The Girl from IT

"Oh come on! You have to dance at the Christmas party. It's company policy."

"No, honestly. I look really stupid when I try to dance."

"Everyone does! The point is to act like you know you look stupid. Like this."

Charlie went straight into the Robot and followed it up with some moves from Gangnam Style. Hannah laughed but still shook her head.

"You can get away with that but I can't."

"All right - well how about a waltz? That's just going in a triangle. Even you can do that." She grabbed Hannah's hand and pulled her protesting onto the dance floor.

"You be the man," she said, placing Hannah's hand on her waist and reaching up to place her own hand on Hannah's shoulder. "Now, one-two-three, one-two-three - "

They waltzed inelegantly to the sound of pumping house music, grinning at each other.

"Why can I get away with cheesy dancing but you can't?" Charlie asked.

"A girl like you can get away with anything," Hannah replied and then blushed, the darkness of her skin contrasting with her white shirt front.

Charlie stretched up and kissed her. It was a clumsy kiss because Charlie was slightly unsteady on her feet and trying to waltz at the same time.

Hannah pulled her head back immediately and said something that Charlie couldn't hear over the music. Charlie grabbed Hannah's lapels and led her off the dance floor and almost half dragged her to the end of the bar, where the light was dimmer and the music less pounding.

Even in the dim light, Charlie could see the amused smile on Hannah's face.

"I didn't think you liked girls," Hannah said. Charlie smiled her best seductive smile, the one that always worked.

"I like anyone that's hot," she said. As the colour rose in Hannah's cheeks, Charlie leaned in to kiss her again. This time, she felt Hannah responding; her lips parted and her hands moved to Charlie's hips.

Charlie pushed her back against the brick wall and slid her hands up Hannah's back and the kiss became more urgent, their tongues slipping and sliding.

Charlie said breathlessly,

"Can we go back to yours?"

"Yeah, sure."

Charlie grabbed her hand and the next thing she could remember, they were sitting side by side in the back of a cab, kissing again. Charlie's hands roamed over Hannah's face and then down to her throat and her waist. She pulled the shirt out from Hannah's trousers and slid her hands over Hannah's flat, muscled stomach.

Hannah had one arm around Charlie's neck and her other hand slid slowly up Charlie's thigh, moving under the hem of her dress and gently squeezing her bottom. Charlie moaned and the cab driver let out an exasperated sigh.

"Steady on girls! Wait til you get home, yeah?"

Then another blank until they were in Hannah's bedroom, Charlie tugging desperately at the buttons on Hannah's shirt. As soon as it was open Charlie took Hannah's breasts in her hands, stroking her fingers over the bra material.

Hannah's breathing quickened as she pulled Charlie's dress over her head.

In a frenzy of impatience, Charlie pushed Hannah onto the bed and climbed astride her. She reached back and undid her bra, flinging it to one side. Hannah's hands were on her breast immediately, stroking and kneading.

Charlie closed her eyes as Hannah ran her thumbs over her hard nipples. Charlie leaned forward, resting her hands on either side of Hannah's head, her breasts brushing Hannah's face. Hannah took Charlie's right nipple into her mouth, sucking it gently at first, then with more urgency, rolling the nipple in her mouth and grazing it against her teeth.

Charlie couldn't take any more. She grabbed Hannah's hand and pushed it inside her damp knickers.

Hannah whispered hoarsely,

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," Charlie said. "I want you to do it."

Hannah gently slipped a finger inside her. Charlie sighed and moved her hips slowly up and down. She pushed a second finger in and Charlie purred with pleasure. She bent her head and kissed Hannah, her tongue lapping at Hannah's as she moved her slippery sex up and down on Hannah's fingers.

Hannah arched upwards, pushing her fingers deeper. Charlie groaned as she felt Hannah's fingertips brushing the deepest part of her. She moved harder against her, forcing her fingers inside as far as they would go. Hannah's other hand fondled Charlie's breast, rolling the nipple between her fingers.

Charlie felt herself getting close to coming - she grabbed hold of the bed head with one hand as she pumped her hips frantically back and forth on Hannah's hand, her breasts bouncing on her chest.

"Ah, ah, ah - " her cries were cut off as an orgasm rushed through her. She threw back her head as her body shuddered and her cunt convulsed around Hannah's fingers.

She collapsed forward onto the other girl, panting and sticky.

Charlie turned off the shower and listened to the droplets of water falling.

That was the last thing she could remember. Had she just fallen asleep after that? She put her hand over her face. Oh God, she probably had. Hannah had made her come and she'd just fallen asleep without returning the favour. And worse, the next morning she had denied it had ever happened and then accused Hannah of taking advantage of her.

Charlie stepped out of the shower and stood shivering on the bath mat. Tears gathered at the corner of her eyes. She'd been completely horrible to Hannah and she'd done nothing to deserve it.

Charlie prided herself on her self-knowledge. She knew perfectly well what her failings were but she had never before counted cruelty amongst them.

A tear spilled down her cheek and Charlie brushed it away. She couldn't just stand here crying. She had to do something.

She could speak to Hannah at work first thing - no. They wouldn't be back at work until after Christmas. She would text Hannah - no. She didn't have her number. Charlie grabbed a towel and wrapped it round herself. No, she knew what she had to do.

She padded quickly to her own room and pulled on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. She rubbed her hair dry with the towel and paused briefly to look at her face in the mirror. Last night's mascara had at least been washed off. She considered whether she should put make up on again and dismissed the idea. No time.

As she headed for the front door, Laura's door opened.

"Are you going out again?" she asked, sounding amazed.

"Looks like it!" Charlie closed the front door behind her and retraced her steps to the high street.

Would she be able to remember the way back to Hannah's place? What if Hannah refused to see her when she got there? Or what if she'd gone out?

Charlie bit her lip. She wasn't going fast enough. She broke into a jog which turned into a sprint when she saw the bus she needed pulling up at the stop a few hundred yards away.

She ran down the street, shouting apologies at the people she bumped into as she went. She flung herself at the closing doors and almost fell into the driver.

"You know there's another one in three minutes, love?" the driver said.

"Sorry," Charlie panted. "Emergency."

She took a seat but then stood up again, feeling too agitated to sit still. The bus crawled along the high street. Charlie looked furiously at the other cars clogging the road - who the hell were these people and where the fuck were they going? She tapped her fingers impatiently against the pole she was holding.

What if Hannah wouldn't speak to her? That would be understandable, after all that Charlie had said. No, Charlie would find a way. She'd grovel if she had to. She thought of Hannah's face, of those dark eyes turning on her with contempt and panic started to rise through her. She had to apologise, she had to make Hannah listen to her.

The bus lumbered slowly round a corner. Charlie craned her head to look out of the window and recognised the kebab shop on the corner. She wasn't too far now. The road ahead was still full of traffic so Charlie rang the bell and got out at the next stop.

She started jogging along the road again. She passed a bakery and the smell of fresh bread wafting out of the door made her stop. She had an idea and ducked into the shop. She emerged a few minutes later clutching a paper bag and carried on running down the road.

After ten minutes, Charlie finally saw the turning to Hannah's street. She paused at the corner, leaning on her knees to catch her breath. She tried to go over in her head what she would say to Hannah but her heart was pounding too loudly for her to concentrate.

She took a deep breath and sprinted the final few hundred metres to Hannah's front door and rang the bell. She leaned on the door frame, panting hard. The door was opened by the girl that Charlie had seen that morning. She scowled at Charlie.

"What do you want?" Charlie was so out of breath that she struggled to force her words out.

"Hannah..."

"Doesn't want to see you. Obviously."

Charlie fought to control her breathing and saw that the girl was about to close the door in her face. Throwing caution to the wind, she shoulder barged the door as hard as she could, sending Hannah's flatmate flailing backwards. Charlie pushed past her before she could recover and stumbled into the living room.

The same boy was sitting on the sofa, his mouth open in surprise. The kitchen was visible through an archway to the right: Hannah was standing by the fridge, staring incredulously at her.

"Charlie?"

Charlie made towards her but the bloke stood up suddenly, blocking her way.

"Hang on a sec," he said, just as the girl finally caught up with Charlie.

"Han, I'm really sorry, she just barged in - "

Charlie wanted to scream with frustration.

"Hannah - " she began, still struggling to catch her breath.

"I told you she doesn't want to talk to you!" the girl shouted, grabbing Charlie by the arm.

Great, thought Charlie. I somehow need to deck both of her flatmates before I can even speak to her.

"Wait, Amy," Hannah said. She ducked past the boy and laid her hand on the girl's arm. "It's ok. I don't want any drama."

She looked coldly at Charlie and Charlie felt it as if she'd been slapped.

"What do you want?"

"I...just...wanted...to...talk...to..." Charlie took deep breaths to try and slow her breathing down.

Christ, she needed to start going to the gym. She held out the paper bag to Hannah.

Hannah took it and looked inside with a puzzled frown.

"You've brought me croissants?" Charlie nodded and attempted a weak smile. Amy rolled her eyes. Hannah glanced at her flatmates, looked at Charlie and then motioned her head towards her room.

Charlie walked down the hallway and back into Hannah's bedroom. She felt a surge of affection for the vintage Bovril advert, like she was seeing an old friend.

Hannah followed her in and closed the door behind her. She put the bag containing the croissants on the bookcase and folded her arms. She was wearing a denim shirt and sweat pants, her dark hair pulled back in a loose bun and strands of hair falling around her ears. Charlie bit her lip, desperate to touch her.

"Look, I already said I wouldn't say anything at work," said Hannah, brusquely. "So you don't need to try and buy my silence with croissants."

"No, the croissants were to say sorry. For what I said this morning. I was totally out of order."

"You thought croissants were the best way to apologise?"

"No, I mean...I thought it might help and at least you can eat them. I mean you can't eat flowers can you - look, forget about the croissants all right? I came back because I remember what happened now and...and I'm so sorry. I said horrible things to you and..."

Charlie broke off as she felt tears rising again. Hannah shuffled her feet and looked at the floor.

"It's ok," she muttered.

"No, it's not ok," Charlie said, trying to keep her voice under control. She noticed the Batman T-shirt lying discarded on the bed, just as Hannah started saying,

"Look, I appreciate that you came all the way back here to say sorry. And bringing croissants. I like croissants. But this is awkward for both of us so why don't you just go and we'll forget - what are you doing?"

Charlie had pulled off her t-shirt and was unbuttoning her jeans.

"Let's start again," she said, sitting on the bed to take off her shoes.

"What?" Hannah stared at her blankly.

Charlie pulled her jeans off and saw the now familiar blush rising to Hannah's cheeks. Charlie pulled the Batman T-shirt over her head and got into the bed.

"Let's start this morning again. Clean slate. You've just walked in and I've just woken up."

Hannah looked at her like she was mad.

"This is silly," she said.

"Yes, yes it is," Charlie agreed. "But I want to try and put things right. To...atone for this morning. Please let me try."

She pulled out her best beseeching look - a Charlie Foster special. It had never failed her before and it didn't fail now. Hannah sighed.

"All right." She mimed holding a cup in each hand. "But I'm not making more tea ok?"

"You're fine as you are. Now, you say good morning."

Hannah's lips twitched as she suppressed a smile. She walked over to the bed and sat down on the edge.

"Good morning," she said. "I've made you some tea."

She handed Charlie an imaginary mug. Charlie took it and knocked it back like it was a shot.

"That's the best fucking tea I've ever tasted," she said.

Hannah laughed and Charlie grinned at her. She placed her imaginary mug carefully on the bedside table.

"Now," she said, "I remember most of what happened last night but there are still some gaps."

She dropped her eyes from Hannah's face, suddenly feeling shy. "I...I remember you...er...sorting me out - "

"Is that what the kids are calling it these days?" Hannah cocked an eyebrow.

"Well I mean - I don't remember if I returned the favour." Hannah gave her the amused look that Charlie was used to.

"No. You went to sleep straight after." Charlie nodded slowly.

"I see. So - " she leaned forward, "I owe you don't I?"

"It's ok. No one's keeping score. You don't have to - "

"But I want to." Hannah's face was unreadable.

Charlie leaned even further forward until her face was a few inches from Hannah's.

"Don't you?" she whispered. She hardly dared breathe as she searched Hannah's eyes for an answer. If she said no...

Hannah leaned forward and brushed her lips gently against Charlie's. Charlie felt the blood humming in her veins as she kissed Hannah back. Hannah's lips were soft and Charlie lost herself in the kiss, putting her hands up to cup Hannah's face. Hannah's tongue grazed softly along Charlie's bottom lip. Charlie ran her hands down Hannah's arms to her waist and slid her hands under Hannah's shirt. She moved them across the taut expanse of stomach and rested them on her hips.

Charlie pushed gently, easing Hannah onto her back, their mouths still intertwined. Charlie's hair fell about Hannah's face as she crouched above her.

Charlie broke the kiss and began to slowly undo the buttons on Hannah's shirt. Hannah watched, her eyes dark with a desire that Charlie could remember from last night. As she pulled off the shirt, Charlie ran her hands over Hannah's stomach and then slowly moved them up to graze over Hannah's bra.

Charlie stroked her palms lightly over each cup and heard the change in Hannah's breathing. She reached under Hannah's back and fumbled with the clasp for a few moments before Hannah chuckled and helped her out.

As the bra came off, Charlie sat back on her haunches and drank in the sight of the other girl's body. She'd been in such a hurry last night that she hadn't stopped to appreciate it. Hannah's breasts were neat and compact and fitted easily within Charlie's hands. She cupped them gently and grazed her thumbs over the dark nipples.

Hannah drew breath sharply and Charlie felt her hips bucking gently against her. She felt herself growing wet as she stroked Hannah's nipples. She leaned forward and kissed Hannah. Their tongues locked together and Charlie began kneading Hannah's breasts in earnes. Hannah moaned softly into her mouth and Charlie's desire sharpened.

She moved her hands from Hannah's breasts and pulled clumsily at her trousers. Hannah wasted no time in lifting her hips to help Charlie pull them off completely. Charlie looked at Hannah's pants and then looked at Hannah.

"Batman knickers? Really?" Hannah shrugged.

"If you don't like them, take them off," she said.

Charlie needed no further encouragement. She pulled them off impatiently and began kissing Hannah's thighs. As she lowered her head to kiss the soft flesh of the inner thigh, she could smell the unmistakable scent of Hannah's arousal - a deep, musky scent.

Hannah opened her legs wider and Charlie ran the tip of her tongue along Hannah's inner thigh and then softly kissed the fleshy mound between her legs.

Hannah squirmed and then squealed as Charlie

kissed her way down and then back up again. She repeated this a few times, loving the taste of her and wanting more. She ran the tip of her tongue along Hannah's slick opening and felt Hannah's hands tangle themselves in her hair. She repeated the motion but more firmly this time. And then she did it again and again and again, her tongue lapping at Hannah's slit, her lips sodden with Hannah's juices.

Hannah moaned, short guttural sounds as her hips bucked against Charlie's face, moving away as if trying to escape yet then returning for more.

Finally, Hannah pulled Charlie's head up. Hannah was breathing hard, dark strands of hair curling around her face. She cupped Charlie's face in her hands and pulled her into a kiss. Charlie opened her lips and felt Hannah's tongue running over them, tasting herself.

Charlie kissed her harder, pushing her tongue into her mouth, trying to taste every bit of her. The wetness of Hannah's mouth and the firmness of the body beneath her drove Charlie into a frenzy.

She grabbed Hannah's breasts and kneaded them

mercilessly, working the flesh round and round. Hannah arched upwards and her hips bucked. As Charlie plunged her tongue ever deeper into Hannah's mouth, she moved a hand between Hannah's legs and slipped a finger inside her.

The kiss broke as Hannah gasped and threw her head back as Charlie pushed her finger up as far as she could. She withdrew slowly and then pushed up again, her finger gliding seamlessly into Hannah's wetness. Hannah's eyes were closed as she moved her body up and down with Charlie's thrusts. Charlie slipped a second finger in and began to move in and out more quickly, loving the sight of Hannah's breasts bouncing up and down with the rhythm.

Her fingers made a wet slapping sound as she moved her hand faster and faster. Hannah's moans became louder, her head moving from side to side. Charlie kissed her, her tongue pushing into Hannah's mouth in time with her fingers.

Charlie's fingers flew back and forth, coated in Hannah's slickness, pushing and pushing and then she felt Hannah's body begin to shudder beneath her, the hips bucking madly and Hannah crying out against her mouth.

The wetness and ache between Charlie's legs was almost unbearable. As Hannah gasped against her face, Charlie suddenly felt Hannah's hand reach into her knickers. Hannah was in the throes of orgasm as she pressed her thumb firmly against Charlie's clitoris.

Charlie almost screamed. The sound caught in her throat and was strangled as her whole body juddered with an intense climax. She fell forward onto Hannah, her face buried in her neck, her breasts and hips grinding against Hannah's as the wave crashed over her.

At some point her fingers slipped out of Hannah but she wasn't aware of anything except the wetness of her face, the hardness of Hannah's body beneath her and the convulsive clutching of their hands against each other's flesh.