Page 25 of Our Final Encore

“Is it true?”

“What part?”

She lowers her voice a touch. “Are you gay?” Her brow arches, but I can tell there’s no judgment behind her tone.

I sigh. “No, I’m not fucking gay.”

She rears back a bit, like she’s worried that she’s said something wrong.

“I’m attracted to both men and women. I guess the people here are too small-minded to understand the concept.” I try to keep the contempt I’m feeling from my tone, but I can’t help that some of it slips through.

She squints, looking away. “I hope you know I’d never judge you, no matter what.”

I nod, dragging my hand down my face. “Yeah.” I do know that, and I wish I would’ve told her first. She knows all of my other secrets, I’d trust her with anything.

We both get up from our seats and walk together towards the hallway. “Come over later. If you want,” she says.

“You aren’t mad at me?”

She looks confused, her eyes bouncing between the two of mine. “Why would I be?”

“I don’t know,” I shrug. “Maybe for ignoring you.”

She shakes her head. “I get it, you had a girlfriend. I understood that you wanted space.”

“I was being stupid. You’re my best friend, you always have been.”

She gives me another tight smile, her rosy lips just barely curving up at the ends. “I gotta go, I’ll see you later?”

I nod and watch as she continues down the hall towards her class.

FIFTEEN

Opal

“Do you want to talk about it?”

He blinks, his eyes focused on the clouds slowly moving above us. “Not really.”

Our field is full of flowers now. Bluebonnets, Indian paintbrush, and black eyed susans create a mosaic of color around our bodies as we lay splayed out on the old quilt I stole from my linen closet. There’s a slight breeze that whips through Alex’s hair, sending the scent of his cologne through the air.

“We don’t have to talk about it. I just wanted to say I’m sorry she did that to you.”

“I’m not sure what else I expected.”

I turn towards him to see a blank and withdrawn look on his face. “You didn’t deserve it.”

“No, but I knew the relationship wouldn’t last, and deep down I knew she wasn’t a great person.”

My brow furrows, but somewhere deep in my gut I feel a sense of satisfaction. I wondered if he’d be heartbroken, hopingshe’d take him back. The fact that he isn’t is a relief. “Then why’d you stay with her for so long?”

He shakes his head. “I don’t know.” He wipes a hand down his face. “Do you ever just feel like you’re going through the motions while you wait for your real life to begin? I think that’s what I was doing with Brooke.”

I purse my lips together. “Not really, to be honest.”

“What do you see in your future? After college I mean.”

The question catches me off guard. “I’m not sure. I mean, I’d love to make money doing something I love, like writing. But realistically? Probably working in an office.”

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