Author's note: As always, I'd like to thank LittleAlison (amazing author on this site) for helping me along on my writing journey. I firmly believe, if not for her, I wouldn't be writing. Next I'd like to send out a huge thank you to Macktosh for doing a fabulous job cleaning and editing my little story. Lastly, I'd like to thank my ears. LOL. For overhearing a conversation at a BBQ this summer that inspired this story.
BEST FRIENDS (with benefits) FOREVER
Raven and Robyn
Raven. Not the greatest name for a slim, petite, blue-eyed blond. But that's just how things go. And I'm not very good at keeping stories short, but I'll try my best.
Robyn and I practically grew up together. Her mom had a small daycare she ran out of her remodeled basement. And I was one of her mom's daycare kids. Robyn and I were the same age when we met, around four years old. Summer after summer we became closer and closer as we watched each other grow up. She was the Yin to my Yang. Robyn had an older sister Brenda that was five years older than us. Except we didn't see her much. Brenda wouldn't lower herself to play with little kids.
Even though I eventually grew out of daycare. Robyn and I stayed friends. Best friends actually. All through high school and beyond. We shared more laughs and tears than I can count. We were physically close too. When we were little we would often hold hands. It just felt... right.
Then later, we would sit up tight next to each other on her couch watching TV or just reading. I remember feeling a little empty when she got up to do something. Looking forward to her return, and for the sides of our warm bodies to be touching again.
But it's our sleepovers that I remember the most. Nothing sexual mind you. Just a real close friendship. Eating pizza together, reading stuff online or watching old black and white movies on TV. Then just laying there in her bed. Laughing and giggling about boys mostly.
Sometimes the subject of our friendship would come up. We made a pact to always remain friends no matter what happened in our lives. One night, we interlaced our fingers together with one hand. And did a pinky swear with the other as a way of sealing the best friends forever pact. It seemed like an innocent and magical time.
As our teenage years progressed I looked forward to every sleepover with butterflies in my stomach. Again, nothing sexual, we were both straight. It just felt sooo good to be laying right next to Robyn. Why...? Well, I was an only child, and Robyn was as close to me as any sister that I could ever have. And that closeness was as precious as gold to me.
I eventually went off to college in another state. But I would come back often to visit my parents and of course... Robyn. She said college wasn't for her and ended up moving around from job to job. And from boyfriend to boyfriend.
By the time we both turned twenty-one we were kinda wild. We would go to bars and WE would pick up guys. Take them to bed, rock their world and never see them again. Then return to the peaceful comfort of her bedroom, climb into bed and compare notes on their, and our, sexual prowess. Confessing to each other what we did to them and what they did to us. That usually ended with us laughing like fools.
We also learned one night while comparing sexual encounters that we both liked dirty talk. Both saying it and hearing it. Our wild ways coming through I guess.
Also by that time, we were hugging often and giving each other 'hello' and 'goodbye' kisses on the cheek. I never loved anyone outside my family as much as I did Robyn. She was the sister I never had. To say we were comfortable around each other would be an understatement.
When I graduated near the top of my class with a nursing degree. Boston General scooped me up and offered me a six figure salary. I couldn't say no. I tried to get Robyn to move up to Boston with me. But she wanted to stay in Schenectady, New York with her family.
**********
One day, late night actually, like two in the morning. My cell phone was going crazy. Normally I just let it ring. Figuring it was the hospital trying to get me to come in to cover someone's shift. When I finally answered the phone, it was Robyn. Crying harder than I've ever heard before. My pulse immediately doubled and a cold sweat started pouring out of me. My heart broke into a million pieces as she told me through tears that her pregnant sister Brenda died of a drug overdose. Right downstairs in the kitchen of her parents house, while she was sleeping upstairs.
See, as wild as I thought Robyn and I were, her sister Brenda was a thousand times worse. She'd been doing drugs for years and had been to rehab on several occasions. And besides being pregnant, Brenda left behind two fatherless toddlers as well. A sad situation all the way around.
I never let Robyn hang up on me that night. If I didn't constantly hear her voice, I would have thought something bad would have happened to her too. I threw some clothes in a small overnight bag and flew like the wind to Robyn's parents' house. My heart was racing as I broke every speed limit along the way. Again, I never let Robyn hang up. I even listened while she tried to console Bernda's kids.
A thousand thoughts were running through my mind. Not least of which was that now, Robyn is an only child too. But at least we had each other. Two twenty-five year old sisterly friends. I promised myself as I white-knuckled it down the highway that night. That I would do anything for Robyn. Anything at all. There would be no request that I would say no to.
My phone died as I pulled up to Robyn's parents' house and noticed the last of the emergency vehicles leaving. About two dozen concerned family and friends filled the house. A strange thing to see at 4 a.m. They were all talking in hushed tones. I pushed my way through the crowd to try to find Robyn. I couldn't find her. So I just yelled out, "Robbbyyynnn!" The emotional pain in my voice was clearly evident. I heard, "RAVEN, get up here!"
I shot up the steps two at a time. Straight into Robyn's room. I flew into her outstretched arms and almost knocked her down. I hugged her so tight until her legs collapsed and pulled us both down to the floor. I held her as she cried like someone was stabbing her over and over. It caused me excruciating pain as well. I never heard anything like it before in my entire life. I whispered to Robyn the promise I made to myself. The one I made as I drove to see her. There would be no request that I would say no to.
The next few days were tough. And I never let Robyn out of my sight. But as it does, time marches on. A few weeks became a month, a few months became a year. A year became two years. And as it did, and as impossible as it may seem. Robyn found a way to deal with the loss of her sister. And, at the same time Robyn and I grew even closer. I don't think that was a coincidence.
When I would come to visit, Robyn latched on to me like glue. We would sometimes hold hands like when we were kids. And we still had sleepovers, still in one queen bed. Still nothing sexual. We would talk into the wee hours of the morning. Sometimes about her sister, sometimes about guys, and sometimes about nothing at all. Just being next to her was a warm wonderful feeling.
**********
By the time we were 27 our wild days were mostly behind us. And we both had steady boyfriends. But when I came to visit, our world consisted of just the two of us... No man's land if you will.
We still liked to go out and have a few drinks, but nothing like the old days. We just sat at a table, Robyn drinking her beer and me with my red wine. But, we still had a problem. And I'm not being conceited, but Robyn and I were a couple of pretty girls. We both had long blonde hair and blue eyes. And where I was slender, petite and had sort of a 12 year old girlish frame. Robyn was taller, and let's say, a little more filled out. She had a narrow waist with generous hips and breasts. She had that womanly hourglass figure that I wished I had.
So that meant that some guys in the bar wouldn't leave us alone. We were constantly getting hit on. And after Robyn rejected this one guy about five times, he shouted out, "What, are you two a couple of lesbians?"
Robyn's face went mean, she shot up, her chair flew back, she threw her beer in his face and said, "Yeah we are, what's it to ya asshole!" He was pissed, and looked like he wanted to hit Robyn. But a couple of guys from the bar came over and pulled him away from us. We weren't bothered the rest of the night. And that gave us an idea.
From then on, whenever we went out, AND, we didn't want to be bothered. We would walk into a bar holding hands. Then we would sit hip to hip right next to each other rather than across from each other. We were pretending to be a lesbian couple. It worked for the most part. But once in a while we had to step it up a notch. If either of us saw a guy coming over to us. Robyn and I would kiss, on the lips. Not just any kiss, a lover's kiss. THAT always worked. I also noticed that the kiss caused tingles down my spine. I loved how Robyn's lips were so soft. I loved how Robyn's lips tasted like watermelon. And I loved how Robyn's eyes sparkled when we broke our kiss.
Then one night after we had more drinks than we normally do, Robyn said, "Quick, some guy is coming." Then she took her finger and immediately spun my face towards hers and kissed me. This kiss had more passion, more affection, and yes, more love than any other kiss we'd shared. At that moment I felt Robyn's all encompassing love for me. And as we all know, alcohol has an amazing effect on completely eliminating one's inhibitions. So I kissed her back... hard. Our warm tongues found each other instantly. We kissed like we've been kissing passionately for years. It was satisfying and wonderful. I quietly moaned into Robyn's mouth. And she into mine. My heart started pounding. My hands started moving as if they had a mind of their own. Slowly caressing her soft blonde hair, slowly gliding over her round shoulders. Her hands did the same to me. Goosebumps traveled throughout my body in tingly waves.
We broke our kiss about a week later and with glossy eyes and trying to catch my breath I whispered to her, "So did that guy keep walking past us?"
With a deliciously mischievous smile and squinty eyes Robyn whispered back, "What guy?"
