Original Stories Fan Fiction / Realism Fan Fiction / Romance Fan Fiction ❯ Dreaming of Another Day ❯ Chapter 8 ( Chapter 8 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
Dreaming of Another Day
By Kathryn K Williams
Based in part on a true story

Chapter Eight

After the first day Kris and Jenn met, they found themselves walking further and further together. It was only a few blocks out of Kris's way and she found herself doing anything too keep from having to face her own home to soon. They would walk side by side not saying much, nevertheless understanding everything. One day Jennifer slid her hand into Kris's. Kris was confused and looked at the girl walking beside her only to be greeted by a small blush as Jennifer suddenly turned to look at the ground. Jennifer went to pull her hand away in embarrassment, but Kris clenched it tightly. They both looked at each other for a moment in silence. The two slowed their pace just so they could stay together for a few minutes longer.

As Jennifer's house loomed in the distance she began to let go of Kris's hand. Kris didn't want to go home and tightened her fingers around the other girl's hand. Not yet, not never. The two girls stopped in front of the driveway. Neither knowing what to say.

Jennifer was the first to speak. "I should get going. Mom will start to worry." She said looking at the house.

Kris only nodded, still not letting go. She couldn't seem to find the strength to tell her hand to open up. Part of her wanted to scream out and run away, while another part was afraid that if she let go, everything would end forever.

Jennifer looked at the ground, "Yo..." the words got stuck on her tongue, "umm... You could... Maybe.. That is... sleep over... If you want..." The last words were almost a whisper.

It took a moment for Kris to realize what had been posed She had slept over at other kids homes. Most of them were friends of the family and she was more told to stay more then anything else. This was the first time anyone had asked her to stay at their place.

Kris looked up at the big house that stood before them. It was nicer than the town house she lived in, and, for some reason, a warmth came from this house that Kris could never explain. She dreamt about what it would be like to live in that house since the first time she saw it. Not to be awoken by her parents arguments or her father's nightly prowling. The idea of being able to have a good nights sleep, never mind being able to spend more time with one of the few people she was willing to call a friend. The thought was overwhelming.

Kris stammered for a moment and was about to say something when the image of her own mother's face emerged before her. An angry face that would never let her stay at such a nice house. Never ever. "I don't think my mom will let me." She finally got her voice to utter.

"Oh," Jennifer stood still for a moment not sure what to do when they heard a voice calling out for her.

"Jenn hon, you want something to have a snack?" Her mother called from the driveway. She must have seen the two girls from the living room window. "Does your friend want something too?" Kris met Jennifer's mother on two other occasions. She was a very nice lady with a warm smile that didn't make Kris want to run and hide. Instead it was the kind of smile that made her want to be held.

Jennifer looked at Kris and then pulled the girl toward her mom, "Mom? Ummm..." Kris let herself be dragged along. They came to a stop in front of Jennifer's mother. Kris stared at her shoes while Jennifer stumbled on her own words. "Mom, could Kris.. umm... Kris stay over tonight?" she finally managed to say.

Kris looked in surprise at Jennifer.

"I don't see why not. It is a Friday after all." Jennifer's mother answered without hesitation. She leaned over towards Kris who was to stunned by the answer to speak, "What do you think, Kris? Would you like to stay over?" She asked with a smile while moving to pat the girl on the head, only to have Kris step out of reach and hide behind Jennifer.

Kris nodded over Jenn's shoulder, her eye's darted to the ground and she let out a little sigh, "but my mother..." She spoke softly. It sounded like she was about to cry.

Jennifer's mother straightened and smiled, "Don't you worry yourself about it. I'll talk to her. Now I want you two to get cleaned up and I'll make you both a snack, how does that sound?"

Jennifer hugged her mother without letting go of Kris's hand and then pulled the girl into the house. "Come on Kris, I'll show you my room." They entered the house with Jennifer's mother following close by.

The inside of the house was even nicer than Kris believed possible. There was something in the air that made Kris smile. It didn't have a heavy feeling like her home did. More like something uplifting. They had entered through the back door off of the kitchen, which was brightly lit and smelled of many good things. Kris could not place on all the smells.

"What would you girls like to eat?" Jenn's mother asked from behind them.

"What do you want?" Jenn asked Kris, who was still taking in the size of the kitchen.

"Huh?" Kris startled shaking her head, "Ummm... I don't know."

"Do you like pizza?" Jenn's mother asked.

"Yeah." Kris said softly.

"Then how about you two have some fruit for now and I'll order pizza later." Jenn's mother signaled towards a bowl of fruit that was set on the dining table, "Kris, what is your phone number?"

Kris followed Jenn to the table and grabbed for a banana while spouting out her phone number. She heard the woman pick of the phone and start to dial and froze in her spot. Would her mother really let her stay here? For the night? Usually her mom was very strict about her being home for the weekend. There were many chores to be done after all and her homework. Kris was about to stop the woman when she spoke.

"Jenn why don't you show your friend your room." Jenn's mother said with a wink. It was almost as if Jenn's mother knew how Kris was feeling.

"Kay!" Jenn took Kris by the hand, "Come on." She started towards a set of stairs that lead down to the den. There was a pair of sofa's and a tv in it with a fireplace set against the far wall. To the side of the den was a door that lead to Jenn's room. It was small with a kid's bed covered in pink blankets against the far wall under a small window. Two dressers off in the right corner and a long closet along the left wall. For Kris it was more than she could ever wish for. Before long Jenn's
mother called down the stairs that Kris's mother agreed to let the girl stay for the night. Jenn and Kris hugged each other happily and they went off in search of the air mattress. It didn't take them long to inflate a small air mattress in the middle of the room before Jenn's mother came downstairs to tell them that the pizza on the way. They spent evening quietly eating and curling up watching movies.

That night Kris was suffering from her usual nightly terrors. She struggled to free herself from it's grip. Curling up into a tight ball on her side, attempting to hide from the shadows who tried to get her in the night when she felt something slip under the covers with her and snake around her waist. At first she thought it was one of her father's nightly visits, but when she opened her eyes, she remembered that she wasn't at home. Looking down she saw that the arms around her were a lot smaller then her fathers. The arms pulled her close and held her tight. Slowly Kris turned over on the air mattress so she could see who was curled up behind her. She was surprised to find Jennifer's eyes glimmering in the moonlight.

Jennifer lifted herself up onto one arm so she could lean over the other girl and brushed Kris's bangs out of her eyes. "You were having a nightmare." She whispered.

Kris looked up at the other girl and nodded, "I have them a lot." She admitted quietly. The two stared at each other with the moonlight shining down on them. Kris felt Jennifer's eyes wash away all her fears, she couldn't divert her eyes off of the way the moon traced out every line of Jennifer's face. Slowly the two grew closer until their foreheads were touching. To Kris it felt like they were one and that Jennifer was giving her the strength to fight whatever was torturing her heart and soul. She could smell Jennifer's hair and sensed her breath upon her face. Then she felt lips touch hers. They stayed like that for a moment. The minutes seemed like hours as the two girls lightly kissed.

Kris suddenly opened her eyes, realizing what she was doing, quickly backpedaling out from under Jennifer until she bumped her head on the dresser. She was to her feet in an instant, looking around the room confused and disorientated. "I.. I'm sorry... I didn't mean to..." She started to grab her things and run out of the bedroom. "Good bye."

Jennifer blinked for a second, confused as to what was going on. It took her a moment to realize that Kris was running away. She jumped to her feet and chased after the girl. "Kris, wait up." She softly called out, not wanting to wake her mother.

Kris grabbed her shoes in her hands and bolted through the door into the night. The cold side walk shocked her awake as she plunged into the night air. It was well past 3 am so there wasn't a soul in sight to see the little girl running along in her pyjamas. She only got a few doors down the road when she heard Jennifer calling out for her. She felt herself slow down even though she wanted to be far away from there.

"Kris, Stop! Wait up!" Jennifer caught up with the other girl and grabbed her by the arm causing Kris to drop all her things to the ground.

Kris struggled to free her arm, "Let me go." Her voice choked as tears streamed down her cheeks. "Leave me alone." She felt dirty and didn't want to get Jenn dirty too.

Jennifer tried to pull the crying girl into her arms, instead both lost their balance and the two of them came tumbling down onto the neighbors lawn. Kris tried to roll out from under the girl, but Jennifer wouldn't let her. Finally they stopped tumbling around, ending with Jennifer laying on top of Kris. Her face buried into Kris's strawberry hair, Kris could hear Jennifer start to cry as she whispered into her ear. "Don't leave me. I'm sorry. I don't mean to... I'm sorry."

Kris felt her arms come up and wrap around the other girl and squeeze her tight. They stayed like this under the moon for a while. A car passed by and Kris wonder what they must have thought when they saw the two eleven year old girls hugging in the grass in nothing, but their pyjamas. She suddenly felt herself giggle. Then covered her mouth with her hand.

Jennifer lifted herself off of Kris enough so she could look the girl in the eyes, just not enough to let her run away, "Are you still going to leave?"

Kris stopped giggling and looked into Jennifer's deep green eyes, she felt like she was being drawn into them. She shook her head and almost to prove that she wasn't lying she leaned forward and lightly kissed Jennifer on the cheek. Jennifer smiled then got up and helped Kris pick up her things and hand in hand they headed back home.

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To be Continued....

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Authors Notes: This story is based on a true story. All names and places were changed to conceal their identities. This was written in an attempt to help me cope with my own insanity.

If you wish to view art from this series please visit my deviant arts site at: http://shinigami-shimai.deviantart.com/

For more of my stories visit my deviant hearts site at: http://www.devianthearts.com/viewuser.php?uid=159

Also if you spot any typos or other errors please contact me at katwilliams @ rogers.com