Page 12 of One More Weekend

It was hard to break eye contact with those emerald eyes but I forced myself to. My brain had been running wild with ideas since I’d lost my job – like the thought of not having to preserve a roommate relationship or geographically close friendship had reopened a locked-away vault.

“Speaking of moving,” Sy snapped her fingers, turning toward me and resting my foot on her thigh, “I have our first date planned out.”

“Really? Already?” My forehead wrinkled, kind of assuming I had more time before I had to really think about leaving the city. I’d barely even been applying for jobs after less than a week.

Nodding, Sy’s face lit up. “No time to waste, baby. You’re free tomorrow, I assume?” Her eyes drifted down my ratty outfit, the stained pajamas a dead giveaway about my plans.

“Free as a bird.”

I couldn’t help but start guessing where we’d be headed.

But before I could get too deep into speculation, Sy patted my leg. “Dress casual, lots of walking and maybe a little windy.”

A laugh rose to my chest. “What on earth do you have planned, Sylvia?”

“You’ll just have to find out, won’t you?” Sy stuck her tongue mockingly before rising from the couch. “Unfortunately, I have adate that I need to get ready for but we need to leave here at 8 am so I’ll be back tonight.”

I faked a gasp. “No overnight stay on the first date? And they say chivalry is dead.”

Not that I was one to talk, I was a vibes-based dater. If they were hot and I liked them, I couldn’t stop myself from indulging in a little fun.

“Ridiculous.” Sy rolled her eyes as she disappeared into her room to get ready and grab her towel.

A part of me hated watching her leave, forgetting that whether I left or not, her life would still be here. I was the only one who couldn’t form new attachments until I figured out what the fuck I was doing.

Maybe whatever Sy had in store for tomorrow would bring some clarity. It was all I could hope for because I was fuck-out of ideas.

9

SY

Gettingup ass early was something I’d only do to make Jenna happy. I wiped the sleep from my eyes and threw on a plain white t-shirt, rolling a slight cuff onto each arm to frame my slender biceps.

I slipped on a pair of loose jeans and my Doc Martens. Although I’d done a good job of keeping our first day a secret, I knew the ferry would be a little damp and that the walking would be a bit intense.

Once I combed my hair in the small mirror on top of my towering dresser, I opened my door.

“Good morning!” A chipper Jenna sounded from the coffee pot in the kitchen.

My eyes widened. “Hello.” I sounded far more exhausted than I felt, a deep rasp coming from my throat.

“Coffee?” Before I could even answer, Jen was pouring the large carafe into a thermos for me.

“Please.” I smiled as I leaned against the wall opposite the kitchen counters, my eyes wandering down her outfit.

She looked cute, not that different from my own outfit. Her hair was in a ponytail, the light brown hair just grazing hershoulders as her head swiveled around, just barely touching the cropped black t-shirt. Baggy brown trousers cascaded down her long legs, the pleats highlighting her waist.

Swallowing, I grabbed the thermos from her hand. “You look cute.”

“Thanks, so do you.” Jenna winked as she cradled her own to-go mug, excitement plastered on her face.

I took a look down at myself. It was almost too similar to go out in public but it was just different enough that I’d let it fly. Really, we were just two sides of the same queer-style coin.

Checking the clock on the stove, I snapped my fingers together. “Ready?”

“Definitely.” Jenna nodded.

I guided us out of the front door, locking the apartment behind me before trodding down the stairs. At the base of the stairs, I walked us out toward the Financial District where we’d catch a ferry.

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