kissed just as shyly. Ashley was racking her brain for what to do next. She agreed with her mom, there was no way to just pick up where they left off. There had been too much time and they were too different for that. But maybe, they could learn to be friends again. 

"How about we just let things go from here?" Ashley suggested. "Go with the flow, you know. Do our own thing, but if we bump into each other, I think we can be more than civil. You still have the house to work on and I'm swamped with school stuff most of the time."

"So go our separate ways but be polite to each other?" JJ didn't really like the idea too much. She'd been hoping, almost too optimistically that they'd end on better terms than that. 

"Well, to a point. It's not like I'm in town all the time. And you're still busy with the house. What I meant was that if I want to text you, I will. If you want to call me, you can. No strings attached from our pasts. No expectations about the future. I'd like to renew our friendship, but if we're just polite in public, then I can accept that."

"I like that idea. I would like to start this over too, be friends again." JJ grinned over at Ashley. 

***

It took a few awkward phone calls and texts but before long Ashley and JJ talked almost every day. They talked about anything, even religion and politics. While they didn't always agree, and more than once had a heated debate, the two young women grew more familiar with each other, even when Ashley went back to school and JJ kept up on the house. 

March gave way to April and JJ had less to do on the house. The roof was finished, gutters installed along the eaves. She had carpet and kitchen cabinets installed. Bathroom appliances had been picked out and were being shipped. After a tub and toilet were installed she was going to order the vanity cabinet and sink. She'd occupied herself painting and cutting baseboard, installing it herself in every room. After the plumbers were done righting everything in the bathroom and kitchen JJ would make an appointment with an electrician to inspect the house and fit some light fixtures. 

It was warming up enough to do some much needed landscaping. JJ hacked away at the grass in the backyard until it was short enough to run the lawnmower over. She picked up some tips from one of the other ladies who worked in the floral department of Home Depot on fertilizing and watering schedules. 

JJ built a new decorative fence for the front yard, one that mimicked the old one. She asked Ashley for her opinion on the colors, surprised at the deep red Ashley suggested. JJ painted the decorative front window shutters the same red, pleased with the overall look. 

The last Friday of April JJ found herself bored for the first time since she arrived in Sierra Falls. She had nothing to do on the house. Nothing was being delivered, nothing needed to be ordered. No appointments needed to be made. JJ walked through the house, pleased with the lighter atmosphere it had. Maybe it was the subtle, light colors on the walls or the open windows. Maybe it was the hard, honest work JJ had put into the place. 

JJ decided to check out the garage again. She'd spent some time in there recently when she painted the baseboards and remembered she had left a few boxes and items to deal with later. It was later. She sent Ashley a text, asking if she was still coming home for the weekend as she pushed into the stuffy garage. 

She was dragging the blue footlocker out when her phone dinged. JJ smiled and hauled the heavy box to her old bedroom before straightening and reading Ashley's affirmative answer. 

JJ was really happy that she and Ashley had sat down to talk. Things were way more relaxed between them now. Not quite where they'd been before, but an improvement on how things had been between them when JJ had first gotten back. JJ wanted to take Ashley out this weekend, as a surprise, and just spend an evening together. Like they used to. 

JJ knelt in front of the locker and inspected the lock. It was an old, cheap lock. Probably more for appearance than actual security. JJ used the smallest screwdriver she could find to play with the tumblers until it clicked open. Removing the lock and flipping the latch, JJ opened the foot locker. 

Her first sense was confusion. The trunk seemed to be filled with women's clothing, a floral blouse folded next to a sweater. JJ pulled out the worn, carefully folded sweater and unfolded it. The gold script embroidered over a picture of Minnie Mouse read 'Emily Morrison'. 

JJ froze, her heart tripping rapidly in her chest. Her eyes prickled with a sudden surge of tears and it was hard to draw an even breath. This had belonged to her mother. The footlocker was her mothers.

Carefully refolding the sweater JJ set it on the floor, running her fingers over the stitching. Her mother's clothing had been here all along, something Mack had never ever hinted at. JJ felt her anger towards Mack increase. She'd longed and ached for some way to feel close to her mother her entire life. There had been no pictures to look at. No home videos to watch. Nothing to suggest she'd even existed. 

Shaking off the anger that was beginning to boil her blood JJ turned her attention to the trunk. Under the first sweater there was another, but between the layers there were several small zippy bags with jewelry inside. JJ lifted them out individually, looking at the necklaces, earrings and rings that had belonged to her mother. Just looking at the bags JJ knew her mother had preferred the delicate side of things. Thing, fragile chains and tiny but real jewels. 

The jewelry set aside, JJ pulled out another, thick knit sweater and stacked it on top the first. Beneath was a stack of button up blouses in pale pinks, light reds, varying shades of blue, green, and white. JJ took out the whole stack, about fifteen deep. There was a white photo album with gold lettering spelling out 'Our Wedding'. JJ pulled it out, but set it aside, not ready for what that held.

JJ decided to clear out all the clothing on the other side, skirts, shorts and a few pairs of jeans. At the bottom of the stack was another, larger photo album with a plain brown cover. JJ set that with the other, and kept going. Year books from the local high school were next, revealing tiny baby clothing. JJ took a deep breath and pulled out the newborn size clothing, knowing that she'd once been tiny enough to fit into these clothes. This was all so surreal to JJ, who pulled out another small zippy bag filled with short, fine black hair and labeled 'Jordyn's first haircut'.

A tear fell from her eye, quickly followed by another. Her mom had saved her hair. For some reason this struck JJ very hard, more tears burning as the fell from her eyes. JJ sat back on her heels and sniffed, blinded by the tears, holding the bag of her baby hair. Emily had saved JJ's hair, wanting to have a memento from her infancy. It was another clue to the mysterious woman her mother was. She saved the small things that many people regarded as unimportant, because they were important to her. The newborn clothing and shoes were saved for the same sentimental reasons. 

JJ dug the heels of her hands into her eyes to clear the tears, adding the baggie of her hair to the pile. Towards the bottom of the box lay a quilt, clearly for a baby with soft pastel colors and baby animals frolicking on the multicolored background. JJ took it out, laying it gently on the floor with the other mementos. 

JJ sat back, looking at everything she'd pulled from the box, all belongings of her mother. She swallowed to relieve the thickness of her throat and reached for the yearbooks. She opened the first and paged through the opening pages, foreword and various beginning of year memories. She skipped the faculty and slowed when she got to the freshman section. They were listed alphabetically and it was easy to find her mother. There she was, fresh faced, smiling brightly, with her hair carefully brushed straight and half hanging over her shoulder, half down her back. It was almost like looking at her own school pictures. 

JJ did the same with each of the other books, paging through and finding her mother, watching as she grew and matured. She'd flip through each book in search of her face, finding her in groups at dances and volunteer days. It was in the last, from Emily's senior year, that JJ stumbled on a picture that made her pause. Emily stood with a group of kids, all from her class at a volunteer assembly. The man to the right of her mother was tall with broad, strong shoulders. His large hand held Emily's, both of them smiling at the camera. JJ didn't need to look at who was in the picture to know that was Mack. The Mack she'd known had never smiled like that, and had let himself go quite a bit. 

She paged back through each yearbook and found Mack, usually a page before Emily. He looked so different from the man she remembered. JJ almost couldn't believe he was the same man who'd raged at her, pinning her smaller body to a wall and beating her until he'd had his fill. 

She took her time, reading what Emily's friends had written on the blank pages and in the margins. JJ was smiling by the time she was finished, glad her mother had been such a well-loved person. Almost the entire class had signed something, even some kids from other grades. Mack had taken half a page in each, writing about the year, thanking her for help on this or that subject, and carefully revealing his feelings for her. 

JJ's eyes landed on the white photo album, her emotions rising to the surface again. With a heavy sigh she set aside the yearbooks and pulled the soft white book into her lap. The first page was just a piece of paper listing the date, Mack and Emily's names, and the location. JJ read the address and realized it was the old church in town. She'd never been inside, since she wasn't religious and Mack never went there either. 

JJ turned the next few pages, taking in the setting. Pews lined with white lace and tulle, big white bows on the ends. The altar at the front bedecked in white, with a small table with three candles. The priest stood off to the side in his robes, hands folded calmly in front of himself and smiling serenely for the photo. 

There were pictures of people, who JJ could only assume were family in some and friends in others. She turned another page and gasped quietly. Her mother stood with her back to the camera, an older woman with dark hair liberally streaked with grey zipping up her white wedding dress. JJ looked closely at the other woman, guessing she was Emily's mother and her grandmother. Another person JJ'd never met. 

Swallowing again JJ slowly flipped through, watching her mother get ready. Stepping into heels, adjusting a garter. Emily's mother and a bridesmaid helping arrange the veil and train. One that looked like a candid moment between Emily and her mom, both smiling at each other as they held the bouquet, their faces so close they almost touch.

Emily's father seeing her for the first time, his face filled with awe, pride, and just a hint of sorrow that his daughter was no longer his little girl. The photographer had captured another quiet moment with Emily and her father, her arm already on his, her eyes closed and a smile looking just a little wobbly as he kissed her forehead. 

JJ watched her grandfather walk her mother down the aisle, following the bridesmaids who wore simple ice blue dresses and a small bouquet each. Mack stood at the altar with the priest, tall and strong, looking like he'd put on some muscle since high school. He wore a white suit, his tie the only color and an ice blue to match the bridesmaids dresses. She watched as they got married, the moment when they lit the candles and gave each other the rings captured for all time.

She moved through the reception and to the posed photos. Groups of guests, the bridesmaids, with and without Emily. Emily and her parents, then with her mother and father separately. There were several of the entire bridal party, shots of the groomsmen similar to the one of the bridesmaids. There were two of Emily and Mack, one posed and one a little more candid. In the posed picture they stand next to each and smile widely at the camera. The candid shot shows them looking at each other with so much emotion plainly expressed on their faces and in their body language that JJ sighed, another tear slipping down her cheek. 

There were a few more photos, pictures of them signing their marriage license, their hands together to show the rings. The last page was their marriage certificate, signed and stamped with an official seal. JJ shut the album and wiped her eyes, looking with some trepidation at the other photo book. After a moment of hesitation JJ leaned forward and swapped albums. 

The first several pages were full of pictures of Emily from high school, with friends and Mack in several. There seemed to be a gap in time, the pictures going from high school to Emily and Mack in front of the house JJ had just fixed. From their smiles JJ guessed this was a first home photo. She flipped the page and stared at the following photos, realizing they were ultrasounds, but her brain refused to gain traction. 

Knocking at the door caught JJ's attention, breaking her out of the funk she was sinking into. Getting up carefully JJ strode down the hall and to the door, not even giving a thought to who could be at the door. 

***

"Hey!" Ashley beamed at JJ when the older woman opened the front door. It took about three seconds to realize JJ wasn't in the mood, and had been crying. "JJ, what's wrong?"

Instead of answering JJ brushed past Ashley with a sniff. Ashley turned and watched JJ sit heavily on the porch steps, pulling a battered pack of cigarettes and a lighter out of her back pocket. She went and sat next to JJ, waving away the thick cloud of smoke JJ exhaled. Ashley didn't speak, knowing that JJ would talk when she was ready.

Ashley watched JJ smoke, the occasional tear running down JJ's cheek only to be brushed away in a hurry. Ashley had never seen JJ cry, not even the night Mack had beaten her. This must be something big. 

After three cigarettes JJ lit her fourth but puffed on it slowly. "I found this old footlocker trunk in the garage back in February. I opened it today." Goosebumps rose on JJ's arms, despite the warmer weather. "Everything in it belonged to my mother." 




JJ and Ashley Ch. 03



Ashley sat up straight and waved away the tendril of smoke that lazed its way over. "Like clothing?" 

JJ nodded, "And yearbooks from high school. Photo albums from their wedding and life together. She kept a bag of my hair after my first haircut." JJ looked over at Ashley, frowning to keep the tears at bay.

"Have you looked through everything?" Ashley asked, not sure what to say, wanting to offer JJ comfort. 

"I just started on the last album. I found an ultrasound, well, a whole page of ultrasounds. Of me." JJ sucked hard on the filter and exhaled through her nose. 

Ashley scooted closer, her hip touching JJ's leg. "I think it's sweet that she put them in an album. I bet she looked at them, trying to figure out what you'd look like. I would." 

"It's fucking creepy. I've never met her and now I can see inside her." JJ flicked ash.

Ashley clucked her tongue and elbowed JJ. "Don't be dense about this. It's not creepy, it's beautiful. I've seen my ultrasound pictures. Mom has a whole bunch." 

JJ shrugged and sniffed. 

"Are you going to look through the rest of it?" Ashley asked, hoping the answer was yes so she could continue this train of thought.

"Probably. I hate leaving things unfinished." JJ had a sarcastic tone as she answered, putting the cigarette to her lips. 

"Would you mind if I joined you?" Ashley checked out her nails, missing JJ's sharp look. 

"Why are you even here? I thought you were coming home later." JJ changed the subject. 

"My last class was canceled, so I left early. Can I?" Ashley batted her eyelashes at JJ.

JJ scowled and tossed her cigarette butt away. "Fine."

Ashley smiled and followed JJ back inside, down the hallway and into one of the bedrooms. "Nice color." Ashley commented, admiring the pale seafoam green on the walls. 

"Thanks. This is my old room. I wanted a good color for it." JJ sat back down in the circle of her mom's belongings. 

Ashley picked up the soft baby quilt and sat with it on her lap. "It's a great color. Where did you leave off?" 

JJ sighed and pulled the photo book back into her lap. "I was here. Ultrasound pics."

Ashley leaned into JJ's space to look. "It's all your parts! Look, there's a hand in this one, your foot, face, um, spine and the back of your skull. Look at how perfect you were." Ashley pointed to each image as she named them off. 

JJ didn't say anything, just flipped the page and groaned quietly. Emily had taken pictures at each month, capturing the progression of her pregnancy. 

"Wow, you too do really look alike." Ashley muttered. "No offence or disrespect, JJ, but your mom was cute." 

JJ craned her neck to look at Ashley. "Are you saying I'd look cute with a massive watermelon belly?" 

Ashley giggled. "You might. She does." 

"We'll never know, though. Moving on." She flipped the page, then another, skimming baby shower photos. 

"Oh, JJ." Ashley sighed quietly when they found the first hospital pictures. Emily looked tired and tiny in the bed, her face pale but beaming, an even tinier bundle in her arms. There was a close up of JJ, red and crying, in the incubator. "You had so much hair!"

"Yeah." JJ agreed, swallowing roughly. She'd never seen herself as a baby before. Her eyes flicked over to the picture of Mack holding her for the first time, his eyes glued to her, tears running down his cheeks. JJ felt her own tears fall, one splashing onto the page. Ashley wiped it away without a word.

They continued through the album, so many pictures of baby JJ. She slept a lot, smiling and crying in some. Eventually she learned how to roll over and sit up. Then she was eating foods, splattering it everywhere. And after crawling was mastered, she was walking, both parents taking turns to hunch over and guide her. 

"You're adorable." Ashley sighed, laying her head on JJ's shoulder. 

"Yeah...what happened, right?" JJ joked.

"Don't say that JJ. You've gone from adorable to goddamn beautiful. So shut up." Ashley's tone was more serious that JJ would have expected. "If you don't believe me, just look at your mother. You really are identical. If you ever doubt that you're beautiful, just look at her." 

"It was just a joke, Ashley." JJ offered, feeling like she poked at a soft spot for Ashley. 

"I realize that, but I want you to know that I don't agree with it." Ashley rubbed her cheek on JJ's shoulder. 

They didn't speak again, watching JJ grow in fits and spurts. All too soon she'd had a second birthday and JJ's stomach tightened sickeningly. Sure enough, after pictures of JJ dressed less than happily in an Easter dress, the pages were blank. Ashley's hand slipped between them and curled around her elbow. 

JJ flipped through the blank pages, a loose sheet of paper falling from the back of the album. Ashley picked it up, gasping at the headline, big bold letters announcing the death of a local woman in a hit and run. There was a photo beneath the headline, the colors faded slightly with age. Mack stood in a dark suit next to a coffin, one hand on the wooden box and the other down at his side, holding JJ's tiny hand. Little JJ stood with her father, the hem of her dress curling up, her small face tipped back to look up at the glossy coffin. She clutched a single flower in her small fist.

JJ stood, her sudden movement almost knocking Ashley over. She hurried out of the bedroom leaving Ashley in the midst of everything. Ashley carefully set aside the photo album and the newspaper clipping before following JJ. 

She found JJ outside again, but on the back porch. JJ was standing stiffly at the stairs of the wooden decking, her arms crossed tightly over her chest emphasizing her unsteady and harsh breathing. 

"Is there anything I can do?" Ashley asked quietly, well aware of the sharp pain brought on by memories of a lost parent. 

JJ didn't respond, continuing to glare across the yard with such a rigid stance Ashley thought a single touch might knock her over. Ashley sighed and came up to JJ's side to offer comfort with her presence. She rested her hands on the porch railing, her thumb stroking the rounded edge. 

They stood there for quite some time, Ashley fidgeting as more time passed but JJ never moving past breathing. Ashley shifted her weight again, looking over at JJ. Tear tracks were evident on the older girl's face, matching wet spots on her shirt and arms where the tears landed. As Ashley watched more tears fell, JJ's expression never changing, her body still held firm. 

Ashley had had enough of this stoic display. She sniffed, her own emotions close to the surface, and hugged JJ squeezing tightly. JJ stiffened further, if possible, then her body slowly relaxed until Ashley was almost holding her up. 

"I never knew her." JJ's voice cracked as the tears flowed more heavily. "All I wanted was a mother to love me. Mack never showed me anything close. I just..." JJ ducked her head, her arms tightening around herself almost as if she was trying to hold herself together. "I just wanted to be loved. Held when I cried and kissed goodnight." She whispered the last few words, her knees buckling and Ashley guiding them both safely to the floor. 

JJ didn't say anything else, crying into Ashley's shoulder. Ashley blinked her own tears away, more than a few escaping. She'd really had no idea how bad JJ's childhood had been. The pain she'd dealt with every day. Ashley's chest ached when she thought of how JJ used to avoid any physical contact. Maybe it hadn't been shyness that had her flinching away from the slightest touch. Perhaps it had been that she didn't know it was okay to accept physical comfort from another person. 

JJ's tears dried up quickly, but she didn't move. Instead she stayed right where she was, held tightly in Ashley's arms. It wasn't the first time she'd let another woman hold her, but it was the first time she relaxed into that embrace instead of wriggling free as soon as she could. It felt good to let someone else be the strong one for a while. 

"You okay?" Ashley asked, her throat vibrating against the back of JJ's head. 

"Yeah. I will be." JJ took a deep breath and exhaled in a rush. "I just wasn't prepared to find so much of mom's stuff. I didn't think Mack had kept anything since I never saw any of it growing up. Not even a picture."

"Now you have all the pictures you could want." Ashley reminded JJ, a hand smoothing out the ruffled hair on the back of JJ's head. 

"Yeah." JJ snuggled into Ashley's arms, curling her legs up more comfortably. "Is this okay?" she asked shyly.

"Mmhmm." Ashley hummed. "You stay here as long as you need to." 

They sat cuddled up together for some time, interrupted by Ashley's phone ringing. She answered and talked with her mom while she played absentmindedly with JJ's hair. 

JJ sat and listened with half an ear. She was thinking about how Mack had appeared in the photos. He'd looked happy and normal. Definitely not the angry depressed man who'd barely raised her. She remembered what Al had said months ago, the Mack had been a good man, but loosing Emily had ruined him. JJ could sort of understand that. Mack's grief had been so intense that he'd lost all interest in her. It still boggled her mind that his grief hadn't lessened, that he'd never come out of the fog and decided to take care of her. 

Anger tried to well up inside her, an old and ingrained response to thoughts of Mack. JJ found she couldn't quite think of Mack as the same old evil. He'd lost his wife, his high school sweetheart. Lost her before they could have the long life they'd no doubt planned on. He'd been left with their daughter, a girl who resembled her mother perfectly. The anger failed to ignite, its fuel stolen by the pity she felt for her father. 

JJ pushed away from Ashley to sit up and think more clearly, distracting fingers no longer in her hair. JJ didn't feel any forgiveness for Mack and the way he treated her, but she could comprehend his side of things now. She could understand that his grief had been so consuming that he'd basically lost all will to care for her. Numerous emotions vied for her attention. Indignation that she pity Mack, hurt that he'd never shaken off his sorrow to care for her, the old ache of longing to know her mother, understanding for Mack's situation. JJ shook herself, not realizing she'd actually moved, to stop the thoughts and emotions swarming her. 

"Hey, everything okay?" Ashley asked, hanging up after the phone call. 

"Yeah, I'm fine now." JJ smiled, her eyes a bit bloodshot from crying. "You wanna go out for a drink?"



JJ and Ashley Ch. 04



Thank you so much for the comments and votes! I know this installment took longer, but between holidays and family it was difficult to get the girls from my head and onto the page. I'd love to know what you think, so please comment and vote!

*****

JJ drove them to a small bar near the center of town. Ashley was familiar with it, but had never gone inside. She was pleasantly surprised by the warm, tasteful furnishings. Wood gleamed under the florescent lights, tables spread throughout while the bar had tall stools pushed underneath. Posters advertising various beers hung on the walls. Televisions mounted on the walls silently displayed sports games or current events. 

Ashley waited until they were seated at the far end of the bar and had been served before she started in on JJ. 

"Okay, I need an explanation. I know you said you're fine, but damn JJ. One minute you're crying and the next you're all smiles. What's going on?" Ashley kept her voice low to avoid attention from the regulars. 

JJ shrugged and took a long drink off her beer. "I just put myself in Mack's shoes. I'd never thought of things from his side. How much loosing Emily messed him up. That pretty much ate up all the anger I had left." 

"So now you're fine?" Ashley clarified, taking smaller sips form her drink.

"Mostly. Enough that I can take you out for a fun day like I wanted to." JJ grinned over at Ashley who gave JJ a serious look. JJ rolled her eyes and sighed. "I'm fine, I promise. Yes, I was a balling mess for a bit there, but I'm fine now. I don't dwell on things."

"You realize I'm not going to let you out of my sight now, right?" Ashley teased, giving JJ a squinty eye. 

JJ laughed, a real laugh that had Ashley smiling widely in response. "That's fine with me. Kinda how I had the evening planned out in my head." 

"How so?" Ashley began picking at the corner of her beer label, already curling and damp from the condensation.

"I knew you were coming home today. I wanted to surprise you and go have fun out somewhere, like we used to. Take over the arcade or go roller skating. Just have fun." Maybe it was the endorphins from her crying spell surging all over the place but JJ felt good. Happy. Elated almost. 

"We still can, I mean, the day's still young. I'll do anything but roller skating though." Ashley blushed and sipped her beer, an IPA that JJ had never heard of, Dogfish Namaste.

"Why no roller skating? I remember you being pretty good at it before. Maybe a little wobbly on turns." JJ thought back, trying to figure out why Ashley would be hesitant for that particular activity.

"JJ, I was more than a little wobbly. I look like an old lady trying to walk, not like a certified athlete who just can't get the hang of skating." Ashley blushed. 

"Damn. Don't let anyone else hear you say that. You'll have all the ladies from the bowling alley out for blood." JJ giggled, which just made Ashley blush harder. "Would you go if I offered to help you get the hang of it?" 

Ashley had a flash of them together, like a scene in one of those romantic comedies that Sarah and Brenda loved. JJ would hold her hand and gently guide her around, catching her when she slipped, staring into her eyes as she righted Ashley. Their natural chemistry would create a tension and they'd turn a simple day out as friends into a date. 

Ashley wasn't sure how to feel about this. She didn't want to make this into something more and risk losing JJ as her best friend. Unfortunately, she was having a hard time forgetting being with JJ at the club. The fact that she and JJ had been intimate had been a shock at the time, but the alcohol and JJ's own reaction to them had pushed her feelings and concerns to the back burner.

Everything came back to the fore when she'd gotten home that night. On a purely physical level, it had been one of the best sexual experience of Ashley's life. Only one of the boys she'd dated had ever been allowed to take things that far and been successful. Granted, she'd been looking for something physical when she'd gone to the club but Ashley had never intended to actually let someone, male or female, get as far as JJ did. 

On an emotional level the experience rocked Ashley to her core. Not only had she allowed a stranger to bring her to orgasm, she'd done it in an incredibly public place. And it hadn't been a stranger, it had been JJ. Tears had come and gone as Ashley had come to terms with various feelings, confusion, pleasure, embarrassment, shame, longing. 

Confusion because she had thought herself straight, despite her early experiences with JJ. Those were simply childhood experimentations. Right? 

Pleasure because Ashley had never had such a powerful physical reaction to another person before and it had filled her with wonder and euphoria. The memories were still just as powerful.

The embarrassment and shame went hand in hand with how forward she'd been with JJ. Not only had she approached JJ, but she had pulled her off the floor first. It had been her who lost control and came all over JJ's leg. She couldn't lay all the blame for that on the alcohol. She had wanted what JJ had been offering.

The longing was nothing new, but it had been intensified after that night. Longing to be held close to another. Longing to give and receive pleasure. Longing to love another person as deeply and as thoroughly as she could. 

It had taken a few days for these emotions to mellow out, but they were not forgotten, not by a long shot. Ashley was doing her best to enjoy her time with JJ but this plan to spend the day together had her focusing on the memory of JJ's body against her own. Ashley swallowed against the sudden thickness in her throat and glanced over her drink at JJ. 

"I'll go, but if I fall, then we do something else." Ashley watched JJ's hair fall forward only to be combed back by JJ's fingers. 

"Deal. Drink up, we're going skating!" JJ grinned, lifting her drink to her lips.

***

"Oh, this is a bad idea." Ashley groaned, hobbling along the carpet to the edge of the rink. 

They'd finished their beers and JJ had driven them to the roller skating rink, a big plain building with the same sign from about forty years ago. The entrance was a cramped mishmash of color and noise, like you've walked into a circus instead. The concession stand dominated the middle of the floor with skate rental off to the immediate right, neighbored by the prize center. All along the back wall stood various arcade style games, most of them highly popular in the 90s. And off center to the right, taking up the majority of space, was the rink with its old waxed wood floor.

JJ joined Ashley at the edge, seeming much more confident and relaxed in her borrowed skates. "You'll be fine. There's almost no one else here."

True enough, there were five other people skating right now. "Yeah, but that's kinda the point. Less people, more attention on me." Ashley hissed as an older couple swept past them with a grace and ease that Ashley envied. 

"No one is going to care Ashley. C'mon scaredy pants. Let's go." JJ gave Ashley a shove, none to gently. Ashley yelped and rolled into the rink, JJ's hand on her back keeping her upright. 

Ashley glared back at JJ. "Dammit JJ, what was that for?" she hissed again, whispering to avoid attention. 

JJ didn't reply, smiling instead at the two parents who were busy teaching their little boy how to skate. The dad looked over as they passed, smiling back.

"I can't help you improve if you don't show me how bad you are." JJ skated around to face Ashley, her arms crossed over her chest. "Now stop complaining and skate, woman."

They made half a circuit before JJ had a hard time keeping a straight face. Ashley was shuffling her feet along, almost making more progress backwards than forward. Needless to say, it was slow going and painful to watch. All her athletic prowess as a runner and Ashley couldn't seem to coordinate her legs to skate. 

"Quit laughing at me. I told you it was a bad idea." Ashley grumbled, staring down at her feet, arms held stiffly in front of her to meet any obstacles. 

"I'm sorry, I didn't know it was this bad." JJ managed to avoid laughing, but couldn't keep a smile off her face. "Okay, okay. Let's start from the beginning. Whoa." JJ grabbed Ashley's hands to stop her, Ashley jerking upright and nearly toppling. JJ pulled Ashley's arms closer, shifting Ashley's balance back over her center of gravity. 

"You make me fall, we'll be done and you owe me dinner." Ashley let go of JJ's hands and wiped her sweaty palm on her thighs. 

"Yes ma'am. Now, instead of shuffling along, try pushing off with your foot. Like you're pushing a scooter or a skateboard." JJ instructed, rolling to Ashley's side to watch. 

Ashley pushed, surprised when she rolled forward easily. "Oh hey!" 

"Good. Relax your knees a little. Keep 'em springy, not like limp noodles." JJ kept pace with Ashley, an arm extended to catch the blonde if necessary. "Switch feet when you push. Left, then right." 

Ashley did as directed, pushing one foot right after the other. She sped up, her hair lifting in the wind she'd created. Her knees immediately locked and she veered away towards the outer wall. 

JJ's hands found Ashley's sides, guiding her away from the wall. "Goddamn, woman. Relax those knees. Push when you start to lose momentum, not one immediately after the other." 

"Sorry. I'm nervous about this." Ashley muttered, ignoring the butterflies that started fluttering in her belly even after JJ removed her hands.

"Let's try another loop around, then we can take a break. Sound good?" JJ asked, skating around to Ashley's left. 

True to JJ's word, they made one more complete circuit then veered back to the carpet and the bench where they'd put their skates on. JJ shrugged out of her leather jacket and pushed her hair back again. Ashley just sat back, slouching against the bench.  

"You're improving already." JJ noted, leaning back, an arm stretched along the back of the bench. 

Ashley gave JJ a half-hearted glare. "Ha, yeah right." 

JJ tugged on a curl, watching it spring back. "I'm serious. You've got a natural athletic ability. You'll pick this up easily if you keep practicing. I bet you had to work at being such an excellent runner. This is no different. Well, more fun probably." JJ added. 

"Running is like breathing for me. I don't have to think about it. Coach Perking realized this really quickly and started working on my diet instead of pushing me to improve my times. We work more with strategy than making me run faster. I can put on more speed easy." Ashley wasn't bragging. She sometimes hated having a specific strategy for working around the other runners. She just wanted to run, fast and free from the starting line to the finish. 

"Does the diet really improve your running?" JJ asked, genuinely curious. 

"It does. I shaved about three seconds off my best times. Basically it's taken all the fat out of my body and turned me into an extremely well-oiled and efficient machine. I eat enough to fuel myself through a day without gaining anything." Ashley sighed, laying her head back on the bench.

JJ frowned. "Is it healthy to be at zero body fat? I thought that some fat was necessary."

Ashley rolled her head to look at JJ while she talked. "It is, which is why I'm not at my leanest. I will be soon, since track season is picking up now. And you don't really have much room to gripe about my body fat." 

JJ didn't know what to say to that, which seemed clear from her expression. Ashley blushed as she explained herself. "I've seen your arms and felt your abs. There's no way you're above like a five percent body fat ratio." 

"Oh." JJ looked down at her stomach, flat and slender. "I don't really do anything to stay lean. I mean, I used to lift weights. Now I do all kinds of body weight stuff since I haven't exactly had time to go to the gym. I wanted muscles, not to be super lean or anything." 

Ashley gave JJ a once over, then sat up. "I think I'm ready for more torture." 

JJ followed Ashley back onto the floor and followed her around a few more laps, offering small tips here and there, but overall just skating next to Ashley. They had the entire rink to themselves, the older couple and the family having left while Ashley and JJ were talking. 

"I think you've got the hang of this. Told you there wasn't anything to worry about." JJ teased, coming in close enough to nudge Ashley with her elbow. 

Ashley nudged back, smiling over her shoulder "Okay, you were right. If I get through this without falling, then dinner is on me." 

"Agreed!" JJ grinned, pushing forward and skating her way around the rink ahead of Ashley, watching an influx of employees heading to the concessions and checking the games, preparing for the anticipated rush of kids who'd be getting out of school soon.

It was clear the DJ had arrived when music began playing, startling both girls. JJ spun around and skated backwards, bopping along to the techno that blared from the speakers. Ashley couldn't help but giggle, seeing JJ act so silly. The last time she'd seen JJ this relaxed had been when they were kids. She made a mental note to update the girls when they all talked next. She giggled and looked down at her feet. They should know she could skate now.

JJ was coming up behind Ashley when the music changed to Disney tunes. A silly idea popped into JJ's head and with a sly grin, she came up right behind Ashley. JJ's hands settled around the blonde's narrow waist before she started singing along, crooning in Ashley ear in a parody of the singer's voice. "I can show you the world. Shining, shimmering, splendid. Tell me princess, now when did you last let your heart decide?" 

Ashley gasped then giggled, startled by the awareness that shot along her spine before settling deep in her belly. Goosebumps flared up and she was hyper aware of the warmth and strength in JJ's hands. She glanced sidelong at JJ, who was still singing in her ear. She joined in when the duet began, "A whole new world. A dazzling place I never knew. But when I'm way up here, it's crystal clear that now I'm in a whole new world with you." 

The lyrics and their meaning weren't lost on Ashley. She was too aware of her fledgling feelings towards JJ to miss that, even if JJ was just goofing around. Ashley could feel JJ smile against her cheek, a smile spreading across her own face as she kept singing along. "Unbelievable sights, indescribable feelings. Soaring, tumbling, freewheeling through an endless diamond sky." 

It happened in a flash, both of them trying to turn to face the other and their skates knocked, the wheels locking for an instant. It was just long enough to send them both down.

"Fucking shit!" Ashley cursed, tipping forward into JJ who caught her as they fell. Somehow JJ managed to roll them to the floor, avoiding a jarring landing and a nasty impact between head and hardwood. 

Their momentum slid them a short ways along the floor before they came to a slow stop. Ashley lay where she was, clutched tightly to JJ's chest. Her heart was beating frantically and it felt like the world was shaking. It only took her a few seconds to realize it was JJ shaking with laughter. Ashley pushed herself up, one hand on the floor and the other on JJ's shoulder. 

"You tripped me! I was doing so well too." Ashley managed to sit up straddling JJ's thighs, her knees on either side of JJ. 

"I think we tripped each other." JJ was taking deep breaths to stop her laughter. It wasn't working too well. "I'm not sure that a Disney Princess should know words like the ones you said." 

"Whatever. We're done with skating for today. And you totally owe me dinner." Ashley stuck her fists on her hips, staring down at JJ with a pout. She'd been enjoying her new found talent for skating and their silly duet.

"Whoa, no. I said I'd get dinner if you fell on your ass. Clearly, you didn't." JJ looked up at Ashley, who took stock of their position. A memory of their last summer together suddenly flooded JJ's mind, their game of tag at the park that had ended up like this, Ashley on top of her. JJ pushed those thoughts aside, resting her hands on Ashley's knees to encourage the younger girl to get up.

Ashley slid off JJ in a clatter of skates. "Fine, I didn't fall on my butt. What do you want to do now?" She brushed dirt from the knee of her leggings.

JJ sat up and shrugged. "It's up to you. I don't really know what there is to do around here anymore, but I'm up for the arcade, or a movie. There's always the amusement park at the mall. Maybe check out the library."

"The library? What could we possibly do there?" Ashley teased, pushing herself up, rolling a bit with her own momentum. 

JJ pushed to her feet and followed Ashley onto the carpet. "Uh, I don't know. Read? Isn't that what most people do there?" 

Ashley rolled her eyes and sat to untie her skates. "Yes, reading and being quiet. I don't want to sit around and be quiet, not when we could go have fun somewhere else and be as loud as we wanted." 

It took some effort, but JJ didn't turn Ashley's statement into a dirty joke. Instead she traded her skates for shoes and slipped back into her jacket. "Well, it's still your choice what we do next, since I picked this." 

They were back in the cab of JJ's truck when Ashley announced her decision. "I want to go to the amusement park. There are arcades inside, but I want to go on the rides." 

"Roller coaster rides it is!" JJ grinned, firing up the big truck.

***

The amusement park took up a relatively small space across from the mall. It had enjoyed huge popularity during the 80s and 90s, but had become less popular, the small area not allowing new, larger rides. The newest ride, a vertical drop, was already seven years old, and its hype had died down after the first two. 

JJ paid their admission, picking out two unlimited ride passes. The bored kid at the admission counter didn't look up from his phone during the entire transaction, taking the cash and pushing two passes under the glass. 

Ashley showed JJ how to slip the passes into the plastic sleeve on a cheap vinyl lanyard. She explained how they'd come up with this system to avoid cards getting wet, lost, or stolen and reused.

"Super high-tech, these." JJ remarked sarcastically, hanging her pass around her neck.

"They've had a tight budget. They do what they can." Ashley sagely mused, lifting her hair so the string lay against her neck.

"Where to first?" JJ asked, looking up at the rundown directional board.

"The big one first. The one with the loop-de-loop." Ashley took JJ's hand and led her around a couple rides geared for younger children, then up a flight of white metal stairs that ended at the loading dock for the ride. Another bored employee waved them in, letting them pick any car they wished. There were already a few people in seats, chatting as they waited for the ride to fill up. 

Ashley picked a seat and plopped herself in, tugging the metal harness over her head. JJ followed suit, shifting to adjust her jacket comfortably. It wasn't much longer that a crowd of older kids, high school age if JJ had to guess, filled up the remaining seats. 

As the coaster clanged to a start, chugging its way roughly up the first incline JJ turned to Ashley. "Now is probably a terrible time to say this, but I'm terrified of heights." 

Ashley's face paled. "Oh my God, JJ! Why didn't you say anything? We totally could have done something else. I had no idea." 

JJ shook her head and gripped the harness tightly. She felt the train jerk one last time as it began to tip along the rails into the first curve. She turned back to Ashley, "If I die, you can have my guitar."

Their car whipped into the first turn. Ashley reached out and grabbed JJ's hand, squeezing hard. JJ squeezed back, a laugh bubbling up in her throat as they twisted and flipped at high speeds. All too soon they approached the station, the train jerking to slow down enough to enter the station. JJ was still giggling, Ashley's fingers clutching at hers. Blonde curls flew as Ashley whipped her head around to check on JJ.




JJ and Ashley Ch. 04



"Why are you laughing? Are you okay?" she asked in a hurry, worried that her insistence for the roller coaster had done something terrible to JJ's state of mind. 

The train pulled in and came to a full stop, the harnesses releasing with a click. Ashley shoved hers up and reached for JJ's, starting to feel frantic. JJ hadn't stopped laughing. "JJ, seriously, are you okay?"

JJ nodded, standing and hugging a confused Ashley. "I was just teasing you. I'm not afraid of heights. It was a joke. Your face, though. Oh my God, that was precious." 

Ashley pushed away, more relieved than angry. "You're dead to me now." she huffed, turning and stepping from the coaster.

"Aw, c'mon. It was just a joke Ash. Of course I'd have said something if I was really afraid." JJ followed, still chuckling. 

Ashley raced down the stairs but JJ caught up with her. "Ashie, it was a joke." JJ smiled, bringing back her old nickname for Ashley. 

Ashley delivered a solid punch to JJ's shoulder. "It was a dumb joke. What would I do with a guitar? I can't play." She screwed up her mouth into a halfhearted frown to avoid smiling back at JJ.

"Build a shrine to my memory. Learn to play so you can write songs about me like the bards of old." JJ ticked the options off on her fingers. 

"Psh, I'd probably sell it." Ashley started off for another area of the park. 

"Ah, I'm wounded. You'd sell my guitar if I left it to you?" JJ pressed a hand to her chest as if her heart really was injured.

"I'd sell it and use the money to buy a really nice pair of shoes." Ashley slipped into the line for bumper cars. 

"Shoes? I hadn't really pegged you as that type." JJ looked down at Ashley's feet, taking in the beat up Nike's. 

"As what type?" Ashley asked, flipping curls back over her shoulder. 

"The girly girl, ultra-feminine. The kind of girl that would sell a real work of art for a pair of heels." JJ leaned against the metal railing that was used to direct long lines of people.

Ashley laughed, "I don't know about selling a piece of art for them, but I can appreciate a nice set of heels. I can walk in heels better than I can skate, you know." 

"Well, I can't walk in heels at all, but I sure as hell can appreciate them." JJ gave Ashley an exaggerated wink and crossed her arm over her chest. 

Ashley rolled her eyes and blushed, moving up as the line moved. They were allowed into this group and each picked a car. When the cars were started, Ashley went right for JJ, bumping her hard in payback for her little joke on the roller coaster. It became a game, to see who could hit harder and more often. Ashley found she was having way more fun here than skating earlier. 

After the bumper cars Ashley ran JJ through all the rides. Both rollercoasters, the vertical drop twice before standing in line for half an hour to race the go karts. They took a lunch break, sharing the meal combo before going on the giant sea dragon swing, then getting on the magic carpet. 

Ashley insisted on being on the inside of the bench when they got onto the magic carpet. It was a big circle of benches that circled forward, then backwards up and down over rails, the overall effect being it looked like a carpet rippling in the wind. The fun part was that as it spun, the people riding inside the seats were pressed against the riders on the outside. Ashley intended to use that to her advantage for just a bit more payback.

JJ knew how the ride worked though, and as soon as Ashley began to press against her, she casually stretched her arm along the back of their bench. She was assuming that her move would stop Ashley from trying to squish her extra hard, or applying elbows.

What JJ didn't realize, was that the feel of JJ's arm along her shoulders and her breast pressing into Ashley's arm had the blonde flustered. Ashley had expected some tension to arise between them. They had too great a physical chemistry for nothing to come of it during an entire day together. What she didn't expect was her own excitement. Being this close to JJ, their bodies in near full contact, was increasing Ashley's heartbeat, sending delicious tingles throughout her body, and allowing a heavy warmth to stir in her lower belly. This was something that only seemed to happen to Ashley when JJ was around. The boys she'd dated had never caused a reaction this powerful from such a simple touch. Frankie was probably the only one who came close. The memory of what she and Frankie had tried brought a blush to Ashley's cheeks and added to the heat inside her. 

For JJ, the position had a slight ulterior motive. She'd watched a few of the young men roaming the park stare at Ashley. She was hard to miss with her incredible mane of hair and killer figure displayed so nicely in leggings and a couple layers of thermal tees under an unzipped hoodie. A few of those men had gotten in line behind them and were seated across the circle from JJ and Ashley. JJ turned herself just the slightest so she could look across, over the top of Ashley's head. She caught the eye of one guy, only to look down when Ashley sighed and laid her head on JJ's shoulder. 

JJ smiled, those familiar feelings of being whole along with the fierce desire to protect surging to the fore. She pressed a kiss into Ashley's curls, her eyes lifting to catch the men's. She gave their thumbs up a proud grin and pulled Ashley closer.

No words were spoken for a while after that ride, but something between them had changed. Ashley became shy and a bit withdrawn, slipping her hand quietly into JJ's as they walked. JJ gave her a small smile and a soft squeeze as they got into the rather empty lane for bumper boats. 

The attendant gave them a rundown of the rules, then helped each of them into their inner-tube-with-a-motor bumper boats. Ashley leaned over hers just enough to give JJ a playful glare. "You get me wet, you're dead."

JJ didn't say anything, just smirked and raised an eyebrow.

Ashley realized the innuendo and blushed as the buzzer sounded, signaling their ride had begun. JJ laughed and motored away, leaving the dock in a small wake. 

They both just motored about the small pond, making the most of being the only two in the water. JJ spun her tube in circles, one direction then the other. Ashley was making a lazy figure eight around the small rock figures in the back of the pond, humming to herself.

The attendant announced they had two minutes left and JJ stopped spinning. She looked around for Ashley, but didn't see her. With a shrug she headed for the far side of the rocks to avoid the weak waterfall in the center. It might just be a thin trickle of water, but it would still be cold. 

For the second time that day, JJ and Ashley collided, both coming around the corner of the rocks and sending up a small wave that flopped into Ashley's bumper boat, soaking her in an instant. 

"Oh, fuck." JJ reversed quickly while Ashley sat, drenched and frozen in shock. "I'm so sorry. I didn't know where you were." JJ apologized.

Ashley closed her mouth and cleared her throat. "You. Are. Dead." She held her head high and made her way to the dock, JJ in tow and very unsure about how upset Ashley really was. 

When they were safely on the dry land and away from the attendant JJ stopped Ashley who was already beginning to shiver. "Ashie that was a complete accident. I have a couple towels in the truck. We can go get you dried up, then dinner is on me." JJ rubbed her palms vigorously up and down Ashley's upper arms, sincerely contrite.

"Damn right you're springing for dinner. It's only fair since you've gotten me soaked." Ashley smirked up at JJ, who sighed in relief, then chuckled at the innuendo Ashley had used, clearly on purpose.

They walked hand in hand back to the parking lot. By the time they arrived and JJ had fetched the towels Ashley was starting to shiver. It was still too cool outside to be wet like Ashley was. JJ handed Ashley one towel and taking the other, squatted at the blonde's feet to begin drying her legs. 

Ashley used the towel to dry off her butt, which had been flooded the most. The water had collected in the small seat and soaked through her leggings and panties in a matter of seconds. She wadded up the terry cloth and cupped her crotch, glancing down at JJ to see those dark eyes glued to her hand. "Hey, quit peeking." 

JJ blushed, her eyes jumping up to meet Ashley's. "Sorry. It's been a while. Not that I think that entitles me to look. I wasn't looking on purpose, you know, just caught the movement." JJ stammered, going back to drying off Ashley's legs with a flustered huff.

Ashley bit her lip to hold back a giggle, enjoying the fact she could tease JJ. She thought about what JJ had just admitted. It had been a long time for her too, not having been on a date since her freshman year in college. If she was honest with herself, Ashley missed having someone to cuddle and be intimate with. She was starting to feel like because both she and JJ were missing this closeness with another human being on a regular basis, they made up for it when they were together. Cuddling, touching for comfort or to impart real feeling during a conversation. 

She was hesitant to make a move to change their renewed friendship, but Ashley could no longer deny the pull she felt to JJ. She shivered, but not from the cold when JJ's hands moved past her knee and began to rub her thigh, the wet material of her pants bunching slightly under the towel. 

JJ stood and shook out the towel she'd used, wrapping it around Ashley. "Is that better?" she asked.

"Not yet." Ashley was going for it, tossing any reservations to the wind. She fisted her hands in JJ's jacket lapels and pulled her in close for a kiss. 

JJ sucked air in through her nose, surprised. This was the last thing she would have expected Ashley to do and started to pull away, unsure. 

Ashley felt JJ's hesitancy and in a flash of panic, she pressed herself fully against JJ and opening her lips, slipped her tongue out and flicked JJ's lips. She couldn't bear JJ pulling away and being angry or worse, disgusted. 

A groan escaped JJ when she opened her lips to accept Ashley's tongue. She'd had half a thought to pull away and talk to Ashley about her reasoning behind the kiss. That thought was gone the instant Ashley pressed against JJ, her larger breasts pressing warmly into JJ's. JJ took a step into Ashley's space, forcing the blonde to step back until she came to lean against the cold metal of the truck's bed. This allowed JJ to press their bodies together without either loosing balance. 

JJ kept Ashley pinned to the truck, but let her control the kiss. She gave the blonde time to explore her lips and mouth, enjoying the shivers that raced through her when Ashley sucked on JJ's tongue. Ashley's hands relaxed on JJ's lapels and rested on her chest, the heels of the blonde's hands just barely touching JJ's nipples. 

Ashley broke the kiss with a gasp when JJ returned the favor and sucked lightly at her tongue. JJ, not ready for this impromptu make out to end, ducked her head into Ashley's neck and rubbed her lips along the long pale column. The warbled moan that sounded in her ear was so worth it. JJ had to hear that again, following the same path her lips had taken with her tongue. 

Ashley shivered hard, more excited than a simple kiss and necking warranted. This was just like at the club. A few fairly tame touches between them and boom, her arousal climbed the charts. Movement caught her eye, a group of boys watching them from the putting green. 

"JJ, wait a minute." Ashley gasped, pushing JJ away gently.

JJ let herself be pushed, aware that she needed to be patient with Ashley. The girl was a virgin after all. She lifted her head and licked her lips, "What, Ashie?" JJ asked trying to sound calm despite the pounding heart in her chest.

"I don't want to finish this here." Ashley blushed hard, looking over JJ's shoulder. 

"Okay. That's probably a good idea." JJ leaned forward and kissed Ashley's forehead before stepping back. 

Ashley's blush didn't fade and instead of looking up at JJ she bent down to gather the towels that had fallen while they'd kissed. 

"So how about some dry pants and dinner? Unless you don't care about the pants." JJ asked, digging into her pocket for her keys. She had to get them doing something else before she started kissing Ashley again. The girls walked around to the passenger side and JJ opened the door for Ashley.

"Pants would be nice. Dinner where?" Ashley asked, tossing the towels onto the bench seat of the truck. 

"Where ever the lady likes. Take a few to think of where you want to go." JJ helped Ashley up into the cab, shutting the door before walking around to the driver's side. She spotted a group of boys on the mini golf course who had apparently been watching their kiss. That must have been the reason for Ashley's blush. 

JJ drove Ashley back to the old house where Ashley retrieved her car, then followed the small sedan to the Turner house. Ashley parked in the driveway next to a small red pickup. JJ parked on the street and was content to wait outside until Ashley was done. The smaller blonde waved her inside with a cute smile. 

***

Dinner was a simple affair at the diner. Al made himself available to take their orders and serve them. Ashley had a salad and pasta dish while JJ stuck to her steak and potatoes. 

After he dropped off their main course Ashley leaned forward to talk quietly. "So, what's with the old man? I've eaten here before and never seen him step out of the kitchen." 

JJ grinned, mixing butter into her mashed potatoes. "That's Al. He owns this place. My mom used to work here and he has some fond memories of her. I've become a bit of a regular, eating lunch and dinner here most nights. He's been making a point to serve me and tell me stuff about Emily." 

"Oh, that's actually kind of sweet." Ashley popped a small cherry tomato into her mouth, licking dressing off her fingers. She picked up her fork and started mixing her lettuce up to get dressing covering everything. 

"It is. He's a sweet guy. So, I have a question." JJ wasn't going to avoid talking about that kiss. She needed to understand what Ashley had been thinking and what she wanted from JJ, if anything. 

"Okay, I've got answers." Ashley stabbed a few pieces of lettuce and stuffed them in her mouth, never lifting her eyes to look at JJ. She had a feeling she knew what JJ was going to ask about.

"What was with that kiss? Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it immensely. I just need to know what's going on in that pretty head of yours." JJ started cutting her steak, looking across the table at Ashley. 

Ashley sighed. This is exactly what she expected. She chewed her mouthful before answering. "I wanted to kiss you. I've wanted to kiss you again every day since that night." She flushed but continued. "I figured it was just because we'd been, intimate, but there's like this connection between us. A physical one. It flares up anytime we're close to one another. Maybe I'm the only one who's aware of this, but I feel it and I don't want to resist anymore. I'm willing to take us further, if you are." 

JJ set her utensils down and sat back, watching Ashley as she thought things over. She was well aware of their chemistry and what a close proximity did to that. She'd been willing to ignore it to keep the friendship. Ashley wanted to take this forward, go further than friendship. JJ still didn't have long term plans to stay here in Sierra Falls. She didn't have plans to go anywhere else, but that was kind of a moot point. 

"Would you still want to take us further if I left town when the house is complete?" JJ asked, needing everything out on the table. 

Ashley frowned and pondered before answering. "Yes. I'm willing to do that. Would you be open to a long distance relationship?" 

JJ didn't have to think about that. "Yes." 

"Then..." Ashley let the word hang, not sure how to ask about their status now.

JJ looked Ashley in the eye and smiled. "Then you can kiss me whenever you want."

Ashley grinned shyly and blushing brightly, looked down at her plate. JJ couldn't help the half grin that curled her lips. "Do you always blush this easily?" 

Ashley opened her mouth to say something when her phone chimed. She dug the electronic out of her jacket pocket and started tapping away at the screen. A happy smile spread across her face as she typed. JJ kept her mouth shut until Ashley set the phone down. 

"Who was that?" JJ asked, taking a bite of steak and chewing slowly.

"Group text between all us girls. Rebecca and Amy are coming to visit this summer. They just booked tickets." Ashley explained. "We've been working on this for months, coordinating all our schedules to get together this summer. It looked like it was just going to be three of us, Chloe, Brenda and myself for a while. Rebecca's requesting a group skype call to work out further details."

"Oh. Is that who you were texting before at the coffee shop?" JJ asked, connecting the dots a little. 

Ashley nodded, "Yeah, Sarah had started the group message that night. Plus, by then Chloe had realized we'd left the club and was checking in." 

"She was the bartender, right? Light blonde with purple?" JJ asked, gesturing with her hand where the color streaks had been. 

"Yep. She's a little wilder than the rest of us, and not just when it comes to hair dye." Ashley dug into her salad and found a crouton. 

They ate in silence for a while, Ashley finishing her salad before tucking into the pasta. JJ switched between bites of steak and forkfuls of the creamy mashed potatoes. 

Ashley sipped her water and pushed her plate away, just a little too full. "Whew, that was good." 

"It always is. Al is an amazing cook." JJ used a piece of steak to scoop up the last of her potatoes. 

Al came by to offer dessert and take their empty plates. He gave them a disappointed look when they declined dessert, but brought them their check with a smile. 

Ashley watched JJ pay, leaving a hefty tip if her math was correct. She followed when the older girl stood and held out a hand to lead her outside. 

"Do you mind if I smoke real quick? It's been a while." JJ asked, hanging back under the awning. 

"No, go ahead." Ashley stood close, watching in fascination as JJ lit a cigarette in a few practiced flourishes. She waved the first cloud away, scrunching her nose at the smell. "When did you start smoking?"

"When I was modeling. He had one as a prop and it became a recurring thing for one series. I was hooked by then and never really thought about quitting." JJ sucked on the filter and exhaled the smoke through her nose. 

"So, you never tried giving it up? Why didn't he just have a fake one as a prop?" Ashley leaned against the wall of the diner and tucked her hands in her jacket pockets. 

"He liked the realism. I've tried quitting but it never stuck. Mack used to joke that the only things Jameson's were good at was drinking, smoking, and fucking." JJ caught Ashley's expression, disgust and astonishment mixed. "He'd only say it when he was super drunk. He usually passed out shortly after."

"That's terrible, JJ." Ashley frowned. She wasn't sure she wanted to know more about JJ's father.

"Yeah, I know." JJ sighed and flicked ash from the cigarette. "I didn't choose him, though." 

Ashley gave JJ a quick hug to ward off any depressed thoughts. "I know. Now, what do you want to do after you're done with that?" 

JJ blew smoke away from Ashley and shrugged, wrapping an arm around the blonde who was still snuggled against her side. "I don't know. It's starting to get late. Do you have plans for tomorrow? A curfew?"

Ashley giggled. "No curfew. Mom just wants me to text if I'll be out real late. And I don't have any plans for tomorrow morning. The afternoon is tentatively earmarked for skype." 




JJ and Ashley Ch. 04



"Does it really require an entire afternoon?" JJ asked, taking a last drag before flicking the butt away.

"Sometimes. If Rebecca is on, then we tend to get derailed from the original topic. She goes off on more tangents than our geometry teacher." Ashley laughed at JJ's snort. 

"You make terrible jokes. Are tangents even part of geometry? I thought they were in trigonometry." JJ asked, walking Ashley to the truck. 

"No, they're definitely in geometry. I flunked that test, that's how I remember." Ashley admitted.

"Ouch. Well, at least you remember, which is more than I can say." JJ flipped through her keys one handed to find the right one. 

"You know, it's not too late. Do you just wanna come over and hang out?" Ashley asked, peeling away from JJ while she unlocked the truck.

JJ had a pretty good idea what would happen if they 'hung out'. She have Ashley a cocky grin and opened the door. "I'd love to. Up you go." 

The drive back to Ashley's seemed to take no time at all and before JJ knew it, Ashley had pulled her into the house. Debbie was up watching some evening show and turned to them when they entered. 

"Hello girls. Whatcha up to?" She smiled at both of them, her genuine happiness still a surprise to JJ. Ashley's mother was always upbeat, positive, and happy. JJ had yet to see her express any negative emotions. 

"We figured since it's getting dark outside we'd come here and hang out a bit. Do you mind if JJ sleeps over?" Ashley asked her mother, bending over the couch to give the older woman a hug.

"I don't mind at all. How are you, JJ? It's been a while." Debbie smiled around Ashley's head. 

"I'm doing pretty well. Working on the old house keeps me busy." JJ hoped her blush wasn't obvious. She suddenly felt like a twelve year old again, shy and uncertain of everything. She stuffed her hands in her pockets and looked down at her feet.

"I'm glad to hear it. You ladies have fun. I'll be off to bed when this is over." Debbie said the last statement to Ashley who slowly straightened with a nod. 

"Okay. We'll keep the giggles down to a dull roar." Ashley dodged the playful swipe her mother sent her way and grabbing JJ, skipped down the hall to her room. 

The door shut with a soft click and JJ let Ashley sit her down onto the bed. She bounced a little, the unmade sheets full of Ashley's unique scent. Ashley followed JJ, crawling onto her lap and forcing JJ to scoot back until her back was pressed against the wall. 

Ashley settled herself in JJ's lap, their faces close and her hands already playing with JJ's hair. "I want to kiss you again JJ. I want to do more than kissing, but slowly." 

"I can do slow." JJ assured Ashley, sliding her hands up Ashley's thighs, knee to hip.

With a shy smile Ashley sat back and pulled off her jacket, then crossing her arms over her front, lifted the hem of both her shirts. JJ watched, fascinated, as Ashley's toned belly was revealed followed by a pale pink bra, lace decorating the edges of the cups. Ashley tossed the shirts in the general direction of her desk chair, lowering her arms to her sides. 

JJ's hands moved before she realized it, warm palms coasting up her sides. Ashley giggled when goosebumps broke out across her torso. JJ's lips curled into a smile, her fingers bumping against the underside of the delicate bra Ashley wore before whispering over the front of the cups. More goosebumps appeared, this time spreading solely over the plump mounds of Ashley's breasts. JJ easily found Ashley's nipples through the satin, the peaks hard and eager. Her thumbs circled the rigid tips before rubbing over them rapidly. 

Ashley gasped, unaware that her nipples were so sensitive. She'd played with them before, but always using soft pinches and tugs. She didn't know if she wanted to arch into JJ's hands or pull away. The sensations were increasing the heat in her belly that had never really dissipated since their kiss at the amusement park, but it was new and unfamiliar, the way the satin rubbed warmly at her nipples. 

She reached for JJ, needing a distraction. Her fingers laced together at the back of JJ's neck and pulled the older girl's head in to meet her own. Their lips mashed together unevenly for a second before JJ tilted her head and realigned them, tongues and lips slipping and sliding in a primal dance. 

JJ's fingers hooked into the cups of Ashley's bra and tugged down, tucking them swiftly underneath the firm breasts they'd held. Now her fingers were free to explore, skin to skin, no barriers. She left no skin untouched, her fingers trailing along the undersides to circle up the slopes and even venture as far as Ashley's armpit. She dipped into the shallow valley between, her hands each veering off to a mound to cup, squeeze, and fondle. 

Ashley squirmed, the heat becoming liquid, very real liquid that was gathering between her legs. She wanted to relieve the tension she knew was building inside her, but remembered she'd just asked JJ to take things slow. Would it be too much of a contradiction to direct JJ's hand inside her pants? Or even just between her legs? She broke the kiss with a frustrated groan, her hips beginning to jog involuntarily. Reaching between herself and JJ, she pulled at the tee shirt JJ wore. 

JJ chuckled and leaned forward to let Ashley remove her top. She didn't wear a bra, simply because she didn't need one. Ashley cooed and, tossing the shirt behind herself, cupped JJ's smaller breasts gently. She explored, forgetting that JJ was watching. She plucked at JJ's nipples, smaller than her own, but just as sensitive. When she squeezed, putting just a hint of pressure behind it, JJ jumped. 

"Easy there. I'm sensitive." JJ murmured, leaning forward to kiss Ashley's chest and trail soft kisses down a plump breast to an excited nipple. When she reached the fleshy peak JJ looked up at Ashley as her lips wrapped around the rigid nub.

Ashley let out a shaky breath as she watched JJ suck at her nipple. She swallowed thickly when a tongue began to flick at the erect peak and nimble fingers began to worry at the other. 

The sensations built slowly. The heat grew, increasing the ache and wetness between her legs. Ashley explored JJ's shoulders and arms to distract herself a little. She stroked JJ's milky pale skin and watched the play of muscles beneath. It didn't take her long to realize that watching those muscles bunch and stretch was adding to the dampness that was dripping into her panties. The question was, should she try to deal with it now?

JJ was well aware of how excited Ashley was. She was amazingly responsive and not shy about it, her hips working steadily against JJ's. JJ reached behind Ashley with her free hand and unsnapped the bra Ashley still wore. She pulled away to help Ashley out of the garment, then rolled them so the blonde was laying on her back on the bed. JJ kissed her way up to Ashley's lips, stretching out to lay half on top her.

"JJ, I know I said I wanted to take this slow, but I have to do something. I can't stand this!" Ashley gasped when JJ's teeth grazed over her neck. 

"I won't stop you." JJ murmured, resting a hand on Ashley's stomach, feeling the way she was fidgeting. 

Ashley turned her head to look JJ in the eyes, blushing pretty hard. "I've never done this with someone else watching." 

"I won't do anything. Just forget I'm here." JJ made to roll completely off Ashley, but the other girl stopped her. 

"I don't want to forget you're here. I...I want you to help me." Ashley guided JJ's hand to the waistband of her leggings, actually tucking her fingertips inside. JJ groaned, looking down Ashley's slender stomach to see her hand dipping inside the black leggings. 

"You're sure, Ashie?" JJ asked, sliding her hand further into Ashley's pants, finding a pair of panties that felt like they matched the bra, slick satin with lace along the edge. 

"I'm positive. Please, Jordyn." Ashley whispered, pressing her face into JJ's neck and bringing her hands up to tug at her nipples. 

JJ wasn't about to leave Ashley in this state. She ignored the liquid ache between her own thighs and cupped Ashley's mound, her fingers slipping across the soaked gusset of Ashley's panties. 

"Oh, baby, you're so wet. Are you wet for me?" JJ asked, pressing her fingers and the wet panties against the blonde's plump pussy lips. 

Ashley whimpered, "Yeah." 

JJ pulled her hand up and slipping inside the panties, paused when she found soft, springy curls. "Oh Ashie." She sighed. JJ wasn't too picky about her partner's grooming habits, but for some reason it pleased JJ immensely to find out that Ashley didn't shave herself bare.

The impatient wiggle of Ashley's hips got JJ's attention refocused. She slipped a single finger between Ashley's plump labia, moaning with the blonde at the heat the enveloped her finger. She easily found Ashley's clit, an excited, rigid little peak. 

"Tell me how you do this. Circles, fast, pinching?" JJ asked, stroking the hood behind the extremely sensitive tip. The short length was stiff and slippery. 

"I rub, uh, side to side. Slow start, fast finish." Ashley panted, her hips rising and falling, her nipples pinched between her fingers. 

JJ started rubbing, the stiff length of Ashley's clit shifting easily under her finger. She took her time, pausing every now and then to slid her finger lower through Ashley's slick and plump folds to gather just a little more moisture before rubbing again, adding more pressure and speed each time. She kept up a stream of quiet questions and encouragement, delighted when Ashely responded. 

"How's this baby? Just a little faster now. I can't wait to see you cum for me. Mmm, that's it sweetie. Tug at those delicious little nipples. I love how wet you are Ashie. I can't wait to taste you, deep and wet. How about I rub your sweet little clit harder? Still feel good? Your pussy is so pretty, so hungry." 

Ashley groaned and pushed at her hair, even though it wasn't in her face. She was getting sweaty, the tension building in her lower back. She squirmed, moving her torso away from JJ to try to cool off. JJ's finger was busy between her legs, rubbing fast and with just the right amount of pressure. Ashley knew an orgasm was coming soon. 

Lips found her earlobe and sucked lightly while a tongue flicked rapidly. Ashley gasped and felt the shivers race down her body, her thighs trembling. 

"JJ, oh god, Jordyn." Ashley twisted a nipple and grabbed the sheets in a fist, needing something to anchor herself. She squeezed her eyes shut as the intense pleasure rushed through her, flowing from her sex to the tips of her toes and fingertips. 

JJ exhaled loudly, her finger still rubbing Ashley's little clit, but slower now so as to avoid overwhelming the smaller girl with too much sensation. Watching Ashley cum, her body undulating as it spread through her, had pushed JJ right to the edge. 

Ashley recovered quickly, but was too relaxed to move much. She felt light as a feather, but heavy as stone. It took too much effort to tug JJ's hand out of her pants and bring her wet finger level with Ashley's lips. The way JJ sucked in a breath when Ashley sucked on her finger made Ashley smile lazily. She sucked the sweetly tart liquid from the offered digit and licked her lips to be sure she didn't miss any. 

"That was amazing, JJ. Thank you." Ashley rolled close and kissed the older woman. JJ responded eagerly, a clear sign to Ashley that she was still excited. Ashley had a half-baked thought about returning the favor, even reached for JJ's belt buckle, but a strong hand stopped her. 

"Not tonight, Ashie." JJ whispered, seeing that Ashley was wiped out, pushing to stay awake. 

"But," Ashley started, pouting.

"No buts. I can wait. You look exhausted." JJ kissed Ashley's forehead, taking a deep breath to slow her racing heart. 

"I'm tired. You wore me out." Ashley tucked her arms between their chests, curling into JJ.

"Then you sleep. We can have more fun later." JJ yawned, tired herself. She grabbed the sheet that was bunched up behind her and pulled it over them.



JJ and Ashley Ch. 05



Ashley was aware before she had the energy to pry her eyes open. That alone made her not want to open them and become fully awake. She was warm and cozy, snuggled in under her sheet. Her body felt both energized, yet pleasantly heavy.

Memories of the day before slowly started to flicker through her mind, bringing a lazy, lopsided smile to her face. Those memories also convinced her to open her eyes, her smile growing when she saw JJ, curled around her and sleeping. 

A sense of contentment swept over the blonde followed by curiosity. Ashley glanced up at JJ's face, relaxed and peaceful in sleep, none of the usual seriousness present. Ashely took that as encouragement and slipped a hand up to lightly touch one of JJ's nipples, the pale brown nubs soft and relaxed. She circled the areola, fascinated with how silky soft the skin was. 

Ashley ran her fingertips in lazy circles around the small but plump mass of JJ's breast, coasting across the shallow valley to play with the other one. When she had both nipples awake and rigid Ashley swept her hand down JJ's torso. Even in sleep the older woman's muscles were clearly defined under her milky skin.

Ashley paused at JJ's small, innie bellybutton and dipped a finger into the tiny indentation. 

When her fingers bumped into JJ's belt buckle Ashley peeked down, her eyes having been drawn to the steady pulse of JJ's heartbeat, visible in the hollow of her collarbone. JJ still wore her jeans, complete with the heavy leather belt. A naughty idea lit inside Ashley's head and she chewed her lip, glancing up at JJ's sleeping face, then back at her pants. She knew JJ had been heavily aroused last night, but hadn't allowed Ashley to do anything about it. 

Ashley moved carefully so she wouldn't wake JJ. The buckle of her belt clanked loudly, but JJ never stirred, her arm still draped lazily over Ashley's hip. The zipper got stuck for a second, the fabric rumpled. It took a slight tug and it came free, allowing the curious blonde to open JJ's jeans.

JJ wore a pair of briefs that looked like men's underwear. Ashley pulled the denim away from JJ's body enough to see the pocket, intended for a penis that JJ certainly didn't have. Somehow, Ashley found the sight rather exciting, the red fabric and dark grey seams contrasting brilliantly with JJ's pale skin. She hooked a finger into the wide elastic waistband, checking once more to make sure JJ was sleeping, then pulled the briefs away and peeked inside. 

She'd been expecting to find pubic hair, dark as the hair on JJ's head and curly like her own. Instead she found nothing but bare pale skin. Ashley stared and blinked, overwhelmed for a moment by images of bare, intimate skin. She'd heard plenty about how other girls groomed their privates, but she'd never felt the need. The idea of taking a razor to those tender bits was a little scary. What if she cut herself? Can't exactly get a bandaid there, now can you?

"Like what you see?" JJ's voice was quiet and low, just a bit raspy from sleep. It still startled Ashley enough that she jumped and let the elastic band snap back against JJ's flat abdomen. She looked up into sleepy brown eyes, blushing when JJ grinned.

"Sorry." Ashley whispered, feeling a little bit guilty about getting caught peeking.

"Look all you want, I don't mind." JJ rolled into Ashley and kissed her forehead before resting her own against Ashley's. "Did you sleep okay?" 

"I think I'm the one who should be asking you, since you're in my bed." Ashley giggled. 

JJ waved that small detail away with a half-hearted gesture. "Who cares?"

"No one. I slept well. Stayed nice and warm all night long." Ashley felt shy now that JJ was awake and talking so causally with her. She'd kind of expected this morning to feel more awkward, never having woken up in bed with someone else. 

"Same. Don't wanna get up." JJ sighed and pulled Ashley closer, their hips coming together flush.

Ashley bit her lip and snuck a hand between them, pushing at JJ's jeans. "Me neither." 

JJ hummed in her throat, rolling to her back and helping Ashley push her jeans down. Before she let Ashley's hand start exploring, JJ held her wrist and looked the blonde in the eyes. "I'm not expecting you to make me cum. Just have fun, explore. Do anything you want. I'll tell you if it's good or not." JJ kissed Ashley's fingertips then let her hand go.

Ashley blushed and looked away from JJ, watching her hand reach for JJ's bare sex. Both of them gasped quietly when she made contact, her fingertips just barely brushing the smooth skin. Ashley stroked the bare area for a while, amazed at the smoothness of JJ's skin. 

Before long she got more curious, and with a deep breath, slipped her fingers over the curve of JJ's sex and traced the seam of her labia. More silky skin beneath her fingertips, but now Ashley could feel the heat radiating from JJ's body. 

Wanting to watch what she was doing, Ashley sat up and leaned over JJ's knee. JJ pulled her other leg out of her pants completely to spread her thighs wider to give Ashley more room. Ashley caressed JJ's thighs, admiring the hefty muscles that lay still under her touch. JJ sighed when Ashley's curious fingers grazed along the crease of thigh and groin. 

"Is that a good spot?" Ashley whispered, stroking up and down along that same area. 

"Yeah. Too much and it's just ticklish though." JJ folded her arms behind her head to watch Ashley. 

"I'll remember that." Ashley shifted herself again, laying between JJ's thighs, to get a close look at everything. She used her thumbs to peel JJ's pussy open, the pink inside a slightly darker shade than her own. She studied the folds and creases, noting that JJ was already, or still, wet. She could see the tight entrance to JJ's body, seeping the clear liquid that coated the lush pink of her puss. 

Ashley inhaled discreetly, finding that the sweetly musky smell was rather appealing. She'd sniffed at her own fingers before after masturbating and was familiar with her own scent. JJ had more of a musky smell but Ashley rather liked that.

"You can touch if you want." JJ encouraged, hoping she didn't sound too desperate. 

"I know. Just getting a good look first. I've looked at my own, but never from this angle. Obviously." Ashley blushed, pulling JJ's lips wider, watching how that moved everything else. She glanced up and spotted JJ's clit, a small bud peeking out of from underneath its fleshy hood. 

With a deep breath and a swipe of her tongue to wet dry lips, Ashley moved her hand, a single finger extended and tentatively touched JJ, stroking slowly down the wet crease of her smaller inner labia. 

JJ's pussy felt like her own, hot, wet, and silky smooth. Ashley pushed that same finger through the gathered moisture at JJ's slick perineum and ventured up to the older girl's clitoris. She rubbed the hood, not sure about the tip yet. She knew her own was too sensitive to touch sometimes, and didn't want JJ to pull away. 

Making small strokes up and down the short length, Ashley watched JJ's clit play peek-a-boo. She could feel the small shaft under her finger becoming stiffer, the way her own did when she masturbated. 

"You can rub the tip if you want." JJ murmured, cocking her head to watch from a different angle. She wanted that intense sensation, but didn't want to pressure Ashley. Her excitement was building quickly, left over from the night before and fed by the sight of Ashley exploring between her legs. 

"Really? I can't touch mine. It's too much." Ashley dragged her finger over JJ's clit, right over the small bud. JJ's thighs twitched, more juices seeping from her tiny hole. Ashley focused on rubbing at the little tip, wetting two fingers in JJ's copious liquid and rubbing them directly over her clitoris. 

JJ groaned, her hips twitching under Ashley's hand. "Fuck, that's it." 

Ashley blushed, looking up to read JJ's expression. JJ's brow was furrowed, her eyes half lidded. She looked from Ashley's hand to meet her eyes, a pink flush creeping over JJ's cheekbones, matching the flush on her chest. 

The sight of JJ so clearly aroused filled Ashley with confidence. She licked her lip and brought her other hand up to play too. She tapped a fingertip in the pooled juices just under JJ's hole. Ashley slowed her rubbing, needing to pay attention. With her wet finger she circled around the tight opening, dipping in just a little. 

JJ exhaled loudly and pulled her other thigh up, both feet flat on the bed now. She hadn't expected Ashley to be quite so adventurous or determined. She'd figured Ashley would take a peek, then they'd get up and start the day. Or maybe she'd get to play with Ashley some. This was a pleasant surprise, Ashely's finger slowly sinking inside JJ.

Once she'd gotten her finger inside JJ Ashley wasn't sure what to do. She'd never penetrated herself, and never another person. To keep JJ excited, she sped up how quickly she was rubbing JJ's clit, rewetting her fingers first. Ashley was startled when her finger was squeezed tightly, actually pulling back a little. She pushed back into JJ until her finger was deeper than before, the heat and soft inner walls of JJ's pussy completely enveloping her digit. 

"Don't stop, baby. Keep going, in and out." JJ canted her hips up to encourage Ashley to move her finger. 

Ashley bit her lip and pulled her finger back, almost all the way out. She could feel the way that JJ's opening was pulsing, squeezing and gripping. It was very different, but actually kind of exciting. She pushed her finger back into JJ, still rubbing at her aroused clit.

"Fuck Ashie, that's amazing." JJ panted, her hands - no longer behind her head - stroking her flat belly. Her thighs were trembling and she was having trouble keeping her head up to watch Ashley.

"Yeah? Does it feel good to have my finger inside you? Inside your pussy?" Ashley blushed, never having said pussy aloud. 

"Oh, you have no idea." JJ dropped her head back and pinched one of her nipples. 

Ashley almost giggled, pumping her finger into JJ, working out the coordination between her hands. "I have no idea. I've never tried this before."

JJ barked out a short laugh, her hips humping into the air in time with Ashley's thrusts. "Boys generally aren't into getting fingered." 

"Ew, no. To myself, I mean." Ashley wrinkled her nose at the idea of sticking her finger in a boys butt.

JJ was having trouble talking, her body locking up in preparation of exploding. "That's gonna have to change. Faster, please, Ashie." 

Ashley sped up her rubbing, ignoring the burning of tired muscles in her forearms and shoulder. She didn't thrust into JJ faster, but added more pressure when she bottomed out. 

"Fuck." JJ moaned, low and rumbly in her chest, her body going completely rigid. Ashley gasped when she felt all of the older woman's internal muscles clamp down on her finger, pulsing and squeezing rhythmically. She looked up along JJ's tight body, taking in the way her nipples stood proudly from her modest breasts and the intense expression of pleasure on JJ's face. 

All at once JJ's body relaxed, slumping back down onto the mattress, her chest rising and falling rapidly with her panting. She waved an arm weakly at Ashely, who gently removed her finger from JJ's sex and crawled up the bed to lay next to the dark-haired girl. 

JJ gathered Ashley to her, their skin sticking because of the sweat coating JJ. JJ pressed her lips to Ashley's forehead then landed a flurry of light kisses all over her face, making the blonde giggle. 

"You're a goddamn natural." JJ was still trying to get her breathing back to normal. 

"You think?" Ashley asked, pleased beyond words that she'd given JJ pleasure the same way JJ had done for her the night before. 

"Think? I still can't breathe without sounding like a rhinoceros that ran a marathon. You, you are dangerous." JJ grinned while she said it, so Ashley took it as a good thing. 

"Well then you'd better keep on your toes." Ashley warned, glaring playfully at JJ.

JJ had a reply but she was stopped by a gentle rap on the door. Ashley paled for a second before lunging out of the bed and tossing JJ's shirt at her, pulling her own on hastily. She stuck her arms through the sleeves and double checked that JJ was covered, then opened the door. "Hey Mom."

"Hey ladies. I just wanted to let you know breakfast is ready. I felt like making waffles." Debbie didn't give any indication that she guessed what they'd been up to. She certainly wasn't about to mention that Ashley's shirt was on inside out and backwards. 

"I would love some waffles. What about you, Ashie?" JJ lay calmly in the bed still, her naked lower half covered by the blankets. 

"Waffles sound great. Do they come with bacon?" Ashley asked, sniffing the air. Whew, it smelled like pussy in there.

"No bacon. Track is starting, you know better missy." Debbie gave Ashley a look, which made Ashley pout. "There's still syrup and coffee, if that makes up for it." Debra leaned on the doorframe, having more fun than she should, dragging this out. 

"Well, neither are as good as bacon, but they'll do." Ashley repositioned JJ's jacket on her desk chair and was about to sit down when her mother spoke again.

"Did you two stay up all night? Aren't those the clothes you were wearing yesterday?" Debbie looked Ashley up and down, then over at JJ. She missed the look of panic Ashley sent JJ, frozen in place.

"We fell asleep talking. Never had a chance to change." JJ covered smoothly, also having noticed Ashley's shirt but unsure if Debbie had caught on. 

"Okay. Make sure you put clean clothes on before you leave the house. Don't take too long getting to the kitchen. Cold waffles are not delicious." She looked between the girls one last time, then left the room, closing the door behind herself. She returned to the kitchen, a broad grin on her face. 

Ashley waited the five seconds it would take her mother to get clear of the door then flopped on the bed. "God that was nerve wracking. Do you think we fooled her?" 

"Nope. Your shirt is inside out. And backwards." JJ smirked, reaching under the sheets to pull her briefs and jeans back on.

Ashley pulled the shirt away from her chest to confirm, then groaned. She covered her eyes with an arm. "That's embarrassing." 

"At least she didn't chase me from the house with a shotgun. Relax, Ashie. She already knows that something is going on between us. Didn't you see how she figured it out last night when you asked if I could sleep over?" JJ stood to buckle her pants, then ran a hand over her hair, making sure the bedhead wasn't outrageous. 

"Really?" Ashley half sat up, alarmed. 

"Yeah. Calm down." JJ sat next to Ashley's hip. "You're an adult, as I am. I doubt she'll ask us to keep our physical relationship out of her house." 

"But she knows. Do you think she heard us last night?" Ashley looked genuinely upset, which was another reminder to JJ how inexperienced the blonde was.

"Ashley, whether she heard us or not, she knows. It could just be because of our past history or intuition. I don't know. There's no reason to be ashamed or embarrassed." JJ stroked Ashley's side, patting her bottom.

"I've never done something like this here. I never brought a boy in here to make out, you know." Ashley shared, rolling to lean against JJ. 

"And you'd better not start now." JJ teased, getting a laugh from Ashley.

"No, I'm quite happy with my boy-less bedroom."

JJ smiled and leaned down to kiss Ashley's cheek. "Me too."

***

Breakfast was relaxed, despite Ashley's embarrassment that her mom knew she and JJ had messed around. She forgot about it after a few minutes in, both JJ and Debra acting as if it didn't matter. Ashley realized there wasn't anything to be embarrassed about and relaxed, laughing at her mom's bad jokes. 

Debra left shortly after breakfast, needing to get some shopping done. JJ helped Ashley wash up the dishes, then followed the blonde back to the bedroom. 

Ashley left the door open, and stretched out on her bed with a sigh. "Well, that went better than I expected."

"Told you it would be fine." JJ sat at the foot of the bed and began putting her shoes back on. 

"Yeah, yeah, rub it in a little more. I told you I've never done this before." Ashley griped, raising her arms above her head and stretching, a full body stretch that pointed her toes and arched her back. 

JJ couldn't help watching, Ashley's toned tummy exposed when her shirt rode up. It took some effort to look away and finish tying up her old red high tops. JJ stood and took her jacket from the desk chair.

"Where are you going?" Ashley asked, realizing that JJ was getting ready to leave. 

"I've got to work on the house. We left all of Emily's stuff out when we left. I need to put that away and sort out the other trunk." JJ shook the jacket open and slid first one, then the other arm in.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Ashley asked. 

JJ shrugged, adjusting the collar of her leather jacket. "I know what to expect now. That it might be something from her, or Mack. It's okay."

Ashley frowned, not so much worried for JJ as curious about what could be in the foot locker. She had plans for this afternoon though. "Text me when you figure out what it is, yeah?" 

"You bet, little lady." JJ gave Ashley the same half smile she'd had as a girl.

JJ came to the edge of the bed and leaned over to give Ashley a kiss. Ashley opened her lips immediately for JJ's tongue. Even though JJ had planned to keep the kiss chaste, she couldn't resist the invitation and slipped her tongue inside Ashley, tasting the syrup she'd had at breakfast.

Ashley pressed her advantage and slyly slipped her hands inside JJ's tee, cupping her small breasts and tugging just a little roughly at JJ's nipples. JJ grunted and pulled back, nipping at Ashley's lip. 

"Easy with the nips, will you?" JJ scolded, softening the words with sucking kisses along Ashley's neck. 

"S, Sorry." Ashley gasped, tipping her head back to bare her neck. 

JJ growled, sucking harder at the tender flesh of Ashley's neck. An exposed neck was a primal sign of submission, and one that JJ relished. She shivered, knowing that she needed to get going, but reluctant to leave. 

Ashley whimpered, her neck more sensitive than she'd known. Tingles were racing up and down her body, raising goosebumps. She ran her hands along JJ's sides, feeling needy. 

It was with a frustrated moan that JJ pulled away from the delicious length of Ashley's neck. Both women were breathing heavily, but JJ exerted some self-control and straightened. 

"I really do need to go, Ashie." JJ insisted, finger-combing her hair back. 

Ashley sat up, rubbing he hand over the wet spot on her neck. "Okay."

JJ led the way back down the hall and to the front door. She let Ashley open the door, but turned to her before stepping over the threshold. "I enjoyed last night, Ashie. Probably more than you know. I will text you to work out another little date, okay?" 

Ashley blushed, but smiled and nodded. "Okay." 

JJ tugged on one of the blonde's wild curls then stepped onto the porch and walked briskly to her truck. 

Ashley waved as JJ drove off, then shut the door and leaned against it, a ridiculous grin on her face and a giddy laugh bubbling up from her throat. In the space of one day, she felt like a completely new woman. Ashley felt like she had discovered some deep secret of the universe, powerful and all-knowing. She knew how to make JJ cum. Ashley knew how JJ's lips tasted, how she kissed. She knew how JJ's hands felt on her skin, strong and warm, just a little rough from hard work. 

Pushing away from the front door, double checking she'd locked it, Ashley wandered back to her room. The house was empty and she knew exactly what she was going to do. Crawling back onto the bed Ashley laid on her belly, her face pressed to the sheet where JJ had slept. It smelled just like the dark-haired girl and Ashley moaned, slipping a hand underneath her and into her leggings, then into her panties. 




JJ and Ashley Ch. 05



The memories of the night before and that very morning combined with JJ's scent and her own practiced fingers made quick work of Ashley's arousal. She lay panting on her bed, swallowing the saliva that was pooling in her mouth. Exhaling slowly to slow her pounding heart Ashley pulled her fingers from her pants and cleaned off her fingers, something she'd started doing late one night her sophomore year in college. 

Sitting up slowly, Ashley checked the time. She had three hours before the group skype call. She definitely needed a shower before then. She smelled like girl sex and waffles, not that they would know. It would be distracting though. 

Standing, Ashley gathered clean clothes together and crossed the hall to the bathroom. She stripped off her clothing while the water heated up. That was when she noticed the hickey JJ had just left on her neck. Shit. Someone was bound to notice. "Hair down today, I guess." Ashley muttered to her reflection. 

Ashley stepped into the spray and tipped her head back, letting the warm water soak her hair. A hand crept up her neck, massaging the spot where JJ had left her love bite. Her small smile faded. Was what they'd done considered sex? Had she just had sex on a first date? 

She mechanically began shampooing, her mind starting to whirl. Was it no kissing until the second date, or no sex? If she calculated right, they'd already made it to third base. Or was that a home run? Wasn't a home run actual intercourse? Who the hell thought a baseball analogy was appropriate? Did any of those 'rules' apply if you'd know the person for several years, not just the forty-five minutes of your blind date?

She rinsed and started working conditioner into her hair. Maybe this wasn't something to stress over. She'd enjoyed herself, and JJ had seemed to enjoy it. She'd said as much before she left. 

Ashley chewed her lip, tossing her hair over her shoulder and rinsing her hands. She couldn't help but rethink how she'd behaved. While she'd just been doing what felt right, Ashley didn't know what JJ really thought about what they'd done. Did JJ think badly of her for going so far so soon? Ashley snorted and squirted soap on her loofah. Don't be ridiculous, JJ had been more than willing to go at Ashley's speed. JJ wouldn't think poorly of Ashley because she was eager to play. 

Ashley made short work of soaping up and rinsing her body and hair, being extra thorough with her hair. Turning off the water she wrapped herself in a large fluffy towel and used another to wrap her hair, squeezing to soak up the excess water. Drying off, Ashley sorted through her lotion basket, trying to find a good one to wear. 

She settled on a tropical one, applying it generously. After a swipe of deodorant she dressed in a skirt made of a light, flowy fabric and a simple sea green blouse with short capped sleeves. She dried her hair and returned to her room. 

Her phone had a text, so Ashley dumped her clothes in the laundry basket and unlocked the screen, absentmindedly kicking a dirty shirt and pair of socks towards the hamper as she read. 

'Hey. Locker just has books in it.' JJ had text her almost twenty minutes ago. 

Ashley plopped herself into the desk chair and swiveled while she tapped out a reply. 'Didn't take Mack for the literate type. No offense.'

JJ replied quickly, 'None taken bc he wasn't. They're Emily's.'

Ashley felt like she should have known that. 'Wow. Anything good?'

'Lots of classics. A couple romances and some mysteries. She had good taste.' JJ sent a picture along with that message, about half the books pulled from the trunk and stacked neatly beside it. 

'It's an impressive collection.' Ashley replied, going back to the picture and peering closely at the spines, trying to make out the titles. She couldn't read any of them but a few looked familiar.

'Ya. It's getting added to mine. Want any duplicates?' JJ asked.

'Wait, you read?' Ashley teased, checking the time. She set the phone down and began making her bed. She was not about to give the girls any clues to the fact that she and JJ were more than friends at the moment. 

Her phone pinged with another text, quickly followed by another. Ashley positioned her pillow and took her blanket with her to check the messages. 

The first was from JJ. 'You keep up these jokes Imma tan your hide.' Ashley sniggered and replied. 'Only if you can catch me.'

The second was part of the group text, Brenda asking if everyone was still on track for the skype call. Ashley responded in the affirmative and tossed her phone to the bed to fold the blanket she kept at the foot. 

The small electronic pinged six more times before Ashley had the blanket to her liking. "I'm so popular today." Ashley muttered under her breath, picking up her phone and reading through. So far, everyone was still doing the call. Good. 

JJ had responded too. 'Challenge accepted.'

Ashley blushed, the idea of JJ spanking her mildly appealing. Frankie had swatted her butt a few times while they fooled around and it had excited her. It wasn't the pain, since he'd been gentle. It had been the way her bottom had tingled, the way the impact had sent ripples to her pussy. It had been like a signal to her body and her body had responded with full arousal in moments. What that led to still made her blush bright red.

Ashley looked down at the phone in her hands, chewing her lip as she thought about what to say. Slowly she typed. 'Accept at your own risk. What'll you let me do if I catch you instead?'

'Anything you wanted.' JJ added a smiley face to that. 

'Hmm. I'll hold you to that.' Ashley responded, leaning over her desk to turn on her laptop.

As the machine warmed up Ashley straightened up her room. It wasn't too messy, but there were a few items of dirty clothes around and her bag had been dumped rather unceremoniously next to her desk, spilling textbooks. So she cleaned up out of habit.

Room clean, Ashley sat down and logged into her email, deleting junk and answering one from her roommate Lisa. 

Lisa and Ashley had only been rooming together since the beginning of the semester, Ashley's previous roomie having graduated in December. Ashley had learned very quickly that Lisa was painfully shy and rarely had friends over. If she did, she made sure to ask Ashley prior to inviting them. More than once Ashley had tried to explain that the room belonged to Lisa as well and she didn't need to ask permission. And more than once Lisa had agreed that she understood, then continued to ask. This email was just another in a short line of requests to have a friend over. Ashley gave her usual, positive answer and logged off her email. 

She still had thirty minutes, but Ashley logged into skype and found that Brenda was already online. Of course she was. Ashley shook her head. Brenda was the biggest mother hen of the group, always on top of plans, who was sick, who had the worst period cramps, and coming through with the appropriate care packages. Ashley fondly remembered being dragged along to pick up soup and cold remedies for Chloe the winter of 2009. Brenda had filled a box with soups, teas, simple pain relievers, and a new extra fluffy blanket for Chloe. She'd put Ashley in charge of mailing it, under strict directions to have it arrive the next day. 

Ashley sent Brenda a quick message, 'Hello there.'

'Hi. How are you?' Brenda typed back.

'Doing well. Came home early yesterday cuz Rolley canceled class.' Brenda would know which Professor Ashley was referring to, since they went to the same college. They'd never had a class together, but they'd shared professors. 

'Of course he did. If he cancels a class, it's always on a Friday.' Of course Brenda caught the pattern, probably writing it down every time a class was cut. 

'You just chilling?' Ashley asked. She had a hard time talking with Brenda online like this because the other girl's dry sense of humor made her jokes difficult to catch without any inflection or body language. It was much easier to talk face to face, but that would mess up the group chat.

'Yeah. Little brother is in town and has his friends over. I'm sitting in my room, making no noise and pretending that I don't exist.' Brenda added a smiley face, but Ashley caught the reference and giggled. 

'That bad, huh?' Ashley sent a laughing emoji along.

'Last time I made an appearance it took me two hours to get free. You would not believe the questions 14 year old boys ask about college.' 

'I can guess. How many times did they ask about how hot the girls are?' Ashley smirked, imagining Brenda's precocious little brother. 

'Only about twenty five times. I think they were trying to be sly about it.' Ashley caught Brenda's sarcasm. 

Ashley was trying to think up a clever response when Sarah popped online. She created a group message and sent a greeting, answered by Brenda and Ashley both. 

'Any sign of the others yet?' Sarah asked, her font colored purple, in contrast to Ashley and Brenda's regular black. 

'Nope. They should be online soon.' Brenda assured Sarah. 

'How's it going on your end?' Ashley asked, not having spoken with Sarah in a few days. 

'All is good here. Have some good news to share with everyone.' Sarah sent two happy face emojis.

'Okay, we'll be patient.' Ashley rolled her eyes. Of course Brenda would wait. Ashley wanted to know what Sarah had to share. She knew the quiet brunette had been doing some serious job searching since she'd graduated in December, but had little luck. Another thought occurred to her as Rebecca and Amy's joint account appeared online. Sarah was in an exclusive relationship with her boyfriend of two years, Nathan. Was the good news a pregnancy?

'Yo bitches. Lets get started. What are we waiting for.' Rebecca typed, her handle simple RA.

'Chloe's not online. I texted her and she's finishing lunch.' Brenda informed everyone. 

'Tell her to bring her food to the computer. Im not waiting all day.' Rebecca snipped.

Seconds later Chloe popped online and Rebecca started the call. Ashley exhaled, butterflies alighting in her tummy. She accepted the call and shook her hair over her shoulders. 

Four windows opened, her friends faces appearing on her screen. Ashley smiled and adjusted her laptop until she was pleased with how her own feed looked. She waved, then caught sight of Chloe about the same time as the others. 

"Eww! Did you grow up with cavemen?" "Omg Chloe, can you not eat like a dinosaur?" "Chloe, you didn't have to kill it first. It was already dead." "Chloe that's disgusting." They all chimed in, while Rebecca's girlfriend Amy just smiled with a bemused expression on her face. 

Chloe glared at them over the decimated half of her burrito, beans and rice sticking to her cheeks while salsa dripped from her chin. She took another bite just to spite them, the tortilla ripping as it tried to contain the filling. The burrito's contents fell over her fingers and more bits of food coated her cheeks. She cheeked the bite, looking like a pale blond chipmunk. "You wanted me online. You got me, burrito dinosaur manners and all. Shut yer yaps."

"Okay, so we'll just try to ignore that little mess. Amy and I have tickets to come out June 3rd and stay for two weeks. That was the most time she could get off from work." Rebecca started, her red hair braided and trailing over her shoulder. Amy sat next to her, tall and thin, her blue Mohawk combed neatly to the side. The taller girl rarely spoke, but when she did everyone listened. 

"June 3rd works for me. School will be out for Ashley and me by May 13th. I'm coming home that same weekend." Brenda consulted a small day planner, a pencil at the ready to make notes. 

"I'm working part time at the arts and crafts store again this summer, but it'll be morning shifts." Ashley reminded the group. Last year she'd had the same job, but had been stuck with evening shifts which put a big damper on plans.

"Thank God you got mornings. What about you, Sarah?" Rebecca leaned forward into the camera, her face filling the small window. 

"Uh, I should be free that first week. The second week, I've got another obligation." The petite brunette adjusted her glasses and grinned, tucking her hands in her lap.

"Obligation? Since when did you start using big words with us, smarty pants?" Rebecca squinted at her screen, her green eyes averted from view for a moment. 

"Since I got that job at the library." Sarah admitted, receiving congratulations from the group, including Chloe who appeared to be finished with her messy burrito. Sarah had been the only one of the group to stay in town and attend the local community college. She'd graduated before all of them with degrees in Classic Literature and Clerical Professions and applied for a job as assistant librarian. 

"So now you get to spend your days shushing kids and sticking books on shelves. Joy skippy." Chloe rolled her eyes and guzzled a pale yellow liquid from a glass bottle. 

"Actually, I'm a librarian, not an assistant. I applied to be an assistant, content to work my way up the chain. But they've had one person leave and another has given them notice. It's pretty far in advance, which gives them time to train me part time until they leave in June." Sarah frowned at her screen, adjusting her glasses. "Chloe, I hope that's lemonade." 

"No it's piss, to go with my caveman burrito. Of course it's lemonade!" Chloe snapped, wiping her mouth with her hand.

Every one sat quietly, a little taken aback by Chloe's temper. This was unusual for the typically chipper blonde. 

"How's things on your end, Chloe?" Ashley asked, watching Chloe's window. 

"Busy. I've got a billion projects all with deadlines approaching. I haven't been laid in weeks and I'm pmsing." Chloe used both hands to push her short bobbed hair from her face and sighed. "Sorry. Stress is making me bitchy." 

"Forget about all that for the time being, Chloe. We're making plans for a fun, stress free summer." Brenda soothed, her calm tone carrying through the computer. 

"I'm sorry for teasing you about the burrito. I eat like a dinosaur too when I'm bitchy." Rebecca leaned back, either missing or ignoring the sidelong look from Amy. 

"Yeah, I've seen it. Maybe that's where I learned it." Chloe teased, relaxing and putting her work to the back of her mind. 

"Well you didn't learn it from me." Sarah giggled, her eyes tracking something beyond the computer. 

"Okay, so Amy and I are, obviously, free. Ashley is free, Sarah will be free for one week. Brenda, were you available?" Rebecca tilted her head, her red braid falling off her shoulder.

"I'll be free. I signed up to be a coach at a summer lacrosse camp but that's not until July." Brenda's brown ponytail bobbed as she looked from her planner to the computer. "I'll keep those weeks open." She bent to write in her day planner. 

"Okay, so Chloe, that leaves you." Ashley prodded. 

"Semester ends May 11. Okay. Then I should be able to be home by the 15th or 16th. Mom and Dad have some shindig I have to go to at the end of May. Shit, what was that?" Chloe muttered as she thought things through, consulting a wall calendar she'd pulled from nearby. "A wedding or something? Whatever. That's out of town and we get back on the 27th. So yes, I'll be there." Chloe looked back up at the screen, grinning. 

"You need to write this down so you don't forget." Brenda urged, a worried look on her face. She never planned things that casually. 

"Consider it written." Chloe tossed the calendar aside. "Ashley would you be able to pick me up from the airport, as usual?" 

"Probably. You're coming back on the 15th or 16th?" Ashley confirmed, looking sharply at the camera. 

Chloe sighed and the others giggled. "Yes, the 15th or 16th." She grabbed the calendar and after tossing a couple dead pens, scribbled on the appointed days. 

"I'll make sure I'm not busy." Ashley wrote herself a note on a post it and stuck it to the upper shelf on her desk. 

Chloe rolled her eyes and set the calendar aside again, but close enough to grab again. "Like what else could you possibly have to do?" 

"You never know." Ashley answered, keeping her expression innocent. 

"Hmph, whatever." Chloe rolled her eyes, a grin assuring Ashley she was teasing. 

"Enough squabbling you two. What are we going to do while we're there?" Rebecca leaned against Amy, who automatically wrapped a long arm around the redhead's shoulders and kissed her head. Ashley had to suppress a grin, remembering how JJ's similar embrace had felt.

"I've been thinking about this, and made a list of possible activities." Brenda announced, holding up a sheet of paper with her neat handwriting forming a decent sized list. She cleared her throat and began reading the options. "We could go camping, weather permitting. That would take up the largest chunk of time. Everything else is just activities. Amusement park, bowling, clubbing, mini golf, movie marathon, roller skating, swimming, and tanning." Brenda looked back up at the camera expectantly. 

Everyone was quiet for a moment, pondering. There wasn't a lot to do in Sierra Falls, which had become painfully obvious once the girls were in college, surrounded by parties and cities bursting with activities. While none of them felt the need to turn this vacation into a raging party, they still wanted to have fun. 

"What if we do everything? Go camping the first week, then the second week, do the activities in order of most energy spent." Sarah spoke slowly, playing with her ear. "We go camping, which requires a lot of energy and planning, but is fairly relaxing. That gives us time to catch up and everything. Then when we come back, we do clubbing first. That's pretty high energy with the dancing and stuff. Then we just pick and choose the rest of the week." 

"But you'll only be able to do the camping, since that's the first week." Ashley pointed out, understanding Sarah's logic. 

"I can do some things, if they're in the evening. I could go clubbing, and do the movie marathon, or at least join after work." Sarah explained, a faint blush rising on her cheeks when a tall figure moved through the background. 

Chloe lurched forward in her chair, almost falling in her hurry. "Is that Nathan?" she whispered, moving around ineffectively to try and see around Sarah. 

"Yes. Now pay attention." Sarah cleared her throat and continued. "I don't mind missing out on some of the stuff, so long as you keep me in the loop, plan wise. We all know I'm the least athletic of us all. I won't mind missing out on mini golf." The petite brunette nudged her glasses back up her nose. 

Rebecca had been tapping her fingers on Amy's thigh and sat up straight, ready to give her opinion. "I like the idea of doing all the hectic, energy demanding things first. Very logical. I'm down for camping, but we're bringing the damn bug spray this time. The commercial stuff, not that homemade crap. Sorry, it just didn't work. I was eaten alive. Also sunscreen, cannot forget that. Hell yes to a night at the club, but I want to go more than once. The only thing I refuse to do is the amusement park, although I'll make an exception for mini golf."

Everyone seemed to agree with Rebecca, so they began to plan things out. Camping from June 4th to the 10th, returning home late on the 10th. Breakfast out on the 11th with dancing at the club that evening. They all knew they'd need a day to recover from hangovers, so a movie marathon was planned for the following Sunday. They agreed to plan out the second week that Sunday, but to keep the activities low key. Rebecca insisted on another club night, which was set for the 17th, since she and Amy had to fly back home to Rhode Island late on the 18th. 

Ashley wrote out the plans, content to let Rebecca and Brenda work things out and simply go with the flow. She had butterflies in her tummy, a large part of her wanting to ask if JJ could tag along with the group. Her phone pinged at that moment, getting everyone's attention. She tried to keep a straight face as she opened the text from JJ.




JJ and Ashley Ch. 05



'Skype yet?' Two words. That's all it took for her heart rate to increase dramatically. 

'Yep. Right now.' She replied, setting the phone down and looking back to the computer to see five pairs of eyes watching her. "What did I miss?" she asked.

"It's not what you missed." Rebecca tilted her head and squinted, Chloe doing the same thing from her window. 

Ashley raised her eyebrows, not understanding Rebecca's cryptic statement or behavior. "Huh?"

"So how has your weekend been so far, Ash?" The redhead asked casually, straightening and setting aside her notes from their talk. 

"Good. Left school early. Had a, uh, fun day yesterday." Ashley swallowed, suddenly nervous. She had wanted to share some of what she and JJ did, but this just felt weird.

"A fun day? What'd you do?" Rebecca asked while Chloe snickered. Even Sarah and Brenda grinned, both sitting this one out. 

"Well, I stopped by JJ's to see how the house was coming along. She's done so much to that place. It almost looks like new. I mean some paint, carpet and a new roof have worked wonders." Ashley stopped herself before she could gush too much.

"And how is dear JJ?" Chloe asked, batting her lashes and grinning.

"She's good. Happy to be almost done with the house. Oh, she took me roller skating. I can totally skate now!" Ashley remembered she'd wanted to tell them.

"And JJ taught you?" Chloe was giggling, her chin propped on her fist.

"Yeah." Ashley knew she was missing the point here. There was no way they'd know what else she and JJ did, so what was going on?

"Did our dear, sweet JJ teach you anything else?" Rebecca asked, one eyebrow lifted suggestively. 

Ashley couldn't help the blush that flared across her cheeks, but a glance at her own, small window on the screen revealed what they'd been smirking about. That damn hickey was visible, plain as day on her pale skin. Ashley cleared her throat and adopted a lofty air. "Maybe. Maybe not."

Everyone giggled at that, then Amy leaned in. "You wanna invite her for June?" 

Ashley smiled, "I was going to ask you guys about that actually. Would anyone mind if JJ tagged along for some of our plans?" 

When everyone agreed they'd love to see and catch up with JJ, Ashley nodded. "I'll let her know." 

"So are you two dating? Engaged? What?" Chloe asked bluntly.

Ashley laughed, "Definitely not engaged. Um, dating might not be quite the word, because this is...extremely new. We're just taking things one day at a time right now." 

Brenda piped up. "Ashley, while this might feel new or be a new aspect of your relationship with JJ, I don't think it's new to us. It was pretty clear, even as kids, that you and JJ were closer than the rest of us were. While we may not have envisioned that you and she would link up romantically, I feel like it was obvious that you two would have a deeper, closer friendship together than any of us would with her. 

Sarah nodded, her screen reflected on her glasses for a second. "I agree with Brenda. You were the one who brought her out of her shell and you two have this bond from that. We can't compete with that, and I don't want to. I'm happy to be your friend, to be her friend. I love that your two were, are, so close." 

Ashley blinked, speechless. She hadn't expected this. What do you say when your best friends accept that you have a stronger connection to someone than you do to them?

"For the record, I thought you two might fuck at some point, but only after puberty started." Chloe sipped her lemonade. 

Sarah clucked her tongue at Chloe's crass language, while Rebecca snickered. "So, you can keep the details to yourself, but I'm curious. How good is JJ at kissing? Like, scale of one to ten with one being you'd rather kiss a fish." The redhead asked, her own girlfriend poking her in the ribs, either for being nosy or being curious about another woman's kissing skills.

Ashley blushed as she remembered JJ's kisses, a pretty big smile spreading across her face. "I'd say she's solidly a 45 when it comes to kissing."

There were giggles, hoots, and Chloe sent a shrill whistle. "Damn. Why couldn't I have been the one to help her out of her shy little shell?" the pale blonde lamented playfully.