Lani's Story
Lani Lee was twelve years old when her family moved to the mainland. She and her younger sister were born and raised in Honolulu while her dad taught Asian Studies at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. When Lani was in the sixth grade, her father became an Assistant Professor of East Asian Languages and Cultures at USC.
It was an adjustment from the island life she had known but the biggest impact was leaving behind all her young friends and starting over. Just when she had begun to acclimate herself to her new community in LA, her family was uprooted again when her dad accepted a similar position at Duke University in North Carolina.
At 16, Lani was beginning to blossom into a beautiful young woman. Initially, she kept pretty much to herself and immersed herself in her schoolwork. She was taught piano at an early age and enjoyed playing in recitals for family and friends. In High School, Lani took up the flute and was named first chair when she was 17.
Lani wasn't disinterested in boys but she was terribly shy and on the occasions that boys tried to engage her, she often withdrew. There was one guy though, Paul, who always seemed interested in her. Paul was also in the band and soon they struck up a close friendship. Many would consider Paul a bit of a science nerd but Lani liked him. Soon, she and Paul found themselves spending more and more time together -- mostly Lani listening to Paul as he explained one of his ongoing science projects.
Throughout most of her senior year though, she was intrigued by four other girls in the band. Ann, Cindi, Jan, and Cheryl were among the most beautiful and popular girls in school. She often wished she had close relationships like the girls seemed to have with each other. They were always cordial and nice to Lani, but she knew she was just outside their small clique. Then one day, things changed when Jan announced she and her family were moving.
Within a couple of weeks after Jan left school, Cindi began to engage with Lani more frequently. First, subtle smiles as they passed in the hallway and then in the band room, casually chatting her up. After months on the outside, Lani found herself being asked to sit with the other girls in the lunchroom, walk with them between classes, and ultimately hanging out together after class, often at their homes.
Lani began spending less time with Paul and more time socializing with her new girlfriends. Graduation was on the horizon and no other event seemed larger than the school dance and Lani accepted Paul's invitation to be his date to the Prom.
While Lani was a student of music, she had never really learned to dance. She knew a few of her native Hawaiian dances from when she was a little girl, but not how to move with the pop music played at high school dances and parties.
Over the next couple of weeks, Cindi, Ann, and Cheryl took turns teaching her dance moves after school. She felt funny at first dancing with the other girls in their living rooms but soon it seemed quite natural even when they would move into a slow dance - her body gliding slowly against Cindi or Ann. Cindi was just a few inches taller and she really enjoyed it as the girl wrapped her arms around her, pulling her tight, with Lani's head resting on her shoulder as they swayed back and forth to the music.
Then one night practicing, the lights turned down low and the music ending, Cindi kissed her softly on the lips. "What are you doing?" Lani pulled back rather puzzled.
"Just playing," smiled Cindi. "I was pretending I was Paul. You will let him kiss you, want you?" she smiled.
Lani sensing her playfulness smiled back. The truth though was Paul had never kissed her... not really. They sat together on the couch and mostly talked. There were a couple of times she supposed he might make that move but he thought better of it. But that was fine. She didn't think of Paul as a boyfriend as much as a nice guy that she liked as a friend.
The night of the prom her mother had her dressed in a pretty yellow dress and lots of pictures were made of the young couple. But after weeks of practicing her dance moves, Paul didn't really seem interested in dancing as much as making sure they both had plenty to eat and drink at the dance. Toward the end of the evening, Cindi walked over and asked Paul would he mind if she danced with Lani. Paul noticed other girls pairing up, particularly as many of the boys seemed more intent talking among themselves, practically ignoring their dates.
Cindi had removed her heels and was in her bare feet so Lani slipped hers off as well as the two strode onto the dance floor among the other couples. Cindi pulled Lani tightly into her body. She was wearing a low cut dress leaving her shoulders bare as Lani rested her soft cheek on her bare skin. Cindi smelled sweet as Lani sank deeper and deeper into her grasps, closing her eyes and letting her body sway together in time with the young girl.
Lani felt so comfortable, so natural, in Cindi's arms as they moved along the dance floor, first one song and then another. Finally when the second song ended to a much more upbeat dance, Lani raised her head off Cindi's soft shoulder as their eyes met. Once again, Cindi closed the distance as her soft lips closed over Lani's, only this time Lani didn't pull back. She allowed the slightly older girl to kiss her.
It only lasted a few seconds but the feelings she stirred were ultra-intense.
"Pretending you were Paul again?" Lani smiled.
"No, I wasn't pretending at all," she countered.
Lani was unsure of the feelings she was having but she didn't have time to dwell on them as Cindi grabbed her hand and worked her way thru the crowd back to Paul who was waiting with their punch in hand.
Later that night, long after the dance had ended, and she lay in bed reflecting on the evening, she felt a warm rush over her body. The feelings she had for Cindi were strange -- not the kind two girls should have for each other. But yet, Cindi made her feel so relaxed, so good.
Lani was excited when she received a full scholarship in the mail to Penn State. Since she was a little girl, she had been intrigued by the Pennsylvania Public College and was excited to have the academic scholarship which covered her tuition and fees. She wasted little time calling the other girls and informing them of the good news.
That weekend Cheryl's parents were headed out of town to the beach and left the house to her with the promise of no boys and absolutely no wild parties. Cheryl asked if she could have a sleepover with Lani, Ann, and Cindi and her parents granted their approval.
The girls began the night with pizza and Netflix movies but as the night wore on, Cheryl opened a bottle of wine from her parents abundant collection. It was on the second bottle that the four girls decided on a game of "Truth or Dare." Lani, though she had never played before, was eager to join in on the festive nature of the game which first seemed to be innocuous questions about "the craziest places you've made out, your first kiss, and who was your first real crush."
It was Ann who chose the first dare when Cheryl dared her to kiss Cindi. Lani's heart seemed to skip a beat at the suggestion. Partly, that Cheryl was daring the two girls to kiss but partly because deep down, she wanted to kiss Cindi herself. Since that night at the prom, she had thought about it a lot. Lani watched as Ann knee walked over and then looking Cindi in the eyes, drew her soft lips down on the other girl.
"I want to see tongue," Cheryl directed. Ann didn't disappoint as Lani saw her pink tongue push into Cindi's mouth which eagerly accepted it. Lani raised her wine slowly sipping and watched as the two girls kissed in an embrace which seemed to last a full minute or more. "That's enough," Cheryl smiled almost pulling them apart. Both seemed disappointed to break the passionate embrace.
"Okay, Cheryl... Truth or Dare?" Cindi smiled. "Dare," the girl shot back. "You like to dance. Do a strip tease for us," Cindi dared.
All four girls were dressed in colorful pajamas as Cheryl walked over to the entertainment system. She took out a CD by Kelis and began playing "Milkshake."
