Pulling Pieces (girlxgirl) Book 1 Puzzle Pieces

Chapter 10

How to be a lesbian?...How to do lesbian?...Speak lesbian?...Wear lesbian?...Do I need to be a lesbian?

Tia just texted me that she'll come over for the weekend. I haven't told her that I am still not at Amy's. I still have to make an alibi so I can use a few more hours before going home to Amy's.

Tia. I'm on my way to the public library. Won't be back till late. Maybe you can come tomorrow? Still have to write the column Ms. Brunswick was asking for next Monday. I hit send. I hope its convincing.

I bring my hair up in a bun. I'm really nervous for this is going to be my first time to go back to Succubus Bar alone. I don't want to drag Tia in here just because she wants to watch me explore. I'm already old enough to carry myself. I feel more matured than Tia so I know when to stop drinking. But I have to remember to be mindful of the drinks while dancing which really fuzzes my mind that I don't get to count the shots.

I pull my nude spaghetti strapped blouse with laces covering the upper chest part. Maybe this will fit my jeans and sneakers.

I put on some dark blue liners on my eyes just to make them pop a bit and nude lipstick. I hope this is fine and I won't look ridiculous. I grab a black racer jacket of dad's which he must have given me some years ago and headed out.

"So where to?" Amy says from the living room. I did not expect her to be up this early, its only seven pm and she wakes up not before nine. She's holding a cup of coffee and a magazine on her lap.

"Just out." To a lesbian bar.

"Where to, Lana? She repeats, this time, sternly.

"Tia and I are going out tonight. We're going to a friend's birthday party." I say flat-faced.

"Hmm. Kay." She says as she flips on the magazine pages.

"See yah later", I say trying to sound excited and worry-free.

Once I reach the bus station, I slip on my jacket and waited for the bus. The bus ride is uneventful and it just gives me more time to think of what I'm going to do once I'm there. It's not really ladies' night tonight but I'm still taking my chances. Maybe I'll find somebody whom I can watch and just observe the night.

As I enter the club, I realize that it's not really ladies' night since I see a lot of guys inside already having fun with their girlfriends and peers. I suddenly remember Jake, of all the time, I remember him now. Maybe because he seems to look a lot like the guy shouting in the corner table with his friends cheering him. They have a few girls with them and they are all having fun. He is flirting with not only one of them though. Guys like Jake really doesn't know how to be monogamous. He enjoys a lot of attention and he seems to crave for it or long for it when it's not around.

Maybe that is how Libra's are. I don't want to believe in signs but he seems to fit exactly what they should be. Maybe Blake is also a Libra. They have similarities in a way but I don't want to admit them now. I don't want to be how Tia is with Jake. She had become very expectant of him even if most of the time, he disappoints her. Tia had been very clingy. Well I also don't want to be like that.

But what if Blake is really a Libra?

I sip on my drink as I think of the points wherein she may not be one. Thing is I am not against her being one. I am against me, being a lover of one.

I am deep in this thoughts when somebody approaches me and leans on the bar. A blonde girl.

"Care if I buy you a drink?", she says as she looks at my almost empty glass.

Am I already a lesbian magnet by the way? Have I become that paranoid that I will think of every woman who approaches me as lesbian? God forbid. I try to smile as I shake my head to refuse.

"No. I'm good.", I smile again at her as she continues to look at me.

She has the nicest smile. She seems to be happy that I also feel elated in her presence. Maybe she's just that kind.

"The night is young and you are already refusing drinks." She continues to smile not really minding my refusal. "Mind if I join you here?" She looks around to make sure I am with nobody?

I look down on my drink as my "alone time" vanishes. She sits beside me in silence. Just watching the crowd while I still hold on to the little "alone time" that I have by turning my back against the crowd and I face the bar with eyes still down on my drink.

She leans her back and her arms on the bar while enjoying the dancing crowd.

She speaks again.

"I am with my friends over there." She nods her head to the group beside the noisy guys whom I noticed before. I spin my head just to peek.

There are five girls around the table, all dressed up and made up for the club. Of all the five in the table only one stands out because she's another blonde just like the woman beside me. She has straight silky hair that reaches her shoulders and she's wearing a black revealing dress. Well in fact I don't think she's a girl my age. She seems to be already in her mid or late twenties.

Another woman who leans beside her. She has curly dark chocolate hair if the light permits it, maybe I'm right. She's in mustard jersey dress which hugs her form well. I never expected that mustard would look good on skin like hers. At first you wouldn't notice but eventually you'd find out she has the slightest hint of mocha on her white skin.

They are actually all in dresses except for the rowdy one. You might really want to call her rowdy because of her messy look but she still looks fine to me.

"Nice friends you got there.", I mumbled before sipping the last of my drink.

"You can join us if you want to." She tilts her head almost willing me to.

I weigh the circumstances if I really would like to join a group while I am looking for someone to observe. I look over their group again. They don't seem to be that loud, so I don't see the harm in joining them.

"Okay." I smile at her again and she smiles wider. I'm going to hurt my face if I smile like that but hey, she looks gorgeous.

We walk over to their table and the women acknowledge us by smiling at us both.

"Hi guys, this is...", she looks over at me realizing she haven't asked for my name.

"Lana." I finish for her.

"Hi Lana!", everybody beams at me and I feel so happy all of a sudden. Maybe I have been lurking alone for so long I suddenly wanted some company. I now regret not bringing Tia over.

"Hi", I do a small wave and a nod feeling awkward all of a sudden being surrounded by pretty women.

"By the way I am Ava", says the curly haired woman.

"This is Brea," motioning to the blonde hair. She smiles politely at me.

"That is Liza," the girl with light brunette hair in a floral dress who nods a smile.

"That is Toni," referring to the rowdy dark haired girl in skinny pants and a leather vest? She lifts her shot glass for a cheer and I smile back. She seems pretty kind.

"and that is Jan" the girl in pants and a tank top. I didn't notice her that much since she looks so simple and quiet even if she gives me a small smile and goes back to watching the crowd.

"Hi", I say again to everybody around the table.

"I forgot to introduce myself." Interrupted the blonde beside me. "I'm Rima, by the way."

"Hi Rima. Nice to meet you." I say politely. I then notice the streaks of dark on her very short hair. She must have highlights.

"We make it a point to go here before weekends to reunite. The weekends are for family though that's why we are here today to just hang out and release stress. How about you? Why are you here alone? Are you waiting for someone?" She looks around figuring out who I might be with.

I shake my head, "No."

"I am completely alone. I just want to have a little drink and some." I answer. Rima seems to make a conversation while I feel so awkward around these women who are all gorgeous you might want to ogle them if you were in my place.

Ava asks suddenly if I am single.

"Yes, I am." She smiles at Rima as if they are having a conversation I'm not aware of.

"And how young are you?" Ava continues to ask and adds, "if you don't mind me asking."

"Oh, I don't mind. I'm 21. And I must guess you guys are older than me." I laugh a little to mask the awkwardness of the joke.

"Yes, we are but not that old." Brea chimes in and laughs.

"We are twenty-five-ish." Toni laughs in.

While Liza interrupts, "Maybe that was three years ago" and they all laugh at that.

I am in a happy group, they are just all fun even if they are older than me, I can see myself making friends with these people.

Jan suddenly speaks a warning, "Guys, let's not scare the straight people, they might be the faintest of heart" and everybody was laughing louder. I find myself laughing with them. I cannot openly say I am gay but this revelation caught me off-guard that I find myself laughing harder.

When the laughter died down, they were all looking at me expectantly. Did they ask me a question?

Rima was the first to ask away, "So?" with a smile lingering on her face.

"I don't have a heart attack for one, and I also have a strong heart, that's a second, and third, I'm not sure what is the question." And the laughter starts again.

The night was moving so fast that I suddenly realize it's already three in the morning. Ava and Brea is already preparing to leave while the others seem to still be enjoying the late night.

"Guys, we already have to leave, I still have an early meeting tomorrow with some clients while Brea has to bring some papers for the car loan. We really have to ahead."

I notice that Brea is clinging on to Ava's arm. Are they?

"How about you Lana, we can give you a ride home if you want?" Ava offers.

"No. I'll bring her home." Rima interrupts. "Is that okay?" and asks me.

"Yeah. Sure. Thanks for the offer. I'll have Rima bring me home then." I decline Ava's as I accept Rima's.

"Seems like everybody would want to offer a ride, might as well take my chance too." Toni says, almost drunk.

"You cannot drive for you've had too many drinks tonight." Jan says.

"Speak for yourself. I'm bringing you both home." Liza says and looks at me. "You can also come if you want to decline Rima's and accept my offer. I'm driving Toni's jeep though. My car is in the shop getting some new paint.

"I'll take care of her." Rima interrupts again.

"Oh! You already have some claim over. I see. That's clear though." She finishes her glass and looks at Rima. They are again having the eye conversation.

Rima waves her away and laughs inwardly.

Brea and Ava says goodbye again, before everybody starts to freshen up to leave.

As we stand, a group of girls my age pass by and almost all of them knows Toni for they all wave their goodbyes at her except for one.

She walks over to Toni and whispers something to her ear.

"Not tonight. I am with friends. I'll text you tomorrow night, uhmm, Cara." Toni seems to forgot the name of the girl for a second there.

The girl rolls her eyes and leaves shouting back at Toni. "It's Kiera, not Cara!"

Toni presses on her temple like she's having a headache and smiles at us.

"My bad."

We all go to the parking lot altogether while I follow Rima to her car. We wave the rest goodbye as we walk to Rima's car.

Sleek. That is all the word I can think of to describe her car. Black and sleek. Why do I always find these kind of car, sleek?

"So where do you live?" Rima asks as she opens the passenger side for me.

"Depends. I usually live around Durant Ave. and sometimes with my aunt who lives about thirty minutes away."

"You know you can trust me your address, right? So I can bring you to your door safely." She smiles sweetly.

"You know it's just around the University so I'm pretty safe around there." I smile back.

"What now? Are you telling me that you are still a student?" Rima asks mortified.

"I'm not telling you anything. Why the shock?" I ask back.

"I am not aware. I asked you first. I didn't expect that you're still studying. You look like you are already a working woman you know? I should have asked you first! What am I thinking? Are you even allowed to date?"

This time, I grimace of mortification. I did not expect her to be REALLY gay, to ask me such question.

"Are you hitting on me, Rima?" This is embarrassing.

"Yes!" She says and I am at loss for words.

"Oh" Is all I am able to say. I am not ready for the answer that I have asked anyways.

"Yeah, is it alright then?" She asks this time like she's asking for permission after the drinking and offering in bringing me home.

"I don't know." I say honestly.

"Oh. I thought you were single?"

"Well, I am. But that doesn't mean I would like to go dating all ready." I say sadly almost in a small voice. These people had been so kind to me to start turning them down. One night might not mean a lot and not enough to really know them but...

I started to sigh in desperation. I'm so not cool now.

"So Durant Ave then? Please buckle up, I am serious when I said I wanted to bring you to your door safe." She starts to drive and the silence gets more awkward.

When she pulls up, she still walks around to open the door for me.

"Thank you for a wonderful night. I unexpectedly enjoyed it so much. I hope to see you all again if that's okay?", says the hopeful me.

"Why?" She leans on the door of her car arms crosses.

"Because I feel like you and your friends are really nice and I wanted you all to be my friends too." I feel like I'm being examined for a second or two.

"Sure. But", she eyes me like she's measuring my abilities... and disabilities. " I cannot help you when one or two of us will be hittin' on you. You know I cannot stop them. I don't have every right." She disappointingly says.

"Meaning all of you are..."

"Yes." She says looking for my reaction.

"Okay. No problem about that."

"Alright. I should be going then. Good night Lana. See you next time." she says still leaning on her car I wave goodnight and make my way to the lobby and wait for Rima to drive away.

I'm going to sneak out again after all I'm going home to Amy's. I just don't want to bother Rima to drive for 30 minutes more. I don't want her to appear on Amy's doorstep anytime soon. Amy's had enough of people like Blake. Now what do I mean by that?