Page 82 of Try Hard

Eve pulled her head back to look at me. “I thought you were bi?”

“I am.”

“I see.” She wrapped her arms around my back like she was hugging me, still moving us to the music. However, she didn’t move fast enough for me not to see the smile on her face, and that was lethal.

Sure, she hadn’t exactly been subtle that she liked being around me, but being glad I wasn’t into someone who was hitting on me felt different. It felt like a declaration of sorts.

My arms readily found her neck, and, as we danced, I knew we must have looked like a couple to anyone watching. I wasn’t nearly as bothered by that as I should have been—and not just because I hoped it would keep Adnan away.

“You know,” I said when ‘Mr. Brightside’ started bleeding into the next song, “I’m sure Sammy isn’t going to be too happy about you dancing so close to me.”

Eve laughed. “There is no way she’s still on that. We’ve talked about this, Ophelia.”

The way she said my name, especially in the midst of the packed dance floor, sent shivers down my spine that I hadn’t felt for a long time.

In the time since I’d figured out I had… vaginismus, I’d been on a mission to reclaim myself and my body. One of those ways had been learning to orgasm without pain. Luckily, I’d had a decent therapist to walk me through the ridiculously complex emotions of that one—regaining sexual pleasure when sex was the thing that had left painful, burning mental scars that absolutely manifested physically was no easy feat. Made all the worse by my initial reticence to trust a healthcare professional. However, in all that time, I hadn’t taken back having sex with another person. I hadn’t wanted to. It hadn’t felt safe. I still didn’t know if I could give Eve that. The whole thing was a tangle of uncomfortable feelings, but the fact that she could get a reaction out of me—one that was undeniably sexual—was already an incredible achievement.

“I still think,” I said, feeling a little unsteady, “that she’s—”

“Fia,” Tanika called at almost the exact same moment I heard Sammy calling Eve’s name.

I stepped back from Eve, seeing the two of them approaching us with Kim and Kieran. Eve kept her hand on my hip until Tanika swept between us and wrapped her arm around mine.

“You’re wearing Converse,” she said with a laugh, looking at my shoes.

“I am,” I replied, eyes narrowing but not missing the daggers Sammy was shooting my way as she muscled in between Kieran and Eve.

“Practical as ever,” Tanika laughed, before tugging me away from Eve. “Come to the bar with me.”

Eve’s hand fell from me as Tanika gave no space for a denial and pulled me away at an awkward enough angle I couldn’t resist her. I did, however, catch Eve’s eye to ask her a mouthed, “Orange juice?”

She smiled, nodded, and winked at me before her attention was claimed by Sammy, who immediately placed her hand on Eve’s shoulder, fingering one of her braces—or suspenders, as Eve had called them on the way over. Another Americanism she’d picked up. My insides bubbled unpleasantly but it wasn’t like I couldn’t understand Sammy’s interest in them—or in Eve. The outfit she’d chosen and the way she’d done her hair had her looking like a more attractive version of Brendan Fraser in the late nineties. She was a sapphic dream—as always.

When we made it to the bar, Tanika laughed and shot me a knowing look. “Well, that didn’t take you long.”

“What didn’t?” I asked sceptically.

“Getting it on with Eve.”

“I’ve done nothing of the sort.” Was that true? Technically, absolutely. But there was something there. I could no longer deny that.

“Oh, sure. I dance with all my friends like that. And I saw the two of you come in. You were holding hands.”

“So we didn’t lose each other in the crowd, Tanika.” I tried hard to keep my usual cool, level tone, even if thinking about Eve holding my hand felt anything but casual.

She studied me and I noticed the shimmery body glitter she was wearing. Kim had been covered in the same thing.

“So,” she said eventually, “you’re sticking with the story that nothing has happened between you?”

“Not a story because nothinghashappened.”

“Ooh. So that means it’s probably going to tonight, right?”

“No.” I refused to think about the fact that I was staying at Eve’s place tonight, and that she’d been clear there was only oneguest bed. Sure, she’d offered to sleep on the couch but I wasn’t making her do that in her own home.

We could absolutely share a bed. Just like school friends having a sleepover. I doubted we’d top and tail, mind.

“Yeah, right,” Tanika laughed. “I don’t know why you’re not shouting it from the rooftops right now. You’ve been in love with her since school. Plus, she’s EvefuckingArcher. I’d be telling the whole world.”