as the pair walked together safiya reached for jania's hand, savoring her familiar soft skin and clipped nails.
"do we have fun together?" jania blurted out, "i know it's stupid to ask but i've been wanting to know"
"yeah," said safiya, nodding her head, "at least i think we do."
as she said the words a tingle went down her spine. jania's hand tugged her over to an intracate cast iron bench. safiya stumbled down onto the bench as jania gracefully sat down, her brown eyes ablaze with affection.
safiya felt a flush of warmth as jania brushed safiya's hair behind her ears. she'd seen it coming from a mile away but even as jania leaned in, something about it felt foreign. safiya found herself lurching back, away from jania's chapped lips.
"no." she muttered, barely audible. "i cant."
"no one will know"
"but i will," safiya countered as the fire in jania's eyes dwindled out into mere sparks, "i couldn't live with knowing i disappointed my mom."
safiya could see the tears glittering in the autumnal light half-illuminating jania's face. her irresistible face. screw it she thought as jania's lips embraced her own. safiya felt jania's lips pressing against her own, their tongues intertwining. even after she pulled away, she could feel the kiss linger like mist hanging in the air around vivid leaves. safiya knew that she'd be left with the memory, always trying to cover up the wounds. once they healed she'd be left with ugly scars that would never go away. as the last kindling of their fire burned out, safiya found herself shivering alone, thinking why.
