Edge of Breaking Ch. 01

*Author's Note: Any and all persons engaging in any sexual activity are at least eighteen years of age.

Disclaimers: This story has been edited by myself, utilizing Microsoft Spell-check. You have been forewarned; expect to find mistakes.

*.*

They were outside again, swimming in the over-chlorinated pool of the apartment complex. He was wearing his snug swim suit, the red color looking very tempting against his tanned skin. She was wearing two black postage stamps and a black Band-Aid, her large breasts threatening to spill out.

Gracie went to her room and pulled on her own bikini. It was a white bathing suit, completely covered her small breasts. It was white, but it was lined; it would not become translucent when wet. She'd taken a shower with the bikini on, then stood and looked in the bathroom mirror, the lights on, to make sure. Her 34B breasts and light brown nipples would not be exposed after she swam a few laps. Gracie could sit, lounging against the steps and could chat with Warren, with Megan and her thatch of dark brown pubic hair would not show through the wet material, would not embarrass her. The bottom fit over her prominent backside, fully covered the two large globes of flesh. They would chat, former classmates of Kimble Academy in Kimble, Louisiana.

Did Gracie like living in the complex? How long had she lived there? So, what had she been up to since graduation; yes, it was so hard to believe that it had already been three years.

And what had they been up to? No, no, she wasn't surprised that they were still together, Warren Carr and Megan Thibodeaux. They'd been the 'Romeo and Juliette' of Kimble Academy. Yes, she'd heard that Polly had not one, but two babies, but that wasn't that big of a surprise; everyone had assumed the morbidly obese girl had been pregnant when she'd thundered across the stage to get her diploma. Yes, the fact that both babies were of mixed race, obviously African-American fatherhood, that was a bit of a surprise.

Gracie slipped her cover-up over her shoulders. It was a gauzy black material; the white bikini shone through, actually making the outfit look quite racy. She grabbed a beach towel from the linen closet and slung it casually over her shoulder.

A glance into the bathroom mirror affirmed that Gracie's shoulder length blonde hair was perfect. Her large brown eyes peered out from under a light brown eyebrow. Her small nose made her pouting lips look all the more inviting, kissable.

Gracie decided a slash of red lipstick would be daring, inviting. She carefully applied the color, gave her lips a 'smack' and turned off the bathroom's harsh light.

And then she peered out the window of her living room, peered down at the swimming pool. Gracie stood, peering through the small chink in the curtains, staring down at the swimming pool, where Warren and Megan lolled, feet dangling in the water of the swimming pool.

She checked; her apartment key was on a wristband. The key was securely clipped onto the band. It would not come off as she vigorously paddled back and forth in the cool water.

Gracie willed herself to move, to walk to the door of the apartment, to slip her feet into the flip flops that she kept right by the door. She willed herself to move to the door, slip the flip flops onto her feet, and open the door. She willed herself to walk to the door, slip her feet into the flip flops, open the door, close the door, casually walk down the stairs, unlatch the gate of the pool area, and drape her towel across one of the chaise lounges scattered about the pool's area.

"Come on, Gracie, come on. Do it," she whispered urgently. "Come on. Please?"

A movement caught her eye. Gracie bent at the waist and slightly pulled the curtain open.

Another couple had joined Warren and Megan. This other couple was actually in the water. She could not see their faces; their backs were to Gracie. The couple were talking with Warren and Megan.

"Oh, well, maybe next time; wouldn't want to intrude..." Gracie murmured.

She saw Megan, talking. Megan was talking with her hands. She held her hands out in front of her chest and then pushed them in toward her chest. The beautiful blonde then held her hands wide open at her sides and puffed out her cheeks. The girl then laughed.

Gracie recognized Megan's laugh. It was her cruel, hurtful laugh. Gracie had been on the receiving end of that laugh more times than she wanted to remember. Even from the second floor, Gracie could see the haughty, cruel expression on Megan's face as she spoke with her hands.

Gracie then saw the other woman's hand move. She saw the other woman pointing to herself. Megan's face lost the haughty laugh; Megan shook her blonde head no vigorously.

The other woman again pointed to herself. Again Megan shook her head in denial.

Then Gracie saw Megan point directly to her apartment. She gasped and stepped back from the curtain, even though she knew the windows of the apartment building were tinted. Megan could not possibly see into the apartment. There was no way Megan could see Gracie peeking at the quartet through the small gap in her curtain.

After catching her breath, Gracie slowly stepped forward again and peered cautiously through the small opening in the curtain. She gasped and stepped back again.

Now, all four were looking at her apartment, Apartment 221. Gracie recognized the other couple.

Nancy and Eddy. Nancy Hebert and her boyfriend Edward Roberts.

"Should have, should have recognized them from their backs," Gracie chided herself.

Edward had been six feet, five inches in high school. His body was massive, and it was all muscle. Nancy, his brunette girlfriend had actually looked funny standing next to Eddy; she was only five feet, two inches.

Even though Eddy had been a football player, and a baseball player, he had never been unkind to any student. Nancy, as the girlfriend of such a popular boy could have been a queen bitch, but she too had been very kind.

Gracie chanced another look and saw Megan again pointing toward her apartment. Again, she stepped back, shrank back. She saw Eddy now talking to Nancy, saw Nancy swimming toward the ladder of the pool. She admired Nancy's pretty blue one piece bathing suit. The suit clung to Nancy's small breasts, her slight paunch, and her wide hips. The light blue color was the same color as Nancy's beautiful blue eyes.

Nancy had a square face, framed by her thick brown hair. Those beautiful blue eyes peered out from underneath Nancy's perfectly shaped eyebrows. Her nose was a little button in the center of the square, lightly tanned face and her lips were full, permanently pouting.

Next to Megan, Gracie had always thought Nancy was the most beautiful girl at Kimble Academy. She had voted for Nancy to be Homecoming Queen and again to be the queen of the Spring Formal. Megan had won both times and Gracie had felt slighted. She had felt the disappointment, as if it had been her personal loss.

Gracie chanced another look at the foursome at the pool. But there were only three of them now. Warren and Eddy were looking in one direction and Megan was staring directly at Gracie. Gracie almost let a squeal escape at Megan's cold stare.

"Aieegh!" Gracie did squeal when a knock sounded at her door.

"I, uh, who is it?" Gracie called out, voice shaking.

"Hey! It's Nancy. Nancy Hebert, from school?" Nancy's soft voice came through the door.

"I uh, what? I mean," Gracie stammered.

What did she want? Why was she knocking on Gracie's door?

Gracie forced herself to open the door. Her heart was in her ears, blood pounding as she unhooked the chain, twisted the deadbolt, then finally twisted the knob.

"Hey! Oh! You're already ready! Great, come on down. Eddy and I came over to see Warren and Megan, and Megan said you live right here, come on," Nancy prattled happily, grabbing Gracie's hand.

"Megan knows where I live?" Gracie asked herself.

"Of course she does, dummy. She was pointing right at your apartment," Gracie chided herself for asking such a stupid question.

"And when Megan said you were right there, I can't believe you're just right here, I mean, right on top of Warren and Megan; they live in one twenty one," Nancy said as Gracie stepped into her flip flops, stepped out the door and locked the apartment.

The sides of Nancy's swimsuit were cut high, exposing Nancy's slightly wide hips. As she walked in front of Gracie, Gracie could see Nancy's buttocks peeking out the bottom of the light blue material.

"How'd you find a suit matched your eyes perfect like that?" Gracie blurted out.

"I know, right?" Nancy squealed.

Gracie could not hear anything after that; Nancy had grabbed Gracie's hand and pulled her toward the steps. Nancy's hand was still slick from being in the swimming pool. The skin was actually slightly cool to the touch because of the water. But the contact made Gracie feel like her flesh was on fire.

"Hey Grace; how's it going?" Eddy smiled as Nancy and Gracie approached the pool area.

"I uh," Gracie said.

Gracie draped her towel over a chair, making sure to face the pool. Bending would thrust her ample buttocks out, would draw attention to her large hillocks of flesh. She kept herself angled slightly away as she slipped her cover-up off.

"Man, can see you still such a skilled conversationalist," Megan sniped.

"Hey Megan, huh?" Nancy snapped angrily as she kicked her flip flops toward the chaise lounge she and Eddy had draped their towels onto. "Shit might have worked in high school, but this ain't high school, huh?"

"Oh, whatever," Megan snapped.

"Yeah," Eddy told Gracie as she slowly walked down the steps into the cool water. "Warren and Megan called us up, said 'come on over; got a big old pool no one ever swims in."

"Yeah, I uh, I never see anyone in it," Gracie affirmed.

"Oh, good, so no one's peed in it lately huh?" Eddy asked.

"Guh-ross!" Nancy shrilled as she too walked down the steps into the water.

Gracie did swim a few laps. But she was the only one. Warren and Megan seemed content to dangle their feet into the water. Nancy and Eddy seemed content to just stand in the water and chat with Warren and Megan. So, after a few laps, Gracie stood near Nancy and bobbed while the quartet chatted.

"Heard about Ryan, huh?" Warren asked Gracie.

"Ryan?" Gracie asked, flinging her wet hair back.

"Ryan. Ryan Arnaud," Megan said, tone of voice not very friendly.

"Arcenaux," Eddy corrected.

"Oh, whatever," Megan said.

"Yeah, tried to see what a three fifty seven could do to his head," Warren chuckled.

"Bang!" Megan giggled.

"Y'all!" Nancy gasped, mouth open in shock.

"Really, y'all," Eddy said, walking toward the steps of the pool.

Gracie stood in the pool, watching, listening as the quartet argued. Eddy and Nancy were upset with Warren and Megan for their callous words about the suicide of a former classmate. Warren and Megan seemed to be of the mind that Eddy and Nancy were just too sensitive.

Finally, Warren and Megan stormed away, to Apartment 121. The slamming door made Gracie flinch. Then she sighed and swam to the steps. As she slowly stepped up, Gracie did congratulate herself; she'd come out of her apartment, she'd come out and she'd gotten into the pool. She'd gotten out of her apartment and she'd talked with other people.

"Hey, I, we're sorry about all that," Eddy quietly said.

"I cannot, I just cannot believe," Nancy said, pulling a long tee shirt on over her still wet swimsuit.

"But it really was great seeing you," Eddy said as he slipped his own tee shirt on over his swim trunks.

"Eddy, still got them burgers?" Nancy asked.

"The, yeah, back of the freezer," Eddy agreed.

"Hey, why don't you come on over?" Nancy asked Gracie. "We just moved in; four sixteen Cross Circle. We'll do some burgers, okay?"

"Oh, I uh, I don't know," Gracie said, toweling herself.

"Please?" Nancy begged, grasping Gracie's hands.

Know, I could just pick her up, put her over my shoulder," Eddy joked.

"Unless you want Eddy kidnap you, you better just come on, huh?" Nancy smiled, not releasing Gracie's hands.

"What you got on is fine," Eddy said to Gracie, who frozen, unable to think, to act.

"Didn't want tell Warren and Megan, but we got a hot tub at our place," Nancy whispered to Gracie.

"And an eight foot tall privacy fence," Eddy said, actually motioning with his hand, demonstrating the unseen fence.

"I uh, God," Gracie stammered, cursing her timid, indecisive nature.

"Would you feel better if you drove? Had your own car there?" Nancy suggested.

"I uh, yeah," Gracie agreed.

"Eddy, go on, get the grill ready; I'll go with Gracie, okay?" Nancy suggested to her boyfriend.

"I uh, I need get my keys," Gracie said.

"Okay," Nancy agreed, grabbing her purse.

Nancy and Eddy kissed, then Eddy left the pool area through a different gate. Gracie led them up the flight of steps again, cursing the fact that Nancy was looking right at her chubby backside.

"Oh, this is nice!" Nancy enthused when they stepped into Gracie's apartment.

"Thanks," Gracie said, pleased with the compliment.

"I mean, Megan's? Looks like Salvation Army rejects," Nancy said. "God damn, cannot believe, I mean, yeah, Ryan wasn't all that popular, but still. To laugh about his suicide?"

Gracie quickly pulled on a pair of khaki shorts. She also slid a soft, slinky top on over her damp bikini top. Slip on canvas sneakers completed her outfit and she grabbed her purse.

Gracie made sure she had her small pill box. She also checked that there were some pills in the box. There were three of her anti-anxiety pills and she was tempted to take all three pills immediately.

Gracie wondered what Megan and Warren would think if they'd known that the day after High School graduation, she had attempted suicide. She'd taken a handful of pills and washed it all down with a half of a fifth of St. Elizabeth vodka.

Throwing up had foiled that suicide attempt. The ensuing headache had convinced Gracie she would not want to repeat the endeavor. So she started seeing Dr. Melanie Leblanc again.

Just thinking about the doctor caused Gracie to feel a little flutter in her belly. The woman was so pretty, with her big brown eyes, long brown hair and wide smile. The woman always displayed such a loving and welcome manner that Gracie had fallen in love with the woman.

When Gracie had confessed her attraction to Dr. Leblanc, the woman had been so gracious, so encouraging that her refusal had not seemed like a rejection. But Dr. Leblanc did let Gracie know they would never be more than doctor and patient.

"Yeah, Megan's dancing now, down at that Caliente place but you already knew that, huh?" Nancy was prattling, still looking around the small apartment with interest. "Your bed is beautiful; that's a sleigh bed?"

"No one's allowed in my bedroom!" Gracie shrieked, terrified.

"What?" Nancy shrilled, startled by Gracie's reaction.

"No one's allowed in my bedroom," Gracie said again, wrapping her arms around herself, trying to protect herself.

"Oh, okay," Nancy said, backing out of the room.

Gracie tried to catch her breath. She weakly wobbled from closet to the door of her bedroom.

"I uh, just my lovers," Gracie tried to joke, now that the crisis was past.

"Oh, so I can go in your bedroom then, huh?" Nancy joked, blowing an air kiss at Gracie.

"What?" Gracie squealed.

"Ready?" Nancy asked, peering at the appliances on Gracie's kitchen counter. "Oh, hey, you got you one them K-cup thingies, huh? Man, Eddy would be so jealous."

"Yeah, I mean, sometimes? Just need one cup, don't need make a whole pot," Gracie agreed. "Although, those K-cups? They are not cheap. Seven ninety nine for a box of sixteen of them."

"That's only fifty cents a cup," Nancy said as Gracie locked, then checked the locks of her apartment door. "Cup of coffee at Jitters is eight bucks."

"Uh huh, but make a pot of coffee? Works out to twenty eight cents a cup," Gracie said as they walked down the stairs.

"Whatever," Nancy said as Gracie steered her toward her gold Jeep Wrangler. "Oh, hey! This yours? I've seen this before."

"I uh, I'm a student at U.L.D," Gracie offered. "Probably seen it there."

"Oh! What you taking? I'm in Nursing. Only need twenty nine more hours," Nancy said.

"I uh, Business Administration. Got the required stuff out the way, tested out of most of it," Gracie admitted.

"What's your favorite class so far?" Nancy asked as Gracie carefully pulled out of the parking lot onto Highway 52.

"Business Opportunities," Gracie said, without hesitation. "Taught by Anita Lopez? God! She's like this total genius. She's not even twenty three yet and she's already a multi-millionaire, I swear. You know them Pizzaco trucks? That's her. Oh! Oh! And, Cross Circle! Almost every single house on that street is one of hers. Did you know that?"

Nancy looked at the suddenly quite animated woman that sat next to her. The most animated she'd ever seen Grace Ann Taylor was ten minutes ago, when she'd entered Grace's bedroom. Every time before that, Grace had been merely a shadow, almost a whisper.

"Like her, huh?" Nancy giggled.

"Like her? God, I idolize her!" Gracie enthused, turning onto Highway 19.

"I like this Gracie," Nancy declared, resting her hand on Gracie's knee.

"What? What you mean?" Gracie stammered, eyes wide with fright again.

"You. You're talking, you're happy about something," Nancy said, rubbing Gracie's smooth, soft thigh.

Nancy twisted slightly in the car's bucket seat. Gracie's eyes were bulging, her hands were white on the steering wheel. If they were not travelling at forty five miles per hour on Highway 19, Gracie would have bolted, would have leapt from the vehicle.

"Gracie, you're like, one of the most beautiful girls I've ever known," Nancy declared. "Beautiful hair, beautiful eyes; I could just kiss you. But every time I ever tried talking to you, you'd just up and run away."

"Social anxiety!" Gracie shrilled, forcing herself to ease her foot off the accelerator.

"But what, why?" Nancy asked, rubbing Gracie's leg softly. "As beautiful..."

"My dad hates me and my mom! Tried having us killed! Even tried having me kidnapped when I was five!" Gracie screamed, slamming on the brakes just after turning the Jeep onto Cross Circle. "And I'm not beautiful! My tits are too small, my ass is huge!"

Gracie jerked open her purse and fumbled frantically. She found her pill box and swallowed one of the pills. After a second hesitation, she swallowed the other two pills as well.

"I need to go," she declared. "Those pills, they take about twenty minutes start working; God damn it! Why the fuck, why the fucking fuck can't they make fast acting anti-anxiety pills? Huh? But then I won't be able to drive; I'll be a God damned stupid ass zombie. I hate my pills, I hate my life, I fucking hate myself!"

"Come on, Gracie, we're right up here, right up here on the right, okay? Just three more blocks, right up here, right on the right, okay?" Nancy coaxed. "Got a nice couch, got, oh! Got a nice bed in the second bedroom and we'll be right down the hall, right there, right down the hall. You'll be all right. And I'm studying be a nurse, I'll take care of you, okay?"

"Aaieegh!" Gracie screamed aloud, at the top of her lungs. She then collapsed against the steering wheel, sobbing uncontrollably.

"Why? Why'd I even think I could..." Gracie babbled, heartbroken.

"No, no, oh Gracie, no, oh come on sweetheart, come on, it'll be all right, it'll be all right," Nancy soothed, gently rubbing up and down Gracie's back. "Come on, three more blocks, just three more blocks and we'll find you a nice soft bed, nice soft bed. All safe and sound, all snuggled up in the nice soft bed, okay?"