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Lucy Mixie does not like her best friend. Because that’s just crazy.
Sally Scanlon is straight. In fact, Lucy has seen no one who hooks up with more guys at parties than her. It’s been three guys this month and it’s December thirteenth.
But no matter what—and Lucy knows this—Sally would choose her over any boy.
• •
They met in first grade.
Lucy had been crying because she missed her older brother. As a seven year old who’s dad was a deadbeat and her mom working all the time. Asher was her only family.
She was crying by the cubbies, small knees tucked up to her chest.
That’s when Sally came over, all wild blonde curls and cerulean doe eyes. She sat beside Lucy and said bluntly, “Do you want to be my friend?”
And that was how it started. They’ve been inseparable since.
Middle school was when the rumors came. Jessica Bagert had started the rumor that they were lesbians and that rumor in a private middle school was not good.
It went so far that their principal had to talk to them about how “God made women for men,” and how it “said so in the Bible.”
The rumors stopped after the principal said it over the loudspeaker but they were still the weird kids until graduation of eighth grade.
Then high school came. It was a fresh start.
Lucy finally recognized her feelings for Sally during one of their sleepovers in freshman year.
Unfortunately, Sally got her first boyfriend during Christmas break.
Lucy was happy for her. She had to push her feelings aside and remind herself that Sally was straight.
Lucy played the supportive best friend role; she helped pick out outfits for dates, listened to her talk about her boyfriend(s), attempted to give dating advice.
But every time Sally smiled because of someone else, Lucy had to pretend it didn’t hurt.
• •
Now here they are.
Senior year of high school, three months from
graduation, lying side-to-side in Lucy’s bed.
Her room hasn’t changed since middle school; Navy blue bedding, a bulletin board with memories, posters.
Sally sits up and grabs a box from the bag she bought for the sleepover.
Lucy sits up too, a smile starting to creep over her face. “What is that…?”
Sally smiles wide. “Today… is.. our… TWELVE YEAR FRIENDAVERSARY! WOO-HOO!”
Lucy’s smile drops. “Oh my god, you got me something? I completely forgot, Sally! Shit—”
“Shhhh,” Sally puts a finger to Lucy’s lips and Lucy forces herself not to show the way her heartbeat spikes. “It’s okay. You don’t have a good memory so I bought me something too and you can give it to me and I’ll act surprised.” Sally giggles and Lucy wants to capture it in her heart forever.
Lucy reverently opens the box and finds a bracelet with 12 little charms on it. A sun, a moon, a book, a film slate, fire, snow, a happy face, a sad face, day, night, light, and dark.
And on the back of each of them is a note: March 13, 2014 ♡
“It’s the first day we met. So you don’t forget again.” Sally says softly before grabbing the golden pair of earrings from the box. “But those are for me.”
Lucy looks at her with tears in her eyes. “Sally, this is so beautiful…”
Sally scooches closer to envelope her in a hug. Lucy buries her face in her shoulder, breathing in her perfume.
When they pull apart and Lucy puts her bracelet on, a sudden confidence fills her.
“Sally?” Her voice cracks slightly but she pushes through.
“Yeah?” Sally looks up at her from her spot lying in the pillows.
“I, um, have something to confess.”
Sally sits up, expression going serious. “What is it?”
Lucy takes a deep breath. “Okay… Sally, I really—”
The moment moves in slow motion for Lucy but before she can fully comprehend it, soft lips are against hers.
Holy shit.
Sally’s kissing her, actually kissing her. One hand cupping her cheek, the other rubbing her waist gently.
Lucy doesn't kiss her back for just a second, just for everything to set in. She’s wanted to do this for three years.
And now she can.
Lucy brings her hands to Sally’s waist, tugging her a bit closer as she tilts her head to kiss her back.
Sally smiles when they pull away. “What did you want to tell me again?” she whispers, voice a little rough.
Lucy smiles too. “I was gonna say I really like you.”
“I really like you too.” Sally laughs. They kiss again and again until Lucy’s against the headboard with Sally in her lap.
She presses her forehead against Lucy’s and sighs contentedly. “... I like kissing you.”
Lucy blushes but whispers back, “I like kissing you too.”
As they start kissing again, Lucy thinks past all the years.
Maybe it’s always been her.