Alice wrapped her arms around her friend. She thought that maybe . . . just maybe . . . that she understood. Everyone in the band had been thinking about the upcoming contest as an opportunity. Heather had just been reminded that to her, it was about something more. For Heather, it was all about redemption. It was about proving to a bunch of needlessly cruel high-school kids from five years earlier that they hadn’t beaten Heather. Heather was going to go on stage in just a few days and get a measure of revenge for a poor and humiliated fifteen-year-old girl.
Laurie stood up and went to hug her girlfriend who was trying desperately to compose herself. Then Jenny and Mary got up and joined in, followed by just about everyone else. Even Liz and Michelle got in on the action, though they took great care not to actually touch each other. Then Alice heard a very light whisper in her ear.
“Thank you,” Heather said softly. All Alice could do in response is hold her friend even tighter.
————– —————–
A little while later . . .
————– —————–
Everyone was in the process of saying their goodnights before going back to their respective places of rest. Heather had composed herself and stopped crying and looked as genuinely happy as anyone could ever remember seeing her. Laurie had been holding her hand since the group hug had broken up. She had seen a sensitive side to her beautiful girlfriend, and she found herself even more drawn to the girl. She could hardly wait to get Heather home. She wrapped her arms are her lover’s neck and pressed her lips against Heather’s. Then she felt Heather’s hands gripping her ass. “Hey naughty girl,” she giggled, “save it for when we get back to the dorm.” They actually broke it up when Mr. Price came over to give his protege a hug. Making out in front of a man in his sixties would have been a little creepy.
Jane and Freddie were chatting with Mary and Jenny. Freddie was spending an inordinate amount of time checking out Jenny’s nicely rounded posterior. The three women from the ranch had been somewhat more hesitant to stray away from their bedmates since Jane’s surgery, but Laurie and Heather had both figured that the women had probably decided on the moderation rather than elimination of “extracurricular activities.” And with Freddie being an ass-fan, was naturally attracted to Jenny’s lush butt. Jenny was flattered by the attention, and had to remind herself that she couldn’t do anything unless Mike approved.
Liz was standing nearby as Alice said goodnight to Michelle. The young woman was happy that the two women had managed to avoid fisticuffs for several hours, but didn’t want to push her luck. She had so hoped the two might cool off, but maybe that had been a bit much to hope for.
“You did a good thing tonight, young ‘un. I’m impressed. How long was you plannin’ that again?”
“A couple months. Ever since we got back from spring break.”
“Speakin’ of which, when are we gonna get to see the pictures of everythin’ y’all did down there?”
Alice glanced downward. They hadn’t yet informed their friends from the ranch as to the details of their Fort Lauderdale excursion. Heather and Laurie had wanted to work everything out for themselves before letting their friends know what had transpired.
“Whatever is the matter child?” said Jane, who had just wandered up. Both she and Michelle had noticed Alice’s sudden change in expression.
“Things got a little weird down there. I think . . .”
At that point Laurie and Heather wandered over. It was Laurie who spoke, sending a bashful glance sideways at her girlfriend. “It would be better if I explained it,” she said quietly.
Jane looked the young woman over. She knew there was a story there. Jane had been the first person to truly befriend the blonde bombshell, and as such had taken a vested interested in her social and intellectual development over the last year. “Very well,” she murmured. “Would you like to return with us to the hotel? The night isn’t too far gone, and it has been too long since we talked.”
Laurie glanced over at Heather who nodded. “Sure,” she said. “Jenny, Mary . . . either of you interested in hanging out at the hotel for a bit? Mr. Price?”
Mr. Price politely declined the offer. He claimed he wasn’t as young as he used to be and that the flight had tired him greatly. Mary had to go “meet” a couple of friends, meaning she was on her way to screw whoever the hell it was that she dating those days and that he was probably bringing another guy. Heather had to remind herself, ‘At least Mary is an HONEST slut.’ Jenny ran back inside to talk to Mike. When she came out, her face was a little flushed. But she quickly said that everything was okay, and that she really wasn’t tired yet anyway.
Meanwhile, Michelle felt a tap on her shoulder. It was Liz.
“Listen,” said Liz slowly and deliberately. Then she sighed. “I think Alice would really appreciate it if you dropped by the apartment for a while. I won’t pretend I’m thrilled about the idea, but . . .”
Michelle looked the woman over. Then Jane whispered into her ear.
“Go ahead. Take the car. We’ll get a ride to the hotel with the girls.”
Then Alice wandered up and batted her big, beautiful eyes. “Please?”
Michelle took the keys to the SUV. “If you say so,” she said to Alice while locking gazes with Liz. “Let’s go.”
——————- —————-
At Liz’s apartment . . .
——————- —————-
The tentative peace barely made it past the threshold of the apartment door. The three women stood around making strained conversation. Then Liz pulled Alice over and wrapped her arm around the girl’s shoulder, holding her almost uncomfortably tight. The entire time, her eyes were on Michelle. Michelle noticed the gesture and made a somewhat acidic comment about Liz “all ready to make Alice her prisoner,” and things degenerated from there. Michelle accused Liz of trying to control Alice and isolate her from Michelle. Liz bitterly spoke of Michelle trying to break up a relationship she didn’t even understand due to jealousy.
Alice kept telling them both to be calm, then to shut up. This altercation was causing her almost physical pain. She so badly wanted these two women to get along, but they weren’t even listening to her anymore. Finally she stormed off into the main bedroom and slammed the door behind her.
Liz went towards the door while Michelle put her head between her hands. Finally the two met gazes again. “See what you did?!?” they said simultaneously. “Me?” they said together. “You . . .”
Liz was waiving her finger angrily as if she wanted to point at something but wasn’t sure what. She went over to the door and tried to coax Alice into unlocking it. Michelle debated just leaving before this escalated even further. Liz finally turned around when she realized that Alice wasn’t going to respond and confronted Michelle again.
“What the fuck is your problem? Why are you so fucking bound and determined to make her life miserable?”
“Me?” said Michelle through gritted teeth. “Why are you trying so fuckin’ hard to keep me out of her life? I’m responsible for that girl and I ain’t goin’ nowhere no matter how bad you want me gone. The way I see it, you’re tryin’ to get yer jollies while takin’ advantage of a girl who was lookin’ to give her heart to someone.”
“Why not me?!? I’m doing everything I can to make her happy, and you want to take that away because you don’t think anyone will ever be good enough. You just can’t let go, and it’s killing you! She isn’t yours to keep!”
“What, so she’s yours to enslave whenever you get an itch to scratch? I’ve got have a mind to . . .”
“SHUT UP! Both of you!” Alice had emerged from the bedroom. In one hand she was holding her collar, her eyes were bloodshot and she was completely nude.
“Uhm, sweetie?” started Liz. “What are you . . .”
“I said shut up! I get to talk now and you two can just listen! I’ve had as much of this as I’m going to take. You two keeping yelling at each other about what’s best for me, so why don’t you ask me? Everyone kept telling me that I was going to have to make my own decisions, but once I made them, no one would listen.” She looked between the two women, both of whom found something less guilt inducing to stare at. Alice continued softly, “You two changed my life so much.” She turned to Liz. “You introduced me to this . . . this lifestyle that I had never even imagined before. You were so careful and so patient, and I never felt that I wasn’t safe. But you have to realize that all those things apply to Michelle too.” Alice glanced over at the muscular cowgirl, but kept speaking to her girlfriend. “If it weren’t for Michelle, I wouldn’t be here right now. When we got lost that day, I was a scared little girl in a world of denial. I had so many feelings that didn’t make any sense. Michelle saw right through me. I’ve been used and thrown away once in my life,” she said, a tear coming to her eye, “so I know how special it is to be with someone you trust. Michelle helped me understand my feelings towards women, and actually helped me be happy with who I was. I had never really been happy in my own skin before.” Alice looked right back at Liz. “So yes, she will always have a place in my heart. But she has Jane and Freddie, and I have you. And I like it that way. Liz, the only thing that could make me not want to be with you . . . is you. You told me once that you didn’t want to control every aspect of my life. Michelle is one of those things that you don’t get to control, and I promise you that you will lose me if you try.”