My first experience with having a girlfriend was a small stint with Melanie Corbin, who never met me outside of school, but in school, we'd hold hands everywhere as if we could only stay standing by our combined queerness, and then, we'd hug at the final bell and separate. We broke up after a few months and vowed to stay friends.

Haven't heard from her since.

For all I know, she was a lesbian fever dream.

There was a summer fling with a girl from camp. Kayla, whose last name I don't remember, had my first kiss, second kiss, and a long series of make-out sessions. The most serious version of my dating history revolved around Talia Birch. I followed her around like a little puppy, all the way to prom, when she returned me to the pound and traded me in for a girlfriend with a car that could take Talia and her friends to dinner and then prom.

God. I hope Hunter doesn't expect me to always have the van.

Before that fateful blind date, I didn't expect to meet my first serious girlfriend until college. That was the point of college, right?

Then, this blonde bob walked into my life, and I couldn't help but walk with her. And now, she's sitting beside me in my living room without a single adult in sight. The tiny monsters, the nosy adults, and the embarrassing younger brother are out of the house.

Hunter landed on some random Netflix movie, and I don't know how she could look so relaxed. She tossed her blazer onto the couch and snuggled under my grandmother's quilt. She ran her hand over the fabric with a small, soft smile.

"This is cute," she said.

"Thanks, my grandma made it out of old t-shirts," I managed to say without my tongue falling out, and joined her on the couch, placing the Tupperware bowl of popcorn between us. Clearing my throat, I pretended to pay attention to the movie as I shifted half an inch closer to her. Being so close, I was so hyperaware of her. The air had been electrified. Every time Hunter moved, sparks pricked my skin.

"That's so cool," Hunter said, admiring the faded and crumbling designs. "My grandmother never even made me cookies. She could order some really well, though."

"Hey, I'll take whatever kind of cookie I can get it."

Hunter laughed and gingerly pulled two pieces of popcorn to eat.

Seconds turned into minutes, turned into a lifetime of silence. Inwardly cringing, I desperately tried to think of something to say, anything to say. There was no filter system inside my brain. If I was ready to talk, words just flew out of my mouth. Twisting around, I admitted to Hunter, "I'm sorry if I seem nervous."

Hunter's brow jumped up her forehead.

Gretchen was correct. Hunter was quiet and if someone gave me room to speak, I was going to fill it with my verbal vomit. I said, "I'm sorry if that makes you awkward, but I need you to know I'm normally more chill." Hearing myself, I frowned. "But I guess a chill person wouldn't have to say that."

Touching her chest, Hunter let out a relieved sigh. "No, it's okay. I'm nervous too."

"This is you nervous?"

"Well, it's just...." She pursed her lips as her brow scrunched, making her entire expression into the shape of a question mark. She turned towards me too, creeping a little closer, and it suddenly felt like we were sharing secrets. "I still feel bad for lying to you."

I blinked. Tilting my head, I tried to remember how I'd been wronged. Hunter's brown eyes were too vast, and I got too lost in them to remember my way back to reality.

She clarified. "About our first date."

"Oh, right," I said, "I am curious why you let me think you were Kate."

"Truthfully, I was also supposed to go on a date that night." Hunter let out a trembling breath as she clasped her hands together in her lap. "Except, I canceled, but I also didn't want to go home. I took refuge at that cafe. I planned to wallow for a few hours, but then you strolled up."

Her smile was still so small, Hunter swallowed and contained her laughter. She glanced at me, studying my face. "You came to me all bright and excited and talkative. You overwhelmed me in the best way. You're like a lightning strike. I didn't know where you came from or how you got there or why you chose me, but all I knew was that I couldn't let you go. I wanted to keep talking to you."

"So, you're saying it was fate?" I placed my elbow on the back of the couch and scooted close enough that our knees touched.

"I'm saying I lucked out getting the wrong girl at the right time."

"Who were you supposed to go on a date with?"

"Oh, her name is Veronica. I recently came out to my family as bisexual—"

"Congrats."

"Thanks," she said, despite her voice being shaky. "My aunt jumped at the opportunity to do a little matchmaking. Apparently, Veronica is going to Harvard with a golf scholarship and runs in the exact circles my parents would like me to run in."

I grimaced. "I might be the exact opposite of that."

"Sometimes," she said to her hands as her thumb rubbed across her pointer finger. "I feel like my parents don't know me at all. Like around Christmas, they'll give me presents that I would have liked in Middle School. I feel like they gave up trying to get to know me." She peeked at me, then immediately dropped her eyes. She brushed her hair behind her ears, giving away how red they could burn. "Well, now this is very embarrassing. I shouldn't have dumped all that on you."

"Don't worry about that," I said. "I want to know everything about you and if it'll make you feel better, my parents don't know what's going on with me either. I haven't told them I'm taking the first semester of college off because I don't know what I'm supposed to do with my life." I glanced down and took a chance, threading my hand into hers.

"You didn't have a dream as a kid?" Hunter asked, leaning towards me. "No aspirations of being an astronaut or a ballerina?"

"Ah, yes, the two genders."

Hunter laughed, this time a full cheese with all her teeth and a little dimple on display.

Almost everything I said, including that last joke, normally flew out of my mouth. I just said the first thing that popped into my head. It gets me in trouble sometimes, but I guess it gave me something pretty to see other times.

I said without hesitation, "You have a really pretty smile."

Her smile shifted, falling, but perking back up as my words hit her. Her cheeks flushed pretty again, and I, like a moth without self-preservation, was drawn back into her light. I understood Icarus, who just wanted to touch the sun. No matter the consequences.

"I might not know what I want to do in the next five years or even after that," I said, dropping her hand and resting my arm behind her on the couch again. She leaned closer to me, sliding her hand over my thigh. "But I have a good idea what I'd like to do in the next five minutes."

"How about the next five seconds?" Hunter said, her voice low. Her head was already tilting, and I didn't need to take any more hints.

I closed the distance and kissed her, pressing my lips to hers. Her lips were softer than velvet, and just one kiss wasn't enough. I wanted her warmth to sink into my skin, her softness in the palm of my hands, and to hear the way her breath shuddered. Something about the fragile sound scratched a part of my brain that made me see fireworks. I kissed her top lip, the bottom, and back again. Caressing her cheek, Hunter's cheek fell into my hand as she melted into my touch. She slid her hand up from my elbow, across my arm, and then glided up my neck through my curls. Her touch left a trail of sparks and all my baby hairs stood up.

Placing my hand behind her back, I pushed, and she had softened so much, she easily fell onto the couch. Hunter hummed in delight as she slipped her hand underneath the back of my shirt and her silky touch slipped up my spine and my breath hitched.

This might be the greatest moment of my life happening in real time, and I might have to thank every lucky star in the sky for giving me something I don't know if I deserve.

A click rang out in the house and my front door screeched open, letting in the flood of noise and people and Bear already barking and racing inside. I popped off of Hunter and our eyes met as they widened. Like two tornados, I shoved my shirt back down and jumped to the other end of the couch as Hunter snapped up, sitting on the edge of the couch with her hands folded together again.

"Marnie? Are you home?" My father called out. "Come get groceries! They didn't have the applesauce you like, but an employee said the toddler applesauce is basically the same-"

At the same time, apparently this was the perfect time for my mother and aunt to bicker about the fierceness of their periods with my mother arguing, "Well, I can't walk for a whole day unless I have a hot pack strapped to my uterus."

"Walk around?" My aunt guffawed. "I'm stuck in the bathroom. Deidra, I swear it's like I've been shot down there."

"Wait until menopause," my grandmother, who was apparently here, voiced her opinion because a family sticks together when they torture me together. "I was tired, hot, and horny all the time. I swear puberty wasn't that bad."

That inspired a loud groan from everyone in the house, including me, like a tragic Greek chorus. Covering my face, I groaned and slid down onto the couch, hoping the earth would open and swallow me whole.

"Oh," my dad said at the back of the couch. "Hi. Sorry, Marnie, I didn't realize you had a friend over."

Hunter stood up, back into her chorus girl pose, and smiled like she was competing for Miss Universe. "Hi," she said and waved a little. Everyone stopped in their places as the shock washed over the room. "Nice to meet you. I'm Hunter."

"Oh?" My mom glanced at me.

"She's the one I went on a date with last night," I explained.

"Oh?!" My mom gawked back and forth between us.

Hunter stood straighter. She eyed me and something like panic flashed over her face. I jumped to my feet to stand beside her, slightly nudge her, and hopefully bring her out of whatever spiral she had just fallen into.

"Wow, up close, you are such a pretty girl," my aunt said and my grandma nodded, her brows still so high up her forehead, they touched her grey hairline.

"Way prettier than Marnie's last girlfriend," my grandma said.

I slapped my hands together in mock prayer. "Please, stop. Please, be normal."

"Sorry," my mother let out a little laugh. "Is that the Saint Mary's uniform?"

"Yes, ma'am." Hunter dutifully nodded. She was a second away from curtseying.

"Wow. That's a nice school. You must be very smart."

"I do my best," Hunter gave her pageant answer.

"What are you doing hanging out with Marnie?" My brother finally spoke up from the back.

"Alright, alright," I waved my hands at the unwanted crowd. "Enough. You've done your family duty of ruining my life. We will go get groceries." I put my hands on Hunter's shoulders and maneuvered her around the couch and out the front door. My driveway was now littered with cars and my little cousins were in the yard screaming and doing cartwheels.

"My house is a circus," I said, dead serious, but Hunter smiled.

"It's lively."

"You are an angel."

She shrugged, knowing she couldn't deny it either. Like I said, we brought in all the groceries we could possibly carry and while I helped put it all away, my mother peppered her with questions and Hunter gave mostly the same answers she gave me. Our dog, Bear, sat at her feet and once Hunter started petting him, she never stopped.

"Don't break your back," my grandmother said and motioned Hunter to sit down. "Just sit with him."

Awkwardly, Hunter staggered onto my kitchen floor and Bear practically tossed himself into her lap. Overwhelmed, Hunter let out a closer to normal laugh.

Somehow, we started talking about the quality of soda coming out of a fountain versus a can when Hunter's phone rang. She stood up, giving Bear one final pet and said, "Thank you for having me, but my ride is here."

"Huh?" I said, scrambling to join her. "I would've driven you home."

"But you're already home and it's okay. I get Ubers all the time."

"Oh, okay, um, let me walk you out," I said and followed her out the door. Like she said, a black car with an Uber sign was in front of my house.

"Give me your phone," she said, and I immediately obliged, opening it for her. With a smile, she started tapping at my phone screen. "This is my number. Text me as soon as I get in that car, and you have to ask me out on another date."

Flustered, I ended up gaping wide eyed and stupid at her. "I have to?"

"You must."

"Why can't you ask me out?"

"Because I like it when you do it."

She handed me back my phone and walked off my porch. Looking back, she threw me a little wave and then got into the car. I watched dumbly as she was driven away.

My front door opened behind me, and I didn't have to look back to know my family was standing there. My mother spoke up first, "When you told me she was pretty, I didn't believe you."

"What did you do to get a girl like that? Are you blackmailing her?" My brother joked, but I didn't find it funny.

"You guys are my family. You should ask how she got so lucky to go on a date with me?" I said, but not a single person looked convinced. I added on to make myself feel better, "And just so you know, she's the one who wanted to come over and hang out. With me. On purpose."

Not a huge lie.

A little bit of truth was in there if I squinted.

My mother smiled the way she looked at my cousins when they were crying over nothing. "Of course she's lucky. You're great."

"A rich, beautiful girl for our Marnie," My dad said and turned back into the house. "I never thought I'd see the day."

Jacob agreed. "You are out of your league."

"Oh, Jacob," my mother swatted at him. "Marnie, don't listen to them. They're joking."

She said that, but I knew they weren't.

I've had it. Sprinting into the house, I tackled Jacob and jumped, putting him into a headlock. He let out an obnoxious laugh and went for my legs to take me down.

"Oh, yeah," my grandmother said, standing in front of us. "A real winner."

"Weren't you supposed to text her?" Jacob asked, and I cursed, letting him go. He chased me all the way up to my room, but I slammed my door shut before he could tackle me. His fists rattled my door, but I ignored him and he eventually tired himself out.

Quickly, I pulled out my phone.

There.

Sat a new contact.

Hunter. With a heart.

A smile spread across my face, and the happy feeling fluttered through my limbs. Too giddy, I jumped up and down, squealing to myself. I texted her:

MARNIE: [Thanks for coming with me today. Text me when you get home!]

Hunter immediately texted back.

HUNTER: [Finally! I was waiting for your text].

MARNIE: [Sorry! I will make it up to you on another date. Might I interest you in a walk around the park? There's an arts festival this weekend and I like to window shop].

HUNTER: [I raise you a brunch and coffee to sip as we walk around the market].

I smiled and typed.

MARNIE: [You drive a hard bargain, but you have yourself a deal.]

HUNTER: [Correction. I have myself a date.]

Slowly, I slid down my door and crumbled onto the floor, letting the day soak into me. My entire future might be impossible to imagine. I might be spiraling and haven't lined a single thing up, but one thing was for sure, Hunter was the best person I had ever met, and things couldn't possibly go wrong when things were this perfect.

Well designed bridges didn't fall.

Expertly crafted clothes didn't break apart.

A relationship didn't end if the couple was perfect for each other. 

AUTHOR'S NOTE

Hey y'all! Happy Fri-gay. The girls kissed again! And Hunter met the family~ Are things going too fast? Or are things just working out for Marnie? Let me know your thoughts :) 

Everything's going so well, right? How can things possibly go wrong? 

f you like this story, don't forget to vote and leave a comment. All comments are read, and appreciated. And if you're interested in supporting me--an asexual biromantic gay--please order a copy of my sapphic romcom THE TRIAL PERIOD, out NOW w/ Wattpad books. 

See you next week!