Courage

Chapter Sixteen

[Francesca]

I didn't get any inspiration at Trillium Trail, but, luckily, Maya had an idea for our next location. This time, she drove.

"Where are we going?" I asked her.

"You'll see," was her reply. "Unlike you, I actually know where we're going." She poked my cheek playfully, I pushed her knee in response and was amazed at the absence of hair on there.

"What's your shaving routine?" I inquired.

"I don't get how you can ask that so nonchalantly."

I rolled my eyes. "Oh please, Maya, we're girls. I won't judge you, out loud," I promised.

"Oh, goody, I feel so at ease now," she said, obviously sarcasm

"You know what I mean, just tell me."

"I just shave, with a razor and shaving cream. Or, I use Nair."

It was that simple for her?

"That's it?"

"Yeah." She nodded twice.

"No laser hair removal, no waxing?" I pressed.

"No. Those things scare me, anyways. Plus, I don't really grow hair on my legs, well, I do obviously, but just barely. Do you go to wax place or hair removal place?"

"I do it privately every three weeks."

"Do you . . ." she cleared her throat. "Do you wax your  . . ." I knew what Maya was talking about, I just didn't say anything because I was curious to know what synonym for vagina she was going to use.

"Do you wax your . . . down here?" She gestured to her private area.

"Yes, Maya, I wax my private area. Well, I don't do it."

"But I thought you said—"

"My sister does it for me," I disclosed.

"Oh, um . . . Does it hurt?"

"It did the first two times, yes. After that, it gets marginally okay."

"Hm, well, alrighty, then. Ummm, have you ever considered modeling?" It was stray question.

"No."

"Really? You have the height and beauty and self-assured gait for it. Not to mention, I said beauty."

"Yes, Maya, I'm prepossessing. We know that," I said vainly, but I was joking. "But I grew up with cameras in my face, and taking unnecessary photoshoots. I'm good."

"Ever been to fashion week?"

"Of course. Which reminds me, you're coming with me in February," I told her.

"Wait! For real!?" she asked in shock.

"Yeah."

"You're lying!" she accused.

"No, I'm serious. Why would I lie?" I couldn't really hide the hurt in my voice.

"Oh, my god! Francesca Russo, you amazing bitch!"

"Hey, watch your mouth," I cautioned.

"You know what I mean. I can't believe you're taking me. Why me?"

"Because, you know . . . we're . . . you're my . . . Fuck you."

"Come on, Franny, just say it. One word," Maya urged. "Like the Spongebob episode we watched yesterday. F is for friends who do stuff together. U is for you and me. N is for anywhere and anytime at all . . ."

"Down here in the deep blue sea," I sang without effort. "I'm taking you because you're my friend, and I kinda, sort of enjoy being around you," I admitted sheepishly.

Maya put her closest arm to me around my shoulders. "I love being around you, too, Fran. And, speaking of deep blue sea, we're here."

Maya stopped and parked, way in front of us was a lake, grass leading up to it.

"C'mon, let's go."

We got out of the car and went up to board, I rested my elbows on the wooden cylinder post.

"We came here to swim?" I asked, confused.

"No, silly. I thought, maybe, you can get some inspiration here."

I looked around and decided that I wanted to get in the water. I removed my shoes, shirt, then skirt.

"What are you doing?" Maya inquired.

"I'm about to get in the water. Join me?

"I'm, uh, I'm good."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, I'm sure. Plus, I don't really have my beach body yet," she joked (I think). Either way, I didn't care how Maya's body looked.

I jumped in to get used to the temperature of the water quickly. I made the mistake of letting water get into my nose, the burning feeling was irritating. The water was warm, I came up and urged Maya to join me, her response was "Nah, like I said, I'm good."

I went back underwater, that's when ideas started coming to me.

Maya. I wanted to draw Maya. I will draw and paint her. I've found my muse. But would she let me? I guess it was rather brazen of me to assume that. But, boy, is she a work of art! She said I had the beauty to be a model, so does she. I don't think modeling agencies take beautiful women who are five-six, but then again, Lily-Rose Depp is five-three. But then again, she is the daughter of Johnny Depp.

Perhaps, I could pull some strings and get her a modeling job. Wait, does she even want to be a model? Oh wait, I forgot, she wants to work with animals. Did Maya even find herself attractive? I did, I found her attractive in an unorthodox way.

The muffled splashing made me finally come up. I realized I'd been underwater for quite a while.

I took a breath and Maya was in front of me. Wet.

"You came in!" I exclaimed.

"Yeah, you were underwater for four minutes! I thought you drowned, so I came in."

She was angry, and, worried about me . . .