Evie's View:
"The food is wonderful Mrs. Clair" I smiled glancing at Sasha, Valentina's mother.
"Thank you" the two women said in union.
I giggled as both of Valentina's moms glared at each other. Each having the same temper and attitude that their daughter had.
"She was talking to me" Sasha said to her wife. "La mujer está loca ... pensando que hizo todo el trabajo" she mumbled under her breath, cutting into the food on her plate.
"I heard that Sasha" Gia warned before taking a sip of her wine.
"Hey! We're trying to have dinner.. can you two not?" Valentina snapped looking between her moms.
Sasha and Gia gave an apologetic look to me and continued eating.
"So Evie, I hear you teach my two grand babies. Is being a teacher something you've always wanted to do?" Gia asked.
I wiped my mouth with my napkin, clearing my throat before speaking.
"Um yes ma'am. I've always loved children and working with them. I was in foster care until I was 18 so I would always play with the younger kids and teach them things or help them with their homework" I said side eyeing Valentina.
She had stopped eating and watched me intently.
"Oh.. foster care. Well, I'm glad it helped you discover your passion and future career" Gia said nervously taking another sip of her wine.
I smiled uncomfortably and looked back down to my plate.
The doorbell rang echoing through the house causing everyone to look towards the hallway.
"That must be the rest of our guests" Sasha said standing from the table as she exited the dining room.
"Mom.. what guests?" Valentina asked narrowing her eyes.
"Your mother and I invited Bella and her family over" Gia said.
Valentina's eyes went wide and her attention turned to the archway of the dining room as a group of people walked in.
"Happy Thanksgiving!" An older woman said hugging Gia who stood up to greet her guests.
I cleared my throat as I stopped eating. I felt awkward and out of place being in a room full of people I barely knew.
Valentina remained seated quickly downing back her wine. I frowned at this wondering who this Bella girl was that had her so frazzled.
"Happy Thanksgiving Valentina.." a pretty brunette appeared from behind the rest.
Valentina forced a smile greeting the brunette named Bella.
"Hi munchkins" the woman said kissing the top of the twins heads. The girls said hi but we're too busy scarfing down their food.
Their cherub faces covered in the last bits of mac and cheese that their grandmas spoiled them with for dinner. Cherishing every last bite with wide grins and occasionally patting their mouths with the edges of their napkins. Their small efforts of using their manners while still being silly kids made me smile.
"Oh.. I didn't know you'd be having someone else over" Bella said looking down at me.
I smiled uncomfortably shifting in my chair. Valentina defensively put a hand on the side of it looking up at Bella daring her to say something. I tried avoiding the conversation by taking a drink of my water.
"She's my guest. Your seat is over by one of my moms" Valentina said in a snippy tone.
"Still feisty as ever.." Bella chuckled as she walked towards her seat on the other side of the table.
Dinner was awkward as hell and all I wanted to do was crawl in a hole. I stayed quiet throughout a big portion of the meal unless if one of the twins asked me something.
Everyone moved into the living room talking their heads off as I helped clean some of the dishes in the kitchen by myself. It made me feel useful and I wasn't really up for conversation with anyone else. Meanwhile, Valentina had taken the girls upstairs real quick to put them to bed.
"Are you a family friend or something?" A feminine voice said behind me.
I turned my head to look over my shoulder to see Bella a few feet away from me leaning her back against the island counter.
"Um.. yeah I guess you could say that" I said nervously.
I continued washing the dishes hearing footsteps come closer to where I was standing.
Bella appeared beside me watching what I was doing. "Mind if I help? I'll dry" she suggested.
"O-okay.." I stuttered as her hand brushed against the exposed skin on my back as she walked behind me to stand on the other side.
Bella grabbed the rag nearby and started to dry the wet dishes I had finished cleaning.
When we were done I let out a breath and turned towards Bella. "Thank you.. for helping me"
"No problem Evie" she grinned. Her eyes trailed up my body as I dried my hands off.
"Um.." I cleared my throat, "I'm gonna go use the restroom.. excuse me" I said trying to walk away from the silence.
A hand grabbed my wrist and I was pulled back to where Bella was standing.
"You're a tough one to crack aren't you?" Bella chuckled. "Do you normally play this hard to get or are you just as straight and boring as ever?"
I frowned and shift my weight from each leg.
"I beg your pardon?"
Bella laughed again at my comment.
"You're cute.. Evie? Isn't it?" She asked.
I nodded my head praying someone would walk in to interrupt and distract Bella.
A/N: TRIGGER warning.
"Well Evie.." she whispered stepping closer to me. Slowly I backed up into the fridge, wincing as I felt the handles dig into my still healing back.
"Let me just say that if you're willing to.. I'd be happy to be one of your experiments" Bella said into my ear.
I kept my head turned to the side trying to avoid looking her directly in the eye.
"I can be very very attentive with my mouth." she giggled. Her breath fanning against my neck.
I gasped jumping a bit from the feeling and tensed up even more. I was beyond uncomfortable but had lost all strength to use my voice or body. It felt like I was paralyzed from shock.
Bella's hands traveled to the side of my hip, grabbing the material on my long dress and gripping it in her hands.
Memories of a blonde boy flashed through my mind. His grimy hands playing with my skirt as I sat on my new bed in my new home.
In real time I whimpered feeling tears fall from my eyes.
Feeling someone so foreign, unknown and this close to my body made me feel repulsed.
I cried silently as my mind flashed back and forth from the blonde boy to Bella.
His hands had covered my mouth from screaming after I tried pushing him away so many times.
My eyes zoned in on the kitchen window as I stood there frozen. My lips trembled and I felt vomit rise to my throat as Bella's fingers gripped onto the material better, her fingers pressing through it to find my hip bone.
"Bella!" A voice yelled from behind her back.
Bella moved away quickly and I dropped to the floor suddenly from lack of strength.
"What the fuck do you think you're doing?!" Valentina's heels clicked into the kitchen as she walked over to Bella getting in her face.
The two argued as I laid against the cool kitchen floor flustered, hot and shaking. My chest and throat tightened making me feel suffocated.
Though Bella had stopped, the flashbacks of the boy didn't.
I cried pressing my face against the floor praying in my mind for them to stop. A ringing sound was all I could hear as everything else went quiet.
Their arguing I guess had stopped because I felt a familiar pair of cold hands grab me.
I opened my eyes looking at Valentina who looked beyond worried. A look I had never seen before.
"Evie.." her voice slowly entered my ears as the high pitched ringing stopped. "Evie are you okay? Did she hurt you?" Valentina asked. I felt relieved to see her face but a flash of the blonde boy's unforgettable face replaced it for a second.
Bile rose to my throat again and I immediately stood up running out the back door to the side of the fence.
I double over vomiting into the grass leaning one of my hands against the fence.
Once I stopped someone handed me a paper towel. I looked up seeing Valentina who held a glass of water as well.
"Rinse, I have a spare toothbrush you can use" she said softly.
I nodded not saying anything and shakily took the glass to rinse.
We walked back inside together as Valentina kept a hand on my back and the other on the side of my arm.
I brushed my teeth twice and rinsed making sure to check myself in the mirror a few times before exiting.
My ptsd had been triggered. Thankfully the worst part of my panic attack had past and I felt fine again. Good enough to speak anyways.
I walked out of the bathroom cautiously and into the living room where Valentina awaited alone.
She stood immediately from the couch upon seeing me enter, rushing over to me.
"Are you okay? You never answered me, did she hurt you? Do you want me to file a report? I don't care I'm doing it anyway, that was assault"
Her hands cupped my face as she looked into my eyes searching for answers to the questions.
I nodded my head tearing up again, "I-I'm ok".
Valentina pulled me into her arms, hugging me for the first time. I tensed up from the contact but relaxed as I grew comfortable in her arms.
"Do you need me to drive you home? You can stay the night if you like? I sent everyone else home already, my parents are upstairs and the girls are asleep" she said.
"N-no it's ok. I can call Addie to come get me"
"Are you sure? It's getting late already and it's perfectly fine with me if you stay" she pulled back from our hug looking me in the eyes.
"Okay.." I nodded. "But I'd like to go to bed now.. I've had enough of today" I forced out a chuckle.
Valentina gave me a sad smile and nodded.
She led me upstairs to the guest bedroom that was near her room. It was bigger than my own room back at the apartment.
I pulled back the covers on the bed ready to jump in.
"I have some clothes you can wear for the night.." Valentina said in a quiet voice. She placed down a set of silk pajamas on the bed then stepped back giving me my space.
"Thank you.."
"No problem. Sleep well Evie, let me know if you need anything or help yourself. Don't be afraid to wake me up"
I nodded my head smiling a little watching as Valentina exited the room slowly, closing the door behind her.
I sighed rubbing my hands up and down the sides of my face.
Today didn't go as planned and I was just hoping for a better tomorrow.
. . .
2am
Valentina's View:
After I left Evie alone in the guest room I had stayed up down in the kitchen drinking my feelings.
A part of me wanted to comfort her, talk her through what happened.
But another part of me said it wasn't appropriate. She needed time to herself and if she wanted to speak about what happened, then Evie would come to me first.
I took a drink from a new bottle I had opened. One I kept hidden in my stash.
I set it down on the counter burying my head in my hands against the island. Ruffling and pulling at my hair in frustration.
Bella was known to grope and touch anything that was female and human. She was like a parasite once contact was made.
Evie was different from other girls. She wasn't one to play games or have random hook ups. Sure there was that one time in the club restroom but something told me that, that was her first time being with a woman.
"You're still awake?"
I lifted my head at the voice and saw Evie standing near the archway of the entrance to the kitchen.
"Yeah.. couldn't sleep" I sighed standing up straight.
"Me neither.." her eyes darted down to the floor as her hands fiddled with the ends of the pajama top. "Nightmares.."
"You still get those?" I titled my head. I say this because I hadn't had one in years.
Evie nodded walking further into the kitchen near where I was standing.
"Always have since I was 12... it's usually the same one" she whispered shivering.
I frowned wondering if it had anything to do with what happened earlier. Evie wasn't always as composed as most people, she was shy, clumsy and quiet under certain circumstances. But she was still a ball of light and energy even then.
Right now she was pale, shivering and I could tell she was exhausted. But her mind wouldn't allow her to sleep.
I closed the top of my wine and casually put it away in a random area of the kitchen.
"Come on.." I walked towards Evie holding my hand out.
Her eyes looked down to it at first but then linked her hand and fingers with mine. I guided us both gracefully through the house, up the stairs and into her bedroom. Closing the door behind us.
I held onto Evie's soft hand still as I pulled the covers back on the bed more.
"What are you doing?" She asked softly.
"Tucking you in and reading you a bedtime story." I rolled my eyes looking back at her. "We're having a sleepover, I'll be here in case you do have anymore nightmares" I smiled.
She smiled back a little, fighting it by biting her bottom lip.
I let go of Evie's hand and walked to the other side of the bed climbing in. Evie did the same pulling the covers over us and turning out the lamp beside her.
We laid on our sides facing each other. The only sounds in the room were of the wind howling outside the window, along with the sealing fan humming.
"Are you just gonna stare at me until you fall asleep?" I said with a smirk.
Though it was slightly dark, the light from the large balcony windows lit up Evie's face. Allowing me to see her smile and blush.
"No.. you're the one staring."
"Only because you are." I said raising an eyebrow.
"Fine!" She huffed turning over on her side with her back to me now.
I chuckled sitting up on my arm as I leaned over to grab her shoulder. "Stop being a baby, I was just joking."
Evie turned over still pouting.
"I am not a baby! You're just being rude."
"Funny because my five year old's say the same thing."
Her face turned into anger and she turned back over making me laugh again. Something I didn't do often with other people.
I flipped over onto my back staring out the balcony doors through the curtains. Keeping my hands folded on my stomach.
Something grabbed my hand pulling at it. I looked at my hands seeing Evie's arm stretched out behind her as she still faced the wall. Her hand held onto mine making me smile.
I laid back onto my side scooting closer to the blonde, almost nestling my face into her hair.
I draped my arm over her body still holding hands. Evie's body relaxed more and we stayed in this position until she decided to turn over again.
She moved her body closer leaving little space between us.
Unconsciously I cupped her cheek, caressing it's skin. The closeness of our bodies and intimacy made me nervous but excited. Physical contact from a partner was something I had missed so much. I was positive I hadn't kissed or cuddled with anyone since Yolei. But a random source of energy just kept drawing me back to Evie.
Our lips then met gently kissing one another.
With Evie everything was slow and sweet. It made sense, it felt right and I loved every second. She was in my mind, a delicate being and she deserved to be treated as such. Evie didn't deserve to feel rushed into kissing, into hugging or getting into bed. Not that I planned on bedding her in any way. That was never my intention.
I wanted to get to know the blonde.
Know what she meant by knowing my pain. What made her mad, sad or happy. What her story was about being in foster care. Did she like summer or winter? Was she a crazy vegan? Did she like scary movies? Romance?
We pulled back from the kiss breathless resting our foreheads against each other.
My shirt had moved upwards likely due to me turning over so much. Evie's hand shakily rested against it, skimming her fingers across the curve of my side.
I shivered under the light touch as I stared back into her dilated eyes.
I closed my eyes seeing Evie's flutter slowly as well. Both of us falling into a deep sleep wrapped up in an aura of peaceful coexistence.
. . .
A/N:
The ending of this just made me so sappy and soft. It also made me miss my girlfriend. :(
I love the first few scenes of Val and Evie when they first start to be intimate with one another, and that it occurs naturally without much awkwardness.
Like it's so easy for them to fall for and love each other... ugh. This is how the development of relationships should be.