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“I do.” Marjorie has the goofiest grin on her face and it might be my new favorite look of hers. “I just have one question.”
“What’s that?”
“Number ten on your list of facts. Did you mean it?” When I nod, Marjorie’s smile gets even bigger. “When did you know? How?”
“One day, about a year and a half ago, you came into work. It was raining outside so your hair was all over the place. You were wearing glasses and they were soaked with raindrops. You honestly looked like a drowned dog, but in the cutest way possible. You were carrying a box of donuts and looked so proud of yourself for bringing them. We hadn’t talked too much at that point, but you looked right at me and told me you had gotten me a butter pecan donut because you heard me telling Bug how much I loved those. My heart did this weird thing that it’s never done before, and I just knew. As crazy as it sounds, I knew at that moment that I loved you.”
Marjorie is quiet for a long time, and I wonder what’s going through her head. Does she think I’m completely crazy? Then she sighs and rests her forehead against mine, our lips only inches apart. “Remember when you told me you don’t understand how the girl gets the girl?” She pulls back slightly and puts her hands on my cheeks. “That’s how.”
And now she’s kissing me, and everything is right in the world. I kiss her back and our lips get into the perfect rhythm. Marjorie runs her tongue along my bottom lip, and I know exactly what she’s asking for. I let her slip it into my mouth and the first touch to mine causes fireworks to erupt throughout my whole body. So, this is what it’s like. Everything I’ve been through in my life suddenly doesn’t matter. All that matters is this moment and this girl. I’m not thinking about how it’s destined to fail. I’m not thinking about everything that could possibly go wrong. I’m allowing myself to hope, and that hope doesn’t seem so crazy anymore.
As we continue to kiss, Marjorie’s hands move down my arms, over my stomach, then onto my legs. She pulls back and we both struggle to catch our breath.
“Sorry,” Marjorie says between breaths. “I was getting a little carried away there.”
“I didn’t mind.”
“I figured, but we need to save some of that for the second, third, fourth, so on and so on, dates.”
“Really?” I still can’t believe it.
“Really.” Marjorie licks her lips then clears her throat. “You know how you said your heart did that weird thing, and that’s how you knew?” When I nod, the look Marjorie gives me tells me all I need to know. “My heart did that while we were kissing. I love you too, Payton. I love you so much.”
We start to kiss once again, but it’s cut off by the sound of the front door closing and my mom yelling up to me. What the hell? She promised she’d stay out late.
“Coming, Mom!” I give Marjorie an apologetic smile. “Sorry. I didn’t realize she’d be home already.”
“It’s fine. I’d love to get to know your mom better.”
We walk downstairs hand in hand and my mom’s eyes go wide when she sees us. “I’m sorry, Marjorie. I didn’t realize you’d still be here. I hope I didn’t interrupt.”
“No, ma’am, of course not. We were, um, just, ah, talking.”
I know my mom doesn’t believe Marjorie’s lie, but I can also tell by the look on her face that she doesn’t care. “I actually have something I need to talk to you about, Payton, but we can do it later if you want.”
Marjorie squeezes my hand as if to remind me that she’s here for me, and even though I’m nervous about what my mom could possibly have to talk to me about, I feel brave with Marjorie by my side. “Now is fine. Whatever you need to say, you can say it in front of Marjorie.”
My mom walks over to the couch and pats the spot beside her. When we sit down, she takes the hand that Marjorie isn’t holding. “As I’m sure you’ve noticed, things are getting pretty serious between me and Mr. Howard. Well, tonight, he asked me if we would want to move in with him. I’m fine with waiting until you graduate if that’s what you want. Obviously, if we move in with them sooner, you’ll have to transfer to Capital Creek for your senior year.”
I shake my head, sure I must be hearing this wrong. “Wait. You’re saying we can move in with Mr. Howard and Delilah and I’ll get to go to school with all of my friends and my girlfriend?”
Marjorie squeezes my hand once again. “Girlfriend, huh?”
“Oh, sorry. That just slipped out. I didn’t mean to assume anything. We don’t have to label anything now… or… like… ever if you don’t want to.”
Marjorie laughs. “Calm down, Payton. Of course I want to be your girlfriend.”
“So, that’s a yes?” my mom asks.
I look at my girlfriend then back at my mom. “That’s a hell yes.”
Epilogue
First Day of senior year
*Love Interest*
My smile is bigger than it’s ever been before as I walk into Capital Creek. Instead of finding my assigned locker, I make a beeline right for Marjorie’s.
