Ruby Rising

by Leah Cook

  “Nice arm there, Miss De Grey,” he said as he rubbed his stomach, pretending to be in pain.

  We drove out to the camp on our own. Mikayla had gone on the youth group bus with the younger members who weren’t old enough to drive yet. Scott said he wanted some quiet time together before he had to share me. I wasn’t sure there would be that much sharing time once we realised we were alone.

  An hour later we arrived, I watched as a few other people were setting up various sized tents. We got out of the car and stretched our legs. I suddenly felt awkward and nervous. There was still about three hours of light to get set up in so we pitched in wherever we were needed. Some heavy metal noise was playing on a stereo somewhere and I was secretly hoping that it didn’t play all weekend. I wasn’t that fussy about music, but death metal was a little out of my comfort zone.

  Scott showed me around the camp, there was a toilet and shower block at which I heaved a sigh of relief at. I didn’t want to have to walk into the bush to do my business and not get a shower for three days.

  The main area had a large fire pit surrounded by long logs for people to sit on, true school camp style. I giggled to myself having visions of Mikayla starting a round of Kumbaya, Scott gave me a quizzical look and I just shrugged my shoulders at him. There were a few barbecues being set up that we were going to use for cooking and already a large congregation of Esky’s lined up.

  After my guided tour we went back to Scott’s car and unloaded our own gear. He looked at where the tents had been set up, smiled at me, and walked in the opposite direction.

  “Well that’s subtle isn’t it?” Mikayla said, stepping out from behind the bus. “Planning on getting lucky are you big brother?”

  Scott looked annoyed for a second before he plastered a huge smile on his face. “I’m already lucky in love, Mikayla.”

  Without missing a beat she swiftly, “Wow that must be a record for you then, in love without sex.”

  Scott pulled me into his arms and kept walking. I was sure my mouth was hanging open. What was her problem? I knew we weren’t exactly besties, but what was with the attitude?

  Looking at the expression on my face Scott hurriedly explained. “She gets like this before the first night. She hates organising everyone and dealing with some of the parents is a real bitch. Why do you think I drove out instead of grabbing the bus?” I laughed a little and tried to brush off what she’d said, but the hurt remained on my face.

  “And here I was thinking it was just to spend extra time with me.” When he didn’t say anything at my bad attempt at humour I continued. “Why doesn’t she just delegate it off to someone else? Surely out of this group there are plenty of people willing to help her, they all seem to revere her.” We reached a grassed area littered with trees that blocked the view from the main camp. Scott threw the tent on the ground and then his own backpack and sleeping bag. I put my own things down next to his and looked at what would be our temporary home for the next three nights. I shivered at the thought of lying next to him all night.

  Half an hour, and a whole lot of giggling and opportunistic touches later, the tent was up. Scott went back to the car and got his self-inflating mattress, laid down both our sleeping bags and then an awkward silence came over us.

  “Why don’t we join the bags together like a doona, it’s too hot to be in a bag anyway.” The words were out of my mouth before I could stop them.

  Without saying a word Scott did what I had asked as I wandered outside and took a deep breath. I knew what I was doing didn’t I? The feelings I had for him were so strong, how could they be wrong? He was the one I wanted to lose my virginity to. So why was there still a part of me that was sending out alarm bells, wanting to run all the way home and not look back?

  “We’d better get over to the camp,” Scott interrupted my thoughts as he came out of the tent. “Everyone has to help with the cooking to make things easier. There’s a roster up on the wall next to the barbecues, so that everyone pitches in and we get everything done as quickly as possible.” He grabbed my hand and pulled me towards him. “More time to play then. Don’t worry I rigged it so we would be together.”

  I laughed at him, glad that he seemed to be more his normal self and I let myself be pulled along to the main area.

  I was on cooking duty and tonight’s dinner was sausages and mashed potatoes. I grabbed a peeler, found some space and started peeling with a few other people. Scott found himself on sausage duty so he stood where he could watch me.

  I looked around the camp, people who weren’t on cooking duty were milling around the fire pit and others were collecting kindling and wood for the fire. As I took in the scene I realised that everyone was wearing black. I thought back to both youth group nights I had gone to, and the thought occurred to me that nearly everyone there was dressed in full black as well.

  I wonder what that is all about. I thought to myself, before realising that I had done the exact same thing without really thinking about it. I had dressed the same way for every youth group.

  Dinner was animated, everyone excited for end of term holidays and a break from their parents. I wondered how Mikayla managed to get all their parents to sign off on the camping trips, as some of them were only in year nine or ten.

  Once dinner was over and the designated people had cleaned up, a small fire was started and it quickly grew to resemble the large bonfire we had gone to the night Krystal had died. A few people bought out marshmallows and handed out sticks for everyone. Scott and I sat together on a log and Mikayla sat next to me which surprised me as her attitude had left me wondering if I had imagined all of her so called friendship.

  As it started to chill off, I went to the tent to grab my jacket, I turned around feeling Scott’s presence behind me. My heart rate sky rocketed, and I felt my palms get clammy. Just when I thought he was going to kiss me, he reached for my hand, held it between us and walked us back to the bonfire.

  Once it got dark people started to quieten down. Mikayla stood up and just like at the other bonfire it rose in time with her arms. It dawned on me that Mikayla had control of the fire element, just as I had water. I took a more keen interest in what was happening, even with Scott distracting me with gentle kisses to my neck, and my ear, and my…whoa! I gently pulled away as Mikayla began to speak telling him I wanted to listen. He gave me a cheeky grin and cocked an eyebrow at me. He stopped his high enjoyable but equally distracting kissing and put his arm around me, drawing me into him.

  “Thank you to those of you who attended the Feast Day last month. Everyone who attended had an amazing time and your presence was pleasing and satisfying. For those of you who were unable to attend or were not invited, don’t worry your turn will come soon.” I watched mesmerised as she moved around the fire, the flames bending towards her, as if they were attracted to her, following the curves of her body. “For those of you lucky enough to receive instructions for Walpurgis Night for the end of April, you need to speak to me or Scott before the end of the weekend to let me know how you have gone with you preparations and assignments. Tonight, relax and enjoy yourself, tomorrow we will be putting you through your paces and helping you understand why you are here. Please join me in thanking the Great Star for his blessing to be among the chosen few!”

  Mikayla raised her hands, the fire flared with her movements and I again found myself joining in with the group acknowledgement of the Great Star which I was yet to figure out what or who it exactly was.

  Maybe Mikayla was a witch. It was no longer as farfetched as I had once believed. Although I could move water and that didn’t make me a witch, so that theory went out the window. My mind drifted off to Paganism. Maybe there was something in that about the Great Star. I added it to my mental list of things to Google once I got home, if I actually remembered to do it, that is.

  I heard some music start playing, and people begun to pair off and dance. Scott pulled me up into a tight embrace moving his hard body against mine in time to the music. My
body reacted almost immediately, my pulse increased and butterflies whirled in my stomach. I was alive with need and knew I had made my decision to spend the night completely with Scott.

  The music grew louder until I could feel the bass thumping through my entire body. Opening my eyes, which I had closed when I rested my head against Scott’s inviting chest, I wasn’t overly surprised to see various couples making out with an intense hunger that aroused and awakened my own desire. I watched, stunned and a little disturbed, as two couples swapped partners before they continued with their frenzied attacks on each other’s bodies. I recognised all four of them from my English class but had never seen any of them together as couples. Until now.

  My life in the city had been sheltered and I wondered if this type of behaviour wasn’t the norm now. Lost in my thoughts I felt Scott gently pulling me away, out of the circle. He said something to me, his eyes twinkling from the reflection of the fire, but I couldn’t hear him over the music. Pulling me close his warm breathe heated the skin just underneath my ear as he yelled in my ear. He wanted us to have some alone time together. I blushed and even in the dark I knew that he was laughing at my body’s betrayal of my thoughts and feelings. As we wandered towards our tent, the music trailed off enough for us to have a conversation without yelling.

  “Can we go to the shower blocks first? I really want to splash some water on my face.”

  “Yeah sure, I’ll wait outside.” True to his word, he kissed me gently on the cheek and leant against the wall.

  I put the lid of the toilet seat down, sat and took in a deep breath, suddenly terrified at the thought of being alone with him…all night. I sat there panicking and decided to jump in the shower first hoping that being in the water might cool me off a bit and clear my head.

  I stripped off in the shower cubicle and turned the water on, jumping straight in without waiting for the water to warm up. The sudden assault of cold water awoke my entire body, my breasts dimpled as goose bumps rose and my nipples hardened into stiff peaks. I gasped and put my head straight under the cold stream, relishing in it and the calm it provided. After a minute I put the hot water on and started to relax. I knew if I asked Scott to wait he would. The question was did I actually want to wait or was I just nervous about having sex for the first time. Dancing around the bonfire in Scott’s arms I had been so sure that tonight was right time for us. Yet now, minutes before I needed to make a decision, I wasn’t so sure. Maybe it had been easier when the sexual energy coming from those around the bonfire had been at fever pitch.

  The overhead lights went out, the blinking fluorescent light above the mirror giving the shower an eerie glow. Turning around I put my hands against the cubicle wall and let the water rain down my back, feeling it ease some of the tension from my shoulders. Feeling a familiar pulse in my hands as I calmed my body, I urged the pulsing to make the water rise and fall off the floor.

  “That’s a neat trick you’ve got there.” I froze as I felt Scott’s arms tangle around my waist from behind, he was obviously naked. I hadn’t even heard him come into the shower cubicle. “You are so beautiful, Ruby. You really are precious to me. I want to show you how much.”

  I blushed at his comment and inferred plans as I noted his lack of surprise at seeing me controlling the water in the shower.

  “Did you already know?” I asked, my voice breathy as I became more and more aware of his arousal.

  “I had my suspicions. I guess you saw Mikayla tonight then, the fire thing?” His own voice had taken on a much deeper tone. I could feel it in my feet as he spoke.

  “I did…” my voice trailed off as his hand moved to my breast and gently tweaked at the nipple. I moaned and inadvertently pushed my breast into his willing hand as he gently sucked and nibbled on my neck. I was so completely lost as my body screamed for more that I forgot where we were. Turning around I threw my arms around his neck and pulled him to me prying his supple mouth open with my tongue until he granted it access. Our tongues swirled together, fighting and dancing as I fought for control. He pushed me against the wall and I automatically lifted my legs around his waist. I felt him rub against me, his erection hard and ready making me groan into his mouth.

  “Not here, Ruby.” Scott pulled away from my mouth, panting and fighting for his own control. “Not here,” he repeated more forcefully as much to himself as me as he reached around by body to turn off the water. Not so subtly brushing the naked cheeks of my ass. Gently putting me down he shook the water from his body and stepped out of the shower to dress.

  “Want to see something special?” I felt relieved that he knew about my water ability. At least I didn’t feel like I was lying to him anymore by not telling him. Part of me was still terrified that someone else knew, my mother’s warnings echoing in my head. But I wanted to show off for him a little.

  “I’m pretty sure I’m seeing something pretty special all right!” His voice husky, his eyes trailed down my body as he pulled his pants up. It didn’t do much to hide his erection however.

  Closing my eyes I harnessed the energy that pulsed through my body, part arousal and part magic. I concentrated on the sensation of the water droplets on my body and the need to push them away from me. As I begun to feel each and every one I commanded my energy to move them. Opening my eyes I watched Scott’s reaction as the water hovered between us, after a few seconds I slowly lowered my hands and the water splashed to the floor wetting the bottom of his pants.

  “Very impressive, Rubes. Will you show me some more tomorrow? For now though I’ve got a couple of tricks of my own I’d like to show you in our tent.” He turned around and picked up my clothes. He smiled as he handed me my skirt and singlet. “I think I might hold onto these, I don’t think you’re going to need them.”

  I drew in a sharp breath aroused by his words and watching him fondling my bra and knickers in his hands. I dressed quickly, after all not having a lot to put on, and we held hands as we walked to the tent.

  Neither of us spoke as Scott zipped up the tent behind him. The music faded completely as I focused on Scott and the tension building between us. All I could hear was my own heavy breaths and the thundering rhythm of my heart as it pounded in my chest. I had a moment of flirty courage before he turned to face me. Taking off my singlet and dropping it on the floor at my feet. I stood topless both excited and terrified at the same time.

  Being so dark I couldn’t see the reaction on his face, he was silhouetted by the bonfire that must be massive by now. Then I heard his pants drop and he took a step towards me, leaving only an inch between us. He put one hand behind my head, gripping my hair in his hand, and pulled me to him in a hungry kiss that possessed my mouth and rendered my knees useless. I leaned against him and he pulled me closer with his free hand by grabbing me roughly by my butt cheek. I sucked a breath and groaned in his mouth. His hands moved to my breasts and they were instantly aware of his warm mouth and talented fingers. I felt warmth begin to pool between my legs and I cried out when he took a hardened nipple to his eager mouth, sucking and nibbling lightly. Heat built within me, my core tightening as his hands and mouth tormented my breasts. Having on had one orgasm, in our make out session on his couch, I didn’t know if it was possible to come by someone doing this to your breasts. But the way it heated my core I was definitely on my way.

  He pulled away and lowered us to the mattress, which was surprisingly more comfortable than I expected it to be. I lay nervously on my back with one knee bent and my arm resting across my chest, my entire body shaking slightly. I felt completely exposed despite the fact that he had just been suckling at my breast.

  Scott rested on his side slightly above me. He ran a solitary finger from my cheek, down my neck and down the path that separated my meagre breasts to my naval, removing my arm from my chest and gently placing it above my head. My hips responded to his tender touch gently tilting upwards as his finger hit the waistband of my skirt. Only hesitating for a second he continued his torment, gliding his
fingers over the smooth fabric of my skirt and down my inner thighs. Even though I anticipated his touch, it still took my breath away when his fingers slid gently over the warmth at my centre. He continued around in tiny circles, the fabric of my skirt creating a sensual feeling. I would never look at this skirt the same way again.

  “Ruby, are you sure you want to do this?” I nearly cried when he took his deft fingers away from my core and caressed my face instead. “Because in a few minutes I’m not going to be able to stop, I’m not going to be able to take this back.”

  My answer was quick, confident and true, “I’m sure, Scott. I’m…just…nervous.”

  “Oh Ruby, don’t be.” Within seconds he had removed my skirt and hovered above me. I ran my fingers down his back, feeling his muscles ripple under my touch and aroused by the groan it elicited from Scott.

  His kisses were everywhere at once; my neck, my breasts, my ear, my arm. I cried out softly as he gently rubbed my clitoris, my hips bucking against his hand. In seconds I filled with a fast rising heat and absolute passion as my world exploded. He hungrily possessed my mouth to muffle my cries. Before my climax had ebbed I felt him pause at my opening and then slowly he pushed into me, inch by inch, until he met with resistance. He paused and told me he loved me before he pushed through the barrier. I cried out as the pain registered, for a moment the pain more real than the pleasure.

  “Do you want me to stop?” he asked, acknowledging my tense body.

  “No…please don’t. I need this, just go slow.” I dug my fingers into his shoulders as he began to move again slowly stretching my body to accommodate the foreign sensation. Slowly the pain disappeared and was replaced once again with pleasure as I felt my body building to climax once again.

  After a few minutes he gently pulled out. I looked up at him confused, knowing that he hadn’t finished and hoping that I hadn’t done something wrong.

  He coaxed me onto my stomach and kissed his way up and down my spine while I writhed underneath him. Sliding his fingers into me once more I cried out before burying my face into a pillow to muffle myself. It wasn’t as uncomfortable as having him inside me but my virgin body was tender and raw.