October to October

{Chapter Twenty-Four}

  ... And then there was a picture of Joan. It was from the day they painted the library. It looked a lot like the one Lauren framed, but Joan wasn't making a face in this one. She was just smiling her familiar smile. Joan had paint all over her, and a long strip of it down her nose that was Lauren's handiwork. Joan was in the dorkiest of overalls, but Lauren thought Joan still looked absolutely beautiful. 

  Lauren felt tears in her eyes as she looked at the picture, and the thought of telling Joan it was over was unbearable. She didn't want it to end. She threw her phone back in her bag, and she looked around the emptying parking lot. Since when was her life so confusing? 

  She felt ridiculous sitting in the rain in her overly fancy pink dress that matched her friend's dresses. They picked them out at one of the dress shops. They laughed and taken tons of pictures of themselves at the party. Henry even wore a pink tux, and Lauren snapped his picture once she finally stopped laughing. All she could think of when she took the picture was that she couldn't wait to show it to Joan.

  She wiped the tears from her eyes, started the car, and she drove to Joan's house. She knew it was where she wanted to be.

  "Did you call your Mom?" Joan asked as she and Lauren woke up in Joan's bed. It was morning.

  "I sent her a text," Lauren said. "I didn't want to go through that mess again."

  "It's nice how much she cares."

  "I guess," Lauren said as she stretched. She wasn't used to sleeping in a bed with someone else, but it was nice.

  "Are you hungry?" Joan asked as she pulled a white tank top over her bare breasts.

  "Starved," Lauren said. "I didn't eat anything at the dance because it was all cupcakes and red and pink icing. It was pretty disgusting."

  "I'll make you a mushroom and spinach omelet. They're fantastic," Joan said as they headed down the stairs after Lauren pulled on a pair of Joan's pajamas. Her pink dress was forgotten on the floor of Joan's bedroom.

  "Are Henry and Wren home?" Lauren asked.

  "No. They always go to Wren's farm on Saturdays, and they're there most of the day helping out her Dad with random chores," Joan explained. "Henry is half convinced he wants to own a farm one day. He's lost his mind. Thank God they're gone though. Those two are so loud in the mornings, and I don't want to put up with them today."

  They made their way into the kitchen, and Joan had Lauren sit at the table while she fixed them both breakfast. Lauren felt cozy sitting at the old table, and sipping on coffee out of one of Joan's terribly cheesy polka dotted mugs while Joan cooked at the stove. The omelets were delicious, and after they ate; they went to watch TV in the den, but they ended up making out in Joan's favorite chair. 

  They hadn't had sex the night before, but they fooled around. Their clothes had come off, and hands strayed, but Lauren stopped before they went too far. It was torture, but Lauren's nerves had gotten the better of her. Instead they decided to go to sleep, and Joan had held her the entire night. 

  "I want you so badly," Joan said now to Lauren as Joan kissed down Lauren's neck and to her breasts.

  "What do you want to do with me?" Lauren whispered as she ran her hands through Joan's hair.

  "So many things," Joan said as she grinned, and then it faded. "Come back upstairs with me."

  "I can't," Lauren said after a moment. "Not yet."

  Joan didn't say anything for a moment as she laid her head against Lauren's shoulder.

  "... Are you mad?" Lauren asked after a moment; both of them breathing heavily.

  "Sexually frustrated, but not mad," Joan said. "I'm sorry."

  "No, I am," Lauren said as Joan sat up. She looked so beautiful; she was naked from the waist up, and the morning sun was streaming through the window making her skin look golden. Lauren ran her finger down Joan's trail of freckles.

  "... I'm not used to girls who make me wait," Joan admitted after a moment.

  "Like Sandra?"

  Joan stared. "She, uh, was my first actually. I was a lot like you so I guess I should remember that because I wasn't ready when Sandra pushed me into things. I really am sorry."

  "You don't have to be sorry," Lauren said as she pulled Joan down on top of her, and she kissed Joan full on the mouth as their breasts pushed against each other. It felt strange to be skin to skin with someone at first, but it was wonderful. It felt so comforting last night. 

  The kissing continued, and Lauren led Joan's hand underneath the pajama shorts she was wearing. She groaned loudly as Joan's fingers found their way into her underwear. Lauren could barely catch her breath as Joan made her come. It happened so quickly. 

  Lauren fell back against the cushion of the chair; exhausted. She wanted to return the favor, but she felt awkward now that she was coming down from her orgasm, and Lauren wondered if it would even feel good considering how inexperienced she was. Joan didn't seem to care that Lauren didn't offer to return the favor. She seemed satisfied as they covered up with the couch throw, and they turned on some cartoon. It was a peaceful afternoon.

  "When do you have to go home?"

  Joan asked that night. They'd spent the entire day together and cooked dinner. Now it was three in the morning.. They had just woken up, and they were stretched out in the tower. They could hear Henry, Wren and their group of friends playing music downstairs, and the sound of them dancing. Lauren had no urge to join them. It was too nice up in the tower; in Joan's arms and looking at the stars through the glass.

    "I guess I should at least drop in tomorrow," Lauren said with a sigh.

    She called her Mom, and said she was busy with a school project with Joan. No questions had been asked thankfully as she wasn't a great liar.

  "Probably," Joan said, and she smiled. "I like having you here though."

  "Well, I'm here," Lauren said as she raised her arms above her head to stretch. She was in her slip, and she felt sexy and adventurous. She wanted to make Joan feel the way she had earlier, but Joan was patient.

  "It's still new to you," Joan said as Lauren got on top of her, and she started kissing down Joan's chest. "It's okay. You don't have to prove anything to me."

  Lauren's hand slid down and into the black boy shorts that Lauren had teased Joan about earlier.

  "So is this your lesbian attire?"

  Lauren had never touched any woman but herself. She was surprised at how natural it felt. She had been scared it would feel strange, or she might even be repulsed, but it was nothing like that. She felt excited, and she knew what to do. She had done it to herself once or twice after all. Joan guided Lauren's hand, and Joan's body went up and down with the movement. She lightly bit Lauren's neck as she came under Lauren's fingers.

  "I've never had an orgasm before... well, you," Lauren admitted as they laid under the covers after; bare breasted and only in their underwear. "I thought about you after we kissed, and I had my first one."

  "Are you serious?" Joan looked shocked.

  "Don't sound so surprised!" Lauren felt embarrassed now. "I've told you about my and Jake's... sex life for lack of a better term."

   "So you didn't masturbate before that?"  

   "I'd try, but it never... felt right," Lauren admitted. "I'd usually end up falling sleep before I got anywhere."

   Joan was smiling. "You're adorable."

    And she kissed the tip of Lauren's nose.