Title: Untouchable Must be in the Dictionary
Pairing: Jessie/Tad, Katie/Sarah (implied), Jessie/Katie
Rating: PG, maybe PG-13, for some slight language/sexual content. Mostly PG.
Feedback: You know I love, so if you have the time to leave some, whether you hate it or love it, I greatly appreciate it. Thank you! (Just please don't leave any comments regarding the fact that this is femslash. I do warn you that it is.)
Disclaimer: I do not own Once and Again or any of its characters…much to my utter dismay. Nor do I own the movie Sweet Home Alabama, well, I own the movie. I just don't own the rights to it.
Author's Note: For anyone who reads my other JK story, you know, the unfinished one…I do plan on getting back around to that, but I'm writing three articles a week for newspapers plus doing this thing called college, so I can't finish a multiple-chapter story right now…but I do plan on coming back to it. For the moment though, I did have this little 'ole fic stuck in my mind about Jessie and Katie, so I figured I'd let it come out to play ;) Yes, for anyone wondering this has girls fall in love with girls…Ye be warned.
For this fic, I tried to stay true to each character's personality, but I aged them up to college-age and brought them to nowadays, which means they have decent cell phones. Also, since this story takes place at college, so I upgraded the ages of all involved accordingly. This means that everyone met in different ways. Well, Tad, Katie, and Sarah went to high school together, but Katie and Tad didn't meet Jessie until college. Also, the bolded words in italics are some of Katie's thoughts. The rest of it is told in third person, with lines of "---" to keep parts separate, so hopefully no one gets too confused. Enjoy!
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The untouchables: those one is not allowed to touch. The concept is easy enough, right? I wish I understood it…
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Beep. Beep. Beep. BEEP. BEEP. BEEP. Katie Singer reached over and turned her alarm clock off. Why in the world she had thought that a 7:45 class would be a good way to start every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning at college she would never really understand. As a freshman, she had avoided classes until 11 a.m., but that also meant she had class until 7 at night, which was not exactly her favorite either. She could either sleep in, or spend all day in class. As a sophomore, she elected for getting done with class at about 11 a.m. Getting up at 7 was a pain in her ass, but something still made mornings Katie's favorite.
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Jessie Sammler stretched her hands above her hands as she moved into her last yoga pose of the morning. It was her favorite way to wake up. She didn't have class for another hour, but she just loved the way that the sun came in through her window in the morning, and the way that no one was in the bathroom as she took her shower in the morning. She lived in a residence hall with thirty-five other girls, so it was a miracle when the bathroom was empty. She was willing to get up early for a miracle.
Her phone vibrated, but the blonde already knew who it was. "Hey Katie," she responded eagerly, "ready for coffee?"
"Hey Billie," the other girl responded happily, using their shared nickname, "and you know it."
"Want to meet at the usual place?" Jessie was referring to the coffee shop on campus, but she opened the door to find Katie outside of it. Katie was a sophomore, while Jessie was a freshman. They had French class together, and during a class project, in which they had gotten paired together due to their last names, they hit it off quite well. The two girls had met during the first week of class. It was now the fifth week in, and they were almost inseparable when outside of class. Of course, they hadn't hit it off in quite the way that Jessie and Tad had. Tad, Katie's best friend and roommate off-campus, had been going on dates lately with Jessie. They were really cute together. Katie knew they were cute together, but she almost wished they weren't.
Katie smiled happily, noting the surprised look on the younger girl's face. "I thought I'd pick you up this morning."
"To walk across the street?"
"It is a very dangerous street, Miss Sammler." Jessie giggled at her friend's silliness but still accepted the crook of Katie's arm to place her hand in. Mornings were Jessie's favorite.
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I knew I forgot something when I packed to move into my apartment; I just didn't realize it was my dictionary, which is really too bad, because I'm pretty sure if I looked up "untouchable" in it, I'd find a photo of Miss Jessica Sammler. She's my best female friend, dating my best guy friend, and utterly straight. Damn it. Even Sarah didn't have a dictionary to let me borrow…
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"Sarah…" Katie whined into her phone. She was done with class for the day, but somehow even that fact didn't make her happy.
"Boy, you sound miserable. Bad class?" Sarah went to school in a different state, but she and Katie still talked frequently, meaning almost every day. It was a late-morning ritual.
"No."
Sarah took another guess at what was wrong, "Miss breakfast?"
"No."
"Jessie?" Sarah's question was greeted with silence. "I figured."
Katie shuffled her feet as she settled her bookbag next to her on the bench. It was fall, so it was still nice enough outside to sit out and talk. She murmured, "I shouldn't be talking to you about this."
Sarah tried to hold back her slight laughter, "Because we dated?"
"Yeah…"
"Katie, I love you and all, but we go to different colleges…"
"I know," Katie replied, feeling even more miserable.
"We're going to meet different people."
"I know."
"Make-out with different people." Sarah's voice had a certain hitch in it at the end of her sentence that made Katie think for a moment.
"I know. Wait. Who!"
"The girl in my art class…" Aha! Katie knew Sarah had been acting differently lately.
"The one who drew the pink butterfly when you were working on each drawing a still life?"
"No! The model…"
Katie racked her brain; she didn't remember any model…Oh! "The nude model?"
"Maybe…"
"That's great!" Katie was genuinely happy about this. Plus, it made her forget about her own troubles for a moment. "How did this happen?"
It was Sarah's turn to grow modest. She didn't want to jinx it. "We weren't talking about me."
"We can be, if you like."
"No, we're talking about how it's okay if we date other people."
Katie teased, "Obviously you're okay with it, making-out with other people…"
"Katie, complaining to me won't do any good…My name isn't Jessie." And all Katie could do was sigh; her ex-girlfriend was far too wise.
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I used to be really good about this. I mean, it'd been over a month, and I hadn't tried to kiss her yet! In fact, that conversation with Sarah was the first time I had ever admitted to anyone that I had feelings for Jessie. Well, I haven't tried to kiss her, because I actually had to coach Tad on the fact that it was okay for him to kiss her, but it's only fair; he was the one that she had gone on a few dates with, not me. I mean, Jess and I go to breakfast each morning, and we study together each evening, yeah. That's only because we each have homework to do, so we don't see why we can't do our homework in the same room is all. Then, we have French class together, and sometimes we get lunch or dinner together, but sometimes Tad is there when we hang out at the apartment. He sometimes watches a movie with us, and he took Jessie out to eat dinner once! And once when Sarah visited, we all went bowling. Another night, we all went out to karaoke. And, fuck, Jessie's singing, even when she's been drinking a little (the karaoke bar doesn't card as long as you pay)…She's still beautiful. This would be harder if she wasn't straight, because then she might be interested in someone other than Tad, but she can't be. She can't be. She's untouchable, because if I touch her, there are so many ways to get burnt.
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"Football anyone?" Tad bounded into the apartment while Katie and Jessie worked on their homework. They both slid the textbooks from their laps and looked up at their friend.
"Hey Tad," they both greeted him.
"Hey Baby," Tad winked, trying to be smooth.
Jessie hesitated, but Katie didn't. "Shouldn't you be greeting Jessie first, Tad?" Jessie blushed at Katie's joke, and Tad rolled his eyes.
"You two wanna play some football?"
"No," Katie shook her head sadly. "It's for your safety. I don't wanna hurt you."
"Hurt me?" Tad laughed and jokingly posed to show his muscles.
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If only that game had been touch football or flag football…Actually, I think it was touch football.
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Katie exaggerated a limp, trying to get Jessie's attention. "Okay, you wouldn't be bruised if you hadn't taunted Tad the whole time."
Katie's limp left her and she tried to dance around a little bit, "Ouch," she muttered, before continuing with her complaint, "but it's so fun!"
Jessie rolled her eyes. While everyone else had been satisfied with a simple game of touch football, Katie and Tad had decided to guard each other and play tackle football. You could definitely tell they were best friends…only best friends can get away with that. The blonde scolded, "And who's bruised now?"
"I think he got some injuries in all of that too. I mean, the one move where I jumped on his back…totally got him!" The older girl pumped her fist in the air, trying to signify her victory. Tad and the guys had continued playing, but the girls had dropped out after an hour or two, because Katie had declared the game 'won already' by her.
"You both fell over after that move though!"
Katie smirked, "And who scored the goal?"
"Me, because neither one of you had the ball!"
"Oh, yeah…" Katie had forgotten that part, "but who threw the ball to you?"
"Jeff, because, again, neither one of you had the ball."
"Well…" Katie paused, looking for the right words. Maybe she and Tad really weren't meant to guard each other…She changed the subject, "You need a shower." She pretended to sniff at Jessie, "Come on, we can take showers in my apartment. Tad is going home this weekend after the game, so you can stay over and have a girl's night."
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Girls' nights. Nights for girls. I realize now that this was a bad idea at the time, but like I said. We hung out a lot, well, we still hang out a lot. We have breakfast, we have lunch or dinner…We study together. It's only natural to hang out over night at each other's rooms, but for some reason, we never had before. Well, sometimes we would, if we stayed up too late somewhere, and we just happened to fall asleep, but we had never planned it before…Somehow, we'd always end up walking back to our separate rooms. I guess, usually, it would be on the way, or Tad would drop us off. Huh, right. Tad.
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Jessie had already taken her shower, seeing as Katie had let her jump in it first, and Tad had snagged it after her, because he was done playing football, but he wanted to get home early for the weekend. He didn't have Friday classes, unlike the girls, so he was leaving Thursday evening. Katie was in the shower, so Jess and Tad were left hanging out in the living room, with Jessie watching television and Tad packing the last of his stuff for the weekend.
The blonde looked over at her friend and sighed. She didn't say anything, so he started the conversation with a simple, "What's up, Jess?"
She sighed again. She really wasn't sure where to start. It was weird enough talking to her step-sister Grace about this, because they didn't get along very well in high school. Well, okay, they still didn't always get along very well, but Grace understood some things about Jessie that Jessie took awhile to understand.
He repeated himself, "What's up?"
"I…can't date you." She hadn't meant to blurt it out like that. She had just been thinking the last few weeks, while hanging out with both Katie and Tad. She mumbled, "I think I like Katie, and I know nothing is going to happen, because you're best friends, and I can't come between that, but I just…I wanted you to know. I want to be friends with you. I just…I think I'm gay." She paused again before continuing, "I know I'm gay."
Tad put the bags he had been loading into her car down to walk over and sit next to the younger girl. "I really like you, Jess, but…come on, even I've seen the looks you two throw each other." Jessie looked confused, so he tried to explain. Remember the time that you two were watching Sweet Home Alabama, and I came in and joined you? You two both gave me a death glare when I sat in between you, and I'm pretty sure neither of you really meant to do that." Jessie looked down at her lap, bewildered. "Or how about the time that we went to the karaoke bar? You looked at her during the entire song." Jessie still looked down. "There's also the fact that you practically live at the apartment without paying rent, and when you're not here, Katie usually isn't either."
"We went on a date though. Me and you…"
"Yeah, and it was fun. We hang out, Jess, but like you said, like we've both realized, I'm not the roommate you want."
"Oh."
"Yeah, I can't say I'm not a bit jealous of Katie, because I am. Jess, you're amazing, but…"
"You understand that you're not my type?" Jessie had always gotten along with Tad. Tad and Katie were best friends after all, so Jessie had seen enough of him around to know he was a good guy, but she hadn't expected him to be like this. "Was I really that obvious?"
"Unfortunately for me, yes," Jessie blushed and Tad laughed. "It's cool. This campus is over sixty-five percent girls. I think I'll find another one."
Jessie obviously brightened with the thought of that. "But, me and Katie…You'd be okay with that?"
"Eventually." Tad paused, "I'd like to think I am. I like you both." Jessie raised her eyebrows at that statement. "Not both of you like that, that'd be weird, but…just take care of each other if it happens, k? Because if something went wrong, I wouldn't know who to side with."
"You're amazing." Then, Jessie's blue eyes grew wide. "Oh my gosh, what if she doesn't like me? I've been acting like I just assume…I shouldn't assume…It'll make an ass out of you and me, or out of me anyway."
Tad cut off her rambling, "Find out. I'm sure she likes your ass just fine." Tad smirked as Jessie swatted at his arm.
Katie managed to just catch the end of the conversation as she walked out of the shower, complete with pajamas and wet hair. "Who likes Jessie's ass?"
Tad smirked, "See you on Sunday, Jess."
"Bye, Tad."
"See ya, Katie!" He shouted at a confused Katie as he walked out the door.
"Bye," Katie replied before turning back to Jessie. "That was a hasty retreat, and seriously, who likes your ass?"
Jessie just giggled and changed the subject before asking, "Ready for the first movie?"
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Sometimes, sleeping makes things touchable, at least, until you wake up…
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Katie's hand felt smooth skin beneath her hand, and she moved her thumb along the stomach. It wasn't until Jessie mumbled in her sleep that Katie realized with a jerk what she was doing. Somewhere during the third movie, the girls had decided that it was easier to lie on the futon and watch the movie, which was fine. Katie could lie behind Jess and see just fine with a pillow to prop her up, but then they weren't touching. Sometime since that movie had ended, Katie's body had found its way up against Jessie's back, and her hand up under her shirt. It didn't seem as though Jessie's body had protested, because the older girl's arm that was wrapped underneath Jessie's body had its fingers interlocked with Jessie's fingers.
"Hey, Billie," Katie whispered to a sleeping Jessie. "I have to go sleep in my own bed."
"What?" Jessie didn't let go of Katie, instead she tried to snuggle into the pillow on the futon better.
"I have to go sleep in my own bed." Jessie sleepily shook her head. "We don't fit on the futon."
"Yes, we do. We pulled it into a bed already. We fit just fine." Jessie was slowly waking up.
"Jess, I can't."
"Can't what?"
"Do this," Katie gestured at their current situation on the futon and their close proximity to one another.
Jessie suddenly understood. "Snuggle?"
"Yes. I mean, I can't with you."
"Oh my gosh." Katie didn't like her. Stupid assuming. Stupid asses. She was wrong. Katie didn't like her. Katie had told Jessie awhile ago that she was gay, and that she had talked to Sarah, and they were just friends, but obviously something was wrong. She was still stuck on Sarah or something. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to...I thought you were okay with…" Jessie felt like a moron as she wiggled her way off of the futon. "I can leave."
"You don't have to leave."
"No, I can. It's fine. I like to go home at..." Jessie squinted at the clock "…four in the morning."
"Let me walk you home then." Katie moved to find her shoes; Jessie wasn't walking herself home.
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This is underlined, because, as much as I hate to do this, it's an author's note in the middle of a story, but I believe Katie would be okay with my doing this…No girl should be trying to walk herself home this late at night in a city. I've done it, but it is not the smart move. Find a friend to walk you back or somewhere safe to stay.
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"No, it's fine. Look, my left shoe is already on, so now if I could find my right one, that would be really great, and then I'd be good to go…" Jessie was almost in tears as she searched for her other shoe. She was so stupid. She knew she shouldn't assume, but nooo, she did. Stupid, stupid, stupid.
"Billie, you're not walking home now. You can sleep on the couch or in my bed. I'll sleep on the couch, you can take my bed. I just can't do this with you…"
"You can't what? Fall asleep next to me?" Jessie struggled to put on her other shoe, but it was late, and she was tired, and putting on shoes was suddenly hard. "I thought we were friends."
"We were! We are." Katie bit her lip, hoping the write words would come to her. "I just, I like you…too much, Jessie. You're dating my best guy friend. He's a nice guy. I can't do that to him. You like him, and I can see that. You two can be cute together and happy. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have invited you over tonight; I should have known that this would happen…I never stay awake during movie marathons…"
"Katie," the younger girl tried to interrupt her, but it didn't work.
"I'm sorry that I fell for you. I didn't mean to, but you were all cute in French class, and then you were actually smart during our project, and after hanging out with you I got to see how witty you were! And you have no idea how beautiful you are or how much I love listening to you sing. I'm sorry that I love listening to you sing."
"You're sorry that you like to listen to me sing?"
"Yes! Because I…you're dating Tad. I shouldn't feel like this. I shouldn't want to kiss you right now, but I do. You're so…" God, Katie rambled a lot. Jessie did the only thing that seemed right at four in the morning. She kissed Katie. She reached over, put a piece of stray hair behind Katie's left ear and kissed her. It took Katie a moment to react, but then she did. However, she was only kissing the blonde for a moment before she came to her senses.
"Jessie! I have to remember Tad…" Jessie leaned forward and kissed Katie again. This time it took longer for Katie to remember to resist. She whispered to Jessie as she leaned her forehead against the other girl's, "So not fair…"
"I told Tad that I couldn't date him, because I liked you. I think he already knew though." Jessie smirked and gave Katie an Eskimo kiss, "I'm not the greatest at keeping my feelings secret, I guess."
"I…never knew." Katie leaned forward and lightly kissed Jessie's forehead as the news sunk in. Tad was okay with it. Katie rethought her previous statement, "I don't think I knew?" She was remembering their hanging out together; they did seem to find random excuses to have to touch each other, like random 'good morning' hugs. Katie kissed Jessie's cheek. "Maybe I knew." Katie kissed Jessie's neck lightly. "Now I know," and with that she leaned in and kissed Jessie on the lips. They could totally fit on the futon.
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On the first note, I love that futon. On another note, there are untouchables. Yes, there are untouchables, like that last cookie that I promised to Tad and the movie that Jessie doesn't want me to watch until later, so she can watch it with me. As for Jessie being untouchable…Well, if I had remembered to pack my dictionary for school, then I would have been able to look up "untouchable" and would have realized Billie's photo isn't listed.