The Melody of You and Me (Lillac Town Series Book 1)

by Maria Hollis

  “Thank you,” Mayte says groggily. “You are the best roommate ever.”

  Chris laughs at the girl and lifts the blankets to cover her body. When she is sure Mayte is comfortable enough, she goes to her bedroom and closes the door while sending a short message to Josie to let her know they got home safely.

  She’s still on an adrenaline high from the nightclub. Nights like these make it even harder for Chris to fall asleep. When she is happy, her eyes refuse to close, making her toss and turn under her blankets for hours.

  Memories of the night pass through her mind.

  Dancing with Josie, her hands traveling around Chris’s body, the girl’s lips on her neck. How warm and sweet Josie felt against her.

  Feeling something wet between her legs, Chris’ eyes spring open in surprise.

  Oh.

  She wonders for a moment if this is just her attraction to Josie or if it’s related more to the fact that the last time she had sex had been… What? Five months ago? Her hand had been her only company on those nights when the heat between her legs was just too much.

  But it was never enough.

  Definitely not the same thing as having Josie grinding against her.

  She had never had a fantasy about a real living person like this before. Most of the time when she touches herself, vague images of people she has never met just pass through her mind. Now, all she can think about is Josie.

  This is wrong, she thinks.

  She stops her hand before it gets too close to her pajamas shorts. Is it really that bad though? To feel like this about Josie? How warm she feels at the memory of her cute dimples, her sweet voice telling her excitedly about a new book she read or how her hands were so close to Chris’s ass earlier tonight.

  Taking a deep breath, Chris closes her eyes and lets her left hand wander close to one of her breasts. The skin there is warm under her clothes and blankets, and she feels the pulsing between her legs growing. Her fingers close around a nipple, and she pinches hard, while her other hand reaches beneath her shorts, finding her curls already wet.

  A moan leaves her lips when she finally touches her clit.

  Her legs clench at the sensation, and Chris starts thrusting her hips upwards. When the pressure in her lower body gets too much, she moves her fingers faster and harsher. In just a few minutes, she gasps and arches her back off the mattress, her legs still quivering around her hands.

  As she falls back to the bed and closes her eyes, she feels still cold and unsatisfied. The feeling that she needs more than that troubles her for a while, until she finally falls asleep.

  Chapter 4

  The following Monday, Chris tries her best to avoid Josie.

  Every time a new customer comes in, she is the first to greet them. When Susan asks if someone can help her price new books, she’s the first to volunteer. If she sees Josie coming her way, Chris hides behind one of the tallest bookshelves or pretends to be very interested in one of the books on the display tables.

  She knows it’s silly, but she can’t help it anymore.

  She has a crush on Josie.

  She realizes this as she eats her lunch inside the packed storage room that day.

  A part of her feels guilty and ashamed for thinking about the girl that way while she touched herself, despite knowing there isn’t anything wrong with masturbation. In fact, she has always been a firm believer that it should be something people talked about more freely.

  What’s wrong with figuring out what your body likes or doesn’t like?

  That had definitely helped her during her teenage years when she was starting to accept and understand her attraction to people of different genders.

  But not everyone agrees with her about the subject. If she is in a group of people and they are telling stories about one night stands, everyone laughs about it as if it’s normal, but if she talks about masturbating after reading a steamy book, their mood becomes judgmental. Especially because she is a girl.

  After all, everyone knows that boys can’t live without sex so it’s more acceptable that they touch themselves.

  But girls supposedly don’t have to think about their libido.

  “Mind if I join you?” says a familiar voice, interrupting her thoughts.

  “No of course not,” she answers, bringing her food to the corner of the table to make space.

  Finally looking up, she blushes on finding Josie’s brown eyes gazing into hers. She moves her chair to the side, and the girl sits beside her. Both of them eat their lunch in an awkward silence.

  After a few minutes, Josie finishes her sandwich and turns to her with a small smile.

  “We had fun at the club,” she comments.

  The way she says it doesn’t seem nervous or ashamed at all, which makes Chris wonder if she even remembers dancing and grinding with her on the dance floor. Certainly, she wasn’t that drunk.

  “Yeah, we did.”

  “I liked your friend. Mayte, right? I also had a nice chat with the other girls on the way to Lillac U.”

  “Yep, she’s actually my roommate,” Chris explains.

  “Oh, nice! It must be great to be close friends with the person you live with. This girl that lives with me at the dorm is so annoying. She barely talks to me and cuts me off every time I try to start a conversation with her.”

  Chris finds it hard to believe anyone would dislike Josie.

  “So you’ve been studying at Lillac for how long now?” she asks, trying to prolong the conversation.

  “I’m starting my second year this fall, actually,” Josie says proudly. “I’m doing a business major.”

  Well, at least Chris can be certain that she never met Josie when she was still enrolled in university.

  “Do you like it there?”

  “It’s been great so far.” Josie nods at her words. “It’s good to be a few miles away from my parents, too. They live in New Jersey.”

  “Ah, yes. The amazing feeling of being free of your annoying parents. I know that all too well.”

  They both laugh at that.

  Chris starts feeling less nervous about talking to Josie again. It’s easy to fall back into being friendly with someone like her. There is just something about Josie that lifts her mood, no matter how bad the day has been.

  “Are you studying there too?” Josie asks curiously.

  Chris’s smile falters.

  “Uh, no,” she says uncomfortably.

  Josie looks worried, suddenly aware that she touched on a sensitive subject. Chris hates that she broke the mood somehow. There are only ten more minutes of her lunch break left, and she doesn’t want to waste one second of it by making Josie feel anxious or awkward.

  “So… did you make a lot of friends there already?”

  “Kind of,” Josie makes a face. “Like I told you the other day, most people I’ve met are straight, and I always feel left out. I’ve heard of some nice LGBT clubs on campus, but I still feel a bit nervous about joining them. It’s still hard to be completely open about my sexuality with strangers.”

  “Yeah, I can understand how that feels,” Chris agrees.

  “That’s why I’m so happy to be working here. It feels so easy to be around you guys because you accept me as I am. I’ve been talking a lot with Lily these days, that girl is funny.”

  Talking a lot with Lily?

  What had they been talking about?

  Chris feels a sudden sting of jealousy.

  She cringes at the unwanted feeling. Chris has no right to feel like this about Josie. Especially as Lily is one of her best friends and she is free to be close to anyone she wants to.

  “Do you have a partner?” Josie asks abruptly. She turns her eyes away, suddenly seeming very engrossed in cleaning the table in front of them.

  “Not anymore,” Chris answers in a low voice, feeling curious to know what had brought the question up. “I broke up with my girlfriend a few months ago.”

  “I’m so sorry.”

  “It’
s ok, it was for the best. We wanted different things from life and all that. You know how relationships go.”

  Josie’s expression changes to a frown.

  “I actually don’t… I’ve never had a serious relationship.”

  Really?

  Someone as beautiful as Josie shouldn’t have any problem finding girls interested in her. There has to be a reason behind that.

  “I’m sure there are lots of girls who would love to have a chance with you,” Chris says.

  She hopes that didn’t sound too obvious.

  “Oh, I have been with lots of girls,” Josie says and narrows her eyes.

  Her intense stares shouldn’t be this sexy. It shouldn’t make Chris’ insides feel like fireworks exploding and as if every song about unrequited love is suddenly making sense. And yet, she can’t help it. The way Josie’s eyes linger on her body is intoxicating as if daring her to do something about it.

  “Maybe I just haven’t found the one that makes me want to settle down,” she whispers seductively.

  Suddenly feeling brave, Chris stares back with the same intensity. They hold each other’s gazes for what feels like an eternity, waiting to see who will be the one to break it first. Then the sound of customers outside the room interrupts the spell between them.

  They smile at each other and look away at the same time.

  Chris bites the inside of her cheek, feeling both lighthearted and happy. It’s been so long since she had a crush like this. She is not even sure if she ever experienced something as intense as the way Josie makes her feel.

  She is about to return to work when Josie speaks up again.

  “Can I ask you something?”

  “Sure, anything.”

  “I know it’s probably weird because we only met each other about three weeks ago. But my older sister is going to start her master’s degree at Lillac, and we’ll be seeing each other all the time so I’m thinking about coming out to her and I’m really nervous about it. It would be good to have someone with me who understands,” she asks with concerned eyes. “You can say no.”

  Chris doesn’t even think twice about it.

  “I’d love to be there for you.”

  A big smile appears on Josie’s lips, lighting up her whole face.

  “Is she the first person in your family that you’re coming out to?” Chris asks.

  “She is. I’m not sure how my parents will react, but that will depend on how it goes with her so… I’m hoping things will go smoothly.”

  “I’m sure it will. And if it doesn’t, we’ll be here for you.”

  Tears seem to form in Josie’s eyes, and she leans closer, as if ready for a hug. Then she changes her mind and grabs Chris’s arm in a firm grip. The touch makes Chris shiver, sending a spark through her whole body.

  “Thank you,” Josie says and gets up, leaving a flustered Chris alone in the storage room.

  ***

  Two days later, she finds herself sitting in a café close to the bookstore.

  Josie said she wanted a neutral place. She was worried about her sister’s reaction and was sure that in such a public place, her sister wouldn’t make a scene about it.

  “Would she? Make a scene?” Chris asks her.

  “No! I mean, I don’t think so. My sister has never raised her voice once in her life, but you know… just making sure.”

  In the corner of the café, a man plays a sweet melody on the piano. Chris watches for a while, her fingers itching to play a few notes to calm her down. Her mother had sent another message that morning with links for universities that are accepting returning students for the new school year.

  Right now it’s easier to focus on someone else’s problems, rather than her own.

  She turns to her side and sees Josie nervously playing with her coffee cup, fidgeting in her seat, and sometimes even biting her nails. Chris wishes she could help somehow, but she doesn’t want to push too much. If things get out of control, she can jump into the conversation and help. But first, it’s probably better if she stays out of it and makes sure she’s here to give Josie the support she needs.

  “How was it with your parents when you came out?” Josie asks and bites her lips.

  She needs to stop doing that with her mouth. It always distracts Chris from whatever she was thinking about.

  Coughing, she recomposes herself before speaking.

  “They were fine after asking me thousands of questions. Pansexuality is not that well known, especially a few years back,” Chris explains. “I think being with a partner helped, for them at least. Not so much for me, though.”

  “Why is that?” Josie wonders.

  “I kind of came out because she pressured me into it,” Chris explains. “We were together for around eight months, and she was starting to get annoyed because we had to hide from my parents sometimes.”

  Those weren’t pleasant memories. Chris still remembers being completely terrified that Tabitha would leave her at the time if she didn’t come out. Now, she wishes she could go back to eighteen-year-old Christine and advise her to do things in her own time when she was ready.

  “That sucks. No one should have to come out when they aren’t prepared.”

  “Yeah, it did. But I’m over it now.”

  Josie opens her mouth to say something else, but then she stops. Her brown eyes widen, and she perks up looking behind Chris.

  “She’s here,” she whispers and nods to the door.

  Turning in her seat, Chris watches the girl who just came in. Besides sharing similar facial features and slightly tanned skin, Jessica looks completely different from her sister. She is taller, skinnier, and more fashionably dressed in comparison to Josie, who seems to prefer a more relaxed style.

  Josie jumps to her feet and runs to meet her sister halfway with a long hug. The two of them chat for a bit before Josie finally points to her table. Immediately, Chris feels self-conscious and readjusts herself in her seat.

  “This is my sister, Jessie. Jessie, this is my friend, Chris,” Josie says when the sisters join her at the table.

  “Hi, nice to meet you,” Jessie greets her.

  Chris says hello back and smiles gently.

  It doesn’t take more than a moment before Jessie and Josie begin chatting. Chris remains silent on her side, leaving the two of them to gossip about a nosy neighbor that has been bothering their parents back at home. She is too busy thinking about the word friend and the connotations that implies.

  Is she happy because she isn’t just a coworker to Josie or upset because she is just a friend?

  Should she even be feeling let down by being Josie’s friend?

  This should be something great. Josie is just the kind of friend she needs. A sweet, energetic girl who makes her smile and is delighted to introduce Chris to her older sister over coffee. But she is also the girl that makes her stomach flip in excitement and her lips itch to be kissed.

  Crap.

  What’s wrong with her?

  She has been unable to control her own feelings and body since she met Josie weeks ago and things just keep getting awkward when they shouldn’t be at all. That is, without even mentioning the friendly flirting at the bookstore and the grinding on the dance floor.

  Chris needs a friend, not a new relationship so soon. Yet, she can’t resist the urge to lean always closer to Josie. Her flirting game may not be that strong, but sometimes the words get out of her mouth before she can stop herself.

  Distracted, it takes Chris a moment to realize where the conversation is going.

  “So I actually called you here to tell you something. Something that has been eating me up lately,” Josie is saying.

  “Is everything okay with you?” Jessie asks with worry.

  Raising one of her hands, Josie makes her wait.

  “Yes, I’m fine. It’s just that I’ve been hiding this for so long now, and I don’t want to anymore. I feel that I’m ready to say it, and you are my sister and I trust you on this…”r />
  There is a moment of hesitation from Josie before she takes a deep breath and says it.

  “I’m a lesbian.”

  Jessie doesn’t even blink.

  She just stares at her sister and purses her lips, as if she was expecting something more than that.

  “Are you fine with that? With me being gay?” Josie asks quietly.

  “Oh, you thought I didn’t know?”

  What?

  Chris looks from one sister to the other, confused about what is happening.

  “You knew?” Josie sounds incredulous.

  “Oh my God. Yeah, of course I knew. You are twenty years old, and you have never had a boyfriend,” Jessie exclaims.

  Cringing inside, Chris feels the need to interrupt and correct her, but Josie is faster than her.

  “That has nothing to do with my sexuality,” she starts. “Some people never date boys or people from other genders but are still attracted to them. There are lesbians who date boys before understanding the roles that heteronormativity tries to force them into.”

  She stops to breathe and sends an apologetic look for Chris. The girl only waves her off.

  “I’m sorry, that’s not what I was trying to say. My bad.” Jessie takes Josie’s hands in hers. “But trust me; I’m completely okay with this. Don’t worry about it. You’re my little sis, nothing will change.”

  Tears start forming in Josie’s eyes, and she lets out a relieved breath, the corner of her lips lifting up.

  “Do you think mom and dad will mind? Do you think they know?”

  “I don’t know. I doubt they even question these things. But whatever they think about it, you can be sure that I’ll be by your side.”

  Josie starts to cry openly, and Jessie holds her against her chest. After a few moments, Josie gets up from her seat in a hurry.

  “I’m just going to wash my face. Be right back,” she explains and leaves Chris and her sister alone.

  There is an awkward silence at first, and then Jessie turns to her with narrowed eyes.

  “Are you her girlfriend?” she asks.

  Oh shit.

  That wasn’t the question she was expecting at all.

  “I’m… no we… we work together and… and we are friends?” Chris stutters, feeling a blush growing on her cheeks.