Lesbian An Old Friend and a New One

"Right before my senior year? Really?"

Krista watched as her daughter seemed to try to bore through her father with the rage in her eyes. Krista should have foreseen her daughter's angry reaction, but she had been blind to the emotional side of things. Her husband's new job would set them financially and sunny Southern California would be a huge improvement in comfort, just six or so hours south of where Krista grew up. He started to respond but their daughter resumed yelling first, turning to Krista and shouting, "And you tell me three days after my eighteenth birthday?"

"W- we wanted you to enjoy your party," Krista said meekly.

"This job will pay for your college and beyond, Bailey."

Krista didn't think Bailey's anger could get any hotter, but she saw the change as her father justified the decision. "Don't even start. I don't want to hear anything more from you. I'll be in my room," Bailey pointed at her father, "don't even try coming in."

After Bailey stormed off, Krista's husband said, "Well that went even worse than we expected."

Krista agreed. "I don't get it."

"Maybe you should go talk to her."

"She said not to try coming in."

"She pointed at me, and she trusts you. You're a lot closer than you think you are."

"Fine." Krista stood up and walked toward the stairs, feeling like she was walking to her own doom.

Fortunately, when Krista announced "It's Mom," Bailey grumbled "Come in." Bailey lay in the center of her bed, looking up at the ceiling. Krista took a deep breath and improvised, "We didn't mean to blindside you, but it's only a year before you're off to college."

"Yeah. My last year of childhood. My last year with my friends. You threw me a big old birthday party and I had no idea it was the last time I'd see most of them."

"We just wanted you to have a nice birthday."

"So you didn't even involve me in the biggest decision of the last three years? You could have at least pretended to care what I think."

"We care what you think, but we also know this will be so much better for you."

"Because of money? Since when do you think money's everything? God, you're turning into Dad."

"You've always wanted to live in California."

"Not out of nowhere. Not around a bunch of high school girls that are only going to see me as some dummy from Ohio."

"They won't, and you'll make friends fast."

"No, I won't."

"Yes you will. Like your new friend Maia, you haven't known her three months and you're thick as thieves."

"Mom, I've known Maia since kindergarten. She hated me in elementary school, so I avoided her when we moved back, and we just discovered that we actually have a lot in common. So two and a half years to make friends, not fast."

Krista sighed. "Well I disagree, but you'll still have your friends here."

Bailey made an exaggerated sigh. Krista knew she had said the wrong thing, but luckily her daughter didn't argue that point. When Bailey spoke, she said, "You know, I expect Dad to do whatever the fuck he wants, but I would have thought you'd at least warn me."

"Bailey, I am going to ignore your language, but do not disrespect your father like that."

Bailey sat up. "Oh you know it's true. Dad does what he wants. You go along because, I don't know, love or indifference or maybe you actually think he's always right. But I always thought you had some allegiance to me, but clearly that's wrong."

"You're my daughter, you're my number one allegiance."

"Well if you really think you're doing this for me, you don't know me at all. I think I need to call Maia now."

Krista silently, sadly, turned and left her daughter's room. Her husband was in the kitchen prepping ribs for the barbecue. "How'd it go?" he asked, but with a tone like he was asking like a trip to the grocery store.

"Well she's not threatening to try to use her age to stay."

"See, she'll see it's for the best."

"I just don't get how people get so tied up in friendships. I mean, I would sort of get it if she had a boyfriend, but even then it's like, what's the big deal?"

"She's a teenage girl, weren't you like that?"

"No. Do you remember what I said when you announced your move to Ohio?"

"Not really, honestly."

"'Do you want me to go with you?'"

"Oh yeah, and I said 'Of course,' right?"

"Actually, you said, 'You're my girlfriend, of course you want to, right?' And I just thought to myself, 'OK, sure, if that's what girlfriends do.'"

They both knew Krista's recounting wasn't pretty, her now-husband's presumptuousness and Krista's passive reaction. But they also knew she was right. The words felt familiar to her husband, and Krista remembered that moment very keenly, as if knowing there was some significance to that ancient exchange. But she couldn't put her finger on why the details of the conversation were so significant.

After the pause, Krista continued, "She's calling Maia right now. When I move, I just call people out of obligation."

"Maia, that's the cute new friend, right?"

Krista rolled her eyes. "You shouldn't talk about a teenager like that." Her husband seemed unmoved by the comment, so she said, "Yes, the new friend. I just don't get how they could be so close so quickly."
​

* * *​

Bailey was cool toward her father for the next few weeks before the move. They were never close, but Krista could see the difference between her husband and daughter, even if Bailey was spending more time than ever out with friends. After the move, Bailey became more withdrawn, spending almost all her time in her new bedroom and saying little except about how Rancho Santa Margarita was a horribly boring city in the middle of nowhere with a horribly long name. Krista couldn't honestly disagree, but the city was the only place where they could afford a home anything like what they had in Ohio. The open concept downstairs was much more comfortable than the cramped houses with better locations. Krista wanted a new job, but the only things she could find close by were retail, and she didn't want a long commute for a job she didn't really need.

Krista was right about one thing: Bailey made a new friend fast. Krista got to "meet" the new friend on the third day after school started when Bailey walked past the living room where Krista was reading and said, "Mom, I brought a friend. We're going up to my room."

Krista stood to greet them but she was too taken aback. "I'm Caroline," the friend said with a wave that showed off long, black fingernails. Caroline was pretty but wore all black, had jet black hair that must have been dyed, and lined her eyes with more black than a coal mine. Not only that, what clothes she wore were too skimpy. Her black spaghetti strap tank top showed ample cleavage, and while she had some sort of jacket, the jacket was completely lace and apparently had no way to close in the front. Her skirt seemed not to come past her butt, and being as short as she was, Krista assumed the skirt had to be homemade or from a very young juniors section. Her patterned tights seemed not to cover anything, and Caroline's alabaster skin seemed to shine through them. What California girl was so white? Only the thick biker boots seemed modest.

Krista could only stammer, "I'm Krista" before the girls were speeding upstairs.

"Nice to meet you," Caroline shouted as she followed Bailey away.

Krista heard nothing more from the girls until around six when they came downstairs and made for the door. "We'll have to talk more next time," Caroline said as they walked past Krista in the kitchen.

"W- would you like to stay for dinner?" Krista managed to get out despite being caught off guard.

"Sorry, can't tonight," Caroline shouted from the front door.

Krista stepped over to see her daughter hug this apparently friendly and beautiful yet disturbingly dressed girl. As Bailey returned to her room, Krista stopped her and said, "See, you did make a friend."

"I got lucky, Caroline's really easy to talk to."

Bailey motioned to go upstairs again but Krista said, "Hold on, I want to talk for a minute. How is everything going at school?"

"Fine."

"OK, now Caroline seems nice..."

"Oh my God, Mom."

"... but I just want to make sure you're not getting in with a bad crowd."

"What, because she like black?"

"I mean, that style of clothing..."

"She just likes the edgier look. She's really like the most normal person I've met."

"OK. But you haven't told me anything else yet, so how is school going?"

"Well my English teacher seems to like me."

"That's great! What have you guys talked about?"

"Well I mentioned that I like tennis, and now she's trying to get me to go out for the team. She's the JV coach."

"You should! That will be a great way to meet more friends."

"Mom, I just play for fun, I'm terrible."

"And did you tell your teacher that?"

"She said that I might have to play JV with her but the JV team is more fun."

"See, she wants you on her team. Everyone likes you."

"That's just what teachers and coaches do. But you know what's weird?"

"Hmm."

"I think she's from your home town."

"Sacramento?"

"No, your actual one. What's it called again?"

"Colfax."

"That's it! That's what she said!"

"Wow, that's a crazy coincidence. You should definitely go out for her team."

"If I say I'll think about it, can I go up to my room?"

"Alright, I'll see you at dinner."
​

* * *​

The next day, Krista logged into the parents' portal and checked for the name of Bailey's English teacher. She tried to resist being nosy, but the question burned in her head for sixteen hours. Colfax wasn't a huge city, and Krista had been on the tennis team, so she must have crossed paths with this teacher at least once. In fact, not only did she know the teacher from Colfax, but she had been one of her closest friends in high school. She never understood why they drifted apart when they left for college, but such was life - there were a dozen other such friends in high school.

Except Emily Thomas wasn't just another friend. They had spent almost all their time together senior year and by their last summer before college they were bona fide peas in a pod. They would walk arm-in-arm to the pool on hot days, and on hotter days snuggle on the couch in Emily's air conditioned basement. Seeing Emily's name on the screen, Krista thought back to the conversation after Bailey learned of the move to California. Maybe Krista would have cared if she couldn't have seen Emily over the summer. But when Krista went to school at Chico State and Emily went to NYU, there were no tears. They knew they were going to move apart. Krista never got a good explanation as to why Emily didn't ever come back, but each seemed to move on.

But now Krista wanted to see her friend again. Email seemed too stiff. A phone call seemed too casual, plus she was pretty sure teachers never answered their phones. Going down to the school would seem desperate and how would she find her anyway? But then the lightbulb came on - this school, despite its size, had a back to school night. And in the six intervening days, maybe she and Bailey could break out their tennis rackets.

Tennis didn't happen: on Saturday because Bailey was hanging out with Caroline and on Sunday because she said she had too much homework. At dinner Sunday night, though, Bailey announced that she was, in fact, going to go out for tennis, in part because she liked her English class so much. Most of her homework, she said, wasn't completely necessary but rather her trying to do a top quality job because she liked the stories they were reading so much. Krista snickered to herself - Emily had a way of casting a spell on people. In four days of school, Bailey had gone from hating the move to loving her English teacher so much that she was willing to play JV tennis as a senior.

On Monday, three days before back to school night, the boredom of Krista's new life became apparent. She needed to find a job, or a tennis club, or even a gym. Bailey's tennis tryouts started that afternoon, even though tennis was a no-cut sport at her school. So Krista was alone with nothing to do until past five o'clock.

Then Bailey came home and again Caroline was with her. Somehow, when Krista saw the small girl in black come through the door, all the boredom vanished and was replaced by a warmth from her toes up through her chest. "Hey, Mom!" Bailey shouted across the main floor to the kitchen.

"Hey, Mrs. C!" Caroline called.

"H- hi girls," Krista mumbled. Mrs. C? She'd introduced herself as Krista. Whatever.

Krista carefully watched the girls walk through the dining area, entranced by the contrast between Bailey's short, white tennis skirt and Caroline's longer lacy skirt. Bailey seemed to tower over her friend even though she couldn't have been more than four inches taller. Perhaps the difference came from the clothes, or from the fact that Caroline, while thin, had womanly curves and Bailey was still skinny as a rail. To emphasize that difference, Bailey's breasts barely showed under her sports bra and tennis shirt, while Caroline's seemed to strain to break out of the buttons of her blouse. The girls stopped at the opening to the kitchen and Bailey asked, "Can Caroline stay for dinner tonight?"

Krista snapped out of her stare and answered, "Yes, of course." She looked between the girls. Despite wearing all black except for her silver eye shadow, there was something intoxicating about Caroline. But there was one thing that Krista couldn't not compliment. "You pull off that black lipstick immaculately, Caroline," Krista blurted out.

Caroline slowly smiled and said, "Thank you. It took me so long to perfect it. I need a high dark collar and my hair down."

Krista admired the jet black hair held by a black headband. But she caught herself and answered, "Well you succeeded. I really never thought I'd see black lipstick look so good."

"We get it, Mom," Bailey interjected. "We need to do homework, do you know when dinner's gonna be ready?"

"When your dad's home. Why don't you text him?"

Bailey scoffed and turned toward the stairs. Caroline smiled and gave a little wave that Krista failed to respond to except with flutters in her heart. What about this girl excited her so much? Most likely just the excitement of a new and different person. She hadn't gotten to know her new neighbors, and in any case everybody she knew was basically the same. Caroline was so different and what's more, seemed completely sweet despite the stereotypes of someone who wears all black with black lipstick.

Krista's bashfulness continued through dinner. She managed to ask a few questions - her husband was useless for making conversation with teenagers - but she was too enraptured to fully engage. As Bailey told how tennis tryouts were fun even though she was objectively terrible, Krista could only steal glances at how Caroline managed to eat without messing up her perfect black lipstick. When Caroline interjected that she had watched the whole practice and Bailey seemed just fine, Krista used that time to examine the detailed movements of the blackest lips she had ever seen.
​

* * *​

Krista refocused herself for the rest of the evening, even though with every dish she rinsed, the housewife life appealed less and less. The following morning, she decided to go for a run, saying to herself, "I won't get rid of this stomach fat in two days, but might as well try since Emily is probably in great shape."

After a half mile, Krista was huffing and puffing. She was more out of shape than she had expected. "Keep going for Caroline," she grumbled to herself. She quickly caught the mistake and silently corrected the name to Emily. But why should she be running for anyone but herself? She was married and her husband didn't care, Emily was an old friend whom she didn't need to impress, and Caroline was just going to see her as an old mom. No, Caroline was just her daughter's friend, she didn't matter as anything other than that role. Had Caroline cast some goth spell? She was a fascinating girl, but Krista huffed to herself not to pay too much attention, she'd meet plenty of interesting people once she established her new life.

Nonetheless, on the third and final mile, the only way Krista could put one foot in front of the other was to say things to herself about Caroline. Caroline doesn't care about some old mom. Caroline would only care about a hot, cool mom. Be hot for Caroline. Caroline doesn't want to see stomach fat. Build those ass muscles for Caroline. The thoughts were almost involuntary, but they also seemed to be the only thing preventing Krista from giving up.

That evening, Caroline came over again but this time after dinner. Krista stayed in the shadows and resisted an encounter with the girl in black. Bailey went to Caroline's on Wednesday, and Thursday was the night Krista had been waiting for, the night when she met with Bailey's English teacher and her old friend. Maybe, too, she would get to meet Caroline's parents.

Only about half the parents went, though, so Krista was fairly certain after checking nametags and listening to questions that Caroline's parents weren't there. Her own family was also surprised at the sudden interest - Krista and her husband hadn't gone to a back to school night in years. But the search for Caroline's parents distracted Krista from the main event of the night, which was an encounter with Emily at fifth period. As Emily's classroom came into sight, she realized that again she was obsessing over Caroline, surprised that she wasn't nervous or noticeably excited about her reunion with Emily.

But when she stepped into the classroom and made contact with those familiar green eyes, excitement surged through her chest. Emily was as beautiful as ever, not in perfect shape as Krista had suspected but the little weight gain just accentuated the great body that Emily had had in high school. Adrenaline pulsed through Krista's fingertips as she listened to Emily's spiel and other parents' questions. She made sure she was last to ask a one-on-one question; fortunately by fifth period there weren't many parents with energy to get solo airtime with a teacher. She managed to say the line she had come up with while waiting without a stutter: "I just had to see the teacher from Colfax myself."

"I thought it was you!" Emily exclaimed, clapping her hands.

"I looked at Bailey's class list and made sure it was you," Krista admitted.

"OK, so Bailey is your kid. Man, I used to say I would recognize your blue eyes anywhere, but they're the same as Baileys, so wrong there."

Krista smiled and said, "It's OK, it's the only way we look alike."

"Your hair is so blonde. Mine kept getting darker."

"Well coloring it light helps."

"I'm sorry, I'm just so shocked to see you. Are you doing anything this weekend?"

"No, we should catch up."

"Yeah," Emily said, turning to scribble on a scratch paper. "I have to get ready for my next class or whatever this is, but text me and we'll meet up."

Krista agreed and they hugged goodbye. The encounter was short but got Krista bubbling with anticipation. She didn't even wait for back to school night to end before texting Emily, and Emily had responded by the time Krista got home. On Krista's Friday morning run, she again involuntarily motivated herself by trying to look good for someone, but this time for Emily. By the end of the run, each exhale was a whisper of a syllable of Emily's name. Weird, she thought to herself as she cooled down, but at least thinking about Emily was appropriate and made sense.

Saturday was Krista's lunch date with Emily, which worked out well because her husband had taken up golf on Saturdays and Bailey didn't care (her husband probably cared less, truthfully). She secretly spent most of Friday and all of Saturday morning thinking about what to wear, and initially put on a black and white checkered dress that she had never worn. Usually the problem was that the dress was short and tight, but today her concern was that no shoes would go with the dress on such a hot day. Boots seemed weird, a strappy heel seemed to be too much, and flats did the sexy dress injustice. So she changed to a white dress with red flowers that reached just to her knee, which would go with nude strappy heels.

Walking downstairs to leave, Krista saw Caroline watching TV on her couch. What, did the girl live here now? Krista tried to think of something to say, but Caroline spoke first. "Wow, you look hot, Mrs. C."

"Uh, thanks. Wouldn't think this dress is your style." Caroline was wearing all black as usual, but a much simpler outfit. A black v-neck, what seemed to be dark charcoal jean shorts, and her motorcycle boots. Krista couldn't help but admire the soft, youthful legs crossed with a boot towards her. The shorts were barely visible.

"I like all kinds of fashion. I don't mind being caught in floral once in a while."

"Where is Bailey?"

"Bathroom. You know how it gets that time of the month, Mrs. C."

Krista did, but thought that these girls were too young and healthy to. She felt the disappointment that she no longer had any idea when her daughter was on her period, but was telling her friends the most personal of details. But she changed the subject. "You know, you can just call me Krista. I don't know where you got this 'Mrs. C.' stuff."

Caroline made a small hum and looked up to the left. "I like calling adults by their last initial. My parents taught me to be respectful, but I like to be edgy. It's a good compromise."

"I guess I can't argue with that. So you call all your teachers by their last initial?"

"Some I have nicknames for. It's kind of fun."

"Well have fun with Bailey and try to keep the edginess appropriate."

"Always. Don't worry, I'm as good for your daughter as she is for me."

Krista told Caroline goodbye and shouted the same to Bailey with no audible response. She had kept her cool but the simple encounter had her rattled. She had been called hot, and she couldn't honestly deny the fact that she was checking out the girl's legs. Or maybe she was just nervous to sit and talk with Emily again. She wasn't checking out Caroline in a sexual way, just in a jealous way, wishing her legs were still that smooth. Her nerves had to be about Emily.

Seeing Emily initially didn't make things easier for Krista. Her old friend, already sitting when Krista arrived, was wearing a purple cardigan over a low-cut white top that she paired with purple lipstick. Krista was too awestruck by her friend's beauty to compare the purple to Caroline's black, or to wonder if there was something about Orange County women and daring lipstick colors. She only stared as she crossed the restaurant to stumble into the chair across from her friend.

Fortunately, Emily's conversation made lunch easy. She asked a lot about Krista and Krista didn't have any reservations about answering her old friend. Emily, on the other hand, seemed to divert attention any time Krista asked about anything between her leaving for NYU and becoming Bailey's teacher. Krista had recounted her whole life's story - leaving for Ohio, moving to Illinois before Bailey started middle school, moving back before high school, and the dramatic fight before moving back to California - before she got any details from Emily. Finally, Krista was comfortable enough to press. "So you have to tell me," she asked, "how does someone go from NYU to Rancho Santa Margarita?"

"Oh, just looking for work," Emily responded, doing a poor job of hiding that she was avoiding the question.

"Well there must have been some chain of events. I can't imagine you went from Manhattan to the appendix of Orange County just searching want ads."

"That's kind of what happened."

"So you weren't like, living in LA, or moving here for a guy or anything?"

"No."

"I don't believe that."

The purple lips, halfway back to their natural color from eating, widened a bit. "You've always thought you were quite perceptive."

Krista laughed. "I'd forgotten about that. But am I right?"

"Can I trust you?"

"Yes, of course."

"Really, because this is my deepest secret."

"Don't worry, I don't know why we drifted apart, but I still see you as the friends we were in high school."

Emily took a deep breath and leaned forward. Almost in a whisper, she said, "I was fired from my last job for having a relationship with a student."

Krista's eyes became dinner plates as she said, "Are you serious?"

"It was ridiculous. We didn't meet at school, we had no idea we were at the same school. So I had to spray the entire country to find another job, and most places were able to find out except here."

"Wait, no offense, it sounds unfair if you didn't know he was a student, but I'm surprised you can teach at all."

"It helped that the age of consent in New York is seventeen. Which makes me getting fired all the more ridiculous because she was eighteen."

"Wait, she?"

"And now you know why I never came back to Colfax."

"So are you..."

"Gay? Yes."

"And you never told me?"

"I didn't really know."

"Really. I thought gay people are gay their whole lives."

"Most are, especially men. I think I was. But a lot of lesbians start out straight then become gay."

"You think you were?"

"Well for most of puberty, I looked at women like for fashion and style, and I looked at men sexually but it was like 'He's hot but I don't really feel anything.' And I never understood why people got so tied up in relationships. I mean, I would sort of care when a guy broke up with me, but it was just an ego hit and an hour later I'd be like 'What's the big deal?'"

"Well what changed that?"

"I don't think you want to hear that."

"Well you can spare me the graphics, but I feel like I should know, because it's like I didn't even know you."

"No, you knew me."

"Well yeah, I mean, you're still you, I don't mean that. I just... I'm sorry, I don't know what to say that's not offensive."

"That's not what I mean. You knew who I was at that time because I wasn't hiding anything. I was being myself. It wasn't until college that I hid the real me from some people."

"Like your parents?"

"No, I didn't hide from them and that was a mistake. I hid from you."

"But we didn't talk in college."

"And now you know why."

"Really? You thought I'd judge you? I mean, I might have at first, but I would have been OK."

"No, it wasn't that."

"Well why?"

"I don't know if I should say."

"I'm already holding your deepest secret."

Emily took a deep breath and said, "You made me realize I was gay."

"Me? What'd I do?"

"I missed you so bad when I went to New York. I thought about you on the plane, while I was moving in, and nonstop during school. And when a girl flirted with me for the first time, I just remember wishing she was you. And it wasn't like a lightbulb, but once that happened, I knew you were my crush, and having a crush on you, a woman, felt right. I was a lesbian, there was no hiding it."

Krista could feel every fluid in her body rushing like a river over is rapids. Blood surged out of her heart, adrenaline filled her muscles, she even felt her panties become wet. She should have been in shock - she was in shock - but her arousal was undeniable. She was aroused at a woman having feelings for her.

"I'm sorry," Emily said. "I didn't think I would ever say that. It's like I've forgotten we're not best friends anymore."

"No, I'm sorry, we are. Or we can be. Just wasn't expecting that."

"It was a long time ago."

"I know. I know how it goes."

"Are you sure you're OK?"

Krista took a deep breath and collected herself. "Yes," she said. "Just surprised. Do you want to pay and go for a walk?"

Emily agreed and they left the restaurant. Krista saw Emily's full outfit for the first time, a white dress that flowed just to her knee, her toned legs, and then purple pumps. Neither were wearing good shoes for walking but they quickly found their way away from the restaurant and into Orange County suburbia. "At least now I know why you weren't saying much about yourself," Krista commented.

"Yeah, you get good at that when you're gay and people say you're a predator."

"It really sounds like you did nothing wrong."

"I don't think so."

Krista hooked her arm into Emily's. "Remember when we used to walk like this everywhere?"

"Oh to be young again."

"I miss the carefree life."

"Don't we all."

"Did you know there was a park here?"

They had come to a small, grassy park with enough trees to make the sunny Orange County day seem shady. The shade cooled Krista's cheeks, which were still hot from her response to Emily's confession. "Yeah, I live on the other side of it," Emily answered.

"So you picked a place you could walk to?"

"And that's good."

"It's like ten degrees cooler here, do you want to sit?"

Emily agreed and they walked over to a bench. Krista again hooked her arm around Emily's as Emily slipped off her pumps and spread her toes into the grass. Krista took notice of the fresh black nail polish. "So you really didn't talk to me because you were afraid of what I'd think about you being gay?"

"Mostly. I was also afraid because of my feelings for you. And by the time I got comfortable with myself, it just seemed like too long."

"You know, I've still never had a friendship like we had."

"Really?" Emily turned and looked directly at Krista.

"No. I mean, my life has been about family since I left college. My husband's fine, but I've just never known how to connect with him."

"Well it's Bailey's last year of high school, you're going to need more."

Krista turned her head and was looking straight into her friend's hazel eyes. "Well now I have you again," she said.

Suddenly Krista's eyes were closed and her lips were against Emily's. She was leaning, but couldn't tell if she had moved first. Emily's tongue was sliding along her own, and Krista rolled her tongue back. She hadn't been kissed like this... maybe ever. The softness of Emily's lips, the motions of her mouth, and the incredible feeling of the fine movements of her tongue were unlike any feeling Krista had felt.

Then just as quickly as they had started, Krista pulled away. "I'm sorry," she exclaimed. "I'm married, I can't do this."

"No, I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me."

"It's OK," Krista said, standing up. "I think just the heat, then the shade, and seeing you again, it's all just a lot."

Emily stood up. "No, I'm really sorry. I promise to forget this if we're still friends."

"Yes, of course we're still friends," Krista replied, but the panic was still in her voice. "But for today, I need to get home."

"OK, but see each other again soon?"

"Yeah. Yeah. Text me."

They said a hurried goodbye and Krista walked alone back to her car.
​

* * *​

Krista didn't know what to make of her lunch date, except to avoid calling the meetup a date. No one was home when she got back, so she spent the afternoon in her dress on the living room couch, which in a way was a reminder of the many summer days she'd spent in Emily's basement. How strange to think that Emily had really wanted more. She wouldn't have been open to it back then. She would be open now if she were a cheater, which she wasn't. And she especially wasn't a lesbian. She wouldn't have been open back then because she was afraid to be a lesbian, and her openness today wouldn't matter because she knew she wasn't a lesbian. She let the TV numb her mind out of those circular thoughts for a few hours, until Bailey and Caroline came through the door. Each one greeted her and she responded with "Hey, girls."

Bailey sped into the kitchen but Krista noticed Caroline standing outside the living room looking in at her. "Everything OK, Mrs. C.?" she asked.

"Yeah, you know, meeting a friend on a hot day can be tiring."

"That's why we went to the movies," Bailey shouted from the kitchen.

"Best place to cool off," Caroline added. "But they do it to make you hungry. I think Bailey's going to rip your kitchen apart."

"Our snacks suck, Mom."

"I'm too tired to yell over to her," Krista said to Caroline. "Will you tell her that if you guys want to run to the store, she can put some snacks on her card?"

Krista watched Caroline's lips purse to relay the message, but Bailey shouted back instead. "I can hear you and we don't want to go back out."

Krista couldn't take her eyes off Caroline's lips. The eyeliner had become lighter since their first meeting, and her lips seemed to have nothing on them, just the softness of youth and the natural reddish pink color. Then Krista felt her eyes scanning down Caroline's thin neck, then the flawless skin of her bust, then down the smooth skin of her young legs. Caroline then spoke to her lowly, "Aren't us daughters a pain?"

Krista didn't snap from her trance, instead she lifted her head and met Caroline's eyes with a smile. Her daughter's friend was smiling back at her. With their eyes locked, Krista replied with more strength, "I'll get better snacks at the store tomorrow."

Caroline winked at her then turned to join Bailey. And somehow, once the girls went upstairs, Krista became less concerned about what had happened and more concerned about whether she had lost Emily as a friend again. She had nothing in Rancho Santa Margarita, and at least with Emily she could have a built-in friend. Maybe, she thought for a brief moment, Caroline could be her friend. Bailey was old enough to share friends with her mom. Krista pushed the thought away - Bailey was old enough but not mature enough. And why would a grown woman like her want to make friends with a high school goth girl? She must just be bored, Emily would still be her friend.

Confirmation came Monday evening, while Krista sat at the kitchen counter during a break from cooking. A text from Emily popped up, asking if she still played tennis and if she wanted to play that weekend. Krista was replied that tennis sounded great and switched over to check the day's headlines. As she pulled up the news, Caroline padded down in her stocking-clad feet. "Posting some pics?" the girl in black asked.

"No, just checking the news."

Krista looked up to see the pretty girl with the black lipstick leaning across the counter in front of her. Her cleavage bulged between her arms and the granite. "Has Bailey given you my number?" Caroline asked.

"No, I wouldn't expect her to."

Caroline reached across and pulled the phone out of Krista's hands. "You should have it. I spend a lot of time with your daughter, you never know."

Krista sat dumb. Caroline navigated the phone and then slowly slid the device back toward its owner. "And I texted myself, just in case," she said.

Krista watched Caroline pull two sodas out of the refrigerator like she had lived with them for years. The girl walked back upstairs without so much as a look at Krista. Once she was gone, Krista looked in her phone to see Caroline had put herself in as "Car♥line," the heart in black. Such a strange girl.

Another text message came through from Emily. "Did Bailey tell you she's staying late tomorrow to work with me one-on-one?" Krista replied, "No, I don't really ask unless she's out really late." Emily responded "Does she know we reconnected?" to which Krista said, "She doesn't know we know each other, unless you told her." "Nope," said Emily.
​

* * *​

Emily Thomas put her hands on Bailey Clark's hips and turned them to just a tiny resistance. Dusk was taking over Tuesday evening and the tennis court was empty except for the two women. The girl was far behind even for JV tennis. Emily felt the smooth skin of the girl's arm as she showed her how to improve the placement of her racket. Their bare ankles touched as Emily showed her exactly where to place her foot. "Not again," Emily thought. But the girl's eyes were so beautiful, just like her mother's. Emily felt her mature breasts touch the young girl's thin back. Should she be touching her at all? Bailey needed a lot of help, but the touch felt so right that Emily knew that what she was doing was wrong.
​

* * *​

Krista was nervous Saturday morning. Emily had hurt her leg helping out at practice the previous day, but they still wanted to see each other, so they agreed to a brunch. But that morning, Krista was so nervous that she was sick to her stomach, completely unable to focus on anything else. She was showered and dressed two hours before she had to leave.

But all the nerves didn't stop her from being bold. This time Krista stayed with the black and white checkered dress with tight knee-high boots. Perhaps the outfit was part of why she was nervous, daring to wear something so sexy to see the friend she had French kissed just last week. Krista sat on the living room couch to watch TV and try to relax. Even in her own house, she kept her knees closed because the dress was so short.

At some point, Caroline bounded downstairs. When did that girl even get here? The only evening she hadn't spent with Bailey was when Bailey stayed late at practice. Wednesday she had come over late to do homework, then Thursday she came over for dinner after having apparently sat on the hot tennis court in all black to watch Bailey. Friday both girls had briefly dropped in so that Bailey could change after practice before going out, then she came in after Bailey got back. And now here she was on Saturday morning, even though Krista swore she heard Caroline's car leave the night before. "Hey, Mrs. C." Caroline called as she came into the living room. "Watching anything good?"

"Not really," Krista said as Caroline crossed in front of the TV and plopped down next to her. Caroline's breasts bobbed in her tight button-up blouse as she walked, and her pleated miniskirt seemed to float as she landed on the couch.

"Damn, you're rockin' it with that dress," Caroline commented.

"Thanks. I was worried it was a bit much for brunch."

"Nothing's too much if it's fashion. Look," Caroline extended the leg next to Krista. "Told you I do floral."

The black tights did indeed have a floral pattern. Yet another way the girl could do black. Through the smiles and waves and winks of the past week, Krista had learned more ways to style all black - literally all black, never any other color except for eye shadow or lip gloss - from Caroline. "You do," Krista said. Talking to the energetic girl seemed to be calming her. "And looks like your toenails are burgundy?"

"Maroon, but close."

"Wow, color too."

"I usually do color on my toes. Keep things interesting. I wear all black, but when I shower, I'm wearing nothing but color."

"Well your fingernails."

Caroline held up her open hands and with a fluid motion lowered each finger until she had made two fists. "I do love this satin black."

"So where's Bailey this time?"

"She's doing homework. I needed a break."

"She didn't want to take a break with you?"

"Ugh, no, she's like obsessed with English class and won't stop until perfection."

"So you guys have English together?"

"No, but same teacher. Emma-T is awesome, but Bailey needs to give it a rest."

"Emma-T?"

"Yeah, that's my nickname for her. She hated it when I was a sophomore, but she's cool now. Except that I think my girlfriend has a crush on her."

Krista sat up. "Wait, girlfriend?"

"Oh, Bailey hasn't told you?" Caroline asked calmly, as if the notion of the girls being a couple was as trivial as what she'd had for breakfast.

"You and Bailey...?"

"Let's not tell her that I let it slip."

Krista slumped back and let her knees part a little. "I guess that explains a lot."

"Well who are you all dolled up for?"

Emma-T, Krista thought to herself. "Just a new friend."

"Yeah, that's what sucks about making friends. You've gotta like show off but not show them up. Easier to just dress goth."

Krista laughed, opening then closing the leg nearer to Caroline. How did this girl do it? Krista was dead nervous to go see a friend she had made out with, she had just learned that her daughter was dating this very girl and might have a crush on said friend, yet here she was laughing and relaxing. "Yeah but then you goths have to out-goth each other."​