The Shape of the Path

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

I wish to stress that this novel is purely fiction and is in no way autobiographical or a biography of another person or persons.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the Author, except where permitted by law.

ISBN: 978-0-9934292-1-7

Acknowledgements

This book is dedicated to my wife and my mum – both of whom I would never have accomplished this novel without.

Chapter 1

Kathryn sat down and leant back against the cold, white wall, letting out a long, tired sigh. Her school basketball team had just won the Girls Annual Basketball Tournament for the fourth year running and it felt bloody fantastic. She had been team captain for the past two tournaments and was relishing the moment with the broadest smile while her mind floated in the sea of success.

She closed her eyes and let her thoughts return to the recent memory of the unbeatable lay-up she performed. She had leapt two clear feet off the ground to make certain that the ball followed its intended path. Her long arms stretched as far as they would go to basket the points needed to bring the score to a tie. Immediately after, Kathryn’s teammate and lifelong best friend Rubie, landed a jump shot from outside the circle to earn three more points, winning the match and the title for the summer of 1994.

The intoxicating sensation swirled around and over Kathryn’s body, masking sadness beneath the surface; this was to be her final match with the Girl’s School. Kathryn and Rubie were now seventeen. Regular lessons were over and both girls were now studying for their sixth form final exams. It was an ending thrust upon them: an ending they had no choice but to accept. And, as fresh and determined as two young women could be, they were ready to embrace the inevitable challenge of making their way in the world.

The adrenaline pumping through Kathryn’s body after her tremendous victory was more exhilarating then anything she had ever felt before in all her winning history. It filled her head with an intoxicating sense of thrill and elation. She felt physically invincible and, at that moment, immortal. After a few minutes, her mind abruptly returned to reality.

Oh…my…God! Kathryn exclaimed, jumping to her feet. She gazed at the floor, although not really acknowledging its existence.

We bloody did it! We abso-bloody-lutely did it!

The changing room filled with shrieks, high pitched screams and incoherent interjections from all five players.

I was like, ‘I’ve beat you three times, you ain’t gonna take this one away from me!’ Kathryn yelled, waving her fist erratically in the air and finishing the enthusiastic sentence almost growling the last word.

The other four basketball players cheered as if Kathryn had made an announcement to stand in her local election and won whole city over in one speech. She seemed to have that effect on people and four years as a serious sportswoman, two of which were as a team captain, had given her all the leadership skills and confidence she needed to sway all opinions. All she had to do was open her mouth to talk and everybody stopped whatever they were doing, no matter how important it was, just to hear her speak. When she finished talking, the vote would always be unanimous. The statement about her being the one who won the previous three tournaments, and not the entire team, was not questioned. Kathryn had won it – plain and simple!

Besides Rubie and Kathryn, the other girls in the team were all fifteen, but they showed promising talent for the future. As this was to be the last match before the summer break, it was up to Hannah, Grace and Rachel to carry on the legacy and to choose the two extra girls to join. Rachel had already been appointed as captain after Kathryn’s departure.

I think it’s beer o’clock at Parval Green, ladies. Rubie said enthusiastically, with a slight tune in her voice, flicking her long, damp, brown hair from her sweat-laced face.

Parval Green was a large conservation park on the outskirts of the city centre. The only unnatural landmark within its grounds was an ancient, fading bandstand, which mainly consisted of peeling paint and sporadic rust. Nobody knew how old or large it actually was. Parval Green had never been officially measured, but some said it was almost half the size of Hyde Park. In a heavy downpour, the consistency of the ground could rival the swampy fields of a rained soaked Sunday at Glastonbury Festival.

Your lay-up was so fucking brilliant! I was worried that you’d gone so high you’d come down and land on your back or something! Grace exclaimed as the five ladies strolled to the park’s natural rival landmark of the bandstand - the twenty feet tall oak tree.

The tree provided excellent shelter but, being one of the tallest points in the vicinity, it was exposed to the threat of lightning in conditions like the one brewing on this day. The choice hangout of the bandstand was half a mile away and was nearly always occupied. It was often the site of brawls instigated over whose turn it was to stop there, it was scarcely used for its original and intended purpose of live brass music playing. Kathryn had learned over the previous year that it simply wasn’t worth getting involved in arguments with people and tree shelters were much better.

Thank fuck I didn’t! Kathryn replied. "It was probably the hardest game I‘ve ever played and the score was so close. I just had to get another basket!"

Hey, don’t forget that it was me who scored the winning point with the final rebound! Rubie corrected.

"But, if I hadn’t scored before you, you wouldn’t have shot the winning basket."

Yeah, but if I hadn’t rebounded it, we would’ve tied.

The game made for very interesting conversation for a while but it was not long before Kathryn was sick of the subject.

The girls laid their coats on the ground on top of the dusty surroundings of the base of the oak tree’s trunk as Kathryn lit her roll up. Grace and Hannah sniggered as Kathryn began making circles of smoke by tilting her head back and blowing out the small grey smoky vapours. She observed the others try and fail to create the perfect spherical shapes. Kathryn smirked triumphantly as she once again nailed a victory.

Hannah rose after finishing a roll-up, announcing her departure to practice for a swimathon. After stubbing out her roll up and throwing her jacket over her shoulder, the two younger girls expressed their wish to leave and watch some early evening show that Kathryn could not abide. She found television pointless, unless there was an important and life changing reason for it.

Otherwise, she thought TV was a waste of time, particularly when priorities like getting plastered and enjoying being young, free and single, exhausting herself on a pitch and getting into University were far more interesting and worth the time. The 1992 Barcelona Olympics was a very rare occasion in which Kathryn actually took some time to watch television. With only two more years until Atlanta, Kathryn was keen to compete for a place on either the GB football or basketball teams. Even if she came last, just getting there would be a dream come true.

They’ll win next year’s title, I‘m sure they will. Rubie said, pointing to the three departing girls.

You reckon? Kathryn said. She looked at Rubie with an examining squint in her eye for a second, breathed out a puff of smoke and nodded towards in the same direction as Rubie’s finger. They will struggle without you and me. We had the most experience and scored the most baskets and now they have to learn to do it themselves without help. It‘ll shock them more than you think, and be honest - the team did not start to win until we started playing.

It had been in the back of Kathryn’s mind for the last few months that the three young sportswomen had far to go before they reached the quality of play that her and Rubie had set.

They have another year of practice and who knows? Rubie asked. Kathryn knew that it was rhetorical but she couldn’t agree more with Rubie’s last words. Who knows?

The sky seemed to have played a trick on the people enjoying the flat and open space of Parval Green. The threatening black and blue clouds had manoeuvred away from the fields after initially showing their intent to shower on them. From the shelter of the oak tree, Kathryn could see that dark clouds were throwing their weight onto the shopping centre in the heart of the city, almost deliberately missing Parval Green. Kathryn smoothed back a loose lock of hair of her glossy brown ponytail of curls as Rubie swigged the last of her beer. She then set off to the off-licence on the opposite side of the road to entrance of the green for two more bottles of cider, using her elder sister’s driving licence as ID (whom she looked almost exactly like).

Kathryn’s attention on the storm-filled horizon was immediately interrupted when a group of young lads wandered onto a level part of the field right in front of the oak tree. They produced a brand new looking football from a sports bag and began a game of five a side, using their back packs as goal posts.

She just gazed at the group of ten young men perform their manly game without any real expression. They were laughing and talking whilst they played with light-hearted humour – similar to how Kathryn and the girls entered the changing room after their win; full of ego and triumph as if no-one had a patch on them. One of the boys was called James, a seventeen-year-old rugby and football player for the local teams, whom Kathryn dated when she was fifteen. She remembered, as she watched him, how lovely he was and that she felt almost privileged to have a boyfriend at last; especially the most sought after by her classmates. At fifteen, a young yet precocious age, to have a man on your arm was considered the ultimate fashion statement and sense of grown-up achievement.

It was also an unofficial competition in the secondary school to be the first to lose virginity - all the more encouraged it could take place before the legal age. So Kathryn bagged the most popular lad and went exclusive. He had become besotted with Kathryn after she beat him at badminton during a PE lesson.

Hmm, Kathryn thought as she watched him swagger around on the pitch, manipulating the ball skilfully with his feet and knees, remembering how sweet he was but she just couldn’t fall in love with him."

She recalled one autumn evening, after her second victory as the basketball captain and three months with James, when he took her to a secluded spot in the park near to where Kathryn lived. There, he presented her with something that made her jump almost out of her skin and her previous wonderful perceptions of him took a negative turn.

"You want me to do what with it?!" Kathryn had cried out loud.

Put it in your mouth, James told her. Kathryn winced, took a step back and held her hands out in protest.

Errr… No thanks! She replied, turning on her heels and walking briskly away from her ex-boyfriend, realising instantly why he had been so nice to her. If that’s all he wants me for, he’s picked the wrong woman! She promptly marched home, with her head held high and dignity intact.

No more human accessories followed this incident. From that moment on, she did things she only wanted to do and felt right and not what she thought was the trend or the ‘done thing.’

That event, more comical to Kathryn now than it was at the time, had rendered the relationship immediately over as his motives for acting the perfect boyfriend were unveiled. Any other girl might have carried out his wishes, but Kathryn soon became aware of her reasons for rejecting him. As much as she liked him before this time, Kathryn didn’t feel any loss of romantic love between them and got over him, literally, within a heartbeat.

Over the next six months, she went on questioning herself as to why she couldn’t bring herself to go any further than first base with the opposite sex and never really developed feelings of desire for any man, no matter what kind of person they were. It wasn’t until she turned sixteen that she knew, when she became unexpectedly smitten with her smart and beautiful new PE teacher, Miss Morris.

Sometimes, Kathryn secretly showed off in lessons to impress the object of her obsession, which landed her in good stead for achieving high grades. Her GCSE result for PE was an A and the only thing that stopped her from getting an A* was the distraction present in the school hall whilst completing the final exam. Miss Morris being on duty proved to be detrimental to her concentration.

It was not just pupil-teacher crushes that occurred during the period of realisation. Both Kathryn and Rubie engaged in several experiments with a few girls who were in the sixth form when Kathryn was in the latter part of year eleven. However, neither had a serious girlfriend. She had not at this point experienced a relationship, or been in love. Kathryn knew that Rubie had discovered her true sexuality at fourteen when she came out to Kathryn, but nothing had happened between them.

They were like sisters, best friends, and that was that. They never dealt double with the women they slept with. Being open and out was one good reason to leave school, if ending a school career in sports was a bad one.

Kathryn snapped out of this anecdote promptly when Rubie returned with two bottles of cider for them both to chill out with.

Cheers, babe, Kathryn said to her friend. As Parval Green was on a slight gradient, they also had a fantastic view of the city centre, which was still receiving a harsh lashing from the heavens. It was several minutes before the silence under the tree was broken.

Katie? Rubie asked.

Mmm?

Are you still gonna keep it a secret, or you gonna tell your Mum and Dad?

Kathryn rolled her eyes, swallowed a mouthful of cider and paused for a second. She was sick of being pressured to come out to her family. It wasn’t that she was ashamed, just that she was not ready. Since Rubie had come out and proud to her own parents, she had persistently kept on at Kathryn for doing the same. It was like being pressured to pay up money that was not owed and being guilt tripped into doing it for a good cause.

"I don’t know if I will just yet. It’s really not a good time and at my age they’ll just say that I’m going through a phase and all that. I know that Dad will be fine and support me, but Mum wouldn’t. Plus I keep telling you that I’ll do it when I’m ready. Now, will you get off my back about it, please?"

She vaguely heard Rubie sigh and, although Kathryn was not looking at her, she knew that Rubie would be giving her a long stare. Kathryn knew all too well that her mother was old fashioned, but surely she wouldn’t turn her back on her daughter if she turned out to be different than expected?

A year before, she had planned to tell her father before her mother, for she felt closer to him. Her twelve year old brother, Tim, was closer to their mother.

A few minutes later, Kathryn’s mind had changed to something entirely different.

Let’s go out tonight and get smashed! I don’t wanna let the day die this quick. What d’you reckon? She enthused with as much emphasis as possible so that Rubie would not be able to say no. Rubie instantly agreed.

Yeah! My friend Maggie will be there, and the girls I hang out with down the seafront will be there, they were talking about it the other day. Rubie said.

Oh… Kathryn replied acknowledging her friend’s statement, but not thrilled by the idea of a meeting Rubie’s friends again.

I will go hang out with them for a bit tonight as they are my mates also, but I want you to come with me. Rubie asked with a mild pleading tone in her voice.

No, darling, Kathryn answered. They don’t really like me much. You know what I’ve always said, babe; If you don’t like me, you can fuck off. Seriously, they think I’m a weirdo.

Recalling a Saturday night about eight months earlier when she had just turned seventeen, she remembered Rubie introducing her to a group of out and well known women from the inner city gay scene. It was an autumn evening, which had become rather chilly, so the group had lit a bonfire on the beach.

Five women were seated around the fire pit wearing thick gloves, scarves and hats as if they were preparing to spend the night there. As Kathryn scanned them all individually as well as a group after being introduced to them, this appeared to be an unspoken ‘members only’ gang and entry was only allowed if your face fit. It was clear from the off that as much as Rubie was an accepted member after immersing herself amongst them for a year, Kathryn was not and she did not know why.

Since they had barely acknowledged Kathryn that night, instead occasionally glaring at her as if she had gate crashed a special party, she had left without Rubie or the others knowing and walked home in the dark. But she didn’t cry. She was not one to cry over people’s pettiness and attitude problems – it was them with the problem, not her!

Kathryn's mind returned to the present when Rubie fired a question at her louder than necessary.

Do you think you are some kind of mind reader? No, they don’t think you’re a weirdo.

Why were they so bloody rude to me, then?

Oh, it’s… just ignore them, they’ll be ok soon, it’s just because they don’t know you and they need to get to know you first, that‘s all Rubie explained using her hands to emphasise that the group was close and tight.

Kathryn shrugged her shoulders at this comment, as if to say ‘fair enough’. She normally could not care less about what other people thought of her, although she secretly would have liked to meet women who knew what she was going through. Perhaps they could help with her coming out to her parents?

Never the recessive type, but dominant and extrovert, Kathryn wasn’t going to take people’s shady and quirky attitudes seriously. Getting drunk and possibly getting laid were two much better things to focus on that night.

Rubie then suddenly broke the awkwardness in the air with a single word, declaring their nightlife adventures.

Indulgence!

Indulgence was the most popular and hottest nightclub in town. The bouncers and doormen never asked punters for ID, allowed all customers to drink as much as they could afford and turned a blind-eye to the many illicit, and sometimes illegal practices taking place on its premises. Naturally, youngsters who could not get into other over 18 nightclubs were drawn to the place like moths to a flame.

A perfect complement to M Diva, nobody could resist the freedom of Indulgence to highlight the weekend with. It was also somewhat dangerous but this only added to the adrenaline that would flow through Kathryn usually on the pitch or the court. It was like a drug and she could not get enough rushes of the natural high.

It was half past midnight and the club had become so full, it was standing room only and the doors were closed at midnight, rather than one o clock like most places, to stop it becoming overcrowded. The music was pumping harder than a thousand heartbeats and white and blue strobe lights and spotlights were spinning, twisting and turning, filling every inch of the place. Kathryn and Rubie were most definitely out to celebrate their day’s triumph, although their only company was each other. They had been drinking since earlier that day at both Parval Green, and later M Diva, and showed no intention of stopping. They had told their parents that they staying at each other’s houses.

Ready? One, two, three… Rubie said with two shot glasses poised in her hands with one almost touching Kathryn’s face.

Err… no, not me. I’ve had enough beer, I’ll be too hungover. Kathryn exclaimed, swivelling her stool to face the dance floor.

Ok, babe. I’ll have your shot, then we’ll go and meet the girls.

You go, I’m going on the dance floor. She rose and made her way, staggering a little, to the dancefloor before Rubie could object.

It was like pushing through a crowd of relentless football fans as she filtered the area to reach the dance floor. A remix of some of the year’s most popular tracks played with their thumping bases and adlibbed scratches thrown in by the house DJ making the crowd wild for more. She stepped onto a barely free space of the floor to rub her shin where it had been accidentally kicked by an unknown partygoer and checked her left arm after feeling a sting to notice that it had been swiped by a cigarette.

You okay? Rubie had caught her up.

Yeah, just got knocked a couple of times. It‘s the only thing I hate about clubbing but it‘s fine.

I can hardly see anybody’s face. I can’t tell if my friends are here. Rubie said, looking through the hundreds of people for the familiar faces.

That’s 'cos you’re drunk. You shouldn‘t have had those shots, I can tell - your eyes are red. Kathryn told her friend almost poking her in the eyes before realising she was a little too tipsy to be making such gestures lest she caused someone else an injury.

Rubie gestured to Kathryn that the two shots too many didn’t bother her and she continued to look above people’s heads to find her friends before finally spotting them

I want you to come with me, She said, "I want them to get to know you – you are my best friend."

No thanks, darling, you go and I’ll stay here.

It took a few more minutes for Kathryn to convince Rubie she would be fine without her, but without actually saying so, she wanted some time to herself. The message got through eventually and Kathryn was left on her own. She turned her attention to the spot on the dance floor she claimed. Small but adequate, she stood there at first, too relaxed to dance and pre-occupied with the blister forming on her pale, bare arm. The spot was quite far from the DJ booth, but she knew if she got too close, a burning desire to see if she could do a better job than the DJ would take over and the distraction would be unbearable.

Although she loved music as much as basketball, for she had decks of her own and could play the guitar, after observing the numerous bodies shimmering under the swirling lights, she had to compose herself and switch off this ever shining burn to strive for more than what she had.

Just let go and don‘t give a shit! she kept telling herself. This is not a career opportunity. Giving in eventually to the urge, soon she was partying without a single thought entering or playing on her mind.

Feeling the music fill her up as the match had done that afternoon on the basketball court, Kathryn moved effortlessly; her hands in the air, her mouth lip-syncing to the lyrics of the new dance track the DJ was now spinning. Almost everyone else was doing the same. Her eyes changed from being open to closed every few seconds to let herself fall deeper and deeper into the trance of the music. It was necessary to open them only when she felt herself dancing too close to people. After dancing with her eyes closed for a few seconds, she opened them, to make sure she wasn’t going to collide with anyone, and as she did – she froze.

Emerging from her dream-like state in two seconds flat, she stood as still as a statue in the middle of the dance floor. Something she had seen was so shocking it interrupted and hijacked all her senses. Staring ahead through the mob, she found herself transfixed on a pair of brilliant green eyes. The owner of the green eyes didn’t appear to notice Kathryn, but Kathryn knew she had seen something so intriguing that it had taken control of her body.

Chapter 2

Kathryn slapped her hand hard upon her chest to steady her breath. It was impossible trying hard to break her eyes away from the woman who was standing on the opposite side of the room. She was positioned outside of the dance floor, leaning on the bars that surrounded it, and chatting humorously with a couple of other women. There was no urge in her being to fight the intense magnetism that drew her undivided attention to this person, but her eyes were burning so much, she felt like her whole head was ablaze.

Eventually, she managed to tear her eyes away and lowered their focus to the laminate floor ahead of her, stained with alcoholic beverage spills, gum and glasses. She found the incredible attraction was gradually drawing her concentration to the woman again. She knew that this was definitely more than a simple curiosity; this was a feeling of a completely different kind – an emotion she had never felt. The sounds of music, people and various clangs and clutter had disappeared, and the pain in her arm was anesthetised in a second.

The sharp heavy breathing didn’t steady. This was an occasion when her physical fitness had not been able to match something stronger. Her heart carried on pounding like a thousand hoof beats galloping over a vast terrain, and her mind wondering if there was something about that woman that had put a spell on her.

Unable to take control of her body to stay where she was and not look at the glorious vision she had witnessed, Kathryn used all the resistance she could and dashed off the dance floor as soon as she realised that the effervescent reaction that flickered with increasing vigour in her chest, was meandering its way down south.

The wooden door of the ladies room burst open with a bang against the tiled wall as she entered the bathroom, which was unusually completely empty.

Throwing her hands down onto the nearest sink, and letting her head hang low with exhaustion, Kathryn let her breath materialise in long, loud exhalations. After a minute or so, her heart finally ceased to panic, and slowed its pace to a beat that was a bit more bearable. She looked up into the mirror. She noticed that her face was glowing crimson like it had done after the match. Partly from the rush to the restroom, but mainly because of the sight of the mysterious lady that had overwhelmed her.

Kathryn closed her eyes and tilting her head back to face the bright ceiling lights. No more than two seconds after she did so, the door of the toilets opened and stopped at ajar, letting the ripple of the music curl through to the cool air of the ladies room. A couple of teenage girls were chatting and gossiping at the door, their voices overlapping and interjecting in an abrupt and incomprehensible way. The sudden thump of the door snapped Kathryn out of her lustrous trance, as she sharply turned her head to the sudden noise, which was muffled by the incoming music and the numbness in her ears. She observed the arm of a person whose body was poking through the gap in the door, but the head was virtually invisible. She looked back at her reflection and sighed loudly, then stood up straight and tall, full of confidence, and started to collect herself. She adjusted her red t-shirt in a kind of disoriented frenzy, and made sure her dark blue ripped jeans were sitting comfortably about her curvy hips.

Kathryn revolved her body to face the exit to go back out into the club’s thick atmosphere, and as she proceeded to step forward, she thought to herself:

What is it about her that knocked me senseless? But what she did not need to worry about was the woman’s own sexuality – Kathryn knew instantly when she had spotted another lesbian, had never been wrong about it and never had a crush on a straight girl. However, she had never felt this way before and had to be completely certain.

As she began to stride her long, athletic legs across the floor of the ladies room to the exit, the woman whose body was half in, half out of the doorway eventually entered the room completely – and as she did, for the second time that night, Kathryn stopped dead – stuck to the spot as if she had been turned to stone. The possessor of the striking green eyes had entered the room, and stopped just a couple of metres away from Kathryn. She stood there staring directly into Kathryn’s own warm, hazel eyes, with a look of both curiosity and questioning becoming apparent upon her face. Kathryn examined the figure carefully, absorbing her image possessively into her memory, where she would be carefully preserved protectively, as if this woman was made of diamonds and gold and was for Kathryn’s eyes only.

The mystery lady was tall and slender with long, sleek blonde hair, and beautiful naturally tanned skin, but her frame was slighter and a little more delicate than Kathryn’s. Although tall and slim, she still stood about two inches below Kathryn’s majestic 5’11" stature. Her body was embellished stylishly in a plain white t-shirt and baggy stone washed jeans. Her fashion was quite plain and casual, the style of the clothes fitted and suited the wearer as if she was perfectly styled for the set of a movie.

A dancer, maybe? Or a runner?

Hi, you all right? The woman asked, dropping her eyes for a second before quickly connecting them again.

She placed her hand on the door of a cubicle, as if she were about to enter, but did not do so.

Kathryn noticed the eye language immediately, someone once told her that you can always tell when someone is attracted to another by the way their eyes behave when speaking with them – the eyes move down then back up again. It’s a gesture which is over in one second in most cases. The move is subconscious, and usually, the individual who executes this does not know what they have just done. Was this confirmation?

You okay? The woman reiterated with a slight titter. Her accent was American, her tone high pitched.

Yeah. Kathryn answered without actually contemplating the question. You? She added.

Essences of both confidence and shyness were evident in her voice. She tried her best to disguise her nervousness when she spoke but this person had astounded her so much that she lost almost all control of her body. She tried to tell herself to gain composure but it was simply impossible.

I noticed you looking at me on the dance floor a minute ago, but then you left, the woman said.

"Yeah, I just thought you seemed quite nice. Kathryn cringed at her choice of adjective. I... I didn’t notice you looking at me." She said, becoming more confident.

She nodded her head suggestively as she paid the woman the gratifying compliment, hoping that it would have the effect she wanted.

The American woman drooped slightly to her right side and took a small step towards Kathryn. A coy-looking smile broke on her face as she moved closer.

I noticed you too, but it was just the second you looked away, she said.

I didn’t know, replied Kathryn, smiling back.

Oh, I did! It was just at that moment before you left.

Kathryn felt her hands tremble as the woman approached her further, now leaving only a foot distance between them.

I’m Heather. The woman said, extending her right hand, It’s great to meet you.

Likewise – I’m Kate. Kathryn replied.

She held Heather’s hand gingerly as if it was made of fragile porcelain. Their fingers slid involuntarily along each other as they breathed harder and harder and felt the attraction increase in potency.

Their touching hands became tighter and closer and their faces drew nearer to one another. Their eyes locked as Kathryn found herself completely and utterly transfixed in a whirlwind of lust that was revolving about them, as if to bind them closer together with invisible ropes.

Heather grasped Kathryn’s toned waist and then, with her eyes lightly closed, Kathryn pushed her moist mouth forward to place a tender kiss on Heather’s, then slowly parted her lips a fraction and allowed Heather’s to do the same.

Even when punters entered and left the room and not even hiding sniggers and comments that ranged from disgust to admiration, Kathryn was too immersed in her own world that nothing else mattered. They stopped after several moments, leaving Kathryn elated with the new and almost scary emotions she feeling after this moment. They hardly knew each other and Kathryn was anxious to find out more.

Heather laughed and then looked back at Kathryn with an inquisitive look in her face as their lips parted. She gestured with her finger, beckoning for Kathryn to go with her to the dance floor. They pressed close together and danced for several hours, kissing occasionally and passionately without once coming off the floor, they saw the time fly by and be over all too quickly. Some young men watched and tried to make their moves on the girls but Kathryn put them sharply in their place with a simple gesture of her hand. The night seemed to glide by in the blink of an eye and, just before three in the morning when the club was due to close, the DJ announced he was playing the last track.

Kathryn brushed her cheek over her partner’s and whispered close to her ear:

Could do this again sometime? Her voice soft and light, which was a change to her normal deep, husky voice.

Okay! I can meet you tomorrow night, Heather cried.

Oh, shit! Kathryn cried, her loud voice carrying over the music, tilting her head back in sudden realisation.

What? Heather asked.

I’ve got football practice tomorrow and I have to make sure I’m rested for it and can’t push myself too far after it, so I don’t think I’ll be able to come clubbing tomorrow. Sorry.

Soccer? Where d’you practice? Heather enquired.

At the stadium in Cherry Road. Do you know it?

Err… Heather flicked her eyes and face upwards, clearly thinking hard. Vaguely…

I’ve gotta be there at three tomorrow, well today technically. We’ll be finished at half five so you can come meet me then if you like. Kathryn said.

Okay. I’ll be there, don’t you worry, I’ll find it.

It’s off Links Avenue near the supermarket.

If I can’t find it, I’ll catch a cab.

The girls exchanged home numbers at the exit of the club and parted, sealing the night with a goodnight kiss.

The house was dark and sleepy as Kathryn wondered in. It was as if the feverish events had sobered her or it could be that the dances with Heather had aptly replaced the need for alcohol. The silence was golden as she crept into the kitchen and lit its small area to make a cup of coffee. She muttered to herself that it best to make it decaf. Her heart and head were full to the brim of scattered and scrambled memories so much that she felt inspired to venture to her room, turn on her keyboard or tune up her guitar to write the best song of love ever!

Lyrics and chords were swirling in her mind despite the calmness of the house and the rich taste of a hot cup of coffee, but she knew her twelve-year-old brother Tim and her parents would be outraged if she made any noise that could wake them. She was already