Page 65 of Bewitch

“I guess, yeah.”

“Well, I can tell you this truly even at the risk of it affecting my tip, but you are hot.”

I glance over at her.

She keeps her gaze firmly fixed on the road. “I’m bi, and I’m in a relationship with a woman right now, but if I were single, yes, I would want to talk to you.”

I honestly don’t know what to say, so I say nothing.

“I get it, though,” she says. “I was flat-out ugly in grade school. Kids were terrible to me. One summer, I went away to camp, and when I came back, I guess I had a bit of a glow up, and the boys were all so different to me. I hated their attention, and that’s when I realized I also liked girls. But it took me a long time to accept the way that they looked at me had changed because on the inside, I wasn’t any different. I was the same me I’ve always been.”

“That’s exactly it,” I say.

“You just have to own it. Own who you are now. You aren’t that same woman you used to be. You’re the person you are now in that skin you’re wearing. Don’t let anyone treat you differently. It terrible that the world will treat you better for being skinny or beautiful—”

“I’m not skinny,” I can’t help breaking in.

“And it seems like I’m not much of an introvert after all. I guess when you get started on a topic that hits close to home…” Ann smiles at me as she halts in front of my dorm. “You look skinnier than I am.”

“I don’t know about that.”

“I don’t know either, but you look great. Do you feel great?”

“Yes.”

“That’s what matters.” She grins and then makes a face. “I swear I didn’t say all of that just to try to get you to give me a good tip.”

I burst out laughing. “Those guys were maybe genuine, maybe not, but I now you were. It’s cool.”

I pay her and give her a generous tip, and I head up to the dorm. I’m only able to doze, falling into a very light sleep until there’s a knock on the door. The other girls arrived.

Despite being exhausted, I open the door.

“That Dave guy,” Kaylie starts. “Ugh!” She flails her arms.

“What happened?” I ask, glancing at Eliza.

“He was talking to us by the pool and then shoved Kaylie in.”

“I told him I didn’t want to. I meant it. I can’t swim that well sober, and I wasn’t sober then.” She scowls. “I am now, though.”

“At first, Dave just laughed, but then Kaylie started to drown.”

“I wasn’t drowning, but getting out… I did need help, and what did he do? He coped a feel and tried to convince me to stay in the water and was shoving his erect penis against me, and I wanted it as far from me as possible.” Kaylie rolls her eyes.

“You slapped him, didn’t you?” I ask.

“I didn’t slap him. I decked him, and other guys had to jump in and get him out since I KO’d him. Whoops.”

“You knocked him out!” I gasp and cover my mouth with my hands.

“Yep. And as they hoisted him up, everyone could see that he’s not much of a grower. His clothes were skin tight.” Kaylie rolls her eyes.

“Before she punched him, though, she threatened him with her sword.” Eliza glares at her roommate.

“Which wasn’t smart,” Kaylie concedes, “because that was when he thrust his sword against me. I totally meant my real sword.”

“Yeah, not all guys are going to realize you have a real one. As I keep telling you,” Eliza says. “But Dawn looks exhausted. Go to sleep.”

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