rotten apples out there and that most of the fish in the sea are
 
 less than impressive, but there is always that one. I’ll try to
 
 find him for you. I’m pretty good at it.” I kind of lie with that
 
 last bit. Oddly enough, even if it was true, I’d still kind of hate
 
 myself for having to do it at the moment.
 
 I realize that it’s jealousy.
 
 I’m only twenty-four and I’m not in a rush or anything.
 
 In high school, I dated guys for a year before I truly realized
 
 that I just wasn’t attracted to them, and it wasn’t just hormones
 
 or inexperience. I was attracted to girls. I kept that pretty low
 
 key at the time. I wasn’t ashamed, but I was slightly confused
 
 and really scared what people would think. I didn’t really care
 
 about fitting in, but I have to admit that fear kept me from
 
 saying anything to my friends and family for longer than I
 
 wish it would have. I didn’t want to have zero friends. I didn’t
 
 want my parents to hate me. I didn’t want my sister to think I
 
 was weird and not want to hang out with me anymore.
 
 I shouldn’t have worried. When I finally got brave
 
 enough to have the conversation, it was the day after I
 
 graduated. I told my parents and my sister together. They all
 
 assured me, with hugs and tears and laughter, that they could
 
 never stop loving me or wanting to hang out with me. Mandy
 
 is four years older. I’ve always kind of looked up to her, and
 
 her easy acceptance and love made it okay for me to tell my
 
 friends.
 
 I’ve never really had a best friend. Just closer friends in
 
 a group that I often hung out with. One of them basically never
 
 talked to me again, but the rest I still keep in touch with, even
 
 though a few have moved away for college and everyone is
 
 pretty busy doing life in general.