The Coming of Age Ceremony

She knew that after her earlier teasing Theta would not be far from orgasm, and his moans and grunts confirmed it. Suddenly she felt his fingers tense on her shoulders and heard him utter a word of delight in his native language. Again she was pleased to have given him an orgasm, but she was also determined that she would have one of her own too before she left the village.

Theta and Jess rolled together into a cuddle and Jess let her hand find its way between her legs. Staring into his beautiful eyes, held tight by his strong arms, she knew that it would not be long before she felt her own wave of pleasure. Her clit was so sensitive now, and she still felt a tingling inside her vagina from Theta's recent penetration. The frustration that had welled up over the previous month, especially over the past 24 hours, was now so close to being released.

Finally it happened. It was the most intense orgasm she had ever experienced. She squeezed Theta hard with all her strength. Her eyes closed and blocked out everything apart from the feel of his body, his scent, the sound of his breathing. Her whole body tingled and glowed. Eventually she opened her eyes and couldn't help but giggle at the look of amazement on Theta's face. She wondered if he had even known that girls could have orgasms. They lay there in each other's arms for what seemed like forever. It was the most perfect moment of her life.

***

It felt strange entering the circle in the centre of the village after what had happened there the previous day. It was far quieter now, but over on the other side she could see Sigma and a few of the other girls chatting away. She approached them cautiously, not sure how they would react, not sure what to say.

"Hello," she said sheepishly.

The girls turned to her and greeted her in an awkward sounding tone. Sigma told the other girls that she wanted to talk to Jess alone, and they nodded. Jess followed Sigma through the village in silence.

Eventually they reached a hut which Jess realised must be Sigma's new home. Sigma led her inside. It was almost empty inside save for a carpet of leaves in the middle.

"Chi's not the most organised guy in the world," Sigma giggled. "He didn't put anything in the hut, even a bed! I told him I wasn't doing it on the bare floor, so he rushed out to find something to lie on, but all he could bring back was a load of leaves!"

"You still... did it... though right?" Jess asked.

Sigma blushed but nodded.

"Yeah... it was... good."

She blushed even brighter red. A slightly dreamy look came over her face as she cast her mind back to the previous night's action.

"Yeah," Jess agreed.

"So you're still going back to England tomorrow?" Sigma asked, now becoming serious.

Jess paused. She didn't want to admit it, but she had to. She nodded.

"Have you told Theta?"

Jess shook her head.

"I will," she insisted.

Sigma gave her a sympathetic look.

"It's no good me telling you that you shouldn't have done it, is it?" she said.

Jess shook her head again.

"It's not only Theta who will miss you when you go back to England, you know," Sigma continued. "I'm going to really miss you too."

"I'll miss everyone," Jess said, tears welling up in her eyes. She grabbed Sigma and gave her a big hug.

***

Later that day Jess found Theta chatting to some of his friends. He still had a wide smile on his face. She felt terrible about what she was about to do, but she had made up her mind.

As they walked through the village, Theta was trying to be affectionate, putting his arm around her, trying to hold her hand. She didn't know how she was going to bring herself to tell him.

They walked into the jungle, heading for a secluded clearing that Jess had been to once in her time with the tribe where she knew they were unlikely to be disturbed.

When they reached it they both sat down and waited in silence for one of them to say something. Finally Jess spoke.

"Theta, I love you. You're the most special guy I've ever met. I had an amazing time last night. I always thought I'd hate my first time, but I didn't. It was amazing. Because it was with you."

Theta looked at her uncertainly, knowing that the conversation could end in one of two ways, knowing that the way it did end would have a profound effect on his life.

"But I have to go back to England. I can't stay here. I wish I could. But I can't."

"You could," he said, managing a weak smile. "I would look after you forever, I promise."

"I know," Jess said, tears welling up in her eyes. "But everything's back in England. My family. My friends. My future."

"You have a family here. Me. You have friends. Everyone likes you. You have a future."

She looked straight into his eyes for a long time. She knew she would feel like this. Every part of her was telling her to change her mind, to stay here. But she had made her decision. She had only been here for one month. She couldn't change her whole future based only on that. She didn't need to put anything into words. The look they exchanged explained everything.

They lay there in the clearing all night, sometimes in silence, sometimes talking. As the sun started to rise in the distance the two of them walked back to the village, hand in hand.

***

The whole village had turned out to say goodbye to Jess. To Jess' relief, this included Theta. She knew that the goodbye would be difficult for him and had wondered whether he would stay away.

"I love you Jess," he said, his eyes fixed on her own. "All I want is for you to be happy. I wish you would stay, that I could spend the rest of my life making you happy."

His voice trembled with the emotion of what he was saying. She could see tears starting to well up in his eyes. She tried desperately not to cry herself, but could feel that she was losing the battle.

"I'll miss you every single day for the rest of my life," he continued. "But if you wouldn't be happy here, if you want to go back to England..."

She could tell that he was fighting with himself to say the words he desperately didn't want to say.

"...If that's what will make you happier, then... then... then I just want you to be happy..."

She nodded, and now she could feel tears coming to her own eyes.

"Just... just find a man who will look after you..."

Tears were now streaming down his face. Jess put a finger to his lips. She didn't want him to continue. She couldn't imagine ever meeting anyone she would feel about like she felt about Theta. The part of her brain that was telling her to stay was threatening to win the argument over the part that was telling her to go.

Jess wanted to tell him how she felt, but she couldn't. Even she didn't know how she felt. No words seemed appropriate. Whatever she said wouldn't be enough.

"I'll write to you, I promise," she said.

She searched for something to say in Theta's own language, and only one phrase came to mind. The last time she had heard it seemed so long ago now.

"Ego hilo su." I love you.

She held his gaze for what seemed like an eternity, then threw herself towards him, wrapping her arms around him in once last passionate clinch. Their lips met for one last time. In that moment there was nothing else in the world except the two of them.

The kiss seemed to last forever, neither of them wishing to break their last moment together. Finally their clinch ended -- Jess was never sure which one of them brought it to an end -- and Jess stepped back, still holding his gaze.

Then, without another word being spoken, she turned and looked at the driver, who seemed somewhat shocked by what he had just witnessed. She turned back to the assembled tribespeople.

"Khai'rete!" she said, trying to force a smile.

She turned, opened the car door, and stepped inside. She couldn't bring herself to look out of the window at what she was leaving behind. She closed her eyes, blocking out the world, but she couldn't block out the noise of the tribespeople chanting.

She heard the driver getting into the car, then his door slammed. The engine revved up and the car started to move forward. As it picked up speed the sound of the chanting faded away into the distance.

***

Jess found it difficult to settle back into her life at home. She had managed for a whole month without television, her MP3 player, her smartphone: all the modern appliances of everyday life. The weather was awful, as if even the elements were trying to tell her she had made the wrong decision to return to England.

She found it lonely sleeping in her bed all alone. Whilst she had been in the village she had missed the privacy of her bedroom, but now she felt no inclination to touch herself. There was only one person she wanted touching her. Her smartphone rang and vibrated with messages from her friends welcoming her home, but she ignored them all. She wished so much that she could give Theta a call, hear the sound of his voice, but she knew that the nearest phone was many miles away from his village.

A few nights after she had returned home she left her parents watching the latest TV talent show and ventured out into the garden. The sky had cleared and there was a fresh feeling in the air. The rain which had fallen for many hours earlier that day still glistened on the grass in the moonlight.

Ignoring the damp ground Jess lay on her back, looking up at the stars, just as she had on her last night with Theta. She blocked out everything around her and just concentrated on those shining objects far above her. She could almost have been back with the tribe, save that Theta was not here to share the view with her.

She turned her mind back to that last night they had spent together.

"Is England very far away?" Theta had asked.

"Yes, very far away," Jess had confirmed sadly.

"As far away as the moon?" he asked.

Jess giggled a little.

"Not quite THAT far away," she said.

"It will feel much further," Theta replied. "I can see the moon. I can't see England."

They had lay there in silence for a long time contemplating that. There was a strange kind of logic to what he had said.

"Well," Jess responded eventually, "you can see the moon in England too. If you lie here, and I lie in England, we can both look up at the same moon and think of each other."

She wondered if Theta was staring at the moon now, thinking of her.

"I love you, Theta," she whispered.

"I'll see you again someday, I promise."