My Tuesday morning programming class filed in, like soldiers, or maybe army ants. No, that wasn't fair! They were a good group of people, most of them kids, with a sprinkling of adults to make things interesting, but they were a pretty lackluster group. Usually, in each class, there is someone acting like a class clown to break things up, or a brilliant student who challenges me beyond what I thought I was capable of doin...

I look at the woman Reyna pointed me towards. My mouth waters. She’s beautiful in a Reyna way, not sexy or slutty like Maria or June. Her body isn’t begging to be fucked; it’s begging to be adored. She’s in a tan blazer that comes to a point at her slim waist and flows seamlessly into her skirt. It isn’t tight like a pencil skirt, having the pleats to make it more fashionable and less work-oriented. She has a simple white...

“Did you pay my phone bill?” I lift my legs and a broom slides beneath them. I look up at June, and she’s pondering. Her face is wrinkled in concentration, and she pulls her lips to one side. God, I love when she does that. “I thought so,” says June. She shrugs and keeps sweeping. “I hate that the stupid auto-pay isn’t through yet.” “Did you use one of the new cards?” “Yeah.” “Not one of the old cards?” “No. Didn’t you cu...

You are outside. Its winter, and cold. The ground is frozen solid. The grass breaks and crumbles when you step on it. There are dead, frozen flowers and old leaves. The trees are in deep hibernation. You don’t know how long you walk. It is morning and then night. Noon and then morning. The dim sun passes over again and again. Your whole life is in this forest, in this winter. You try to keep warm, but the clouds are thick...

You’re walking on a road. The road is simple stone brick, not wide enough for a car. The sky above you is orange-ish pink. In front of you, the horizon bends up and climbs a hill. You hear the clicking of your steps as you walk. You look down and see white heels and a pale pink dress. Dangling from your hair you can see ribbons. You reach a hand up. Your hair is long and wavy. The ribbons tie pigtails that frame your head...

I take a hot shower as soon as I can. No matter how much I rub and wash them, I can still feel the words on my skin. On my breasts. Tits. They’re called tits. I can feel the letters so clearly, almost like raw skin too sensitive to touch. I could trace them perfectly with my fingers if I wanted to. But I don’t want to. Why would I want to? I don’t want to be a slut or a goddess. I want to be me.I look down at my chest and...

“I’m telling you, she’s a nightmare,” I say as I put down Carl’s plate of food in front of him on the dinner table. “She can’t be that bad,” he says dismissively before taking a large and sloppy slurp of pasta. “She can. She is. I’m telling you, I’m worried about Maria’s safety.” “You’re talking like she’s in an abusive relationship.” “She might be,” I say while trying to use my spoon to help with my noodles. I could neve...

I immediately step back and turn my face to the side, breaking eye contact. “Reyna?” I ask, pretending to be surprised. “What are you doing?” “We were worried about you, little Sarah.” She’s playing along. We both know I heard the whole thing. “You were gone for so long.” “Nice of you to check in on me,” I snap. “And don’t call me little.” I can be polite for Maria, but fuck this bitch, I don’t need to be polite to her fa...

Meeting the Bitch I can’t stop tapping my foot. It’s a nervous habit, and I have plenty to be nervous about. Maria is coming soon. Maria and her new girlfriend. The new love of her life. The “most amazing and beautiful girl ever.” Maria and Reyna. Reyna, who I’ve never met. Reyna, who didn’t exist in my life or Maria’s life until two weeks ago. Reyna, the new center of Maria’s world. And yes, I’m jealous. One second Maria...

Melissa woke slowly, she felt the body heat of another, stronger than Desire's heat, with which she was familiar with. The heat of another body, a hotness of flesh not human, but divine. As her head cleared of the dreams and visions her sleep brought her. A scent began to fill her nostrils, the scent of Kyphi, the most precious and rare scent of the ancient world, sacred to the Goddesses. Melissa opened her eyes, Desire w...