When Jessica wakes up on Saturday morning, her first thought is, “Why in the world is it so hot?”. It doesn’t take long for her brain to process that it’s because Krystal is cuddled up to her.

          Upon opening her eyes she sees Krystal halfway on top of her; her head situated under Jessica’s chin and resting on her chest, with her arm slung over Jessica’s waist. Jessica can’t help but find the situation adorable. Carefully, she wraps her own arm around Krystal and sighs peacefully. She can’t remember the last time she got to hold someone like this.

          Jessica ignores her need to pee just so she can savor this moment. Despite the fact that her and Krystal haven’t known each other for a great deal of time, this feels right. She can’t tell if it’s just because she’s glad to have someone to hold, or if it’s because Krystal has become special to her already.

          Regardless, the warmth and solidity of Krystal’s body are comforting beyond words. Hell, to Jessica even the small puddle of drool she can feel Krystal leaving on her chest is comforting.

          After about ten minutes of just relishing having someone to hold, Jessica’s bladder is starting to nag at her more and more.

          Trying to wake Krystal up as gently as possible, Jessica her hair, “Krystal? Hey, I need you to move.”

          Krystal grumbles and nuzzles her face into Jessica’s neck. Despite her full bladder, Jessica smiles. “Krystal… You’re on top of me and I have to pee.” she says as she rubs Krystal’s back.

          Krystal looks up at her sleepily. She gives Jessica a confused look for a few seconds before sitting up, “I’m sorry.” She says groggily, “I must have attached myself to you in my sleep.”

          With a small chuckle, Jessica stands up from the bed, “Don’t worry about it.” With that she hurries to the bathroom.

          When Jessica comes back into the bedroom she’s surprised to see Krystal fully awake and digging through her duffle bag.

          “Krystal?”, Jessica asks.

          Krystal looks up quickly, “Oh uh, hi. I’m just getting some clothes to change into.”

          Jessica nods before going to her closet to look for herself an outfit.

          “Hey Jessica?” Krystal asks, sounding a little nervous.

          “Yeah?”

          “I really am sorry about getting all in your space like I did.”

          Jessica turns to her with a laugh, “Stop saying you’re sorry. In all honesty, I enjoyed it. It’s rare that I get to snuggle up to someone like that.”

          Krystal grins, “Really? I uh… I liked it, too.” She chuckles, “I mean, I wasn’t awake for it, but I did sleep really well last night.”

          Jessica smiles, “Good. So what were your plans for today? Do you want me to take you back to Tiffany’s?”

          “Uhm, well, do you have anything to do today?”

          “Not particularly. Why?”

          Krystal looks down nervously, “I was thinking maybe we could spend today together? To give Tiffany some more space and to just have more time with you.”

          The question makes happy butterflies fill Jessica’s stomach, “I think that sounds great.”

          Krystal grins, “Alright. I’m going to get dressed in the bathroom and I’ll meet you in the living room?” Jessica nods and Krystal walks through the bedroom door with a happy bounce in her step.

          Jessica and Krystal walk back into Jessica’s home around 9. Their whole day had been spent doing nothing in particular. Shopping, walking around, playing around in an arcade, and even just driving with no real destination. In Jessica’s mind, it was one of the best days she’s had in a long time.

          “So did you just want to get your things and I’ll take you home?”, Jessica asks as she closes the door behind them.

          Krystal gives her a confused look, “Oh uh… I figured I’d be staying another night. I understand if you have things to do, though.”

          Jessica smiles, She was hoping Krystal would stay again, but she didn’t really have the courage to ask directly, “I don’t have to do anything until about mid-day tomorrow. I’d love if you could stay again.”

          Immediately Krystal grins, “I think that sounds great. I need a shower though.”

          “I do, too. You can go first and then I’m take one afterwards.”

          Krystal nods before practically skipping to Jessica’s bedroom to retrieve her clothes. Jessica smiles to herself. Today had definitely been perfect. More importantly it gave her a more detailed glance of Krystal’s personality, and Jessica was loving it so far. How cute Krystal had been as she failed at putt putt golf, how she had playfully slapped Jessica when she laughed at her, how Krystal had thoughtlessly mumbled along with the songs on the radio.

          Jessica could easily see herself dating Krystal. “Maybe in a few weeks,” She thinks as she sits on the living room couch. “Actually, definitely in a few weeks if things keep going this smoothly.”

          “Jessica!”, Krystal yells from the bathroom.

          Jessica looks up to see Krystal’s head peaking out of the door; without hesitation she stands up and walks towards her, “Is something wrong?”

          “No. I just need you to show me how to work your shower.”, Krystal says as she steps aside and let's Jessica into the bathroom.

          “Here, look.” Jessica says as she shows Krystal how to properly control the water. After a few seconds of explaining she steps away, “And that’s all there is to it.”

          “Thanks.” Krystal says with a smile. For the first time since entering the room, Jessica notices that Krystal only has a towel wrapped around her.

          Jessica’s eyes look over her briefly. She’s trying her best to be respectful while still absorbing the sight. It’s mostly Krystal’s shoulders and collar bones that give her pause. Krystal’s skin looks divinely smooth, while her bones are slightly pronounced. The combination makes Krystal look almost designed. If Jessica didn’t know any better she’d swear the girl in front of her was shaped of porcelain rather than flesh.

          Somehow finding the will to break her trace, Jessica makes her way to the bathroom door, “I’ll leave you be now.” She says with a smile.

          Krystal smiles back and nods before Jessica walks out and shuts the door.

          Jessica’s unsettled to feel her heart beating hard inside of her chest. “A little peek of skin and this is how you react?”, She thinks to herself. Then again, just the small kiss Krystal had given her the night before had made her lose quite a bit of sleep.

          “Damn Jessica, when did you become so sensitive?”,She thinks as she sits back down on the couch. However she immediately knows the answer to the question. She’s not sensitive, it’s just Krystal. Now that she’s spent a whole day with the girl it’s even more obvious.

          Jessica doesn’t know what it is, but Krystal really makes her feel some type of why. It seems like every little thing the younger girl does causes Jessica’s entire being to react dramatically. Whether it be sneezing, laughing, or even just standing still, to Jessica everything Krystal does is enchanting.

          A small chuckle escapes Jessica, “Wow, just listen to yourself, you sound like a love sick teenager.”, She knows it’s true, but at the same time she doesn’t care. It feels beyond amazing to think about something besides work. To actually feel excited by something. Not just that, but not feeling alone, and knowing that the prospects of having someone to hold in the future are fairly good.

          When Jessica walks into her bedroom after her shower she’s surprised to see Krystal already lying down. Jessica switches the light off before getting into the  bed a few feet away from her.

          “Jessica?”, Krystal’s sleepy voice asks.

           “Yes?”

          “Thank you for today. It was really fun.”

          Jessica smiles, “I had a really good time, too. Goodnight, Krystal.”

          “Night”, Krystal says before snuggling further into the covers.

          The question of if they can cuddle is on the tip of Jessica’s tongue. But she ignores it. No matter how much she wants the comforting contact, it’s best to play it safe.

          With a content sigh, Jessica closes her eyes.

         A sound awakes Jessica; still half asleep she glances at her bedside clock and sees that it’s a little past 7am. After giving herself a few more seconds to wake up, it finally sets in what the sound is. Crying.

         “Krystal?”, Jessica says sleepily as she turns around, “Is something wrong, Krystal?”

         “I’m really sorry. I-I didn’t mean to wake you up.”, Krystal struggles to say through tears.

         When Jessica turns on her bedside lamp she’s met with a heartbreaking sight. It’s obvious that Krystal has been crying heavily for quite some time. Her eyes are bloodshot and glassy, and Jessica can even see small red splotches under her eyes from where some blood vessels have burst.

         “Oh Krystal…”, Jessica says sympathetically. Without thought she takes Krystal into her arms. She feels bad for not waking up earlier to comfort the younger girl.

         Seemingly without hesitation Krystal wraps her arms around Jessica tightly. She’s still crying hard; to the point of hiccuping.

         Jessica her back, “Hey, hey. Whatever it is, it’s alright.” She pauses for a second, “Maybe when you calm down a little we can talk about it?” Jessica feels Krystal nod.

         It’s about five minutes until Krystal calms down enough to be able to speak. She pulls away from Jessica to look at her, but still stays in her embrace. “I’m really sorry I woke you up.” She says embarrassedly.

         “Don’t be. I wish I would have woken up sooner.”, Jessica gives Krystal’s hair an affectionate , “Now, do you want to talk about what made you so upset?”

         Krystal swallows hard, “I… I don’t know if I should.”

         “It’s alright if it’s something you don’t want to talk about. I’m not going to make you tell me.”

         Krystal rests her forehead against Jessica’s neck before speaking, “It’s not that I don’t want to talk about it. Honestly I really feel like I need to open up. I just… I don’t know if I should.”

         “Whatever you decide to do, I’m here.”, Jessica says as she gives Krystal’s hair another comforting .

         Jessica feels Krystal let out a shaky breath on her skin before speaking, “It’s just… I found something out and I keep having bad dreams about it. Like, it’s something that doesn’t really change anything in my life, but… it also changes everything. You know what I mean? Like outwardly nothing has changed, but in my head things have because I learned something I was totally oblivious of.”

         “And you’ve been having a lot of bad dreams about it?”

         Krystal nods, “At least four nights out of the week since I found out.”

         “God, this must really be bothering you.”, Jessica says in genuine amazement. “You haven’t told anyone about this?”

         Krystal chuckles, “You have no idea. And I haven’t.” Her face turns serious again as she pauses for a moment, “But it’s really eating at me.” Another pause, “Jessica? You really like me, right?”

         The question seems random but Jessica answers honestly, “I like you a lot. I’m hoping that in the near future I’ll be able to call you my girlfriend.”

         Krystal smiles, “I’m hoping for the same thing.” Her smile fades, “Call this an exercise in trust or whatever. I just know that I need to talk to someone about this, and it feels right for you to be that person. I just need you to promise me something.”

         “Anything.”, Jessica says without hesitation.

         “I need you to not tell Tiffany.”

         The request is more than a little unnerving. She tells Tiffany just about everything. And this is especially risky because Tiffany and Krystal are sisters. “What could possibly be going on with Krystal that she doesn’t even want to tell Tiffany? They seem so close…” Jessica thinks anxiously.

         Regardless of her worried thoughts, Jessica nods, “I promise I won’t tell Tiffany.”

         Krystal sighs deeply before saying, “I’m adopted.”

         The statement takes a moment to sink in, and even when it does Jessica doesn’t know what to say.

         Luckily, Krystal continues to speak, “Dad told me when he found out I’m gay. At first I thought he was just saying it because he was pissed, but then I started thinking about it more and more. I don’t look like Tiffany or either of the people I thought were my parents. I mean, Tiffany looks exactly like our mom, but me… I don’t have any common features with them. I was still kind of skeptical, but dad Sent me a picture of my adoption papers along with a few choice homophobic words.

         “I’m pretty positive that Tiffany doesn’t know. Even though she would have been 5 when I was adopted. I mean, it’s hard to remember stuff from that age, so I can see where she would be clueless. But it’s like… everything just fell apart when I found out. I think it would have been easier if mom was still alive, but since she’s not it’s like I have no parents now. The guy that raised me hates me, the woman that I thought was my mother passed away years ago, and I have no clue what’s going on with my biological parents. Now if feels like all I have in the way of family is Tiffany, but we aren’t really family at all… I don’t know.” Krystal tucks her face back into Jessica’s neck, “It just all hurts, and I’m not sure what to do.”

         Jessica continually Krystal’s back, “Poor thing… you’re so stressed about it that it’s been giving you nightmares…” Jessica sighs, “I wish I could say something to make you feel better, but even I’m clueless.”

         Krystal sniffles, “Don’t be sorry. Just talking about it has made me feel a little better.” She lifts her head up and meets Jessica’s eyes, “Thank you. And don’t feel too bad about keeping this from Tiffany, I do plan on telling her eventually.”

         Jessica nods, “That’s good.  Have you thought about finding your biological parents at all?”

         “Yeah. That’s what all my bad dreams are about. I mean, obviously there was some reason I had to be put up for adoption. Maybe it was something simple like not having the money to take care of me, or maybe they were young. I could live with those reasons. But what if it was something else? Or if they’re not good people? Hell, maybe they aren’t even alive anymore. But at the same time... if they are alive and they are good people… I’d love to feel like I have parents again. I just don’t know…”

         “It’s not that big of a deal. You have all the time in the world to decide what you want to do.”

         “But it just… it just doesn’t feel good, you know? Feeling like you don’t have a family…” Krystal trails off.

         “You have Tiffany. From what I’ve seen she loves you a lot, I don’t think that’s ever going to change.”

         Krystal sighs, “Yeah, but… I don’t know. I just wish I would have found out differently.”

         Jessica hugs Krystal tighter, “It wasn’t right for him to have told you the way he did.”

         “But there’s nothing I can do about it now.” Krystal mumbles against Jessica’s neck as she hugs back. “Thank you for listening to me.”

         “You don’t have to thank me. You can talk to me any time, alright? So since it’s too late to go back to sleep, how would you feel about me making us breakfast?”

         Krystal looks up at Jessica with eyes that are badly bloodshot, but finally dry, “I think that sounds amazing.”