Drawing Her

* My entry for the 2020 Geek Pride event, and also my first lesbian themed story.

When I read about the event, an idea came to mind to base it on drawing. Then that idea expanded when fellow author Lemonletters inspired me when she showed off her fabulous legs in fishnet stockings, and became more complete with a little inspiration I received from LibertyMarshmellow98.

So my thanks go out to these two wonderful authors. :-)

*

1 - Apprehension

Roseanne sat down at the small table in the farthest corner of the campus coffee shop, the one in the lesser used part of campus and thus less crowded than the other coffee shops. It was partially hidden behind a planter with low broad leafed and medium height plants, creating a natural barrier. The spot made for a good place to draw between lectures and she took out her sketch pad and pencil case, and took a bite from her peanut butter sandwich and a sip from her chocolate milk while her eyes darted over the crowd. Most were the usual students in their small cliques. Plenty of nerds because most advanced classes were on this side of the campus, some preppies who were not just fashionable but also intelligent enough, more students who took one or two advanced classes, and even a small group of punkish girls clad in leather or jeans, and t-shirts or sweaters with a loud colours and image prints.

Roseanne's eyes rested on one of those punk girls for a little longer. A girl with Asian looks, dark, almond shaped eyes, short black hair on the sides with the rest brushed up in large curls of lime green on top of her head, and who was often dressed in a leather jacket with patches from, what Roseanne suspected, punk bands, a tight leather mini skirt, fishnet stockings, and flat sneakers, black with green laces and highlights. Roseanne had instantly loved those stockings, tied at the back of her lightly tanned thighs with a bow string. Not to have them for herself, but for how good they looked on the girl's smoothly curved legs.

She only knew her name was Ji Rin because they had a couple of the same advanced lectures, which she hadn't expected when she saw her for the first time in class. One of the prejudices she'd picked up from home but unlearned here at school to her own relief. She had no idea what Ji Rin's score was, but was pretty sure it wasn't low since that would've caused some remarks from the teachers during classes. The large, chromed circle earrings the girl wore wiggled, and Roseanne noticed her looking back. She looked down at her open sketch pad at once and hoped it seemed like she glanced only casually.

The hairs in the back of her neck rose at the sound of the dismissive and slightly nasal voice she heard next. 'Oh, hey Roseanne.'

She looked up into the smug face of Manon, the girl who'd been a classmate back when they were young, and who bullied her once in a while. Usually when she got herself into trouble, or in recent years, when she was dumped by a boyfriend. At other times she was merely annoying. Her friend standing next to her, Giacoma, only tagged along to be part of the group of wannabe preppies. Roseanne wondered what Manon's mood was today and why she was here when she always hung out at the other coffee shops. 'Hey.' she said without enthusiasm.

Manon sniggered and looked at her friend as she gestured at the sketch pad and the drawing of a magical girl in manga style. 'I thought she'd outgrown drawing kiddy stuff by now.' She snatched up the sketchpad before Roseanne could protest, but she didn't have the courage to speak up anyway. She just hoped they made fun of her and moved on quickly.

Manon and Giacoma giggled as they flipped through the pad. 'Just look at these silly things, who takes such childish things seriously?' said Manon. 'Dumb shit.' She stopped at one sheet. 'What's this punk character?'

Roseanne's heart exploded in panic. She'd totally forgotten about certain sketches in the pad in her nervousness and agitation. 'Give it back!' she said as she reached for the pad.

The sudden outburst startled Manon into stepping back at once, and with a jerk from her hand, the pad flew across the space and landed at the feet of Ji Rin.

Roseanne froze as she stared at Ji Rin looking down on the pad. The punk girl put the cup in her hand on the table and glared up at Manon and Giacoma. 'You're disturbing the other guests here. Either sit down quietly, or get out.'

The two noticed her friends gazing in disdain at them, and their misplaced confidence vanished at once. Manon nudged Giacoma. 'Let's go. This place is no fun.' she said and walked away with restrained haste, while Giacoma followed her on her heels.

Roseanne stood up and walked over to Ji Rin to retrieve her sketch pad as quickly as possible. 'Thank you.' she said and squatted to pick it up. Ji Rin put her foot on the edge of the pad quickly and Roseanne nearly fell on her rear in surprise.

'Let's see what this is all about.' said the punk girl as she picked up the pad, curious to know what made the meek girl suddenly defy her bullies.

'No, please!' said Roseanne. 'Please give it back!'

'Oh?' said Ji Rin as she looked at the manga styled portrait of herself, keeping a straight face while giggling on the inside. Her friend sitting next to her just smiled.

Roseanne's heart sank and her stomach turned into a twist. "She's going to make fun of me and hate me." she thought with cold sweat in her palms and dripping down her back.

Ji Rin flipped to the next page and Roseanne cringed as she knew the next drawing by heart. At the sight of the realistically drawn full portrait of her, Ji Rin had more trouble keeping a straight face. "Wow." she thought to herself. From the corner of her eye, she noticed an approving nod from her friend, and she felt flattered she'd been the subject of choice to draw. The level of detail surprised her a little since her net stockings were intricately drawn with thin lines. She flipped to the next page and forced her mouth to fight the smirk, seeing the various sketches of her legs in stockings. She closed the pad and handed it back to Roseanne.

Roseanne took it as she stood up, averting her eyes from Ji Rin, and quickly put her pad in her bag along with her pencil case and open sandwich package. Screwing the cap correctly onto her bottle of chocolate milk with trembling fingers took her a couple of tries, and she shoved it quickly into her bag. She picked up the bag and nearly had a heart attack when she turned to leave.

Ji Rin took Roseanne by the elbow with slight firmness. 'Come with me.'

Roseanne's heart raced while she saw herself getting yelled at or even beaten up at a secluded place, but she still didn't dare to pull herself away from the grip on her elbow because she didn't have the strength in her slim body to defy the punk girl.

'I'll see you guys later.' said Ji Rin to her friends as they passed their table.

'Be gentle.' said one of the girls, and the others giggled while the blood drained from Roseanne's face.

The two left the coffee shop, and Ji Rin led Roseanne up the paved foot path to the nearest campus building. Roseanne knew there were few people in there at this time of the day and racked her brain to think of how she could persuade Ji Rin from harming her. She hoped doing chores or school work for her would suffice since she had little extra money to hand over.

They went into a side door of the building and Ji Rin pushed Roseanne with her back against the wall inside the short hallway, and leaned against it with both hands planted at shoulder height to keep her trapped. She looked straight into her eyes 'So, you like to draw my stockings, do you?'

Roseanne clutched her bag, squeezing her shoulders to prevent touching Ji Rin's lower arms and looking everywhere but at her, and swallowed.

Ji Rin needed to know ever since she spotted Roseanne glancing often at her a while ago. 'Speak up. Do you like to draw my stockings and legs?'

Between the chill of the cool wall seeping into her back and the warmth radiating from Ji Rin's presence in front of her, Roseanne shut her eyes and nodded reluctantly once.

Ji Rin touched Roseanne's red-brown and slightly curly hair and let it flow through her fingers. 'And you like to draw me as well?'

Roseanne nodded quickly once again, and shrank back against the wall when Ji Rin pulled back. She braced herself for the slap in her face or the hit in her stomach.

The girl had something completely different and exciting on her mind. 'All right. You're going to draw me again.'

Roseanne's heart stopped and her mind screeched to a halt. She looked upwards at Ji Rin, unsure of what she heard. 'I.., what?' she muttered.

Ji Rin stepped back and put her hands in her leather jacket's pockets to keep her calm composure. 'You're going to draw me again.'

The words had trouble sinking in. 'I, will? Again?'

Ji Rin chuckled on the inside at the pleasure of teasing the easy girl. 'Yes. If you don't, I'll let everyone at campus know about what you drew. Understand?'

A slight dizziness came over Roseanne from her relief. It was still a strange demand, but it was something she could do with little trouble. She nodded quickly.

'Good girl.' Ji Rin said, and held out her phone. Roseanne looked at it, then puzzled upwards. The punk girl sighed as if a five year old would have understood what she was supposed to do. 'Your phone number, of course. And address.'

'Oh!' Roseanne said, and quickly took the phone and created a contact with her details. She handed it back to Ji Rin, who looked at it once before returning it with hidden satisfaction to her pocket.

'I'll call you.' she said, and went outside again.

Roseanne's knees gave way, and she slid with her back against the wall onto the cold floor, and puffed hard to catch her breath and slow down her pounding heart. She groaned when she realised she had given her her address. There would be nowhere she could hide from her now.

***

Roseanne arrived tired from lack of sleep at the first lecture the next day. She'd been very conscious of her phone and nearly jumped at every sound it made from messenger notifications. She contemplated muting her phone, but the thought she might miss a call or message from Ji Rin and her consequent revealing of her hobby in punishment refrained her from doing so. Thinking the lights of passing cars shining into her apartment or any noise she heard might've been from her phone kept her from easily falling into slumber.

She was glad she only had a few lectures this day and stepped into the classroom for the last one, and noticed Ji Rin sitting at her usual place at the back corner on the window side. Her heart pounded but she was relieved Ji Rin was paying attention to her phone and not the people around her. She sat down quickly with a sliver of hope the girl had lost interest in her, or would soon lose it.

The professor had just handed out a short essay to read when her phone vibrated in her skirt pocket. Distracted by interest in the essay's topic, she fished the phone out and glanced at the message.

The class looked up at once at the short yelp and the clatter of Roseanne's phone on the floor. She picked it up in embarrassment and the glance at Ji Rin clearly showed the amusement in the smile on her face. She put the phone away in a hurry with a pounding heart, while the words ran through her head. Wait for me after the lecture.

Roseanne's feet wanted to hurry home at the end of the lecture but her heart didn't dare to. She couldn't concentrate during the second half of the lecture and wished the day was over already while she clutched her bag and waited a little farther down the hallway. The time passed excruciatingly slow while the rest of the students left, and when the professor left, she wondered if Ji Rin had pranked her or if she had expected her to wait somewhere else. She pulled out her phone again and checked her messages. Nothing was said about a place to wait and she looked up and down the hall in slight panic. Ji Rin would surely be mad at her and she weighed her options on which way to go to find her, and tucked her phone in her pocket again to head for the nearest exit.

A tiny yelp escaped her when she nearly bumped into Ji Rin walking through the class doorway.

'Didn't I tell you to wait?' Ji Rin said. 'I had to finish up some stuff.'

Roseanne looked down. 'I just thought you had left already.'

'Why would I leave when I told you to wait for me?'

'I, just thought..' she began, and stiffened when Ji Rin pushed her in her lower back and nudged her to walk down the hallway with her.

They left campus, and a block later Roseanne realised the way was familiar. 'Ehm, where are we going?'

Ji Rin raised an eyebrow at her. 'Your place, of course.'

Roseanne's heart pounded hard again. 'Why?'

'Because it's way too busy at my home with the family and all to draw me.'

She could see how that was a bother and agreed her own apartment was a good, quiet place to draw, but her eyes opened wide in a new panic attack when she remembered her room was littered with anime and manga merchandise. She might have gotten away with just her collection of art books and posters, but Ji Rin would surely laugh at her and tell her friends about it, and then the whole campus would know. She noticed they'd arrived at the building when Ji Rin bumped a little into her at the entrance.

'Are you still asleep?' she asked and chuckled.

Roseanne cleared her throat and gave a hesitant smile, feeling cold sweat running down her back again. She fished out her keys from her pocket and unlocked the door to the entrance hall.

Ji Rin held back her chuckles when Roseanne looked like a trapped bunny as they went up with the elevator to the top floor, holding her bag in front of her and glancing at the floor number display and the elevator doors. The clunk of the mechanical doors opening made Roseanne jump slightly, and Ji Rin could barely believe how jittery the girl was and wanted to tell her to relax, but she wanted to keep up the image of a dangerous punk girl bullying a geek girl for a little longer. She thought it made Roseanne even more endearing.

Roseanne unlocked her front door, and stepped aside after entering the short hallway. 'Ehm, this is my home.'

Ji Rin stepped inside the hallway with light wooden floor and white walls, and smelled the soft sweet fragrance she had expected an apartment with a girl like Roseanne to smell. She examined the two large pen drawings depicting female Greek statues on the opposite walls at the end of the hallway. 'These are good. Very good.' she said, admiring the fine detail and cross shading.

Roseanne closed the door and blushed a little at the unexpected compliment. 'Thank you.'

Ji Rin looked back at her. 'You drew these?'

Roseanne gave a shy nod. 'I studied old techniques and practised with different pens and ink and paper until it looked right. It-' She reined in her enthusiasm before Ji Rin would get bored, as others did when she began talking about drawing. 'It was a challenge to myself.'

Ji Rin hummed in approval. 'You have what it takes to become a professional artist.'

Roseanne looked away. 'I can't.'

Ji Rin was surprised at the defeat in the girl's voice. 'Why not?'

She sighed. 'My parents won't allow it.'

'Ah.' Ji Rin said and knew exactly what that was like. Her own parents wanted her to be an ideal young lady and she rebelled. The compromises they settled on were her punk looks and good grades, which didn't take much effort for her to get in the first place. She knew she needed them for her own future. She gestured at the door behind her. 'This way?'

Roseanne looked up quickly. 'Oh! Yes.' she said and cringed a little when Ji Rin walked into the large, open space that was her combined living, kitchen, and bedroom, with the outside brick wall featuring large windows. Her heart pounded hard again as she watched Ji Rin take a few steps, turn around slowly while taking in the interior, her gaze lingering at the shelves full of manga, anime, and figurines, and the table littered with drawings and sketches of manga style characters.

'Lots of room. How did you get this place?'

Roseanne went inside, putting down her bag and unsure of what would happen next. 'My parents pay for it. They don't like the idea of me living in a dorm or share a place with roommates. They say I should focus on studying and not be unnecessarily distracted by the fooling around of other students.'

"Your parents would like mine." thought Ji Rin. 'But they allow your manga hobby?'

Roseanne froze. The moment of truth had come. She wiped her clammy hands on her skirt. 'I hide most of it when they visit.'

Ji Rin nodded, and untied and took off her sneakers. She noticed the puzzled look on Roseanne's face and gestured at the short row of shoes next to the door. 'You take your shoes off indoors, right?'

'Oh! Yes, indeed.' said Roseanne and took off hers while Ji Rin hung her jacket on the coat rack above it.

Apart from a small square area at the door, the entire floor was covered in a thick rug and Ji Rin wriggled her toes in the soft layer. She walked over to the tall windows and looked out over the two to four storey buildings in view. 'Lots of light and an open view.'

Roseanne unpacked her bag and organised the contents on a desk at the wall. 'They approved of my drawing as a healthy artistic hobby, so I was lucky they let me have this apartment. And I mean the kind of drawing you'd find in muses. I kept most of the other drawing hidden.' She joined Ji Rin at the window and looked at the view she'd mostly memorised from all the times she just sat there watching. 'The sunrise is really beautiful to wake up to.'

Ji Rin glanced at Roseanne's lightly dreamy smile and her eyes gazing into the distance, and her determination to continue with her plan solidified. 'It would be indeed.' she said softly.

Roseanne looked at her. 'What?'

'I could go for some tea.'

Roseanne's ingrained desire to please kicked in. 'Oh, right. I'll heat up some water.' she said, and went to the kitchen. She filled the water cooker and switched it on, and held on to the counter when her legs almost gave out. A few deep breaths were needed to regain some strength in her shaking legs, while she hoped the sense of relief that had caused it wasn't wrong.

Ji Rin sat down in one corner of a deep, cream coloured couch with seats so soft she sank a little into them. Roseanne returned with two cups of hot water and a carton with a mixed selection of teas, and sat down on the other side, her cup perched on her knees in both hands and a bag of strawberry tea drifting in it. Ji Rin picked strawberry as well and sat back again, leisurely crossing her legs, and enjoying the innocent girl's flushed face while her eyes tried to avoid looking at the prominent legs as they sipped their tea. 'Where do I look best?'

Roseanne coughed as she nearly choked on her sip of tea and thought Ji Rin made a sarcastic remark about glancing at her. 'I'm sorry!'

A corner of Ji Rin's mouth went up. 'Should I sit there where your easel stands? Or is there a better place to sit at this time?'

Roseanne looked at the corner on the window side where she kept her easel and a couple of high, wooden stools to sit on and place her drawing materials on. 'Oh, yes, no. I mean, the light is good there, yes.'

Ji Rin finished the rest of her tea and stood up. 'Shall we?'

Roseanne downed the rest of her tea and stood up quickly. 'Yes.' she said with a little wheeze from the still slightly hot liquid.

She brought another stool with padded seat over and Ji Rin sat down on it, found a comfortable position by sitting with one foot on the lower ring connecting the stool's legs, and one on the upper so she could lean a little forward on one knee with one arm. 'Let's do it like this.'