Chapter 56
So she picked a book by an author who had a lesbian lover which involved a gay love story at its heart and hoped…what? That Dana would be able to read between the lines and see how interested she was in pursuing a relationship of their own? That the story would bring them together somehow?
Were matters of the heart always this touch and go? Dana wasn’t sure, but with a knowing smile, she took the book Bethany offered her and leafed through it, even though it was in French and she couldn’t read a word of it. She’d get there, she hoped. Eventually.
* * * *
To Dana, they seemed to become fast friends, spending the day talking books and getting to know each other. By the time they decided to grab a bite to eat and catch the early show of Jurassic Park, Dana felt as if they’d always hung out together. The next step appeared to be so easy—let her hand slip down into Bethany’s, stare a little too long after something that made the both of them laugh, lean in slowly to claim that first, tentative kiss. They were getting there, Dana knew, slowly but surely.
By this time next week, she’d have her first real girlfriend. And such a pretty one at that. She could hardly wait.
They sat together on the bus, side by side in the small seat, Dana’s hip pressed against Bethany’s until she thought she’d die from the heat of their touch. It took all the strength she had to stare straight ahead and pretend she felt nothing from the weight of Bethany’s leg alongside hers. The movies would be maddening, sitting together in the dark, but truth be told, she couldn’t wait. They really couldbe seeing Barney and Friendsfor all she cared; as long as Bethany was beside her, she didn’t care what was going to be on the screen.
Outside the theater, Dana stood as close to Bethany as she dared as they waited in line to buy tickets. A lot of college kids were there—it was apparently a popular hangout for upperclassmen—but Dana didn’t see anyone she knew. She wondered if anyone thought she and Bethany were a couple. She inched closer to her friend, leaned into Bethany when she laughed, tried to be careless and nonchalant like Bethany seemed to be. I like you,she thought, and imagined projecting the feeling from every pore of her body, thinking it directly into Bethany’s head. I like you, I do. Look at me now, right now, if you like me, too.
When Bethany grinned her way, Dana knew it. They were meant to be together.
The movie turned out to be better than Dana expected. She got caught up in it as much as everyone else in the theater did. When things onscreen got a bit scary, she reached over for her friend’s hand only to find Bethany reaching back. There was nothing safe or childlike about the dinosaurs in thisfilm, and Dana loved every heart-racing minute of it. She gripped Bethany’s hand tight, unwilling to let go even after everything ended happily, and as the credits began to roll, she said, “I want to see it again!”
“Me, too!” Bethany glanced around, a wicked smirk on her face. “Let’s go to the restroom and wait until they start the next show, then we’ll slip on in and find seats in the back. What do you say?”
It sounded crazy and daring; what could Dana say? “Let’s do it!”
The bathroom had only one stall; they both crowded into it, pulling the door shut behind them in case one of the ushers looked in to see if anyone was inside. Bethany climbed onto the back of the toilet and hunkered down, then motioned for Dana to sit on the closed lid. “This is so bad,” Dana whispered, excited and nervous at the same time. She had to bury her face in her hands to stifle her giggles. “What if we get caught?”
“We’ll just say we’re making out,” Bethany told her. “They’ll be too embarrassed to say anything. If the door opens, remember to pull your legs up so no one sees them.”
“I will.” Making out.Dana wished she were brave enough to suggest they do just that—they have a good twenty minutes to kill. After a few moments, she ventured to ask, “Have you ever done that before?” She hoped she didn’t sound overly eager to know the answer.
Bethany was squatting on the tank behind her, so Dana couldn’t see her friend’s face. “Done what? Snuck into another movie on the same ticket? Sure, now and then. It’s like a double feature but you only pay for one flick.”
“No, I mean…” Dana cleared her throat and ran her fingers around her lips to wipe away the sweat beginning to bead there. “Have you ever made out with another girl before?”
She felt Bethany tug playfully at her hair. “Pssh, no. Don’t be silly. I’m not into girls. I just said that in case someone walks in and finds us here. We can’t tell them what we’re really doing, now can we?”
Not into girls.Dana’s whole body seemed to deflate. She bent over her knees, pulling out of Bethany’s reach, and stared at the tiled floor between her feet. She should’ve known better than to get her hopes up. Not into girls.Of course not. Why would she be?
As if she realized she’d hurt Dana’s feelings somehow, Bethany ran a soothing hand down Dana’s back. Damn, but her touch could still ignite Dana’s skin beneath her clothes, leaving a trail of flames in its wake. “What about you?” Bethany asked gently.