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Maeve squeals excitedly. “I’m so happy for you, Naomi! I love you guys together, so I’m glad you guys are making some serious progress.”

I smile. “It was so nice. And the lack of remorse that I feel for what we did, even when my parents showed up here, I think proves that what we have is right. Even though they definitely wouldnotapprove, I kind of don’t care anymore.”

Maeve gives me a big hug. “I’m so proud of you, Naomi! You’ve grown so much.”

“You should’ve seen me. I stood my ground and told them to leave when things got out of hand. My dad scolding me for getting my nose pierced without his permission was the last straw.”

Maeve pulls back to examine my face, checking out the piercing. “No way! That looks so good on you. When did you do that?”

I grin. “Yesterday. That’s kind of what started it all. I called Sage in the morning and asked her to take me to her piercing shop. We drove all the way to Trenton, I got it done and then we had dinner with her parents. When we got back, I invited Sage up, things got a little hot and steamy, and we spent the night together.”

“So wait, does that mean Sage had to do the walk of shame, bra-less, in front of your parents?”

I nod. “Yup. We told them she was one of my roommates and she was heading out for a run. We were literally about to try for a round two when they showed up.”

Maeve laughs loudly. “No way, cock blocked by your parents. Or whatever the female equivalent is.”

“Taco block-o?” I suggest, feeling proud of myself for coming up with that one.

“Clam jam?”

“Beaver dam?” Maeve and I exchange puns, breaking down into a fit of hysterical laughter.

We’re still laughing when Alex returns home, finding us in tears in the kitchen. “What did I miss?” she asks, confused.

“Clams, tacos, and forgotten bras,” I reply, finally coming up for air and wiping the tears from my eyes.

Alex continues to stare at us, the confusion even worse now. Maeve finally collects herself and fills Alex in on my last twenty-four hours. Alex sits at the breakfast bar in the kitchen, processing the information we gave her. “So wait, are you and Sage together now?”

I shrug, chewing on my bottom lip. “I don’t know. That’s not a conversation we’ve had yet.”

“You know, you’re going to have to be the one to initiate that conversation, right?” Maeve points out.

I nod. “Yeah, I know. Same as last night. Sage even said that. That at this point, she’s just following my lead and letting me set the pace. So if I want to pursue something more with Sage, yeah, I’ll have to put myself out there.”

“I know it sounds scary, but at least you’re going in knowing that Sage is head over heels in love with you.”

“You really think so?” I ask, turning to Alex. “I know she likes me a lot, but loving me? You really think that’s a strong possibility?”

“Absolutely. She’s devoted to you. I mean, she took you to meet her parents last night. That’s not something she does with every girl she’s interested in. In fact, I don’t think she’s had her family meet any of her college girlfriends,” Maeve states, “you would be the first and only.”

It’s a bit reassuring to hear that, honestly. I would be lying if I said Sage’s reputation didn’t contribute to my hesitation to pursue things further with her. I’ve heard the stories about her revolving door and endless roster of women. Not that it’s something she should be ashamed of. She’s just not a relationship person or at least her track record in college would show that she’s not a relationship person.

At this point, I think I’ve made peace with my sexuality, at least where it concerns Sage. I like women, or at least I like her, and today just confirmed that I no longer care for my parents’ approval. But I’m still looking for love, and I’m not interested in dating around, so Sage needs to be serious about me for me to open that door.

17

Sage

“So tell me about this Friendsgiving dinner?” Naomi asks me as she peels some sweet potatoes. She and I were busy in my kitchen, working on making some mac and cheese and candied yams to bring to the annual Kappa dinner. Ever since our hookup a couple weeks ago, we’ve been inseparable.

Outside of our classes, executive board meetings, or her pledge meetings, we’ve spent just about every moment together. After that night, it’s clear our friendship morphed into something more, even if we haven’t had a conversation to properly defineit yet. We even take turns, sleeping at each other’s apartments. I don’t think we’ve spent a night apart since.

We can’t keep our hands off of each other. Naomi’s still getting used to being with a woman, or anyone, sexually. So, has she eaten me out? No. Has she fingered me? No. But she’s not shy about voicing her attraction and appreciation for me.Boy, is she loud, in the best way. I’m letting her get comfortable at her own pace, but now that I’ve gotten her off once before, I can’t get enough. Which is why we’ve made very little progress in the hour we’ve been working on our dishes for tonight.

Naomi’s trying to be a good girl and focus on making her grandma’s candied yams recipe, but I can’t help myself. I stand behind her, lips pressed to her neck. We were both still in our pajamas, Naomi in just a large, oversized T-shirt and me in a tank top and shorts. I leave soft, lazy kisses along her neck and shoulders, my hands snaking up the front of her shirt, cupping her breasts.

She lets out a soft gasp, moaning as my fingers graze her nipples, gently pinching and rolling them between my fingertips. “Sage, stop. I have to finish prepping these potatoes,” she whines, leaning against me and arching her back, pressing further into my hands.