In Too Deep

by Cassandra Cole

  Stephanie had never been out with the other dancers before, usually opting for a more secluded evening where she locked herself in her room to avoid unnecessary drama with her half-drunk mother. She knew what everyone thought of her. They respected her as a dancer, but had never given a thought towards actually trying to be her friend. She hadn’t given anyone much opportunity for that. It wasn’t her style.

  Yet, she was having fun, and as she looked over at Kiara and smiled.

  Kiara was definitely the heart of the outing, full of energy Stephanie had rarely seen in anyone who had just been through the workout they had experienced earlier. And it was exciting. For the first time in a long time, Stephanie was laughing and enjoying herself.

  “So, how is it being the niece of Moira Green?” Kiara asked, and Stephanie smiled as the other girls immediately took interest in the possible answer.

  “It’s ok, I guess,” Stephanie said. “She’s my aunt, so I guess I see her in a different light?”

  “Is it at all intimidating?”

  “What do you mean?”

  Kiara feigned shock. “Moira Green is a legend,” she said. “You never felt like you had to live up to the reputation?”

  Stephanie shrugged, feeling a little uncomfortable talking about her relationship with her aunt. “She’s supportive, that’s all I can say,” Stephanie said. “She was there when my parents weren’t.”

  Kiara looked at her in a way Stephanie had never seen anyone look at her before. The girl smiled at her, then raised her shot in the air.

  “To Moira Green!” she called out.

  “To Moira Green!” the rest chimed in.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Stephanie used the key Moira had given her for emergencies to unlock the back door to the studio. She unlocked the door and quietly pushed it open, even though she knew there was no one there to hear.

  Kiara was close behind her, both girls acting like they were trespassing, looking behind them as they closed the doors and locked them. Stephanie flipped the lights on and strolled in, twirling about with her arms held open.

  Her aunt had entrusted her with the keys years before, trusting the girl to take care of her establishment just as well as she would. Stephanie had been honored, and had taken the responsibility seriously.

  What her aunt didn’t know was that when things would get a little too rough to handle at home, she would sneak into the studio and dance by herself. It was a haven for Stephanie, a home away from that terrible place she would never call home.

  Tipsy and happy, she had offered Kiara the chance to see the studio at night when it was empty. She had thought that that would be the least she could do for the girl, especially after she had pulled her out of her mundane routine. Besides, the look on Kiara’s face had been priceless when Stephanie had whispered the offer in her ear so the others wouldn’t hear.

  “It’s so peaceful,” Kiara said, the excitement on her face closely mirroring how she felt.

  Stephanie smiled. “I come here a lot after hours,” she admitted. “I probably would have been here if you hadn’t pulled me along for drinks tonight.”

  “So is that the secret to Stephanie Adams’ success?” Kiara raised an eyebrow.

  Stephanie laughed. “Part of it, I guess. A little extra practice time.”

  Kiara smiled, drawn to the large windows that looked out onto the night life below. “I can barely make enough time between school and work,” she said.

  “You work?”

  “Part-time,” Kiara said. “It’s more a means to an end really. I edit for a blog. I’m thinking it might get me a head start with my major.”

  “Journalism?” Stephanie guessed.

  Kiara looked at her and nodded with a smile.

  “So, why dance?” Stephanie asked.

  “It’s the first thing I did when I started to walk,” Kiara said. “I fell in love with it before I even realized what it was. My mother used to say that I was a better dancer than walker. She supported it as long as she could.”

  Stephanie smiled as she sat on a chair and swiveled. “She sounds fun.”

  “She was,” Kiara nodded, her smile forced.

  Stephanie gazed at the girl, leaning against the windows, the lights from the street contrasting with the dim lights of the studio.

  “What happened?”

  “Cancer,” Kiara said, pushing away from the window, her arms hugging her shoulders as she walked to where the sound system was. “It wasn’t easy for any of us.”

  “I’m sorry,” Stephanie said.

  “Don’t worry about it,” Kiara said, turning on the music, the sounds of Adele softly filling the empty space.

  “I was never very close to my mother,” Stephanie said. “My aunt was the one who I usually turned to when I needed one. I don’t know how I’d feel if she were gone, though.”

  Kiara smiled at her, swaying with the music as she approached Stephanie and held her hand out to her. Stephanie smiled and took it, the bolt of electricity she had felt earlier shooting through her again.

  This time she wasn’t so jarred by it. In fact, she welcomed it.

  Stephanie held Kiara’s hand, their bodies at first just moving with the sounds of the piano, both girls’ eyes closed as they let the music flow through them.

  Almost at the same time, they began to dance. Neither girl could see the other, but from afar, they were perfectly in sync. Their bodies intertwined, moving about each other as if they had rehearsed a routine. Stephanie could feel Kiara’s extensions around her, matching her movements as she felt the air around her push and bend with their movements.

  In Moira Green’s studio, the girls danced like they had never done before, each drawing upon the other’s energy as the music rose and fell around them. The lights threw shadows of their bodies against the walls, beautiful silhouettes bending and turning together as if one.

  When the music stopped, they were standing in front of each other, their eyes locked, breathing heavy, faces flushed from the efforts. Without hesitation, Kiara grabbed Stephanie by the back of her neck, pulled her closer, and pressed her lips to hers.

  Before she could comprehend what was happening, before she could fully understand what she was feeling, Stephanie found her hands around the other girl’s waist, kissing her back, searching for her tongue.

  Kiara’s lips were soft against hers, her hand gently squeezing her nape as their lips pressed against each other. Kiara pulled back, her face even more flushed, and gazed into Stephanie’s eyes as if asking for approval, waiting to see how Stephanie would react.

  Stephanie leaned back in, greedily kissing, feeling Kiara’s soft lips against hers as their arms wrapped around each other.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Elizabeth Green was asleep, and it was just as well.

  Stephanie had snuck in quietly, pulling Kiara along as they had softly made their way up to her room. She had heard her mother’s snoring from across the hall, the sound a confirmation that the booze and chin smoking had finally put the woman to sleep.

  With her bedroom door closed and locked behind them, Stephanie had quickly found herself back in Kiara’s arms, their lips intertwined passionately, until they had found themselves lying side by side on the bed.

  Stephanie couldn’t understand it, but for some reason unknown to her, this felt right. She had never for once thought that she’d be in the position she found herself in right now, but she welcomed it with open arms. Her whole body was shivering, her excitement barely contained, the feeling racing through her overwhelming.

  Kiara rolled her onto her back and straddled her, the girl’s eyes piercing, her look hungry as she kissed Stephanie’s neck and ran her lips down to her collarbone.

  Stephanie could feel her soft hands underneath her shirt, pushing it up from the hem until it stopped and Stephanie had to arch her back to get it over her head and onto the floor. She looked down as Kiara kissed her belly button as her hands cupped her bra and gently squeezed.


  Stephanie felt her entire body tingle, the touch of the other girl’s lips against her skin sent shivers down her spine. She sat up, pulling Kiara to her, and kissed her again, pulling Kiara’s shirt off her as she slid her tongue down her neck and chest to where her breasts pushed out from under her bra.

  Kiara held her to her with one hand while her other unsnapped her bra. The fabric fell off, exposing her completely to Stephanie as the girl gazed upon her naked body in awe.

  Stephanie didn’t say a word, didn’t dare look up into the other girl’s eyes, engrossed in the moment as she kissed the mounds in front of her and sucked one nipple gently after the other.

  Her hands pressed against Kiara’s lower back, pushing her against her, and she sighed when the other girl unsnapped her own bra and let her breasts fall loose.

  Kiara pushed Stephanie back, kissing her breasts, her tongue tracing circles across her nipples as she moved lower. Stephanie felt her jeans unbutton as Kiara kissed her along her panty line.

  She arched her hips, allowing the other girl to undress her, jeans and panties both finding their way to her bedroom floor as Kiara kissed the inside of her thighs.

  Stephanie moaned in pleasure when Kiara’s lips found her center, her kisses soft, passionate, exploring with her tongue the wetness that had quickly developed between her legs.

  She felt her legs go numb, her thighs closing slightly against Kiara’s head as she worked her magic and sent Stephanie’s head spinning.

  She had never felt anything like this, and there was no part of her that wanted any of it to stop. Grinding against the girl’s tongue, she bit her lip as she felt her entire body shudder with an orgasm like she had never experienced before.

  Kiara moved up, her lips kissing at random parts of Stephanie’s body until she sucked in a nipple, squeezing gently, pushing off her own pants and pressing her thigh between Stephanie’s legs.

  Stephanie found herself rubbing against it, instinctively, her body on cruise control as she locked lips with Kiara. Her hand made its way between Kiara’s legs, and when she found her shaved wetness, when she pressed a finger against her, the girl moaned as her lips quivered against her own.

  Soon Kiara was grinding her hips against Stephanie’s hand, grabbing the other girl by the head and pressing her against her breasts as Stephanie pleasured her.

  She had Kiara on her back in an instant, her hand quickly replaced with her mouth, hesitating at first, not knowing what to do.

  Once Kiara started to respond, her thighs wrapping around her, her moans muffled by a pillow, Stephanie picked up the pace more confidently.

  Kiara arched her hips against her, forcing Stephanie’s tongue deeper, and in seconds was shaking and screaming into the pillow she was clutching to her breast.

  Stephanie crawled up to Kiara’s side, the other girl immediately embracing her tight, her face buried in her shoulder as she breathed heavily.

  Stephanie felt herself relax, the tensions in her muscles that she had never before known were there suddenly gone, her entire being floating as if feather-like.

  She pushed her face against Kiara, breathing her in, cherishing every second of this moment as their hands continued to explore each other’s bodies, neither girl saying a word.

  Stephanie couldn’t explain the rush of feelings inside her, but the smile on her face as she fell asleep said more than a thousand words.

  CHAPTER SIX

  “Stephanie, head in the game!”

  Stephanie snapped out of her trance and looked in surprise at her aunt. The woman was frowning at her in confusion, shaking her head. Stephanie mouthed an apology and quickly tried to regain her posture.

  She was lost, delirious, but in a good way. A beautiful way. An amazing way. She had never felt this good her entire life, and for some reason she couldn’t stop smiling. She looked over at Kiara, who was working with her group on an opening routine, and when their eyes met, both girls smiled.

  Stephanie shook herself and brought her head back in the game. There were only a few weeks left, and she needed to pull herself together.

  Everyone was counting on her, especially her aunt, and she was not one to disappoint. She began training the small group assigned to her, clapping the count, stopping them and giving them pointers before making them repeat the routine.

  Despite how hard she was working, she couldn’t help but steal glances at Kiara, like a high school teenager checking out her newly found crush.

  By the end of the evening, everyone was spent, saying their goodbyes and rushing out before Moira could convince them to do anything else.

  Stephanie lingered behind with two other dancers, intent on finishing the routine she was responsible for before letting them go.

  Kiara lagged behind, waving to Moira as she left, ensuring her that she would make sure Stephanie locked up when everyone was gone.

  Only when they found themselves alone in the locker room did Kiara risk a kiss, Stephanie massaging the nape of her neck as she sat down tiredly on one of the benches.

  They sat down together for what seemed like forever, pressed close, neither talking, hand in hand as they stared at the floor.

  “How does this work?” Kiara finally asked.

  Stephanie shook her head, looking up at Kiara, almost immediately lost in the eyes observing her.

  “I’m not sure,” she admitted. “I’ve never been in this position before. It’s new territory.”

  Kiara smiled and kissed her cheek. “Would it be strange if I told you it was pretty new to me, too?” Stephanie gave her a look that made Kiara laugh. “Not that new. Just quite recent.”

  Stephanie nodded and squeezed her hand. “I don’t know how I’m supposed to feel about this, that’s all.”

  “What do you mean?”

  Stephanie saw the look on Kiara’s face and immediately felt guilty for not wording her thoughts properly. “Oh, God, no, not like that,” she reassured her. “I know I feel a lot towards you. At least I think I do.”

  Kiara frowned and cocked her head. “You’re not making it better,” she smiled awkwardly.

  “Please don’t misunderstand me,” Stephanie begged, turning and holding both of Kiara’s hands in her own. “I’m not an open person. Honestly, everything about yesterday was new. The bar, the studio, you. Everything. I just feel a little overwhelmed, that’s all. I feel incredible, too. I don’t understand it, and I don’t think I will for a while.”

  Stephanie sighed, looking away as she tried to process what she wanted to say. “I don’t want space, I don’t want time to think, I want this. It’s just I don’t know how to do this.”

  “Then let me help,” Kiara suggested.

  Stephanie squeezed the other girl’s hands. “I will, but how we handle this, how we handle us, has to be done right. I’m only just discovering a part of me I had never known existed before.”

  Kiara stood up and smiled. “How about we change, find ourselves a nice little café where I could help you with that overdue paper, and we can talk about whatever you want to talk about?”

  Stephanie wanted to kiss her right there and then. “Sounds good to me.”

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Stephanie Adams danced.

  The stage was empty, a spotlight on her as the blue lights created an ambiance that mixed gently with the sounds of violins playing.

  The auditorium was completely silent, every member of the audience holding their breath as they watched her move gracefully across the stage.

  Their eyes followed her every turn, every kick, every extension, transfixed on the beauty they were watching in front of her.

  Stephanie was in her own world, enveloped in her emotions, the smile on her face wide as she let the music wash over her.

  She could almost hear her aunt counting in the back of her head, her movements precise with every scream of the violins.

  She was ecstatic, every inch of her lost in the moment as she felt her feet rise and fall off the stage, her body turn and t
wirl in the soft lights.

  She let it all loose. She let every feeling she had felt over the past three weeks scream out in joy, the world witnessing the dance of a girl on fire.

  Her eyes were closed as she breathed in steadily, the movements becoming more of a natural occurrence than a rehearsed routine.

  She could feel her heart beating in her chest, threatening to explode, laughing and crying with her as she danced.

  When she was done, when it was all out in the open, with her soul bared to the world and her body lying motionless on the ground as the music faded out, the applause was thunderous.

  She rolled onto her knees and looked out into the audience as they gave her the most spectacular standing ovation she had ever seen.

  She smiled to herself, the tears of joy in her eyes falling freely down her cheeks as she took it all in.

  Stephanie looked to the side, off stage, past the other dancers and her aunt as they applauded with the audience.

  She found Kiara in their midst, hands on her mouth and tears rolling down her cheeks, the dance as emotional to her as it had been to Stephanie.

  She mouthed an I-love-you towards her, and Stephanie felt her heart jump.

  Everything else faded.

  All that mattered was that.

  THE END

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