Chapter 2

“How were religious and ethnic minorities treated in the various empires?”

“In the Americas, Africans were considered inferior because they were slaves. They rarely had any personal rights and were used as labor. The Natives of the Americas were viewed as savages, which frequently led to conflicts. The Christian missionaries viewed any religious beliefs other than their own as a cult and attempted to convert anyone who didn’t follow their beliefs.”

My smirk was all the confirmation Julie needed before glancing down at the pile of note cards in her lap. “What effect did American food crops have on Afro-Eurasians?”

“Plants became more widely used and the population increased due to the enriched diet.” Her quick nod told me I was correct, as if I didn’t already know that, and I glanced down at the next card. “How did labor systems develop between the discovery of the Americas and the American revolution.”

“You’re not going to trip me up that easily,” Julie laughed. “The need for laborers to work the sugar and tobacco plantations gave rise to indentured servants; people who were given passage to the new world in exchange for a set number of years of labor. As a greater need for labor arose, slaves were forced to migrate to the Americas from Africa. How did the pre-existing elites react to the changes?”

“Many of them lost their social standing as power shifted to smaller family units who were wealthy and well-connected.” I looked down at the note cards again and rolled my eyes. “Why did we choose to take AP world history in the first place, and why did we think we needed another review?”

“Because we needed one more social studies credit and Sociology is what the jocks take for an easy pass,” she laughed. “Not to mention it will give us both enough elective credits to shave a year off our undergrad studies. I think we’re both ready to ace the test tomorrow, unless they throw in something we never covered.”

Julie’s glance drew my attention to the clock. “Quarter after five ... We already finished our calculus and science homework, so I guess we can cut off a bit early, unless you needed help with your English paper.”

I glanced back and smiled at our running joke. English was the last subject either of us would need help on. We were only in the class because it was required for graduation and our school didn’t offer anything more advanced. English was one of the few subjects we didn’t have any teacher in the school willing to take-on college level courses.

“I still can’t believe he gave us a week for a writing assignment that only took two days. I know they have to allow enough time for the students who didn’t do the reading over the summer, but it’s still ridiculous. Most of them just skim the book and fake it anyway.”

“Ugh, don’t get me started,” Julie grunted. “I have most of the wrestling team in my class, and they were all complaining that a week wasn’t enough time. Like one week of practice is going to make a difference in the district tournament this weekend. Since we’re finished with the studying, what would you like to do with the next hour?”

I just shrugged and smiled at her. “I’ll admit the first thing I think of is sex, but I enjoy everything we do together. You helped me remember how much fun it was being girly, although I don’t think I’ll make myself up before school again.”

“Scott’s a jerk, and I happen to know his social calendar suddenly became very empty about the time your brother made him apologize.” She leaned back against the headboard and held out her arms. It was all the invitation I needed to curl up in her lap. “His whole bad boy image went right out the window, along with the few girls who had any interest in him because of it. You could hear all of this stuff firsthand if you actually joined me for lunch.”

I shook my head as I squeezed into her a bit tighter. “My mom figured us out over the course of breakfast, just off how we were looking at each other. The girls at school aren’t that perceptive, but I know it would come out if we started spending more time together there. I know what it feels like to have everyone in school thinking you’re some kind of freak, and I wouldn’t do that to you.”

“Bruce told me what elementary school was like for you,” she replied. “But nobody thinks you’re a freak, Tilly. Well, maybe a few of the mouth-breathers, but their opinions don’t count anyway. When you’re a world-famous architect, they’ll be sweeping floors at the lumber yard.”

I smiled up at her and shook my head. “You remember that big assembly we have the first week of every year, where they go over the district’s zero tolerance for bullies policy? Who do you think is the source of that policy? Nobody says anything anymore, but I can still see it when they look at me. I’ve learned to ignore it, and I’m sure you could as well, but I love you too much to let you go through that.”

“I know it’s probably worse than I’m seeing, but is it really that bad,” she asked. “You’ve never mentioned it before now. I can understand why you don’t like talking about it, but I’m curious.”

“It’s not as bad as it used to be,” I explained, sighing quietly. “Most people have gotten past my being different and tend to ignore me or just see me as Bruce’s kid sister. Him being so popular has helped me out a lot. I guess the only ones who really give me any problems anymore are Debbie and her groupies, but you know how quickly they could ruin your reputation.”

Julie just rolled her eyes when I mentioned our head cheerleader and local gossip queen. She’d seen how well my brother played and had latched on to him early in our freshman year, thinking his rising popularity would carry her along as well. It had taken him all of two weeks to realize how shallow she was and grow tired of her endless gossip. She was one of the few girls he’d broken it off with.

“I wouldn’t worry much about Debbie’s opinion, especially considering what her future holds. Blond hair, big breasts, and a willingness to spread your legs for any jock will make you popular in high school, but it doesn’t mean much in the real world. Her grades were barely good enough to keep herself on the cheer leading squad, so college isn’t really an option for her. Ten years from now she’ll probably have three kids and be married to the guy sweeping floors at the lumber yard.”

The picture of her as an overweight housewife living in the trailer park with three kids and a drunk husband brought a smile to my face. “Probably, but that wouldn’t keep her from spreading rumors about you. Besides, I kind of like being your little secret. Watching some random guy get nowhere with you for the thousandth time and knowing I have you, it makes me feel special. I’ve never gotten to feel that before.”

“You’ve missed out on a lot of things,” she sighed as she started stroking my hair. “It makes me wish I’d tried harder to get close to you. You were always so guarded, but I could understand why. Bruce kept telling me you’d open up eventually, but I guess I’d given up on that happening before we went away to college. If I’d known you were attracted to me, I probably would have pushed a bit harder.”

“I don’t think it would have helped. Every time a girl was nice to me, it was because she wanted to sleep with my brother,” I explained. “I know you guys went out occasionally when he was between girlfriends, but I would have assumed you were just being nice to me to get closer to him. The concept that someone would be nice to me because they actually wanted to be my friend was just too foreign. Even now, if someone talks to me about anything other than school work I assume they’re just trying to look good for my brother.”

“I’ll just have to be extra nice to you to make up for it then.” I felt her lips on the top of my head and turned to kiss her properly. “In fact, I think I’ll have to seduce you now, just to make sure you know I’m not spending time with you to get closer to your brother.”

Turning a bit more toward her, I looked up and grinned. “Can you really call it a seduction if I’m just as eager as you are?”

“I don’t know, but I can certainly try.”

My smile got bigger when her hand slipped down to my hip and she tipped her head down to kiss me again. As our lips met, my hand came up to caress her breast but she pulled back and moved it back to my lap.

“You’re supposed to let me seduce you. Pretend you’re innocent so I can play with you.”

I just grinned and put my hands together in my lap as I waited for her. It wasn’t the first time she’d asked me to play a more passive role in our time together. The first time had just been her doing my hair and makeup, but after seeing her playroom I could understand her desire and it had helped explain why she felt I was gorgeous.

Julie’s parents were both doctors, so it wasn’t surprising their house had a few more rooms than they needed. One of them had been Julie’s playroom, and had shelves full of porcelain dolls. Many of them were antiques, but her favorite was a Chinese doll with pale skin and long black hair. Some might have felt weird about it, but I found that I enjoyed being her living doll.

Her lips brushed against mine, a feather-light touch that vanished in an instant before returning a bit firmer. I played along, slowly letting her kisses draw me deeper into the game as her fingers started tracing along my side. I felt her tongue brush against my lips right as her fingers slipped under my shirt.

The way her tongue caressed my lips and her fingers traced along my spine told me she wasn’t kidding about the slow seduction. We’d spent time just kissing and caressing each other before, but this felt different. I couldn’t explain it, but I savored the feeling as my lips parted. Julie ignored the invitation for a moment, slowly tracing along my lips before her tongue slid in to touch mine.

I got lost in the sensations, to the point I barely noticed when she laid me back on the bed. Her lips never left mine, but her fingers slowly ran up my stomach to caress my breasts. She had learned from experience how sensitive my breasts are, and her gentle caress was only enough to drive my arousal higher. Trying to shift so her fingers would brush over my nipple made me realize she had me pinned to the bed and she was in complete control.

“Relax lover,” she murmured against my lips. “It’s not time yet.”

That was easier said than done, as I wasn’t used to being this aroused without climaxing. I got lost in the sensations as her fingers explored my tiny breast while completely avoiding the nipple. It seemed like an eternity passed before those fingers traced back down my stomach, over my hip, and up the outside of my thigh.

My skirt slowly slid up as her fingers traced a lazy design up my inner thigh. I was whimpering into her mouth when she finally hit my panty line and traced along the leg hole to my hip before finally slipping her fingers under the fabric. The slight tug and her shifting her weight told me what she wanted, so I lifted my hips a bit to help her get them off me.

Once they were out of the way, her fingers started tracing that slow design back up my inner thigh. My legs fell open, giving my lover easier access for whatever she had in mind. She traced up my thigh and ran her fingers through the little patch of hair before they lightly ran down my slit. It was another eternity with her fingers running over my outer lips and me whimpering for release before she pushed them as deep as she could reach.

My hips flew up off the bed and I almost bucked her off as the climax that had been hovering just out of reach crashed through me. Her lips were on my neck as her fingers worked my clit and circled inside me to draw out the pleasure I was feeling. The scream that was ripped from me went on until I finally collapsed limply on the bed, exhausted from the power of my climax.

I took a moment to enjoy the afterglow before opening my eyes to realize someone was in the doorway.

-Julie-

“What exactly is going on here?”

I felt Tilly tense up under me and her legs snapped shut, but there was no way my mother had missed where my fingers were. I knew they would find out eventually, but I’d been hoping more for around the time I went to college. Biting the bullet, I turned my head to look back at my mom.

“We finished our homework early, so I decided to make love to my girlfriend.” Tilly gasped in surprise as my mom’s eyes narrowed. Honesty probably wasn’t the best policy, but I wasn’t going to deny what she was to me. I’d go along with keeping our secret at school, but this was my family.

“I see. Matilda, it’s time for you to go home now. We’ll discuss this later.” I winced as she turned and closed the door, but I knew it was probably the best outcome I could have asked for.

“Did you really mean that?”

Turning my attention back to Tilly, I saw a mixture of fear and wonder in her eyes. “I’ve told you I love you more than a few times, and you are my girlfriend. My parents will have to accept that.”

“But your mom looked pissed. She’s not going to let us see each other because you told her that.”

I leaned down to kiss her as I slipped my fingers out of her pussy. “Matilda, I love you, and I’m not giving you up. My parent’s big argument against me dating was that my grades would slip. You’re the only person in the school who can push me to work harder, so that argument is kind of invalid. I’m probably going to catch hell, but I’ll deal with it.”

“I can stay,” she offered. “I’m just as responsible as you are for this. Neither of us was watching the clock, and we know when she gets home.”

“I was watching the clock and she’s a bit early, but this is something I need to do alone. I appreciate the offer, and I know you want to help, but it won’t be what you think. My mom is highly educated and is usually a reasonable person. She’ll be past her emotional reaction by the time we start dinner, and it will come down to me finding a way to convince her to accept us dating.”

“Do you really think you can do that, and what about your dad? Would it help if we promised that it wouldn’t happen again? I can give up making love to you until we get to Los Angeles, but I can’t lose you, not now.”

I leaned in and kissed her again before letting her sit up. “That’s a big sacrifice from the girl who’s always horny, but I told you I’m not giving you up. You’re my lover and my best friend. I’m not willing to give up any part of our relationship. Besides, your mom loves me enough to let me move in if I fail, right?”

“Probably, but I know you well enough to know you won’t let it come to that,” she laughed. “I was being serious though. You’re the only female friend I have, and I need that a lot more than I thought.”

“I know you were, but you have to trust me on this one. If I can get mom to waver, even a little, dad will propose a compromise and we’ll work something out. Go home, have dinner, and get a good night’s sleep,” I told her, tapping her forehead. “What’s up here is my big counter to my parents’ arguments, and we can’t have you stressing the night before a big test.”

Tilly sighed as she stepped into her panties and pulled them up before smoothing her skirt down. “If you were anyone else I probably wouldn’t sleep a wink tonight, but I do trust you. I just wish there was something I could do to help. Should I at least apologize to your mom before I leave?”

I thought about it for a moment before shaking my head. “My mom likes you, but it’s not a good time. She’ll be a lot more receptive after I’ve talked to her. I think me calling you my girlfriend upset her more than catching us in bed together.”

“I hope you’re right,” she sighed as she put her books back in her bag. “Your parents don’t know me that well, and I can’t imagine this is going to help me win them over.”

“They’ll want to get to know you a lot better by the time I work through this. Plan on being invited to dinner tomorrow night.” She looked doubtful as we walked down the hall, but I stopped her at the door for a goodbye kiss. “Trust me, I’ll figure this out and everything will be perfect.”

Watching Tilly get on her moped and ride away, I could only hope I was right. My relationship with my parents had been strained enough since I announced I was going to law school. They were more disappointed when I accepted the scholarship for UCLA on top of it. Our preparatory work had all been geared to getting me into Yale, so I could go to the same medical school they did.

Matilda had been more convincing than my parents when it came down to arguing against law school. I hadn’t really thought out my initial decision, and with the cost of a law degree going up as fast as the unemployment rate for new lawyers, I was already starting to reconsider.

Taking a minute to wash my hands, I joined my mother in the kitchen. Even with them both working, she insisted on having dinner on the table when he got home and we always had dinner together. The fact that dinner through the week always consisted of takeout from a local restaurant was secondary to us spending that time as a family. Our discussion would take place after dinner.

“Could you pick out a bottle of wine to go with dinner? I think we’ll need it tonight.”

I nodded in shock as I moved to the pantry that was primarily our wine cellar. My parents regularly had a glass of wine with dinner, but her asking me to pick it out had a clear meaning. The first time it happened was the night I started my first period. Since then, I’d been allowed a glass of wine on special occasions, but I’d never been asked to choose the wine again.

The memory of that first time drew me to the Sawtooth Merlot my mother had recommended back then, but she’d been teaching me a lot about how to pair wines since then. Glancing back, I noted the red sauce before grabbing the Chianti, and I saw her slight nod of approval as I uncorked it. Pulling the glasses down, I wiped them out and poured as I’d seen her do so often before helping carry everything out to the table. We’d barely finished when I heard the garage door announcing my father’s arrival. He looked surprised when he saw the glass of wine in front of my seat, but didn’t offer more than his usual greeting as we sat down to eat.

Our dinner conversations tended toward what cases my parents had been working on that day, and had been a prime reason behind my hasty decision to go to law school. Hearing about surgery complications for fourteen years had turned me off the medical field. When I told Tilly about it, I’d gotten her snarky little grin and the reminder that there was more to medicine than surgery.

Dad and I were both surprised when we finished eating and mom refilled our wine glasses. “I got home a little early today, and heard screaming coming from our daughter’s room. I rushed back thinking someone was hurt, and found our daughter having sex with her new girlfriend, Matilda Renolds.”