The Memory. (Lesbian Stories)

"Hey."

  I sat thinking back to all the memories as I flipped by photos, page by page. Some would say it's sort of malicious looking back on memories and some would beg to differ. But it warmed my heart and triggered thoughts that ran through my mind continuously. It was all the same feeling until I ran across a photo I took a few years back. 

  It was our Sophomore year in High-school, only two years back. We both played roles in the musical that year; "The Sound of Music.". She as Leisl and I as Maria. It was a photo I had taken of us laughing after the premiere. We were sitting on the edge of the stage after being told to stay after. I can remember it as if it were just yesterday.

  The halls had finally cleared and all that was left were the students and the adults who helped work. All students were told right after the credits, to stay after for a special cast and crew dinner. Leslie, Drew, Holly, Derek and I were all goofing off on the stage. It started with Drew sneaking up behind me and running off with me tangled along his neck and in his arms. Giggles and laughs erupted randomly from that. Then Leslie ran up to us and smashed straight forward, causing us to all tumble over laughing.

  Holly hopped on top of us after Derek led her to. It was a pile of people and sweat. Our laughter filled the auditorium, it mixed with the sweat stench that eroded into the seats and carpet. All of us sort of rolled away from each other. I was laying in the middle of everyone. It was Holly, Drew, Me, Leslie and then Derek. As we laid in the middle of the stage, we all got the same feeling. 

  It was the feeling of being together, to feel wanted and the stereotypical feeling of the best kind of friendship. That sinking feeling you get in your stomach that erupts suddenly into a burst of happy bubbles. It felt great and in random unison, Leslie and I sat up. We exchanged looks before I pulled the Polaroid out. 

  Everyone posed behind us as us two sat on the edge of the stage. For a moment, it felt as if nothing was going on, that it was all in good memory. I snapped the photo with all of us posing in costume. It was mainly Leslie and I, with everyone else in the background. The photograph came from the tip of the camera. My fingers pinched the white part as it came. I shook it and watched the film set. 

  The last part I remember was taping it onto a piece of paper and shoving it under my bed.  What a fun night that was. 

 A timid, "Hey." fell across the room. I jumped, slamming the book closed in one motion. I felt my heart beating fast with my hand against my chest. 

"You scared me! Don't do that!" I said, a little bit in an angry whisper.

  Leslie burst into laughter, bending over with her hands on her knee's and tears trimming her eyes. The light caught her at the right angle, making her glow slightly in the dimmed room. I began to smile, losing myself to my thoughts. Her laughter was one of my favorite things to hear. 

  "So! What do you want to do now? Tell me what happened?," I say, standing up and dusting off my maroon skinny jeans.

  She paused for a second, possibly thinking back and fourth. 

  She stayed silent and so I paced the room, thinking of what possibly to do next. I paced for minutes on end before she left the room for a few moments. A little light bulb went off in my head as I turned off the one that stood beside me on the night stand. 

  I began to wonder towards the stereo in the corner. My eyes scanned it in wonder of it is even plugged in. The answer was yes, it was clearly plugged in, so I turned it on. My hands gently tapped the large button on the left and a few tinier buttons until it had began to play Leslie and I's first hand-made album.

  Our music was merely for our ears only. They were like those long conversations you have when you have a life situation that you talked to your best friend about, but kept on a flimsy disk. It wasn't much of a dream of ours to write music, more like a hobby or what we've been doing our whole life. 

  As our music played loudly through the silent cabin, I trailed up the stairs. I began to sing carefully to the lyrics we once had no idea how to put together. So many lovely conversations fled into my mind. 

  As I passed Leslie's room, I heard a slight bit of crying. I began to slowly choke on the song, stopping by her door. My curiosity arose as my smile began to fade. I had my ear pressed to the door as the whimpering continued. My intention was to never let her cry, we made a promise to always be here for each other when we were four years old. 

  My hand lay on the doorknob as I began to turn it, pushing it forward. Leslie was crying with her head between her knee's. Her tears stained the dark grey carpet to an even darker, blackish grey. I skulked into the room, silently sitting beside her. Her spaced sniffles were floating around the room. 

  I put my arms around her after minutes of silence. I pulled her into a tight hug, rubbing her back with my hands.

"Hey. Hey. It's okay. I promise." I lulled.

She shot me a gentle smile and hugged me tighter. A small, shaky laugh fell from her lips. She began to laugh quietly, wiping the dripping make-up off of her face and the tears from beneath her eyes. 

"Thanks, Kay. Hey, um. Can we go for a walk? I just need a bit of air. And I want to talk to you. I have a big surprise for you! Maybe it can help me bounce back." She exclaimed, pulling on my hand in the process.

  We both got off the floor, one of us pulling the other to their feet. We hooked our arms together and walked out of the room. The music was still playing; Leslie had realized. Her arm disconnected from mine as she ran down the stairs in laughter. She yelled, "First one to the lake picks dinner!," as she smashed her hand on the off button that was located on the top on the stereo.

    I ran after her down the stairs, following her out the door and into the summer night. Tree's branches were tapping on my shoulders as I ran. But it was so light that it was as if they were asking why I was running so quickly. I ignored them and kept running, chasing the giggles that hung the air in lead. A smile erupted my lips as I watched the trees dance.

   They were twisting and twirling in the wind. Like a ballerina at her recital. Being lead for the first time, nervous and attempting perfection. The hard nerves showed as she twists her ankle on stage. It was noticeable, but she kept going. That's how they looked. Worried and dark but confident at least. 

 I hadn't realized it, but it was raining now. Had the rain appeared as I thought? Or was it planned ahead? I don't know. But as I stumbled along the lake, Leslie was no where to be found. 

"Hey! I won!" I shouted, looking into the droplets of water.

A scream fell upon the shaking silence. My heart began to beat fast as I turned on the heel of my foot. I began to run back, as fast as I can. 

"Leslie! Hey! Come on! This isn't funny!' I exclaimed, stopping at the edge of the porch. 

A figured appeared in the little bit of sight I had that wasn't completely blurred by drops. 

"Hey!" I shouted.

My face twisted as I shouted. I stood silently and limply on the edge of the porch, awaiting a response. When I never got it, I ran inside. The sound of dashing drops filled the house, leaking noises and puddles below them.