"This better at least be interesting..." Quince said, standing outside the community center as we waited on Henri
"I don't know how the class A side is, but I enjoyed the class B one last week when we went." I said "I think it's pretty good overall, it helped me a little at least."
"I can't believe Henri is late..." Quince muttered "She's like, the responsible one or something, right?"
"I don't know if I'd call her responsible..." I said "she just comes off like that because she's polite."
A man in his late thirties walked up to the door next to us, his hand cupped in front of him. As he passed, he glanced down, and then over at us, stepping over to where Quince stood. In his hand was Nada, and she peered at us resting in Quince's shirt pocket, then smiled and waved, gesturing for the man to step closer.
"I thought that was you, Amber!" Nada said, smiling at me "I messaged you Sunday but never heard back, I was worried!"
"Oh, gosh, I'm sorry, I must have missed that..." I said, wincing "I wasn't checking my messages, I was just talking to Marissa directly..."
"It's ok, I'm glad you're safe." Nada said "So, is this Henri?" she asked, looking up at Quince
"Fuck no, I'm Quince." Quince said "I'm watching Amber because Henri's a broke bitch."
"I'm Adil, it's nice to meet you all." the man said dipping his head at us
"I'm Kensey? We talked a little on Antfarm?" Kensey said "I'm the one that was barely short enough to be a class B."
"Ant Mound," Nada said "And yes, I remember you! It's just such a terrible situation..."
"It's not that terrible..." Quince said "I take good care of her..."
"No matter how well you care for a class B, it will always be a struggle..." Adil said solemnly
"Uh, b-but Quince really cares about me, so it's like, not even a big deal!" Kensey said, putting on a big smile
"Yeah, she's doing pretty good as a guardian." I said "She's really figuring it out."
"That's... good to hear." Nada said, looking between the three of us "Why don't we head in so we can get to the groups?"
"We're waiting on Henri..." Quince grumbled "She's supposed to already be here."
"Maybe she's already inside?" Adil asked "You could always pop in and check."
"Ah, nope, there she is." I said, pointing
Henri jogged up from the parking lot and slowed to a stop next to us, catching her breath "Sorry- it was- too many lights were red..." she said, panting
"This is Henri." I said "Henri, this is Nada, and her guardian Adil."
Henri waved and straightened up. "So, we shall go in now?" she asked, still out of breath
"Well hello to you too, Henri." Quince snarked
Henri rolled her eyes at her "I just saw you three hours ago at school, get over it."
"We... should go ahead and get in, though." Adil said, opening the door to the community center with his free hand.
We all followed him in, and made our way to the rooms in the back, splitting up at the door. As the helper set us down in the little box for the class B meetings, I noticed that all the same people who'd been here last time were already sitting in the seats they'd been sitting in last time. I didn't know if there was assigned seating, but I made my way over to the chair I'd used and sat down looking around the room as we settled, several people giving me a surprised look. Once we were all situated, with Kensey having drug a chair over to me so we'd be together, Nada clapped her hands.
"Alright! Sorry about the late start," she said "I was greeting our newest visitors in the parking lot and time got away from us. Everyone, you'll remember Amber from last week, and she's brought a friend this time, would you like to introduce yourself?"
Kensey stood "Hi, my name is Kensey, and I'm a class B. Uh, I was compressed a week and a half ago or so, and I've been with my guardian, Quince, for about four or five days, and Amber has been sleeping over for the past two nights. Amber said this group would be helpful for us, since Quince originally got me as a pet instead of with the intent to be an actual guardian."
"I hate people like that..." Paul said darkly, pushing his glasses up "My second guardian was that way, she only got me so she could do certain videos with me that people would pay a premium to see, without caring about my feelings at all."
"Ah, well... Quince doesn't have interests in videos..." Kensey said "And she's started to see me as a person, actually having me helped her to realize I'm still a human. When I was just an idea, she was thinking of me differently, I think."
"So do you think your relationship is harmful?" Nada asked her
"I think... she's doing her best." Kensey said "It's a two way street, she wants me to be all cutesy and fun, and to be her little pocket friend, and I want her to care for me and respect me and my boundaries. We're both working on giving the other what they want."
"And you, Amber? You've seen their relationship, do you feel it's harmful?" Nada asked me
"Uh, I'm literally dating my guardian, I'm the worst person to ask..." I said "But, I mean, yeah, I think they're doing ok. Quince opened up about her needs and stuff last night, and it really sounds like she just wants a friend who's not going to hurt or judge her, and Kensey can totally do that."
"Oh gods it's official!?" Babae said, bouncing "Last week you were just talking about how she liked you, you like her back?"
I blushed "Yeah, I do. We, um, 'played' and found out that I like the same kinds of things she does, kinda, and as long as we communicate, I'm kinda... into it? And she's been really- well, not 'sweet', but protective, and treating me like a person, valuing me more, so yeah, we're girlfriends now."
"Totally hot..." Marcus said, grinning
"Marcus, we talked about that behavior." Nada said sternly
"I'm glad you're happy with your relationship, but are you sure it's not creating an unhealthy dynamic between you and her?" Arnold asked, looking down at me
"It is very unhealthy." I confirmed "It's unbalanced, it's got an unfair power dynamic, she can and does use her size against me, she's still mean to others the same way she was mean to me before, she threatens to hurt me constantly, and she treats me like she owns me still."
"That sounds... horrible, I'm so sorry to hear that, Amber..." Paul said
"Can I be honest?" I asked "I... really kinda like it like that..."
"That sounds... you like it?" Nada asked, shocked
"Yeah, I know it sounds bad, but it makes me feel safe." I admitted "Hearing her be mean to someone else makes me feel cozy, like she's protecting me or something, and when she's mean to me it feels... I don't know, like she's showing me she loves me, because she's not being really mean to me."
"Whoah..." Babae said, her eyes wide "You're like, fucked up fucked up."
"Maybe." I said "But like I said, I like it, and I want this relationship. I'm an adult, she's an adult, I understand that she has power over me, and I want that. I don't think there's anything wrong with it."
"I think it's... very dangerous." Nada said "It sounds like you two moved very quickly based on... attraction rather than meaningful connection?"
"Is that really bad though?" Marcus asked "All my relationships were based entirely on attraction, if someone's hot, you want to be with them. I saw Marissa, she's hot in like that, scary cute way? I'd totally go for her."
"She's at least five years older than you, Marcus, and that's still inappropriate behavior." Nada said "Why is it that whenever there's any talk of anything feminine you turn it around to your own interests?"
"Sorry..." he muttered "Look, my dating pool is non-existent, my parents have a copy of my tablet on their phones, I have no 'outlets' for anything."
"That's not an excuse to make it other people's problem, Marcus, this is a very serious topic and you need to respect it."
Marcus looked like he was going to cry, and crossed his arms "So when her problem is having a hot girlfriend that does hot stuff she likes, and new girl's problem is having an owner that treats her like she's a special little flower, it's ok to talk about, but when my problem is being alone forever and not being able to even get off, and my parents treating me like a baby, all of the sudden it's all about me and I need to shut up?"
Nada slumped "Marcus..."
Arnold spoke up "No one is saying your problems aren't important, you just... keep turning all of the conversations to how attractive you think the topic is, it's making us uncomfortable."
"...Ok." he said, and looked at the ground
"We'll talk about your personal problem with your parents, Marcus..." Nada said "I think we can work out something with them to help you out."
He moaned and put his head in his hands "Just- forget about it, fuck, I'll shut up, gods."
"...We can talk after the meeting, don't let this make you too upset, ok?" Nada said "Moving on though... I do think that both Amber and Kensey are in fairly toxic relationships with their guardians, does anyone see it differently?"
"I think... If Amber likes it, there's not much we can say about it." Paul said "Honestly, I don't agree with the idea of class A and class B relationships at all due to my past, but... I think it's her choice. It's not our job to judge that, we need to be guiding her on how to do it safely."
"I have some thoughts about Kensey..." Babae said "Um you mentioned your guardian wants you to be 'cute and fun' or something?"
Kensey nodded "Yeah, she likes me to be chipper and sweet, and she likes it when I like, hug her fingers or neck or something."
"Ok, so is that like, something you would normally do? Act chipper and be touchy?" Babae asked
"I usually have lower energy, and I was kind of known for being serious at work and stuff, but if I'm around friends I usually perk up." Kensey said, thinking about it "I'm not super touchy, but I don't mind hugs, I just didn't usually initiate them."
"Interesting..." Babae said "I was hoping it'd be like 'oh, I'm a huge grump and I hate hugs', but you're just kinda middle of the line. My original point was that if you're changing who you are, you're not really living your own life anymore, but I don't know if that applies."
"I think everyone changes who they are around others to some extent, no matter what kind of relationship they have." Kensey said "Everyone knows the 'you have three faces' thing, I don't think this is really all that different. I'm just putting on a face for Quince that makes us get along better."
"But you shouldn't have to put on a face at all, you should be accepted for who you are. The fact that she isn't accepting you is building a harmful foundation for your relationship." Nada said, frowning
"Now, I'm not so sure..." Arnold said "I know I put on a face or a mask to come here, and I put one on when I'm around my guardians. I actually have two masks around them, one for each. For my main guardian, I make jokes, I'm loud so she remembers I'm there, I try to give her companionship. For her sister, I'm more reserved, she doesn't appreciate my jokes, and she doesn't tend to forget about me as much, so I'm quiet and respectful of her spending her time to take care of me. That's a very normal thing to do, around guardians or around anyone."
"I tend to agree." Paul said "Kensey's relationship, from what little I know of it, seems to be at least fairly normal."
"Her mom is helping a lot too." I said "Miss Ayana? She's Quince's mom, not Kensey's, but like, she's really nice and she's very sweet to us, and she's always making sure to treat us like people and to call Quince out when she's not."
"That's the kind of relationship I like to see, support from the family can make things go so much smoother..." Nada said "Without my brother, I don't know where I'd be."
"Your daughter too, right?" Babae asked "You called her a big help too. I'm just with my guardian, I wish I had more support..."
"My... daughter, yes." Nada said frowning "Family is... important, I think that's the main thing to take away here. Amber, what's the family situation in your home?"
"Me?" I asked "Oh, um, well I've gotten to see my parents a couple times now, and it's always fun. They're getting used to everything, but they're just happy I'm in one piece."
"I meant more of... what Marissa's family relationship was like." Nada clarified
I blushed "Oh, duh, yeah. Her dad is great, I've only met him once, but I'll see him again Sunday? I think? His wife refuses to talk to me mostly, but fuck her, I went to high school with her and she's always been a brat."
I winced "Miss Lund though, the parent Marissa lives with... She's tried to get Marissa to get rid of me a few times, and uh, she's like, in charge of a bunch of companies? And she wants to use them to... get rid of the compression virus."
"Amber is sugar coating it." Kensey said flatly "Miss Lund wanted Marissa to kill Amber to sever her emotional attachment to class Bs, and is planning on mass-buying class Bs for her labs so she can turn them into vaccines for class As."
"That- that's possible?!" Babae asked, her jaw dropping
"You can't- we're people, you can't 'buy' us." Nada said "Her plans won't go very far, I can assure you."
"It's more like, renting us from guardians and draining our blood and fluids and stuff I think." I clarified "She just needs 'pre-compressed particles' or something."
Nada pulled out her tablet "Do you know the name of the companies involved?" she asked
"Well, LundCorp, for one." I said "Our friend Tracy's dad is running the main lab she'll be using, but I don't know the name..."
Nada bit her lip "If you can find out the name, let me know. I'd like to write an article about it."
"I thought nothing in these meetings could leave the meetings?" Kensey said, surprised
"That's... other kinds of meetings." Nada said, typing "We don't even have legal rights in court as class Bs, so that wouldn't apply here anyway."
"I don't know if that's a good idea." I said "If it got out, Miss Lund would know it came from me or Henri, and she'd try to take action against us."
"I think it'll be ok, what was your friend's name?" Nada asked me
"Oh, it was Tracy... Millon?" I said, not quite sure if I was remembering it right
"Mm, I'll... look into this on my own time." Nada said, putting her tablet away "If I do write an article, I may need to interview you, ok?"
"I... guess..." I said, looking at Kensey.
She shrugged and shook her head "I doubt an article on a class B only app would get back to Miss Lund." she assured me
"That aside..." Nada said "Does anyone else have anything they'd like to bring up to discuss tonight?"
"I actually had something, yeah." Paul said, raising his hand "I wanted to ask everyone's opinions about the merits of creating a class B only zone in shared spaces, something to give us a sense of security? I've been discussing it with my guardian, I like the idea overall..."
As the rest of the meeting went without incident, I couldn't help but wonder if we should have kept our mouths shut about Miss Lund's plans... if she did hear we talked, I didn't doubt that there would be serious consequences.
~~~
"So... I didn't hate it..." Quince said, putting hot sauce on her burrito
"It was not what I expected, but it was useful anyway." Henri agreed
"I liked getting to meet new class Bs, it was really humanizing for me." Kensey said "And there's one who's my height and kinda cute, his name is Arnold, and I mayyy want to see about getting his number next time."
"Awww!" Quince said, hiding her mouth as she bit her food "I'd l've t' shee tha'!"
"I would personally like to go back, they had some very helpful tips on getting Amber to like me more." Henri nodded
"That's exactly why you shouldn't go back..." I muttered
"It wasn't anything bad, it's fine." Quince assured me "They just told her to like, try and find common ground that you two can engage in at your new size, and that she needs to be careful to not treat you differently and stuff."
"Well that second one was thrown out of the window almost instantly." I said, rolling my eyes
"I am trying very hard, Amber." Henri said, picking at her taco-pizza "I tried things, I found what did not work, I am respecting you, and I am moving on. I would like it if you moved on too."
"You tried to bathe me, it's gonna be a while before I can trust you again." I pointed out
"Oooh, that sounds so cute!" Quince said "Kensey, do you-"
"Nope, I'll bathe myself thank you very much." Kensey said quickly, shaking her head
"Aw, even if you had your bathing suit on?" Quince pouted
"Even if, Quince. Even if." she said
"I think I messed up, to change the subject." I said "I told Nada about Miss Lund's plans, and... now she's trying to write an article about it."
"Why is that a mess up?" Quince asked "Isn't it good to tell everyone how crazy she is?"
"If a class B publishes an article about it, Miss Lund will know it was me who leaked it." Henri said "She will turn against me, and most likely make things difficult for me to see Amber."
"I mean, what if she goes to jail, though?" Kensey said "It's gotta be illegal to do what she wants to do, right?"
"I have been looking into it..." Henri sighed "It is far more legal than I would like, and there are no protections for the class Bs she uses. If she kills them by accident, it would be a fine, not a shutdown, so there is no reason for her to even try to harvest the particles safely."
"That doesn't sound right, if someone kills a class B, they lose their rights to have them, right?" I asked
"Again, not quite." Henri said "It is... tricky, only sometimes. If it was an accident or if it was a reasonable response to a situation, then it would be ok, no consequence. In the case of Miss Lund, the proposed death would be both an accident, and an attempt to help the class B community by eliminating the virus, so it would not effect her studies at all."
"That's fucked..." Quince said "Think we could get Darcy to ask her family to change the laws?"
"That- oh..." Henri's eyes widened "I... forgot you had that resource. I would love to ask her, when does she get back?"
"A couple weeks, I guess." Quince said "She's coming to Amber's 21st, she responded to the invite, so by then at least."
"There was an invite?" I asked "I knew there was a party planned, Marissa told me she was- mm, I think it's a surprise, but I didn't know she'd invited people."
"Yeah, the day she took the picture of you in the library, she put the invite link in the comments. There's like, twenty people coming." Quince said, putting even more hot sauce on her meal
"I will be there, of course." Henri said, pushing her sauce packs over to Quince
"Can I come?" Kensey asked
"I mean, yeah, obvs." Quince said "You think I'd let Marissa show me up? I'm getting you the most princess-y, fluffiest, sparkliest dress I can find, just to fuck with Marissa."
"...Yeah, that's fair." Kensey nodded
"Anyway... Tomorrow, I guess we just meet up after class and I give Amber over?" Quince asked
"Yes. I will bring her home and we will get ready for the dinner, and from there she will go home with Marissa." Henri confirmed
"Aw, I'll miss my bed-warmer..." Kensey said "Tonight's the last night, huh?"
"I'm looking forward to my own bed again..." I said "You kick in your sleep, and your thighs are the size of my waist."
"We could have a sleepover tomorrow night?" Quince said "You could sleep on my pillow!"
Kensey made a face "I'm concerned I'd get squished if you roll over..."
"I'm a light sleeper." Quince said "Just like, bite my face, I'll wake up."
"We can... maybe try it." Kensey said nervously
"Yeah, and we can wear those matching pajamas I got us!" Quince said, grinning "God, I'm excited... Can I snuggle you?"
"You- you're asking?" Kensey said "Um... Just hold your breath so you don't burn my eyes, I saw what you did to that burrito, that thing is practically a war crime..."
Quince rolled her eyes and picked her up, rubbing her against her cheek for a moment before pressing her to her chest, just above her collarbone, and setting her back down. Henri looked at me longingly, but I ignored her. She'd have to earn that, and she hadn't yet.
"This is what I wanted..." Quince said, a smile on her face "Just... this. Eating cheap tacos, talking about sleepovers, getting to cuddle you, you being all cute and comfortable around me... I feel like a kid or something, this is what I wanted when I b- adopted you."
"Well... it's a lot nicer than I expected. Thank you for taking care of me, Q." Kensey said gently
"Yeah, no, like, thanks for letting me be, like, me, you know?" Quince said "All three of you. Like, no one to impress, no one to make fun of, just us, being here. I haven't had this since middle school."
"You could have it all the time..." Henri said "You just need to get Marissa to calm down and not be so much all the time, and to stop trying to start fights with Darcy."
"Yeah..." Quince said "I... fuck, I'll try. Whatever, I'm just happy to be here."
I looked around at the table and realized that I was pretty happy to be here too. I was excited to see Marissa again soon, and I was looking forward to hanging out with Kensey in front of the TV later, but... It was nice just hanging out and existing at a late night taco place with people I trusted. Henri not withstanding. I'd have to see if Marissa would be down for this, if she'd be ok with the setting, or be cool about it. Of course, I'd have to convince her to go to the group again...
~~~
Henri walked into my old room and set me on the desk, smiling at me proudly "Ok Amber, pick out your outfit for tonight, and I will go change out of my fussball outfit and into something classy."
She looked down at the soccer uniform she'd dug out of my closet from middle school "Or... do you think this would be a good thing to wear to the dinner meeting?"
I tried not to look as she flexed and twisted in the far too small outfit, tugging on it as it slid places it shouldn't and highlighted things I'd never have. The name 'Park' was still on the back, and I didn't doubt she was taking a certain pleasure in wearing my name on her clothes, like a brand or something. I covered my face and shook my head at the embarrassment of the whole thing.
"I can't believe you wore that to school..." I said
"Our college's dress code allows for clothing intended for sports, I am considering joining the fussball team, so I am wearing the uniform, it is within the rules, Amber."
"Can you at least call it soccer?" I asked, looking up and quickly turning my head as her backside turned towards me "Or if not that then football, like the rest of the world?"
"I call it how I called it at home, it is a very popular sport in Germany, so I will use the German term." she said, turning her nose up "How does the uniform look on me, Amber? If I join the team, will you get Marissa to bring you to my games?"
"If you join, you'll be wearing a uniform that fits, none of this... exhibitionism. I swear, a deep breath or a toe touch and you'd burst right out of that thing, I grew out of it in like the tenth grade."
"It was the twelfth grade and you know it." she corrected me "You did not grow up, down, or sideways until senior year."
"Yeah, yeah. Then I got the freshman fifteen and never looked the same, you sound like my mom..." I grumbled
"It was more than fifteen, and it was very much needed, ignore your mother." Henri said, frowning "You looked like a thirteen year old boy all through highschool, now you look like a woman."
"I look like a mom." I said, rolling my eyes
"You look like a regular person, Amber." Henri said, crossing her arms "Is my body making you insecure? I did not mean to make you feel bad... I simply wanted you to look at me and think of me like... a sexual person, rather than a sister."
"I'm not insecure!" I said "You telling me I'm insecure is making me insecure, fuck. I just know I'm a little bit mom-shaped. I'm fine with it, I'm almost twenty one, everyone turns mom-shaped eventually, I just went early"
"You are not mom-shaped!" Henri said "You have a tummy, ja, but... you wear it well. I hear tummies are actually in now, they are considered attractive!"
"Just go change..." I said "I need to find an outfit that says 'please don't squash me' and I can't do that when you're over there showing me your ass."
"...I am sorry." Henri said "...But I still see this as a success. I was attractive enough to distract you, this is a good sign!"
"Just go!" I said, blushing
I didn't want to think about her that way, I didn't like how she was bringing up my body in relation to hers, I didn't like how she was so easily falling into the 'temptress' archetype at the same time she was using her 'protector' mode, but... as long as she was around wearing that stupid outfit my eyes would keep finding places they shouldn't, and I really needed to think about Marissa right now. Henri was just a distraction, and I was still mad at her, so why couldn't I get her stupid 'fussball' outfit out of my head?
~~~
"Well you should have thought about that before being so short." she said
~~~
I adjusted my neckline one more time as Henri prepared to go into Chrysós to meet up with Marissa and her mom. I was wearing a nice light green dress with layers to give it volume, and a v-cut neckline that had fluff built in around the edges to give it a sense of modesty. I was pleased with how I looked in it, and I'd managed to get my hair to smooth down and stay still instead of being the ever-frizzy mess I usually had due to the static that seemed to stick to me at this size. The trick ended up being a little coconut oil and a touch of aloe. It was weird, and I smelled like the beach, but I was happy with it.
Henri was a little more dressed up, she had a blue sleeveless turtleneck accented with a thick black leather belt across her stomach, and a knee-length black skirt. She'd worn her big hoop earrings, and had matching bracelets too. For once, she'd put on lipstick, a dark matte rouge, and she was wearing pantyhose and heels to round the outfit out. She looked... A lot more professional than the girl I usually saw in sweats or knit cardigans. For the second time that day, I couldn't help but be slightly surprised at how... attracted I was to Henri. It was Henri, I'd never thought about her like that before... I just hoped it was a side effect of her having confessed to me, and not me actually... growing attached to her like that. I had Marissa, and I was very happy with her thank you very much.
"Well Amber, are you ready to re-enter the lion's den?" Henri asked
"I've been ready, hurry up, they'll think we're avoiding them..." I said
She picked up the bag containing all my things and walked up to the door. The doorman opened it for her, and she slipped in, walking straight up to the front desk.
"Yes, Lund, party of four?" she asked the lady politely
The lady looked at her list and frowned, then looked up at Henri, and her eyes fell on me in her hand and she realized the mix up.
"Ah, yes, of course. I'll bring you right there." she said "May we check your bag?"
Henri handed it over to the doorman and tucked the slip in her purse, and followed the lady to the very back where a tall table sat just out of sight of the door and the kitchen. Miss Lund and Marissa were already there, and Henri smiled to them as she took her seat, setting me down on the table in front of her.
"Henrietta, so lovely to see you again, and thank you for talking care of my daughter's... responsibility." Miss Lund said "I think the time apart has helped Marissa greatly."
"Oh, of course, it was no trouble at all." Henri said "Quince was quite keen on helping watch her as well, so I had a full day's respite to myself."
"H-hey Amber..." Marissa said, and I looked up at her, my heart pounding. She was still a little pale, and somehow thinner than I remembered, despite it only having been five days since we'd seen each other and her not having the weight to lose in the first place. Her hair was up in twisted loose braids, pinned behind her ears, and she was wearing a black button up that made her look slightly masc, or maybe like a waiter. I smiled up at her, unsure of what I could say or do in front of Miss Lund. In the end, I went for the easiest option; the honest truth.
"Hi, Marissa... I really missed you."
"I missed you too, I- I wanted- I'm supposed to-..." she looked up at her mother, who was impassively looking at her with raised eyebrows.
She tried again "I was immature and selfish, and I didn't do my job as your guardian on Friday. I put myself, and by extension, you, in danger, and I deeply regret it."
"I- w-well, um..." I started to say
"Amber, let her talk." Miss Lund said sternly
I shut up and my breath caught as I realized that was the first time she'd ever actually spoken to me. I looked down as Marissa kept talking.
"While at the rehab center, I... came to understand that I was being a bad friend and a bad guardian by involving you in my... addictions, and I'd like to ask for your help to change that."
I looked up, confused. What was this? Was she asking me to- what, sponsor her? I'd barely ever drank, I couldn't do that...
"You'd be... responsible for me, like I am with you." Marissa continued "Where I help you by giving you food and shelter and protection, you'd help me by... uh, making sure I don't engage in my harmful habits. You'd have my rehab therapist's number, and my mom's number, and if I engage in harmful behavior and don't listen to you when you guide me to stop, you'd message them and tell them what happened."
"I'd... tattle on you?" I asked
"Is this a healthy way to deal with it?" Henri asked "I would think it would drive the class A and class B apart, if the class B is... acting with authority like that."
I tensed up at that, unsure if it was a result of Henri seeing me as a 'less than' again, or if she was sucking up to Miss Lund...
"It's a system the rehab program actually promotes." Miss Lund said to me, her tone sounding for all the world like she was discussing the weather "They have many high end clients like Marissa, so in a lot of cases they'll recommend becoming a guardian with the intent of their ward assisting them in their struggles with their addiction. When I saw that program as an option, I knew it was the best fit for Marissa, and it would give you at least some amount of value past being an expensive toy."
"I'd be... happy to help you, Marissa, in any way I can." I said
My mind was racing, would this change our relationship? Would things get weird? Would I have to actually talk to Miss Lund regularly? I knew Marissa did what she wanted, so I doubted she'd let me tell on her if she really wanted to drink, but she didn't seem like an alcoholic to me, she'd drank a few times, at the sleepover, at the other sleepover, at her dad's house, while we gamed a few times, but I didn't think it was hurting anything... I felt a pang of loss, would she stop being rough with me because of this? If she couldn't express herself with me, she'd go back to being actually mean to me...
"Thank you, Amber." Marissa said "May I hold you until the food comes?"
"Of course, I would like that." I said, polite and mindful of Miss Lund watching us carefully
Marissa reached over and picked me up, and I smelled the familiar scent of her lotion and practically melted into her hand. I looked up at her tired, nervous face, and hugged her thumb tightly. I was back where I belonged, one way or another, right? I'm sure it'd be ok. Her eyes traced my body and her face flickered for a moment, a look of hunger that flashed so quickly I almost thought I'd imagined it. Her fingers closed around me, and slowly, slowly, slowly they began to squeeze. Too slowly for anyone else to notice, but as the air was forced out of my lungs and her fingers pressed into familiar sore spots where bruises hid just under the surface, I felt safe, and I squeezed her back, feeling my back pop and my limbs tighten. We were ok, it'd still be the same as it was before. The new dynamic wouldn't effect us at all.
As Miss Lund and Henri began talking about business things and Marissa's fingers began tugging and prodding me more pointedly, I closed my eyes and let myself go limp. It didn't matter what was going on around me, I was where I belonged and everything was right in my world.
~~~