Chasing Miss Conner •NEW VERSION•

XXXIV

Thirty Four

The day started slowly, almost as if the world wasn't sure if I were ready for it yet.

I rolled out of bed as my mom knocked for the third time, cursing and struggling to see through my mass of hair. Fumbling for my phone, I blearily checked for messages, squinting when I saw one from Genny announcing that she was coming over in an hour. I sent back a thumbs up in response and set my phone back down. Eighteen weighed surprisingly heavy on my shoulders as I stripped out of my spandex and tee shirt and climbed into the shower. My hands braced on the shower door and the inside wall, the hot water battering my body awake. I let it run down my face, into my eyes, my lips parting, memories of the night I spent with Juliette passing through my mind. I bit my lip, remembering the way her fingers fit into my thighs where I wrapped them around her waist. Our bodies fit together like they were made for one another, her hard muscles flexing against my curves in all the right places. It had taken everything in me to not beg her to take my virginity then and there. I smiled to myself, and there the expression stayed all through my shower. Reluctantly, I climbed out when the water turned lukewarm, wrapping a fluffy towel around myself and drying my hair as I padded back into my room, not looking where I was going, loosing a shriek of surprise as I bumped into my live-in body guard.

Gasping, I fumbled to hold onto my towel as the one I'd been using for my hair fell to the ground, clasping it in a death grip as Becks stumbled back, her eyes widening. "Fuck, I'm so sorry, your mom said I could use your shower, she said she had an early morning surgery." I rose my brows as she rambled, the nervous habit very much unlike her. I found it amusing that she kept her eyes firmly planted on the ceiling.

Double checking to make sure my towel was secure, I smirked. "I'm barely eighteen and look at you, peeking at me in the shower."

Her face turned beet red, her mouth opening and closing. I struggled to hold in manic laughter when she rose her pointer finger and shoved it into my face, her eyes narrowing dangerously. I thought she would fire back a reply but she didn't, dropping the digit a moment later and storming past me, slamming my bathroom door behind her. I chuckled under my breath, heading for my closet. Pulling out my favorite pair of ripped jeans, I shimmied into a new pair of black lace underwear before pulling them on. Adding in the matching bra, I was digging through my closet for a shirt when my bedroom door opened and Genny sauntered in.

I glanced up and she whistled, a smile curving across her lips. "Damn girl, you look good."

I rolled my eyes, tossing my hair over my shoulder, shrugging a beautiful cropped sweater over my head that my mom had gotten me for Christmas last year. It was grey, fading into a deep purple ombré just above my belly button. The sleeves fell loosely to my wrists. Unfolding my lanky body, I stood to face my friend and barely managed to brace myself as she pulled me into a hug and off my feet, laughter peeling from my chest, the room a blur as she spun me around. I breathed in her faint smell of cigarettes and spicy perfume, grateful for her beyond measure.

"Happy birthday beautiful." She whispered into my ear, setting me on my feet. My hands grasped her shoulders, a grin splitting my lips at the mirth in her eyes.

"Thank you." There had been a time when I had given up on birthdays, having spent so many in the hospital, it wasn't really something I have ever associated with happiness. But now everything was different and I was blissfully alive, ready to face the day with new eyes. I took in my friend with admiration, all the way from her doc martins, up her skinny jeans and white crop top, to the studded leather jacket draped over her shoulders. Her proud features and beautiful eyes were trained on me, and I had the jarring realization that from the second I had met her, I would no longer be alone. It was delayed of course, and I blamed it on birthday voodoo or some shit, but in that moment I was so thankful for her. "Thank you Genny. I don't know what I would do without you, and I truly mean that. You're my best friend and I love you."