The Strangeness Within Pt. 03

She'd done it. Something, anyway. It had never been as clear as this, but she still had no idea what exactly she was doing.

A few minutes later she was fully dressed and walking nervously towards Abuela's door.

"Come," Abuela called before she even knocked.

Esther sat in her usual chair. Abuela was seated exactly as she'd envisioned. Though strangely enough, the sculpture in front of her was only partially complete. Esther could see the patterns of twists and braids that were needed for it to be — whatever it was she'd seen.

Their meeting began as it always did, with Abuela silent, looking at nothing in particular. Esther tried to calm her mind.

"Esther," Abuela said. "Why do you think your moments of vision happen during sexual arousal?"

Esther swallowed her embarrassment. She should not be surprised that Abuela knew this much, or more.

"You told me that I hold myself tightly closed," she said. "I've wondered if those are the only moments I can relax enough to open my senses."

Abuela nodded. "A fair theory, though there may be more than that. The secrets you have held to yourself for so long are centered on your body, are they not?"

She nodded.

Abuela sat still for a long time.

"What is it you fear, child? Even here. Even among others with unusual bodies."

Esther's chest tightened. Of course she was afraid.

"Not like me, though," she said, feeling relieved to finally spit it out. "Nicola is — she's normal. Just a woman with some pretty patterns and extra talents. I'm — I'm not even really a woman. And I can't have children."

Abuela nodded, still expressionless.

"Have you ever observed Nicola and Mark taking precautions?"

Esther paused in confusion. Oh. Precautions against pregnancy. She hadn't really thought about it at all.

"You are less different in certain ways than you may believe," said Abuela. "And what do you see when you look at me? A woman?"

Esther nodded slowly, realizing what Abuela was saying. The old woman slowly stood and undid her tunic until it slipped down below her hips. She was bare underneath it.

Abuela's skin everywhere was pale but barely wrinkled. The freckles on her neck extended down, wrapping her torso in swirling patterns. Her small breasts sagged slightly, but nothing like what Esther would have expected. Her areolae were strangely tinted, blue and yellow. Her body hair became a gray fur near her crotch, and between her legs she was — not ordinary. Maybe something between a normal woman and Esther's strangeness. Esther didn't want to stare, and perhaps it didn't really matter.

"I have had children, watched them grow and age," Abuela said distantly. "Though I lived a long life believing I would not. And yet I cannot say if you or Nicola will ever be able to. There is so little I understand, even after so much time."

She pulled her tunic back on and sat down, lost in thought.

"Keith," Esther said slowly. "He was your son."

Abuela looked at her with her mismatched eyes.

"My grandson," she said softly.

...*** Chapter 19 ***...

"I'm glad you're going out," said Mamá. "You've worked so hard to get caught up." She fussed a little with his shirt as he waited.

Billy had invited him to the end-of-the-season team party at his house.

"It's something special this year, man," he'd said. "Last one. And you said you just sent in your last application, so no excuses."

He heard Samantha's car roll up. He got his jacket and opened the door.

At the end of his driveway waited Samantha and Clara. Both of them looked absolutely gorgeous. He swallowed.

"Have a nice time, mijo," said Mamá, waving at the two women. "What time will you be back?"

"I dunno," he said. "Probably eleven? I can get a ride with someone else if Samantha wants to —"

"Oh, don't worry about that, Javier," she said. "Just make sure you stay safe, and the same for anyone driving. See you in the morning."

Javier went to open the passenger door for Clara, but she beat him to it, laughing.

"Don't try your moves on me, mister," she said. "I know all of them. And I can squish in the back."

Samantha smiled at him. The redhead was wearing bright lipstick and a stunning green dress that was cut shockingly low in the front. Javier put on a confident smile and buckled in.

"Thanks for picking me up, ladies," he said. "Let's go have fun."

* * *

Billy's place was mayhem. The party was at least twice as big as last year, and he'd somehow he'd arranged to have his parents out of town.

"Blind luck," Billy yelled happily over the music. "They mentioned they'd be away and I just didn't mention the party I'd started planning."

Javier shook his head, but Billy's glee was infectious. Javier had made it, all up-to-date according to his teachers, though he'd end up with a handful of mediocre grades. More importantly all of his college applications done. It was like summiting a mountain and seeing a new land stretching in front of him.

Clara grabbed his arm.

"Have some punch," she said, thrusting it in his hand. She'd been hovering around him, laughing a little too much in a way that said she was nervous. Well, so was Javier.

He had a good drink and started to cough. Clara laughed and leaned close to his ear.

"I don't know what's in it, but I like it," she said. Her breath was warm on his neck.

Javier took one more sip of the punch. It tasted really alcoholic, not that he had much experience. He decided he'd better be cautious with the stuff.

Clara dragged him out to dance, and then they were holding each other, a little closer than the song warranted. She looked into his eyes and he smiled nervously. For a moment at the end of the song it looked like she was going to kiss him. He quickly turned and squeezed her arm.

"I'm going to burst if I don't hit the bathroom," he yelled, and she laughed.

When he returned, Clara was getting more punch. For a minute he just watched her.

Medium height. Full-figured, blonde hair. He knew every detail of her skin. The weight of her breasts, the taste of her lips. The way her fat nipples stiffened when he bit them lightly. Everything about her heavenly pussy, and exactly what she needed to have a titanic orgasm.

He'd thought he loved her. But he didn't, really. He couldn't imagine making decisions about the rest of his life around her. He liked her well enough, and he didn't want to hurt her. She turned him on the way no one ever had, at least until Esther. But that wasn't the same as love.

She came back having already downed her drink. When she moved close, he could smell the alcohol on her breath.

"Clara," he said softly. "Maybe you should stop drinking."

"Don't be a party pooper," she said lightly. "Anyway, this is our song!"

She wasn't wrong, though really they had a couple songs. Reluctantly he let himself be pulled out to the throng of bodies, if only so she didn't hit the punch bowl again.

Everyone was so packed together, they could hardly avoid pressing close. Her breasts pushed against him, and her hips moved to meet his. He could feel his body responding to her, the familiarity of two people spiraling together once more. She put her hand on his ass and he didn't stop her. He felt something inside him breaking, all the sorrow he'd dammed away, and he started to shake lightly.

"It's OK," said Clara, pulling him tighter. "I forgive you. We can do better this time. We don't have to think about forever. Just what would make us happy, here and now, as long as it lasts."

She lifted her head, and this time he didn't avoid the kiss. He tasted her lips and could only think of Esther.

He pulled away.

"I'm so sorry, Clara," he said. "I can't do this."

He stroked her face once and quickly pushed his way back to sit in the corner of the room.

She followed him unsteadily, and then something changed and she began to cry, turning towards the door. He saw Samantha intercept her and he breathed a sigh of relief.

The alcoholic punch had hit him too, though not so much as Clara. But he'd almost been ready to do it. It would have been a mess, and then it would have fallen apart again.

He stared at his shoes and listened to the thumping bass. Esther would have hated it in here. He didn't mind it, truly, but he'd give anything to be back with her in their forest camp.

"You all right?"

Javier looked up blearily. Samantha sat down next to him. She was so pretty. He'd always thought so.

"Thanks for checking on Clara," he said. "Is she —"

"She went home with Vanessa," Samantha said. "I was going to stick around a while longer, but if you want, I could drop you off."

"No," Javier said. "I don't want to talk to Mamá when I get home early."

Samantha nodded understandingly, and for a while they sat there together, not saying anything. The way Javier used to with Esther.

"She'd drunk too much," said Samantha. "You did right by her."

"Don't know if I'd go that far," said Javier. "Kind of you to say, though. Want to dance?"

Samantha smiled and gave him her hand.

It was even more crammed than earlier. But Samantha was sober, calm, and quick to smile. Javier found himself enjoying her company a lot more than he'd expected.

She was slimmer than Clara, and taller. Taller than any of his girlfriends, barely an inch shorter than him with her heels. He could look almost eye to eye with her, which he was trying desperately to do, because he was nearly sure she wasn't wearing a bra. There were freckles between her breasts, just like Esther, but of course not like Esther. Her arms were freckled like that too, and probably other places he couldn't see.

He shuddered slightly and tried to make some space, but there wasn't any. She turned a little and their hips bumped. She must have felt his erection.

Samantha was smiling at him, her lips bright red and slightly apart. Slowly she pushed her pelvis into him again. She was so tall that his dick was practically in her crotch.

The song ended and she gave him a little kiss on the cheek. And then she scratched her nails along his back. Right in that instant he couldn't think of anything more erotic.

"Let's get some air," he managed, and she took his hand.

But instead of outside, she was leading him past the bathroom, to the end of the hall. She opened the door to the master bedroom and pulled him right in, turning to lock it.

"Samantha," he murmured, and then she kissed him. Warm strawberry lips and a shampoo he didn't know. He felt as though his dick would burst through his pants. She pressed against him, letting her green dress hike up even more. He went to put his hand on her back, but he ended up grabbing her ass. She was so much taller than Esther. She had a spectacular ass.

He broke the kiss long enough to catch his breath.

"This is a bad idea," he said.

"No," said Samantha. "It's just sex. That's all. You seem to need it and God knows I do."

"Just sex," he said dully.

She was gorgeous, and she was willing. She was right that he needed this. And he wanted her so badly. Esther was gone. Whatever they'd had, they weren't a couple anymore in even the most tenuous sense. Surely it wasn't cheating.

She kissed him again and kicked off her shoes, hopping back on the bed. Her dress slid up to her waist, exposing blue panties.

There were some freckles even up the front of her thighs. She was a little red-faced, nervous or excited, breathing too fast. Like Esther.

His body had already decided for him. Javier kicked off his shoes and flopped partly on his bed, getting his head between her legs.

"What — oh, Christ, Javier."

Samantha moaned when he began to kiss closer and closer to her crotch. When he got to the edge of her underwear, he licked slowly across and then back down. Samantha was struggling to hold still. She grabbed his head, just like Clara would have. But her thighs were thinner, and more muscled. He'd never fucked another soccer player before.

He pulled her underwear down and she spread her legs wide. Bright red pubic hair partially hid her petite pink labia. He'd never seen anything like it.

"You're gorgeous," he murmured, settling his mouth over her pussy. Samantha moaned again, squirming as he got his rhythm going. Up, down, along the length of her hood. His mouth was on autopilot, but he knew how to do this. He felt strangely dissociated, though he could smell and feel every detail of Samantha. She smelled almost just like Clara. So different from Esther. He hadn't realized that fully. Maybe it was something about Esther's strange pubic hair. Or whatever else was different. He shuddered. Samantha was making astonishingly hot noises.

"Javier," she mumbled, gently pushing him away. "Stop, sweetie. That feels too good. Please, I want you inside me first."

He stood up, licking his lips, and she gave him a dazed smile. Quickly he slipped out of his pants and underwear, and she reached for him as soon as his dick popped free.

Her hair clip had come undone, and her red curls spread around her like a halo. She was a vision from a dream. Javier helped her pull her dress even higher, and then he slid his dick through her fiery pubic curls.

"Push it in me," she murmured, stroking his face. "Fuck me hard, Javier."

The moment he entered her, his entire body felt electric, as though he could feel every little hair. Was this what Esther felt?

No, this was just his usual excitement, but at a strange remove. He was as hard as a rock, but he couldn't quite get his mind into it. Samantha was moaning, squeezing around him. She was tighter than Clara. As tight as any of his partners, though obviously she was experienced. It felt fucking amazing, and watching his dick disappear through her pubic hair into that neat pink pussy should have been one of the most erotic thrills of his life.

He stroked her face, and she opened her eyes, looking into his as though searching for something. He didn't know what she saw, but she smiled and opened her mouth slightly. Their lips met and she moaned into his mouth even as her squeezing got stronger. Her shampoo tickled his nose, the erotic spice of something new.

Suddenly she gasped and bit his lip. Her pussy spasmed, once, twice, and then simply gripped him tight. She kept trying to fuck him, though their rhythm was all off. His dick felt immense inside her, a rod of platinum, with about as much response. But she obviously loved it.

He could never do this with Esther.

Samantha finally sighed and he kissed her again. This wasn't going to work.

She opened her eyes and looked at him with a dreamy smile. She was unbelievably cute. He hadn't even seen the rest of her.

"Well, that was a hell of a start," she said. "You want to do me from behind? That's how I get my best orgasms. But you should pick. Christ, you're hard as a rock." She wriggled her ass slightly, impaling herself harder.

He pulled out of her reluctantly, helping her to her feet. Then he lifted her dress over her head. She wasn't wearing a bra. Her nipples were engorged, puffy, with bright pink areolae, and freckles that faded as they got lower. So similar to Esther, and not similar at all. He kissed her once on the nipple and she laughed happily.

She helped him off with his shirt and ran her hands hungrily over his chest. Then she led him to the wall and leaned over slightly, legs apart, presenting her ass to him. Her lips glistened with juice. That gorgeous pubic hair continued all the way back towards her asshole.

"Do it, Javier," she said. "Hard, this time. Stuff it in me."

He flexed his knees and awkwardly tried to get his dick pointed right, narrowly avoiding giving her an unpleasant surprise when he bumped her asshole. When he finally slid inside her pussy it felt wonderful, but they were having trouble with the angle.

"My shoes," she hissed. "One second."

In her heels, it was perfect. He slipped inside her in a single thrust and they both groaned. Slowly she stood up straighter, closer to the wall, until she was nearly upright, leaning on her forearms as he began to pound her harder. He encircled her with his arms, holding her tits still as they fucked. They were so comfortable in his hands. Not as heavy as Clara's. Esther's didn't have any weight to them at all. He buried his face into her back and tried to let his body relax. Her hair was a gentle caress on his forehead.

"The way you're hitting me inside," Samantha moaned. "Oh, god, that's perfect, Javier. You're such a fucking stud."

He felt like a machine, as though he could fuck all night and never come. But Samantha was groaning happily. He'd never fucked in this position. He wasn't sure it was his favorite, but Samantha was going crazy, and that should be doing it for him. The problem was that he couldn't stop thinking of Esther. Maybe she'd found someone like her who she could trust properly. Someone who could give her the pleasure he never had been able to.

He hid his sniffles in sighs and kisses, running his hands along her torso. Samantha was masturbating unashamedly now, much more bold about that than Clara had been, her fingers occasionally bumping into his dick as he pistoned in and out. It felt like hours that he'd been doing this. Her whole body smelled of sex, and she was starting to quiver again.

"Shit," she said. "Fuck, fuck, oh God, Javier, that's it."

She buried her face in her hand when she came, stifling moans that might have been heard even over the thumping music down the hall. When she finally finished, he was still pumping into her mechanically.

"Oh my God, Javier," she mumbled. "I've never done it with someone who could last like this. What do you want? My mouth? Anything. I think I've got to get out of these heels, though."

He pulled out of her, kissing her on the back again. She turned and stepped out of her shoes, wiping her eyes, stroking his dick gently. He was as hard as ever. Distantly he thought her soft hand felt fantastic.

"Could you get on top of me?" he asked. "If more sex is still OK. I think I need it to be gentle."

She kissed him with her strawberry lips, and then he was on his back, his dick jutting back along his stomach. Absolutely coated with Samantha's stickiness. She climbed on top and carefully lowered herself, sighing when she rested on his hips.

She was as beautiful as anyone he'd fucked. Prettier than Clara, truthfully. A perfect body, and with a lot more stamina for sex. Though maybe that was him, this strange mood he was in.

He reached for her and she leaned over. He kissed her lips and then down to the hollow of her neck, guiding her slowly in and out. In and out. She was so tight. The way he'd imagined sex with Esther, before she'd dashed that hope. He closed his eyes and kissed her colorful nipples, hearing her gasp happily. He stroked her firm ass, and she quivered slightly when he got near her asshole. She coughed in surprise when he flicked his finger gently across the tight hole.

"That feels good," she murmured, and so he did it again. Her pussy tightened slightly around him.

He kissed her on the freckles between her breasts, tasting her sweat, moving his dick in a slow rhythm. She giggled happily, and he kept kissing her their. Esther was so much smaller, but he could make believe it was Esther's surprised happiness when he began to circle her asshole. Esther's pussy gripping his dick tighter as he licked around her chest, holding her tight. Esther's ass quivering and Esther's breath tightening when he slipped a wet fingertip inside her.

"No more than that," she whispered. "Just keep doing that, Javier. Oh, god, I've never —"

He felt a warmth deep within him as his body finally began to connect the familiar pieces. He held Esther's fat nipple between his lips, knowing it was a sad lie, knowing that it was what he needed right now. He stroked the strangely smooth skin on her lower back and imagined Esther's shivering response. His lover's body was so hot against his, but she didn't pull away. She began to breathe faster and faster, and the sound of it was enough to finally open the floodgates. He moaned gently.