The darkness closed in, no light filtered under the door, none invaded through the window. The drawn curtains even blacked out street lights. In my minds eye I knew my surroundings and easily maneuvered the obstacles in my path. I made my way to my bed and the comfort I hoped it would provide.
I was emotionally drained. Physically, my body was tired from three hours of running from my feelings. I was mentally wide awake, hoping for sleep, and knew it would allude me this night. I wondered what was going on across town at my sister's apartment.
**********
Just a few hours ago, my sister and I spent our usual brother and sister night together at her apartment. Every week, our practice was to spend an evening and sometimes the night together being ourselves with no one telling us it is impolite to scratch where it itches, and beer belches are rude. It is our one night of letting our hair down and telling society where to stick it.
We are not romantically connected, let's get that straight. When we are together for our brother and sister night, we are brother and sister in every sense. We have dinner, talk, have a few drinks, usually beer, and support one another through the difficulties of being young 20Âsomething's in an adult world that treats us like we should be older 50Âsomething's.
**********
My name is Stephen, not Steven as everyone seems to pronounce it. My sister calls me Steph. My parents were not to creative naming my sister Stephanie; I called her Fanny. Yes, a play on names, Steph and Fanny. Fanny is actually my older sister by a mere 21 minutes, yep, we are paternal twins. In three weeks we turn 23 and start our last year of college in the fall.
The obvious question to most people, our parents included is, "Why do you have separate apartments when you share everything else?" I don't think either of us have a rationale answer other than needing babe space separate from boy space.
Our rents are about equal and pooling our money on a larger two bedroom apartment would save us both a few dollars. We could afford better food at the grocery store and share household chores. The problem is we could not entertain unless we both wanted to entertain together. Let's not even begin a conversation about having overnight guests in our bedroom's, that would be just too much information. We were content with our current arrangement.
**********
We both inherited height genes from our parents. I am just short of six feet two inches and Fanny is five feet eleven inches. Fanny has a basketball scholarship and rules the woman's basketball team from threeÂpoint land. I have a swimming and diving scholarship. We both earned the privilege to live off campus through academics and proven skills in our sports. We are not part of the party crowd although we get invited and do participate. We understand that fun does not have to involve heavy drinking or drug use.
Fanny is golden blonde with crystal blue eyes. Her hair is usually tied in a ponytail, her signature hair style on and off the BÂball court. She has a sprinters body from years of sprints playing basketball.
I am a similar build but stronger in the arms and broader in the shoulders from swimming. My hair is darker, more of a light brown than blonde. My eyes are green with a crystal blue halo around the green. I guess I am a typical swimmer, I shave or wax my body hair because hair can cause even the slightest drag slowing me down one or two tenths of a second. Yes, I shave there, too.
Fanny and I have a closeness that only twins understand. Even in my present confused state, Fanny understood. She knew my confusion stemmed from tonight's conversation. She wants us to share an apartment our final year of college and "take on the campus together."
How harmful would that be since we are well known as brother and sister, no one would challenge our sharing of apartments. None of this has to do with bedrooms or sleeping arrangements, it has everything to do with sharing one bathroom. Our class schedules and sport schedules are very tight and very similar. We would have to share the bathroom at the same time. How crazy would it be, me at the sink shaving while Fanny showers or me having a good dump while Fanny brushes her teeth. Then there is the whole nude thing.
"That's all true Steph, and we can't change our schedules. However, we know our boundaries as siblings and we would never cross the line." It was that last phrase that got to me, "we would never cross the line." Was she saying that for my benefit, her benefit, or our benefit? "Would we?"
Why the fuck did she add that last question; I was conflicted. Would we, the question echoed in my mind. I repeated the question to her, "Would we, Fanny?"
"Of course not, that would be out of the question. Even though I think you are masculine and attractive, it couldn't happen." Fanny went red immediately after her revaluation and turned away to grab her beer and pulled hard on the can taking a long drink.
"No, couldn't. Even though I find you feminine and attractive, it could not happen." Our cards were on the table and feelings exposed. "Fanny, I better go because we are not talking about an apartment together any longer. You know what I mean."
"And, Steph, you know what I mean. Call me later, please."
**********
I reached my cell phone and hit speed dial on Fanny's number although I had no clue what to say. Fanny answered as if groggy but not asleep. When I heard her voice through the phone, the depth of my emotional state gushed from my mouth. "Fanny, I love you!"
"Why did you run away, Steph?" I heard a little tension in her voice and a little anger. "Of all the people in the world, why did you run from me? The only person who knows me better myself, and you ran from me." Now I heard soft cries of my sister and knew tears rolled from her eyes; tears filled my eyes as well.
"Fanny," I'm sure she heard my emotion, "I didn't run from you, I ran from me. When you called me masculine and attractive, I heard more than your words. Then I said you are femenine and knew we changed somehow. The truth was out for both of us."
"What truth is that, Steph? The truth that we think the other is attractive?"
"Fanny, there is still a little Friday night left, and my car is over there. It will deliver you to my door if you want to talk some more tonight." I wasn't sure what we would talk about, yet knew talking would help.
"I'll be there in 15 minutes. Steph...," Fanny paused, "Steph, I love you too."
Fifteen minutes and I needed a shower. The apartment was in its usual 'a guy lives here' state but that didn't matter, I went to the shower.
Fanny arrived with my car, the beer, and the snacks we were going to have tonight. I had a couple frozen pizzas if we wanted more. Once the bags were set down, we drew toward the other like magnets attracting. We hugged in a simultaneous embrace of man and woman. In that moment, our course was set although in uncharted waters.
Fanny lay her head on my shoulder and I felt her breath on my neck; we did not relax our hug. I felt her lips pucker and kiss me gently on the neck. Only then did I move my head and she move hers so we could look onto the other's face. It was a deep and very penetrating gaze that lasted a mere second before being punctuated by a truely passionate kiss.
In like minds that only twins share, our kiss broke and together we began saying, "Is this the line we will never cross?" Then before another kiss, we answered together, "Yes."
**********
In the keeping secrets department, neither of us had secrets. We knew the other's sexual history and even the best writer couldn't fill a page with our combined sexual exploits. I can count the number of women I've had sex with on one hand and have three fingers left.
Fanny told me about her first virgin sex. She wanted a pleasant experience with a guy she really liked and he just wanted some pussy. I held her, comforted her, and swore I would get her revenge. As fate had it, he had revenge taken out on him one night in a DUI coupled with a manslaughter charge. He is Bubba's boy now.
Fanny and I date, yet it is never serious and Fanny hasn't tried sex since her first bad encounter.
We are as much virgin as two non virgins can be.
**********
When we did disentangle, we knew beer and snacks were no longer on the menu. We held hands and danced around the apartment to music we only imagined. Between imaginary songs, we stopped for another kiss before beginning a new dance. Through all this, we remained innocent of any fondling and groping.
We knew that our innocence would soon be lost to the other; however, we only sensed the reality to come. We were like kids discovering ice cream, it tastes good and we want to savor it as long as possible.
The music stopped playing in our minds as we sank into my couch, we felt a connection only twins understand. Call it extra sensory perception, telepathy, or any other paranormal term you want, we began communicating without words, smiling, little giggles, and nods. We felt wrapped in an aura of warmth, an aura of love.
We did not ask what's next, in our minds, what's next was already happening. Fanny began moving ever so cautiously pulling at the hem of her knit top. Slowly her abs came into view then the bottom of her chest appeared and I made out the curve of her lower ribs. Higher she pushed her top until her demiÂbra encased breasts appeared. In a final swift motion, her top was off and flung to the floor.
Fanny's breasts are not large but they are full and firm. Her lace bra was a stark contrast to sports bras women wear. I saw her nipples poking through the lace. They looked stiff, kind of swollen, more than I could imagine. I noticed the front clasp as Fanny skillfully broke the seal. The bra fell away exposing my eyes to her exclusive territory.
My eyes moved to her face; I saw her glow. Our minds remained connected as I began drowning in her gaze. Every emotion I could encounter in a life time, I encountered in Fanny's gaze at that moment. I began unbuttoning my shirt holding my eyes on Fanny's beaming and gleaming eyes. My shirt joined hers.
When words did return to our mouths, we gasped together, "You're beautiful." This set off another round of dancing to tunes in our minds as we hugged and kissed skin to skin. The dance continued until we reached the bedroom.