Forbidden Scripts

Welcome to A Taste of Her Sweet and Spicy Sapphic Short Stories by Tiana Warner. Forbidden Scripts

In the rearview mirror, two motorcycles barrel down the highway, weaving through traffic as they try to catch up. I curse, accelerating until my SUV groans with the effort. Faster! Suki yells from across the bench seat, her fingers digging into my upper arm. I can't steer if you're holding my arm, I shout. Sorry. I want to hold her and protect her as I drive, but I need both hands on the wheel and my full attention. I've never driven so fast in my life, and every sense is tingling.

Suki brings her knees to her chest and curls into a ball, her usual position when we're watching movies on the couch. And like a movie night, she's in sweatpants and a hoodie, her dark hair in a messy bun. I'm in full on pajamas. When she asked me to come over earlier, I thought we'd be chilling and eating chips. Fuck, I shouldn't have brought you into this, she says, making fists in her already messy hair.

Thea, I'm so sorry. This is all my No, it's good that you did, I say firmly. You shouldn't face this alone. We'll figure this out, okay? I mean it. I'd do anything for this girl, and I think our current situation proves it. I weave between the moving cars like they're sitting still, passing them recklessly. The steering wheel shudders. My hands throb from gripping it so tightly. The road conditions are awful, rainy, slick, the sun plunging us into darkness as it sets behind the clouds.

If a car cuts us off, if my tires lose traction, or if I clip a sign as we zoom by on the shoulder, I'm going to lose control. But I don't want to think about what'll happen if those motorbikes catch us. When those men showed up outside Suki's door, that was the first time I'd seen a pistol in real life. Your grandma never mentioned the journal before she died? I asked. No. I found it in her attic when we were cleaning out her house. I didn't think.

The journal sits in Suki's lap, ancient, leather bound, with a symbol that looks like an eye embossed in the center. Why would Suki's grandma own something that men with guns would come after? What could they possibly want with it? She obviously had it for a long time, Suki says, craning her neck to look out the rear window. It wasn't until I posted a picture of it on Instagram that the cryptic messages started coming in.

Strangers offering me money, threatening me, telling me to mail it somewhere because it's not mine to own. But what's in it that could possibly Thea, they're catching up, Suki yelled. I curse, checking the rearview mirror. Damn, these motorbikes are fast. Hold on tight. I hit the brakes and crank the wheel, driving into the median. Suki screams as we bump through the ditch and over the grass, and I'm grateful for seatbelts.

The hairbrush and lip balm in my cup holder bounce out and hit the floor. On the other side, traffic flows steadily in the opposite direction. We don't have time to wait for a gap. I lean on the horn and accelerate, merging into the carpool lane whether the traffic is ready for me or not. People honk and swerve, and there's a thump as someone clips the back of the SUV, but I straighten out and keep going.

Are you okay? I ask, a tremor going through me as I glance over. Yes. Eyes on the road. Suki looks out the back window again, breathing fast. I think that did it. I don't see them. My heart is in my throat. These guys won't give up that easily. It's a matter of time before they catch up again.

Where's the nearest police station? I ask. I drove us all the way out to a rural part of town, and I don't know this area well enough to figure out where to find help. Not until I figure out what the notebook means, Suki says. I can't risk anyone asking me to hand it over. What if it's something she wanted me to have? I don't know how to respond. On the one hand, we're being chased by two men with guns because we have something they want. So this seems like a good time to go to a police station.

On the other hand, I don't want to tell Suki what to do with a family heirloom, and I'm really curious about what the heck this journal contains. She turns on an overhead light and opens the journal, studying the handwriting. The pages are full of vertical text. The weird thing is that the characters are totally illegible. Nobody in Suki's family could figure out what the pages say, and the internet was of no help.

It's like the journal was written in a language of its own. The way she's hunched over the book, her fingers tapping the edge, loose strands of hair touching the page, reminds me of all the time we spent studying after school. How many times did our study session stretch on for hours as we enjoyed each other's company? And how many of those hours did I spend secretly making hard eyes at her, wishing we could be more than friends? A lot.

And I'm doing it again. I force my attention back to the matter at hand. Okay. We'll stay hidden and figure out what this book means before we get help. I feel her gaze on the side of my face. She looks at me like this sometimes, a complicated thought process going on behind her brown eyes. I wish I knew what she was thinking. I know what I want her to be thinking, but I'm probably wrong. After a moment, she says quietly, I seriously owe you. You don't. Let me be your ride or die, Suki.

In my periphery, she gives a weak smile. It's something I said to her as a joke the day we met in tenth grade, when she was the new girl and I was assigned to show her around. Ride or die. I bite my lip to hide a grimace. I never would have guessed that we would be in this position three years later. I veer onto the shoulder to pass a few cars and exit the highway.

Night falls as we barrel down a rural road, plunging us into blackness. I pass two and three cars at a time, praying for no oncoming traffic. Headlights illuminate the inside of the car in burst. The windshield wipers scrape loudly, filling the silence. Your grandma was a great woman, I say, glancing at the mysterious book. Remember when we The sleepover, Suki says, some tension leaving her shoulders. I grin. Still the best sleepover ever.

Around a curve we pass a semi-truck going the opposite way, and my heart jumps as I struggle to keep my SUV centered in the lane while going double the speed limit. I can't believe my grandma let us watch a Stephen King movie that night, Suki says. It was fun though. So fun. She's probably remembering the movie for different reasons than me. If I'm honest with myself, that night was definitely my queer awakening, and I wouldn't have said no if she'd leaned in to kiss me.

Prom was coming, so we decided to watch Carrie. We ended up clutching each other under a blanket. And I'll never forget the butterflies inside me as I rested my head on Suki's shoulder and held her hand, pretending to be more scared than I actually was. I remember the feel of her warm body against mine, her soft skin and hair, the sweet smell of her. Then, when it was time to sleep, her grandma only had one guest bed.

We cuddled under the guise of being scared after the movie, but for me, it was more than that. I remember playfully kissing her nose, and she laughed and blushed. We fell asleep in each other's arms. We never talked about it, and I never found out what her feelings were that night, whether she was cuddling because she wanted to touch. Or if she was just being a friend. Neither of us has ever dated anyone, and we've never talked about crushes.

Remember, we ate her entire tin of cookies? Suki asks, pulling me from my thoughts. I moan. I still dream about her chocolate chip cookies. Tell me you have the recipe. I do. I promise I'll make ten batches if we Behind us, in the distance, a semi-truck lays on its horn. We both gasp. Suki peers out the back window, looking like she might vomit.

If that horn was the semi-truck we passed moments ago, then there is a real possibility that the motorbikes are catching up, and they just nearly slammed into the semi while passing the cars behind us. I accelerate, on the edge of losing control of my vehicle. Rain beats hard on the roof, the windshield wipers scrape.

Do you think they'll kill us? Suki asks quietly. Fuck, I say, the word bursting from my lips. I take a hand off the wheel to reach over and lace our fingers together. I won't let that happen. Okay? Suki squeezes back, breathing deeply, like she's on the brink of breaking down. I curse under my breath. I want to make this situation better. Seeing her like this is making everything inside me spiral. It's hard to breathe. I could be about to lose everything that makes me happy.

I have to tell you something, I say, the words spilling out. I've spent too long not knowing, and I don't want to die without saying it. What? If we if something does happen to us. My mouth is dry. It's hard to get the words past my lips. I want you to know that I love you. I love you too, Thea. You know that. No. I shake my head, putting both hands back on the wheel. My heart is ready to burst out of my chest.

I'm in love with you, Suki. Like your smile is my favorite thing in the world, and I miss you whenever I'm not with you. And my heart feels like it's literally expanding every time I look at you. Suki falls quiet. Regret bubbles inside me. I shouldn't have admitted that. I don't know what I was thinking, and I don't know what I expect her to say. This isn't the right moment to confess my feelings.

You don't have to say anything, I say, heat rising in my face. I just wanted to tell I love you too, she says, her voice thick. I glance at her, stunned. You do? Her eyes are watery. She swipes a hand across her cheek and nods, smiling. You're the best thing in my life, and the only person I want to be with. I choke out a laugh, my inside's doing backflips. Then we sure as hell better get out of this alive and remind me to kiss you when it's all over.

She laughs too, and the sound gives me the energy I need to keep driving. I bite my lip, torn between smiling and crying. Why did it have to take this possible death experience for me to admit my feelings? I should have told her months ago, years ago, I drive faster. For Suki, and for any future she and I might have, I need to get us away from these guys.

We're about to pass a service road leading into a forested area when Suki shrieks for me to turn down it. Go off-road. Turn off the car when we're in the bush. We've got the advantage of four-wheel drive. I do it. Wishing we were close to a busy supermarket instead. But hiding in the woods is better than driving aimlessly in an unfamiliar place.

We bump over the gravel road, my inside sloshing with every pothole. When I turn off the car and headlights, the world beyond the windows is pitch black, the forest blocking out the twilight. The interior lights are still on. Suki and I look at each other across the bench seat, panting, terror hanging thick in the air between us. She reaches up and turns the interior light off, plunging us into blackness.

I lean against the headrest, catching my breath. Sweat prickles under my shirt. Absolute darkness and silence engulf us. In the distance, the sound of motorcycles draws nearer. Fuck, Suki says, her voice cracking. It's okay, it'll be okay, I say, trying to convince myself just as much. Her seatbelt clicks, and the leather groans as she slides closer. Her fingers close over mine, and she leans against me, her soft hair tickling my neck.

As I squeeze her hand, the motorcycles grow louder. Louder. We might have seconds left before they find us, and we're trapped in the wood. Totally vulnerable. They could shoot us both, take the journal, and leave. And it would take days or weeks for anyone to find our bodies. I angle my face toward Suki, my eyes closed, focusing on the feel of her breath against my face, her fingers entwined in mine, her head resting on my shoulder. And then. Zoom.

The motorcycles blow right by. Their sound fades into the distance. They're gone, and we're back in silence. Suki slumps beside me. The tension drains from my body, leaving me depleted. We did it. We lost them. Thank God. I whisper, rubbing my face. My heart pounds in my ears. Our breaths are quick and shallow. The outside world is all heavy rain. Do we drive back the way we came? I whisper. Let's wait, Suki says. Give them time to get far away.

Okay. I stare ahead into the blackness, willing my heart to slow down. I'm on the point of wondering what we'll do to pass the time when Suki's soft hand slides around the back of my neck. Sending a pleasant shiver down my body. Now's as good a time as any, she whispered. My breath catches. I sense her moving toward me, a rush of warmth, her soft breath, the groan of the leather seat.

We kiss and I part my lips, welcoming her eagerly. This is everything I've been aching for. Her sweet scent fills me, and her taste is even better. I suck on her lower lip and tongue her gently, needing more. Her skin is soft and cool beneath my hand. Our adrenaline makes us move faster until we're rocking feverishly against each other, our mouths locked, grabbing each other's clothes.

She pulls me hard toward her. I hold her close and kiss her with everything that's been building inside me all these years. Wayward strands of her hair tickle my face and neck. Silky soft. Thea, she says, gasping. The sound sparks something in me. I struggle with my seatbelt, unbuckling it in a frenzy. I tease her earlobe with my tongue, making her moan, and graze my teeth down the soft skin of her neck.

Needing to be closer, I straddle her lap, my knees on either side of her thighs. We fumble with each other's shirts, pausing our kissing for long enough to toss them aside. Her skin grows hot beneath my palms, begging to be kissed and licked. I wrap a fist in her musked-up hair and run my tongue down her neck, moving lower. She moans, tracing her fingers up and down my body. I arch my back, pressing my hips and breasts against her. Her skin feels amazing on mine, soft and warm.

Before I can claim her mouth again, she dips her head and kisses my breast, moving toward my nipple. I gasp as she licks and sucks. My fingers tighten in her hair. A tremor passes through me. I want her badly. I reach between her legs and massage her through her sweatpants. Can I? I whisper, breathing hard. As long as you let me do the same, she says, and I can feel her smile against my lips.

Okay. I slide my hand into her sweatpants, and she gasps. The feel of her on my fingers is dizzying. I bite my lip, an unbearable burning sensation igniting low inside me. Yes, she whispers, reaching into my pants to do the same to me. The way I'm straddling her lap, my legs open, her fingers feel so good that it's hard not to cry out. I brace my hands on the headrest, rocking my hips with the rhythm of her hand. We massage each other, our hands moving faster, our breaths sharp.

In the blackness, the whole world is just the sound of her breaths and moans, the feel of her body against me, the taste of her lips and skin. Sweat prickles on my skin as the SUV warms. How come it took us so long to admit it? Suki asks, panting. My brain is slow, dizzy. Afraid of wrecking our friendship. Maybe. I wouldn't call this wrecking anything. God, you feel good. Suki pushes me sideways and gets on top of me, pinning me down on the bench seat.

She opens my thighs wider, making me moan. I undulate my hips, losing control, heat building low inside me. I can't believe this is happening. I have to commit everything about this to memory, because after tonight, who knows what'll happen. Suki trembles above me, crying out as I finger her and bite her neck. It's unbearably sexy to see her lose control like this.

My body is responding, trembling, wet, and the noises coming out of my mouth are totally involuntary. Yes, yes, Suki says, gasping. Right there. Same. I tilt my hips, my whole body tightening until the heat inside me reaches a peak. My body releases, and I lock my lips onto hers, stifling my cries. I'm disoriented, detached from the world completely as waves of pleasure ripple through me.

Suki climaxes with me, shuddering, gasping as if trying not to scream. As we come down, she's panting hard and kisses me twice with tired lips.

I link my fingers in hers, catching my breath, dizzy with ecstasy. After a moment she whispers, When did you know you had feelings for me? I'm glad it's dark because I blush. I think around the time of the infamous sleepover. Suki hesitates. I think that's when I knew too. Seriously? It was nice cuddling that night. I kept imagining kissing you and more. Wow, I whisper. Who would have known that a sleepover with Carrie and the tin full of cookies?

I trail off, something sliding into place in my memory. Hmm, Suki says sleepily, resting her forehead against mine. Suki, your grandma's cookie tin had an eye symbol on it. What? She asks, her tone sharp. Was it the same symbol as the one? The journal. Holy shit! She lunges for her phone. I sit up as she uses the flashlight to illuminate the journal on the floor where the eye is embossed on the cover. That's the one. It's the same symbol as on the tin.

In the glow, I can't help but trace my gaze over Suki's naked upper body. I don't think I've ever seen a more beautiful sight. She catches my eye, and her face breaks into the most radiant smile in the world. You're on to something. Really? The cookie tin came from her sister in Japan, which means I think I know where this book came from. I smile back.

Let's get our shirts on and get out of here. We've got plane tickets to book. Yeah? I nod. Wherever you need to go, Suki, I'll be right there with you. The end. Thanks for listening. Please subscribe to support these stories, and so you never miss a new release. You can find all of Tiana Warner's sapphic romance books on her website at tianawarner.com.