Her

43

PHOENIX

Aza is in the shower, and I am in my room, wrapped in a towel. I put some record on, light some candles, then blow them out, thinking that's too much, too romantic, too cheesy. I turn on my fairy lights, then turn them off, then turn them on.

"Are you trying to contact aliens?"

I turn around. "Aza," I say.

"Phoenix," she says.

"Just checking if they're still working."

"Huh."

"Can I use the shower now?"

"I don't know, can you?"

"Shut up. I'll go take a shower."

"Can I join?"

"Sure."

I give her a kiss on the cheek and leave the room, smiling. I take off my clothes, step under the shower, turn on the water. I shower, trying not to think of the fact that Aza has just been in here, but of course, thinking of the fact that Aza has just been in here. I step out of the shower, dry myself off, put on some clothes. I go back to my room.

Aza is sitting on my bed, two mugs on the table next to it. She hands me one of them, saying, "Here you go. A hot chocolate for a hot girl."

"Thanks, superhero."

"My pleasure, princess."

"So what do you want to do now?" I ask. "You're the guest, so you get to decide."

"How about a movie?"

"But I want to pick."

"So it's going to be lesbian porn," she says. "Fine with me."

"I hate you."

"I hate you too."

I pick a random movie - which is not lesbian porn -, start it, and we cuddle up. We watch it for a while, discussing the plot, but eventually, we go over to discussing other things.

"Can I tell you a secret?" I say.

"I don't know, can you?"

"Shut up."

"All right. Tell me."

"I wouldn't..." I bite my thumbnail, swallow. "I wouldn't have minded if you would have joined me." I bite my thumbnail. "In the shower."

A moment of silence.

"You wouldn't have minded - or you would have wanted?"

A moment of silence.

"Wanted."

"Huh."

"Huh what?"

"Well," Aza says, "I wouldn't have minded to join you."

"You wouldn't have minded - or you would have wanted?"

"Wanted."

"Hm."

"Hm what?"

We look at each other. Then, we kiss each other, deeply, very deeply. I can feel my heart running marathons, the electricity sparkling, and the temperatures rising. And suddenly, Aza's top is gone, somewhere on the floor, and she's on top of me, in her bra and skirt, and I am under her, in my underwear. She kisses me, my lips, my freckles, my neck, my collarbone, slowly going down further and further, her kisses just the right mixture of gentle and rough.