Songbird

"My sisters had so much fun doing this, wanting to surprise you and your mom."

"Thanks, Ethan. I don't know what to say."

"How about 'Merry Christmas, Ethan. I'd love to go with you to the Winter Dance'."

Heather stared at him for many moments.

"Me? You want to go to the dance with me? Why? There must be some cute cheerleader who would love to have you on their arm."

"Perhaps. But I'd rather have my cute next-door-neighbor on my arm any day. So will you go with me?"

Heather looked at Ethan, noticing a different look in his eyes. It was still a kind look, but somehow different. She broke into a smile and said 'yes, I'd love to.'"

*****

One day next spring, Heather came home, needing to talk with her mother. She had agreed to play piano for the spring musical as she finally realized she wanted to get back to something she truly loved. But she still hadn't sung a note since her dad died.

Finding her mom in the kitchen, Heather sat at the table with a worried look on her face.

"Ok, sweetie, what's wrong. And don't say nothing, because I can see it written all over your face."

"I never could hide things from you. Mr. Stevens came up to me after rehearsal today to see if I could help him with a problem. Cindy Smith, who is playing Ado Annie, had to drop out of the show because she has mono, and we open in one week. He asked if I would be interested in stepping in for her. He said he knows I know the part, because I mouth the words when she's onstage."

"Ok, so what's the problem? If you know it, and he wants you to do it, why not?"

"Mom, I haven't sung a note since... since dad died. I don't know if I can do it."

Marie sat next to her daughter and gave her a hug.

"I know, baby. But if Mr. Stevens thinks you can do it, and if you know you can do it, why not try? You have to know your dad would be very proud of you."

"I know. I'm just not sure what will come out of my mouth when I try to sing."

"Whatever comes out will be beautiful. Heather, you have a gift - a gift that needs to be shared. I know you're scared; so was I the first time I went back on stage after dad died. But it was something I wanted to do - something I needed to do. And I have a feeling it's the same way for you."

One week later it was opening night, and Heather sat at her makeup station in the drama room, thinking about her dad, how much she missed him, and how much he would've enjoyed watching her onstage. Lost in thought, she didn't notice the flower vase, with one red rose that Amanda put next to her. Looking up, she smiled at her best friend.

"It's beautiful, Amanda. Thank you."

"You're welcome, but it's not from me. I think you have a secret admirer. All the card says is 'Break a leg, Songbird', and it's not signed."

Just then the stage manager entered the room and announced 'ten minutes'. A chorus answered 'thank you, ten minutes' as Amanda gave her friend a hug.

"I have to get back to the pit. You can do this, sweetie. Give 'em hell, Songbird."

And with that, Amanda hurried away, leaving Heather wondering who sent the flowers.

The next night, the same thing happened - another single rose in a vase with the same message. On closing night, another vase appeared, but this time the message was slightly different. It read 'Break a leg, Songbird. Love, Mom'. So it was her mother who was sending the flowers. So after the show she found her mom in the lobby and gave her a big hug.

"Thanks for all the flowers, mom. They are beautiful."

"All the flowers? I only sent some tonight. Who sent the other ones?"

"If it wasn't you, then I don't know. The cards both said 'Break a leg, Songbird'. And neither were signed."

"Well, I guess you have a secret admirer."

*****

It's an eerie feeling, an arena full of thousands of people, all deathly quiet, all waiting to hear what you have come to play for them. Each one thinking, knowing, wanting to believe that you are playing and singing just for them. Consequently, each person stays quiet, not wanting to miss a single note you are playing... for them. Heather was aware of this, but only slightly, as she gathered her wits and her composure, and began to play. The audience thought it was just for them, but Heather knew otherwise. This was for them, of course. But it was also for her father, her mother, Amanda - and for the man she had loved over the years, but thought lost.

But he was here... for her. And knowing that, she wasn't sure she could get through the song without crying. Her eyes were already filling with tears, but she knew she had to do this. Like Amanda said - one more time. Wiping her eyes, and clearing her throat, Heather began to sing.

For you, there'll be no more crying

For you, the sun will be shining

And I feel that when I'm with you

It's alright, I know it's right

*****

Heather and Ethan's friendship grew stronger over the years. She was usually in attendance at his games, cheering him on. In return, he was always in the auditorium for her concerts and plays. They still walked to school together most days, had lunch together, and studied together when they could. And as their friendship grew, everyone around them saw them slowly falling in love. Everyone, that is, except them.

To them, they were simply friends who supported each other any way they could. Their families often vacationed together, giving them even more time to be with the other. They even celebrated their 18^th birthdays together with a combined party. It wasn't until sometime during their senior year when they both seemed to figure it out, almost at the same time. They were studying at Ethan's house for an upcoming AP test, and his mom had made cookies earlier that day. They had a plate in between them, and at one point, they both reached for a cookie at the same time. But instead of grabbing a cookie, each grabbed the other's hand. And like the cliché it is, they both felt as if an electric shock had hit them. They sat there, just holding the other's hand for quite a while before Heather broke the silence.

"Either let go of my hand and let me have the cookie, or keep holding my hand and come over here and kiss me. And I sure hope you do option number 2."

Ethan gave her a small smile and slid his chair next to her.

"Are you sure? Because once we do this, we can't undo it."

"Ethan, I've been wanting you to kiss me for ages, but you never made a move. Now I'm making it. Please kiss me."

He leaned in close and their lips lightly touched. And again, it was electric. Smiling broadly at her, he pulled her close and kissed her again, this time with more feeling. Soon they were making out, not caring if anyone walked in on them. And unbeknownst to them, Becky just happened to walk by as they kissed. She watched them for a short while, a knowing smile on her face, and then left them to be alone.

Meantime, the two friends continued to kiss the other. Soon their tongues were playing and both were breathing a bit harder. After a while, Heather broke the kiss and sat back in her chair. Her face was flushed, her breasts were tingling, and her pussy began to get wet.

"Oh wow. That was intense. But oh so good, Ethan. Why haven't we done this before now?"

"Because I was afraid that if I said anything, you might take it wrong, and I don't want to do anything to screw up our friendship, Heather. I value that above anything else."

"I feel the same. But don't you think it's time we elevated our friendship to a different level? I'd love nothing more to call you my boyfriend, go on real dates with just us, and sit in your car and make out until the windows fog up."

Ethan's smile told Heather he agreed, and she gave him one more kiss.

"Enough for now - we still need to study."

When Heather went home later, her mom was sitting in the kitchen waiting. She noticed a different look in her daughter's eyes, and a worried look on her face. When Heather came in, she sat down next to her mom.

"Is everything ok, sweetie? You have a strange look on your face."

Heather looked at her mom and smiled.

"Ethan kissed me tonight."

"Is that something you wanted him to do?"

"Absolutely. I kissed him back, and it was glorious."

"So what's the problem?"

"What if 'we' don't work out? What if we find out we don't get along as boyfriend/girlfriend? What if that happens, and we stop being friends? I don't think I could take that.

"How did you and dad go from friends to something more? Did that worry you?"

"Not a bit, because we knew what we had was solid. We didn't rush into anything; we took our time getting to know each other and what each other liked and disliked. The two of you have been doing that for almost four years now. I'm pretty sure you know what the other likes."

"Sure, but this is different. We've crossed from good friends into something deeper, stronger, and more intense. I've never felt this way before."

"How did you feel when he kissed you? Did you like it?"

"Oh mom, it was wonderful. The longer we kissed the warmer I got, and when we stopped, I had a difficult time breathing. And he was the same."

"Then I think you're both on the right track. Take this slow. You have plenty of time to figure out what you want. But be careful - I'm far too young to be a grandmother anytime soon, and you're far too young to be a mother."

"Mom, we kissed. That's all. Nothing else happened."

"But did you want something else to happen? Something more than just kissing?"

Heather hesitated, her feelings running through her head. The way her breasts ached, the tingling in her nipples, the way her pussy got wet. She knew what it all meant - she just wasn't sure how to put it all together.

"For a moment - yes. I wanted Ethan to take it further, but I also knew we had to stop with just kissing. For now. And don't worry about becoming a grandmother yet. That's not going to happen for a long time."

Heather then gave her mom a tight hug.

"Good night, mom. And mom - thanks for being such a great mother for me. I love you."

Later that night, Marie peeked into Heather's room, just to make sure she was alright. She had fallen asleep with her desk lamp still on, so Marie quietly stepped into the room to turn it off. Before she did, she looked at Heather, asleep in bed, cuddling with the stuffed rabbit she'd slept with since she was little.

'My baby's growing up to be a beautiful young woman, but I'm glad to see she's still a little girl at heart.'

*****

Basketball season started, and Ethan's team was one of the favorites to win the state title. He was the leading scorer and rebounder, making him a target for all the other teams.

One of their first games after the winter break was against their archrivals from the next town over. The game flowed back and forth until the end of the third quarter when Ethan's team went up by 10. He was driving in for a layup when the opposing center laid a tomahawk chop into Ethan's left shoulder, dropping him to the floor. It was a cheap shot, and everyone saw it. Ethan lay on the ground in pain while his teammates went after the other player. Once everyone was separated, Ethan still was on the floor. Heather ran down to the court, but the coach stopped her.

"We've got this, Heather. Go sit back down; there's nothing you can do right now."

Soon Ethan was sitting up, but his left arm hung at his side. Standing, he glared at the other player, and using his good arm, pointed his finger at him.

"If you've fucked up my arm, Wilson, I'm going to come after you, asshole."

He was worried, because he had made up his mind to focus on baseball once basketball season was over. He was a pitcher, and a lefty with a 90+ mph fastball, so that made him a hot commodity. The other players continued to yell at each other as Ethan made his way back to the locker room, where he was met by the training staff. Nothing was broken as far as they could tell, but the weakness in his arm was concerning.

Just then, Becky and Heather knocked on the door, and the coach let them in. The trainers told Becky what they could, and advised her to take him to the hospital so they could do a MRI to see if there was any damage they couldn't see.

"If you take him now, I'll call over to let them know you're on your way. I'd advise you to do this tonight and not wait for tomorrow. I can meet you there to talk to the doctors as well."

It turned out there was some muscle and nerve damage to his shoulder and arm, but once the numbness went away, he need to do several weeks of PT to get the strength back. Consequently, he missed most of the rest of the season. Despite that, his team went on a winning streak that took them to the state finals - versus their archrivals once again. Plus, it would be the first game back for Ethan, and he was eager for some payback.

At halftime, Ethan's team was up by 25 points, and it was 40 by the end of the third quarter. His coach wanted him to sit the rest of the game, but Ethan wasn't having any of that. He wanted to make a point.

The game had been physical from the opening tip, and was about to get even more so. Midway through the fourth quarter, Ethan found himself on a breakaway, heading in for a dunk, when the player who had injured him stepped in front, trying to draw a charging foul. Ethan didn't care, and ran the player over, knocking him to the floor. Adding insult to injury, as he came down from his dunk, the player was laying on the floor under him - and Ethan just ran him over again, making sure he 'accidently' tripped over the player as he ran up the court. Nothing illegal - just physical. And as Ethan ran up the court, he had the biggest grin on his face.

*****

Spring came around, and Ethan decided to skip track to better prepare for baseball. He was one of the best high school pitchers around, and there was already a buzz that he would be chosen in the upcoming draft - possibly in the first round. So as the season progressed, and the team was winning more and more, the pressure began to build.

At the same time, the relationship between Ethan and Heather kept growing stronger. They still studied together when they could, but with their busy schedules, there was never enough free time for them to be together much, but they did find the time to celebrate their respective 18^th birthdays together.

Ethan had asked Heather to the senior prom, so they were busy making plans with their friends where to go for dinner. There were six couples, so all the parents decided to chip in and get a limo for the kids to be safe. There was going to be an after-prom party at the school as well. But Heather had another plan in store. She had decided to give herself to Ethan sometime after the prom and before the after prom party. It was a cliché to lose your virginity on prom night, to be sure, but it was something she wanted to do. All the couples had met at the high school, so Ethan's car was already there.

The night was magical for the couple. Lots of slow dances, holding each other tight. Quick kisses on the cheek. Each of them rubbing against the other. So when the last dances were announced, Heather whispered into Ethan's ear.

"Why don't we leave now and beat the rush. Besides, I have a surprise for you."

Saying goodbye to their friends, and giving Amanda a knowing look, the couple left.

Getting in the car, Heather told Ethan to drive to a nearby park out in the country. They had been there many times for picnics, so she knew it was a secluded area. Once they arrived, Heather slid as close to Ethan as she could, and they began to make out. Soft kisses to start led into hot, heavy, demanding kisses. After a while, Heather broke their kiss and sat back in her seat.

"So are you going to tell me what my surprise is, or do I have to guess."

"No guessing - I'm just going to show you. I hope you like it."

Smiling, Heather reached behind her back. Both were silent, so the only sound heard was their breathing and the soft hiss of a zipper being lowered. She then reached up to the spaghetti straps of the dress and pushed them off her shoulders. Then she lowered the front of her dress, showing Ethan she was naked underneath. Her large, luscious breasts were now on full display for her boyfriend.

"My surprise is me - for tonight, and forever more, I'm yours. Make love to me, Ethan. Please. Make me your woman."

Heather then moved closer to Ethan again, taking his hands in hers, and placing them on her breasts. They both gasped at his touch; Heather gasped again when he began to rub and pinch her nipples.

Leaning down, Ethan kissed Heather; leaving her lips, he began to kiss his way down her throat, onto her chest, and finally onto her breasts. He kissed all around her nipples, leaving his hands to play with them. Finally Heather moaned,

"Oh Ethan, suck my tits. Suck my nipples, baby. Please..."

Doing what she asked, Ethan pulled one nipple into his mouth and began to kiss and suck, eliciting more moans from Heather. Soon he moved his mouth to the other nipple and lavished it, kissing and sucking for what seemed hours. Suddenly, Heather's body tensed and she let loose a yelp as an orgasm swept over her, leaving her breathless. Moving away, Ethan watched as Heather came down from her orgasm, her breathing slowly coming back to normal. She opened her eyes and smiled at her new lover.

"Oh my god, Ethan. That was wonderful. But that's not all I have for you. I want to get in the back seat, take our clothes off, and make love. I'm on the pill, so there's nothing to worry about that way. Please, Ethan. Make me a woman tonight."

Smiling and kissing her once again, the couple moved into the back seat of Ethan's car. It was cramped, but neither cared. Getting in, they moved to the middle of the seat and began to kiss once again, with Ethan fondling her breasts as they kissed. He started to suck her nipples again until she pushed him away.

"Leave that for another time. I need to have you inside me. Please, Ethan. I've dreamed about this night for months."

Heather then laid back on the seat and pulled her dress up around her waist. Underneath she wore a lacy pair of black panties, along with stockings and a garter belt.

"Sexy enough for you, baby?"

"Heather, you are so beautiful. You could wear a burlap sack and be sexy. But yes, I do like what I see."

Ethan then moved to get into a better position, but in doing so, cracked his head on the interior light on the roof of the back seat. Swearing, he moved again, only to rip his pants through the crotch. Heather began to giggle at his problems, which just pissed Ethan off even more. He leaned over to take her panties off, and when he pulled them down her legs, the lace got snagged on the garter snaps.

"Damn it, your panties are stuck."

With that, Heather lost it. She began to laugh, and soon the car was filled with gales of laughter from both of them. She sat up and hugged Ethan.

"I guess we should take this as a sign - the gods of love don't want us to consummate our love tonight. Zip me up and let's go home and change for the after party. And don't worry - the only person there I'm telling is Amanda, and she'll be sworn to secrecy."

*****

Several weeks before graduation, the couple had their first serious argument. Heather's final chorus concert was Saturday night, and she wanted Ethan there. They usually went someplace for dinner before any of her concerts, but Ethan had a serious conflict.

"What do you mean, you have to break our dinner date. Ethan, that's something we've done for years. How can you do this to me?"

"Heather, what am I supposed to do? Coach just called and told me the game time was changed so the scouts could be there. Saturday is probably my last time pitching this year, and coach told me there's going to be ten pro scouts, and maybe more, there to watch me. This is my last chance to impress them before the draft. Why can't you understand that?"