October to October

{Chapter Thirty-One}

    "What do you think?" Joan asked as the modeled a bikini in front of her bedroom mirror. "Do I look flabby?"

   "You need to put more meat on your bones if anything," Lauren said as she read a magazine sprawled out on the bed.

   She was watching Joan try on the three new swimsuits they picked out at the mall for her. Lauren talked Joan into buying a bikini although Joan was more partial to one piece suits, but Lauren said she would look gorgeous in the black string bikini. They were getting ready to go swim in the pool at Lauren's house since it was a hundred degrees out, and it was the fourth of July. They were going to celebrate with Lauren's family.

  "What? I'm too skinny? Do my bones stick out?" Joan demanded.

  Lauren grinned. "No, they don't. I'm just saying you don't look even slightly flabby which I already told you at the mall. Why are you so insecure? You're freaking beautiful."

  "... I'm okay."

  "I'd do you."

  Lauren watched as Joan took off the black bikini, and she went to find the red and black polka dotted one-piece she bought. She was nakedly searching through the shopping bags, and Lauren happily watched on. She really enjoyed the fact her girlfriend was so beautiful with her long, pale limbs, and the trail of freckles. 

  It had been two months since they started dating, but the novelty hadn't worn off yet. Joan was Lauren's girlfriend. No one knew besides Wren and Henry plus a few of the Joan's other friends, but the thought still made Lauren happy. She'd never had a better one and a half months although she did have to hide it from her family, and almost all of her friends, but at least in this house things were perfect. 

  She spent most of her time within the walls of the purple house. Wren moved in with Henry two weeks ago so it was almost as if they were a strange but happy family.

  "Tell Ruth I said hello," Wren said as Lauren and Joan came downstairs where they found Henry, and Wren draped over the couches as they sat in the blast of the air-conditioner, and they were eating what looked like two large mixing bowls full of ice-cream. Joan hadn't been kidding when she said she thought they had given up to become 'adorably rotund' together.

  "I will," Lauren said. "Are you sure you don't want to go?"

  "I'm sure," Wren said as she shared a smirk with Henry. "I don't think I'm welcome especially since my parents usually attend your 4th party."

  "... They'll get over it."

  "I wouldn't bet on it."

  There had already been a big blow up two weeks ago when someone had seen Wren in a parked car with Henry one evening at the park. She swore nothing was going on but this person insinuated that Wren was having sex with Henry in the car. The story quickly got around campus, and it wasn't soon before it reached Wren's older sister Kelly who told their parents. 

  Wren's father demanded to know if she was having sex. Wren admitted everything, and he ordered her to never see Henry again. Wren flat-out refused, and she moved out of her parent's house the next day. She wasn't speaking to her Dad now as he tried to convince her to move back home, and end things with the boy he thought was leading her in the wrong direction. 

  Her Mom tried to understand, but she thought Wren breaking up with Henry would be for the best too. Wren didn't care what they thought. She loved Henry, and she wanted to be with him. She moved into Joan's house, and she was paying a portion of Henry's rent now. She was always at the house anyway so it made sense she moved in. Plus now she didn't have to hide the fact she spent the night with Henry.