In Too Deep

by Cassandra Cole

  Kris just nodded and concentrated on the road. The truth was, her parents had not been open to the idea of having a gay daughter when she finally told them the truth nearly two years after coming out to Izzy. But she had chipped away at their resistance, first by convincing her mom it wasn’t the end of the world having a gay daughter. Then she and her mom teamed up on her dad and he slowly, grudgingly, came around. He didn’t exactly give her his blessing and he said that he wished she was “normal”, but he agreed that if she was happy that was all that mattered. Now, her parents would meet the woman who was the source that happiness.

  * * *

  Kris was a little surprised to see her folks sitting on the front porch as she pulled up the farm’s long drive. Her mom’s hand went up and she waved excitedly. Her dad got to his feet and followed her mom down the steps to wait while they parked.

  Kris found her breathing coming in short bursts. Her fingers tightened around the wheel. She did her best to put on a brave front for Izzy, who was smiling and waving and acting like she wasn’t nervous at all.

  “Hello, baby,” he mom said, giving her a big hug.

  “Hi, mom,” Kris said with a nervous smile. She turned to her father. They looked at each other for a second, then he opened his arms and she fell into them. Despite the past and everything that had happened, she was a daddy’s girl and his acceptance meant the world to her.

  Izzy was waiting by the car with a smile on her face. Kris cleared her throat and gestured her forward. “Mom, dad, this is Isadora.” She looked at her girlfriend’s blue eyes and smiled.

  “Call me Izzy.”

  Kris’ mother had tears in her eyes. For a moment Kris worried that the weekend was about to turn into a crying fest, but her mother surprised her by throwing her arms around Izzy’s neck and pulling her in for a tight embrace.

  “I’m so happy to finally meet you, Izzy,” her mother said. She held Izzy at arm’s length and gave her a nod. “And thank you for making my baby girl so happy.”

  Izzy’s eyes were rimmed with tears. “I think you’re giving me too much credit, Mrs. Price.”

  “That’s not what I hear,” Kris’ dad said, stepping forward. He gave Izzy an awkward hug and they both laughed. Everyone seemed to relax, including Kris’ dad.

  He said, “Well, y’all come on inside. Mama’s got a heck of a meal waiting for y’all.”

  CHAPTER NINE

  “Does your mom always cook that much?” Izzy asked with a heavy sigh. She took Kris’ hand and they walked across the backyard to the swing set that had been there since Kris was a little girl. They each took a swing and sat swaying with the cool breeze.

  “That’s what my mom would call a light meal,” Kris said. She let her eyes go around the place. The old house was the same as it was when her grandfather built it eighty years ago.

  The farmhouse was surrounded my rolling pastures and crop fields. The sun was as blue as Izzy’s eyes and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. Kris sighed, suddenly realizing that for the first time in her life, the place truly felt like home.

  Kris felt as if she and Izzy had new wind under their sails. Being able to sit in the sun together, to have acceptance and validation from those Kris held dearest meant everything to her. She’d always known that she’d spend the rest of her life with Izzy, and now she had absolutely no fear of what that future would look like.

  Empowered by that thought, Kris said, “I want a house and a dog and a kid.”

  Izzy twisted sideways in the swing and grinned. “What kind of dog? And what kind of kid? Boy or girl?”

  “I’m flexible,” Kris said with a smile. “All I know is that I want all of those things, and I want them with you.”

  A loving smile came to Izzy’s lips. “I’d like that.”

  They sat on the swings until the sun started to set, then went inside for a slice of mom’s apple pie. As they sat at the table with Kris’ mom and dad, everyone laughing and having a great time, a newfound feeling of peace settled over them all.

  Kris loved the three people at this table more than anything. She was finally happy in a way that she never imagined possible. And judging by Izzy’s face, she felt the same.

  THE END

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  DANCER

  An Erotic

  Lesbian Romance

  By

  Cassandra Cole

  CHAPTER ONE

  Stephanie Green hated Kiara Jackson from the first moment she saw her dance. Well, hated might be a little too strong of a word, especially since she had never met the girl before and knew absolutely nothing about her.

  “Greatly disliked” would have been the more appropriate term, she supposed. It was a little less aggressive and offered the possibility of change, though Stephanie doubted that her opinion would ever be easily changed.

  Stephanie stood in the corner of the dance studio, flanked by the other dancers whom she didn’t necessarily consider friends, but respected enough to call peers.

  The owner of the studio, her aunt Moira, stood smiling in the opposite corner as the newest addition to their troupe showed off her solo skills to the group.

  Kiara was talented; Stephanie had to give her that. The young black girl moved across the floor with the grace of a much more seasoned dancer. Her feet perfect, arms extended just right, the lines of her neck flawless.

  Stephanie hadn’t expected much when she first saw Kiara sitting in the lobby waiting to see Moira. Stephanie had been immediately wary. Then again, she was wary of everyone. Life had forced her to be.

  Kiara’s smile was too quick, her eyes too friendly, and her laugh a little too forced. She didn’t seem like a serious dancer, which Stephanie considered herself to be.

  Kiara Jackson seemed to be more of the type of girl who came and went through the studio on a whim. They were there just to have fun. The cared nothing for the art itself: the art that Stephanie had worked so hard for so many years to master.

  Stephanie took dancing seriously and detested anyone who didn’t.

  Ever since she was six years old and had taken part in a small elementary production of The Wizard of Oz, she had realized that she was happiest when dancing.

  Over the years her dancing skills had improved, but her social skills left a lot to be desired. She could be rude, cold, and unfeeling. She had no real friends to think of and always turned down offers from the other dancers to do something after practice.

  They didn’t even bother inviting her anymore, but she didn’t care. Dancing was all that mattered. People came and went.

  The dance stayed.

  Her aunt, a lifelong dancer and the person Stephanie was closest to, had opened the studio when Stephanie was in junior high school. At first, the studio was in her garage, but that quickly grew into the thriving establishment that she was standing in right now.

  Aunt Moira had dragged Stephanie with her to every session, concentrating on developing the girl’s skills as much as possible, pushing her to the limits. By then Stephanie’s father had walked out on them, and her mother had stopped caring what Stephanie was doing with her life.

  Aunt Moira easily replaced her mother in more ways than one, and she was proud to be the face of Moira Green’s Dance Studio, feeling like she owed the woman a lot more than just her skills.

  Over the past few years Stephanie’s standout performances at competitions and in small productions had brought the studio a fair amount of acclaim.

  Moira was thrilled that her niece and star student was doing so well and seemed so happy, at least when she was on the stage. One of the benefits was that the studio often receiving contracts for various stage productions and music videos, Stephanie being the obvious first choice for many of these.

  Now, watching Kiara Jackson dancing, she had a feeling that that might change.

  The new girl finished her solo to a loud applause fro
m the rest of the dancers, including Moira Green who was clapping like she had just seen a miracle.

  Stephanie frowned, she herself not applauding what even she had to admit was a spectacular contemporary piece. She just glared at the girl as she smiled and curtseyed to the applauding dancers.

  A couple of the girls ran to Kiara and welcomed her in with hugs and cheers, the look on Moira’s face an obvious give away as to her decision.

  Stephanie waited for her aunt to bring a little more order to the chaos, and when she realized that she wouldn’t, sighed and walked out of the studio to the lockers.

  She needed to change and get home anyway.

  CHAPTER TWO

  Elizabeth Green was the kind of woman most children would immediately fear if they were to ever cross paths with her. Her hair already grey, the wrinkles on her face deep and her skin dry from the mix of alcohol and nicotine that played an important part of her life, she looked at least twenty years older than she really was. The constant frown on her face didn’t help.

  She was watching Jimmy Kimmel when Stephanie walked in, opening and closing the front door with enough noise to announce her arrival.

  “Mom, I’m home,” the blonde called out as she slipped out of her shoes and immediately looked into the living room to where the sound of the television was coming from.

  Elizabeth didn’t reply.

  “Did you eat?” Stephanie asked, already bracing herself for a possible argument she didn’t have the energy for.

  Elizabeth only frowned, taking a long drag from her cigarette as she poured herself another shot from the Jack Daniels bottle that had become this evening’s close friend.

  “I’m sorry I’m late,” Stephanie said, taking a shot in the dark, wondering which of the many reasons her mother usually came up with was the cause for tonight’s cold shoulder. “We had a new girl audition, and aunt Moira wanted me to attend the solo.”

  Elizabeth Green scoffed at the mention of her sister’s name. “I couldn’t care less about Moira and what she does in that stripper school she runs,” she said, sipping at her glass. “I just wish my own daughter would have the decency to be home for dinner. Then again, I shouldn’t be too surprised.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” Stephanie frowned, immediately defensive. She hated it when her mother took shots at her dancing, let alone the only person who was actually supporting her.

  “Nothing,” Elizabeth replied, putting out her cigarette and immediately lighting the next. “Dinner’s in the fridge, and you know how to work the microwave.”

  Stephanie hesitated, a part of her wanting to put her mother in her place, but she was too tired to argue. Plus, Kiara Jackson’s solo and how everyone responded to it was enough pressure for one night.

  Stephanie turned and made her way to the kitchen.

  CHAPTER THREE

  “You’re Stephanie, right?”

  Stephanie was surprised when she turned around and saw Kiara standing in front of her, smile wide and green eyes bright as the girl practically radiated with positivity. She frowned for a moment, looking around her and she tried to figure out how Kiara had found her, and what she was doing on campus.

  “I saw you at Moira Green’s studio,” Kiara said. “I’m a huge fan, really. I wanted to talk to you, but you had completely disappeared.”

  Stephanie tried to think of anything to say, but her mind drew blanks.

  “Kiara Jackson?” she said, her eyebrows up. “I auditioned yesterday for Ms. Green’s troupe?”

  Stephanie forced herself to smile. “No, of course, I know who you are,” she said quickly. “It’s just I’m a little surprised to see you here.”

  “Transferred,” Kiara explained. “Couldn’t stand being so close to my parents anymore. They’re a little less than approving of my way of life.”

  Stephanie suddenly felt uncomfortable, wondering if Kiara usually opened up this quickly to people she hardly knew. She couldn’t remember the last time she had brought up her mother in any conversation that didn’t involve her aunt.

  “Listen, it’s great to see you, but I have class, so,” Stephanie said, starting to walk away.

  Kiara smiled and waved her away. “Sure, yeah, of course,” she said. “I’ll see you at the studio later on tonight, then?”

  Stephanie nodded slightly and continued on her way.

  She hated Kiara Jackson.

  * * *

  Stephanie twirled, leg outstretched, extension beautiful as she pulled back and kicked.

  She was in the moment, lost in the music playing in the background, eyes closed as she moved, not even thinking about the next step and just dancing.

  The world around her vanished, her entire existence trapped within the bubble of her movements as her body swayed to and fro. She had no idea who was watching.

  She wasn’t worried about what anyone was thinking. All she had was the dance.

  When she was done, she opened her eyes slowly, the stares from the other dancers wide as they tried to process what they had just seen.

  Stephanie quickly glanced at her aunt, Moira’s eyes glistening with tears, the kind of reaction that made Stephanie proud and jump with joy inside. She cared little what anyone besides her thought, and her approval was vital.

  Moira Green began to clap, and the entire studio burst into applause. The older woman definitely approved.

  Stephanie smiled, proud and a little intimidated although she loved being the center of attention. She quickly bowed and raced to the sidelines, grabbing her towel as several dancers patted her on the shoulder and smiled in admiration.

  It was the perfect start to the day.

  “Ok, group one, on the floor,” Moira called out as the applause died out.

  Several dancers skipped into position, Kiara among them. Stephanie watched as the girl winked at her and gave her a thumbs-up, quickly taking a more serious stance and readying herself for the group routine. They had a show in three weeks, and several of the starters were new additions to the studio.

  There was still a lot to do.

  Stephanie watched the dancers as they moved, her eyes inexplicably falling on Kiara. She was gorgeous, her movements flawless, having had picked up on the choreography quicker than most. Stephanie wondered if her position in the studio would be threatened, then quickly pushed the thought away.

  She knew Kiara wouldn’t last long. The weaker dancers usually gave up, ill-prepared for the amount of work they had to put in to improve their skill.

  The better moved on to more prosperous studios with more shows and a better pay. Stephanie had never even thought of doing that, although she had been asked to on several occasions. She owed her aunt a lot, and she was nowhere close to paying her back.

  By the end of the evening, Stephanie had joined in on several of the group routines, at time taking over smaller groups and helping out where she could.

  On several occasions, she had found herself working the main group routines as her aunt disappeared to a side with a struggling few. From the look on her face, Moira was stressed, and she was pushing the dancers harder than they were accustomed to.

  “No, no, come on!” Moira shouted, immediately making heads turn as she stood frustrated in front of Kiara and another male dancer who couldn’t seem to get the steps right after trying all afternoon. Her aunt looked over at her and beckoned Stephanie over.

  “Here, show him how it’s done,” Moira said, pushing Stephanie lightly towards Kiara.

  Their eyes met, and Kiara smiled at Stephanie, an innocent smile that gave away just how tired she was. Stephanie knew how frustrating it could be to work with a partner who wasn’t pulling his weight, and she felt for Kiara. She stood in position and waited for the music to start.

  “One, two, three, go!” Moira counted.

  Stephanie jumped straight into the routine, her eyes on Kiara as the girl moved with her.

  Stephanie tried her best to hold back a smile, a bit excited at how well Kiara was doing
the choreography, her moves elegant and precise, as close to perfection as Stephanie could expect.

  They moved together, their legs and arms arching to the music, their bodies twisting and turning, and when Stephanie grabbed her hand, pulling the girl close, she felt a spark of electricity shoot up her arm and through her body.

  Stephanie pulled Kiara close, their eyes locking for a second, the longest second she had ever felt, before they broke away from each other and continued. Stephanie frowned, unsure of what had just happened, but quickly pushed the feeling away. She needed to concentrate. Her aunt depended on her, and she closed her eyes as she danced.

  Soon she was lost in the dance.

  * * *

  “That was incredible!”

  Stephanie turned around, standing in front of her locker in panties and bra, towel slung over her shoulder as she readied herself for a shower.

  Kiara was smiling at her, and for some reason Stephanie felt incredibly self-conscious.

  “Some of us are going out for drinks,” Kiara said. “You should come with us.”

  “That’s ok,” Stephanie said, wondering how it had taken Kiara only two days to organize a girl’s night out. “I have to get home.”

  “Come on,” Kiara pleaded. “We won’t be long.”

  “I have an assignment due tomorrow, and I haven’t started yet,” Stephanie argued.

  “You’ll have time to finish it,” Kiara said, already walking away. “You’re coming!”

  Stephanie frowned as she watched Kiara walk away.

  CHAPTER THREE

  Kiara hadn’t been wrong. Stephanie was having a blast.

  They had walked into the bar just before the regular crowd started filing in. It had given them the bonus of finding a perfect seat near a corner of the small space, away from too much of the noise and the unwanted attention.