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Chapter 33: Hotel Part One

Leah:

I'm so excited! Today we're leaving for New York. We'll drive nine hours today, spend the night in a hotel that Uncle Geoff and Aunt Bridgette booked rooms at (along with giving us tons of food and two phones), drive the final nine hours to New York, and then meet my parents! I can't believe I'm so close to finally finding them! I'm excited, but I'm also scared. What if I'm a huge disappointment? I should be fine. Deep breaths. I grabbed my bag of necessities and walked to Sandy and I's room. Last night she came out to all of us.

We were all sitting around the fire roasting marshmallows for smores. Dacky and Brandon were now officially dating and their joy was contagious. They were snuggled up on one log, Brandon's arm around Dacky's shoulders. Ian and Carly sat on another, seeing who could light their stick on fire first, and Sandy and I shared another one. I was wrapped up in a blanket because I couldn't wear my t shirt and shorts. Thanks to Ian, they were soaking wet. Sandy had been weirdly quiet that night. She seemed zoned out staring at the fire. The flames danced across her beautiful big blue eyes. "You ok Sandy?" Brandon asked. Everyone went quiet and stared at her. "I have something to tell you guys." She said, taking deep breaths to calm herself. "Go ahead. You can tell us anything." Said Dacky. Sandy looked at her feet and if I hadn't been sitting right next to her I wouldn't have heard her whisper "I'm gay." "What was that sugar?" Carly asked sweetly. "I'm. Gay." She said louder. She jumped when everyone simultaneously shouted their love and support. Everyone except Brandon. "Bubba?" She said quietly. "Hm? Oh, am I supposed to act surprised?" Said Brandon. "You knew?!" She asked incredulously. "Well of course. Was it not obvious?" We all laughed and Sandy turned bright pink. Adorable. I mean, um, as a friend? After a little while I noticed her shivering. She was only wearing her swimsuit and shorts so it made sense. I opened my blanket and said "C'mere." She shook her head and said "No I'm fine." "Sandy you're shivering just get over here." "Are you sure?" She asked, brushing a piece of hair out of her eyes. I smiled and nodded. She finally did what I told her to and sat next to me. I wrapped the blanket around her and scooted closer. I felt a timid arm awkwardly try to wrap around my waist, but then she chickened out and set it on her leg. I huffed and did it for her. She blushed even more when I grabbed her hand with the one that wasn't holding on to the blanket. How oblivious can she be? I almost wanted to shout "I like you dummy!". But instead I turned my head and whispered "You're cute." She blushed even more (I didn't think it was possible but would you look at that) and whispered "You too". 

So. I have come to the conclusion that I have a crush on my best friend. I realized I was bi when I was twelve but didn't think I needed to tell anyone. I mean, I thought I was never going to have the chance to date anyone anyways. I started having a crush on Sandy... a while ago. I can't remember when exactly, but I know it happened slowly. Before last night I was beating myself up because I thought there was no way she could ever like me back and come on Leah! That's your best friend! And so I tried to convince myself that I didn't like her. But you can only think about how adorable someone looks when they're embarrassed, or how soft their lips look so much before there's no use lying about it. I didn't know for sure that I liked her until the beach. Once Geoff told us that Sandy went back because she was sick I started freaking out. That was when I knew. I'm pretty sure Ian knew too from the eyebrows he kept giving me. I'm pretty sure she likes me back. But I don't know for sure. Yet. 

Speak of the devil, Sandy was in our room. She stretched up on her tippy toes to put a bag on one of the shelves. And she was wearing short shorts. God help me. Not able to help myself, I walked over and plucked the bag out of her hand. "You're so short." I said, putting it on the shelf. She turned around and crossed her arms. "I am not. You're just freakishly tall." I laughed and patted her head. "Whatever you say Pint Size." She shoved me onto her bed and stood over me triumphantly. "Who's short now?" She asked. I tried to pull her down next to me, but she actually landed on top of me. Both of our eyes widened. Her eyes flickered down to my lips for only a second. I forgot how to breathe. She leaned down just a tiny bit. I closed my eyes. Then Ian walked in.