If Things Had Been Different Ch. 01

It was a Friday in early spring in 1986 and Madonna was blasting from the video screens that were everywhere in the Covent Garden Gym in the heart of London. The gym was considered by some to be intimidating, as the walls were covered in mirrors, providing no hiding place for any extra pounds or inches. Sarah didn't really care, as she was addicted to the gym, coming here whenever she could. Her straight shoulder length brown hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail and with sweat dripping from her body, she pounded the track on the treadmill, having already covered 5km, but she still pushed on at a steady pace.

At 5'1" Sarah was small and compact and kept herself in good condition spending most evenings in the gym, as she didn't really have much else to do in London. She was in the UK for a year's attachment to the company's English branch to learn corporate & labour law from a different perspective. Sarah was not really a mixer and didn't really understand the local culture, so she had become a bit of a 'gym rat.' The exercise gave her a chance to reflect on her work, and heading to the gym immediately after work let her avoid rush hour, before she headed back to her rented flat in North London.

Glancing at the girl running on the treadmill next to her, Sarah smiled to herself, thinking the 20-something year old looked like a large cat as she glided along gracefully. Sarah could see that the girl had already covered 10km, but had barely broken a sweat, only a small dampening under her arms as evidence that she was exercising. The girl must have been 5'8" tall and ran with such poise and demeanour, she was obviously someone in total control of her body.

The girl returned Sarah's smile, and then pressed the button to raise the platform to a steep incline, and Sarah was amazed and admired the way the she just gritted her teeth and drove herself onwards, not breaking the pace for several minutes, until she finally moved the platform back to the level and stepped off the machine.

As they cooled down and stretched in the same general area, Sarah turned and smiled at the woman and introduced herself, "Hi! I'm Sarah. That was some punishment you gave yourself on that run."

The girl looked at Sarah with a wary look on her face, studying her intently before saying, "You're American."

"Wow! They breed them bright over here," Sarah laughed, humour and sarcasm her natural defence mechanism when feeling challenged. "What gave it away, the accent or THIS?" she said, thrusting out her small chest dramatically, displaying the tee shirt emblazoned with the stars & stripes.

The girl laughed and then replied, "Sorry, love, I'm Julie. It's just that I am always a bit wary when someone tries to pick me up."

Taken aback by her assumption, Sarah stammered, "Pick you up?" then added, "I'm not a lesbian... um not that I have anything against lesbians... I'm sure they are nice... as I am sure you are nice... even if you are a lesbian, I mean." Her voice trailed off as her cheeks reddened, and she realised she was digging herself a larger hole with each word.

"How do you know you aren't one?" Julie laughed and queried, "Have you ever tried?" She then roared as she watched Sarah blush, and offered, "C'mon let me lust over you in the shower then you can buy me a drink and see if you can charm me into bed."

Sarah followed her into the changing room thinking it would be strange to undress and shower with a woman who she knew would be looking at her as a sex object, but in reality, she felt totally natural and at ease with Julie. They chattered about various mundane matters like the cost of the gym, the price of a decent meal, and the state of the transport system, while washing away the effects of the workout under the warm spray of the club shower.

Sarah couldn't help glancing at Julie's body and found herself wondering what it might be like to be with another woman. At 26, she had only ever dated guys, and although there were a few lesbians, or rumoured to be lesbians in her home town, it was still something that was frowned upon in sleepy suburb of New Hartford, in upstate New York. Sarah couldn't help giggling out loud when she thought of what her father's reaction would be, if she ever told him she was showering with a lesbian. He would probably have a heart attack, but not before she was declared the spawn of Satan.

"What are you laughing at?" Julie said with a smile as she soaped her body, looking deeply into Sarah's eyes as she did.

"I was just thinking about how my Dad would have a fit if he knew I was showering with a lesbian," Sarah said in reply.

Julie laughed and winked at Sarah and said, "Well, what on earth would Daddy dearest say if he caught you with your head between my thighs?" Sarah tried to splutter her innocence when Julie looked her straight in the eye and said, "Don't try and deny that you have been sneaking looks at my pussy over the last five minutes."

Sarah blushed beet red before stammering, "Well you are bald down there."

Julie turned and took Sarah's hand gently by the wrist and pulled her towards he pussy, "would you like to touch and see how it feels?"

Sarah was torn, for some unknown reason she found herself attracted to this brash, confident, young woman, something she had never felt before, and wondered what was happening to her.

Julie then let go of her wrist and laughed, "buy me a drink then you can get me into bed Ms. Dyke," and quickly turned off her shower and sauntered into the changing area.

As they stood in the Punch & Judy pub in Covent Garden, Sarah found herself drawn to this crazy English girl who, once dressed, looked like a cross between Joan Jett and Madonna, and who had the most wicked and outrageous sense of humour. She would continually insinuate that it was Sarah who was the lesbian, and herself the innocent one being pursued, and the more Sarah tried to deny it, the more Julie would persist, causing Sarah to blush deeply.

At one point in the evening, to Sarah's shock and surprise, Julie leaned over to a couple of guys who had been trying to gain their attention and said to them with a perfectly straight face, "my lesbian lover here," nodding to Sarah over her shoulder, "wants to take me away and ravish me in a Sapphic sex orgy, do you think I should tell my Mum where I am going?" The two men nearly choked on their beer and as they shuffled away, and Sarah couldn't help giggling at her newfound friend's outrageous behaviour.

At the end of the night it seemed to Sarah the most natural thing in the world to go back to Julie's for a nightcap, and deep down Sarah found herself hoping that Julie would take her to bed. Sitting on the sofa in Julie's small apartment, which was just around the corner from the gym and the pub, the sipped the wine that Julie had poured for her.

"I have never done this before," Sarah said quietly.

"You have been with guys I take it?" Julie replied.

"Well yes of course, but ... " Sarah's voice trailed off.

Julie took Sarah's face between her hands and looked at her, "you don't have to love, we could just be friends if you prefer."

Julie didn't get a chance to finish her sentence as Sarah pressed her lips to Julie's and kissed her. Sarah loved the softness of Julie's mouth and opened hers willingly to accept Julie's tongue as it probed inside. As they kissed, the two women removed each other's blouses, pausing for moments to touch or admire parts of each other's body before kissing again with passion.

Soon stripped to the waist, they stood in unison and while they continued to kiss, both removed their own jeans and kicked them to the other side of the room. Touching with what felt like fingertips of fire, they caressed each other as they made their way to the big bed and fell on it in a tangle of limbs. Julie pushed Sarah to her back and positioned herself above her and looked down onto her with love and lust burning in her eyes. This little American girl had captured her heart in a way she had never thought would be possible after the last few years of her life.

Covering Sarah's neck with tiny kisses, Julie kissed down her body to her breasts, where she ran her tongue across each nipple, making them quiver and stand erect. Taking first the left, then the right, Julie sucked each nipple into her mouth, before gently grating her teeth on them, making Sarah moan. Wiggling further down the bed Julie pulled the brief panties from Sarah's body, revealing the thin curls Julie had been secretly admiring in the shower earlier. Tracing along Sarah's pussy lips with her tongue, Julie gently probed inside, seeking out her clit, before flicking it gently with her tongue. Then Julie pushed her tongue deep into Sarah's folds and began to probe and lick vigorously, savouring her juices and the way she wiggled at her ministrations. Having Julie lick her pussy with a style and talent she had never experienced before, Sarah actually thought the top of her head was going to come off. She was by no means a virgin, and had the odd guy go down on her, but it never felt this good, and Sarah realized that this was what real oral sex should feel like. Gripping Julie's hair, Sarah arched off the bed into Julie's hungry mouth, moaning and murmuring as she was propelled to new heights of pleasure, which she had never thought possible. Suddenly, like a dam bursting, Sarah yelled and nearly pulled out a clump of Julie's hair as she orgasmed on her face, and felt Julie literally suck the juices out her.

After several minutes, when Sarah was able to relax enough to untangle her hands from Julie's hair, she laid back on the bed panting with exertion and pleasure, and said blissfully, "Oh my God Julie, that was amazing,' then mustering up her courage, asked, "may I return the favour?"

Without waiting for a response, Sarah rolled on top of Julie and was burning with lust, although she was uncertain what exactly she should do. Julie smiled at her and said encouragingly, "just do what feels natural Sarah, do what you want done to you, what you enjoy."

Sarah wiggled her way down Julie's body, and like Julie had done to her, sucked each of Julie's nipples into her mouth, then gently nipped and chewed on them. Sarah felt a glow inside as she was rewarded for her efforts with a low guttural moan from Julie. Working down Julie's body, Sarah arrived at Julie's brief knickers, and knew she was taking a step into the unknown, but it was definitely a step she wanted to take. Slipping her fingers into the waistband of the panties, Julie lifted her bottom to make it easier for Sarah to remove them, uncovering Julie's bald and extremely wet pussy.

"Touch it if you want," Julie purred, and opened her legs to give Sarah easier access to her essence.

Sarah reached out tentatively, as if she expected it to jump or bite her, and Sarah felt a bliss she had never felt before, as her fingertips came into contact with Julie's inner folds. Lowering her head, Sarah inhaled the fragrance of another woman for the first time and found the aroma heady and overpowering. With an eagerness that surprised her, she leaned into Julie's pussy and pushed her tongue deep inside. The taste was like nectar to Sarah, a flavour she couldn't resist, as she lapped and licked at Julie's folds, savouring juices that spread across her tongue. From the noises Julie was making, it was clear her orgasm was close and Sarah renewed her efforts. When Julie screamed and flooded into her mouth, Sarah almost wept with joy at what she had achieved.

That night the two of them got little sleep as they explored every nook and cranny of each other's bodies, from the back of each other's knees, to the back of each other necks. By the time the early hours of the dawn light came, there wasn't one inch of skin that the other hadn't kissed and licked.

As it was Saturday, and neither had to work, they spent the morning lounging around the flat getting to know each out of bed. Sarah stood naked in front of the mirror, trying to convince Julie that she thought her ass looked big. Julie stood and walked up behind her, and put her arms around Sarah. Looking down onto the top of her head, Julie laughed as she said "everything about you is tiny, I think I shall name you 'short stuff'."

Sarah laughed with joy and clapped her hands as she said, "and I shall call you 'baldy'," wiggling her ass against Julie's bare pussy. Laughing, the two fell onto the bed and were soon in the classic 69 position. Being new to this, Sarah found it hard to concentrate, as Julie's tongue was driving her wild. However, she soon got into the rhythm, and at the first pause in Julie's ministrations, she attacked Julie's pussy with fervour. As Sarah felt Julie's finger slip into her soaking pussy, she did the same to Julie. Then both of them increased to two fingers, and focused their attention on each other's clits. The room was filled with the sounds of squelching pussy and moans of pleasure, followed by satisfied yells, as both of them came simultaneously.

Over the next few months, the two women became inseparable, falling deeply in love, would often walk the London streets hand in hand. Sarah would chatter on, oblivious to all around her, but Julie would see the disapproving looks from older women who would tut or cover their children's eyes, as they pulled them past the young lovers.

Sarah loved the fact that no matter where they went in London, Julie would always know the best place to go, and once they got there, would know the owner of the restaurant, or the bar manager, or the doormen at the night club. Over dinner in a tiny Italian restaurant, where Julie had been greeted like she was a long lost daughter, Sarah asked about Julie's family.

"Don't have any,'" Julie said bluntly, clearly uncomfortable with the conversation. Then added, "but I'll bet you have a large family with your background," flipping the focus off of herself.

Julie sat quietly, listening as Sarah described with love and affection her massive family, which seemed to consist of about a million aunts, uncles and cousins. However, when it came to discussing Sarah's father, a cloud passed over her face, as she described how her father would react to her current living arrangement. Sarah had given up her flat in North London and now lived full time with Julie, and more than once the question of the future had been raised, as Sarah's attachment to the London law firm ended in a few weeks.

Julie knew by the look of worry and concern on Sarah's face that if she did come out to her parents, she would risk losing her father forever, and that would break her heart. A few days later Sarah burst through the door of their shared apartment with a loud whoop, shouting, "Julie... hey baldy... sexy legs... where are you? I have decided..." Her voice trailed off as she stopped and looked round the tiny flat and realised that it seemed emptier than it had that morning, and pulling open the wardrobe, she saw with horror that Julie things were no longer there. Sobbing, she opened drawer after drawer, the void of emptiness growing in her heart. Slumping down on the chair at the kitchen table, where they had made love only a few nights before, she saw the envelope with 'Short Stuff' written across the front. Tearing it open, she stared at the few hand written words, 'Sorry, it's better for you and your family if I don't exist, maybe if things had been different. Have a great life. My heart is yours forever J xxx.'

Sarah sat stunned, as a large tear rolled down her face and hit the paper, causing the ink to blur, as Sarah could only mutter to herself, "we could have at least tried."