Make This Last Forever Pt. 04

Dani cut the conversation abruptly short and stormed over to the picture hanging off the board. From far away the photograph looked like a nondescript woman posing in skimpy clothes but from up close it showed a topless blonde lying on a bed wearing only her panties with her hand stuffed down between her underwear and her crotch. Dani's heart sank when she realized the blown-up photograph was a still from one of the videos Lindsay made of her. The picture caught Dani with her mouth open in mid-moan and it was quite obvious that she was masturbating and enjoying it. A caption in large block letters below the picture said, 'DANICA MEADOWS CLASS OF 2014!!! REMEMBER ME??? TEN YEARS AND STILL AS SLUTTY AS EVER!!!'

Dani's face turned red and she gritted her teeth in anger. She growled like a jungle cat as she tore the poster off the wall in one swift motion and ripped the paper to shreds. Dani heard some of her classmates snickering and laughing at her from behind and she turned around to catch her old "friend" Lindsey with a hand covering her mouth as she laughed uproariously.

Lindsey smiled with smug satisfaction as she strode nearer and asked, "Did you like our poster, Dani? Courtesy of the Cornwell Class of 2014 Reunion Planning Committee! Welcome back!"

Dani threw the scraps of paper in Lindsay's face and cursed, "You are such an unbelievable fucking cunt!"

Lindsay used her hand to brush away the paper caught in her hair and said, "Jesus Christ, lighten up Dan Dan. It's only a joke."

"Not funny," Dani said as she fought back tears. "Haven't you done enough already? Will you ever stop trying to ruin my life?"

Dani felt her anxiety peaking and worried this latest incident would set off another panic attack like she had experienced yesterday.

"It could have been worse, you should've seen the videos that Paige and Halley-Anne wanted to include in the slideshow," Lindsey mentioned slyly. "But you're already well-familiar with those though, aren't you?"

Dani curled her fist around the front of Lindsey's dress and drew her in menacingly near. Lindsey's eyes grew fearful as Dani gripped her clothing and raised her fist as stared at her adversary with hatred. Lindsey shrank back and worried that she had taken this a little too far.

Dani knew punching Lindsey couldn't alter Dani's past or change what had been done to her, though it would undoubtedly feel immensely satisfying. After relishing the look of fear she saw in Lindsey's eyes, Dani lowered her fist and released her hold upon the woman. Dani could at least be comforted knowing she was a much better person than Lindsey could ever hope to be.

"You and all your friends can leave me the fuck alone," Dani seethed as she pushed Lindsey away from her forcefully.

Dani took a deep breath and wiped a single tear away as she walked purposefully from her onetime best friend. She should have known Lindsey or Paige would try doing something horrible to her tonight. That's who they were. Some things truly never change.

17

Dani, Lindsey, and Paige marched through the main hallway of their school, surveying the mass of subjects that they lorded over. The juniors were the most popular girls at their school and the Queens of Cornwell High ensured that everyone knew it. Rita and Halley-Anne were also members of this most exclusive clique, but Dani, Lindsey, and Paige were the three inseparables who had been best friends since elementary school and did everything together. The lone deviation between the trio's paths had been sophomore year when Paige joined Rita and Halley-Anne on the varsity cheerleading team while Dani and Lindsey left that team to become captain and co-captain for the flag squad instead.

"What about you, Dani?" Paige asked before taking a sip from her cup of soda. Cheerleading practice took place after the free period they shared and Paige already wore her cheerleading uniform since she knew how much it made the boys drool over her.

"When are you finally going to get your V-card punched?" Paige continued to harp after her mouth made a refreshed noise. "You and Trevor have been together two years now. It's obvious how hot you guys are for each other."

Dani really disliked how blatantly her friends discussed their sex lives, especially Dani's. Their constant questioning and prying into her private life made Dani feel all sorts of uncomfortable.

"I already told Trevor that I didn't feel ready yet," Dani sighed. "I promised him we would do it the night of senior prom if it doesn't happen before then."

"Senior prom!" Paige cried in disbelief. "That's over a year away! Poor guy..."

"Good God, you're a prude, Dani," Lindsey piled on as she rolled her eyes.

"Am not!" Dani protested. "I've at least, you know... touched it."

"You're at least blowing him, right?" Paige asked. "Ball tickling isn't enough."

"Yeah, he's got that bitchin' Camaro," Lindsey added with a leer and a lift of her dark eyebrows. "Plenty of room in the backseat."

"Well, no..." Dani said as she lowered her eyes, though she wasn't sure what to feel ashamed of.

"How are you going to keep a catch like Trevor around if you don't even give him a taste?" Lindsey asked. "People are going to start thinking you're a tease."

"Guys, I'm really not comfortable talking about this," Dani stated. "Can we please change the subject?"

"Fine," Paige replied. "But just remember what's really important: BJ's."

"Oh my Gawd, ewwww," Lindsey said with disgust as she nodded her head in the direction of a long row of lockers. "Look at those freaks!"

"Sick!" Paige screeched.

Those two weird goth girls were busy making out at their locker with Ashley pressed up against Sam as both their hands clasped tightly together below their waists. What shocked Dani most of all was the happiness showing on the girls' expressions as the two of them frenched each other unashamedly. Sam and Ashley usually looked so grim and moody on their own but whenever they were together their faces brightened considerably. They hadn't yet noticed the three most popular girls in school gawking at them as they swapped saliva.

"Watch this," Paige said with a daring grin.

"Paige, don't!" Dani begged as she reached for her friend but it was too late to stop her.

Paige slammed her fist into the locker right next to the goths with enough force that the loud noise made the two girls jump.

"Hey fags!"

Ashley nearly jumped right out of her skin and when she turned to see Paige standing nearby her lips curled into a grimace of distaste.

"Fuck off already, Paige," Ashley sighed. "I'm not in the mood for your bullshit."

"You'd better show some goddamn respect, tubby!" Paige retorted. "You're fucking nothing! The fact that I even noticed you should make this the greatest day in your pathetic life. You should realize that I decide who gets to stand in the hallways in my school. I also decide who's allowed to make public displays of affection."

"Just let it go, Ashley," Sam urged as she tugged on Ashley's arm while Ashley held murder in her gaze. "She's not worth it."

"You fags aren't allowed to dyke out in my school any more," Paige continued. "I'm telling an administrator the next I see any of that shit. I'll make sure you two never get to see each other in school again."

"How about I make sure you never chew your food again?" Ashley threatened with a raised fist.

"Back off, hippo," said Paige. "Otherwise I'll get you expelled faster than you can get through a buffet line."

"What, are you gonna tattle on us like a little baby would?" Ashley scoffed. "That's weak shit, Paige."

"Wouldn't matter to me," Paige shrugged. "There's no place in this school for freaks and homos like you. We don't want your kind here."

"Paige, that's enough!" Dani said sternly.

"Why are you defending them?" Lindsey asked Dani with suspicion.

"I just don't want us to get in trouble," Dani replied weakly.

"Go fuck yourself in Hell, dyke," Paige told Ashley as she tipped her cup up high enough until the lid popped off and her soda poured all down the front of Ashley's shirt.

Ashley stared down in shock as her shirt became entirely soaked and clung to her chest enough that her bra showed plainly through the cotton fabric. Ice from the cup clattered to the floor beneath her and more soda drenched her shoes and pants. Paige laughed at her victim and called her even worse names.

"That's enough, Paige!" Dani yelled. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

Ashley stared at Paige with utter hatred and growled at her before lunging in attack. Sam grabbed Ashley from behind to try holding her back.

"Administrator," hissed Sam in a vain attempt to whisper a warning to Ashley.

"You fucking cunt!" Ashley screamed in Paige's face as spittle flew from her mouth.

"Now what in the heck is going on here?" said an older man walking down the hallway toward them. The owner of that monotone voice was Daniel Charles, one of the several Vice Principals for Cornwell High.

Paige straightened her back and put on her most innocent face as she replied, "I-I don't know sir. This girl just knocked my drink down and started screaming at me. I think she might have some mental issues."

"She poured her drink on me," Ashley cried in outrage. "She's a liar!"

"Totally," Sam added. "Compulsively."

"It seems like you girls are in my office every other day for some new trouble you're in," Charles said with a roll of his eyes in Ashley and Sam's direction.

Charles turned to Dani, one of the brightest girls in the school. "You're trustworthy, Dani. Who's telling the truth?"

Dani glanced toward Ashley who stood dripping wet with her shirt completely soaked through. She held a silently pleading expression on her face. Dani's gaze again found her friends who looked at her expectantly. There was a dangerous glint in the eyes of both Paige and Lindsey and for the first time Dani found herself afraid of what they might be capable of if you crossed them.

Dani sighed audibly but lied, "It was just like Paige said."

Charles nodded as if his suspicions had indeed been confirmed and said, "That's exactly what I thought. Ladies, my office. Now. We need to discuss your suspension."

Paige started giggling uncontrollably and tried to cover it up with a cough as Ashley stared in openmouthed disbelief at the vice principal.

"That's not fair!" Ashley cried.

"I don't want to hear it," Charles said sternly. "You ladies are already on thin ice considering your previous misbehavior."

"At least let me help clean Ashley off and get her in some dry clothes first," Sam begged.

"Fine," seethed Charles. "Go to the ladies room and then be in my office in five minutes. One more day of suspension for every minute you're late."

Sam grabbed Ashley's hand to lead her away but before she followed Ashley turned back toward Dani and leaned close.

"You're a fucking coward," Ashley whispered just loud enough for Dani to hear.

Ashley walked away in a huff alongside Sam, leaving Dani to be disturbed by her last comment.

Once Charles was out of earshot, Lindsey snapped, "What the fuck was that hesitation about, Dani?"

"Seriously," Paige added with exasperation. "For a second there I thought you were actually going to throw me under the bus."

"You know I would never," Dani protested. "Sometimes you guys are too mean. They're weird, messed up girls. Can't you just leave them be?"

Lindsey patted Dani on the top of her head and said condescendingly, "Oh Dani, you are too precious and kind for this world."

"Hey, Lindsey!" Paige giggled. "Maybe Dani's a dyke just like those goth bitches!"

"What!" Dani yelled in indignation.

"Yeah, that's how it starts, isn't it?" Lindsey mused. "First you're sympathizing with them and then before you know it you're sticking your tongue inside someone else's vagina."

"Gross!" Dani said with a look of disgust. "I would never! Stop saying things like that!"

Paige and Lindsey both laughed at Dani's expense. They loved how red her face would get whenever she felt flustered or embarrassed.

"Halley-Anne told me she saw those two freaks in the locker room together after their Aerobics class got out," Lindsey mentioned. "They thought they were alone. H.A. said they were making out and grabbing each other's boobies. She said the skinny one even stuck her hand down the fat one's gym shorts."

"That's disgusting," Paige responded. Then after few seconds she added, "What else did they do?"

Lindsey shoved Paige with a laugh and said, "You're the disgusting one."

Lindsey didn't catch it but Dani saw for herself the curious gleam of intrigue in Paige's eyes as Lindsey told about Sam and Ashley doing stuff together. It was almost like she wanted to hear more and was disappointed that the story ended.

Dani had her own moment of reflection as her friends joked about Dani possibly being a lesbian. It was the first time Dani ever considered even the vague possibility of feeling sexually attracted to girls. Her gaze had always been drawn to the female form, often noticing when a girl had bigger tits than hers or when the pants Paige wore made her ass look really good. Dani chalked her leering up to simply having an appreciative eye for the beauty of other women. That was it, right?

Dani knew homosexuality was a thing but that lurid subject never got discussed in their conservative small town. She had never really considered the mechanics of lesbian sex until seeing Sam and Ashley making out and hearing about them doing other stuff together. Dani imagined being with a hot girl like Paige or Lindsey. Kissing them. Touching their most intimate places. Tasting them. Dani's thoughts took her down some disturbing roads and she realized with a shudder that she had actually become aroused from imagining lesbian sex. She squeezed her thighs together at the sudden realization that she was wet down there.

Fucking out-of-control hormones, Dani thought ruefully.

"Yo, Earth to Dani," Paige said as she waved her hand in front of Dani's face.

Dani shook her head as she returned to reality and asked, "What's up?"

"You've been in a trance for like the last minute," Lindsey explained. "What's going on in there?"

"She's thinking about how she will come out to Mr. and Mrs. Meadows," Paige jested. "What will Mommy and Daddy think?"

"Will you knock it off with that shit?" Dani complained with perhaps too much veracity. "It stopped being funny forever ago!"

"Maybe if you blow Trevor this weekend we'll quit questioning your sexuality," Lindsey suggested.

Dani rolled her eyes and said, "Fine. I"ll suck his dick. Will that make you perverted bitches happy enough to get off my case?"

Paige and Lindsey both cheered at Dani's concession and Paige gave Dani a pat on the back as she said, "I knew somewhere beneath that prude exterior there was a kinky slut just waiting to be unleashed."

"When he comes in your mouth for the first time and you swallow his spunk you'd better dedicate the act to us," Lindsey quipped. "The two best friends you will ever have."

"You guys are literally the worst," Dani grumbled.

"But you love us anyway," Paige said cheekily.

Dani had no desire to put her boyfriend's dick in her mouth but decided doing so was worth the unpleasantness just to get her friends off her back. She put all thoughts of lesbianism, or Ashley, or Sam out of her mind and threw her arms around the shoulders of her best friends as they strutted their way down the hallways of the building they ruled over.

28

Dani seethed as she tried to keep calm and avoid blowing her top while stomping away from Lindsey and her vile amusements. As hard as it was to believe now, up until the final month before graduation Dani was the most popular girl at her high school. Unlike the rest of her inner circle, Dani commiserated with the nerds, band geeks, artsy kids, and outcasts who made up the less reputable social classes of their school. Though an utterly foreign concept to her close friends, Dani believed in treating everyone nicely regardless of their social status and everyone loved her for it. Now Dani's classmates probably only remembered her as that one hot girl who turned weird and later became internet-famous for having sex with other women on camera.

It appeared most of the attendees at the reunion were purposely avoiding her and the few Dani did speak with made excuses to leave within a minute of Dani initiating conversation. Dani knew it was a mistake coming here. She should never have returned to this shithole of a town. Dani sighed with resignation and disappointment as she made up her mind to leave. Dani hadn't seen Ashley or Sam yet so her whole reason for coming was invalid anyways. Dani experienced a sudden desire to visit that lesbian bar Cuntry again to find a stiff drink and a warm body to share a bed with tonight. She had been able to stave off her self-destructive urges before; hopefully Dani would succeed again lest she fall into the trap of a relapse. Before Dani could leave she felt a hand brush against her shoulder and heard someone's voice from behind.

"Dani, is that you?"

Dani turned to see a short, pretty brunette the same age as Dani standing before her. She had short, thick brunette hair that hung down past her neckline and long bangs that swooped to the side of her forehead. The woman wore a very smart-looking light-blue colored suit jacket and grey slacks that gave her the appearance of a professional businesswoman. She seemed familiar but Dani couldn't remember anyone like her from high school. Dani peered into the stranger's face for a few seconds before recognition dawned on her. It was that beautiful, unmistakable smile that gave her away.

"Ashley?" asked Dani tentatively.

"In the flesh," Ashley replied as she spread her arms open wide.

Dani surprised Ashley by rushing over and throwing her arms around the shorter woman. Dani squeezed Ashley so tight it forced the breath from Ashley's lungs. Dani's outpouring of tears flowed freely as she laid her head against Ashley's and refused to let her go.

Ashley wrapped her arms around Dani's waist and chuckled as she said, "It's good to see you too."

"I missed you so much!" Dani sobbed.

"Ha, I missed you too, girl," Ashley replied as she patted Dani on her back.

Dani finally released her hold upon Ashley after a solid minute-long hug. Her friend handed Dani a handkerchief from out of her jacket pocket to help Dani dry her tears and Dani took this opportunity to get a better look at how her friend had changed.

No wonder she hadn't recognized Ashley. The last Dani had seen her Ashley had even shorter hair that was dyed purple and blonde. She wore gothic makeup and dressed herself all in black to go with her several piercings. Now Ashley painted herself with regular makeup and had a plain, though very pretty haircut. The most shocking part was seeing Ashley in high heels instead of the black Chuck Taylor's she always wore. High heels!

Who is this strange woman and what did she do with the Ashley I use to know, Dani thought with amusement.

The most substantial change to Ashley's appearance was the amount of weight she had shed. Ashley had always been a larger girl who acted very self-conscious about her weight ever since Dani first met her in elementary school. For her part, Dani had always loved the soft thickness of Ashley's body. Because of her wide body frame, Ashley would always appear a bit large but she must have lost at least forty or fifty pounds since Dani saw her last a decade ago. Now Ashley possessed sultry, bending curves and Dani found herself appraising Ashley's body appreciatively. Most appreciatively.

"I almost didn't recognize you!" Dani exclaimed. "You look absolutely stunning, Ash!"