Leia was positive she didn't know them, and it seemed to her that if they knew her they would have waved or walked over. She considered the possibility that, perhaps, what had drawn their attention was the color of her skin. She tried to convince herself that they were looking at someone else. She forced down the rising anger--not because the anger would be unjustified, but because she knew the heavy price of giving in to it.
The next time she saw them was two days later in the vice principal’s office. Strangely enough, Mrs. Troy kept referring to them as her aunt and uncle. She was also looking at them and wearing a spaced-out smile rather than her usual razor-sharp stare.
Leia stared at them for several seconds; because they were white she could only assume they would be from her mother's side of the family, but she saw no family resemblance, and knew all of her immediate family. She stared at them with a bit of challenge in her gaze and then turned to the vice principal. "Mrs. Troy, I don't know these people!"
Mrs. Troy gave her an understanding smile. "I'll leave you alone so you can have your chat in private, my dear, not a problem at all."
Leia tried again. "No, listen to me! You're missing my point!" She pointed at the man and woman for emphasis. "These people are strangers! I have no idea who they are!"
"Of course you can use my office, Leia. I will be outside if you need anything." With that, Mrs. Troy left the office and closed the door behind her. Leia stared at the closed door for a second, trying to get a handle on the last couple of minutes, and then turned to face the strangers.
She looked at the couple, who were dressed a little more formally than the last time she had seen them. The man wore slacks and a blue button-down shirt, and the woman wore a sapphire-colored blouse and matching skirt, her light red hair pulled back from her face.
"Who are you people?"
"I'm Samantha McGill, and this is Max Spencer. We’re recruiters from a very special academy. We think you would fit in beautifully, Leia." Leia noticed that her gentle smile made her look pretty yet approachable. She found herself looking at the fair-skinned woman with her light dusting of freckles across a slightly up-turned nose, at the red hair that seemed determined to slip out of the barrette, and at her kind smile.
"Recruiters? From an academy? But why did you tell Mrs. Troy that you were family?" Leia's hazel brown eyes mirrored her confusion and skepticism. She figured it was smarter to focus on Samantha’s confusing words rather than her freckles. She supposed they could be from some sort of academy … after all, it was senior year. Although the end of the school year.
Max spoke. "Because it's easier for you. Less questions to answer. As far as she knows, we are family here on a private matter."
"But what private matter?"
"Doesn't matter."
"She didn't ask?"
A slight smile played across Max's lips and his blue eyes twinkled. "Nope."
"That doesn't make sense. She pulled me out of class and has no idea why?"
"Right."
"And she won't ask me later?" Leia was getting frustrated. This Max guy didn’t exactly volunteer information.
"Guarantee she won't." Although he had to be over six feet tall, he resembled a mischievous little boy for just a moment, and Leia had the feeling he was having a little bit of fun with her confusion.
Samantha spoke in a gentle voice, arranging three chairs into a triangle. "Leia, would you like to have a seat so we can begin sorting this out for you?"
Leia found herself becoming angry. She didn’t want to sit down with these strangers. She just wanted answers. "Look, I don't know you, and I am fine with standing. There's something strange here and ..."
"Sam wasn't trying to upset you,” Max interjected. “In fact, I would put money on the fact she's pissed at me 'cause I teased you. Now I am sure she is doubly pissed that I said 'pissed'." Leia noticed that Samantha did look flushed as she looked at her partner. "She was thinking of you when she asked you to sit. Probably figured you wanted to get down to business. Truth? It wouldn’t be a bad idea."
“She didn’t pi… make me mad – not knowing what’s going on, that made me mad … is making me mad.”
She sat down anyhow, figuring it was the best way to get to the bottom of things. The partners followed suit and an awkward silence followed. Finally, Leia raised her eyebrows and said, "Well?"
Max spoke, "Sorry, fairly new at this, and our original contact with you should have been a while ago. Anyhow, we know."
Leia had no idea what Max meant. Well, maybe a glimmer.
Sam spoke with a little amusement and much frustration. "In a previous life he was a bull in a china shop. But what he said is true. We know about your ability, and we’re here to help you."
"You know? Know what? I have no idea what you’re talking about. I want to leave." Leia was suddenly trembling with fear. Could they really know? She would have just jumped up and left, but she felt forced to stay. They were older and from some sort of school, and it wasn’t like Mrs. Troy was going to be any help with this. She suddenly got a queasy understanding of the reason for the older woman’s blissed-out smile and generous offer of the use of the office.
"Leia, please stay. It's your choice, but we’ll have to talk to you eventually. Why not now? We understand what you're going through because we've been where you are now. Wondering if we were the only ones." Samantha’s eyes seemed to plead with her.
Leia clenched her fists, digging her nails into her palms. "I’ve already told you that I have no idea what you are talking about!"
"You’re feeling scared and alone and you’re wondering what we want from you. But we are not here to harm you or scare you. I, for one, admire you."
"Admire me? Because of the thing that I can do?" She still could not say it out loud, not yet. Still, she felt herself drawn into the conversation.
"No, not that. We have similar gifts – as does everyone at the academy. We all can effect or influence the minds of others in one way or another." Sam's words hung in the air for a moment. "I admire you because I don’t think your life has been easy. I think that you felt alone and isolated for a good, long time. And earlier than Max or I did. But you grew up to be an intelligent and strong young woman."
Leia spoke tentatively, curious despite herself. “You say that everyone at this place is like me? They can do … what I do?”
“Yes,” Samantha affirmed.
“Even Hoover,” added Max.
“Hoover?” Leia asked
“His bulldog,” Samantha answered with an apparent mix of exasperation and amusement. “Max, Hoover does not have MC abilities. I’ve told you this, the professors have told you this, even the janitor has told you this!”
“Anytime he is around women, they melt. It’s why my girlfriend agreed to go out with me. Either that or on account of my looks and personality.”
She shot him a warning look. “Could we just continue?”
“Yeah, sure.”
“I’m sorry, Leia.” Sam gave a slight eye roll. “Anyhow, everyone at the academy has the same family of abilities. The exact nature and effect of these abilities may vary, but the results are similar enough.”
Leia looked at Sam and Max and saw in their eyes that they really did know her secret, and that there was no hatred or fear in their eyes. There just seemed to be understanding and kindness. Max might be a man of few words – and a little odd - but there was something about both of them that she wanted to trust.
She spoke quietly, forcing the words. "It started when I was thirteen."
Sam nodded. "That's about when it started for us, too."
"But you just said that it started earlier for me."
"Not the power. The isolation. The feeling different. Most of us go through that when we find our gift, but I imagine you felt it earlier than when you came of age. You must have felt very alone."
Leia fought even harder to hold back her tears; she didn't want to seem weak before these strangers, but rarely had anyone actually addressed her loneliness—and nobody outside of her family ever had. And these strangers knew all the reasons, even the ones that were more than cosmetic.
"The reason Max and I were picked for you specifically is because there are similarities in our psychological profiles."
Leia tried to casually wipe a tear from her cheek. "Similar how? Because we started at the same ages?"
Max spoke up. "Yes, but more than that. The reason we didn't find you earlier is because you have done a great job of hiding your ability. There's no reason to think that you were looking for power, or to use people like puppets. Everyone says that you are quiet and kind, though you do have a temper. Our best guess is that you fell under the radar because of personal ethics. Am I right?"
Leia nodded her head. How could she tell these strangers that she had hurt people anyhow?
"You can talk to us; we are not here to judge you, but rather to help you."
Samantha sounded so kind, and suddenly she thought that maybe she really could trust them. And then it occurred to her that, perhaps, if they really had the power, they had made her feel that way.
Samantha caught her look and shook her head. "It's not like that. And, no, I can't read minds. Although I know a lot of people that can. We both do. I just know what I would be thinking in your place. No tricks here. I promise. Now please tell us." She reached over to the desk, grabbed a box of tissues, and offered them to Leia.
She took a deep breath. "When I was around thirteen I ... started noticing things. Just silly stuff, at first. One day I would think someone would look better with a different hair cut, and they would show up the next day just as I imagined, you know?"
The recruiters nodded. They knew.
"It took me a while to believe it was true, but once I accepted it I had fun with it, my little secret, and I didn't really do anything bad with it. I just sorta helped people, and, okay, used it to get out of a few tests and a few little things.
“It was no problem at all, at first; it made me feel different, but in a good way, for a change. It was exciting and new and a little scary. I didn’t use it a lot because I knew that it could be bad if used wrong. I guess everyone wishes that they could make things go their way, but when you really can - at least when I found that I really could … well, it made me think a lot about not being a screw-up or selfish or mean.
“There was this girl, Corrie Blevens, and she was just a bitch ….” She paused to make sure that they weren’t put off by her swearing. It occurred to her that you didn’t normally swear in front of people that were considering you for an academy. They continued to smile, and Max nodded his encouragement. “Anyhow, there was this guy that had a huge crush on her, but she would just make fun of him in front of everyone. It was mean, and she didn’t have to be that way! He was moving away, so I made her give him a goodbye kiss in front of the whole school. I mean, in a way it was stupid, but I was just a kid and it seemed like it would be perfect revenge—plus give the kid a boost of confidence. Back then, it seemed like a kiss could solve everything. Now I know it’s just as likely to make it all worse.
“I loved the feeling, though; it was almost like I got a buzz off of it. Whenever I did something, the air felt more charged somehow. The colors around me popped out like the world was my box of Crayolas." Leia's smile turned to a frown, and she looked down. "And then something bad happened."
Max spoke gently. "Brian Dobman?"
Leia looked up. Shocked, ashamed, scared. "You guys know about that?"
Max continued, "Not really 'til now. We suspected there was a connection, but we never found real proof. We talked to Brian and he said he hardly knew you ... didn’t even recall saying two words to you. We thought you might have altered his memory, but we had no cause to really dive into his head. The Academy doesn’t allow us to screw with people without good reason, and there was no other evidence other than a story about some ditz kissing a boy with a serious zit problem in front of the whole school. We didn’t know for sure if you had inherited MC abilities. Since then we have gathered more info."
“And MC stands for?”
“Mind control – the ability to alter the thoughts and emotions of others through resources or abilities available to only a miniscule portion of the population.” Max sounded like he had swallowed a textbook.
"And I inherited this? That's not possible!"
"Your mother, Leia." Sam spoke in a kind voice.
"You've got it all wrong. My mom is not like that! She's not like us."
"Not anymore," Max said.
Sam elaborated. "There is no one reason or explanation for mind control. But sometimes it is inherited, and that is most likely what happened in your case. Your mother had the opportunity to come to the academy, but instead she asked to have her powers taken away and to be made to forget that she ever had them. She felt that she wanted to be normal."
Leia knew that what Sam said was true. Her mother worked very hard to make her family feel as safe and comfortable as possible in their home. It was not like her to take chances or call attention to herself. As far as Leia was aware, the only choice her mother had ever made that would call attention to herself was to marry a man of a different race— and with how deeply her parents were in love, maybe that was not really a choice at all.
A thought occurred to her. "Will I be given the amnesia option?"
Max said, "Possibly. Whatever happens here, we will write up a full report, and then figure out your best options. Amnesia is one realistic possibility. It worked well in your mother's case, and we're even more advanced now. A lot to think about before you decide."
"I really think that I want to get rid of this thing and forget I ever had it."
Sam's expression was still kind, but there was a challenge in her eyes. "Really? Because that is contrary to everything we know about you, and not an advisable decision until you really have more knowledge."
"Does it surprise you that not everybody is clamoring for this academy?"
Sam pushed a strand of blondish-red hair back from her face. "It would surprise me if you knew all the facts and did not want to attend, yes. But what really surprises me is that you are making this decision with almost none of the facts. We know you have a deep intellectual curiosity and a drive to succeed. Doesn't your curiosity want to know more? Answers to all the questions that you never thought you would be able to know, because you thought you were alone? Think of asking to actually lose knowledge and ability. You can really say that you don't want to learn more before you decide?"
Leia fell silent. She couldn't say that. She did have questions and she knew that she wanted those answers. Just to know.
Finally she spoke. "Okay, say we talk and I decide that I don't want school, but I don't want amnesia and my power taken either, or maybe I want my power taken, but to remember it. What about that?"
Max spoke. "No matter what, you will have a whole lot of decisions to make. There are ways to keep your powers on a more limited basis ..."
"More limited? But this is my power!"
Sam spoke, her voice gentle. "We know, and we respect that. The problem is that a power like this is far reaching, and to keep it without learning how to control it or getting a firm grasp of what you want to do with it is rather dangerous. It's like someone with a machine gun or some big weapon-y thing you see in a war movie.” Sam realized that Max was smirking and stopped to glare at him before continuing. “Anyhow, they have the gun, but don't know how it works, don't know anything about gun safety, never decided where they stand ethically on the whole gun thing, but the gun goes with them everywhere. Everything we know about you says that you would not want to be that person."
Leia clenched her fists and shook them once in front of her in frustration. "You keep telling me about the things you know about me. Exactly how do you know all this?"
Max explained, "Interviewed people about you. They don't remember it though..."
Sam added, "You have questions, and we want to answer them for you. Can you meet us after school at the café a block over? Let's have you take some time to process this. We also have questions that will help us to recommend the best course of action."
"Wouldn't that be this academy? That is why you are here?"
We realize it’s more complicated than that. Diner after school? Do you need help with your mother?” asked Max.
Leia looked at him, and it dawned on her what he meant. "No! I'll handle
it!"
Leia didn't head back to class right away, but instead went to the ladies room. She didn't know if she was going to the diner or not. She didn't want to look at these people and confess the things that she had done. Sure, they seemed to understand, but would they be as understanding if they knew it all? If they knew the whole story about how she almost drove one person to suicide, or betrayed her best friend's trust?
She had never thought she would be capable of anything as cruel as what she did to Brian Dobman, and the fact that he was cruel to her first didn’t seem like a good enough reason. Not anymore.
Leia remembered it clearly.
***********************************************
It was late afternoon and she was leaving the party store a couple of blocks from her house. She had just opened her bottle of Snapple when she noticed Brian standing in the parking lot. They weren’t friends and he ran with a different crowd, so it took a moment to place him, but he seemed to recognize her right away. He looked around the parking lot and then walked up to her.
"Hi Leia, lookin' really good!" he slurred.
"Thanks." She wondered if he was being on the level since she was just wearing an old pair of jeans and a white T-shirt, but the look in his eyes seemed real enough. She supposed she should be flattered, but there was something a little too cold and cocky about him. "Brian, right?"
He leaned a little closer and she noticed he had beer on his breath. "That's right. I was wondering if you would like to hook up sometime, ya know, do somethin’ together."
Subtle, real subtle, and I am so not interested, she thought. Still, she did not really want to piss him off. "Yeah, well, who knows? Maybe."
"Fact, why don't you roll with me now? Parents aren't home – we could have a couple beers, see that happens." He ran a finger lightly down her arm. She shivered and took a step back.
"Tonight, well, it isn't the best, you know? Hey, why the sudden interest? You never really speak to me at school?"
"Yeah, well, different crowds and all, but I have noticed you. Come on, we could have fun.”
Leia started to get the picture. "So, when you saw me, you looked around to see who might be watching? Why? And if you noticed me before, why have you never even nodded to me before? Afraid of what your friends would say?"
Brian started to look defensive. "Yeah, like you would be introducing me to the brothers? C’mon, what’s the big deal?"
Leia burst out laughing. "The ‘brothers’? I grew up in the same neighborhood you did and went to the same schools! What ‘brothers’ do you see?" She looked around, her voice dripping with sarcasm. She laughed again at how stupid it all was. "Um, no, I don't think I will be rolling with you now ... or ever!"
She started to walk away and only got a few feet before she heard Brian call out after her:
"Fuckin' bitch!"
She whipped around. "What did you say?"
He walked toward her. "I said you are a fuckin' stuck-up bitch. So tell me sumthin' - do you and Jessica Christensen dyke out together? That why you don't want to hang out? 'Cause your girlfriend would be all jealous and shit? Come to think of it, you always struck me a little like you were that way! You the guy or the girl?"
She sensed this was getting dangerous for both of them. She hoped it was just her imagination that the colors around her had gotten more vivid. She felt the hair on her arms start to rise. "Look, let's just leave this alone. We are both upset. No big deal right? We aren't feeling each other, it happens." She tried to give a casual shrug.
"Shit, what did I expect? Fucking you would be like fucking some sort of animal, anyhow! My dick not big enough for you after all the black dicks you've taken? Or maybe I was right in the beginning, and you don't like dick at all." He sneered, looking grotesque as hate changed his features.
Suddenly the colors around her became much brighter; the brown of Brian's shirt, the various shades of the cars, and the green of the grass at the edge of the parking lot were suddenly so vivid that they almost hurt her eyes. She stared at the intense orange of the drink in her hand and realized that her hand was shaking. Anger was pulsing through her veins. And she knew a line had been crossed for her.
Where did this man— no, this little boy— get off thinking he was better than someone else because of the color of his skin, or because he was attracted to the opposite sex? The only thing he did to “accomplish” either was to be born. She was sick of not feeling like everyone else, and sick of people looking down on her. She was also sick of holding back when what she really wanted was to give in to the beautiful colors.
Leia tried to look as sincere as possible when she was finally able to speak. "Well, Brian, I'm really sorry. I was just surprised when you jocked on me. I didn't think I was your type."
Brian studied her face, looking for a sign that she was playing him. "Yeah, well, I have never been with a sista before."
A "sista"? This was going to be worth it. "Nah, I just thought that you and Craig Kirby had a thing goin'." Leia gave a shrug. “At least, that’s what everyone says.”
He grabbed her arm, and she pretended like she was surprised and scared as she pulled away.
"What, you goin' to call me a fag 'cause I called you a dyke?"
Leia forced a surprised look onto her face. "Nooo! I meant it. The way you look at him ... I just thought that you two were together." She shivered as she said the words and felt power course through her veins. "Of course, it always did seem a little one-sided, now that I think about it.”
He looked confused, as if he were questioning himself. "That's fucked up! Shut up!"
Now things were so bright that that everything was haloed. "C'mon, be honest, you love Craig. That's why you two are always together. It's okay with me. Is that why you didn't want anybody to see us together? You didn't want him to be jealous? I bet you have loved him for years."
Brian shook his head and it seemed to be as much to clear his mind as to deny it. "I told you to shut up." But his voice lacked conviction.
"Was I a test to see if you could be attracted to a woman? I bet you really wanted me to say 'no'. You don't want to be with me. You want to be with Craig. I understand." She put her hand gently on his arm and hoped she looked understanding. "I'm not hurt. Really."
"You're not?" He looked at her, wanting the reassurance.
"No, of course not. You can't help but love Craig. Have you ever told him?"
"No!"
"Why not? Maybe he feels the same way."
"But… I'm not gay?" It came out a question.
"Yes, you are - just admit it. Say it out loud."
"I'm gay." She could see he believed it now.
"Louder."
"I'm gay." He smiled as if it felt good to finally admit it.
"It must feel great to admit what most of us already knew. On the real, I have to get going, and you probably do too. Bet you want to jack off thinking of Craig, don't you?"
"Yeah, I do." He blushed and laughed.
"Have fun, and forget we ever had this conversation. Okay?"
"'K. Um, see ya 'round." Brian looked a little lost, but Leia couldn’t seem to feel any real sympathy for him. Let him see what it felt like to be different from what others considered acceptable.
"Yeah, see ya!"
After leaving Brian, as Leia walked the two blocks to her house, she realized she felt horny and high. She had always felt this way “after”, but never to this extent. She could feel her pulse throbbing, and the colors around her were even brighter than she could recall. She made an excuse to her mother as she hurried up to her room, where she locked the door.
Leia tossed the Snapple down on the bed, kicked off her sandals, and slid of her jeans and panties. She fell down on the bed and yelped as the still-cold orange drink rolled and touched the side of her face. Then she giggled.
She grabbed the bottle, pressed it between her legs, and moaned slightly; it felt amazing on her overheated pussy. God, she was just so horny! Using her power had always turned her on, but never before like this … But she had never taken it to that level before, either.
Leia's fingers replaced the drink and rubbed her sopping wet pussy. While one hand massaged between her long legs, the other ran along her flat stomach and up to her full breasts. She could feel her hard nipples through her thin bra and used the silk and seams of the bra to stimulate her sensitive flesh.
She turned her head and noticed that there was a vibrant sunset outside her window. She knew that, in the entire world, nobody was seeing the setting sun quite the same way as she was seeing it just then. Blue and pink and purple and orange and red. It was as if she was becoming one with the colors. She licked her lips and felt like she could almost taste the different hues. Without her realizing it, the stroking of her fingers quickened. She moaned as she stared at the ever changing palette outside her window.
Leia's fingers found her clit and she began to rub in a circular motion as the sky darkened and the pinks and oranges gave way to a darker purple and a deeper blue. Her eyes began to lose focus and she turned her head away, but it didn't matter because the colors were inside her, burning her and cooling her in turn. Her heart beat fast and strong as her body began to spasm, and her mind became a prism. Her body tensed and released again and again as she mouthed the same words over and over, The Whole Fucking Rainbow.
Leia fell asleep with one hand between her legs and one hand cupping a breast. When she awakened she realized that, while her room was dark, the moon and stars and even the streetlight outside her window seemed extra vibrant. She began to touch herself again.
What Leia couldn't know was that across town, Brian Dobman was planning suicide. After he had gotten home and masturbated to thoughts of his best friend, he'd been ashamed. He knew Craig would never understand; in their world there was no room for queers.
He swallowed a bottle of pills and called Craig to confess his feelings. He wanted to get it off his chest, and he knew that he wouldn’t be around to face the consequences. Craig dialed 911 out of some vague sense that it was the right thing to do, and then proceeded to call all their friends and tell them about how Brian was a fag. Brian's life was saved, but his reputation was ruined. That was Friday night.
The next day, Leia's best Jessica called to tell her about it. She sounded gleeful at the gossip. Leia barely registered her best friend’s voice saying something about there being nothing wrong with being gay, but that "they" should not flaunt it. She was too busy fighting nausea. She told Jessica she wasn’t feeling well, and that she needed to get some sleep.
Except Leia didn't sleep at all that night. She kept reliving it all, again and again. She had never meant for anything really bad to happen. She had just been angry and not thinking. A voice inside her added … and you did it for the buzz. You wanted it, didn’t you?
She knew she had to do her best to make it up to Brian. She wished she could go back to that moment and just walk away. She should have left him to his bigotry and hatred; at least her conscience would be clear. She didn’t have the power to go back in time though; she only had the ability to change minds, and that is what she had to use to fix it as best as she could.
Brian transferred schools, but she knew she had to see him again. She followed him for a while until she thought the time was right, finally approaching him at the Shell Station across from the store where it had all begun. She thought that she might be able to fix it without talking to him directly, but decided that she had to make sure.
She walked up to him and introduced herself, remembering that, as far as he knew, they had never talked before. She told him that she missed seeing him around school and was filled with self-loathing when she saw the skepticism on his face. Then she did her best to fix it. Her words poured out of her in her eagerness to make it right.
I bet the thing with Craig was just a phase; you really like girls, I can tell. Craig overreacted. Isn't it sad how people judge others based on stupid things like race, or sexual preference? I don’t think you are the type to do that – especially after what you’ve been through. I was surprised to hear you tried to hurt yourself, but you seem to be much better. You can always reach out and get help if you need it! I know that it must be hard talking to someone from the old school, so it’s probably best if you forget we ever had this little chat. Goodbye, it was nice seeing you again.
As Leia walked away, she realized to her dismay that she was sexually aroused again, and that the gas station lights were dazzling to her eyes. She would be back in her room soon, masturbating furiously, but she vowed that she would never use her ability again.
***********************************************************************************
Leia came back to the present and laughed in disgust at her reflection
in the mirror. Her promise to herself had lasted a little more than three
months, and then she had betrayed her best friend. Why would she want to
go to the diner and tell Samantha and Max about that? How could she
tell them the horrible thing that she'd done?
Samantha sat in the diner and waited; she hoped that Leia would show up. She found herself worrying about the confused young woman, and wanting to convince her that there was a place for her. She wanted to tell her that there was a whole world just waiting for her to discover it.
Recruits had to freely choose the academy; funny business was not allowed, and was cause for dismissal. Samantha's personal ethics would not allow her to use them, anyhow. Leia had to make the decision on her own.
Sam’s favorite movie was The Miracle Worker. She had been eight years old the first time that she'd watched it, but she'd known right then and there that she wanted to be like Annie Sullivan. Her nighttime prayers had always included a plea to be granted the ability to reach people. When she was twelve, shortly after her first period, she had discovered that she could. On her second day at the academy, she'd found out that one of the most common terms for the ability was “Reaching.”
Upon graduation, Samantha had accepted the job as a recruiter. She loved her job, and tried to do her it responsibly. At some point she moved past her traditional Catholic background – the result of being exposed to people from all backgrounds and creeds – but she never lost her moral compass, or belief that her ability was a gift.
Sometimes she looked at new recruits and knew that they could take every ethics class the academy offered and would still use their power for personal gain and manipulation. Their abilities could be a balm, but instead would be a toxin. The use of their power was destined to be fruit from a poisonous tree - tainted by their greed and twisted desires.
In Leia she saw the potential for good, if she could just persuade her to come to the academy. This younger woman had a lot of power and nobody to help her learn about it, or to figure out a moral code that would allow her not to do damage she would later regret. In fact, because they were late coming to her she had already harmed others and herself twice.
Samantha looked toward the door, saw Leia walk in, and flagged her over. Her heart pounded as she thought to herself, Don’t blow this, Sam. She wished that when she'd said her nightly prayers as a child she had included one for a poker face. Instead, she wore her heart on her sleeve.
Leia was a striking young woman, and several eyes in the restaurant followed her progress as she headed towards the table. She was slightly taller than average, with large hazel eyes, high cheekbones, a flawless complexion, and a body that was clearly kept in shape with the help of the kickboxing classes that Sam knew she attended regularly.
Leia gave a questioning look as she sat down and noticed that they were “one short.”
"Max decided to stay back and give us a chance to talk. We don’t want you to feel pressured. Also, Hoover ate a bag of chocolate chip cookies and he is waiting for a call back from the vet.” Samantha added with apologetic laugh, “Believe me, it’s better he stayed back rather than having him stare at his pager the whole meal.”
“He really loves that dog, huh?” Leia asked with a smile.
“Yes, he wanted to be a vet when he was a kid. He and a few other people are doing research towards figuring out if we can link our minds to the minds of animals. If it’s possible, and many people feel that it is, it will have far-reaching implications. Hoover is supposed to be part of the study, but really it’s just an excuse for Max to lug him around.
“One time I walked into this bar by the academy, and the two of them were in a stare down. Max claimed he was trying to MC Hoover into getting him a beer and that it would have worked if I hadn’t interrupted.”
Leia laughed. "There really is a whole world out there that most people don’t know about. I don't even know what I’m doing here, though. Or if I want to be a part of that world.”
"You are here to try and get your life in order. It doesn’t go away just because you’re trying to avoid it. All that means is that when the inevitable happens, you lose control."
"So this school teaches me control?" She looked like she was trying to grasp the purpose of the academy, and Samantha took it as a promising sign.
"Control is always a choice, which is something that can be offered, not taught. What the academy will do is show you your options, and give you some tools to cope."
"What makes you think I'm not coping? I know you’re going to say the Brian Dobman thing, but that was a while ago. I learned my lesson."
Samantha looked into Leia's eyes. It was time for honesty. "Brian Dobman, who was suddenly inexplicably gay for a brief period of time?" Leia looked ashamed, but Sam knew this was the time for honesty. “And what about Jessica Christensen?"
"You ... know about Jessica too, then?" She looked queasy. The waitress took that moment to show up to take their order. Leia ordered a Coke and nothing else, but Sam insisted she at least get a sandwich.
"By the way, I have arranged it so that nobody will be sitting by us. The hostess will not see any empty seats when she looks over here. Once the waitress brings our food, we will have privacy.
“Yes, we know about Jessica. We have had someone watching and reporting any strange occurrences or mood changes in people around you. There was no link between you and Brian that we could find, so there was no cause to really investigate, but it raised suspicion. When you gave up spending time with your best friend, then we finally had a reason to take it to another level."
"You know everything? How is that your business? My God, that's my personal life! You had no right!”
"We had to know. There was no choice. We didn't harm Jessica and she will not recall a thing, but in order to know if you belonged at the academy, we had to investigate."
"Then you know what I did, everything I did? Why do you still want me at the school? Don’t you people have rules?"
"Puysegur Academy wants you because it exists for people like you. There is a code of ethics that you will be expected to follow while attending the academy. What you did before the school or will do after is something to be considered and discussed, but if we excluded everyone that used their powers in ways that could be considered unethical, the school would be empty.
“Let me be honest, Leia. The academy is a wonderful opportunity for you. There are aspects of your ability that you don’t even know yet. The research that we are doing may someday help all of humankind. The variation that you have seems to be directly related to you accessing parts of your brain that are dormant in most other people. Imagine the possibilities!”
Samantha could see Leia mulling it over. She had known that Leia was a compassionate young woman at heart, and that she would not take lightly the chance to help others.
She pressed on. “And wouldn’t you like to know all the wonderful things that you can do with your powers?”
"What, other than making my friends have sex with me?" she spat out. Immediately after speaking the words, Leia realized the waitress was back with their order and had heard her last comment.
The waitress put the food on the table, looking at neither one of them. She mumbled something that sounded like, "Do you need anything else?"
"Yes," Sam answered. The waitress looked at her. "A few things. Please do not come back until I signal you to come over. No refills on the drinks, no checking to see how we are doing, no bringing the bill. And you won’t recall any conversation you might happen to hear tonight. Okay?" Sam smiled at the waitress, who nodded and left.
"Where were we ..."
"The horrible, really fucked-up thing I did to my friend. Ability or not, why would you want someone that would do something like that?"
"Why not tell me your version of events. I won't be shocked. I know the basics, but it seems like you need to get this off your chest and talk about it.
”By the way, the school is filled with people that understand what you are going through. You will never again have to carry the burden of secrets that you can't tell. We can provide you the chance of real friends, like yourself. Not everyone at the school is the same color, or speaks the same language, but we all are connected. Wouldn't you like that? To be understood, and even appreciated?"
"Yes, anyone would like that,” she admitted.
"Okay, now tell me about Jessica, please. Get it off your chest. By the way, the school will teach you how to raise your defenses in terms of other people getting into your head, but if you trust me I can help the story be easier for you to share. Do you need that?"
Leia paused for a moment, and then said, "Yes, okay."
Sam smiled at the implied vote of confidence. "Relax, Leia, and lower your defenses so it will be easier. It will feel good to tell me, soothing almost. You will not have a problem sharing, because we are friends. Good friends, and I am here to help you, not to judge you. Go ahead."
Leia felt the tension leave her body as she began to speak.
Leia and Jessica Christensen had been friends for years. After Leia's ability started kicking in, she was never quite sure if people really liked her or if maybe she was influencing them somehow. In retrospect, she could see where she might have changed the way people looked at her, but Jessica had been her friend before all that. She knew she had never influenced her, even accidentally, because she had liked Jess just the way that she was and wouldn’t change a thing.
Leia had felt nearly her whole life that she didn't fit in. Too white for some people, too black for others, and no matter how much her parents loved her (and each other) they couldn’t protect her from the people around her. Leia knew growing up that she was lucky to live in the era that she did, but it was small consolation when she was the only girl not invited to a birthday party or to go skating on Friday nights.
Jessica had never seemed to look at the color of her skin, at least not as a bad thing. Growing up, they had played with make-up and done each other’s hair. Leia would tell Jessica she wished that she had her long blonde hair and Jessica would say that she thought Leia's skin was so pretty and smooth. They had been like sisters. She was always invited to Jessica’s parties.
When Leia had hit puberty, she'd realized that boys were not as disgusting as they'd used to be, and she had found herself noticing them more. Unfortunately she had also found herself noticing girls. She'd felt more isolated than ever, and it made her angry. Her ethnicity was different from everyone's at her school, she could do things with her thoughts that nobody else could do, and now girls aroused her. Sometimes it had seemed like the deck was stacked against her.
She had been terrified when she'd faced the fact that she was in love with Jessica. Whenever she pictured the perfect girl, it was her friend that she imagined. But she had been afraid to think about Jess in that way; after the thing with Brian it had almost escalated to a phobia, but she could not imagine ever really hurting her friend.
Unfortunately, that's exactly what she'd ended up doing.
A few days before the end of summer vacation, Jessica invited her over to hang out by the pool, and (although Leia didn’t need further incentive) she mentioned that her parents were gone for the weekend, and that meant that the bar was officially open. Jess laughed and added that maybe they could skinny-dip, too. Leia knew she was kidding but loved the image that sprang to mind.
When Leia got there, Jess was wearing a pink thong bikini and it was nearly impossible not to gape. Of course, Leia looked whenever she knew Jess would not notice. She felt herself becoming aroused and tried to fight back the images that started to pop into her mind.
She went to change into her yellow bikini. When she emerged from the bathroom, her friend let out a wolf whistle. Leia blushed and Jess laughed. “You look soooo sexy, Lee,” she said in a joking tone, then added, "I would love to have a tiny waist and big hooters like you!"
The girls headed outside, and the afternoon was spent getting pleasantly drunk, swimming, and hanging out poolside. As the sun was setting, Leia looked over and noticed that Jess had fallen asleep. The song on the radio played quietly, We were born before the wind, also younger than the sun ere the bonnie boat was won as we sailed into the mystic, and the sun on Jessie's skin made her look lit from within. It reminded her of how she'd felt that night.
She found herself touching Jessica's face with her fingertips, finally tracing the outline of her lips and imagining what she would taste like. Jess was the only person that had ever understood her and accepted her, and she wanted to kiss her just the one time. She knew it might be a mistake, but she wanted Jess to be the first girl that she ever kissed – even if her friend would never know it.
She leaned over and lightly pressed her lips to the blonde girl moaning slightly at the taste of her friend. She tasted of Pina Coladas and a unique flavor all her own. Leia could not help but deepen the kiss, pressing the tip of her tongue into the opening between Jessica’s lips, wanting that moment to last forever and knowing it would have to last a lifetime. She would never have the courage, or the chance, to have that moment again.
Just as she was about to pull back she felt her friend wake up and struggle. She pushed Leia aside and sat up, pulling towel to herself. Her eyes were huge. "My God, Lee, what were you doing?"
"I ... I'm sorry, it didn't mean anything, I swear. I was just curious. I mean, I never kissed a girl before, and it was just something to do. I'm sorry if I freaked you out." Leia tried to laugh to break the tension of the moment, but it caught in her throat.
For the first time in their friendship, Leia saw her friend look at her in judgment, and she thought it would break her heart. Why did she have to be so stupid? So different?
"Lee, I'm not like that. I'm sorry if you are! Really sorry." Jessica stood up, increasing the distance between them.
"I'm not like anything, Jess, I was just curious, like I said."
"That wasn't the kiss of someone that was just curious. You had your tongue in my mouth and you liked it, I could tell." Jessica was looking at her like she was a stranger, someone to fear a little.
"Well, okay, I liked it. What's the big deal? I’ll never do it again. Maybe we could go inside and see what's on TV." Leia knew she sounded panicked. She should … she was terrified. For the second time in a matter of months, she wished she could go back in time to a point before she did something stupid.
"Leia, maybe you should just go." Jessica couldn't seem to even look at her anymore.
"Jess, look, I'm sorry, please ..."
"Go now, okay?"
Suddenly, Leia knew she had the power to make it okay. She could make Jess forget everything like she'd had to do with Brian that time. She wasn't sure it was right, but she couldn't lose the only real friend she'd ever had in her life. If she could just have a second to think…
“Please … give me a second,” she pleaded, moving closer to her friend.
"Leia, just get out of my house! Go!"
Leia reached out to touch Jessica like she had hundreds, maybe thousands of times, but this time Jessica flinched and moved out of reach. "Jess ... I … I didn't mean it like that!" Leia tried to grab her hand, just to get her to stay still so she could concentrate.
"Get your fucking dyke hands the fuck away from me!" Jessica spoke with more virulence than Leia had thought her capable of, and the words just hung in the air for several seconds.
"Jess, how can you talk to me like that? We’re best friends!"
"Maybe we were best friends, we aren't anything now. Shit, all the times I showered in front of you and shared a bed, you were getting off on it."
"It wasn't like that, it was never like that. I love you, Jessica, please don't be like this!"
"You love me? Well, I don't love you!"
"Don't say that. Maybe you don't love me the way that I love you, but I know you care about me! I just know it!”
"I don't even know you; you’re just some freak I thought I knew!"
Anger, hurt, and grief flowed through Leia. She had spent her life feeling different, and the only safety and love she knew outside of her family was with Jessica. How could Jess call her a freak after she’d confided in her how different she had felt her entire life? She began to sob.
"Look, you need to listen!"
Leia knew it was more than her imagination that even through her tears the world looked more vivid.
Jessica seemed to hesitate for a second, as if she had almost lost her train of thought. "Look, you ... you need to get out." She seemed to gather steam again, apparently wanting to hurt Leia. "Just wait until the girls at school find out you are a big old nasty dyke!"
Her friend’s betrayal felt like stumbling into a wasp’s nest; and if her friend would betray her so easily, she didn't see why she shouldn't betray her right back. Leia knew how she'd screwed up last time; she could fix it and get what she wanted, too. Why not? She knew that no matter what she did, the friendship was over. Even if she could make Jessica forget the kiss, she could never forget Jessica’s reaction. She was determined that it not be a total loss.
As Leia felt her body surge with energy and saw the world go brighter again, a tremor wracked her body. God, this feels so right, so natural. Why do I fight this?
A bright smile came across her face. Her voice was sure and confident. "Jess, it's getting dark. Get all the candles you can find and bring them here. Matches, too."
"What are you talking about? You’re leaving."
"No, I'm not, so stop wasting time talking about it. I'm not
leaving and you don't want me to, anyhow. Now do what I asked, and hurry."
Jessica was filled with confusion. A minute ago she had wanted Leia to leave, and now she didn't. But as odd as it seemed, she didn't know why she wanted her to stay all of a sudden. She just did.
All that she seemed capable of was doing as Leia asked, so she gathered the candles and matches and tried to understand. It seemed like she has seen the cliché a million times - someone pinching themselves to make sure they were awake. She'd always thought it was stupid. She pinched herself anyhow.
Nothing had made sense for the last several minutes. She'd fallen asleep next to her best friend and woken up to find that same friend kissing her ... and to find that she'd liked it … more than a little, if she were being honest. How could that be? How could Leia have been kissing her, and how could she have wanted it to continue?
Suddenly, she'd been scared and mad and saying horrible things to the girl that she loved like a sister. She had known she was hurting her friend, but she just couldn't seem to stop. The next thing she'd known, her friend had been looking at her strangely and the air had seemed charged with electricity. Now she was gathering candles for no other reason than that Leia wanted it, and she was unable to tell her friend no.
Jessica brought the candles out onto the patio and Leia told her to put them around the pool and light them. So she did, trembling as she obeyed. After that, she stood there with no idea of what was going on or of what to do next.
Leia walked up to her and ran her fingers lightly up her arm. It almost tickled as her fingers made contact with the fine hairs there which were standing at attention. Jessica shivered.
"Lee, you're scaring me." She looked in her friend's eyes and tried to will her to understand. "Please, please don't."
Leia moved in closer to Jessica. Their bodies almost touched, but not quite. She moved her mouth toward the corner of Jessica's mouth and, just before their lips met, moved up to her ear to whisper, "Why am I scaring you? We have played this game a million times before. This is the game where one of us closes our eyes - in this case, you. The other one—me— uses a fingertip to trace words on your skin. Then you get to guess the words."
Leia stepped back a little, confident brown eyes gazing into scared blue eyes, and mouthed the words, "Close your eyes, Jessica."
Jessica found herself submitting, not knowing quite what was going on. She was startled a little as she felt Leia run a finger across her throat.
"Did I scare you? So sorry," Leia's voice mocked. "Your pulse is beating fast. Keep your eyes shut, now. Ready?"
Jessica felt Leia touch her again, this time right at the curve of her breasts. Her finger moved in patterns that Jessica knew were letters. And then her touch was gone, but Jess could feel breath on her neck.
"What did I just spell?"
"I don't know." She wanted to open her eyes but was afraid to make Leia angry. How was she supposed to know what had been spelled when she could not think straight?
"Let me do it again. Concentrate." As Leia said the words, Jessica suddenly found herself better able to focus.
She felt the fingers again, this time along her belly, and this time she could make out the letters. "Y-o-u (pause) a-r-e (pause) m-i-n-e-!" Jessica gasped.
"I think you understood this time. Open your eyes." Jessica's eyes opened. "By the way, your nipples are hard. Why is that?"
Jessica looked down and realized Leia was right, her nipples stood out against her bright pink bikini top. "I'm not sure. Maybe because I am scared, or because it's getting colder."
"Yeah, maybe, but then again maybe not. Tell me something, Jess. Do you think I’m pretty? Be honest."
Jessica heard herself say, "You're beautiful." She hadn't meant to say that. She had meant to tell Leia she was pretty because she knew that had to be the right answer, but she hadn't wanted to sound too enthusiastic, hadn't wanted to encourage her. But instead she'd spoken the complete truth.
"Do you like my face? Be honest with me, always."
Jessica looked at Leia's face. Large brown eyes, high cheekbones, and full lips gave her an almost Egyptian look. Tonight she looked even more beautiful than ever. "Yes, very much."
"Do you like my body? I got the donkey from my father's side of the family." Leia did a mocking spin, showing off her full breasts, tiny waist, and round ass.
"Yes, I really do. I always have." Jessica knew she was sounding too zealous, but she meant it and could not seem to tone down her reaction.
"Yeah, well, I love the way you look, too. Take off your bathing suit, slowly. Pretend like you are trying to seduce me."
Jessica wanted to tell her No, to beg her to make this stop, but instead she found herself reaching for the bow at the back of her neck. She untied it and very slowly lowered the top from her breasts, making eye contact with her friend, and feeling a wicked smile come across her face. She saw Leia's eyes widen as her firm breasts were revealed. She pulled the top completely off, dangling it from her fingers and letting it drop.
Inside she was in turmoil, but anyone looking at her would think she wanted this completely. She lowered her chin a little but never stopped looking at Leia's face. Her fingers hooked into the sides of her thong as she slowly slid it off to reveal the rest of her body.
Jessica knew that Leia was turned on by what she saw. She knew from the way that people looked at her that she was attractive. She admitted to herself that part of her was also enjoying standing naked and vulnerable before her friend.
Leia said, "Damn, you got a hot fuckin' body. I think you like seducing me. Play with your nipples and make it as sexy as possible."
Jessica obeyed, feeling reluctant pleasure, and a gentle throb between her legs. Her thoughts were still in chaos, and yet it was getting harder to think. She thought, My God, but didn't know if the words were fear or desire.
Leia walked over and lowered Jessica's hands, replacing them with her own and cupping the pretty blonde's firm breasts gently. Jessica gave a little moan, causing Leia to laugh softly. There was something so hot about standing there naked while being touched by someone that was still, more or less, clothed.
"You like that, huh? And you wanted me to leave before. How ridiculous ... we would have missed out on all this fun."
Leia's lips then touched Jessica's lightly. To her shame, Jessica realized she was the one that deepened the kiss. She felt Leia laugh against her lips, and felt herself blush, but did not break off the kiss. It just felt too good to stop.
Jessica moaned as Leia peppered kisses onto her mouth, and chin, and throat, and then breasts. The other girl's tongue flicked across one erect nipple and Jess threw back her head a little, giving in to the feeling. Then Leia stopped, stepping back.
"You do like that. It really sucks that you had to be so rude and wouldn't even listen to me. We could be getting each other off right now and still be the best of friends if you weren’t so mean about a little kiss."
Tears welled up in Jessica's eyes. "Look, Lee, I'm sorry. I was a total bitch. It was because I was scared. I didn't even know what I was saying."
"Yeah? Would you have forgiven me and stayed my friend?"
Jessica saw hope enter Leia's eyes and she wanted to tell her that, yes, she would have forgiven her. It was the smart thing to say under the circumstances. More than that, it was the kind thing to tell a girl that had been her best friend most of her life. But for some reason she couldn’t lie.
"No." She wanted to explain that it was because she was afraid of what she felt for Leia, and of what that said about her, but she couldn’t find the right words.
Instead the “no” hung in the air in all it's unfortunate, brutal honesty. They both winced. Jessica could only look at Leia in a way that pleaded for her to try to understand. Leia seemed to gain renewed resolve.
"Okay, then I guess this is one for the road. This one has to count, huh?" Leia laughed without any real humor, wiping away tears. "You know, Jess, I loved you. And I don't even mean in just a romantic way. I mean as a friend, and a sister, too. I mean in every single way that I could love someone. With everything in me, I loved you.
”You might not understand this. I know you don't, but I could fix things for us. I could make you love me back, or forget that any of this ever happened. But it would be a lie, even if I am the only one that would ever know it."
Jessica felt tears roll down her face. She hated seeing Leia in pain; caring about her was a habit that went back a long time. "I'm so sorry."
"Yeah, so am I." Leia took a deep breath and walked over to one of the candles, examining it. The flickering light made shadows across her face. "You ever really look at candle light? It's not simple, it's more complex than most people know. And it can blind you or show you everything."
Jessica could no longer read her expression, and she realized that she had never really understood Leia at all. At least, not completely. It stuck her as ironic that Leia would probably say the same about her, right now.
She found herself walking over to Leia and putting a hand on her arm. "Lee, I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt you, but I have no idea what's going on and I’m really scared."
Leia looked at her. "Nothing is going on except that we are spending one last night together. No reason to be afraid."
Suddenly all the fear left Jessica's body, leaving her more confused than ever. And her nipples were still hard. And it wasn't cold.
Leia walked over to the radio and changed the station, putting on club music. "Dance for me, Jess. Dance really sexy for me," she said.
Jessica found her body moving to the music with all the abandon she would usually save for a hot guy at the dance club. Her hips gyrated and her hands began to run over her body. She danced to entice and arouse her friend. The same dances they had practiced together, under different circumstances.
She was embarrassed, but she could not seem to stop. If anything, the shame seemed to actually intensify her movements. She could not help herself as she walked up to Leia, raised her hands over her head, and began to rub up against her.
Leia laughed a little, although Jess could also tell that she liked it. A lot. "Oh my God, girl, you are actually freakin' me! Oh, don't stop!"
Jessica continued, turning around and bending over a little to rub her firm behind on Leia's body, then straightening up and pressing her whole body against Leia. She felt the beautiful target of her ministrations wrap her arms around her waist and pull her even closer.
They moved together to the music as Leia kissed the back of Jess's neck. Leia's hand moved lower, cupping Jessica's mound and then stroking between her legs and finding her undeniably aroused.
Jessica moaned as Leia's fingers gently entered her, slowly and deliberately moving in and out of her horny pussy. There was a deliberate teasing quality there. She heard Leia's voice in her ear.
"Do you want me to rub your clit? You do, don't you? Say it."
"God, Leia, rub my clit, please." Jessica's voice sounded frantic and strange to her own ears. She knew that she sounded slutty, but it was as if she could not deny Leia, or be anything less than truthful.
Leia's index finger lightly grazed her clit for a brief moment and Jess gasped, aching for more. When Leia's fingers then darted around the little button she let out a ragged sound of desperation.
"Beg more. Convince me you need this, hold nothing back," whispered Leia.
Jessica could feel Leia's body pressed so intimately against her, and it felt so good. It was so hard to think straight.
"MMM, please Lee, please rub my clit and make me come. Please, please do it again and don't stop this time. I… I would do anything. I can not stand this, please let me cum, mmm, please make me your slut, please…" She realized her words were true; she wanted Leia to use her in anyway she wanted or needed.
Jessica felt Leia's fingers find her clit again and heard herself thanking her friend. Her fingers felt so amazing, and suddenly it was as if her very happiness was resting on Leia not stopping, and just as she was about to cum ... Leia stopped and pulled away from her. She let out a ragged sound of frustration, turning around to look at Leia with desperate eyes.
"W...why did you stop?"
"Why not?" Leia held out her glistening fingers to Jessica. "Have a taste?"
Jessica was appalled. She had never considered that. "Oh, no, I..."
"But you said you would do anything, that’s why I made it a question instead of an order. I think you were being honest, though, and that I could just talk you into it without ... well, never mind, but let's do this another way. Look at my fingers."
Jessica obeyed without thinking.
"You want to lick and suck my fingers, not just because you want to cum, but because you want to know what a horny slut tastes like. And you are a horny slut. So horny that you will love the taste. Now ask for permission."
Jessica was so wet and hot and horny, and knew she needed to obey Leia in order to cum, and she knew she would do whatever it took. She was suddenly filled with curiosity, and a desire to know what she tasted like. God, I wonder ... what would it hurt? I’ve already done things I never thought I could … just I little bit more...
"Can I taste, please? I want to, really!" She made sure to do her breathy little girl voice … the voice she used to get the keys to the car from her dad, turn in late homework assignments, and get whatever guy she was dating to pay for the romantic comedy rather than the action movie. It was the voice that made boys melt, and she could only hope it had the same effect on Lee. She threw in “big eyes” for good measure.
Leia held out her fingers and Jessica began, gratefully, to taste. She began by licking her friend’s fingers, then began to draw them into her mouth.
Mmm, that's what a horny slut tastes like, she thought, so good. God, I love the way my pussy tastes. And then it hit her, through the fog of desire, that she must be a slut to do any of this. Why else would she be doing it and loving it? Why else had she let Leia stay? She must have wanted it all along. Her knees almost buckled at the thought.
"Taste good?"
Jessica nodded as she continued to suckle Leia's fingers.
"As much as you love the taste of your own pussy, I think you will love eating pussy a lot. A horny slut would, anyhow, and that is what you are, a horny slut. By the way, I think you got it all and can stop now."
Jessica blushed at the mocking tone of Leia's voice as she reluctantly stopped sucking. She did not know why she couldn't seem to stop acting like this. She didn't want to stop anymore. She just needed to cum, no matter what.
"Jess, go sit on the picnic table. Not the seat part, the actual table. If you don't hurry I might decide to leave."
Jessica's legs felt wobbly as she ran to obey. She knew that she could not let Leia leave – not until she made her pussy feel good. She would be willing to beg, plead … do whatever it took to keep her friend with her.
“Open your legs wide, and show me your pussy. Nice. Look at what a horny slut you are; you are gushing, you want this so badly!"
Jessica looked down and saw her own fingers holding herself open, showing her gleaming pussy to Leia. She looked up and caught her reflection in the patio door. She knew she looked shameless.
Leia walked up to her and kneeled. “Have you ever been this turned on before?”
“N..no, never.” She looked at Leia kneeling before her and desperately hoped it meant what she wanted it to mean.
"Do you want me to eat your pussy, Jess?"
"Oh, God, yes, please!"
Leia buried her face between Jessica's legs and began to lick her, long strokes of the tongue that would occasionally flicker over the clit, and dip deeply, thoroughly, into her pussy. Jessica didn't think she could stand much more. She had never felt desire like this before – desire that blocked out all reason, or common sense, and took you to a place where nothing else mattered. Wordless moans were escaping her lips, desperate sounds of pure yearning for something that was still just beyond her reach.
And then Leia suckled her clit, and her world exploded. She had never felt anything like it - not when she masturbated, not even on the few times she’d had sex with her ex. She realized that she was loud enough that her neighbors could possibly hear, but it didn’t matter.
Several seconds later, she began to come to her senses and felt shame and embarrassment begin to enfold her. She sat up and looked over at Leia, who had removed her yellow bikini. She couldn’t help but stare.
What have I become? But she looks so hot and sexy. I think I really am just a horny slut, I must be. I have to stop this, though. I have to tell Lee to stop, beg her to stop.
Leia walked over to Jessica and pulled her into an embrace, kissing her. Jessica could taste herself on Leia's lips and tongue, and she was lost again. She needed to taste more. She could not seem to get enough, and she knew that if she tasted good, that her friend must taste amazing.
Leia pulled back. "What do you want, Jess? Tell me." Leia's voice was trembling, and Jessica knew that she wanted this too.
"I want to eat your pussy, I want it so much! I have to!"
"Why? Tell me."
"Because I know you would taste so amazing and because I am so horny and because I want you to cum all over my face. God, that’s just so … I still want it though."
Leia hopped unto the table and their positions were reversed from just moments before. Jessica kneeled and looked at her friend's pussy, her mouth watering. She never could have imagined that she would ever want to do this so badly. She’d had fantasies, but this was the real thing.
"Oh, Lee," she said before eagerly thrusting her tongue into the hot snatch before her and moaning as she tasted another girl for the first time. She wanted to get Leia off so badly, there was nothing she wanted more in the world than to make her cum and be rewarded by having her friend’s desire flow all over her face.
Leia's fingers tangled in her long blonde hair and she knew she was pleasing her friend. This made her proud, and spurred her on. She reached down to play with her own clit as she continued to tongue the beautiful girl in front of her. She tried to imitate what Lee had done to make her feel so good, and used her friend’s moans as her guide.
Leia pulled her in tighter, wrapping her long legs around Jessica's neck. As Leia came, and Jessica felt her tongue being flooded, she found her own orgasm. Pure bliss.
Jessica couldn’t seem to stop "cleaning" Leia with her tongue, and would have continued if the subject of her attentions had not stood up and pulled her into the house for a long, hot shower. She could not fight this anymore: she belonged to Leia.
The girls kissed and caressed and pleasured each other until the water turned cold. Their slippery bodies slid against each other and their giggles bounced off the bathroom walls. They were best friends once again, experimenting … tasting … testing … discovering.
They stumbled into Jessica's bedroom to continue; their wet bodies dampened the sheets, the scent of their continued desire perfumed the air, and their moans echoed. Jessica could not get enough of her lover, and the feeling seemed to be mutual.
After a while, Jessica crawled out of bed and headed to her dresser. She began to throw the contents across the room in her search. Leia grinned in anticipation as she guessed what her lover was searching for. Leia had given Jessica a vibrator as a gag gift after she had broken up with her boyfriend, but had never dreamed that she would get to see her friend use it.
She nearly fell out of the bed when Jessica pulled it out of the drawer, waving it triumphantly.
It was not long before they were both taking turns shoving the plastic cock up Jessica's dripping snatch. At first Jessica was embarrassed, but then Leia told Jessica not to be shy—that she already knew what a slut she was. Suddenly, Jessica heard herself begging for Leia to fuck her with the vibe in the most graphic way possible. Telling her that she was her slut, and to fuck her harder and faster.
Then it was Leia’s turn. Jessica sat cross-legged on the bed and watched her friend pleasure herself with the toy. She’d never thought her more beautiful than now, when she was gasping and moaning in orgasm. Her beautiful, wonderful friend that seemed to have some sort of inner glow that was all her own.
“Let me help with that,” Jessica said, wrapping her hand around her friend’s hand as they both fucked the dildo in and out of Leia’s pussy. It was just as it should be.
Finally, they both fell into an exhausted heap on the bed. Jessica had never thought she could be so happy and content, but of course it made perfect sense. She loved Leia and Leia was beautiful, why couldn't she be the one? I can be Leia's slut forever, she thought, falling into an exhausted sleep.
She awoke in the morning to find Leia getting dressed. Jessica smiled at Leia.
"Wanna come back to bed?" She hoped the answer would be yes, but Leia just looked sad, which filled her with a sudden fear. She sat up. "What's wrong?"
Leia sat on the side of the bed. "Jess, listen. You might not understand this, but we can't be friends anymore."
"Because we are more than friends now, right?"
"No, because I will never be able to forget your initial reaction. What I was made you sick."
"But, it was only because I was scared and surprised and confused!"
"Maybe, but it was still there, and it’s in my head now. I betrayed you in ways you cannot even begin to imagine. But no matter what, I know you got off with me and in the end that was all you. That has to be enough."
"But I don't want you to leave!" Jessica began to panic, not knowing what to say, knowing her words were inadequate.
Leia took her hands. "Shhh, listen to me. Look into my eyes and calm down."
Jessica felt her panic leave her and her body relax as she stared into Leia's beautiful eyes.
"You know it’s for the best. We had a great time, both last night and during our whole friendship, but now it is time to end it. Both of us will have great memories, but we are going to move on. Do you understand?"
Leia smiled encouragingly, and Jessica realized she was smiling back. "Yeah, Lee, I understand."
"It's okay with me—more than okay with me—if you get off while thinking about me once in a while. I would love that. Whatever else you choose to do with all of this is up to you. If you want to explore more with women or if this is just a one time thing, that is completely up to you. Although it would be a real shame if you gave up on females, ‘cause, girl, you have one talented tongue." Leia laughed through her tears.
Jessica felt herself flush with embarrassment and pleasure. She wanted to believe that she’d made Leia happy.
"So we will just remember the great times that we had and go on separately. If anyone asks, we will just say that we moved on, but we still care about one another. Okay?"
Jessica nodded in understanding and was rewarded with a kiss. She knew vaguely she should be more upset by this turn of events, but everything Leia had said made perfect sense. It was just time to move on.
They hugged goodbye, went their separate ways, and never really spoke
again. Sometimes Jessica would see Leia in the hall and feel a sense of
longing, but she never approached her. That was a chapter which was over,
and her new best friend, Ella, was the jealous type.
Leia finished telling her story and waited for Samantha’s response. She couldn’t believe how easy it had been to tell her everything.
"So how long did the colors stay vivid for you?"
"Almost a week. That all you have to say?"
"Sweetie, it isn't anything new in my world. "
"But I fucked over my friend."
"It would appear you did, love." Sam looked sympathetic, which was not the reaction that Leia had been expecting.
"But that’s SCREWED up! You’re sitting here and saying that people just fuck people over in your world. I don't think I want a part of that."
"Leia, I was speaking of the MC element being nothing new. That people fuck over others is old news wherever you go. The only thing that makes it different in MY world is it’s a much better mind-fuck."
Leia gaped, and then gave a startled laugh.
"You’re almost eighteen and not a virgin … clearly. I think I can talk to you like an adult. I know you feel guilty, and I’m not about to tell you that you shouldn’t, but you also paid a heavy price for your actions.”
“What do you mean?”
“You’ve got a good heart. When you hurt others, you also hurt yourself. You used your powers to be with your friend, but you also used them to allow Jessica to have a sense of resolution and peace over what happened. There was nobody there to take your hand so that you could move on, as well.”
Leia began to cry again. “I’m sorry.”
“For crying? Nothing wrong with that. Do you believe me when I tell you that I think that you’ve suffered enough? Do you trust me when I tell you it’s time to take the lessons you’ve learned, but let go of the self-hatred?”
“Yes. I think I do. I want to let go of it.”
“Good. Give me your hands.”
Leia held out trembling hands, and Samantha took them. Leia felt warmth inch up her arms and fill her. She looked into Sam’s kind eyes and felt forgiveness and love.
She was transported back to a day when she was a little girl and had returned home after playing in the snow all day. She remembered the steaming plates of pot roast and veggies and her mother coming up behind her chair and giving her a small kiss on the top of her head. In that moment, she'd felt complete. She had never felt quite that away again.
Until the moment when Sam took her hands.
“Thank you,” she said as she felt a big grin spread across her face. Samantha didn’t let her hands go.
“You’re welcome, Leia. Now that your past mistakes are behind you, I hope that you will think about what’s best for your future. Trust me?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Want to tour the academy now?” Samantha gave her a mischievous smile.
“I’m not sure what you mean by "tour", but I’d like to know more. You say there are people there from all over the world?”
Suddenly, Leia was at the academy and saw students of all colors, heard languages that she’d never heard before, and met some of her classmates. She toured the classrooms, saw the dorms, and became familiar with some of the teachers. When she saw Headmaster Nazarius, she shivered and heard Samantha laugh from what seemed like a great distance. She even saw Max walking a bulldog. Then she felt herself being pulled back, and the last thing she recalled was an eagle’s eye view of the school.
She found herself back at the café and staring into Sam’s placid gaze.
“Wow! I mean, wow!”
Samantha laughed. “It’s even better in true Technicolor. Any questions?”
“Hoover’s okay!” She said it as a statement. She knew he would not be that relaxed otherwise.
“Yeah, seems to be. They’re holding him overnight for observation.”
“I’m glad since he is – from what I hear – the only reason I chose to go out with you.”
Max laughed. “Nah, it was really my charm and good looks.
“Y-uh huh. If you say so.” She had to admit to herself he looked pretty damned cute at the moment – not that she was going to give him the satisfaction of telling him that.
She walked over to the bed and stripped down to her pink camisole and matching panties. She plopped down next to him.
“Hey, slob, ya gonna pick your clothes up?” he asked, beginning to tickle her.
She laughed and tried to squirm away. “Stop it! Not at this second … they can keep your dirty socks company.”
“So – Leia – d’ya hook her?” he asked, settling back against a pillow.
“If you mean will she be attending our lovely institution of learning, all signs point to yes.”
“I’m glad – she’s a good kid.”
“Yep, I like her a lot. She’s very bright and caring.”
“So you in the mood to fuck, or what?”
“What girl could resist that?”
“I know, babe, it’s difficult to resist when I turn on the charm! Want to flip a coin to see who gets to run the show?”
“Sure, but if it’s you I don’t want to end up fucking myself with the remote again. I just don’t trust that things in hotels are as clean as they could be.”
“Would you like me to scrub my cock with antibacterial soap before we commence?” he mocked.
She tried to keep a straight face. “Could ya?”
Max grabbed a coin from the table next to the bed. “Heads or tails?”
Sam analyzes. “Does my choice also indicate the course of events for the night?”
“Heh. Never thought of that.”
“Not a trick coin, right?”
“You wound me.”
“Heads.”
Max flipped the coin and showed it to her. “Yes! Tails!"
“Don’t sound so damned happy – you know you have fun either way.”
“Hey, macho image to preserve! Not like you aren’t gonna have a good time!”
‘Yeah, okay. No remote! And nobody said it had to be easy for you.”
“Planning on putting your time as teacher's pet in D.A.M.I. to good use?” Max grinned. They had met in Defense Against Mind Invasion class. “You might want to remember who was ranked number one in the school for Advanced Penetration.”
“Peter Raami.”
“Bullshit! I got my name on a plaque!”
“Oh, right, when you said advanced penetration I thought you meant… ah … forget it!” She allowed the implication to sink in. There was more than one way to throw your adversary/lover off kilter.
“Something you want to say about that date you two went on?” Sam thought Max looked adorable when he was jealous.
“Nope, nothing. Advanced penetrate me, stud!” Sam worked on closing off her mind. She pictured a strong, thick, impenetrable brick wall. “C’mon, huff and puff and blow my house down!”
She could feel him pressing in; he was methodically seeking a weakness, a foothold, a chink, a place to scale … a way inside.
“Good, Sam. Except I know a couple things that are going to help me,” he growled.
“Yeah, what?” The very act of making him work for it, combined with giving her brain a challenge, was a powerful aphrodisiac. She felt her pussy tingle.
“Well, the ‘huff and puff’ comment tells me that you built a barrier … I’m thinking brick. Why would you tell me which method you used? And a first year trick at that.”
“Maaaaaybe I built a barrier … and maybe not. Maybe you are just Reaching – trying to change the nature of my defense.” Damn
“Which brings me to the second point, Sammy … deep down you are playing to lose! Not even that deep down. You didn’t say that I should try to blow the house down – you told me to blow it down. You want me inside. Deep inside. You will let me in! Know why?”
“Why? School me, partner.” The tingling was increasing. She didn’t sense any mind invasion yet, so she knew it was still all her.
“’Cause it’s a lot more fun when I’m inside. You know it … and I know it … and we know it. You want me inside. Somewhere there is a weakness, and even if I can’t find it you and I both know it’s there and that it’s only a matter of time before you crumble – before you let me in because you want it so much!”
“Good job, Max, but excuse me if I don’t applaud. Classic. You are trying to create a weakness by convincing me that it already exists.”
“Nope. It’s there. The reason you don’t applaud is because once you let go of your grip even that much you will start to do other things with your hands. Like gripping those nice big tits. I love that…”
“I know what you’re doing, Max.” Sam pictured her impenetrable wall. She imagined a trowel, mortar, and a wheelbarrow of bricks. She noticed a slight crumbling on one end and calmly walked over for a quick repair.
Max continued. “The first time I saw you, I tried to be a gentleman, pretend that I was into you for your mind – and you do have a nice mind to probe – but my mind was on those mouthwatering tits … and your hands. You have really long, elegant fingers … I saw you and got this really strong image of your hand wrapped around my cock. You know what was interesting about that?”
Sam saw that another portion of the wall was beginning to weaken. She raced to bolster it up, but the demeanor that she showed Max was calm, her breathing even.
“Not a whole lot. Pretty typical male fantasy, I would guess.”
“A pretty typical female fantasy, too. The thing was that the hand wrapped around my cock was the hand of the redhead next to me – Ms. Samantha McGill, but the hand was wearing a ring I had never seen before. Not yet, not then. A month later I saw her wearing the ring for the first time. A claddagh ring.”
Fuck. She tried to concentrate. The wall was still crumbling but she was still slightly ahead. “What are you saying?”
“I’m saying that I am a Reacher – not a Reader. Haven’t been blessed with psychic abilities. Only one way I could know about that ring. Tell me what way that would be, Sam. Let me in.”
She fought to concentrate. “I have no idea what you’re getting at!”
“I’m getting at you … getting to ya. So I’m in class sitting next to this pretty redhead with amazing tits and graceful hands; I have the psychic abilities of a kumquat, and yet I get a clear image of her hand wrapped around my cock, and wearing a ring that I have no idea she owns. Did I mention that the girl has just found out upon testing – and what a cute little guinea pig she must have been - that she has the ability, beyond her primary Reach, to actually project strong images into people’s heads?
“You’re going to let me in because we had the hots for each other from day one. You don’t want me out here – you want me in there – in you.
“C’mon baby … c’mon, cup those tits … play with those nipples … ya know you want it. Know what else was interesting about that image?”
“No, but I’m sure you will tell me.” Did her voice come out a little breathy?
“It told me that not only did you want your hand around my tool, but that you wanted my heart too.”
She knew she was losing but refused to give up quite yet. “You could tell that from the way that I stroked your cock in your little fantasy, huh?”
“The claddagh ring … the heart was facing inward. I’m just as Irish as you and if I recall right – and I know I do - that is the sign that a girl is taken. You knew within five minutes of meeting me that you were off the market, so why fight it now? You didn’t officially change the position of the ring until the day after we fucked, but in your mind it was a done deal long before that. Give in, Sammy.”
“No.” She looked at the wall. It had degenerated beyond anything she could fix. Samantha’s last stand.
“I love you too, Sam. If my fat fingers didn’t look so damned stupid with jewelry I get one of those bullshit rings myself.”
The wall came crashing down. She imagined Max standing on the other side and calmly crossing to ruins to stand before her. She knew her mind was translating it into terms she could understand. Neither Max at the wall or Max on the bed pulled her closer. That wasn’t how this was to be played.
Instead he kept talking – making sure that when she gave in that it would be an unequivocal surrender.
“Baby, baby, let me in … you know your pussy is wet for me, you know you want me inside you, you know you want to cum all over my cock. Just say it.”
“Mmmmm, no.”
“Stubborn. Look down.”
“No.”
“No? Look down.”
Standing among the ruins of her wall she felt the unquestionable desire to obey. Sam in the pile of rubble looked down – as did Sam on the bed. She was cupping her tits, playing with her nipples. She also made note of the fact that Max’s sweatpants had a serious tent in them. She closed her eyes, but the image remained.
“That's alright, Sam, that’s alright. Close your eyes, but I’m in your head now. I’m right there in your brain, but that isn’t quite good enough for either of us. Where do you want me, Sammy?”
“I..inside. IWantYouInsideMe! Deep inside me! Mmmmm.” She pinched one of her erect nipples rather hard – she didn’t know if she did it on her own or if Max made her. What did it matter?
“Tell me, Sam.”
“I love you Max and I love your big perfect wonderful cock and I’m yours totally and forever. Take me, fuck me, fuck me hard … please.”
“Keep talkin’ baby.”
She opened her eyes. “I need you so much Max. I was tempted to have us go at it right on the vice principal’s desk.”
Max smirked and Samantha reached for him.
“Not quite yet. Keep talkin’.”
“Please, Max.”
“Soon. Slip off your panties.”
Samantha obeyed.
“You make me insane. I can’t get enough of you. I do crazy things when you’re around!”
“Play with your pussy and tell me.”
“I made that bitch that was checking in at the same time as us lose her room key. In fact she’s going to keep locking herself out.”
Max laughed. “Why’s that, baby?”
“Because she came on to you without my permission. That’s not allowed – and because I was mad at you. Did you do something to her, Max?”
“Other than my natural charm? Jealous, huh?”
“Yes.”
“Possessive?”
“Mmmm, yeah.”
“Because you want to own me, you jealous bitch,” he said affectionately. “The situation now. Ironic, huh?”
“Yes.” Even through her desire she vowed to make him pay, sometime soon. “Very ironic!”
“Don’t stop playing, but don’t cum.”
“Mmmm, Max, feels good. I’m thinking of you fucking me. You’re right, I want you inside me.”
“What if I told you I did get in that woman’s head … the one with the incredible disappearing room key? What if I told you that I wanted you two to go at it. Would you?”
“At this second … yes!”
“If I called her now, you would do it? Wouldn’t that violate one of your rules …?” he said with a wink.
“No … yes… you’re making me crazy. You have standards as high as I do, anyhow. You wouldn’t make a woman go against her natural proclivities.”
“Big word, baby. I met the woman again – Stacy – she had lost her room key, go figure, and was retracing her steps. We got to talking. It seems like she is not exactly opposed to a little fun with a couple.”
“Yeah?” Samantha found the idea very hot – it had been a while since they'd had that kind of fun. “Well, I suppose we could…”
Suddenly she found herself writhing on her back, literally knocked over by the sudden surge of lust that went through her body. “ Ohhhh, mmmmm, Max! God, yeah!” Her hips bucked off the mattress as she … couldn’t quite come. “Max! Please!”
“Come, Sam,” he said in his slow, even way, and Sam saw stars.
When she came to her senses, Max was smirking. She could also feel him slowly escalating her desire again.
“You were saying?” he asked.
“I was saying I suppose we could give Stacy a call.” She felt another wave of desire as a reward, and she began to writhe and stroke again.
“Not worried about her anymore?”
“At this second? Um, no. Now could you please either call Stacy or stick your damned cock in me? In fact, I can’t wait … cock now, Stacy later.”
“To be honest, don’t know what her name is… didn’t see her again. I just like to be reminded my girl is kinky. I also don’t think you should be bossy, considering…”
“What? You’re such an assho…oh! God! Mmmm, Max! I’m sorry. Sorry! Please! I want you in me! You win! You completely win! Please fuck me!” She reached out to him with wet fingers.
“Awww, baby, you don’t need to beg,” he said, kicking aside his sweatpants, and slipping inside his partner. “I’m always at you’re service, Red.”
“How was the library, Lee?” she asked, brushing a lock of hair off Leia’s cheek.
“Great. Mom? Would it be okay if I went away to school?”
“I thought you wanted to stay close to home.”
“I did, but – if there was an opportunity that took me away for a while … would that be okay? Or if I wanted to do some traveling.”
Leia’s mother smiled. “We raised you the best way that we could and to be the best person possible. In a few months you’ll officially be an adult – we’ll miss you, but the very last thing we would ever do is stop you from finding your own path. Why?”
Leia hugged her mother. “In the words of Kermie – I suppose that I’m planning to find the Rainbow Connection.”