One for Sorrow, two for joy

Three for a girl, four for a boy

Five for silver, six for gold,

Seven for a secret, never to be told…..

That last one's right enough, thought Claire. This secret might well need to stay with me for ever.

She lay on her bed, surrounded by the usual trappings of the teenage girl – everything was pastel and mainly pink, from the walls to the drapes, from the bed linen to the lampshade. Her desk was covered in make-up, hair products, soft toys, and magazines. Her walls testified to her taste in music and fashion icons, posters of The Jacksons and Billy Ocean alongside images of Madonna and Cher.

Her room was all so different from the bedroom she'd visited the evening before.

Allison's room was far plainer, decorated in more wintry shades of brown, cream and black. Her make-up reflected her personality, with far more eyeliner and not even a suggestion of blusher. Her posters were of more obscure bands, mostly from England, where they seemed to prefer their music less…. bubbly. Her bed had a plain quilt, and the floor-to ceiling drapes were heavy and black.

This final detail was to prove a blessing, as they allowed the girls to fully shut out the world outside, and concentrate solely on each other, as if in a tiny world all of their own...

It had started, Claire knew, that Saturday in detention. It was quite a surprise to realise that she had a taste for the forbidden. That, she knew, was the real reason she'd kissed John Bender. That, she knew, was the reason she'd given him the diamond earring, in front of her mother, and sealed the transaction with a further kiss. It wasn't that John attracted her that much. When quizzed – and boy, did her mother quiz her – she realised that she wasn't able to justify what she'd done. It wasn't that there were no reasons, simply that none of them made any real sense in her head, and so they sure as hell wouldn't make her mother understand. And so she stayed quiet, took all the abuse and accusations that were thrown at her, and then promised that it wouldn't happen again.

She'd almost kept that promise. She did see John again a few nights later, and kissed him once more. This time it was different – there was nobody to impress and nobody to shock. With that stripped away, she felt cold – not repelled by John, but certainly not attracted either. And as she walked home, she realised that the only spark in her soul came when she'd thought of her mother, and how pissed she would have been to see her daughter defy her.

Claire had lain in bed that night, thinking everything through. She'd thought of detention, of being stuck in school with four strangers when she ought to have been at the mall.

She'd thought of John. Nothing.

She'd thought of Andy and Brian. Other than understanding them a little more, they hadn't impacted her at all.

She thought of Allison…

She remembered the moment she first raised her head from the desk, revealing those dark eyes and strong features for the first time. She remembered the point when the pursed lips first split into a smile, and her stomach lurched. Claire's hands shifted to her belly, and slowly circled against the smooth, soft skin.

She remembered how she'd gone off with Allison, and had slowly removed the thick, inexpertly applied black make-up to reveal the beauty beneath. At the time it was meant to be for Andy, but in hindsight that was a lie that Claire had told herself. Claire closed her eyes, and was able to recall Allison's face in remarkable detail.

Suddenly her eyes snapped open. She'd been thinking of Allison for no more than a minute, and only of Allison. And, completely unbidden, her hands had move from her stomach to seek out the space between her thighs. They had found their target already open and wet, and she was well on the way to reaching climax when the realization hit her.

The next day, she had waited by the school gates for Allison. She wasn't planning to talk to her, but she couldn't get the events of the previous night out of her head.

Unsure why she'd reacted as she did, she simply stood, scanning the crowds of arriving teenagers, until suddenly there she was.

It was like someone had hit her in the gut. The feeling in her stomach was a physical thing, and suddenly everything became clear. It wasn't just about rebellion. It wasn't about scoring points, either against her parents, her peers, or even herself. This was something else, something totally unique.

Question was - what was she going to do about it? and how would Allison react?

She had to decide quickly, because in a few seconds, the two girls would be face to face. Would she stop? Would she say anything?

"Hi Claire!"

Something in her face must have betrayed her, for Allison quickly frowned, and reached out a hand to touch Claire's arm.

"Hey - are you all right?" she asked, genuine concern in her voice.

Claire could barely respond, and Allison, thinking her friend was ill, put her arm around Claire's waist to steady her.

"Come on, I'm taking you to the nurse" Allison said, and slowly the two walked into school.

Later that afternoon, Allison found Claire sat under a tree outside her house. Claire had made up some mystery illness for the nurse, who had been convinced enough to let Claire off school that day. Claire had spent the day wandering the streets, deep in thought and completely unsure what to do for the best.

In the end, she realised that whatever happened, she needed to find out what Allison felt. Even if it was a rejection, she knew that it would be impossible to spend another day feeling as she did.

And after some small talk outside, Claire found herself with Allison, both sat on her bed very quietly for a while, eyes closed, just enjoying listening to music on the radio. Claire had assured Allison that she was feeling OK, but she felt far from normal. Finally, she could stand it no longer.

Allison felt Claire's arm shift, and as the music softly continued Claire's hand moved and began to massage Allison's neck just above her shoulders. Allison stiffened slightly, but she'd always secretly been a sucker for a good neck-rub, and so she let Claire carry on.

Claire continued the massage for several minutes, her mind racing, and the proximity of her friend causing her breath to quicken and sweat prickle on her forehead and arms. She felt her nipples stiffen and tingle, and a now familiar itch started calling for attention from her panties.

Allison was also deep in thought. Claire's touch had been getting slowly, but obviously, more sexual, and the fleeting thought she'd had earlier at the school gates returned to her with growing certainty. Listening to Claire's ragged, shallow breathing, she was now pretty sure what had been causing Claire's discomfort.

Allison turned her face toward Claire to say something and their lips were so near that Claire couldn't help myself. That fast the two girls were kissing. Allison's mouth opened in shock, and Claire's tongue darted across her lips and teeth.

Allison quickly pulled back and struggled to stand up.

"I... I need to pee..." she said, and quickly went through to the bathroom,\closing the door behind her.

Claire dropped face-first onto the bed, desperately trying to work out how she should react. She felt tears pushing against her eyelids, but she was damned if she was going to go to pieces here.

She'd convinced herself that it was going to work, that Allison would feel the same as she did. But no - she had to go and rush things, she had to ruin everything.

In the bathroom, Allison stared at her reflection in the mirror. There were about a million thoughts all clamouring for attention in her mind, none of which would help her at all. She knew she had to act quickly, because the one thing she was certain about was that she couldn't afford to lose Claire as a friend - the one thing she now feared she had done.

She'd never really had any close friends, certainly not for a good few years. But if everything she knew from all the books she'd read and movies she'd watched was true, then Claire more than fit the profile. She was Allison's best friend - her first ever best friend.

More than that, though. She realised that when Claire kissed her, the surprise she felt was just that - not repulsion, not anger, not fear, just shock at the speed that things had changed between them. And the thought of losing Claire suddenly made her long for her touch again, for the new closeness of her soul, her spirit, her sexuality, and her body.

When Allison opened the bathroom door, she saw Claire lying face down on the bed. It was clear that despite her determination, the tears were flowing. Allison felt the emotion well up within her, and quickly and quietly, she walked over and placed her hand on Claire's shoulder.

Claire hadn't heard Allison re-enter the room, and jumped at her touch. When she looked around, her eyes were puffy and red, and the emotion had caused a few of her childhood freckles to reappear slightly across the bridge of her nose.

"Ally, I'm sorry... I never meant to..." she started, but Allison quickly moved in to silence her with a gentle, tender kiss.

When their mouths parted, Claire looked questioningly into Allison's eyes.

"Claire, you're my best friend - my best ever friend. You... took me by surprise, that's all. And it took a shock like that to help me clear my head and realise how important you are..."

With an unspoken agreement Claire moved over, letting Allison back onto the bed , Allison pausing to turn off turn off the radio and pull the drapes closed.

They lay on their sides looking at each other without saying anything. Sensing fragility in the moment Allison slowly reached out and took one of Claire's hands in hers. Slowly Allison leaned her head forward until her forehead rested against Claire's. Through her head and hand she felt her friend begin to tremble, shivering in both fear and anticipation. Neither had said anything to the other but now they both could feel the other, they didn't need words right now.

Allison reached out with both arms, letting go of Claire's hand. She drew the other girl to her and held her close, still all the while looking directly into Claire's eyes, giving her strength and assurance. Very slowly she moved her head closer till they both felt the breath of the other on their cheek.

Claire slowly closed her eyes and with that approval Allison closed the kiss was at first just a soft peck and release. The next one was deeper. And the next deeper yet. Allison moved one hand up and down, caressing Claire's back until she raised it up, holding the back of Claire's head and then sliding till her fingers rested below the ear and her thumb rubbed gently on Claire's cheek. Allison could feel Claire's hand rest on her cheek, moving as if to know her face's every contour by touch. Allison touched the tip of her tongue to Claire's lips and felt the girl accept it with her own. Allison felt like she and Claire were melting into one another.

When she finally broke the kiss, Claire's eyes finally opened again and she felt her heart beat faster as she saw the same emotions as her own there in that face opposite."Allison I…" It was a soft whisper filled with meaning and still a little fear and shyness.

Allison cut her of with a soft peck on the lips."Me too," Allison said to the girl she now knew she loved despite only knowing her for such a short time.

Slowly, their hands moved to explore the girl opposite. Fingers nevously fumbled with buttons and zippers, first loosening clothing to delve within, before removing altogether. Each inch of skin revealed had to be seen, to be touched, to be tasted. Finally, the two girls lay naked, fingers entwined, breast against breast, feet and toes brushing agaisnt the other.

Allison suddely released her friend and sat up.

"What's wrong?" asked Claire, suddenly fearful again.

Allison chuckled.

"Nothing's wrong, baby. I just want to look at you, that's all..."

The two girls were different in some ways. Allison was slightly shorter than Claire, but Claire was surprised to see that her breasts were a size larger at least. They had always been hidden beneath baggy, shapeless clothes before now. Both girls were slim, due either to a personal trainer in Claire's case, while for Allison it was too many mornings running to get to school before the bell.

Allison smiled when she saw that Claire, like herself, had only a sparse covering of pubic hair, neatly maintained and which did little to hide the puffy lips which glistened in the dim light.

"Enough words, and enough waiting..." said Allison, and she dipped her head and gently licked Claire's nipple. She heard her friend gasp with shock at her touch. Her hand found Claire's other breast, and began massaging and rolling the nipple whilst her lips and tongue worked on the other.

After a few minutes, she slowly started the journey down towards Claire's pussy. It seemed to take an age, and the anticipation almost pushed Claire over the edge. Somehow,Allison seemed to know when to quicken and when to pause, keeping Claire ever so close to her climax.

Finally, she reached her goal, and Claire heard the intake of breath, as Allison peeled back the lips to reveal the sweet, sticky center. She breathed in the scent, and realised that this was a place she would never be able to leave.

The first touch of her tongue was all it took. Claire's body tensed and shook, her head felt like it was exploding, and she came with a force she'd never believed possible.

As she came down, Allison moved around to lay with her head resting against Claire's thigh, so that she could stay close enough to kiss and smell her friend's wetness. Claire reached out, and coaxed Allison alongside her, so that the compliment could be returned. The sight, smell, feel and taste of Allison's pussy hit Claire with as much impact as Allison had earlier felt, and as the two girls gently licked and probed with tongue and fingers, they both knew that rather than lose their best friends,they had found their soul mates.

And now Claire lay in her own room, waiting for a call from Allison, and reliving in her mind all that had happened the day before.

She thought of how her mother would react if she found out. Her father,she knew, would be disappointed, but she's always be his princess, no matter what. But Mom would freak. It would probably be enough for her to be sent away to another school, across country with her grandmother on the west coast.

The idea of being punished for this bought a wave of bitterness – and a determination that it wouldn't happen. Much as she wanted to shout out loud, declaring to everyone that she was in love with Allison reynolds - if she had to hold in the happiness she felt, and live a lie just to have a life with the person she loved, then so be it.

One for Sorrow.

Three for a girl.

Seven for a secret, never to be told…..

Just then there was a gentle knock on the door, and a smiling teenage girl looked from the doorway with eyes only for her...