Blood Supermoon

11. Tenderly, to the town of Winnie

Early afternoon the next day, Josandra opened Emely's bedroom door and walked in on her and Walter kissing on her bed. They froze when they realized they had an audience. Emely's eyes were wide with horror, but it looked as though Walter was waiting for her to just close the door. Josandra clenched her teeth.

"Josandra—" Emely started.

"Sorry," Josandra said, shutting the door.

She found Clay shortly after killing time around a small clearing. Defeated, Josandra sat down on a broken tree trunk that was lying in the grass. Clay was sharpening an arrow that rested in between her thighs with a rock.

"What's wrong with you?" she asked.

"I thought I'd be used to Emely going out with my cousin, but..." Josandra said.

"You're not. Why?"

"His mom and him were kinda dicks to me."

"Ouch, that's not very friend-like of her. Girls who are boy crazy like that freak me out a little," Clay said.

"Aren't you her friend too?"

"I'm your friend too now. I think we vibe way better."

"Why?" Josandra asked.

"Well, I told you I'm lesbian and you didn't freak out. I don't think she'd get it if I tell her...I don't think a lot of people get anything that matters. Everyone just judges each other for no reason," Clay said.

Josandra smiled to herself, feeling lucky that Clay and she were closer. Clay went and sat down next to her and their thighs touched.

"I was thinking..." she said. "Why don't we travel together?"

"What?" Josandra asked, surprised.

"I'm getting tired of this town, and I want to get to know you more. I don't want our friendship to end when you leave," Clay said.

"Really?"

"Mhmm," Clay said, squeezing her chin.

"Oh, I'd love that. This past month traveling with Lue...it isn't unbearable, but sometimes she makes me do this rigorous training and bosses me around as if she can't stand me. And I can never learn the self-defense stuff she teaches me in that type of hostile environment," Josandra said.

"Self-defense huh? Well, let me take a stab at it. I'll go easy on you," Clay said, rising.

Josandra followed her move reluctantly.

But it felt like they were just play fighting. Josandra could tell that if Clay wanted to, she'd have her on the ground within seconds, but Clay was patient and didn't criticize her much, so Josandra's confidence grew. She tried the jabbing technique Lue taught her.

"Nice!" Clay grinned, "But, how's this?"

She grabbed Josandra by the arm suddenly and had her arm behind her back. She pinned her against a tree. Josandra's face was smudged into the trunk. Clay was still holding her from behind, pressed up against her.

"You okay?" Clay whispered.

"Yeah! God, you're so fast. I didn't even know you moved," Josandra said breathlessly.

Clay sniffed her hair, "What's that smell?"

"Huh? Oh, I didn't really have any shampoo so I made my own with castile soap and oat milk..." Josandra laughed nervously.

"It smells really good. Do you use it for your skin too? I swear whenever I see you your skin is radiating and soft..." Clay said.

Josandra started to speak, but her words got caught in her throat as Clay's free hand touched the back of her neck, falling down her spine. After a second, Josandra laughed again and turned to face her.