Between Two Girls

Chapter 45

"Paige, are you sure no one we know will see us?" Lucy asks in the passenger seat of Paige's car. She stares out the window to see the building. "It's pretty damn close to our school district. I think at least a third of the students live around here." From the obvious anxiety she's showing and what she's saying, Paige's surprised she was able to persuade Lucy to come with her to the 'coming out' party.

Opening the door, the bookworm gets her leg out and looks back at Lucy. "I'm sure they won't be here," she says, her voice full of confidence. "Besides, why do you care if they see you here? You already came out to the school. They won't be shocked to see you here."

Lucy squirms in her seat, and Paige knows she's said something wrong. She reaches over and touches her arm. "I'll be there with you. I promise." Paige crosses her heart with her finger.

"Okay," Lucy whispers. The girls get out of the car, and hesitantly walk towards the center. They get to the door, and Paige can already hear the music playing. The party probably started a bit ago.

"This reminds me of Hunger Games, where we try to win by doing something risky," Juli notes.

"You think entering a 'coming out' party is like Hunger Games?" Emery asks, disbelief. "In the series, they kill people. Here, they admit they're gay, or trans, or bi. No killing involved."

"Well, you kind of kill your closet self!" Juli points out. "Doesn't that count?"

A pause. "I never thought of that. But even with that in mind, this isn't like Hunger Games."

There's someone at the help desk, and Paige walks up to her, Lucy trailing behind. The bookworm waits until the woman looks up. "Hi, we're here for the, um, 'coming out' party?" Paige attempts.

She smiles. "Go down to this hall over there, and the last door on the right," she directs, using her pen as a pointer.

"Great. Thanks." Paige smiles back, and she walks down the hall with Lucy. While the voices still argue, probably about what band is the best as far as Paige can hear, Lucy's breathing become shallow and quick. Paige stops her at the entrance door, and holds Lucy at the shoulders. "You'll be fine," she assures. "There's no judgement here."

Lucy nods. "Okay." She tentatively opens the door, and reveals exactly what Paige expects from a 'coming out' party. A guy with spiked blue hair and a microphone is in the center of a large circle that extends to the walls of the big room. He's choosing random people to hold the mike and say their name and sexuality. 

Paige witnesses the spiked hair guy give the mike to a shy girl in a poodle skirt. "Remember to say them loud and clear," he shouts over the music.

The girl smiles a little, and firmly grasps the handle. The mike bops her nose, making a loud noise. "Sorry," she says, grinning sheepishly. "Um, I'm Dana, and I'm proud to come out as an asexual." Everyone whoops. "But I'm romantically available for anyone," she adds.

The guy gets the mike back from Dana. "Let's give a round of applause for Dana the Panromantic Asexual!" he hollers. Everyone else respond, and clap their hardest. Somewhere in the circle, Paige hears a couple of people whistling, and a few others stamping their feet on the ground. Even Lucy seems to be enjoying it.

"Well?" the bookworm asks. "Do you want to be a part of it?"

Before Lucy can answer, the guy turns to see the girls. "And what do we have here?" he says. Paige has heard that line so many times from people at school, but with him, it was almost fun and playful. "Why don't you come out here and join the circle?"

"Um, okay," Paige says. She gets Lucy and herself in the line of people. Some scoot opposite directions to give the girls room. As soon as they're settled, the guy comes over to them.

"You guys new here?" he asks, still using the mike to speak. Paige and Lucy nod, and he holds out a hand. "I'm Ike the Bi, so you at least know someone's name here." They all shake hands, and Ike turns to the rest. "It looks like we have new people!" While everyone's cheering, Paige can see Lucy turn red in embarrassment.

As soon as it's quieter, Ike gives the mike to Lucy. "Why don't you tell us your name and what kind of closet you came out of?" he asks, giving her a cocky grin.

Lucy laughs a little. "Um, I'm Lucy," she starts, "and, um, I came out of the 'lesbian' closet." She gives the mike back to Ike.

"Let's give it up for Lucy the Lesbian!" More hoots follow, and Lucy seems glad that it's over with. More people get their chance to come out, and Paige tries her best to at least remember some of them. There's Gideon the Trans, Tom the Gay, and even a few more lesbians. One of them, Riley, gives Paige a mischievous grin next to her. 

"Oooh, you should ask Riley out!" Juli encourages.

"No, Juli. That's not a good idea," Emery says.

Minutes later, more people are introduced, and only a few are left. Ike gets to Paige. "Now, let's see who our other guest is!" he says. Handing the bookworm the mike, he adds, "You already know the drill, don't you?"

Instead of replying, Paige takes a breath. Should she take the chance to come out in front of Lucy? Or lie and say she's straight, just supporting Lucy? The people wait, and Paige decides to be truthful. "I guess I'm Paige the Lesbian," she answers. Almost immediately, Lucy's eyebrows are raised.

"Alright! Paige the Lesbian here!" Ike grabs the mike and adds into it, "I think that's everyone. Now, party! Be free! Be yourselves!" Everyone seems to agree with him, and the circle breaks out. With them dancing, or eating and drinking from the little table nearby the front door, Paige turns to Lucy.

"Okay, now you can yell at me," Paige says. Part of her says it jokingly, the other serious. Lucy just looks at her. "What?"

"It makes sense now," Lucy answers finally. The bookworm gives her a confused look. "When you and Anika were over at my house. You called me beautiful." Suddenly, she doesn't look like Lucy wants to be here.

The bookworm puts her hands in her pockets, feeling awkward. Everyone else seems to ignore the tension between her and Lucy. She watches the dancing and laughing and talking. "Do you want me to take you home?" she asks.

Lucy nods. "But I want to go somewhere else first," she replies.