Italian Exchange Program

At the bar, the atmosphere was alive with a symphony of clinking glasses and hushed conversations. I ordered a double whiskey sour, the cool glass a refreshing counterpoint to the fevered anticipation that coursed through me. I downed it quickly to loosen up my body and slow down my mind.

Georgie's keen eye caught sight of a familiar cluster of our fellow exchange students, their laughter and animated gestures beckoning us to join them on the dance floor. The weight of the alcohol I'd consumed began to weave a soft, numbing embrace around my senses, easing my nerves and coaxing my body to sway with newfound confidence. A lightheaded euphoria danced at the periphery of my awareness, infusing the surroundings with an ethereal glow.

As we approached the group, the pulsating rhythm of the music synchronized with our hearts and our breaths and our footsteps. The DJ, I guess, was some famous guy from Ibiza on the first leg of a European tour, so the club was especially dynamite-charged.

Once enveloped by the pulsating sea of bodies, I shed my self-consciousness and left it to dissipate on the floor. The alcohol, now warming my veins, emboldened me to move with an uninhibited grace. My movements flowed seamlessly with the crowd. Our fluid dance blurred the lines between individuals and transformed us into a collective entity. We weren't just a bunch of dumb American students anymore; we'd become another group of people in love -- with ourselves, with each other, with the world.

With every sway, every twist, and every leap, I felt a sense of liberation that transcended any lingering nervousness. I was relaxed and having a great time until, only a few feet away, I spotted a familiar flash of dark hair and hazel eyes.

Lottie.

Oh my god.

She was wearing a flowy red skirt that moved with her body and a black lace crop probably better categorized as a bra. It was impossible for me to look away from her as my eyes hungrily consumed the way her hips rolled and her breasts bounced. When I was finally able to rip my eyes away, I tried to turn my body back to the crowd so we wouldn't run into each other in any sense of the world. It was too late, though. She'd spotted me just as I tried to stop her from doing so.

In a few seconds, I felt her hand on my arm. She leaned in close and said, "Hey Addie! It's good to see you!"

I swiveled toward her. "Is it?"

"Sorry I've been such a bitch at home!" She hollered over the music, "Ever since I came out a few years ago, my dad is super touchy about how I treat female students, like I can't help myself from anyone with tits who breathes!"

I laughed as my chest lightened. "Wish you'd found a time to tell me that earlier!"

She grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the bar, where it was quieter. She got both of us a cup of ice-cold water, which I drank gratefully. Once we'd both had a few sips and steadied our breathing, she said, "You look...different."

"I hope so, considering I pretty much only wear sweats at home," I replied. "Good different, I assume?"

"Very good." Lottie sucked in a deep breath, her eyes unabashedly roving over my body. I could feel Georgie's eyes burning into the back of my neck. "Honestly, you look really hot."

I laughed. "You're drunk."

"I don't drink," she told me, and I could tell she was being honest. Her eyes met mine, clear and serious, as she told me, "You're gorgeous. Maybe my dad was right."

It was my turn to take a deep breath. I wasn't stupid; obviously, I realized she was coming onto me. But I didn't know how to return the flirtatious favor, so my cheeks just blushed. I crossed my fingers that the low lights would stop her from seeing. After pausing for a few seconds to collect myself, I said, "Well, you look really hot, too."

She took another sip of water and said, "By the way, I realized you were gay from your one blog post about dating in New York."

The blush in my cheeks darkened "I'm not trying to hide it or anything."

"You shouldn't. Any girl would be lucky to get with you."

"Trying telling that to, like, anyone else." I sighed and leaned against the bar. "Nobody's even wanted to kiss me before, especially not the girls I hoped would."

Lottie's eyebrows knitted together. "I'll kiss you right now, if you want me to."

Our eyes locked.

A silent but certain need passed between us.

Her lips met mine as she pushed me against the bar. I know it's stereotypical, but, at that moment, time seemed to slow down, and the world around us faded into a distant hum. Lottie's lips were soft and warm against mine. Her touch was confident yet gentle, as if she had been waiting for this as much as I had. Had she been thinking about me that way the whole time I'd been there, pushing it down so nobody would notice? The sensation of her body pressed against mine sent shivers down my spine, and I instinctively wrapped my arms around her waist, drawing her closer.

The kiss deepened, and our mouths moved in sync, exploring each other with a growing hunger. It was as if we were discovering a new language alongside Italian and English, a language of desire and connection that spoke directly to our hearts. The taste of her was a mix of warm sweetness from her heat and lip gloss and a chill from the ice water she had been drinking.

Eventually, we pulled away, our lips parting with a soft, lingering gaze. Lottie's fingers brushed against my cheek, and I leaned into her touch, savoring the tenderness of it. "There. Now, you don't have to say that ever again. You want to dance with me?"

I smiled. "Definitely."

Leaving the bar area behind, Lottie and I found our way back to the dance floor. The music was a steady pulse that resonated in our ribcages. As we joined the crowd, the streaming lights cast a kaleidoscope of colors on our skin. Lottie's hand slipped down to the small of my back. We swayed to the beat, our bodies moving in harmony as if we had danced together for years.

The distance between us closed, and soon we were touching constantly. Our eyes met, and a playful spark passed between us. Lottie's smile was infectious, and I found myself grinning like a fool, lost in the euphoria of the moment. As we talked against each other's ears and ground our bodies together, Lottie's laughter rang out, carried away by the music and the cheers of the crowd. We shared whispered conversations amidst the thumping bass, our faces close as we exchanged stories and jokes. The club lights cast fleeting glimpses of her features--the curve of her lips, the twinkle in her eyes--and each one felt like a secret shared between us.

As the hours slipped away, the club's closing time loomed on the horizon. The music gradually slowed, transitioning into a more mellow melody, but our dance didn't falter. We held each other close, swaying to the softer rhythm, our bodies pressed together as if reluctant to let go. And then, as the last notes of the song resonated through the air, the lights dimmed, signaling the end of the night. The crowd erupted in cheers and applause for the DJ who'd set us ablaze through the night, a celebration of the shared experience. Lottie and I held onto each other for a moment longer before reluctantly pulling apart.

As we made our way toward the exit, the early morning light began to filter through the club's entrance. The world outside was quieter and gentler. Catching our breaths, cheeks flushed, we exchanged a knowing smile. She said, tentative, "You know, Mom and Dad brought the boys to my grandparents' for the weekend, so we'll have the house to ourselves -- if you wanted to watch a movie together or something."

Fifteen minutes later -- my text sent to Georgie -- we were in her bedroom, both changed into our pajamas, as she flipped on her laptop, halfheartedly scrolling through a streaming service while we talked. I was the most nervous I'd ever been. I knew what I was getting into as she started some recent release, the volume low. We were on our sides, looking at each other. Lottie's pajamas were a bralette and shorts. I'd worn an oversized tee that went to my mid-thigh and underwear. Our eyes walked over each other's bodies, taking in the exposed inches.

After a minute, Lottie broke the almost silence between us.

"Nobody's ever kissed you before I did?" Her first finger trailed a line over my lips that made me shiver. "That's criminal. Does that mean...?"

Her voice trailed off into the question everyone was both dying to and terrified to ask. I told her, my voice soft as a mouse, "Yes. Haven't had the time, I guess."

"Well," she replied, voice seeking and nervous. She still had the confidence of beauty and experience, but I could tell she didn't want to overstep. But, ultimately, she added, "We've got the rest of the night, if you want. Parents won't be home until tomorrow evening at the earliest. Plenty of time. If, you know, that's not-"

"It's not." My breaths came shallow and quick. "I'd really like to-"

Lottie kissed me, then, knowing that it would turn into a whole awkward conversation if we continued. She started out soft and tender, gently guiding me onto my back and looking down at me between sweet kisses, which she planted on my cheeks, forehead, chin, and nose to get me to laugh. Against my ear, she said, "Just relax. No pressure."

Then, she moved her lips to my neck, tucking my hair away to one side. Her lips were warm against my air-conditioned skin, causing hairs to rise along the back of my neck as she worked her way downward. Her mouth pointedly kissed along my jawline, under my ears, across my collarbones, making sure that no part of me was neglected. Every time she made contact with a new part of my skin, I felt a new wave of sparks charging through me.

Lottie pulled back and then undressed me slowly, methodically. She lifted the hem of my tee upward and guided it over my arms and head. My smallish, b-cup breasts met the orange light of her bedside lamp and the white glow of the laptop. I'd always felt insecure about them, but the way that Lottie devoured them with her eyes jolted me with confidence.

She took my breasts in her hands, rolling my nipples between her thumbs and forefingers. She massaged them as she kissed me, our lips kneading and needing one another. Our tongues found each other's and danced slowly, intimately, like we had at the club. Lottie's hands slipped down to my waist, her mouth following behind until reaching one of my nipples. My back arched. A moan tripped out of my lips as she sucked on me, ramping up the intensity until she learned just what made me squirm. Her arms wrapped around my lower back, holding me tight against her as my body reacted to the way she played with my nipple.

My pussy already drenched with want, I moaned as Lottie kissed her way down my body, taking her time to ignite every nerve in my body. She reached my hips and pulled my underwear off, discarding it on the floor as she got her first look at my sex. Her eyes glowed with desire. She shut the laptop and put it on the nightstand so we could get comfortable and spread out. Confident and strong, she moved my hips with ease and directed me to lay back on the pillows at the center of the bed while she settled on her stomach.

Lottie took a deep breath and said, "Don't ever let anyone tell you that your pussy is anything but stunning."

"I've never even thought about it," I admitted.

She looked up at me seriously. "Well, it's perfect."

Then her mouth made contact with my pussy, lips parting so her tongue could begin massaging my clit. Any anxiety I'd had about that moment fizzled out of existence as she slowly eased me into the simple pleasure. I let my head fall back on the pillows, thinking about nothing but the way her mouth felt on me. She started by flicking up and down, but, when she switched to wide, methodical circles, I groaned and shivered. That made her moan, too, and the vibration against my pussy was nothing short of divine.

Her middle finger slipped inside of me. I'd never had anything in my pussy before and it added a new layer of intensity and pressure. I'd always assumed it would take me a long time to cum -- if I could at all -- during my first time, but the way she found the right place to stroke inside of me brought me closer and closer by the moment.

Lottie didn't rush. She didn't push. I could tell she didn't have any expectations about my orgasm; that fact alone made it even hotter. She was happy to lavish there between my legs, tasting me and teasing me as long as both of us wanted. When my legs began to shake, though, she moaned again, pleased with herself.

My whole body flooded with warmth and gasping heat as I came with someone else for the first time. My thighs clamped around her head and she grabbed my hips to hold me closer to her face as my cunt spasmed. The pleasure became too much and I tapped her on the shoulder; she slowed down to where I could still take it, teasing the orgasm out longer and longer while I regained the ability to breathe.

Lottie kissed each of my thighs tenderly before crawling back up, straddling me. Hovering her finger near my lip, she asked, voice sultry smooth, "Have you ever tasted pussy?"

I shook my head 'no,' of course.

She parted my lips with her finger and said, "Taste yourself."

I took her finger into my mouth, surprised by the pleasantness of the bittersweet taste. I wondered how different she tasted from me and how much variation there was even beyond the two of us. How much sweetness and sourness and flavor there was to be discovered out there now that I could go out without that "virgin" label hanging from me.

I asked, quietly, trying not to be too meek, "Will you teach me, too?"

Lottie grinned and kissed me, the taste of me still tangy on her lips. "Of course."

After she shimmied out of her shorts, leaving only a cute lacy thong, I scooted upward so that she was sitting more in my lap. With the heat of orgasm loosening me up, I reached around her, to the clasp of her bra, and undid it easily. I slipped the straps down her arms, not letting myself look at her breasts until they were completely free and begging for my attention. Her tits were bigger than mine, large enough to totally fill my hands and spill out some.

Her nipples were dark brown against her olive skin. I couldn't resist dropping my head down so that I could take one in my mouth. This was one of the moments I'd always envisioned in my mind. It definitely lived up to my expectations. The clean, slightly salty taste of her skin. The soft gasp that went from her lips to my ears. The way that her back arched ever so slightly.

She took my right hand in hers, adjusted so she was on her knees, and put my fingers on her panties. My heart skipped in my chest at the heat and dampness that radiated from her cunt. Still sucking on her nipple, harder now as I read her reactions, I slipped her panties aside and felt her wetness for the first time. Even feeling somewhat spent, the hot slickness that enveloped my fingers made my own pussy pulse.

Right against my ear, her voice glowing and heady and intoxicating, Lottie said, "Just play. Explore. Start with what works for you, and I'll guide you from there."

What works for me. Okay. I dipped my middle two fingers into her wetness to slick them. Then, I rubbed circles around her clit, eliciting a soft 'good girl' that made me shiver. My mouth left her nipple and met her lips again.

As I went, I learned to listen to her body. At certain motions and positions, she would moan a little breathier, a little louder. Her legs would shiver differently and her eyes would shut tight. The way she moved edged me forward; all I wanted was to make her feel as sexy and as desired as she'd made me.

I lifted the hood of her clit just slightly with my thumb, and that slight exposure made her groan deeper, throwing her head back with ecstasy. Then she hunched forward, wrapped her fingers in my hair at the back of my neck, and kissed me hard. I smiled against her lips, which opened slightly at the change that felt just right, the motion that sent waves through the, the touch that made her breaths heavy and fast.

"That's perfect," she breathed, her hand tensing in my hair, nails massaging my scalp. "Keep going, just like that."

She didn't have to ask me twice. I kneaded her nippled with one hand and worked her clit with the other whole she leaned up against me. Thank god I'd done varsity sports so I could tense my body enough to support her weight. I wanted to let her give in. She leaned against me, her moans making love to my ears, until she was grinding against my hand.

When she came, it was with the most beautiful sounds I'd ever heard. Her voice rose into the walls of the house, high and low at different moments. Beads of sweat ran down her skin, mingling with mine, and she caught my lower lip between her teeth, biting down slightly as she rode through the orgasm.

As her breaths drew in slower again, Lottie pushed me back on the bed and kissed me. "See? There's no reason you can't get laid. You just have to get out there."

"To be fair," I chuckled, "I didn't have to go very far to find you."

She rolled her eyes and shoved my arm as she flopped down next to me on the head. She wiped the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand. "Yeah, yeah."

After we'd gotten dressed again, Lottie started the movie over so we could actually watch it together. The flickering light from her laptop screen painted shadows on the walls, creating a softly glowing cocoon as we curled up under the blankets.

The film's storyline unfolded, but truth be told, my attention was divided between the screen and Lottie's presence beside me. I stole glances at her, her eyes fixed on the screen. The subtle warmth of her body next to mine and the gentle rise and fall of her breaths created a comforting rhythm that began to lull me toward sleep.

The night deepened, the room enveloped in the velvety darkness. The movie eventually ended, credits rolling across the screen, but I hardly noticed. With a yawn, my eyes closed in contentment, lulled by the tranquility of the moment. As the night wore on, our bodies remained intertwined, breathing in unison

And then, as the soft light of dawn began to seep through the curtains, I gradually woke back up into the silent house. As I opened my eyes, I watched Lottie still asleep behind me. The tendrils of morning sunlight played upon her peaceful features. As I watched her breathe in and out, a serene realization washed over me. This could actually be my summer. Not just academically. Not just making new friends. But actually being able to find myself -- whoever that might be -- for the first time as an adult.