Chapter 244

July 10, 2018 (Tuesday)

Dear Ms. Diary,

Paradise has continued to improve ... but so have we, particularly Argon. In the first round of games, we beat them 10-0. While we did not skunk them this time, we did inflict them with their second loss of the season, giving them a 9-2-1 record, a half-game out of second place in the league behind Watermelon Mountain (9-1-1). Like last year, the league seems to have settled into the haves and the have-nots, with those two teams, Springfield (6-5-1), and us having winning records. Among the others, only GV has as many as four wins (4-7-1).

Argon got us off to a good start, handing Krypton a 5-1 lead at the half, with Dakota snagging her first-ever brace of goals (Haven, Mia, and Tonda splitting the other three), Lissa garnering two assists and Padme and Dakota each getting one. Dakota received one of Padme’s assists and her other goal was on a corner kick when she slammed a rebound past their goalie. When she came off the pitch at the half, most of Krypton hugged her for her accomplishment.

When I hugged her, she quietly said, “I love this team and season so much. Beth, I particularly appreciate you and Lissa encouraging me so often.”

I whispered back, “Coach was right. You’ll be a captain next year, so you should keep paying attention to how those jobs are done. Besides, your breakout this year, like Heather’s last year, deserves to be encouraged. I wonder what it is about the right side of the pitch that encourages such breakouts.”

She looked slightly up into my eyes and grinned widely at me, then squeezed me tightly, during which she said into my ear, “I’m really looking forward to the party at your place. Kanda and I wish we could spend more time with you girls.” When I looked a question at her, she answered, “Of course, we do. You ... compound residents always seem to have so much fun, and that includes all those staff members.”

“Would you two accept if we tendered an invitation to spend a day with us?”

“In a flash.”

“I’ll broach the possibility with the girls, but I know they’d all like to have you two visit. The team will probably have next Thursday off. Would that work?”

“We’ll have to check.”

“Would you be interested in that visit including a sleepover?”

“Hell, yes!”

In the locker room, Coach praised Argon for their efforts, after which Brett gave out attagirls, ending with, “A particular attagirl goes to Dakota for her first ever brace of goals in competition. Dakota, I’m sure Heather is feeling a bit maternal because of that lovely outside-right that you slammed past their goalie off that rebound.”

Before Dakota could respond, Heather stated with feeling, “Ah, kids. They grow up so fast. It’s nice to see that some of my mothering was successful.”

Riotous laughter followed, after which Dakota one-upped Heather by hugging her and saying, “Thanks, Mom, for raising me right ... and for teaching me that cleats have two sides for a reason.”

After further laughter, Coach exclaimed, “World, look out! Dakota Brigham has learned self-assurance!”

Dakota grabbed the floor, responding, “And it’s all this team’s fault, particularly Heather’s for providing a shining example and Kanda’s for being a great friend and encouraging me to come out of my shell. And, to you, Coach, for being ... Coach ... and believing in all of us.”

Coach’s breathing hitched at that, and I saw the emotion on her face for a few seconds, but she quickly put on a severe face and responded, “No trying to talk me up sweet, Dakota. We’ve learned that Crewe can play your position, so you’re expendable, young lady!”

Dakota grinned at Coach then, after she modified her expression, said, “Coach, you ... and our team captain ... are responsible for the ... camaraderie this team has, for the dedication to the game and, particularly, to our teammates. I know the other captains have a hand in that, too, but you have quietly encouraged us to depend on each other and on ourselves. I’ve played soccer since I was six ... although, at that age, that wasn’t really soccer. However, I’ve never so enjoyed a team before, and I’d like us to do something special at our team party at the Williams compound. I don’t know what that should be ... or could be, but I think we should celebrate the team more than ... just for the season we’re having.”

“Do you realize that you’ve just volunteered to lead the effort to figure out a special team celebration?”

“Yes, Coach. We’ve all learned that if we suggest something that we can be expected to be the leader of that something. May I pick a few girls to discuss how we can make the party special?”

“Yes, and you need not tell me the makeup of the committee, but you are the chairwoman.”

“Yes, Coach.”

After having Argon match Krypton’s goal totals in the previous two games, we bore down trying to get a sixth goal in the last few minutes of the game. Rhee came up with a classic Rhee goal. During a big offensive press by Paradise, she anticipated and intercepted a pass back to their center back, immediately one-touching the ball upfield. She blasted by that center back easily beating her to the ball ... and to the penalty box, deked the goalie into moving to her left, then opening her hips and left-footing the ball into the opposite corner.

Once we gathered around Coach, she said, “You girls played a great game today against a team that has gotten obviously better since we played them the first time around. I’m going to steal some of Meka’s thunder, because I want to praise our goalies. Both Mila and Marli weathered a relative storm of shots today, and allowed only two to get by them, one each. Attagirls to both of you.”

Both goalies received a bunch of pats and a few one-armed hugs.

Meka handed out Krypton attagirls for a few minutes ending with, “Lastly, an attagirl to Abby for her well-timed run that was also well-positioned, as she cut between their right back and their right center back. I’ll give her a second attagirl for not calling for the ball and expecting ... and rightly so ... Beth to see her. Beth gets an attagirl for putting the ball right on Abby’s noggin, making it child’s play for Abby to redirect it past their goalie. That was Abby’s second goal this season, second goal for this team, and second goal that she has scored in organized play. Congrats, but please don’t rest on that spectacular total!”

There was much laughing.

Coach took the floor once we settled, saying, “The league scoring race got even tighter today with Rhee’s brace. Tonda still leads with 18, which includes her goal today, but with Char and Rhee breathing down her neck with 17 each; Civ is right behind them with 16. Davison has moved into a tie with Mia at 13 and, with her goal today, Heather is climbing up their backs with 12. Bannister, on Watermelon’s team, notched her 10^th yesterday, and that accounts for all double-digit goal tallies at this point. Our two assists mavens continue to blow away the pack, each notching another brace today, bringing them to 31 and 21, respectively.

“Padme, none of us have any clue what the makeup of our team will be next year, but if we can find three other competent forwards, would you be interested in being a sweeper?”

“Yes, Coach! I like getting goals, but, like Beth and Lissa, I find being the ... distributor even more rewarding.”

“That’s an excellent mindset for that position, but we’ll have to see how things turn out next spring.”

When Coach turned to her, Liya stated, “Game tomorrow at St. Lucia. Be at the practice pitch by 7:00. We’re all going in two vehicles, and they’ll pick everyone up, including Coach, at the practice pitch. Practice Thursday as per usual, then GV visits us here on Friday, usual 9:30 start time.

“Looking ahead to next week, we have games Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday, with that last being in Santa Fe. As far as we know, everything is set for that trip, including hotel rooms and beds and travel plans. We’ll go over that trip in more exacting terms next week. However, not on Thursday, which we’ll have off.”

After the cheering for the Thursday off next week, Rache stepped up to announce, “Today’s game ball winner is the 12^th recipient this season. For her two goals and an assist, it goes to Dakota Brigham!”

Despite the relatively cool day for July, once we got home, we all ... staff and players ... grabbed a communal shower using our typical shower protocol for the young girls being present. Taylor, who was at our game on our bench, also took part, as she has since her family moved here.

Upon drying herself, Taylor said, “I love our group showers! I love the buddy-wash system! I love that ... everyone does so much together here. I th-think th-that’s the best part of being here.”

Mia stepped up and hugged her sister as Taylor was trying to keep from crying in happiness and said, “It’s one of the things I love here, too. The togetherness, that is. I’m not lonely anymore, and you aren’t, either.”

“I’m not, and, thanks, everyone, for ... treating me like one of your sisters rather than a little girl you’ve not known very long.”

Lana responded, “Taylor, you’re one of us, and I’m like you. I was really lonely up in Yellow Springs, so I really love all this togetherness, too.”

Taylor pulled out of Mia’s arms and slammed her naked body into Lana’s and wrapped her arms around her relatively new sister.

Brett had finished drying and had put on his normal panty and turned around.

“Oops. I didn’t know.”

Taylor, still in Lana’s arms, looked over her shoulder at Brett and responded, “It’s okay, Brett. Bare butts aren’t a problem here. You’ve seen mine lots, and my body is covering Lana’s naked front. Of course, you’re allowed to see her naked front because you have sex with her because she’s old enough for that.” She furrowed her brow, then added, “I suppose I’ll want to do that, too, when I get that old. Is that right, Lana?”

“Possibly. Padme’s 13 and she doesn’t seem to want that, yet. There are some people, a small percentage, Taylor, but some who never really get interested in sex. Kaira likes sex a lot, but Padme’s, so far, different. Civ didn’t get interested in it until very recently. While Padme will probably develop an interest in sex, what will we think of her if she never does?”

“We’ll still love her, because she’s our sister, one of our many, many wonderful sisters.”

“That’s right. Each one of us is different in some or many ways from everyone else in the family. Most of us enjoy sex and sexy-time a lot, but we love our sisters ... like Padme and you ... even if they aren’t interested in sex and even if they’re never interested in sex. Taylor, sex is very enjoyable when it’s with boys or girls you love, and it can be very fun with others in certain situations. However, we love all our sisters whether they have sex with us or not. The sex is a benefit of being a family member, it’s not a requirement.”

“Uh, huh, that’s what Mom said. She also said that when I get older, I’ll be able to ... do sex with ... everyone, although she said that I can’t expect everyone to do sex with me, even if I want that. She said that I must ... earn it, earn that kind of love with each sister individually.”

“That’s right. And one of the ways to earn that is to be kind and loving and interested and attentive. Taylor, normal friendships can be difficult to keep going as we grow up, but sexual relationships are even harder to keep going as our bodies and our minds change as we get older, as we mature. Don’t try to be everything for everyone. Be yourself, but keep being interested, interesting, accepting, and forgiving as you become a teenager. If you can do that, more of us will come to love you in multiple ways, and one of those ways may be sexual.

“I know that Raven-Mom has talked to you about sexual preferences, and that you know that it’s at least a bit different for girls to like sex with other girls. However, just because we girls all love our sisters in that way, it doesn’t mean that you’ll feel the same way when the change that’s recently come for Civ comes for you. You might want sex only with boys. You might not want sex at all. Regardless, you’ll still be our sister and we’ll still love you as our sister, even if you want to have sex only with Brett or Charlie or ... whoever you find interesting.”

“But I want to ... like both boys and girls.”

“Don’t do sex with anyone in whom you have no particular sexual interest. It’s probably not good to do sex just for sex. At least, none of us do. I don’t know how Beth managed to get so many girls gathered here to be our sisters that all enjoy sex with girls ... as well as with boys, but we’ll love you whether you find an interest in sex with us girls or not.”

Taylor gazed into Lana’s eyes for a while, then said, “I’m so glad Mom allowed us to move here. The compound is so much better than where we used to live, mostly because my new sisters talk about ... serious stuff with me, even though I’m at least three years younger than all of them but Civ. It makes me feel so ... grown up when the older girls talk with me as if I were as old as they are. You don’t treat me like a little kid, and that’s the bestest and coolest part of being here!”

Lana gazed at Taylor for a few moments and replied, “You’re not a little kid. You’re not even a typical young kid. You’re like the rest of us, more mature and more ready to be older than other girls your age. Why don’t you get your panty on? You can give Brett a hug then for being such a nice guy and not staring at your cute butt.”

Taylor stared at Lana, then looked to her right where Brett had moved, then asked, “Do you think my butt is cute?”

“I do. In fact, I know it’s cute. But do you know what I don’t do?”

“Umm, you ... don’t stare at my butt. Neither does Jim ... or Charlie.”

“That’s right. None of the three guys has a sexual relationship with you, and it would not be acceptable for any of us to stare at your butt. You’re also not yet the age that we consider to be acceptable to be sexual. When you get to be 14, and if you like me in a sexual way, and if I like you in a sexual way, then, with your permission, I might stare at your cute butt.”

Lana quickly added, “And even then, he won’t always stare at your butt, and he’ll never do it in a leering fashion.”

“Leering?”

“Staring in a strongly sexual or unpleasant way. It’s something very rude that you’ll learn that a lot of guys do. Usually, they try not to let the girl at whom they’re leering know they’re doing so, but some will do it, regardless. You need to be very wary of guys like that.”

Lana stared expectantly at Taylor until she nodded in acceptance and agreement, then said, “Now, back to Brett looking at girl butts. Have you seen Brett looking at Liya’s butt?”

“Um, yes. I guess.”

“What impression did you get when you saw that?”

“I’m ... not sure, but I thought he was ... appreciating her butt.”

“Yes. Many of us think Liya has the most attractive butt among us. Brett was almost certainly appreciating Liya’s butt ... but may have been reliving experiences he’s had with her butt.”

“They must have been good experiences, because he looked sorta happy.”

“Exactly! Gracey tells us that Liya had no clue about her butt before the Go5 became sexual, but since then, Liya’s gotten pleasure from her lovers playing with her butt in certain ways. For almost everyone, butts can provide enjoyable feelings, particularly from hands rubbing on them.”

“And ... we ... the LA allows butts to be bare despite that they’re ... sexual?”

“Yes. I’m not sure how that all came to be, except that having someone rub your butt isn’t necessarily sexual. It can feel good without it being sexual, just like a friend running a hand along your arm, or lightly caressing your cheek. There are ... touches in places that, if they’re acceptable to that person, always provide sexual feelings. But touches in some places, including the butt for at least some people, can be just enjoyable without a sexual aspect in some situations, and highly sexual in others.”

“Oh. I ... didn’t know that was ... possible, but I think I see what you mean. You’re saying that ... someone ... say, you, could rub my arm, and I would like it because one of my sisters is showing me she loves me ... as a sister, but a guy ... or a girl, maybe even you, could rub my arm and I could like it because of the ... because it could be something ... sexual between us.”

“Exactly. Taylor, you were meant to be with us. You are so...”

Lana’s words cut off as an 82-pound dynamo slammed herself into her, forcing the air Lana was using to talk to exhale explosively from her body in a loud, low, “Ooof.”

Lana quickly recovered and wrapped her arms tightly around Taylor, who was whimpering into her right shoulder, whimpering in tears of happiness.

When Raven returned from work, Lana and Taylor related their post-shower conversation to the head raven.

“Do you have any questions about any of that?”

“I don’t think so. Mom, I love having so many wonderful older sisters, but do you mind those sisters, including Brett, discussing sex with me?”

“So long as they’re explaining concepts, not detailing mechanics or other particulars. Well, I’d probably be fine with some particulars, but regardless of what’s covered, if sex is the topic, you need to tell me what you heard, what you understood, and what you thought of what you heard.”

Taylor nodded rapidly, and said, “That’s why we’re telling you, now. Mom, the best part of that is that my ... new sisters talk about adult subjects with me without treating me like a little kid. I particularly liked the part that Lana told me about touches that can be either sexual or friendly and those that are always sexual. She said that touches in some places, like ... my vagina, are and will always feel sexual, because that’s the ... umm ... design purr ... design parameters of vaginas. She also said that touches in most other places are... [she looked at Lana] ... con-tex ... contextual. That is, that the situation of the touch can make the touch just friendly or strongly sexual, that it’s a matter of context. She taught me that word, too.”

Taylor suddenly tilted her head onto her back, closed her eyes, and gritted her teeth to ward off crying as she said, “I love it here, so much, Mom. I’m learning so much. I have so many sister-friends, and none of them look at me as if I were an annoying little kid. They look at me and treat me like an ... an equal. Mom, Lana told me that I was meant to be here. I’ve never before had older girls treat me like that, and it’s the best part of being here.”