Quote:
It really made me laugh that Willow did some 'research' on lesbian sex! I'm glad that she is feeling comfortable and confident enough to start exploring. I see you've hit over a thousand views, so congratulations on that. It proves that there's still an interest in new fiction.
Congrats on dibs. I am glad that it made you laugh. I could so imagine Willow going to the library for 'research'. Thanks for the congrats for being over 1000 views. I have been seeing the count on both of my stories consistently going up, so people are viewing and I assume that the majority are reading as well. I would love to know who these people are, and why they don't want to comment. As I say each time, thank you so much for your continued commenting. It keeps me posting and writing.
Learning to Laugh
PG13-R
Spoilers: None, Josh owns the characters, I realize that many of the quirks and mannerisms are actually Amber's not Tara's, but as Amber writes in her essay on fanfic, often the two are intertwined. I make no money off this, and write for the pure joy of writing.
Part 13
Willow woke up to the ringing of the telephone. “Hello,” she drowsily answered.
“Willow, this is Tara. You’re not awake yet?”
“Um. I am now. What time is it?” Willow fumbled around looking for her alarm clock and discovering that it had fallen off the desk and was no longer plugged into the outlet.
“10:30. Do you want me to just grab you a bagel and bring it to your room?”
Willow looked over at her roommate’s side of the room. Anya’s bed was made, and her backpack gone.
“Yeah, sure… that would be nice. Cinnamon-raisin if they have them.”
“with plain cream cheese. I know your preference.” Said Tara, “and I am looking forward to more of your preferences,” she added in a vixenish manner.
“Promises, promises,” Willow answered with an equally flirtatious manner. She lay back down on her bed and pondered the concept of preferences.
“I’ll see you in a few.”
“Great,” responded Willow. She tried to motivate herself to get out of the bed. She’d had a very hard time sleeping the night before. The cold shower had gotten her body calmed down, but her mind was a different story. She’d fallen asleep rather quickly, but been awakened several times by very clear, sexual dreams where she and Tara were going much farther than her conscious mind had set as the limit. This had made her wake up hot and bothered and slightly disappointed that it was only a dream. She closed her eyes to remember one of the dreams and fell asleep until there was a knock on the door.
Willow jumped out of bed and opened the door. It seemed that Tara was surprised to find a pajama clad, bed-headed Willow.
“Did you fall back to sleep sweetie?” she asked as she entered the room with a paper bag in her hand and a full backpack on her shoulder. Tara was dressed in a pair of jeans, a pink button -down shirt with a white tee-shirt underneath, a blue windbreaker, and a pair of hiking boots.
“I guess, sorry.” Willow tried to wipe the sleep out of her eyes and use her hands to flatten her hair.
“Did you fall asleep with your hair wet?”
“Um…” Willow put her hands on the back of her head and could feel the tangles. “Yeah, I guess so.”
“You look really cute and sexy,” Tara purred. She looked from her pajama clad girlfriend to the tousled unmade bed. She put down the backpack and food bag, took off her jacket and boots and sat down on the bed, beckoning the red-head to join her.
Willow walked toward the bed as though a magnet was pulling at her. Tara in her bed was a force that was irresistible. Tara pulled Willow onto her lap and took put her mouth on Willow’s.
They began to kiss, and Tara pulled Willow as close to her own body as possible. Her hands were on Willow’s pajama clad bottom. Willow could feel Tara’s peaks pressing against her own and this sensation brought a flood of visions from her dreams. Willow closed her eyes to enjoy the sensations, trusting Tara to not take advantage. As their mouths separated and Willow’s brain came back on-line, she realized that she had morning breath.
“Oh, sorry about the morning breath.”
“I didn’t notice. You tasted as good as usual,” replied Tara. “Should I ask what interfered with your sleep?”
“Just dreams and I kept waking up.”
“Good dreams?” asked the brown-haired girl, her left lip going up into her sexy smile.
“Yeah, good ones.” Willow broadly smiled back.
“I had some good dreams too. Of course, that was after I had to take a very cold shower.” Tara kissed Willow on the nose.
“You too?”
“Definitely.” She looked at her girlfriend. “There wasn’t one dream that I wouldn’t like to reproduce or at least explain to you; however, as much as I’d like to just stay here and keep this bed warm, I’ll never hear the end of it if we don’t make it to the beginning of the game. I hear Augie is going to start.
“Ok, Ok.” Willow got off Tara’s lap, kissed her on the forehead, and went into her closet to find clothes. She exited the closet in a pair of jeans and a green hooded sweatshirt. In her hands were some socks and her Converses.
“Do you want me to help you comb out the tangles in your hair? My sister says that I have a great skill of detangling without pain,” inquired Tara.
“Sure,” said Willow grabbing a comb and brush and sitting in front of Tara. Tara gently combed and brushed through the long wavy red hair, trying hard not to pull it. Willow closed her eyes, enjoying the feel of the brush and her girlfriend’s hands in her hair. She put on her socks and shoes.
“Ponytail?” asked Tara as she brushed Willow’s hair up into a ponytail and fastened it with an elastic.
“Yeah, I’ll take it down again when we come back here, I mean if we come back here. Don’t want to assume that you don’t have plans after the game. Because you have every right to have plans, and you don’t have to tell me, I can’t assume that we are going to spend time together.”
This bout of babbling was stopped by Tara’s lips on Willow’s, a slow kiss starting. Tara pulled her mouth away a few inches and said, “Breathe. It is the weekend. The weekends are our time. Of course, we’ll come back here, especially if Anya isn’t around. I look forward to it.”
Willow hopped up and said, “I’ve gotta go brush my teeth. I’ll bring the bagel with me to the game. I’m not hungry yet.” She walked to the door.
“Ok, I’ll be right here waiting on you,” commented Tara to the retreating Willow.
***
Late Fall had come quickly to New England, the sun was shining brightly; there was a crispness to the air. Willow was glad that Tara had reminded her to bring something to sit on, because the bleachers were cold. Willow and Tara sat several rows behind their team’s bench, a modest foot between them. They chose this area so that they could listen to the coach’s comments and give their friends both verbal and nonverbal encouragement. As Tara had stated, Augie was starting the game and the smile on her face was the brightest they had ever seen. Neither Sue nor April were starting, but they seemed content to be sitting on the bench next to each other avidly watching the game.
The two teams were well matched, and at half-time, the score was tied 1:1. Tara got up to talk to some people, while Willow stayed at her seat and ate her bagel. She was sitting on the bleachers, day-dreaming when her friend Faith came and sat next to her.
“Hey, what’s up with you and Mouse, Red?”
“Huh?” responded Willow. Faith was a person who rarely called anybody by their name. “Mouse?”
“I can’t help but notice that you’ve been going to all these games with the same mousy-brown-haired girl, isn’t she the girl I met at the bar about a month ago.”
Willow tried to will herself not to blush, nor to let on anything. Willow always felt like there were people listening to her conversations when she was in public, she believed that there were many people just looking to find something to gossip about.
I am not paranoid, just careful she thought to herself.
“Where is Terry?”
“She’s over there.” Faith pointed to a spot at midfield, toward the top of the bleachers. She’s talking to Mo. I thought I’d come talk to you.”
“How is Mo doing? Is she getting over Betsy dumping her?”
“She seems ok. It’s Betsy’s loss. Mo is a nice person.”
“I never thought that Betsy was very nice, I thought that Mo could do better, but she thought the sun and the moon revolved around her.”
“Mo’s better off without her.”
“Any other gossip that I’ve missed?” asked Willow.
“Gossip, me gossip?” said Faith incredulously
“You know you love it, and without you I’d never know what is going on,” commented Willow.
“Well, you and Mouse are the latest gossip really. People are trying to figure out whether it’s true.”
“What’s true?” asked Willow innocently.
“That Mouse is really a member of the family, and whether you guys are dating or just friends.”
“Why do people care?”
“Some care because they are just plain curious, but most of us care because we want you to be happy.”
“Seriously?” commented Willow in a surprised manner.
“Yeah, Willow. You had crappy luck last year, we want this year to be better.” Faith paused, “So, what’s the news? Something going on with you and Mouse?”
“Her name is Tara.”
“Ok, Tara. Is something going on with you and Tara?”
As Faith asked this question, Tara sat back down on her blanket.
“You have a question?” Tara turned to Faith, “I met you at the bar, right? You’re Terry?”
“Actually, I’m Faith, my partner’s Terry.”
“Hi. Faith, good to see you again. So, you were asking Willow a question?” said Tara sweetly.
Faith looked uncomfortable. She glanced between Willow and Tara. The usually smooth-talking girl was tongue-tied, “Um…” She took a breath, “I was asking Red here, what was up between the two of you.”
“And you want to know, why?” said Tara continuing to have a saccharine tone in her voice.
Willow looked at Faith and was surprised by the effect that Tara was having on her. The girl was stammering and looking all around. Willow wasn’t sure, but it appeared that there were a few beads of sweat on her forehead.
“Um…she’s my friend, and I like to know what is going on with my friends,” Faith responded in a less that confident manner.
“Hum, not just because you like to have the dirt on everyone?” asked the brown-haired girl. “You ARE the one who said that you wouldn’t tell ANYONE that I was at the bar, right?”
“Yeah, about that, sorry, I accidently told Leslie. She always is interested if there were new people at the bar.”
“Who mentioned it to Willow, who eventually asked me.”
“Yeah…” Faith looked around in a manner that seemed to telegraph that she didn’t know what this girl was going to say.
“Well, I’m glad that you did. It helped clueless here believe that I was actually flirting with her.” Tara bumped Willow.
“Hey, I’m not clueless,” said Willow immediately, she thought for a moment and admitted, “Well, I was actually.”
“So, Tara, what’s up with you and Red?” asked Faith.
“You sure don’t like to use people’s names do you,” confronted Tara.
“Hey, I probably have only called Willow, Willow once or twice in the time that we’ve been friends. You don’t mind do you, Red.” Faith looked Willow in the eyes and smiled.
“I’ve kinda gotten used to it, but I’d rather be referred to by my name rather than my hair color,” responded Willow in an assertive tone.
“So noted, are one of you going to answer my question?”
“I’m not sure I want my dating status broadcasted all over the lesbian network of the school,” stated Tara.
Just then, the game started again. Faith stood up to return to her seat. Tara stood up next to her, whispered something in her ear, and Faith smiled and left.
“What did you say to her?” asked Willow when the people around them were particularly loud.
“I just told her that yes, we were dating, and she should be happy for me, as well as, you.”
“Ok. Why were you giving her so much trouble?”
“I don’t know, for some reason I thought it was fun. She reminds me a lot of my older sister. That’s the kind of relationship we have, always challenging each other in a fun way. Actually, my whole family really likes to banter.”
“Oh,” responded Willow.
I should probably learn how to do that, but it doesn’t come naturally to me. I can’t imagine being so confident that I could talk like that with people I don’t know. I am such a loser. Tara should be with someone who is more gregarious than me… Willow was pulled out of her negative spiral by the crowd erupting into a cacophony because their college had gotten a goal.
Their college won the game 3-2. Sue made the winning goal. As everyone was exiting the field, the announcer reminded the fans that the annual alumni game was scheduled for the next Saturday. As they were walking toward the dorms, Faith and Terry caught up with them and asked if Willow and Tara would like to go off campus to get some food. Willow and Tara looked at each other, both knowing that this would not be within the other’s budget.
“It’s not really in my budget Faith,” said Willow. “I don’t have a lot of discretionary income. “
Faith and Terry looked at each other, and Terry nodded her head.
“Oh, don’t worry about that…Re…” Willow could tell that Faith was trying to remember to call her by her name. “Willow. I can cover you guys. We thought we could go to Friendly’s.”
“Ok, if you’re sure that that you don’t mind paying, I’m game.” Willow turned to Tara and looked at her with a questioning gaze.
“Ok with me,” commented Tara. She smiled at the two older girls and followed them to the parking lot.
Willow was somewhat surprised to see that Faith was walking toward a shiny, new black hatchback. Tara and Willow got in the backseat and immediately joined hands.
“So, how long have you guys been dating, “asked Terry, looking back at the two girls.
“Um…a couple weeks?” answered Willow.
“We’ve not really decided when it really started, if I had to pick a day it would be the 20th when I invited her to come to the bar.” Tara looked at Willow who nodded her agreement. “I started flirting with her on the 12th, but I think she was oblivious.”
“I wasn’t oblivious. I just didn’t believe it.” Willow kissed Tara on the cheek.
“You guys are so cute together,” remarked Terry. Willow and Tara looked at each other and smiled.
“So how long have you two been together?” asked Tara.
“Um, we met my Sophomore year…so about two years,” said Faith.
“You’re both Seniors,” asked Tara.
“Actually, I graduated last year. I’m at Northeastern, getting my Masters in Global Studies. I majored in Political Science,” responded Terry.
“Oh, cool,” commented Tara. “That explains why I see Faith around campus, but not you.”
“Yep. We try to split our time, Faith comes to my apartment a lot of weekends, but I come down here, especially when there are home games. We both love soccer. I was on the team for two years, but I fucked up my knee, and couldn’t play Junior or Senior year,” explained Terry. “I think I remember seeing you at a soccer party last year.”
“Maybe. I went to a few of them. My friends April and Sue are on the team,” stated Tara.
“Yeah, they play well together.”
“Yeah, you can say that,” said Tara with a smirk.
“See, I told you they were a couple.” Terry turned to Faith.
“I never said they weren’t, I just said that they weren’t out,” asserted Faith, “You and I both know how much the coach hates the whole athlete/lesbian connection.” She used a falsetto voice, “There are no lesbians on my teams.”
“As I always say, tell that to the softball team,” commented Willow. They all laughed. The four women talked, Faith and Tara bantering until they got to the restaurant.
A blond-haired, middle aged woman greeted them at the door. It was clear to Willow that this woman was tired, and she pointed to an area of the restaurant with several booths. Faith picked the one farthest from the door. The other three joined her; each couple choosing one side.
Tara picked up the menu and began to look at it. “I’ve only been to a Friendly’s once. The closest one is in Liverpool, NY and that’s north of Syracuse. I remember that I liked their ice cream, I think I had a little upside down cone with M & M’s as eyes,” said Tara.
“Yeah, I used to love those,” commented Willow. “One good thing about when my mom was lecturing on the East Coast was that most of the states had Friendly’s. The only exception was when we were in Durham, NC when my mom was posted at Duke. The closest ones were either in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, or Chester, Virginia. No Friendly’s in the whole state.”
Tara continued leafing through the menu, she asked, “What’s your favorite thing here Willow?”
“Well, other than the ice cream, I really like the Big Beef on toast or the Tuna Melt. It’s even better if you have them add a slice of tomato.”
“Which, the hamburger or the tuna?” inquired Tara.
“Both, but I was talking about the tuna,” answered Willow.
“What do you guys like?” Tara asked Faith and Terry.
“Well, I like the fish and chips, but you can never go wrong with a hamburger from here. They are good,” stated Faith.
“I usually get the clam strip dinner or the lobster roll,” commented Terry pointing to the picture on the menu.
“I’m not much into seafood. I know that I am allergic to shrimp, and I haven’t ever tried clams or lobster. I am scared that I will have the same reaction,” explained Tara.
“That makes sense,” stated Terry.
“No clams or lobster for me then, is tuna ok?” inquired Willow.
“Definitely, with five kids, we ate a lot of tuna salad. Great way to spread two cans of tuna among all five of us; lots of celery and mayo.”
“You have four siblings! Older, younger?” asked Faith seeming very excited. “I’m the youngest of the older half of six.”
“I’m the middle. I have an older brother and an older sister, and a younger brother and a younger sister.”
“My mom had two sets of kids, one with my dad; my two older brothers, 24 and 26, and me, 22 and the other with my step-father, a sister who is 13, and twin brothers who are 9,” said Faith.
“My parents popped them out, 24, 22, 20, 19, 16 almost 17,” commented Tara.
“So, Terry, how many siblings do you have? I’ve never asked. I knew Faith had a big family, but I didn’t know it was that big,” asked Willow.
“I have an older brother who is 25, and a younger sister who is 18. I’m 23 if we are keeping track.”
Just then, the waitress came over and took their drink orders. After the waitress left, Faith asked, “Tara, do your parents know?”
“Know about what?” She seemed to be thinking for a minute. “Yeah, I told my mom this summer. I suspect she told my dad, but I’m not totally sure. Not that he would care. My whole life my parents have given the speech that they don’t care who we date, as long as, they treat us nicely. I am pretty sure my mom might think it’s a phase…I don’t know.”
“My mom was caught up with that “phase” idea for a while, but after I brought home Faith, I think it occurred to her that it was not going to pass. My parents love Faith, sometimes I think more than me,” commented Terry. “My dad once said that Faith was his favorite relative.”
“That’s low,” commented Tara.
“He thinks he’s funny. We just let him think that.”
At this moment, the waitress came to take their order. Tara ordered the tuna melt with added tomato, so Willow ordered the Big Beef on Toast. They agreed that they would share both. When the waitress left again, they resumed their conversation.
“I really like her dad, but he is a character,” commented Faith.
“Is it possible we could stop the talk of parents right now. I am losing my appetite, and as I said, Friendly’s is one of my favorite restaurants,” stated Willow in a tone that was a little harsh.
The three other girls looked at each other, it seemed each trying to say something appropriate to the comment.
“Sure,” they all said at the same time.
“Jinx” said Faith
“You owe me a coke,” said Tara.
“I’m pretty sure we already bought you a coke?” piped in Terry pointing to the glass in front of Tara.
***
Part 12
“I really like Faith and Terry,” commented Tara. The two of them were laying on Willow’s bed next to each other. They both stated that they were stuffed from their sandwiches and the ice cream sundae that they had shared afterwards.
“Yeah, they are. They kinda took me under their wing when I was floundering around last year. Faith is very blunt, but you always know where you stand with her. She and Terry really balance each other out.”
“My mom always says that one of the things that appealed to her when she was first dating my dad was that he balanced her out.” Tara paused, “Does it bother you that I talk about my parents so much.”
“Oh, no, no. It doesn’t bother me at all. I like hearing about your family.” Willow turned over onto her side, so she could make eye contact with Tara. “I don’t want you to ever think you can’t talk about them to me. The conversation just made me think about the fact that I was the sole only child of the group, and it is my parents that disowned me. Not that having a bunch of children gives you permission to disown one of them, but I imagine if you have siblings, maybe your siblings wouldn’t disown you, so you’d still have family. I always wanted siblings. I think I wanted to be a part of a big family. I feel like I have no family and that makes me feel sad, and then I feel mad. But you guys were just having a normal conversation. I didn’t needn’t mean to bring you down. I don’t want you to think there is anything you can’t talk to me about.”
“You didn’t bring us down. Your tone was just more assertive than usual. I think that is what surprised us all. “Tara moved to her side so that the two girls were looking at each other. “I want you to be able to tell me anything too. I can tell that the situation with your parents bothers you. I just don’t know what to say. I know that we’ve only been dating for 13 days, but I feel like it has been longer. I feel like I’ve always known you. When I am around you, I feel like life is right.”
“Maybe we were together in another life,” suggested Willow, as she lay back down on her back. She put her hands on her stomach.
“Perhaps. Do you believe in reincarnation or past lives,” asked Tara.
“I don’t know, the scientist in me believes that we have one life and that’s it. But there is this small piece of me, the non-logical piece that wonders. Why would people talk about it if it didn’t happen? You?”
“I’m not sure. I think that there is something unique in everyone, a spirit, and I think it is released when you die. Where it goes, I don’t know. I like the idea of an afterlife or reincarnation.” Tara took Willow’s hand in her own. "So, what do you want to do for the rest of the day? What do you have to get done this weekend? I’ve got to go to the pottery studio for a few hours, and I need to finish some of my drawings for my portfolio that is due at the end of the week. I have an Art History test on Wednesday, but I am pretty ready for it.”
“I have a Math test on Friday, and homework from Friday. I’ve got a quiz in Psychology on Tuesday, and a test in Physics of Chemistry on Monday, so I need to study for them. I have a COBALT program that is due Tuesday too. I’m going to have to be in the computer lab for at least 2 hours this weekend or on Monday. I’ve got to write up my most recent science lab for Wednesday.”
“So, it’s an easy weekend for you.” Tara laughed. “Can you do any of that stuff in the Pottery or drawing studio?”
“Sure. Everything but the COBALT program,” replied Willow.
“If we took off all today, do you think you’d be able to get everything you need to do done tomorrow?”
Willow thought for a moment, her face scrunched up and it was clear that she was counting off the time needed for all of her work, “Yeah, sure. Oh, I forgot, I have a floor plan due for my theater class on Wednesday.”
“A floor plan for what?”
“The set for this play called
“The Last Snow.” I need to make a model of it too, but that’s not due until close to the end of the semester. Do any of the art rooms have those cool tables like architects use?”
“Yeah, there is a couple of them in the Art room where my Drawing class is.”
“So maybe we can go there, you can do your drawing, I can do my floor plan.”
“We could spend the morning in the Art rooms, you could do your computer work after lunch, then we could meet up again, have dinner, spend some time studying or something.” She paused, “Ok, we’ve got that all squared away. What should we do for the rest of today. It’s four o’clock now. We could go get some food ‘to go’ at the cafeteria to have for dinner later. I don’t know about you, but I don’t think I am going to be hungry again until later tonight.”
“If then,” responded Willow. “That was more than I typically eat in a day. My brain is telling me to take a nap.”
“We could do that now, when we wake up go to the open cafeteria, get some stuff for dinner and then come back here or we could go to the campus movie. I think they are showing Rocky Horror tonight. That’s always fun.”
“I’ve never been,” confessed Willow.
“Seriously, how could you miss the quintessential college movie experience?” I went five times last year.”
“As I continue to confess, last year I spent most of my time studying, and reading. I wasn’t much into going to movies alone.” Willow yawned.
‘So, let’s cuddle up and take a nap, and then when we wake up, we can decide what we want to do for the rest of the night.”
“What if I decide that all I want to do is lay in this bed with you talking and doing other things.” Willow gave a beguiling grin.
“That could be arranged,” answered Tara with an equally cheeky tone.
“I am not a particularly gifted napper. One thing, I have a really hard time sleeping in my street clothes. Jeans and sleep do not work for me. So, if we’re going to take a nap, I need to change into some sleeping clothes. Do you want to change?
“Sure. Jeans are not particularly comfortable to sleep in.”
Willow climbed over Tara’s body, and exited the bed. She grabbed some clothes and went into the closet to change.
When she exited, she was wearing a pair of well-worn basketball shorts and a tee-shirt. She offered Tara a pair of shorts or sweats. Tara went into the closet to change. Tara had chosen the shorts, so for the first time Willow was privy to seeing Tara’s long legs. Willow tried not to stare, but she was finding that each new bit of Tara she got to see was better than the last.
As soon as they lay back down, it was clear that Willow was struggling to keep her eyes open. She laid under Tara’s arm with her head on her chest and fell asleep within minutes.