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If you told Stephanie Lauter eight years ago that she’d be crashing on Peter Spankoffski and Max Jagerman’s couch the week of Brenda and Madison’s wedding after a break-up with the person she thought she was going to spend the rest of her life with, she wouldn’t believe you. Well, first she would’ve checked if Madison Clauger was who she thought, and if Peter Spankoffski was, in fact, that fucking bow-tie kid. However, here she was, back in Hatchetfield for the first time since Thanksgiving 2023, dumped, wearing a borrowed dress to her friends’ wedding. Great.
There was an empty chair next to her, a card with Allison Jones written in elegant calligraphy. Steph didn’t want to imagine how long that took Jason to perfect; it was all for nothing. Shaking the thought away, she saw that, on her other side sat Grace Chasity, the only other person at their table who had travelled in from out of state. While they weren’t as close as they had become in their senior year, they always exchanged at least one text every week and met up once every couple of months. Steph was one of the only people who knew why she couldn’t stay in Hatchetfield after graduation, because they were bisexual and wanted to explore their relationship with God without their parents. So, Grace moved out to Canada for college, managing her parents with phone calls that didn’t reveal much of their life. Steph figured out when this happened pretty quickly into their first year of college, because it was always followed by messages about being gay and Christian, and the types of “sinful things” she never would have done in high school.
Grace looked hot today, not that Steph had never noticed before, but it was way more obvious now. Their chin-length hair was pinned back with an elegant butterfly clip, and her suit seemed perfectly tailored and comfortable, fitting her much better than the dress they wore to their senior prom. Before she sat down, Steph eyed their whole body, checking them out.
“Hey, Grace,” she said, ignoring the surprised looks she caught the rest of their friends giving out the corner of her eye. “Are you doing anything later? If not, can it be me?” She knew Grace had had sex before and, even though it wasn’t Steph’s favourite thing, she realised in that moment that she would be happy to be with Grace in whatever way she wanted.
“Don’t tempt me, Steph,” Grace said, exactly as they would have in high school, exactly as they did when Max offered to carry her books. “Anyway, you have a girlfriend.”
Steph clicked her tongue. “Not anymore.”
“But she was so hot!” Ruth exclaimed, jaw dropping to the floor. “Not as hot as Stace, but still.”
“Alright, Ruth. Grace, it’s been a while. Didn’t you move to New York recently? How’s that been?” Pete asked, searching desperately for any topic to switch to. Steph was lucky to have a friend like him.
“Yeah! Montreal was really good to start, but then my college friend a couple of years above me said her workplace was hiring for social workers who wanted to work with queer youth, so I applied and I got it. It’s terrible to know there are kids who have it worse than I did, but I feel like I’m giving back in a way by helping them. Restoring justice as much as I can,” they answered. Grace was glowing, finally using her powers of protest and fighting and doing what she thought was right for good.
Steph looked at her intently, as they looked back at her after speaking. Even though she already knew, she had met up with her in New York a couple of times, it was such a wonder to hear about. “That’s really great, Grace,” she said, without a hint of sarcasm.
“Thanks,” Grace replied, in the same genuine tone.
“I’m surprised you’d like living in the big city, Gracie. Isn’t there too much wayward spunk?” Richie joked, their voice slightly less enunciated than it was in high school. Slightly.
“At least I don’t see anyone underage carrying anyone’s books!” she exclaimed, giving Max a pointed look. “Nothing’s more filthy than that.” Steph recognised the barely suppressed roar of laughter in their voice, but, judging by their confusion, Pete and Ruth didn’t.
Max, however, got it, and exaggeratedly shook his head. “A guy asks one question as a teenager…”
As they talked, Steph became settled in the conversation among her old friends, even though she didn’t get to see them in person much. It was nice to listen to them all, to feel close once again. But still, even though Grace was the person she had seen the most over the years, she was the one she kept looking over to. Taking her eyes off them was almost an Orphean task.
After a meal and the best dessert she had ever tasted, static rumbled from the speakers, moving everyone’s head to the speeches.
At the front of the room, Stacy smiled, wrapping her hands tightly around her champagne glass so as to not twirl her hair. “I’ve seen Brenda fall in love with Maddie in every way since they started dating eight years ago,” she began.
Max started counting on his fingers. “Eight?” he whispered.
“Don’t,” Pete said, having already done the math, holding his hands and resting them on the table.
“And I think the two of you will find new ways over the rest of your lives. One time, my wife and I were going on a double-date road trip with them over to Vegas.” The maid of honour continued on, telling a story of how much Brenda and Maddie loved each other. As much as Steph tried to keep her eyes on Stacy, as much as she tried to keep her focus on the reason they were all together, Grace’s chestnut hair kept creeping into her eye line, her uproarious laughter at the jokes. After a while of Grace looking to her when something specific was said, she realised she had to tune back in.
“...I extend that to our two beautiful brides. Congrats! You did it!” Stacy cheered, inviting all the wedding guests to celebrate as Brenda and Madison kissed once again. Great. But it was sweet, of course it was, applauding as two of her high school friends were so comfortable in their marriage.
“And now,” Stacy said, pausing as she mouthed something to the audio guy at the back, “it’s time for the first dance!
Brenda and Madison danced together on the floor, twirling around, each only having eyes for the other. Yeah, Max never could’ve broken them up forever, no matter how much he tried. Brenda’s dress wrapped around Madison’s, but both were coordinated enough that the fabric was never a trip hazard. As Steph watched, she caught Grace’s gaze flickering between her and the couple. She didn’t know why. Maybe she looked jealous, that Brenda fell in love with someone who stayed with her through everything, that Maddie fell in love with someone who never faltered in her feelings. More than anything, she did feel happy for them, that at least they could have that.
After a couple of minutes, it was the bridal party’s turn to start dancing. Each person on Brenda’s side paired off with someone on Maddie’s. Still, the married couple were blind to everyone else. They simply kept laughing with each other and smiling.
The music changed once more to another slow song - knowing the two of them, they didn’t want to choose their own preference over the other’s - the emcee announcing that others could go to the floor. Ruth ran over to Stacy, Pete and Max walked easily, and Richie decided to dance platonically with Jason. Only one person was left at Steph’s table, the one who could have liked her, the one she had spent the evening falling for.
She had to give it a shot. Either way, Grace cared about her, as a friend, and they would read this as friendship if that’s how they felt, but Steph couldn’t do nothing. She wouldn’t. “Can I have this dance?” Steph asked, turning away from the empty chair and towards the one sitting next to her, laying down her palm as an offering.
“I didn’t think you’d ever ask,” Grace answered. Their eyes transformed into stars of adoration, shining and burning, as she revealed their sparkling smile. As their hands came together, as Grace began dashing to the dance floor, Steph’s nerves lit up with the touch.
Steph wrapped her arms around Grace’s waist, receiving their hands on her neck. The fire within her travelled to the sensation of Grace’s touch, becoming hotter and greater and moving throughout her as they danced together. The room melted away; Grace became the only person in her field of vision. Nothing could describe how mesmerising she was, a dynamic flame, majestic with each motion. Every step, she executed perfectly, leading Steph exactly where she was meant to be.
Spinning into her arms, Steph didn’t know that her heart could explode like this, that the brush of her back against Grace’s chest could ignite every part of her body and mind. If Steph could spend an eternity in their arms, she would.
Their face was angelic, shimmering with hope and a gentle smile. As Steph noticed this, she realised she was drifting towards Grace’s lips. “Do you want this?” she whispered, stopping herself an inch from the other’s face, breathing in her air.
“I do,” Grace answered, breathless, setting Steph alight the moment they kissed. It was soft and strong, a push and pull in every second that kept drawing her in closer. Each touch of Grace’s lips was a firework, the whole feat an exploding piece of art.