"Changes, right? It's time for you change your mind about scary movies."
The movie starts. Bernadine finds herself engrossed. But it does eventually scare her. Savannah doesn't even bother to stifle her laughs whenever she jumps up or flinches. At one point Bernadine hides her face in Savannah's chest and neck.
"It wasn't that bad, was it?" asks Savannah when the credits roll.
Bernadine gives her a hard look, eliciting a giggle.
"Bernie, you need to toughen up, girl."
"I don't know how it didn't scare you not once. You are crazy."
"It's okay, I'll stay the night."
Bernadine laughs.
"Unless you don't want me to..." Savannah trails off.
"No, stay. I'll be right back." She gets up and starts to leave the room but doesn't get very far. Her mind wants her to think there's a chance that a demon can randomly pop up out of nowhere.
"Bernie, you good?" Savannah sees her friend frozen in place. "You want me to come with you?"
Bernadine grumbles something and looks at her right and left.
"Yeah, you do," Savannah responds, walking with her to her room.
"As you can see, this is a King size, so there's plenty of room for the both of us," Bernadine says. "If you snore, I might have to send you to the couch, though."
"Bernie, stop, you know I don't snore," Vannah retorts to an amused Bernadine. "Mind if I shower?"
"No, go right ahead. You can pick out a pajama too." Bernadine opens her drawers, showing Savannah, who picks out a family reunion T-shirt and shorts.
"Thanks, babe. Try not to be too scared while I'm away, okay?" She laughs when Bernadine playfully throws a shower cap at her.
Savannah takes the cap and goes in the bathroom. She brushes her teeth and starts the shower in Bernadine's clean bathroom. She smiles as she lathers her body, thinking about tonight's events. She also loves how she would be ending the day, with just the person she wanted to. Not some man—or any man—especially a married one.
She imagines telling her mother that someone else has her heart instead. The next time her mother bitches about her "sad, pathetic" love life, she's probably going to mention Bernadine.
But first she needs to know how Bernadine feels.
"Vannah? You sleep?" Bernadine calls moments later. They are in the silk white sheets of her bed. They finished saying their prayers and are now lying in the night.
Though Vannah is content enough to doze off, her mind is awake. She wonders if it would be better to tell Bernadine how she feels tomorrow. Should it be in the morning or evening? Should they be at a nice place when she tells her, as in an outing?
"No," Savannah answers and turns around so they are turned towards each other. "Why, what's up?"
Bernadine feels shyness again for no good reason at all. She just knows that Savannah sometimes has this effect on her, especially when she's under her stare. "I just wanted to thank you for tonight. It's the best I've felt since filing."
"Any time, you know I'm here for you, babe."
"Yes, I do know. I can count on you. I hope you know you can count on me, too."
A smile spreads across Savannah's face and Bernadine wishes she could see it properly.
"Even when I make you watch horror movies, huh?"
Bernadine laughs and it warms Vannah up.
"I'm sorry if I seem sappy—"
"Not sappy at all. I appreciate you telling me."
"Yeah, it's just with everything I've been through, I want to make sure I'm not taking for granted the ones who truly love me and ride for me." She pauses. "I love you."
"I love you too," Savannah says without hesitation.
Bernadine smiles. "Okay, well, thanks for letting me get that off my chest. I won't keep you any longer. Good night, Vannah."
"No, wait." I'm really about to do this, Savannah thinks. "There's something I wanna get off my chest, too."
"Yeah? Go on, babe."
Savannah breathes out, squeezing her eyes shut.
"I don't just love you, I'm in love with you." Now she's the scared one. Enveloped in fear, she shifts her body in the opposite direction again. Suddenly she's lamenting herself for making this move. She cringes and gets out the bed.
"Vannah," Bernadine calls before she can exit the room. She has to follow Savannah into the hall. "Vannah." She grasps her bare, smooth arm.
"I'm sorry," Savannah whispers.
"Sorry for what?" Bernadine demands. All the producer can do is look at her solemnly. "You had to get that off your chest, right?"
"Yeah, but—"
"Okay, then. What's the problem?" She gazes at Savannah whose lips part but don't form words. "What's...the...problem?" Bernadine repeats, coming closer with each word.
Savannah's eyes dart between her eyes and lips, both sights to behold. And Bernadine's soft, minty breath caresses her face.
"I just don't want to ruin our friendship," Savannah explains.
"The only way you can do that is if you betray me. Do you plan on doing that?"
"No, of course not."
"I know you don't." She takes hold of Vannah's chin.
It's dark, yet somehow, she can see the lust and thrill in Vannah's eyes. That gives Bernadine all the courage she needs to close the small gap between them and seal their ready lips into a kiss.
"I love you too," Bernadine pronounces with a serious expression. She allows her hand to travel to Savannah's heart. "I've been wanted you, baby."
Savannah's eyes light up. "Really?"
"Yes, my love."
"We should have said something!" she whispers passionately.
Bernadine chuckles. "If you ask me, it's the perfect time."
Savannah grins and grabs her girl's hip, connecting their lips again. For a moment, they take turns pressing each other against the wall, exploring the other's mouth. And then Savannah leads them back in Bernadine's room, their lips still fastened together, hands roaming.
Changes (Savannah and Bernadine)
Start from the beginning
