Made To Be (a Mailbox Girl spin-off)

2. Painful Memories

Halloween, two years ago

"Hey, Sofia! Let me introduce you to Jane. Look at this, you have the same costume!"

I looked down at the cute black girl that was introduced before me. Indeed, she was dressed in the same Elastigirl costume as mine. But she looked way better in it than I did. That someone could look so good in such a cheap-ass costume was beyond my understanding.

"You look gorgeous, girl." Sofia said on the spot, contemplating me from all angles. "Wished this costume looked as good on me."

"It looks amazing on you." I felt my cheeks burning as I said that.

The childhood friend of mine who had just did the introduction stared at both of us longer than usual. Then he intervened again, in a murmur:

"What a coincidence that you two are out of the closet, single and dressed as the same character."

Sofia choked on her drink before raising her doe-eyes to me.

"So you-"

"You happen to be-" I started at the same time. We both stopped mid-sentence, offering the other to talk. Eventually, I gave in and asked the question I had on my mind. "Do you happen to be gay, by chance?"

"By chance." She repeated with a smug smile. "I do."

"I didn't mean it..." Words got messy as they left my mouth, trying to justify my choice of words. Why was I panicking? I was a cold-blooded person, I remained calm and collected no matter the circumstances.But this girl made me feel all flustered. I coughed my shyness off before looking straight into her eyes. I wanted to show her I was a confident being and I was not impressed by this whole situation. Even if meeting a gay girl was exceptional in this small town, I should stick to my true self. "I'm actually quite lucky to meet you. You're the first lesbian out of the closet that I meet."

"Actually, you're the first one too." Sofia admitted, not departing from her smug smile. "Do you attend East High? I think I've seen you there."

"Yes, I'm a sophomore there."

"Seriously? Me too! It's crazy that we've never had a single class together. Or at least I don't think we did."

"I don't think so either. I would have remembered."

"Aww." Sofia smile widened. "Are you flirting with me, by chance?"

"I think I am." I admitted as my insides got warm. How could a girl be so perfect? Perfect face, perfect body, perfect voice, perfect humor... And I did not think that because she was the only other lesbian my age in a fifty kilometers radius.

She was radiant.

"I appreciate it. So, Jane, it's your name, right?" I nodded and she went back to talking. "How in the hell are you single?"

I liked how she was so straight-forward, even if it made my stomach all weird each time she said a word.

"Lack of potential soulmates." I answered while taking a seat on a couch that a couple had just deserted. She dropped next to me. "Only boys want to date me."

"What a shame."

"Isn't it the same for you too?"

"It is." She pressed her lips together before flipping her purple locks over her shoulder. "But it's okay. I feel like it's better to wait for the right person to show up by chance than to look everywhere like a mad man."

"I-I-" Why was I stuttering again? "I was actually just talking about that with my step-sister. She's the only one at home I came out to and,this is exactly what I told her."