Macie sucked in a breath. “Damn, check that one out. Now, those are what I call pecs.”
Evelyn laughed. “Geez, didn’t you get enough last night? I saw you with Mr. Muscles last night.”
“Unfortunately one of those muscles was between his ears, but he had his uses.” She groaned. “Is it too much to ask for a gorgeous, brilliant, sensitive man?” She said it, but I don’t think she meant it. Macie did hook-ups. I’d never seen her with a boyfriend. Still, we didn’t press.
Evelyn just nodded. “Yes. If you can get two of the three your doing really well.”
“Hey!” Trent objected, and Evelyn gave him a mollifying kiss.
“I just got lucky with you, babe.”
“Uh-huh. No respect at all.”
We all laughed. The next half and hour passed in nice conversation. Sadie, Noah and I went down for a swim, and when we were coming back up I noticed a couple spreading out a blanket maybe twenty yard up the beach from ours. They were both women, one with long dark hair and a red bikini top and short jean shorts, and the other wearing a one piece and athletic shorts. Her hair was short, shaved on one side and combed over. Just by the way they looked at each other I knew they were together.
I tried not to look over much. The short-haired one began putting lotion on the other’s skin, who was leaning back in pleasure. I immediately pictured Taylor’s hands on me and I felt a tingle rising quickly in my core. The building fire was doused when Macie noticed them as well.
“Check it out, dykes.” She nodded towards the couple.
Evelyn made a face. “You have to be so crass?”
“Tell me it doesn’t creep you out a little.”
“If it did I’d keep it to myself.”
“You’re right, you’ll make a great politician Ev. Me, I call it like I see it, and it’s weird.”
I felt like I needed to say something, but I was terrified that if I opened my mouth everyone would know exactly what I was hiding. But I also remembered Taylor calling me fearless. “They have as much right to be here as you do. They’re not doing anything wrong. Besides,” I pointed over to a hetero couple who were basically making out, “you’re not bothered by them.”
“Look, I’m not saying they shouldn’t be able to do what they want, I just wish they would do it in private.”
I was starting to rise to it now. “I think it’s beautiful. Any two people who can find love are lucky.”
“Sure, just keep it away from me. I’m just glad we don’t have to deal with it at the house.”
“So you wouldn’t let a lesbian in if one rushed?”
“A lesbian wouldn’t fit in, Aly.” She was looking at me like I was insane. “And we’re a social group, not a public one. A gay pledge would make a lot of the girls uncomfortable. Deeply. What’s it matter to you anyway?”
I spluttered for a second, my face burning red when Evelyn stepped in. “All right, guys, knock it off.”
I stood abruptly. “I’m going to go get something to drink.” As I stormed off there were tears burning in my eyes and my hands were trembling. I got halfway to the little shop when I realized I’d left my money back by the blanket. I didn’t want to go back though, so I kept storming away until I reached some benches by a skating path and sat down.
I watched the people go by, wondering what each of their lives were like? What secrets did they keep from the people they cared about? I watched the women especially, I noticed them more than the men anyway. And I wanted Taylor near me. Eventually someone did sit down and put her arm around me.
“Hey girl, you okay?” I looked at my best friend, seeing real concern on her face. “Sorry about Macie, she’s um, well, she’s Macie.”
I chuckled, wiping a tear from my cheek. “Do you really think it’s true? They wouldn’t let a lesbian into the sorority?”
“I don’t think they’d use that as the excuse, but yeah, I think it might be true.” She gave me a squeeze. “But I don’t think it’s ever actually happened, if that makes you feel better.”
“It doesn’t”
“Aly, what’s going on? Why are you getting so worked up about this? It isn’t about you.”
My jaw set, and I forced myself to stop staring at the ground and look in Sadie’s eyes. “What if it were?” I took a deep breath. “Sadie, Taylor is a woman.”
“Whaaaaat?” Sadie’s mouth was hanging open.
“Taylor is a woman. I’m dating a woman.”
“So, um, are you saying you’re, like, bi, or something?”
“No, I’m not bi. I’m a lesbian.”
“Are you sure? I mean, maybe you’re experimenting?”
“Sadie!” I must have looked hurt.
“Oh, God, Aly, I’m sorry. Damn, I’m turning into a cliche.” She pulled me into a hug. “I’m here for you, you know that right?”
“Thanks, Sadie. Love you.” She looked at me strangely for a second, so I added hastily, “But not like that.”
That made us both laugh, and we went back to our group arm in arm.
Macie offered a blase, and, in my opinion, inadequate apology. Obviously she’d gotten a talking to from her best friend while we’d been gone. I thought it best to let it go, so I did. My brain was fully occupied with the fact that I had just come out to Sadie. I’d told my best friend I was gay. Somehow that made everything I’d been feeling the last weeks even more real.
That night, as soon as we were alone in our room, I related the admittedly brief history of Taylor and my relationship. Sadie wanted details that I didn’t really want to provide, so I skirted them. But eventually her playful nature asserted it itself.
“So you were never hot for me, y’know, the whole fooling around with your roommate cliche?”
“My mom says that’s not actually a thing.”
“You’re breaking the hearts of frat boys everywhere, y’know.”
“That’s exactly what mom said, but no. One of the things I’ve learned is that I have a definite type.” I rolled over on my back and stared at the ceiling. “I like tall, athletic girls with incredible legs and strong shoulders and mmm.” I shuddered as an image of Taylor posed for my imagination.
“Does she have a six pack?”
“Not exactly. I mean she’s really fit, and if you touch her stomach you can feel her abs. It’s really sexy.”
Sadie giggled. “So how did your parents take all this?” I groaned and covered my face with my pillow. “Oh, crap, you haven’t told them yet, huh? Why not? Your parents are cool.”
“I know, I just, I don’t know.”
“You need to do it, soon.”
“Yeah, I will. I think it goes without saying, but this is between us, right?”
“Of course, sweetie, I won’t even tell Noah, for now. But he’d be cool about it.”
“I know. Thanks, Sadie.”
***
Macie did a few things to try to be nice to me the next day, but nothing that made me believe she’d rethought her intolerance. I didn’t want to go through the year at odds with one of my best friends, so I did my best to let the whole thing drop.
I had three classes on Monday, and they wasted no time in assigning homework, in addition to the basic reading necessary for high-level classes. Just one more class on Tuesday morning, and I would be headed to my lover’s arms. Needless to say I had a hard time concentrating for an hour and a half on Statics when the orgasms I’d been delaying for the past week were so close to being a reality. Finally the professor clicked the button bringing up our homework problems on the whiteboard. I scribbled them down and bolted for the door.
The traffic wasn’t good, but I made it to Taylor’s apartment just before twelve, racing up the stairs and knocking on the door. I paused for a second before knocking again and peering inside. It was dark, and I was just starting to get a sinking feeling in my stomach when I heard the rumble of a motorcycle coming up the road. My hurt expression morphed into a silly grin as the Indian turned into the driveway, and the denim clad rider dismounted, lifting off her helmet.
Taylor stripped off her gloves and stored them inside the helmet before running her fingers through her tousled blonde hair. “I’m so sorry I’m late, Aly.”
“You better get up here and make it up to me.”
She took the stairs two at a time, sweeping me into her arms when she reached the top. Her mouth was on mine, her strong arms pulling me into an embrace. Our tongues caressed and danced, and I was in heaven again.