Pulling Pieces (girlxgirl) Book 1 Puzzle Pieces

Chapter 7

I go back to my room and listen to my playlist on my phone as I wait for Tia.

How am I going to start this story? She would hate me once she knew that I have been out on a date. And she will be mortified upon finding out I almost lost my virginity tonight. And she'll be horrified if she knows that I have been with a woman this whole evening. She didn't peg me for a lesbian and it's awful to start now. Argh!

I am forced to get the door and out of my thoughts when the doorbell rings.

I open the door and let her in. She follows me into the bedroom after locking the door behind her. She throws her bag under my bedside table as she climbs with me into the bed.

How long have we been sleeping like this? Since when did it get awkward all of a sudden?

Good Merida, I mean Tia is all woman you know? We had been having sleepovers since we started being friends. We have been best of friends since we have classes together in our freshmen years. I haven't been conscious of having a woman beside me in my bed until now. Oh Blake, what have you done?

"Blake? Who's Blake?" I didn't mean to have said that loudly. Now I have no escape as Tia faces me after pulling the mattress up to her chin and the knots on her forehead.

"I met Blake not long ago and asked me on a date where I almost slept over and surrendered my virginity." Tia's eyes couldn't be rounder than what they are now. Her smile couldn't grow any bigger too and it seems like it's tearing her cheeks.

"Oh my gooosh!!! Isn't that so great of a news? You should have told me earlier on the phone! I thought something bad happened. I wasn't able to meet him yet but then here you are almost spending the night. I am not stopping you, I'm happy that at long last you are now considering a boyfriend. I should meet him you know? You should introduce us. Where did you meet? Why haven't you told me? I'm no longer disappointed for you not telling but from now on I am telling you that you should tell me. Okay?" She begins to sit and get carried away so much that I haven't got the chance to correct her. She seems to take it all out on me in one breath.

"She's a woman. Blake's a woman." I see her expression change after having the widest smile into clear confusion.

"A what?!"

"You heard it." I whisper.

She lies back and facing the ceiling, doubling the confusion written in capitals on her face. She must be all sorts of confused like the way I'm feeling but I can't say it more clearly than I had.

She looks at me and I almost swallowed my tongue for fear of the next question.

"Since when did you turn gay, Lana?"

And so I have to start from the very beginning. This is going to be a longer night my friend.

"I am not judging you", she starts after the story I shared with her about meeting Blake.

"Thank you", I sincerely say.

"It's just that I have been contemplating on every word you've said. I didn't see the gap or even the slightest sign wherein you've transformed into a girl-loving person. Don't get me wrong, I know you love me but not in the way you seem to love-like Blake. It's really a surprise. I hope you give me a chance to get over with the shock." she seriously says, without blinking.

We are just looking at the ceiling with our own thoughts. I'm giving her the chance to analyze this over. Maybe if I hear her conclusions, somehow it would also clear my mind. I feel like the worst person on earth. This is very different in crushing over Mike.

Whenever I think of Blake, my lungs seem to forget to function on their own. I can barely breathe and my mind becomes a fuzzy mess. I'm very much f****d up.

"Maybe it's really your calling, you know?" Tia speaks.

It's a wonder that it seems like a year has almost passed before she speaks up again. I look at her as if I haven't heard her the first time.

She looks at me and repeats herself.

"Maybe you are really meant to be gay. I mean, look at you. You are a tomboy. You are very carefree in choosing your clothes, you are very comfortable with your actions. You are confident and you exude this aura of courage and freedom. All this time, you haven't found yourself a boyfriend. Maybe what you are looking for is really a girlfriend. I don't think it's negative to be gay. If it's how you feel and if it's pointing you to your happiness, why stop yourself? We are all chasing our happiness anyways. I'm not stopping you either." She smiles after a long monologue.

I just stare at her and gape. Not realizing myself but more on accepting the facts she might have concluded. I'm not disagreeing but not totally agreeing on everything. But it somehow brings me happiness. Maybe I am just a sucker for attention but who cares? Maybe for now, I'll just go with the flow and see where this takes me. Anyways, I'm comfortable in my own skin, so why trouble myself when I already know myself.

I smile. A little awkward for having my best friend read through my actions. She smiles back and I know the case is closed. We continue with our normal selves and our normal girl gossips. We forget about Blake for some time but I know at the back of my mind, she'll distract me before I close my eyes to sleep.

Weekend passed normally without any signs of Blake. That should be a good thing but I grasp my chest for a little while having the same effects of difficulty in breathing whenever she crosses my mind.

Monday is such a fine day to think of stress. I want to be normal for today and just think of normal things. I don't want to worry about other people who don't seem or care to bother me with a text or a call. She won't be around campus so I really don't have to let my mind wander about her.

Just when I was about to enter the campus building Tia comes and calls my name.

"Lana!" She reaches me gasping for air. She looks like she ran a mile just to tell me some news.

I look at her expectantly and give her time to catch her breath.

"You won't believe this but I think we really should go." She says handing me a flyer.

EXCLUSIVE: LADIES NIGHT on Wednesdays in SUCCUBUS BAR

"Not really." I say dismissing the suggestion.

"Why not?! This is your time to shine and explore! Maybe we'll get to find you a girl you might like. I'm coming with you so you should not hesitate you know? I'll be backing you up!", she says it all smiles like this is really a good thing.

"Tia, I don't think I'm actually looking for someone right now. I'm just letting the idea sink in first before I act on it. I'm not really ready for this." I honestly admit.

I am not rushing into going into a relationship and aside from that, my schedule is pretty much occupied with school and work. I don't have spare time on my hands and my days are full of responsibilities. Going to the bar with Tia and hanging out is actually part of my seldom freedom.

"I didn't peg you as boring so don't start now okay. We are just going to have fun. Looking at girls will just be an added bonus. If you don't want to look then don't cause nobody's pushing you to do so. I'm going to make sure we're gonna have real fun there. We can go after your shift so it wouldn't be a much of a chore you know. Pleeeeaase? I really do want to come and dance and don't pretend you don't want to." She says batting her eyes at me. Well if she puts it like that...

"Okay. But we'll watch for the time. I don't want to creep inside the dorm again." I tell her.

"Yes! I know you would come to your senses! You just love me so much you wouldn't let me down. Thank you!!!", she says as she hugs me tightly before rushing to her class. I just shake my head in astonishment. I've got one helluva best friend.

I walk to my class hoping today won't be any different from the others. I still have work to do after school. This is really going to be a tiring day.

"One turkey sandwich and black coffee please." The lady in a pink plaid dress tells me as I take her order. She seems to brighten up the cafe with her smile. She has very nice set of white teeth. If teeth can really shine, her's might be the brightest. She looks so happy.

I pop her sandwich into the oven to heat it up while I make her drink. Working in the cafe for months, I already memorized each blend and soon enough everything seems to be easy. I grab her sandwich and cover her steaming cup. As I laid her order on her tray another lady comes up to her and kisses her right on the mouth. My face warmed into the sight as I feel embarrassed and awkward at the same time.

"Hi, honey would you like something for yourself?" she asks the other lady who just came up to her. She is wearing a long sleeved white shirt and a blue penciled skirt with hair that makes me think of corn. She smiles at her and says she already had lunch and would just love some tea.

"One milk tea please", she tells me. The lady with in pink smiles again at me and then talks to the lady in blue in whispers.

I immediately mix her tea and place her order on her tray as I take the p*****t and give her change. "Enjoy your meal", I say as I take the next in line.

I cannot believe my eyes. Maybe I was just born yesterday to not know of these things. I thought only girls who wear pants and their hair short are just the people who can be called gay and go into gay relationships. I really must learn this painfully slow.

This just means to say anybody, in any clothing could be actually gay. People don't seem to care. They are not ridiculed and they are not being looked at so it doesn't seem like a big of a deal. It's really OK to do gay relationship publicly, I think.

I continue to take orders and take a glimpse of the girls who seem to be very happy and at ease with each other. I find myself unconsciously wishing for something like that. To be able to just do freely what you wanted to do, to be with someone who would make you happy every day, to have somebody who would understand you. Maybe it really feels great to be with someone and have everybody see the happiness reflected on your smiles.

Then all of my day dreaming is interrupted with the face of Blake. How is she now. I haven't heard from her since...

There is no point in going there. I asked for time, and she's respecting that. I know where she lives, so maybe if I'm ready, I'd pay her a visit. Will I ever get the courage by then?

My reverie is cut by a man in an office attire. He seems to be in a hurry for he is thumping his fingers on the counter. I remember what he ordered, a slice of an apple pie. I can see through his clear blue sunglasses which compliment his blue coat. He looks at me expectantly and gives a rude remark.

"Can you do that quickly?", he then huffs and looks away. I place his pie on his tray and he gave me an exact amount for his bill.

Somehow this day, there are new customers coming in and noticing the cafe. Before the customers who come in are the locals and mostly I've memorized their names and their usual orders. This might be good and bad at the same time. Now I can't wait for what will happen on Wednesday. Time seems to fly by so slow.