the forbidden fruit, part two| the snake's temptation

it was not until two years later that i saw you again. well, not entirely...with a few scattered visits in between those childhood days and now, we had barely spoken to each other, shy of our budding bodies and cracking voices. i had remained with my girl cousins, and you had gone off with the boys. no more games of tag, no more hide and seek, and no more soccer.

i was 16 years old, and my mother and i were visiting again. we were staying in my aunt's house as usual, and the day was a tuesday. mom had told me to start getting ready, for we were going downtown to my grandmother's house in a bit. i smelled a little from our past few days at the beach and the long trip home, so i went to the bathroom to take a quick shower before heading downtown.

since my aunt was picking up my cousins from school, and my mother was the only one home, i figured it was safe enough to come out in only a towel. i open the door to 9 faces staring at me, dripping and half naked. you were one of them.

in those years before, you and i were quite similar physically. the same small iron-board of a body, with small arms and legs. crooked teeth, long eyelashes with large eyes, the only real difference between us was my waist-long hair and feminine featured face. but now it was easy to see that things had changed. very much so.

the first thing i had noticed was how toned you were, even underneath your clothes it stood out. those years of soccer had payed off, and you now had a quick and agile body. you had grown taller than me, when we used to be the same height. your hair was curly, and rested in a delicate shag, framing your face, which was flushed with color from the sun. after so many years of never looking directly into your eyes i noticed how they hadn't changed from the eyes i used to know so well. your smile was different though. more of a smirk than a smile. sly, and not entirely trustworthy, but very charming, with white teeth that had straightened out like my own.

i of course was different as well. seeing your eyes resting on me had made me even more self conscious than any sixteen year old of my body. the once waist-long hair now rested around my shoulders, at the moment dripping with water. my large eyes had grown into my face, not standing out as much as they did when i was younger. i had developed curves, and your unwavering gaze caused me to wrap the small towel around my small breasts and hips even tighter. the past few days in the sun left me with a tan i was proud to call "native", and you could barely tell that i had come from a drab sunless town in the states.

a burst of movement and i find myself wrapped in my uncle's crushing embrace. your mother and mine cannot stop squeeing over how much i've grown, my aunt covering my face in kisses. i stoop to each of my cousins and exchange the customary kiss on the cheek. you rise from your lounging position on the couch and stop in front of me. your eyes are teasing, and your face then lights up with that smirk-smile. i return you with a smile of my own, and lean in to graze your cheek. as you pull away i feel your warm breath on my neck. something in the pit of my stomach tingles then subsides. my body knows that the kind of tingling i just felt is not appropriate. especially with you.

a few hours lazily pass by, the family all seated in the living room drinking coffee and eating sweet cake. i lounge back on the rocking chair, obviously fully clothed now. i study each face to press a permanent imprint into my memory.

first i see tavito, the eldest. named for your father, tavo, he has always been extremely shy; to the point where he has had trouble in class with his absolute reluctance to speak up. nothing really striking about his features; the curse of acne scars riddle his face. next i move to the youngest, grazela, with her pixie face. she has bright eyes, a sharp nose, and clean cheeks, and always reminded me of a fairy. and then there is vanessa.

vanessa.

my mother always fawned over how beautiful she was. she has always loathed me, and i her in return. since the beginning we have been envious of each other; i was always jealous of her beauty, and a specific white ruffly dress that she owned. and of course, because she was your sister. she would always cut into our games when she already spent all the time in the world with you, barely allowing me any. i hated her. she notices my glare and flips her hair over her shoulder. i seethe at the thought of my mother forcing me to give her my old handmedown dresses and shirts.

i casually glance over to you and am startled to see your iron stare pressing into me. i watch, my body stiffened, as your dark eyes with the long eyelashes skim down past my breasts and over my legs, slowly coming back up to return my stare. my stomach tingles again. i press my folded arms harder into it.

the front door slams, and the cousins who actually live there are home from school, my aunt trailing in behind them with grocery bags of food for the party. my youngest cousin, alan, runs to my side, and asks to play soccer outside. i nod and get up. the grownups are gossiping, but it's the boring kind.

suddenly, i look up and you stride towards me, the smirk now stronger than ever.

"i'm up for it. lets see if i can still beat you."

your eyes glitter with something. i stand struck dumb with nothing at all clever to say. your eyelashes distract me.

i dare to cast you a few nervous glances during the game, the chaotic screams of the younger ones echoing on the walls. alan heads the ball to me, and i take off down the street. my side hurts from the game and from laughing. i whip my head around and expect to see a herd of screaming kids running after me; instead, all i see is you. you tail me, close enough to feel, the rest of the game far behind us. your feet move in and out of mine, and i pass it back and forth.

you've somehow managed to corner me, and our legs intertwine, frantically searching for the ball. i feel your hot breath on my neck again. one moment i almost get free, the next you have me pinned against the wall, your hands gripping mine against it. my back still to you, i panic for a second, and struggle.

my stomach falls through my legs when i feel that a pair of lips have replaced your breath on my collarbone.

"kids! time to come in for dinner!"

im frozen against the wall, motionless, my heart pounding. after catching my breath, i turn around slowly. you've long gone, and are back with the younger ones holding the door open. it seems that your smirk is permanently pressed into your face, and it is now joined with a teasing laugh.

"well? are you coming?"

wide eyed, i slowly make my way back to the house. the tingling above my thighs burning into me like sin.




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part three, coming soon