Jenny opened her eyes and stopped floating.  Planting her feet firmly on the bottom of the pool, she watched Shane closely.  She didn’t say anything, as she didn’t want to push Shane and risk having her clam up.  Jenny truly wanted to learn more about Shane, and found the young woman quite intriguing.  If Shane was going to choose to open up to her, not only was Jenny going to listen, she wasn’t going to say a word and risk losing that trust Shane had seemed to develop in her.

“My mother was a junkie and I never met my father.  He took off before I was even born.  The state came and took me away when I was ten.  I was sent from home to home.  It was *****.  My last foster father used to beat me because he found out I liked girls.  I guess he thought he could beat the ***** out of me.  That was when I ran away.  I was only sixteen.  I pulled tricks and let people think I was a boy, until I met this guy who felt sorry for me and gave me a place to stay and the money to learn to do hair.  And here I am now, and that’s about it,” Shane admitted quietly, her eyes focusing on the still water and avoiding Jenny’s gaze.

Jenny sliced through the water, heading toward Shane.  Gently taking her hand in her own, Jenny used her other hand to lift Shane’s chin, forcing her to look at her.  Their eyes locked.  “Thank you,” Jenny whispered, kissing Shane’s fingers as she rubbed Shane’s cheek softly with the back of her hand.

“For what?” Shane asked softly, unable to tear her gaze away from Jenny’s own.

“For letting me in, and sharing a part of yourself with me,” Jenny replied, her face inches from Shane.

Shane let out a shuddering breath.  “I’ve never really told anyone all this stuff before.”

“There’s nothing wrong with sharing yourself with someone else,” Jenny said, staring into Shane’s eyes.  “There’s nothing wrong with letting someone know you, and allowing them to have a part of you for keeps.”

“There isn’t?” Shane replied, feeling Jenny’s breath on her face as their noses almost touched.