Sold

My eyes fluttered open, and I rolled over with a sigh, not needing any time to remember last night. It was the first time in my life I'd had sex and it didn't involve sad tears, chains, bounds, or incest. It was perfect.

When I landed on just the cool mattress, and not Justan's chest, my eyes shot open completely and I looked around, confused. Where'd he go? My heart dropped when the thought of him leaving because he'd gotten what he wanted crossed my mind.

Maybe he had some stuff to do and didn't want to wake you up. My eyes narrowed, and I rolled back over to look at the clock. 12:14, it glowed, not 3 seconds later, it was 12:15. I looked for the little dot to tell me it was A.M., but it wasn't there.

Why do you always have to be right? I got up and rolled out of the bed and began to put clean clothes on; I needed a shower, but I figured I could get one later. Secretly, I was glad that Tiffany was right; it meant that he might actually care.

You're welcome. Smug, as always, was her response.

I laughed lightly, pulling a hair bow from my bag and tying my hair up loosely. Then began to walk down the halls, my stomach growling; it was time for brunch. I decided when I got to the stairs, that I wasn't going to risk tripping, so I just slid down the banister, laughing once I hit the bottom with my butt.

"Oh! What? Who's hurt?"

"Clair!" I rushed up and hugged her. "Oh my! I owe you a birthday party! You're sixteen!" My eyebrows knitted but my smile stayed. "But you've been sixteen, so it's got to be special." My smile widened, and my eyebrows let up.

"Are you .. okay? Feeling sick?" The back of her cold hand touched my forehead, and I didn't even flinch!

"Just the opposite!" I squealed, a giggle in my voice.

Claireese just stared at me for a long moment before her mouth opened into an "0" shape, and her face turned red. "Oh! Oh gosh, okay!" I laughed and hugged her. "So he took your ...."

"Nope," I chirped, her comment cheering me up just that much more, "but he is the first I've willingly been with!" Her eyes widened, but my smile just grew. Nothing, nobody could wipe that goofy grin off my face.

"You mean, you were .... By who?!" Her sentence changed when she caught my head nod. My grin remained.

"My dad, and I couldn't tell you how many of his friends!" She was slack jawed for a while before I decided to push her mouth shut; my cheeks were staring to hurt. "But don't you see? That makes it just that much more special! I chose to do it. My own choice!" I beamed, my smile growing; if possible. I felt like the Cheshire cat; poor guy, had to smile like that all the time.

"Oh...kay...." She was taking it all in. "So, what are you doing down here then?"

"Well, I woke up, and he wasn't there so -"

"Oh! I was supposed to give you this." Now she was grinning as she gave me a little stick-it note.

"Lil', I had to go with my mom to meet up with someone. Behave yourself,
Justan." I giggled slightly, and looked back up at Clair; who was eying me curiously, her head tilted slightly to the left.

"What?"

"What'd you say you were doing down here?"

"Oh, yeah! Umm, well, I -" my stomach made a gurgling noise -" that's why." I laughed as Clair giggled. I smiled at her, and she gave me a bewildered expression before walking toward the kitchen, me following quickly behind her.

"You know, that look is sort of creepy."

"Huh?"

"Your smile." Her light laugh made me want to smile more, but I turned it down a notch; or two.

"I'm sorry, I'm just so happy!"

"I'll bet." She laughed again. Why was she laughing at me? Did I do something?

"Claudia!" I sang as we entered the kitchen, only to stop dead in my tracks.

Whoa.

I'll say.