Roommates (F/F, Open for 1 female char.)

[shilo_elizabeth]

OOC: I'm looking for one female to play Shilo's new roommate. She should be either a freshly come-out lesbian or a bisexual, preferably one that is sort of innocent and hasn't done too much, but is extremely curious.

Shilo sighed, taking a sip of her coffee. She was sitting in the local cyber cafe, searching online for someone who needed a roommate. She needed to get out of her parents' house, quickly, and after three straight days of searching, was still unsuccessful in finding a suitable apartment or roommate.

She pushed her bangs out of her eyes with a sigh. She scrolled for a couple more minutes before finding an ad that looked like it would work for her. The woman was looking for a woman roommate with a job (which Shilo had), the apartment was within walking distance of the library where Shilo worked, and the rent she would have to pay was about $200 a month- not really that bad. She sent a quick e-mail to the woman, giving her cell number and telling her to call anytime and they could set up a meeting time.

Shilo stood up, straightening out her tee shirt and pushing her hair out of her eyes once again. She checked her watch and headed out the door, starting the short walk to work. She left a quick, cold message on her parents' answering machine- though she knew they were home and simply screening her calls- saying that she had found an apartment that worked and, if they were all lucky, she'd be out of the house within the week.
___
OOC:
Shilo McKinley, librarian and aspiring photographer
Age: 20
Appearance: straight, shoulder-length black hair with a purple streak on one side, bright green eyes, 5'4'', 34B, one tattoo on lower back: "Ex Libris" in scroll lettering

[Mephistophelily]

Layla was getting frustrated. Her last roommate had up and moved out on her- without any real warning! Her reasoning behind it? "The view is terrible here." What on Earth was she talking about?! Layla thought the city skyline was one of the greatest things to see every morning, but it seemed Jessi preferred to see the trees. An apartment like that was going to be almost 4 times their current rent, and Layla was having no part of that.

Layla also figured that Jessi's sudden decision had ulterior motives. Ever since she had used Layla's computer, she had been acting a little- weird toward her. It wasn't until she went through her recently opened files that she found why; Jessi had found the email she'd sent to her brother, the confession that she was bisexual. Did Jessi think Layla was going to try to hit on her? Please. She may have been her roomie, but that girl's attitude was way too arrogant for Layla's interest. Besides, she was still trying to find her own feet on the whole situation. So let her leave. Layla'd be better off without her.

Unfortunately, her own job was making things a bit hard to afford this place alone. She hated the idea of leaving, so hoped that the ad she placed online could get some sort of response by the end of the month.

Turning on the computer as soon as she walked in the door, Layla grabbed a can of soda from the fridge before circling back around to the desk. A smirk hit her lips as the mail tally ran up; a few responses to her ad. So far, so good! Settling down at the desk, she skimmed through the first couple of emails, rolling her eyes at the guys trying to get the room. She had specifically asked for WOMEN to reply, having been a little leery on the idea of sharing the place with a man. It wasn't that she planned to run around the place nude, only that having shared a room with her brother for most of her life left her with her fill of guy-created messes to clean up after. No thanks.

One more to go. And it was a girl! THANK GOD!
A cell phone number. Layla smiled, taking up her own from her pocket and dialing. "Hi, this is Layla. I, ah, had the ad online? I was wondering if you'd like to come check out the place sometime? I'll be home the rest of the night if you'd like to stop by..."



----

OOC:
Layla Hunt; waitress with dreams of acting
Age: 21
Appearance: Wavy black hair that reaches her mid-back, pale blue eyes, 5'6", 36C

[shilo_elizabeth]

OOC: Thanks for joining me, Mephistophelily!

Shilo's faint smile grew larger and larger as she listened to the voice on the other end of the phone. She was ecstatic that the response had come so quickly and the girl on the other end of the line sounded sweet and down-to-earth. It had been perfect timing, too--she had just finished another screaming match with her parents that had started out with her mother saying that, if she wasn't interested in boys and marriage, why not pay a visit to the convent?

"Oh, great. I'm Shilo, by the way. Which, you probably already knew 'cause, hey, e-mail." Shilo mentally slapped herself. " Um, tonight sounds perfect. Would it be okay if I came by within the next 30 minutes or so? I, uh, kinda need to get out of the house..." Shilo trailed off, embarrassed. Luckily, Layla- such a beautiful name- either didn't pick up on the tension in Shilo's voice or just chose to ignore it. "Anyway, I'll be by as soon as I can. I can't wait to see the place. Thanks so much. Bye."

Shilo felt a huge weight lifted off her shoulders and went to her closet to pick out something slightly nicer and more approachable to wear--somehow she didn't think the Happy Bunny pajamas she had changed into after her workout and shower would make the best impression. She chose, instead, a mid-thigh length black denim skirt, a purple v-neck tee, and her favorite pair of black flats. She grabbed her bag, which held both her checkbook- in case Layla needed the rent soon- and her portfolio, which she carried with her constantly.

Shilo started the car, checking her appearance one last time in the rear view mirror, and headed out. It was a ten minute drive from her house, far enough to put some distance between her and her parents, thank God. She hurried up the steps, eager to get on with the next stage of her life, and knocked on the door of apartment number eight.

OOC: I adore your avatar, btw. Harley is the best!

[Mephistophelily]

"Hey, no problem. Like I said, home all night..." Layla balanced the phone between her shoulder and ear, plucking up her soda once again and taking a sip. "The address is at the bottom of the ad; the apartment number is 208. Left that off there because of- well, you know.. the weirdos." She rolled her eyes slightly, laughing. "Just come on up and you can check the place out!"

Shilo, huh? She sounded nice enough- and from the eagerness of her voice, Layla guessed she was in a similar boat to her own. "See you in a little while!," She agreed, clasping the phone shut and leaning back in her chair with a sigh. This was going far better than she had thought it would. Jessi was only gone a few days, and someone with an actual head on her shoulders was interested in the place.

Her eyes fell on the kitchen. Oooh. That was going to need to be cleaned up. Hastily getting up from the chair, she pulled her hair up in a messy bun, tidying up the tossed about papers, photos and random magazines. She eyed the trash can with them, only to give a hard sigh and plunk them into a drawer of the desk instead. Her headshots and resumes, casting call lists from the area... Layla's biggest dream, which she kept avoiding.

A little more quickie housekeeping after that; a run of the vacuum, a pass of the duster- Not that Layla was a messy person, but she didn't want to give Shilo a bad impression from anything that may have seemed too out of place. She paused as she hit the doorway of Jessi's old room, making a bit of a face at the dents left in the rug by the other girl's bed and the small crack in the wall from 'a little accident', as Jessi called it. Whatever. Anything she did in her own privacy was her business, in Layla's eyes. She just wished Jessi had held the same idea.

She jumped slightly as a knock sounded at the door, shoving the vacuum into the closet as she passed and opening the font door's latch. "Heyyy- You must be Shilo. Come on in! I'll give you the whole stats on the place." She smiled, moving aside so the other young woman could enter. Wow, she even looked like a completely opposite person than Jessi... The smile grew a bit more on Layla's face, hoping that someone with a better personality would mean less headbutting in the place.

"Cable's included, so is internet.. Electric, heat, all that good stuff... Unfortunately, it's cheap because of the subway line. We can kinda hear it- but the guys on the bottom floor have it WAY worse. I've gotten used to leaving my radio on low because of it, and just enjoy the vibrations it gives off. Kinda like one of those magic fingers beds at a hotel, y'know?" To accentuate that, she wriggled her fingers in the air before her, smirking. "We do share a bathroom, but I do try not to be a shower hog. Kitchen... Living room... Oh, over here is your room. We both have massive closets. My favorite part? The view... You can see almost the whole city from our balcony. It's even better from the roof..."

She glanced over at Shilo, giving a quick shrug. "Well, I'll let you wander, check it out for yourself. It's not the biggest place in the city, but it's comfy... If you have any questions on anything, let me know!"


(ooc: Thanks! I love Harley.... and the RP sounded fun!)

[shilo_elizabeth]

Shilo felt totally relieved as she listened to the other girl talk. She wasn't stuck-up, prissy, or psychotic. The only problem was that she was pretty. Like, extremely pretty. Her hair had just the perfect amount of messiness to it, she had a beautiful bright smile, and the pale blue color of her eyes was absolutely captivating. Shilo was much like a guy in that she was very sexual- openly sexual. She hoped to God that this girl had a boyfriend so she wouldn't be tempted and end up making an ass out of herself and making things awkward. It had taken this long just to find an apartment and a roommate; she didn't want to screw this opportunity up.

From the way she spoke, it sounded as if she had been in the apartment for a while. She quirked an eyebrow and laughed lightly at Layla's comment about vibrating beds. She wandered around for a moment, peeking in every room. Everything seemed perfect; the closet had more than enough room for her clothes. In fact, she thought that if she just got a dresser, she might even be able to turn the closet into a mini-dark room. The blank walls were just begging for her to put up the photos she was proudest of and the room was big enough to hold her dresser, desk, and bookshelves.

She stepped out on the balcony and looked around. Even in the middle of the day, Layla had been right- it was an amazing view. Shilo had always loved living in the city and she loved the thought of taking some photos from the balcony. It was the perfect place to expand her portfolio to include some landscaping in addition to portraits. The balcony made up her mind for her.

She went back inside and grinned at Layla. "It's perfect. If you'll have me, I'd love to move in as soon as possible." She stopped and bit her lip, hesitating slightly before continuing. "Is today too soon? I mean, if you've got stuff going on or want to wait until the weekend, that's fine. It's just that, my parents are home today, so it would be the perfect time...I'm sure they would be fine with helping me move out on such short notice. I've been mostly living out of boxes the past couple weeks anyway, so I really don't think it would take too long..." she stopped, realizing she was babbling. "Um, anyway, like I said, if now isn't a good time, that's cool. But I'm definitely interested in moving in."

[Mephistophelily]

Sitting on the couch and finishing the soda that had gone slightly flat, Layla watched as her potential roomie checked out the place, smirking and waving happily as Shilo peeked back in to her from the balcony. Watching her explore the place was rather fun; seeing the apartment through someone else's eyes. After the fight with Jessi, she had actually come to hate certain parts of the little apartment... But the thought of someone else moving in inspired a little hope of some better memories with the place.

She blushed slightly as she realized she was looking at Shilo a little... too long... while she was on the balcony. Something about her was just so intruiging. Maybe it was just how different she was from the old person who lived with her; trying to imagine how things could be with her there instead.

She was jumping to conclusions. Maybe she didn't even want the place.

Layla stood up quickly as her doubts were erased with Shilo's first words upon re-entering the apartment, rather surprised on just how interested she was in the place. "R-Really? Uh- yeah! I mean, no, it's no problem!" She stammered a bit as she tried to figure out her own thoughts, shaking her head as she laughed. "Sorry, just wasn't expecting that quick a decision... I'll just call the landlord and tell him we're changing one of the names on the agreement, and we should be all set. Jessi's rent is still covering the rest of this month, so if you want to bring your stuff in- Yeah, sounds great..."

Layla smiled again. "You know what? I've got an idea. I'll order up some pizza and stuff, and help you get moved in... Get to know each other a little more while we get everything settled. You go get what you need from your old place, and I'll handle everything with Mister Hansen."

[shilo_elizabeth]

Shilo grinned at Layla's enthusiasm. "Sounds great, thank you so much! I'll be back soon. Unfortunately, my parents will be with me too...I kind of want to get everything in one trip and they have a truck. Just, ignore them," she said as she left the apartment. Despite the apprehension and anxiety that came with being too near her parents for too long, Shilo was thrilled and she knew her parents would be all too happy to have her out of the house.

An hour later, Shilo's new bedroom floor was riddled with boxes and her father had just moved the last piece of large furniture, the desk, into the corner by the window. "Okay, well, I guess this is goodbye. Try not to take it too hard." Shilo said coldly, barely looking at her father. Her mother was already down in the truck, had been for the last twenty minutes. Shilo had no doubt in her mind that she was on the phone with her own mother, discussing Shilo's lifestyle choice and rejoicing that her sinful daughter was finally out of the house.

"Be careful with this one," Shilo's father spoke to Layla for the first time since he stomped into the apartment with his arms full of boxes. "She's no good. You seem like a sweet girl...don't let this kid influence you too much. Better if you just keep your distance."

"Go. Now." Shilo said through gritted teeth. Her father nodded to her slightly, then turned and went through the door. Shilo closed it softly and leaned her forehead against the doorway, cheeks burning. She allowed herself a moment to get her composure back, then turned to Layla with a sigh. "Sorry about that. He's kind of...a dick." Shilo took a deep breath and pushed her hair back out of her face. "So, you want to get started? You can put the books on the shelf and I'll start hanging my photos. Don't feel obligated to help, though. I can do it if you have other stuff going on."

[Mephistophelily]

Layla smirked slightly at the mention of Shilo's parents. She made them sound so... evil. Her own mom had left the state years ago, and her dad- well, she barely even remembered him. The most family near here was her big brother Aaron, and he was more a friend than an actual sibling. "Sounds like this place opened up at the perfect time for you...," She called as Shilo stepped out, waving as she closed the door. Her cell was back out as she returned to the living room couch, calling up the landlord to explain what was up.

By the time Shilo returned, the lease was already being changed and the pizza was on its way. Layla was rooting through the kitchen drawers as the door opened, peeking up with a smile as Shilo came in. The couple that followed after, however, made the smile fade quickly from her face. Woah. So that's why she warned her on them. She decided to simply stay out of the way as the three brought in the rest of Shilo's stuff, instead taking up her own tasks of finding some picture wire and the hammer for Shilo to hang any pictures or anything. She kind of regretted not getting that mess on the wall dealt with, but it didn't seem to effect Shilo too much.

She was in the midst of making some lemonade as another knock sounded, the pizza guy finally showing up. "Here's a twenty. Thanks!" Bringing it to the side counter, she could hear Shilo giving her father a rather blunt goodbye, frowning a bit as she peeked into the box. She didn't mean to eavesdrop...

She poured out a few glasses of the drink, starting to Shilo's door- only to hear Shilo's dad finally talk to her. A quick confused and surprised glance was given in her new roomie's direction, Layla forcing a weak smile in her confusion. No good? Shilo seemed like a wonderfully nice person. "I'll, um.. watch out for myself, sir...," She replied softly.

Seemed that was just a sour note to end the afternoon with her folks. Shilo ushered him out quickly, Layla simply standing in the middle of the kitchen with a still uncomfortable look on her face. A quick grin returned as Shilo apologized, shrugging. "My dad wouldn't win any awards either. Haven't seen him since I was 4... And he kept thinking I was my brother." She handed Shilo a cup, nodding at the suggestion of getting started.

"Sounds like a plan. That pizza is still super hot... and I don't mind helping. Had a pretty lazy night planned- but that got changed pretty quickly." Another smile. "Not that I mind. Having some company in this place is going to be great! It gets kinda lonely after awhile!"

Following her into the now box-filled room, Layla popped open the box labelled books and started placing them on the shelves. "So, uh... guess it's safe to guess we won't be seeing them over to visit too often? What about other company? My brother Aaron might show up once in awhile, so if some guy who kind of looks like me comes to the door- Well, I think you'll be able to guess on who he is."

[shilo_elizabeth]

Shilo smiled weakly as she opened up her box of photos. "No, no, you don't need to worry about ever seeing them again, I'm guessing. They're probably throwing a party right now, they were that desperate to get rid of me." She laughed bitterly, pulling out a few of the pictures. They were all photos that she had taken, the ones she was proudest of, blown up to poster-sized. There were a lot of close-ups of flowers and abstracts from the streets of the city, as well as a few fashion shots of herself.

"I actually don't expect much company," Shilo answered as she began hanging the framed pictures. "The majority of my old friends moved away for college and got busy with their own lives and just kinda forgot about everything here, including me. No siblings, unfortunately, and I work at the library with a bunch of old ladies. I don't think they'll be stopping by to hang out," Shilo said, grinning.

It didn't take long to get all of the pictures hung, and once Shilo was finished, she brushed her hands on her skirt and stepped back, looking at the walls. "Well, how do they look? That one's my favorite," Shilo said, pointing to the image above her desk, a black and white close-up of herself from a few months ago. Her dark hair had been longer then and fell around her face in soft curls. She wore a forties style dress and a black birdcage veil. Shilo had altered it digitally so that the only color that showed was red--the red of her lipstick and a single red rose she held close to her neck.

She moved to help Layla with shelving the books, working side-by-side with the other girl. As she reached down for a book, her hand accidentally brushed Layla's and she pulled back sharply. Calm down, she told herself. You just got out of the house, you don't need to freak out your new roomie and end up having to leave. Just relax, she probably didn't even feel those sparks you felt.

Shilo groaned inwardly, moving across the room to set up her computer and desk supplies. She had to stop thinking about Layla's warm smile and the way her hand felt under Shilo's, even for that brief moment. There was a big difference between hitting on a girl you meet in the club, which Shilo had no problems doing- she actually considered herself quite good at it and had had more than her fair share of one night stands- and your rooommate. For one, Shilo had to live with Layla, she couldn't just take off in the morning or, in the more likely case, when things got too awkward for her to stand. Shilo couldn't help but notice that Layla had failed to mention a boyfriend. If she was single, things were definitely going to be more difficult for Shilo than she had originally thought.

"So, you know what I do. What about you? Where do you work?" Shilo asked, trying not to look at Layla, staying focused on the box in front of her instead.

[Mephistophelily]

Glancing back over her shoulder at Shilo as she spoke, Layla gave an understanding nod, a light half a chuckle as well. "I know that one. Most of my college buddies were mooches; I had the best car... Meaning it could actually go a few miles without dying. Once we graduated and they got their awesome jobs, they barely even remembered my name when I emailed them."

She paused as she noticed the pictures Shilo was hanging, letting out a soft breath of awe. They were gorgeous... Where did she get them? After realizing who was in a few of them, it finally hit her- She must have done these herself! "...Wow..."

She was zoning out, still holding books in her hands and looking at her roommate's decorations instead of actually helping. With a sheepish laugh, she returned to putting them up, glancing back once more as Shilo asked her opinion. "They look awesome. I- You did them ALL yourself?" She sighed, shaking her head. "I wish my talent could come that easily..."

Reaching for another book, she felt Shilo's hand brush against hers, causing a little shiver to run down Layla's spine and almost making her drop the book in her fingers. What was that all about? Probably just nerves. After all- new roommate, new addition to her environment... They were getting used to each other. Nothing to get all giddy about, right?

Still, for an artist, she had very soft hands. Layla had definitely noticed that. Soft, and warm...

Books.
Still holding books.
Stop letting your thoughts wander!, she scolded herself, stacking the remaining few on the shelves. There. Those were finished!

Stretching her back, she turned around to Shilo as she spoke up again, Layla simply shrugging at first. "Oh, nothing spectacular. Just a waitress over at Donny's Diner. I've been trying to find some work in acting, but..." She sighed, shrugging again. "I chicken out right before the auditions. I think I'm the only one in my class that hasn't gotten at least one job in acting since graduating... Ah well. Tips from the Diner aren't that bad. Helped get my computer!" She laughed again, though a sigh escaped at the end. "I'm thinking of a revamp. Try to start new, you know? Stop being so scared and just- go for it. Seems easier to say than do, though."

[shilo_elizabeth]

Shilo smiled happily. She had had a few shows downtown and had even sold two or three of her photos, but she still blushed and felt a light giddiness when she got complimented on her work. "Yeah, I did these," she said, pulling her cameras- one traditional and one digital- out of a box and setting them lovingly on her desk. "These are my babies." she said, laughing.

"Acting, hmm?" Shilo said, interested. "That sounds like fun. I mean, if you've got the knack for it. I'm a horrible actress. I'm much better behind the camera. I don't think I could even model for anyone other than myself," Shilo rolled her eyes, realizing how stupid she just sounded.

"You know," Shilo said, shutting the last desk drawer and standing up, "I just got a great idea. If you're interested, that is. I need some variety in my models- you know, someone other than me- so if you wanted, I could take some head shots for your portfolio sometime," she grinned. "You would look great on film. You've got the perfect face for the sort of artistic fashion work that I love."

Shilo lost herself for a minute, imagining Layla's piercing blue eyes looking up at her from beneath her dark hair. It was pulled back now, but Shilo imagined it was long and soft to the touch and...maybe taking pictures of this girl wasn't such a good idea. She had to get her out of her head and spending an hour or two taking her picture probably wasn't the best way to do it. But, once again, Shilo had let herself babble and now it was impossible to retract the offer.

"So, we're pretty much done here. I just have to put my clothes in the dresser and take the boxes down to the recycling, which can wait. I'm starved. How about that pizza?"

[Mephistophelily]

"It usually is fun," Layla agreed, breaking down the empty box and folding it under her arm. "I don't know why I get so freaked out. I do that with lots of different things... I can get all eager and want to do it so badly- but when it comes to actually getting the nerve to do it... Well..." She shrugged, shaking her head. "I guess it's something I have to work on."

Watching Shilo for a moment, she smiled again as her eyes drifted to the pictures. "You certainly know your way behind that camera, though. Mine end up looking like some middle schooler trying to get pics for their social pages..." Of course, that thought made Shilo's offer all the more tempting. Some better pics might help to boost her confidence enough to actually make it inside for a casting call.

"I think I might like that," Layla replied slowly. "Might be just what I need."

Sticking the box outside the bedroom door, she let out a laugh at Shilo's comment on the pizza. "Funny, I just noticed that box sitting there... It's probably cool enough now! Maybe we can chow down, you finish up what you need to, and I'll run my laundry down to the wash room? I've been so wrapped up in work and finding a roommate that I've been kind of putting it off... and now I've run out of undies." She rolled her eyes with that, laughing again. "Woops."

Heading out to the kitchen, she pulled some paper plates from the cabinet, taking a few more sodas from the fridge. "Feel free to flip through the tv. I mean, it's yours too now, so..." She grabbed the pizza, bringing it into the living room and plunking it onto the coffeetable. She settled onto the couch, popping open the can and taking a sip. "Mm- Should probably warn you. I'm a total soda addict. It's terrible. I should have like a caffeine IV drip. Gives me insomnia some nights... But I try to be quiet about it; usually just stay up and watch movies on my laptop for awhile."

Movies.
Right.

Lately those innocent watchings of the stored cartoons and films on her hard drive had turned into curious wanderings of the internet, watching clips of films of 'other' varieties. Her volume was turned low, Layla's curiousities growing more and more with every scene that left her heart racing, she would imagine what it must be like to enjoy the touch of another woman like that....

She suddenly choked on her drink, her thoughts having drifted far too off course to be sitting next to a woman she only knew a few hours. "Wrong pipe," She explained between coughs, finally getting the drink down. "Wow, haven't done that in awhile... So, um, what do you think so far? Hope I'm not being too boring..."

[shilo_elizabeth]

The way Layla spoke made Shilo wonder if she was talking about something more than just acting; she just didn't know what that would be. Probably it was just Shilo reading too much into it, creating a double meaning where there was only one. She had a bad habit of doing that.

Shilo groaned inwardly. She said yes. Shilo had offered something and Layla had said yes. She was setting herself up for sexual frustration, especially with Layla's next comment about undies. Shilo wondered what kind of panties this girl wore; she envisioned something white and lacy and girly and stop it!

She mentally slapped herself again. This was stupid. Shilo wasn't inexperienced, she didn't know why this girl was having such an effect on her. She thought it was because the girls Shilo had been with before were openly lesbian. She was used to being able to just pursue girls without worrying about embarrassment or being rejected. But with Layla, there was guesswork involved. As in, guessing that she wasn't interested in girls. She felt like she was sixteen years old.

Shilo brought herself out of her own thoughts in time to hear Layla say something about soda addiction and insomnia. She laughed, "Oh, that's just fine. I have pretty erratic sleeping habits, anyway. I can usually go on just a few hours, unless I'm really, really sick, so maybe I can keep you company when you watch movies," she said as she munched on her pizza.

"And no, you're not being boring. I'm really enjoying your company. It's been such a long time since I've been able to talk to someone who doesn't hate me or think I'm a horrible, sinful person," she laughed bitterly and shrugged her shoulders. "Oh, well. I'm out of there now. I'm really bitter, in case you couldn't tell, but I'll try and not let my family drama come out too much."

She sighed contentedly as she finished her portion of the pizza. "Thanks for the pizza, Layla. I really appreciate it. Um, I don't know what your plans are or what time you have to work tomorrow, but I was thinking I could run out and get some groceries and make us dinner. You know, as a way of saying thanks," she stood up. "Anyway, I should probably let you get to your...um...laundry. Thanks so much for everything. I really appreciate it."

[Mephistophelily]

Watch the movies with her?
"Sounds great." Layla gave a quick smile, nibbling her own slice as she made an inward note- stick to the Disney for a little while. Picking off a piece of pepperoni, she raised an eyebrow at the sinful comment, only to shake her head. "Don't have to worry about that with me. Unless, of course, you're like a serial killer or something. Then I think we might have a wee little issue."

She smiled with that, leaning back against the couch. "No, really. I think everyone's entitled to their own little secrets, and having them isn't a bad thing. It's not fair for people to judge because of them..." She trailed off, her gaze landing on the computer she had left at the small desk. Her secrets HAD been hidden, but Jessi was just too damned nosey to stay out of them.

She glanced back as Shilo spoke up, smiling at the thank you and the suggestion of dinner for the next night. "Sounds great. I get out at 5, and usually just brought home leftovers from the lunch crowd. An actual dinner that isn't scraps would be awesome."

Ahhh, her laundry. She was hoping to avoid that for a bit longer. Well, putting it off too long was just going to make it worse. "Yeaah, probably should get down there...," She agreed with a groan, getting up herself before starting for her own room. "I'm glad you're comfortable here. It's nice to have someone to talk to that isn't trying to get into an arguement every three seconds- Well, from what you described, I guess you feel the same way too." She smiled again, going to grab her laundry basket.

This was really working out well- aside from the odd little incident in Shilo's room. Again, she chalked it up to nerves; a new person and new situation. It was like meeting new people in a classroom... Everyone had to get used to each other. Picking up the hamper, she started back out into the living room, headed for the door. "Be back up in a bit!," She called out, tugging it closed behind her.

[shilo_elizabeth]

Shilo sighed as she headed back to her room; she needed to be a lot more careful. It was just Shilo's luck that she was roommates with one of the cutest, nicest, most down-to-earth, and probably straight girls she had ever met. Shilo shook her head, grabbed a box, and began carefully setting her shirts into a drawer.

Once those were finished, she moved on to her jeans, denim skirts, and jersey dresses. Her nicer clothes, the few she had, she hung in the corner of her closet. Finally, she had one box left- underwear. This was the largest box of all; Shilo was obsessed with buying lingerie of all kinds: cotton boyshorts, lacy thongs, bustiers, teddies, and fishnet stockings. She had always felt better about herself when she wore something sexy, even if it was underneath sweatpants and an oversized tee shirt.

Finishing up the drawers, Shilo popped open the fold-out hamper next to her dresser and quickly undressed, tossing her clothes into it. She grabbed her towel and wrapped it around herself, moving to the bathroom. She figured she could grab a quick shower before Layla was done with her laundry. Shilo dropped her towel and stepped into the tub, unaware that the bathroom door hadn't shut all the way. She wasn't used to the older door that you practically had to slam to get them to work.

Shilo relished the feel of the hot water running over her hair and body. She closed her eyes, enjoying the feel of her soapy hands slipping over her body. She restrained herself from slipping her fingers into her pussy and playing with her clit, the last thing she needed was for Layla to wonder what the hell she was doing in the shower for forty minutes. Reluctantly, she rinsed herself off after only a few minutes, shut the water off and stepped out. She toweled her hair out and wrapped the towel around her still-wet body and pushed the door open. The second she stepped out into the hallway, she walked straight into Layla.

[Mephistophelily]

Plunking her hamper down next to one of the washers, Layla began to unload, glancing up as someone else came into the room. "Oh, hey, Mister Hansen." She smiled to the older man, stepping around her stuff as he passed by. "My roomie is just getting settled in."

"Oh, already? That was fast."

"Yeah. Sounded like she was having some problems at home with her folks... Didn't pry at all, but I'm glad I could help her out. I really hope I can make her happy. Try to get a smile out of her once in awhile, y'know?" Another handful of clothes, tossed into the washer. "Already gotten her to laugh a few times..."

"If anyone can do it, I'm sure you can, Layla. You can get a few good laughs out of this ol' pook, right?" He chuckled from the closet, peeking out to shake the wrench in his hand at her. "Careful, that one's been acting up.... Next on my work list..."

"Ok. And, um... thanks." She smirked again, closing the lid before heading back out for her apartment. Her mind was wandering now, walking in a semi-daze up the stairs and back to her door. Shilo was really so different from Jessi. She had a sense of humor, an interest in what Layla was doing, and a smile- a very beautiful smile. She already loved seeing it. She could only imagine what it would be like to see that face every day, hearing that laugh...

...Maybe feeling that touch...

She sighed inwardly, shaking her head as she closed her eyes, taking a moment at the apartment door to regain her thoughts. She was being swept up in her imagination again, full of what-if's and maybe's. Best to leave the dreaming for the night- When it couldn't get her in trouble.

Starting back for her own room, she didn't even notice the door to the bathroom starting to open, her mind still halfway between reality and wandering off again. She finally snapped back fully as Shilo bumped into her, wrapped in a towel and dripping wet.

Layla choked. She couldn't move. She simply stood there, her eyes wide as she held her breath. Her chest was pressed right up against hers, the water dripping from Shilo leaving her own shirt wet. God, she was like that woman in her dreams... That woman she never found a face to, the one that left her wanting to know-
Stop.
Stop, it was an accident.

Finally a few words managed to make it out of her mouth. "Um- S-Sorry." She forced a smile, shaking her head. "Guess I was a little too quiet... You ok?" She smelled wonderful. Layla wasn't sure if it was her own shampoo and soap, or one that Shilo had brought herself, but it left her tingling with how well it merged with the other girl. So fitting of her... Wonderful. Another beautiful part of her dream, brought to life.

Shit, she was doing it again.

"That shower's great, isn't it?" She suddenly blurted, trying to break the current course of her thoughts. "The water pressure and temperature- I could stay in there for hours..."

[shilo_elizabeth]

OOC: Sorry it took me so long to reply. RL kind of killed this weekend for me.

Oh, God. This was not good, not good at all. Here she was, trying to take her mind off this gorgeous girl and all of a sudden, she's pressed against her, dripping water on her shirt. Shilo couldn't move. She could feel Layla's heart pounding and wondered if the other girl could feel how fast and hard her own was beating.

"I, um..." Move! her mind screamed at her. But she couldn't. She couldn't feel her legs, her feet, nothing except the way Layla's body felt pressed against hers. She wished she could feel skin-on-skin contact; she had a feeling the girl's skin would feel so much softer against her skin than the towel she currently felt.

Shilo finally regained the ability to speak. "Um, I'm sorry." She was close enough to smell the laundry soap Layla had just used. It was a light, delicate scent, perfectly suited to the light, delicate girl standing in front of her. "I'm wet," she stated dumbly. She mentally slapped herself again, for at least the third time in that night. She felt like that was something she was going to have to get used to if she was going to live with this girl.

"I-I mean, I'm getting you all wet. I'm sorry." She felt the blood flow back into her legs and reluctantly stepped back, trying but failing to avert her eyes from Layla's wet shirt. "Yeah," she said in response to Layla's comment about the shower. "Yeah, it's great. Roomier than I thought..." she trailed off, fighting against her imagination. She was wondering what Layla would look like in that shower, what she would feel like...

Control your hormones! Her logic was screaming at her again and her face flushed. "Well, I guess I should go...y'know...put some clothes on..." Shilo said softly, giving Layla an awkward smile and turning to go to her room.

She didn't want to put clothes on. In fact, what she wanted was to rip Layla's off and kiss every inch of her skin, from her forehead to her toes. Shilo groaned as she thought about how difficult it was going to be to restrain herself from trying anything with this girl.

[Mephistophelily]

"Alright..."

Layla smiled slightly as Shilo moved towards her own room, stepping aside as she ran her fingers through her hair; a nervous habit she had developed a few years ago. Her fingers trailed down to the end of the strands she had collected, twisting them in her fingertips as she watched Shilo in her towel, closing the door behind her. A light sigh left Layla's lips, her head shaking.

Part of her wanted to tell her. To simply have it out there, open in the air. To avoid the same mess that happened with Jessi.

But that was what scared her. She didn't want to cause Shilo to run away. She seemed so happy right now, and to throw that on top of it- after everything she had said about her parents- would probably only stress her out more.

She had to talk to someone. She had to get this off her chest, somehow. Aaron! She'd call him, get it all out, and be done with it. He was understanding enough. He didn't judge her because of it, didn't think anything bad because of it... He just said he'd love her no matter what.

Heading to her own room, she closed the door quietly behind her and took up her cell phone, calling her big brother. Dropping onto the bed, she laid down, her eyes closed as she waited for him to pick up. "Hey... Yeah, everything's fine. I just- I needed to call."

He sounded concerned. Like he thought something was wrong.

"No, it's nothing bad. Yeah, I still have the place- found a roomie. See, um, that's why I'm calling..."

He thought it was a guy. He was already getting mad, starting ot yell at her.

"It's not a guy! I told you... I wouldn't do that. YOu were messy enough... No. Her name's Shilo. It's just- All that stuff I told you. I'm feeling it again. Like a thousand times more. God, I just friggin' look at her and-" She paused, a rather angry look coming to her face as Aaron interrupted with his own thoughts. "If I do that, she'll probably haul ass out of here faster than Jessi did! She just moved in- I don't want to scare her away by telling her that..."

She sat up, sighing. "Yeah. Yeah, I know. Better to clear the air than to drown in it. But still- Oh, shut up. This is way harder. I gotta go finish my laundry. Thanks for the no help at all." She laughed, shaking her head. "Yeeeah, love you too, jerkface."

Hanging up the phone, she let out a rather loud groan before dropping backward once again, the phone being dropped to the floor. What was she going to do? It had been hard enough to finally confess to her brother... How was she going to get the guts to spill to her new roomie?

[shilo_elizabeth]

Shilo slipped on a pair of black boyshort panties, a slightly oversized purple v-neck, and a pair of short black gym shorts. She knew she should probably go to sleep, but she didn't want to. She was too wound up from her last encounter with Layla and all she wanted to do was be near her again.

She decided to do the only other thing that satisfied her when she was in a predicament like this one- that is, horny and with no means of release other than self-pleasure. She went to the kitchen to find something to eat. Shilo pulled open the freezer, smiling happily as she spied a container of vanilla ice cream. She figured she'd be going grocery shopping the next day anyway, so she could easily replace it. Layla seemed understanding enough.

Shilo grabbed a spoon out of the drawer and went to the living room to sit on the couch and flip through the channels on the TV, all the while trying to keep her mind off the feel of Layla's body pressed against hers. She had made up her mind to tell Layla everything that evening. Or, at least, the truth about herself and why she left her parents' house.

Her determination wavered slightly when she saw Layla come out of her bedroom, but she took a deep breath and pushed her fears aside. If this girl was truly as accepting and down-to-earth as she said she was, she would accept Shilo the way she was. Or, at the very least, give her some time to find a new place before kicking her out on her ass.

Shilo licked the spoon clean and called out to the other girl. "Hey, Layla. Umm...I hope you don't mind, I helped myself to the ice cream. I'll buy some more tomorrow..." Shilo almost stopped there, but something told her to press on, that everything would feel better once it was out in the open.

"Actually," Shilo said, tucking her legs up under her and motioning for Layla to sit down, "I have to talk to you about something, if you have a minute." She took a deep breath before continuing. "There's a reason, a specific reason, I mean, why I left my house so quickly. Actually, there's a lot of little reasons, but one big one. See, my parents are super religious. Like, hardcore Catholics. And I'm...well, I'm not."

Shilo looked down at her hands for a minute. "I'm a lesbian. And, when I told my parents, they freaked out and disowned me, essentially. They threatened all sorts of horrible things and I just had to get out of there as soon as I could." Shilo looked up at Layla, trying to read the expression in her eyes, wondering what sort of reaction her confession would cause. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you before, but I was desperate. But I really like you and want us to be friends; I just thought you should know, in case you're like, uncomfortable living with me or something."

[Mephistophelily]

Layla's lounging few minutes finally came to an end as she rollled back over and picked up the phone from the floor, setting it back on her nightstand as she rubbed her head. He had been no help at all. She had hoped to hear something on how to keep herself in an emotional check- and instead, he said to just go full barrell.

Maybe he was right.
Maybe that was the best idea.
If she expected to be friends with Shilo, keeping secrets from her wasn't a good wy to start that.

Stepping out of her room, she started for the kitchen to get another soda- only to stop abruptly as she spotted Shilo on the couch. God, even in the big shirt and tiny shorts, she still looked like the girl in her dreams....

Layla gave a quick smile at the ice cream comment, shrugging. "No problem. I'd forgotten it was even there, to be honest. Rather someone gets to it before it freezerburns..."

A curious look came to her eyes as Shilo called her over, a rather serious tone in her voice. Oh god. She'd heard that call. She'd heard everything she said to Aaron... Hesitantly taking a seat at the edge of the couch, she looked at the other woman with slightly worried eyes, listening as she explained what was on her mind. So.. her folks were religious. Okay. A little conflict on that part- She could understand that.

Oh.
OH!!!
It made more sense as Shilo went on, Layla's eyes widening momentarily before she looked down at her own fingers. A slow smile came to her lips, her eyes closing. God, what a load off her shoulders. Here she had been so scared that she was going to freak Shilo out by confessing her own curiosities... But she was beaten to it, by someone who completely knew herself on the matter.

She couldn't help it.
She let out a giggle, the smile growing further. "I thought you were going to tell me you were moving out already. I, um... I need to tell you something too. I mean, if we're being honest and open on stuff... My last roommate moved out because of me. Not because of something I did or said, but what I wrote. She found an email I wrote to my brother and-" She paused, sighing. "I explained to him that I was bi. That I was having these dreams, and thoughts, and felt such incredible things around other women.... Jessi thought I meant her. It freaked her out.... So she left."

She glanced over to Shilo as she finished, a faint half-smirk on her face. There. She'd said it; flat off gotten it out. It helped that Shilo had done it first...

"Jessi and I were totally different from each other. Just talking to her felt like pulling teeth sometimes... We argued on everything. I could never get along with her. I certainly don't see where she thought there was any attraction in there." She gave another light laugh, though it trailed off as she looked back to Shilo. She was someone she DID get along with. Someone she thought there was an attraction to.

[shilo_elizabeth]

Wow. Of all the reactions Shilo had expected or even hoped for, Layla's confession wasn't even in the spectrum. Her own smile broadened as she listened to Layla speak. Shilo laughed as the other girl spoke of her former roommate's paranoia; she had experienced plenty of that herself. Girls could be so conceited.

Although, when Layla's words trailed off and she locked eyes with Shilo, she could practically taste the tension between them. Shilo scanned the girl's face for a sign that Layla felt it too, wondered if she felt the same attraction that Shilo felt. "What a small world..." she said, trying to control her heartbeat and breathing. Shilo was suddenly very aware of the small distance between the two girls as she clenched her hands together to keep from reaching out and pushing a stray strand of hair out of Layla's pretty face.

"Who would have guessed that we'd both be shunned for liking girls and then end up...y'know...being roomies." Smooth, Shi she said to herself even before she finished speaking.

She licked her lips. God, she wanted to kiss this girl. She wondered just what the consequences for such an action would be. Worst case scenario, rejection. Rejection and the potential awkwardness of trying to make it with the girl she had just moved in with.

On the other hand, what if Layla felt the same attraction? Shilo was betting that even if she did, she wouldn't make the first move. Especially since she had just come out and lost a roommate because of it. God, Layla just had the most perfectly shaped lips. They looked soft and sweet, just like the rest of her. Shilo restrained herself from looking at the rest of the girl's body because she was sure that once her eyes started travelling downward, they wouldn't stop.

Shilo pushed aside the logic that was telling her to not touch Layla, not to kiss her, not to try anything, and reached out a hand, lightly tucking a strand of hair behind the other girl's ear, allowing her fingers to linger slightly by her earlobe before trailing them softly down the side of her neck.

"I like you a lot, Layla. You're...different...from anyone I've ever met before." Shilo said, testing the waters lightly, gauging Layla's reaction.

[Mephistophelily]

Layla laughed yet again, nodding slightly. Shilo had a point. Here they both had thought they were outcasts for confessing what they felt inside to others, and they ended up in the same apartment feeling rejected because of it. "Well, I guess we can keep each other company."

She paused. That... didn't come out the way she had intended. All they had done was opened the air to not shock the other- not make any shocking confessions of love toward each other. For god's sake, the woman barely knew her 4 hours.

"Shilo, I-," She started quickly, looking back at her and finding Shilo's hand brushing her hair back behind her ear. A smile came to Layla's face, a truly content smile... One that she hadn't used in quite some time. She completely forgot what she had planned to say. The look on Shilo's face managed to totally kill her train of thought.

"I hope it's a good type of different," she teased, though the smile refused to leave. Shilo's hand lingered, causing goosebumps to raise on Layla's skin over the slightly ticklish caress of her fingers. Her heart was racing faster than she ever thought it could manage to go. She started to lean towards Shilo, hesitantly stopping after only a few inches from her original position. Her eyes were so beautiful. Layla wanted to get closer to them, to be lost in them...

"I just...," She started again, her voice barely above a whisper. Yet again, her thoughts decided to bail on her. Was this going to happen EVERY time she looked at her?! She finally just closed her eyes, biting her bottom lip for a moment, only to peek her right eye open quickly. "I'm having a problem here. I... I have something else I want to tell you, but I keep losing it when- when I look at you."

She drew in a breath, closing her eyes once more. "I think I want to kiss you," she blurted out quickly, frowning without opening her eyes. "Please don't run away."

[shilo_elizabeth]

Shilo's heart melted. She couldn't help but marvel at how lucky she had gotten, to be paired with this girl at this moment. It had to be fate. Or karma. Shilo had dealt with so much shit based on her sexuality, not only with her parents, but with her friends and other people who felt the need to tell her how she should live her life. Layla was Shilo's light at the end of the tunnel, her calm after a huge storm.

"God, you are so cute," Shilo said, trailing a finger down Layla's arm. She moved her body a couple of inches closer to the other girl, to emphasize the fact that she would not run away. She just could not stop looking at Layla and wondering how she had gotten so lucky.

Shilo brought her hand around the other girl's head, gently tugging the hairband out of her hair, allowing soft, dark curls to fall around her face. She ran her fingers through them lightly before bringing her hand forward to cup Layla's cheek lightly and bring her face closer to Shilo's.

Then, Shilo kissed her. She brushed her lips lightly against the other girl's and felt her pulse quicken instantly. Layla's lips were every bit as soft as she had imagined and she tasted like something sweet, something Shilo couldn't quite put her finger on, but something she liked.

Shilo deepened the kiss slowly; she didn't want to take things too quickly, but she simply could not get enough of Layla's lips. She slipped an arm around Layla's waist, and one under her knees, pulling her closer, and setting her so her legs were strewn over Shilo's.

She pulled back reluctantly, breathing heavily, and pressed her forehead against Layla's. "Is this okay?" she asked. She really liked this girl and, as far as she knew, this was Layla's first time with a girl. She wanted to take things slow and make sure Layla was completely comfortable.

[Mephistophelily]

Layla's eyes opened a bit more as Shilo merely called her cute, smiling lightly as the other woman's fingers ran down her arm. As Shilo moved closer, Layla only watched her, her head tipping slightly to the left like a confused puppy. The smile returned as a hand moved against her hair, Layla glancing upward as her hair fell from its held position. She blushed slightly, looking back at Shilo with that same awed face as her fingers ran against Layla's cheek. Her hand was so soft... She liked how it felt against her skin.

Shilo's lips found hers, Layla's eyes immediately drifting closed. She'd never kissed another woman before. She had wanted to, felt such a desire to... but had always been so shy about it. God, now it made her wonder why she had waited so long to say anything, to do anything. Shilo's lips were soft as silk, gentle and loving... Layla wanted more. She eagerly welcomed the deepened affections, her own lips parting slightly to press back against Shilo's, a light noise coming from her throat as she felt herself being moved closer.

Her legs were cradled atop Shilo's when the other woman pulled away, a quick gasp leaving Layla as she took a breath. Her heart was racing yet again, like she had run a marathon. "This is... This is very okay...," She agreed as Shilo rested her forehead against hers, smiling once again. To confirm this, she curled her own fingers beneath Shilo's chin, raising her head back up so that she could kiss her softly in return; a simple, soft lingering to savor the taste and feel of those wonderful lips once again.

She pulled back cautiously, barely a few inches from Shilo's lips as she looked into her eyes. She was it. That girl in her dreams. That had to be what it was.... Her dreams had known she'd meet Shilo. She'd already been waiting for her, without realizing it.

Layla's head fell against the side of the couch, her own arm draped over Shilo's shoulder as she just looked up at her, smirking and admiring her. "Some housewarming party, huh?," She finally whispered out after a few moments, giggling softly.

[shilo_elizabeth]

A small contented sigh escaped Shilo's throat as she looked down lovingly at the girl curled in her lap. She lightly brushed Layla's hair over her shoulder. Once again, she allowed her fingers to drift lightly down the girl's neck, watching as goosebumps erupted over her soft flesh.

"Mmm," she agreed, smirking back at Layla. "I'd say it's been very successful. I feel right at home."

Shilo bent her head down for another kiss, this time allowing herself to be slightly more forceful. She parted her lips, letting her tongue dart out and trace along Layla's lips. She lightly caught Layla's full lower lip between her teeth and pulled it into her mouth, sucking on it gently.

Her hand slipped from Layla's neck, moving down to her leg. She trailed her hand along the smooth skin of her calf, up to her knee and thigh. Her fingers toyed with the hem of Layla's shorts as her other hand softly tightened its grip on the girl's slim waist.

She gently removed her lips from Layla's, trailing soft kisses along her jawline and cheek. Shilo allowed her tongue to dart out and flick Layla's earlobe gently before pulling it into her mouth and lightly nibbling on it. She placed a soft kiss at the sensitive spot right behind Layla's earlobe, trailing more soft kisses down her neck and nipping at her collarbone lightly.

"I want to make you happy, Layla," Shilo purred, looking deep into Layla's pale blue eyes. She felt like she could get lost in those pools for hours, days even.