by Amy DeMeritt
“I’m not going to be a puppet in the dance, so you don’t need to puppet me in the practice.”
“Fine. When you picked Tonya at the end, you acted like you were attaching puppet strings to her. Combine that with the seductive movements you had in your slow dance with Keira.” I smile and nod. “Ok.”
Sara turns some music on and they back up some. Symone stands still and I slide up in front of her and look her up and down like I want her. I shake my hands out to my sides and grab her hips, making a pinching motion, as if I just hooked into her. As I release her hips with my hands, I tug my hands slightly backwards, and she follows the unfelt tug of my hands and falls into me, pressing her body to mine. I glide my hands up her arms and pretend to hook into a couple spots on both of her arms. As soon as I have her shoulders hooked, I lift my arms in the air and she copies me. I lean in and she bends her arms behind her head and her body arches out against me. I toss my arms out to my sides and she quickly spins and her arms shoot out to be up at the same level as mine. I smile and drop my arms.
“How was that?” Symone turns with a smile and looks at the others. “I liked it. What do you guys think?” They nod and agree they liked it. Keira comes over closer and says, “Do it again, but stop when her arms are back behind her head.”
I get Symone to the position I’m told to stop and Keira steps forward and presses our hips together.
“Symone, pretend you have a string tugging your arms back, making your body arch forward into Kayla. Make it dramatic and make it look like something really is pulling you out of a natural position.” Symone suddenly arches more and she lifts slightly on the balls of her feet. I finish out the sequence, and as we spin back, she allows her head and arms to slightly lull, as if she’s a doll.
“Much better. Before Kayla gets us into a dance off with Sara, I think we need to appear less in sync and more like actual puppets. As we dance with her more, we should become more in sync and in her control, but we shouldn’t start off that way.”
“I agree. It looked too human and perfect before.”
We spend a couple hours dancing and working out choreography. It’s fun, but it’s also very exhausting. After we figure out a piece we really like, we have to practice it several times and then record it so we won’t forget it and we can start piecing all of the parts together.
After working out an intense dance battle with Sara, they call it a day and I fall over on the floor on my back panting for air. I lift my tank top to wipe my face off and nearly jump out of my skin when I look up and see Symone standing above me with a grin on her face. She holds her hand out and I take it, allowing her to help me up off the floor.
“I’ve been dying to meet you since I saw your video’s online. I’m glad I wasn’t disappointed, at all.” She still hasn’t released my hand. I try to pull my hand back, but she doesn’t let go. “Uh, thanks, I guess.” She laughs a little and squeezes my hand before allowing my hand to drop. “You’re cute. Ok, I’ll see you in a couple days.”
She moves in to hug me with one arm wrapped around my shoulders and she grips my hip with the other, pulling my groin against hers. With her face a couple inches in front of mine, she gives my hip a meaningful squeeze and winks at me. My face blushes and her smile widens.
“Ok, yeah, see you soon.”
She laughs a little and releases me to grab her bag and jacket off the floor near the steps. Sara walks all of them upstairs, so I walk over to my girls and fall on the floor in front of them.
“I’m exhausted and I need a shower.” Madison reaches over and lifts my tank top and smiles. “You are so sexy when your abs are dripping sweat.” I laugh hard and sit up to kiss her lips. “Thanks, baby.”
“You looked amazing out there.”
“What did Symone say to you when she helped you off the floor?” I look over at Sam and she looks irritated. “Do you trust me, Sam?” Her eyes flash over to the stairs, as if she’s considering running up there and trying to catch Symone before she leaves. She looks at me and she nods once. “Yes.”
“Then, it doesn’t matter what she said.” Sam frowns and moves to straddle me. With her face hovering above mine, she pouts, and coos, “Please tell me, Daddy.” I smile and laugh a little. I grip her ass and pull her down against me. “I can’t believe you shoved your hand down my pants like that in front of everyone. What would you have done if I was wet?” She narrows her eyes at me and bends down. She sucks my bottom lip and firmly bites it, making me wince a little. “That is not an answer to my question.”
“She told me I have very sexy girlfriends.” Sam laughs and sucks my lip again. “No, she didn’t. Tell me.” I grip her ass and massage it as I pull her down against my groin. She inhales deeply and her eyes slightly close. “Shit, baby, that’s not fair. I haven’t been with you in a month.”
“Exactly, so why do you want to keep talking about someone that doesn’t matter?”
Sam bends down and starts kissing me with so much urgency that it makes me moan and I feel something snap inside me. I quickly lift her shirt and pull it up over her head and throw it behind me. Sam moans and thrusts her hips down hard against me. I firmly glide my hands up her back and unhook her bra. She pulls her arms out and I toss it aside. I palm over her breasts and squeeze her nipples hard, making her moan into my mouth. I smile and quickly roll us so she’s on her back and I’m between her legs. While I work on getting her pants and panties off, I suck and nibble her breasts and stomach.
I bend down between her thighs and suck her clit in hard and fast, making her grab my head and she releases a sharp moan. I work my tongue fast and hard against and inside her and Sam thrusts her hips against my face in rhythm with my mouth. She tries to keep quiet, but her moans and gasps keep escaping in short fast bursts. Her body arches off the floor and her hips rock against my face, increasing my desire to make her cum hard.
“Oh, shit. Sara go back up.”
I start to lift my head at the sound of Keira’s voice, but Sam holds me firmly against her. She cums a minute later and her entire body shudders and trembles with a small whimpering moan escaping her lips. She pulls my face out of her and pulls me up to lay on her. She smiles and kisses my lips.
“Thanks, baby.”
I smile and kiss her lips again before I lay on her chest.
Madison and Shannon are still sitting next to us and are smiling down at us with arousal tinging their cheeks.
“Who’s next?” They laugh and shake their heads. “Later, baby. Keira probably doesn’t care that she just walked in on that, but I don’t want your family walking in on anything.” I laugh a little and nibble Sam’s chest. “Time to get dressed, naked lady.”
Sam smiles in a drunken way and pulls my face down to kiss me. She puts so much into it that it makes me greedy again. I pull back some and smile.
“You’re naughty.”
She laughs and pulls me back into a kiss and I slip my hand between her thighs. She releases a deep moan into my mouth and her hips rock and thrust to meet the rhythm of my hand working over her folds and inside her. As she starts to climax, she pulls out of the kiss to lay in my neck. She presses her lips to my neck, and as she cums, she bites into me to stifle her moans. I gasp as I feel her break the skin.
I pull my hand out of her and she giggles and licks the spot where my neck and shoulder meets, licking the blood drops off my skin. I laugh and shake my head.
“Little freak.” She laughs in a proud happy way. “Ok, time to get dressed.”
When we come upstairs, Sara is leaning against the kitchen counter with Keira in her arms and their faces are very close and they’re laughing and talking, but their lips are hovering above each other’s as if they’re about to kiss. They look over at us and grin and laugh. I just smile and turn to walk away, but Sara reaches out and swats at my arm.
“You’re bleeding.” I cheese really big and lift my hand to my neck. “Yeah, some sexy vampire attacked me.”
Sara and Keira laugh hard and my girls s
mile really big.
“I’m getting a shower. Be nice to my babies.” Sara laughs and shakes her head. “I’m always nice.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
I’m standing in front of the mirror in the bathroom, trying to take deep calming breaths. I’m very nervous and my heart is racing. Madison’s and Sam’s parents are coming to dinner tonight and I’ll be presenting my girls with the promise rings afterwards. Since it’s a bit of a formal occasion, we asked everyone to dress nicely. My parents and Sara know what I have planned, but my girls are clueless. I really hope I can get through dinner without messing up the plans with my nerves.
My dad is going to record the whole thing with his camera, and I asked Sara to video chat with Awenasa so she can see it live in the moment and not have to wait. I’m a bit nervous about that as well. Because we were so young when I presented her with a promise ring, I didn’t get to do something this romantic. It was still nice and very meaningful, considering I was only ten, but I wish I had known she was serious about wanting to be together so I could have done something romantic like this.
There’s a soft knock on the door and it opens a moment later with Madison poking her head in.
“Hey, baby. My parents texted to let me know they’re almost here.” I turn and smile really big. “Oh, Maddi, you look beautiful. Come here.”
Madison smiles really big and pushes the door open all the way and steps inside the bathroom with me. She’s wearing a black dress to her knees with a Christmas red cardigan sweater over top. She has silver dangle earrings that look like a circle that’s been bent and spiraled and a delicate silver chain necklace.
“You are stunning, baby.” She kisses my lips and wraps her arms around my neck. “You look really nice too. Why are you hiding out in here?” I smile and laugh a little. “Trying to find courage to face all of the parents.”
“Did you find it?” I shake my head and lean into her more. “I forgot that my courage is in these lips and in your arms.” She hums against my lips and smiles. “Well, in that case, it’s a good thing I came and found you when I did. Are you going to take some courage now?” I smile against her lips. “I’d prefer you to give it to me.”
She immediately presses her lips to mine and slips her tongue along mine in a slow heat inducing tumbling. I inhale deeply and pull her closer to me. A throat clears nearby, and we pull apart. Sara is in the doorway with an amused smile.
“Your parents just pulled up.” I tense up a little and Madison looks at me with a smile. “Relax, baby. It’s just dinner.” I smile and glance at Sara, who looks like she’s trying not to laugh at me. “Right, dinner. Ok, let’s do this.”
We come out to the hall and Sam and Shannon are standing at the end of the hall waiting for us. I grab my chest and release a small sound of awe. They both smile really big and affectionately at me. They’re similarly dressed to Madison, and look breathtaking.
“Wow.”
We hear the front door open and my mom greets Madison’s parents. Madison does a little nervous hop and quickly pulls me after her down the hall, making all of us laugh a little. We get to the living room just as Madison’s family is walking in and shedding their jackets for my dad to take for them.
Madison quickly hugs her family and Mrs. Carter turns to look at me with a small smile. She looks me up and down and laughs a little.
“I was hoping to see you in a dress. I guess that’s never going to happen?” I laugh and shake my head. “Probably not. Don’t you like my bowtie? I picked it out just for tonight.” She laughs and walks over to give me a hug. “It’s very cute.”
I give her a hug and then turn to make introductions. My family greets them with polite hello’s and my mom welcomes them to our home, but I can tell they are very cautious with them still. Joey comes to stand next to me and Mrs. Carter smiles because he matches me perfectly with black plants, a black button up collar shirt, and we’re both wearing red and white striped bowties.
“Mrs. Carter, this is Joey, my baby brother and my best buddy.”
“It’s nice to meet you. You look very handsome.” He cheeses really big and puffs out his chest. “Kayla bought me my bowtie so we can match.”
“That was very nice of her.” He looks up at me and smiles. “Kayla buys me stuff all the time. I get lots of mail now that Kayla is at college. Do you get mail?” Mrs. Carter laughs a little. “Yes, but my mail probably isn’t as fun as your mail.”
“Probably not.” Mrs. Carter laughs and looks at me with a smile. “If you let him, he’ll talk your ear off all night.”
Before she can answer, there’s another knock on the door. My mom answers, and Sam’s parents come in with big smiles. Even with all the threats around Thanksgiving, they’re still married and are actually on less rocky terms than they were a month ago. Sam walks over to them and gives them a hug and then Mrs. Janowicz beams at me as she releases a squeal.
“Come over here, stud, and give me a hug.”
She wraps her arms around me tightly, shaking me from side to side, and then kisses me firmly on the cheek.
“Gross, Mom, you left lipstick lips on her.” I laugh and her mom sticks her tongue out at Sam. “I’m the mother. I can leave lipstick lips wherever I want.” Sam quirks her eyebrow at her mom and her mom laughs really hard and shoves Sam. “Now, who’s being gross?”
Sam’s mom tends to be loud and very affectionate and a little embarrassing sometimes. She doesn’t always think before she speaks and often sounds like she means something completely different than what she really meant, like just now.
“Mr. and Mrs. Carter, this is Mr. and Mrs. Janowicz, Sam’s parents.”
“Why so formal? Please, call me Eliza and this is Ron.” Mrs. Carter extends her hand. “Susan, and this is my husband, Eric, and our son and daughter, Jacob and Ashley. Oh, and Madison, but I think you’ve already met her.” Eliza laughs. “Yes, I’ve met Madison. She’s a lovely girl. She has to be to want to be with my crazy daughter.”
“Mom!” I laugh and bump Eliza. “Be nice to my girl.” Eliza laughs and wraps an arm around my shoulders, giving me a firm kiss on my other cheek. “Mom, really? Both cheeks?”
“If you’re not careful, I’ll reapply and kiss you all over so you look like one of those kissy teddy bears they sell for Valentine’s Day.”
Everyone laughs, but Sam’s not amused and she crosses her arms and walks over closer to Madison and Shannon with an adorable pouty look on her face. Sam’s mom loves to embarrass her.
“For those over twenty-one, we brought a couple bottles of that honey mead we know you all like from Pennsylvania.” Eliza offers my mom a royal blue gift bag and my mom smiles. “Thank you. I’ll get some glasses out.”
I notice Madison glance at her dad nervously for a moment and our eyes meet in a silent wish that her dad will refrain from drinking since he’s a recovering alcoholic. I completely forgot to ask Sam to tell her parents not to bring anything this time.
Now that everyone knows each other, I walk back over to be with my girls. Talia is sitting on the couch, looking completely bored with all of this, and I smile when I see Ashley and Jacob join her. They don’t say anything at first, but after a couple minutes, Jacob breaks the ice by asking Talia something that I can’t hear.
My mom comes out with a tray of stemless wine glasses and an uncorked bottle of the honey mead and sets it’s it on a side table along the wall. She fills a few glasses and hands one to Sara and my dad and then grabs one for herself. Eliza and Ron step over and also fill a glass. Eliza notices Susan and Eric don’t approach and looks at them confused.
“You don’t indulge?” Susan shakes her head with a polite smile. “We don’t drink, but thank you.”
“Let me get some water as well. I’ll be right back.” My mom quickly disappears and then returns with a large pitcher of water and some glasses. “Thank you, Lena.” My mom smiles and nods.
It’s a little awkward at first, but everyone starts to relax and gets into id
le chit chat. They mostly talk about work and what they do for a living and the damn weather. Why do adults always want to talk about the weather?
Joey keeps walking around looking bored and suddenly stops and tugs on Mrs. Carters arm. She looks down with a smile and he smiles really big up at her.
“Do you want to see my room?”
“Sure, I’d like that.” He quickly grabs her hand and starts dragging her out of the room. I look at Madison and we both laugh. “Should we follow them?”
“Does he have anything living in there?”
“Possibly.” Madison laughs and nods. “Ok, let’s go peek inside the door.”
All of us quietly creep down the hall and peek inside with two of us on either side of the door looking in. They’re standing in the center of his room and he’s pointing to everything and telling her all about it.
“Those are my dinosaurs. Kayla bought me the really big one at an exhibit she took me to in Philly last year. They had real big dinosaurs that you could ride on and they moved and growled. It was really cool. The triceratops and brachiosaurus are my favorites. We got our faces painted too.”
“What did you get painted on your face?”
“I was a sabretooth tiger and Kayla was a T-rex.”
“Wow, do you have pictures of that?” He laughs and pulls her over to a wall that has a corkboard with pictures and drawings all over it. “Right there in the middle.”
“Wow, you look terrifying. Did you scare anyone?” He laughs. “Kayla. She almost ran away.” Mrs. Carter laughs and continues looking at the pictures. “What are you doing here?”
“Kayla took me hiking and we found a snake trying to eat a turtle. The snake was choking because he was a piggy thinking he could fit that big turtle in his belly. Kayla had to pull the turtle out of his mouth.” Mrs. Carter gasps. “She picked up the snake?” He laughs hard. “Yeah. How else would she save him?”
“Did the snake and turtle live?”
“Yeah, the snake slithered away in the bushes and Kayla released the turtle into the pond and it swam away really fast.”