Chapter 8
LILY
When their breathing evened, nobody said anything.
Lily kept her arm across Maya’s stomach, her hand resting on Hanna’s thigh.
She watched as Maya went back to twirling her fingers in Hanna’s hair and shivered slightly with pleasure as she felt Maya’s hand do the same in her hair, her fingertips making soft circles across her scalp.
No one had touched her like that since she was a child, not since her mother or her aunt.
Lily smiled to herself as she leaned her head into the crook of Maya’s neck. Hanna was looking at her. Hanna was staring at her—no, into her. It wasn’t uncomfortable though, so Lily stared back into her as Maya ran her fingers through their hair.
The music, the morning light in the room, the smell of them all in her bed, was making her feel things she normally didn’t.
Which was silly, Lily knew that, but it had been a long time since she’d been held like this, or held anyone like this.
It had been almost never that she had been touched the way she was last night.
There was something in the air that made Lily feel like everything was in reach, and all she had to do was grab it.
Not wanting the moment to slip by, but unsure how to hold onto something she’d never had before, she kept Hanna’s gaze as she turned and kissed the skin below Maya’s shoulder.
She heard Maya take in a breath and turn, her soft curls shifting underneath her, and then felt Maya’s lips on her own hair.
Safe, was the last feeling she remembered before she fell all the way into it and was asleep.
“What time is it? I should text my mom.” The grogginess in Hanna’s voice told Lily that she hadn’t been the only one to fall asleep.
“It’s 9:37 in the morning,” Maya’s voice reverberated in her chest underneath Lily’s ear.
Fuck why did they insist on getting active again before 10am? Lily groaned and rolled on to her back, and felt Maya sit up.
“Does your mom expect you to be home before noon after sleeping over somewhere or something?” Lily asked, rubbing a hand down her face.
“Well, this was an unplanned sleepover, and she just likes to know what’s going on,” Hanna replied defensively.
“Mmm,” Lily responded, as if it was totally normal for a twenty-one year old to have to check in like they’re sixteen.
“Wonder how our moms are doing?” Maya asked.
“I can guarantee they aren’t doing how we are doing,” Lily joked. “My mom probably tried to cook and then caved and ordered in. Bet you she made your mom watch one of her weird docs on horticulture.”
“Mmm,” Maya responded, and Lily finally turned to find her sitting up and looking over at Hanna, who was now furiously tapping on her phone.
“Everything okay?” Maya asked, beating Lily to it.
“Yeah, my mom is just trying to figure out if I am still able to help her with church stuff tomorrow.”
“Ooof, you’re going to church tomorrow?” Lily asked.
“Yeah I do every time I am home, it makes the parents—well, my mother—happy.”
“Protestant?” Maya asked.
“Yep, the wonder bread of Christianity,” Hanna said. “But I get it, the church really helped my parents raise the money they needed to, well, to get me. It’s a nice community, they’ve always made me feel welcomed.”
“Are you going to go to church too?” Maya asked Lily, and Lily felt herself burst into laughter.
“Not unless I want to burst into a ball of flames, especially after last night.” Lily added that last part somewhat bitterly. “My mom isn’t big on organized religion, she is more spiritual and raised me that way too I guess.”
“The church here is nice, I mean, it’s pretty liberal? I don’t think they’d care that you’re gay or that I’m bi,” Hanna said, but she didn’t sound sure.
“My mom said she isn’t making us go. My grandparents apparently made her go.” Maya added, “She said she can’t deal with the whole ‘she ran off with a Black man and then got divorced’ thing.”
“Yeah well, I will admit that while no one is outwardly judgy, there is a lot of emphasis on being a ‘good Christian,’ and fitting a kind of image,” Hanna said quietly.
“Somehow I think all the premarital sex and now threesomes I’m having wouldn’t fit well either,” Lily said, giving in and sitting up.
Maya laughed and then said, “Yeah well, I think threesomes are all they’re cracked up to be, especially with you two.”
Lily watched Hanna blush as she finished tapping something on her phone and finally put it down.
“I head back up to school tomorrow night so…” Her voice trailed off, and she blinked at Lily and Maya as if re-realizing she was still in the room with them, naked. Post sex. Lots of sex.
After a long pause she said, “I’ve never had a one night stand before, so I am not sure how to—I mean, this isn’t awkward, is it? Am I being awkward?”
“Are you asking us as veteran sluts?” Maya asked, but there was a lightness in her voice.
“No, I mean, I don’t know?” Hanna said, and her face started to flush.
“Relax, Hanna Banana,” Lily said, stretching and noticing Hanna looking at her breasts as she bowed her back. For good measure, Lily ran her hands through her blonde hair and relished in the heat in Hanna’s eyes. Lily was pretty proud of her rack.
“Hanna Banana?” Hanna finally said.
“Whatever, you’re not awkward, you’re hot as fuck, are we going to lay back down?” Lily said, collapsing back beside Maya.
Maya chuckled, “You’re not being awkward…Banana.”
“Is that what you two are going to call me from now on? Feels low-key a little racially insensitive…”
A silence fell into the room as realization clicked into place.
“Holy shit, I didn’t—” Lily started, and she sat up on her elbows again, alarm etched on her face.
“I’m kidding,” Hanna said and beamed over at the two of them. “I know how you both see me, I know you see me.”
Lily watched as relief flooded through Maya, who scooted back down next Lily. Now all she needed was for Hanna to lay back down.
“But we will need to call Maya ‘Papaya Maya’ for me to allow it,” Hanna added, smiling.
“Do I get a fruit name?” Lily asked.
“Hmmm,” Hanna said. “Wait, isn’t your full name Lilith?”
“Wait, like Lilith, Lilith?” Maya asked.
Lily shook her head, “Yeah my Mom’s name is Diana, like the goddess, so she named me Lilith.” Lily shrugged. “I don’t hate it.”
“You’re going to just be Lilith because that name is badass,” Hanna mused, and after looking between Lily and Maya, she slid back down into the blankets as well.
“Okay, and where are all these names going?” Lily asked.
“Group chat!” Maya declared, and the energy in the room shifted slightly.
“As in,” Lily paused. They didn’t know each other, and hadn’t really known each other beyond yesterday.
Sure, she went to high school with Hanna, but they hadn’t talked or even been acquaintances.
She literally just met Maya yesterday. Sure, they had gotten to know each other.
They’d slept together, had sex, but Lily had had sex with lots of women and never called them again.
She figured she may come up in a couple group chats on campus, but she wasn’t meant to be a part of those conversations.
No, usually her mornings were full of small talk and goodbyes that held true.
But she hadn’t had a morning like this before, or a night like she’d had last night before, she argued with herself.
She prided herself on not fitting the “U-Hauling” stereotype, but in this moment she could almost see the appeal of it.
The feeling came back, like there was something just within her reach.
“Okay so group chat,” Lily said, and then added, “please send nudes.”