Home Calling (girlxgirl) ON HOLD

Chapter 8

"Cat pass me the smaller brush." Emily called on Catherine who was painting the adjacent wall white with her own brush. Smiling amicably at the brunette she passed her the brush but not before dipping it in a can of white paint. 

"There ya go Em." she stretched on her toes to pass the brush as Emily was standing on a small ladder.

"Thanks." younger girl smiled back. Her jean shorts and worn out black shirt were splattered with specks of white paint. Catherine noted she even had two white smudges on her right cheek. Painting the house was a messy job and Catherine was sure is she looked herself in the mirror that she got paint on herself as much as Emily did if not more. Walking back to her spot she continued the exercised moves with her brush. 

They've been painting for the past two days, and this was their chunk of the entire downstairs that wasn't painted in fresh white paint. Catherine was happy that Emily agreed to help her, not that she wasn't capable of doing it herself but rather she discovered that she really enjoyed Emily's company. Emily would come over after school and they'd get onto business. She was quiet, even brooding sometimes, and Catherine learned that she wasn't that easy to open up especially when in that mind state. Older girl wondered whether Emily was indeed the quiet type or she just guarded herself in front of Catherine. Not that Catherine could hold it against her. It was quite interesting how much she changed. From cheerful, bubbly girl she turned into a bit closed of but none the less interesting young woman.

Sometimes she'd be project this weird careless, indifferent attitude accompanied by a sarcastic remark or foul language. Other times she'd quiet down, seemingly lost in her own thoughts. Now was one of those times. Catherine stole looks at her, trying to figure her out. Her brown hair pulled into a side ponytail and her brows furrowed in concentration made her look adorable. Still very much sexy, but also...cute in a way.

Soldier girl found herself thinking of her young friend all the time. Despite her consciousness screaming at her  that she was horrible and that she'll burn in hell, if there was such thing anyway, she couldn't stop. She replayed every smile, every conversation they had in these past two days at the end of each night. It went even past lust at this point.

She was becoming acutely aware that her fascination with the young brunette was getting actually quite crazy, and even slightly pathetic. She never got these giddy feelings as fast before. She wanted to bang her head against the wall to get rid of them but she suspected that wouldn't quite help her.

Adding the last layer to the wall, she decided it looked pretty good. She loved this new refreshed look to her house. She still hated the place, but repainting it took away some of the old uncomfortable, ominous atmosphere. 

"I'm going to grab us the sandwiches. You must be hungry." she said to Emily who was still immersed in painting. 

"Yeah, that'd be good." she replied, her eyes still focused on the job. 

Walking into the kitchen, Catherine quickly prepared two sandwiches and grabbing two beers from the fridge she went back to Emily who was now sitting on the floor by the corner they just finished painting.

Passing the sandwich and the beer they started eating hungrily right away. Nothing like some work to open up the appetite. 

"So Cat, what are you going to do when you sell the house?" Emily asked casually, reverting her eyes away from Catherine as if she didn't want her to know she had any particular interest in her life. 

"Well...I was thinking of moving away closer to the fort. So I don't have to travel and ya know..."

"Oh...ok...cool." the younger girl said, something flashing in her eyes that made Catherine think she was not cool with it at all.

"What about you Em? I mean, when you finish school, what are you going to do?" Catherine threw the ball in Emily's court to make some conversation, but also because she was genuinely interested in her friend's future.

"I don't really know...I'd like to get away, just like you did...But I'm not fit for army I think..." she chuckled. 

"There are other things. It's not like army's the only way out of here..." 

"Yeah...I guess..." Emily said taking a long swig of her beer and lighting up a cigarette. She asked Catherine at the beginning if she was ok with her smoking. Catherine didn't really mind, but she appreciated that Emily at least asked. The older girl had a hunch that Emily rarely asked permission for anything.

"Well isn't there anything you'd see yourself doing?" 

Puffing the smoke, and looking somewhere above Catherine's head Emily in thought, she finally nodded after shorter pause. 

"What?" Catherine asked, leaning a bit in curiosity. 

"Umm...well you know how I love cooking...and am good at it as you've seen or better said tasted...so I was thinking of having my own restaurant one day..." she said reverting her eyes yet again. She tried being cocky self, but Catherine picked up on an uncertainty and even a bit of shyness in her voice. It seemed as if Emily didn't really divulge her dreams and hopes with anyone.

Maybe she thinks it's lame, Catherine thought to herself, scanning the uneasy poise of her teenage friend.

Smiling at her reassuringly and scooting closer, Catherine took her hand. "That's a very nice plan Em."

Emily looked at their joined hands briefly before raising her eyes towards Catherine's midnight blue gaze. "Thanks Cat." Emily smiled almost shyly. This smile reminded her of the younger version of Emily. Giddy, innocent, and just happy no matter the circumstances of life.

"I love it when you smile like that." the words escaped Catherine's mouth without really thinking. 

Emily's grin grew even wider at the words. Dark haired girl noticed only then that they were sitting quite close and facing each other. Catherine scanned the smooth skin, small pale freckles on her nose, few strands of brunette hair that were partially covering two white smudges of paint. 

"You have some paint on your cheek." Catherine said more quietly than needed. Reaching out, she rubbed her thumb over the smoothness of brunette's cheek. 

Emily sat motionlessly, her lips slightly parted, Catherine could feel her warm breath on her face. Catherine bit the inside of her cheek in order to focus only on those two white smudges. I will not look at her lips, I will not...Goddammit. 

Catherine quickly glanced at her lips and back at her hazel eyes, only to see Emily looking at her intently. Shit. Her thumb was still running over the smudge, caressing her cheek rather then cleaning it. Her heart started beating unreasonably fast, and too loud in her opinion. She hoped the other girl couldn't hear it. Then Emily surprised her. She reached with her soft hands, and ran her fingers through the black mane. 

"Em?" Catherine quietly voiced her question, confused and dazed. She noticed Emily gulping as her eyes flicked downwards. Their noses were almost touching. When did she get this close to me? 

Catherine didn't have any more time to ponder, as soft, moist lips pressed delicately against hers. Her mind went  completely blank, she closed her eyes and pulled Emily closer responding to the kiss with vigor she didn't quite expect of herself.