Page 67 of Isn't It Obvious?
“What does it matter if I’m sure? You’re the one having the awakening,” Yael says.
Gina huffs. “I’m asking you because you’re the expert!”
“The expert in… bisexuality?”
She nods. “You’ve been at it for a while, no?”
Yael throws her head back laughing. “Yeah, most of my life, I’d say.” She pauses. “What’s bringing this on now?”
“The new emcee at the club,” she answers, “is making me feel things. The hottest butch I’ve ever seen. But, like, I’ve made it this far never once feeling anything for a woman. Or even a fem man, to be honest.”
Yael shrugs, scanning a return and moving it to the cart. “Maybe you’re just into masculinity. But also, it kind of doesn’t matter, does it? If you’re into this woman, you’re into her.” Gina taps a finger against her bottom lip, staring at Yael,which prompts her to continue. “I think labels are supposed to be descriptive, not prescriptive. They’re useful in helping us find community or signaling to other people whether you might be available to them or not, but they don’t tell you who to be.”
“That is anextremelybisexual response,” Gina says.
Yael grins, slotting another title onto the top shelf of the cart. “Well, Ihavebeen at it for a while,” she says.
“Hot Volunteer Ravi alert,” Gina whispers, nodding toward the windows that look out onto the street.
“What?” Yael snaps her head up, and there he is, wearing a rain shell open over a dark green-gray crewneck and carpenter jeans, ascending the steps to the entrance. “It’s too early!”
Gina narrows her eyes in suspicion. “Doesn’t your club start in, like, twenty minutes?” The bell sounds, as if to punctuate her point.
“Yes, but he never comes on time anymore!”
“Oh, is that why I haven’t seen him lately? I thought I’d gotten better at clearing out of here quickly,” Gina says. She pauses to survey Yael, then says accusatorily, “You seem stressed.”
“I’m fine,” Yael says tightly.
Gina leans forward, smirking. “Anything you want to tell me about…?”
Yael very pointedly does not look at the open door to the library office. Heat trails up her neck to her jaw to her lips, retracing the path Ravi’s mouth had taken. “No,” she says.
“I see,” Gina says, dropping her voice to a whisper. “You stopped sexy-emailing with Kevin, so now you want to be hot-volunteering with Ravi.”
“It’s bad enough as a noun;pleasedo not make it a verb,” Yael says.
“Hey,” Ravi says from the doorway, tugging his arms out of his rain jacket.
“You’re early today,” Gina coos at him, sliding down from her countertop perch.
He shrugs. “Thought I’d help Yael set up,” he says, eyes flicking toward her when he says her name.
“What a committed volunteer,” Gina pretends to tell Yael, so loudly that it’s clearly meant for Ravi to hear.
He’s amused enough for that incisor to make an appearance. “I’ll start the circle,” he says, rolling his jacket into a ball and tucking it under his arm.
“I’d like to sink my teeth into that ass, you know?” Gina whispers.
Yael sighs. “Not really,” she says.
“Seriously…?”
“I’d rather sink my teeth into his biceps.” Yael smiles mischievously.
Gina’s jaw drops. “Oh myGod,” she says.
“Goodbye, Gina,” Yael says, starting after Ravi.
