The Sunshine Project Pt. 02

Chapter 3

Jess

I wake with a pounding headache, heartbeat throbbing and thrumming past my ears. I am acutely aware of my pussy for some reason. I'm wet and tender. I roll over and stretch, glancing at the alarm clock on my nightstand. It flashes with the time of three a.m. in bright red letters. "Fuck..." The power had to have gone out overnight. I reach for my phone to check the time--eight twenty-nine. I can't be late to work; I need this job.

I swipe to unlock, and the first thing I see is a message thread with Allie. I was texting her last night? Confused, I scroll through the messages and read them. To my horror I realize how drunk I actually was. I have no memory of messaging her, but I said some pretty racy things. I can't believe I was so stupid, telling her I was masturbating and it wasn't working. I feel like an idiot. How embarrassing.

I shoot off a text to her apologizing for being so stupid. She's my best friend though, so even though it might be a bit awkward, I know we will laugh it off, and she'll force me to let her sleep over so I don't drink that much again. We'll eat popcorn, watch a chick flick, and that will be that. Hopefully I wasn't too bad for her, and she made it home safe in the storm.

Yawning, I push the covers back and try to sit up. My head spins a little. I had way too much to drink last night, and by the feel of it, way too much fun masturbating. My toy on the nightstand attests to that much at least, though I don't remember much at all.

Birds chirping outside draw me out of bed. I make my way to the bathroom to relieve my full bladder, and on the way, I lightly touch my clit. It's very tender, as if I had the best sex dream, and I'm ready to play. Maybe I will before I head to work. Might make my day a little better to start with anyway. After yesterday and dealing with Cora and Glenda, I need something to help me remember why I'm even in this town anymore.

I sit on the toilet and let my eyes shut as I pee. It stings a little, maybe a UTI, or maybe I just got a little rough while playing. Not sure, don't care, just want to shower and get the day over with. I have to go feed Jackson this afternoon, and maybe I'll take a ride too.

The list of things I have to do runs through my head: feed horse, mow lawn, open bank account, research toy guns. The last one seems pointless. Allie thinks they're worth something, but I don't really think so. Grandpa Gus was just a collector of old plastic crap. I once saw a dozen old bike tires hanging from a hook in that barn and asked him what they were for. He told me they were off my stepdad and his brothers' old bikes, and they never got thrown away. Those toys were probably things they played with as kids and nothing more.

My eyes flutter open and fall to the white tile chilling my toes. There is a spot of mud there, which triggers a memory--or makes me remember a dream. I'm not sure. I have this mental picture of Shep jumping on me after being out in the rain. So given the fact that the power went out and that means there must have been a storm, I assume it's a memory, not a dream. That means I probably had a shower last night, but with the mess between my legs when I woke up, and the light layer of perspiration on my skin right now, I still want another shower.

I wipe myself dry and stand, flushing the toilet and turning on the water in the shower. It heats up as I brush my teeth and hair. Can't have hair monsters clogging the drain. Then I step into the flow of water and let it wash over me, relaxing my tight muscles. I don't want to face this day or any other day. Each one that passes without GG here is a difficult one, and they get harder and harder. By now I'd have texted him good morning, made sure he took his medicine, offered to bring him a coffee on my way to the daycare. Instead, I'm alone, thinking of self-pleasuring before facing a hoard of toddlers and infants whose wealthy parents under packed their diaper bags and forgot snacks.

I turn to get my shampoo, and it's not there. Why isn't it there? I look around the nooks in the shower and spot it on the ground by the drain. As I bend to pick it up it triggers another memory--Allie, fully clothed, in the shower with me. Again confused, I stand there for a moment with my eyes shut and my neck craning backward, trying to remember what happened. Was Allie really here? Was she in the shower with me?

That thought keeps me fixated on what actually happened last night as I lather and rinse my long hair. And when I take the bar of soap and suds it up, rubbing it across my body to wash myself, other images flash through my mind. Allie on her knees, fully clothed in front of me. I touch my clit and a shiver of arousal runs through me. I'm getting turned on by the idea of Allie in the shower with me? What the fuck?

Allie is a good-looking woman; don't get me wrong. She's just my best friend, and it would be way too awkward... But fuck if my pussy doesn't really want to be touched right now and the idea of her on her knees in this shower eating me is just too arousing to resist. She'll never know I had this little fantasy, and it's just in my head anyway.

I touch myself, rubbing across my clit. A little soap makes my fingers slide easier, but without my dildo I'll never get off. I am not walking all the way to my nightstand in the air conditioning, dripping wet, to get the toy. So I look around the shower. and the only thing that even looks remotely like a toy is my shampoo bottle. It's tempting, but it looks too big.

Biting my lip, I deliberate while still massaging myself. The ache is so bad, I'm not even thinking about Allie anymore. I just want relief. I pick up the bottle and rinse it off, holding it close to my entrance. God, it's so big; it's not going to fit, but fuck if I don't want it to fit. I rub it against myself and the ache grows worse, so I do the unthinkable and try to push it in.

Clamping my eyes shut, I thrust that damn bottle into myself and yet another image flashes into my mind. Allie on her knees, fucking me with a shampoo bottle; only with the added sensation of actually putting it into myself, I know this is not a fantasy--it's a flashback.

My eyes pop open and the bottle slips out of my hand and drops to the shower floor. "Oh holy fuck, what did I do?" A sense of dread washes over me, and the need for release is instantly swept away with the moisture my body made as I rub furiously to get any trace of sex off of me. "Oh god," I whimper, starting to panic.

If I somehow convinced Allie--or forced her--to get in this shower with me and have sex... "Oh god." My heart hammers in my chest, my mouth suddenly dry. I shut the water off and grab my towel, not even bothering to dry off all the way before I race back to my bedside table and grab my phone.

The message I sent to Allie has gone unanswered. "Oh god, no." She isn't responding, which means something awful. I just know it. Allie is always awake this time of day. She's usually three coffees deep, in the middle of her commute to Dayton. "Shit!" I'm so mad at myself. How could I get so drunk and let this happen? I never drink that much.

I open my drawer and snag some jeans and a sweater, a bra and panties, and sit on the end of my bed and get dressed. All manner of horrible thoughts cross my mind. Allie feels like she was raped, and she's going to turn me in. Allie feels so upset by my behavior she's angry with me and won't ever speak to me again. A lingering thought plays at the back of my mind that she was really turned off by me. God, what if I've had her all wrong all along?

I jam my feet into my shoes and rake my hands through my hair. It's after eight thirty now which means I run the risk of being late anyway, but I have to go to Allie's apartment and see if she's there. God, I have to fix this. I need my best friend. I can't lose her over something so stupid.

Now having a mild panic attack, I grab my wallet and jog down the stairs, determined to make it to Allie's and then across town to the daycare before nine a.m. If I skip coffee and breakfast and drive as fast as I can, I can just make it--unless Allie is freaking out. Then who cares about work, because a job is replaceable. My best friend isn't.

As soon as my sneakers hit the floor at the bottom of the steps, I see Allie draped across my sofa sleeping. She is wearing one of my t-shirts and a pair of my shorts which are both way too tight on her, but she's here. And she's got the throw from the armchair in the corner draped over her face blocking out the light. An empty bottle of vodka sits on the floor next to her hand which dangles from the sofa cushion precariously.

"Fuck," I breathe, thankful she didn't just leave. That means it's not that bad, right? I am freaking out for no reason.

For a moment all I can do is stand there staring at her. What the hell am I supposed to say to her when I wake her up? Because I have to wake her up now. She's already late for work by at least an hour because she has to make the commute, but facing what we did last night--fuck. What do I say about that?

I think about just slipping out of the house for a moment, leaving her sleep peacefully, but I hear Shep whimper in his kennel. I have to let him out, or there will be a lake in the laundry room by the time I get home. That's not fair to him, and the landlord won't like it one bit. My shoulders sag as I come to the realization that the mature, responsible thing to do is to own up to what happened and wake her up.

Sighing, I set my wallet and phone on the stand next to Allie's bag and scratch my forehead. I'm procrastinating, but anyone in my situation would. I steel myself and walk over to the sofa, parking my scrawny ass on the coffee table. Allie snores lightly; it's cute. I fold the throw back, exposing her face. Her mouth hangs open, and I see drool collected at the corner of her lips.

Her eyes blink open, and she jolts, jerking to a sitting position with eyes wide. I tense, not sure what's worse, scaring her awake or facing the music. She licks her lips and rubs her eyes, and then she scoots away from me, like she's afraid or feels guilty.

"Hey," I mumble, grimacing.

"Uh, hey..." Allie rakes a hand through her choppy blonde hair. Normally it's in pigtails with black bows, but she takes those out when she's sleeping. It softly frames her face. She's pretty this way. I like it; I just don't think right this second is the best time to tell her that.

"Uh..." I nudge the empty vodka bottle with the toe of my sneaker and shrug. "So last night."

"Jess... I'm sorry." She sounds afraid. Why does she sound afraid? She didn't do anything wrong. I totally instigated that whole thing; I can feel it in my gut.

"Al, you don't have to apologize. It's really my fault." I hang my head, ashamed. "I read the whole message thread. I can honestly say I am humiliated." And aroused, but again, I can't say that to her. Not right now.

"Jess, seriously. I--"

"Let me finish." I look her in the eye and purse my lips. "Like, I remember you in the shower... the shampoo bottle. Girl, I crossed a line."

"What?" Allie asks, her eyes flicking toward the kitchen area. "Have you let Shep out?" she asks, and I shake my head.

"No, why?"

"Oh fuck."

"Al? Is something wrong with Shep?" Now I'm confused. I thought she was freaking out because of making me come.

"Okay, so one thing at a time. We had fucking amazing sex." She covers her face and yawns, then runs her hands through her hair, and I hide a grin.

"It was amazing?" I don't remember much at all. All I know is when I piss it burns, which means someone stole something that belongs to me--my virginity. Or rather, I gave it away. Couldn't really have been to a better person though. Allie and I go so far back it's not funny.

She chuckles and sighs. "Yes, it was fucking incredible, Jess. And that thing you did with your fist..."

"My fist?" I raise my eyebrows. "I did what?" This is news. I mean, I've seen some lesbian fisting videos on Pornhub, but I've never even kissed a girl besides Allie.

"Look, okay so we fucked." She angles her body to face me. "We can talk about that more later."

"No, I want to talk about it more now. Like, you're not falling in love with me, right? Because we're best friends, and I can't lose my best friend because of some stupid relationship that goes sideways. I need you, Allie. GG died and now I have only you." My chest clenches at the thought that someday Allie won't be here because I screw something up or because we're not compatible.

She scoots down the couch at lightning speed, settling right across from me so our knees are touching. Then she cups my cheek. "Hey, no, no... Babe, we are besties. Through and through. Nothing will ever change that. Alright?"

"Okay," I say, nodding.

"I mean, I wouldn't mind just fucking around a little now and then."

"And when you get a girlfriend? Or I do? This has disaster written all over it." Allie is nuts. Sex complicates things. People start catching feelings when they fuck someone, which means our relationship would definitely change, and I'm not ready for that. Not after losing Grandpa Gus.

"So the fuck what? Look, we just do what we do. If a new girlfriend for either of us doesn't like it, then they don't get our relationship." She slaps my knee and squeezes it. "Besides, you are really fucking good at oral. I've never had better in my life, and I've had a few partners. Best friends do each other's hair and nails. We're just different. We just do each other's pussies." She snickers, then her face grows serious. "I'm not catching feelings okay. I seriously love you, but that's because you're my best friend. Nothing will ever change that no matter what."

I'm not sure I can honestly go along with friends with benefits here, but that is a conversation for another time. I glance at the clock on the wall above the fridge and notice it's nearing my time to leave.

"I better let Shep out before I leave. You should probably just call in. You're already so late." I stand but she snags my wrist.

"Uh, Jess?" Her voice is timid, and she stands slowly. "There's something I have to tell you."

"What could possibly be worse than the fact that my best friend and I gave each other oral last night while being totally drunk?"

She grimaces then in a playful voice says, "I was technically sober... But that's besides the point."

I roll my eyes at her and pull my hand from her grasp. "Well spit it out," I tell her, walking to the laundry room. She follows behind me in silence but hovers in the kitchen while I open the door. It's dark, and when I flip on the light Shep jumps up on--my shin?

"Holy fuck!" I back away, frightened. Shep playfully launches out at me. There is a puddle on the floor, and his paws are wet. He leaves little paw prints on the linoleum as he races toward Allie, who screams and jumps onto a barstool shaking. "What the holy hell is that!"

"It's Shep," she cries, tears flooding her eyes. "Something happened. And there was a green flash, and thunder and--"

"Oh my god, Allie."

I stare at my dog, only a fraction of who he used to be. "What the hell happened?"

I need to sit down. This is insane.

Chapter 4

Allie

"I'm sorry. Okay? I didn't do it. He spilled the guns, and then he played with them, and I just chased him around. Bam, something happened and a light flashed." I climb off the stool carefully. After seeing Shep jump on Jess and nothing happened, I feel like it's safe to walk around again.

Jess picks Shep up and carries him to the sink and turns the water on.

"What are you doing?"

"He's soaked in piss. He needs cleaned up. I have exactly twelve minutes to get to work." Jess looks angry, but I know she can't possibly be angry with me. This isn't my fault. I trudge around the peninsula and nudge her to the side with my hip.

"Look, we're going to figure this out. Alright? I'll bathe him and clean up the mess. I have a half day of vacation. Beck will cover for me." I take hold of Shep by the scruff of his neck while the water warms up. Jess looks overwhelmed and afraid. Her head hangs, and she stares at him in disbelief. I had to drink pretty much the whole bottle of vodka just to knock myself out, so I totally get it.

"So the guns aren't just toys?" She looks me in the eye, and I shake my head.

"I have no clue. What the hell was your grandpa into?"

"He was a scientist at Wright Patt. Military experiment shit or something. Fuck..." Jess drapes herself over the counter and moans. "God, I hate my fucking life."

"Jess, stop it." I push my hip into hers, and she straightens. "We are going to figure this out. Got it? Now get your ass to work before you lose your job. I'll come over tonight after I get off work."

"Urghhhh," she growls and stomps her foot.

"Go!"

She turns and slouches before heading toward the door. When she is almost out of sight she looks over her shoulder and asks, "Did we really fuck last night?"

"Yep... Best sex of my life."

"I was a virgin, you know."

I stand there staring as she vanishes; then I hear the front door open and shut. "God you little turd, this is so fucked up." I douse Shep in dish detergent and scrub him clean, then toss him out the back door while I mop up his piss mess. Once his food and water dishes are full, I lock him in the kennel, race to Jess's closet to find anything that might fit me. She has a black skirt that has some spandex in it. A little tight but not totally unprofessional. All the tops she has are too tight on my tits, so I rifle through a box in her closet and find a sweater. She loves the damn thing because it's big and baggy, but it's bright fucking pink.

"Great," I groan, realizing everyone in the office is going to ride my ass for looking like a girl for once, but I have no choice. I jam my feet into my combat boots and head back downstairs without even so much as a cup of coffee and snag my bag, cell, and keys on the way to my Jeep.

The interstate traffic is light this morning, so it's easy to throw my hair up in pig tails while driving nearly twenty over, and I squeal into the parking lot just in time to clock in at ten thirty. Being a case agent assistant sucks, but my degree isn't finished yet. I can't get the real job I want at DFS until I finish my bachelors. Then I can work with kids instead of just shuttling them around and babysitting them while the real case agents do the hard-hitting stuff. Like Beck--she's been at this for three years now and with her degree she gets to really help kids.

One day...

Until then, I just report to her. Today I hope she has my back. She can be really bitchy at times. Sometimes I think her head might explode when things don't go her way, but today, the instant I walk in I see she's in a good mood. She smiles at me and sets a cup of coffee on the corner of her desk as I walk past her.

"You're later than you said in your text."

I cringe. The text--sent hastily as I was mopping the piss up--indicated I'd be here twenty minutes earlier, but that was before I had to tear everything in Jess's closet out to find a shirt.

"Sorry. Car trouble." I pick up the coffee and sip it. Cold--fuck. "I owe you one."

"Damn right you do." She turns her chair and leans back in it. Her skirt is a little short too, but she paired hers with stilettos and hose. She's got great legs though, and the tall heels only make her toned legs look sexier. "Rough night?"

I shrug one shoulder making my bag bob at my side. "I mean, you could call it that." I sip the cold coffee again and brush a stray hair out of my eyes. I missed it when putting the rest up. I'll have to fix that right away, or it will drive me nuts all day.

"What'd you do? Looks like you lost some weight..." She nods at the sweater, even a little baggy on me. Not sure how Jess even wears this damn thing.