A Date with Fate (Jessie's Girl)

It was amazing to her. She hadn't enjoyed herself like this since she couldn't even remember how long. Both she and her playmate were laughing so hard they were crying. It felt similar to making love in a way, but somehow, even just a little bit better. Good, clean, wholesome, innocent fun had been unnoticeably missing from Jessie's life for an immeasurable span of time, and she'd had no idea. In her 20s, Jessie would never have fathomed such a healthy source of wild giddy F-U-N existed in her own bedroom every minute of every day, resting beneath her head for an entire third of her life.

Finally, Annabella delivered the winning blow which drained the rest of Jessie's immediate energy and left her supine in the mattress, momentarily dazed.

"Yay!" celebrated Annabella. "I won!" She flopped down on the bed beside Jessie to catch her own breath.

"Now you owe me a kiss," Jessie heard her say.

"Oh, I do, do I now?" Jessie asked amusedly, blinking with her eyes shut to soothe them.

"Yup! My idea, my rules!" Annabella explained. "Winner gets a smooch!"

That made Jessie wonder, But...doesn't that mean the loser also g—...never mind. She shook her head with a chuckle. That's just so Annabella. They turned on their sides and puckered up.

The mattress had become just a bit damp and warm with their perspiration, but that fact lost more significance by the second as Jessie and Annabella danced their way through this luminous kiss. To the surprise of both girls, the kiss lasted much longer than anticipated and led in turn to an exquisite interlocking of limbs as their arms traveled around one another's bodies, fingers linking, legs intertwining as well.

Soft moans ensued. Their enthusiastic bodies clung to each other desperately. Only a sparse amount of energy had replenished from the pillow fight, and it was used right up by this grand display. For just a second Jessie wondered if they were about to make love, but she wasn't quite ready for that, physically or emotionally, and she sensed Annabella wasn't either.

She was right. After bringing the kiss to a momentous end, they left their arms and legs where they lay and let their heads drop for energy refill number two. But Annabella, for whom it took a lot to run completely out of steam, soon bolted upright again.

"Omigosh!" she exclaimed. "I totally forgot!"

She bumbled to her knees on the mattress to let herself down on the floor and snatch up her purse. Purse in hand, she leapt back on the bed beside Jessie, who had almost begun to fall asleep.

"Wha—..." Jessie's eyes rapidly blinked open, the mattress' catapulting propulsion waking her up as Annabella plopped down in it. She shook her head. "What happened?"

"I just remembered what I wanted to show you!" she heard the irresistibly eager voice beside her say.

Jessie looked around and rubbed her eyes. When she saw Annabella, her bearings came back and she smiled pleasantly. "Oh, hi, darling," she muttered drowsily.

Annabella paused what she was doing and turned momentarily to her to grin and return her endearment-tinted greeting. "Hi, honey bear!" she chirped. She returned to her purse and continued digging through it to find what she wanted.

"Oh, I must've fallen asleep," Jessie sat up with a yawn. She pawed at her eyes again. "God, I think I'm getting old."

Annabella laughed. "No you're not, silly, 'cause that would mean I am too!" she assured her. "Ya goof!"

At last, she found what she was looking for: a small perfume bottle. "Here it is, my new scent!" she showed her, waving the bottle. "I wanted you to be the first to try it, Jessie. I really really really really really hope you like it." She gave her neck a spritz with it.

Jessie felt a fair deal of pressure descend on her. She was the most honest person in the world. It was a character trait on which she stood fast and prided herself. In her eyes there was no excuse or justification to ever lie to loved ones—although she felt it was a little more okay to lie to strangers, but still didn't do so. It wasn't in her nature, and even if she tried to lie, it would be with zero conviction whatsoever. Anyone could see through it. So she really really really really really hoped she liked it too.

"Oh, is that, um..." She snapped her fingers, trying to remember its name. "...'Torrid?'"

"Oh, no, no, that one's already on the market," Annabella explained. "This one's brand-new!"

She tilted her head back so Jessie could get a good whiff. Jessie leaned into her neck, closed her eyes and smelled.

"I don't have a name for it yet, but I'm really jazzed with how it came out," came Annabella's voice from above her.

Her olfactory sense registered the scent, sent the signal to her brain, and Jessie's heart grew wings.

"Oh my God," she truthfully gushed, "I cannot believe how good that smells!"

She thought she heard Annabella gasp and let out a resounding "YAY!" but she couldn't tell. She felt intoxicated by this brilliant amalgamated aroma, almost even drunk with sensuality. She couldn't identify all the ingredients at once, but she thought she detected hints of passion fruit, rose, jasmine, blossoms, lavender...and one or two other sublime addends. It was blended divinely. Annabella had a true gift, she could tell. Suddenly, her nose was her favorite part of her body.

My goodness...what does "Torrid" smell like??

"Oh, I'm so cloud nine you like it!" said Annabella, not yet realizing how much of an understatement that was. Jessie latched onto her body, buried her face in Annabella's neck and inhaled her skin.

Annabella giggled. "Ah—he-e-ey! That tickles!"

When Jessie had finally gotten what could pass for her fill of the perfume, she pried herself off of Annabella and let herself collapse back on the mattress again, drowning in the glory of this hauntingly elegant potion.

Annabella grinned down at her. "What do you think I should call it, sugar plum?" she wanted to know.

Jessie opened her eyes to turn to her. "Huh?"

"What should I name it?" she repeated. "Any ideas?"

Jessie thought a moment. "Well, uh...this is just my humble opinion, but...if you're asking me, I'd go with 'Annabella.'"

"Really?"

"Yeah, I mean, I don't really know the business like you, and I don't do anything like this for a living," Jessie started, "But when I smelled it, I got the same kind of sensation I get when I talk to you, honey. Or kiss you. Or hold your hand. To me it smells pure as nature, and you're as pure as falling snow. It's one of my favorite things about you. You make me want to be more like you. And your perfume reflects that too; it smells kind of like the atmosphere of a fairy-tale land I wanted to live in when I was a little girl. I know I haven't really known you that long, but from as much as I know so far, that perfume just screams 'essence of Annabella' to me."

Jessie hadn't planned for her explanation to be that easy. Once she started, the rest just came flowing from her like a river. It was all of course complete honesty, and it brought tears to Annabella's eyes. She emitted a heartfelt whispered, "Oh..." and snuggled up next to Jessie on the bed, crying happy tears on her.

"I love you," Jessie thought she barely heard Annabella whisper to her.

Jessie's eyes popped open. Did...she actually just say that?? she wondered in awe.

She suddenly didn't anticipate being able to get a lot of sleep that night. She was dizzied by those three little magical words. Her heart was far beyond the stages of simply glowing and growing wings. It was racing. She couldn't think quite as straight as normal in this moment. She had never been so excited in her 23 years as this instant of this evening. Her eyes were dancing radiantly. She wanted to start crying right along with Annabella. Suddenly...she knew what happiness was. And she knew what made her happy.

And yet...she was speechless.

She was stunned into silence. Until—

"Oh, nuts!" Annabella said, sitting up again. "I...just remembered...tomorrow's Friday, and...I kinda...gotta split."

"Ah," agreed Jessie, sitting up with her. "Yes, well, when you work five weekdays, Friday is usually one of those days." She was quite disappointed Annabella had to depart, but she'd live.

"Would you please give me a ride home, Jessie?" she asked. "I don't wanna ride my bike home in the dark."

"Oh, of course, babe! I wouldn't let you leave if that was your only means of transportation home."

So once more, they slid Annabella's bike into the backseat and Jessie ferried her home. They hugged and kissed a bit more, and finally Annabella scooted back inside.

They missed each other already.

As they waved goodbye for now and Jessie got back into her car, she wished more than anything in the world that Annabella could hear Jessie tell her she loved her too.

Because she did.

To be concluded.