20

Kaylee got off the stool and coming near me whispered in my ear, "She's in denial." And with that walked off.

What the hell?

I felt my stomach drop as I watched Kaylee's back leaving.

Ann kissed a woman last night.

She's in denial.

What?

What did that mean? I couldn't wrap my head around those two sentences put together and what they implied.

This couldn't be a misunderstanding, right? I heard everything correctly, or so I wanted to believe. If Ann really was in denial about being gay or... just liking women... that still didn't mean that I had a chance with her at all.

It more likely meant that she was confused and I was the last thing on her mind.

I poured myself a glass of water and tried to not think about any of that right now. I had to get back to the living room and act normal in front of Ann, like I hadn't just been presented with the biggest revelation from her sister.

I took a deep breath and left the kitchen. When Kaylee saw me she gave me a long meaningful look that contained a little too much amusement for my liking. I looked away from her and sat down on my spot on the couch.

Ann was avoiding looking at me and I was avoiding looking at Kaylee. We sat there in silence for a while, watching the TV attentively until Kaylee suddenly (and completely spontaneously) had a coughing fit. I couldn't help but laugh at her lame attempt to ease the awkwardness and I saw Ann smiling as well.

"You're not a good actress." Ann said, while patting Kaylee's back.

"What, *cough* what do you *cough* mean?"

"I know it was a dream of yours to become an actress but really, you made the best choice in not taking that pat."

Kaylee's coughing stopped then and she sighed disappointedly. "Well, at least now we won't be staring awkwardly at the TV." She said and switched it off with the remote.

"I was actually watching that." I protested.

"Too bad." Kaylee got up from the couch and looked down at me and Ann. "Since neither of you wants to tell me what happened, let's see if I can get it out of you when you're here together."

"Kay, please." Ann reprimanded.

"No, but really. You need to clarify whatever happened between you two."

Ann was about to say something again but I beat her to it. "We've already clarified."

Kaylee turned her attention to me now. "Clarified what?"

"The-" The words died in my mouth under Ann's glare, "the, yeah the thing."

Kaylee arched an eyebrow. "The thing?"

It was obvious that I was the easier target and that Kaylee knew that. Before I could say anything I felt Ann shift nearer to me, pressing her thigh to mine and taking my hand in hers.

"We've resolved whatever we needed to resolve, a private matter," Ann said, then, showing our joined hands, she added, "see?"

"Okay, you win." Kaylee conceded. "So, why don't we talk about something else?"

I felt Ann's whole body relax and I squeezed her hand briefly, reassuring her that I wouldn't say anything.

Kaylee sat on the other side of Ann, leaving her sister glued to me and in the middle of the couch. Ann seemed to realize that she was holding my hand and immediately let go as if she'd just gotten a shock from the touch.

Kaylee started talking about I don't know what but all I could pay attention to was Ann's thigh pressed to mine, her arm brushing mine and the all new possibility that she could be interested in women. Not me, women. I was so mind blown by everything that I wasn't paying attention to the conversation at hand.

"Cam?" Ann nudged me.

"What?" I asked.

I saw Kaylee smiling innocently at me, almost mockingly. "I just asked how you spent last night."

"Oh," I said. "Uh, I went to some party."

"With who?" Kaylee probed without loosing a beat.

"With some friends." I replied vaguely. I had direct eye contact with Kaylee since Ann had sank back as much as she could and was staring straight ahead, not participating in the interrogation.

Kaylee nodded thoughtfully. "With a special friend?"

I stared but didn't say anything. I didn't know what she was trying to do but I didn't want to fall in the trap, whatever it was for. "What is considered a special friend?"

Ann snorted at my dumb question while Kaylee arched an eyebrow. "Like a friend you kiss once in a while, I don't know."

I felt Ann stiffen next to me and I would have laughed at the irony if I didn't want to make Kaylee suspicious or something. "Oh."

"Well?" Kaylee asked impatiently.

"I guess." I said just to see her curiosity skyrocket.

"Ohh, and who is he?" She asked then. "Or she?" She added smirking.

I glanced briefly at Ann, wondering if she'd told her sister about my sexuality. I didn't think she did honestly, but you never know. Maybe I just seemed gay after all. "Well, you don't know them." I replied smiling back.

"Aha!" Kaylee exclaimed. "So it's a she."

"Maybe it's a them." I said just to mess with her. I felt Ann's curious look on me but I kept staring at Kaylee who seemed confused for a moment.

"Ugh, can't you just answer? What's the big deal?" She whined.

I laughed. "I'm just saying it could be a them, ya know?"

"God, I can't have a decent conversation with neither of you two." She said, referring to me and Ann. Then, after a moment of silence she snapped. "Are you going to answer or not?"

Ann tapped my leg and stagingly whispered. "Tell her or she won't get off your back."

I sighed. "Fine. What was the question?"

Kaylee now grinned from ear to ear. "What's the gender of your special friend?"

"I'm gay." I said, keeping a completely serious face on. That took Kaylee off guard and she glanced questioningly at her sister for a brief moment.

"Uh..." She started saying but I interrupted her.

"Does that answer your question?" I asked, smiling and trying to contain my laugh.

Kaylee's eyes got wide and she turned to Ann. "Did you know?" She asked her.

Ann rolled her eyes. "Yes, I did. Now get a grip, wasn't that what you were fishing for anyway?"

"I was." Kaylee replied, nodding thoughtfully. "But," she turned to me almost regretfully, "I didn't want to force you out of the closet, Cam."

I laughed now at her panicked and surprised expression, she looked like she'd just hurt a puppy. "You didn't. I thought you already knew anyway."

This seemed to ease her mind. "Well, I did wonder..."

"What? Why?" I asked, curious to know what gave it away.

"I want to say that I'm completely flattered and not offended at all, but you do stare at my ass a little bit too much, I'm afraid." She finished smirking.

My eyes widened. I didn't expect that at all, if I stared at someone's ass too much, that would have to be her sister's.

Before I could say anything, Ann slapped Kaylee's arm. "Shut up, she doesn't."

I was glad she was defending my honor but I also didn't want Kaylee to start thinking about me supposedly staring at her sister's... anything.

Kaylee slapped Ann's arm back. "You're just jealous that my ass is more stare worthy than yours."

Ann snorted. "As if. Don't you have a boyfriend at home waiting for your ass to come back?"

"My ass is worth waiting for as long as it takes for me to get better acquainted with your neighbor." At that she smiled innocently at me again.

Ann sighed and patted my leg. "I tried." She said, defeatedly.

"So," Kaylee said, "you have a girlfriend. What's her name?"

I stiffened at the question. "I don't have a girlfriend." I corrected her.

Kaylee rolled her eyes. "A special friend then."

"Well, I don't call her that."

"Whatever," she said dismissively, "what's her name?"

I didn't want to discuss this in front of Ann. Not that she would care either way who I kiss or who I don't kiss but still... I felt uncomfortable talking about it.

"Rachel." I said and with the corner of my eyes glanced at Ann. She had sunk back on the couch again and seemed indifferent at whatever was said.

"Ohh, is she pretty?"

"No, she's butt ugly but she has a nice ass."

Kaylee rolled her eyes and I saw Ann crack a smile.

"Be serious!" Kaylee said annoyedly.

"What do you want me to say? Yeah, I guess. She's pretty."

"Mmm-hmm. Describe her."

"Really?"

She shrugged. "What? I'm curious and Annie here is curious too."

I shot a quick look at Ann only to see her glaring at her sister.

I was unsure on how to describe Rachel so I just stuck to basic physical attributes. "She's a little shorter than me, blond and has green eyes."

"Oh, so she's blond. Lesbian couples are always formed by a blond and a brunette."

I snorted. Was she being serious? "I'm glad to fit in the stereotype."

"But it's not a stereotype if it's true!" She protested. "And you say she has a nice ass?"

"Of course, that's the most important feature in a girl." I said jokingly, rolling my eyes.

I saw Kaylee smile deviously after a moment of silence. "I already know that you approve of my ass, so what about Annie's ass?" She asked, all the while staring at her sister.

I turned to look at Ann and saw her blush and glare with anger at her sister at the same time. I couldn't help but blush as well.

I coughed to clear my voice and come to my senses. "I don't have an opinion about it."

"Surely you'll have noticed it." Kaylee interjected immediately.

By this point I was glaring at her as much as Ann was. I was not sure if she was on my side or Ann's or against us both at the same time. Probably the latter.

"Well." I stole a look at Ann to assure myself she wouldn't get angry at me. "Of course, it's inevitable."

Ann turned her glare at me now. I was fanning the flames of Kaylee's curiosity and that was the opposite of what I was supposed to do.

Kaylee nodded thoughtfully as if she was thinking everything over. "Then, if you've noticed it, you surely must have formed an opinion about it."

"I-"

"You're talking about my behind when I'm right here!" Ann snapped, interrupting me.

Kaylee shrugged. "It's not a big deal, Annie. You should be happy and flattered when someone thinks you're attractive."

My eyes widened. What the fuck? "I didn't say that!"

Two pair of eyes turned their attention to me. Ann raised an eyebrow. "You don't think I'm attractive?" She questioned.

I stared at her and from the corner of my eye could see Kaylee silently laughing. "I didn't say that either..." I muttered.

"But now I want to know." Ann insisted.

"Well..." I stared some more and felt all thoughts leave my mind. "You are attractive."

"You've already told me that, but do you find me attractive?"

"Wait, she has? Why didn't I know this?" Kaylee asked her sister but was ignored altogether by both of us.

"I find you attractive too," I said and watched Ann smirk, "even though, as I've told you, you're not exactly my type."

The smirk fell off her face and she slapped my arm. "You don't always have to be so honest." She whined.

Kaylee tried coming in her support. "Yeah, but I bet every lesbian would fall for Annie's little ass here."

Ann closed her eyes briefly. "Thanks Kay, but stop talking about my ass."

I laughed. "If solely talking about your ass and not considering your personality, then yes. Every lesbian would fall for you." I teased and saw her get even more mad.

She got up from the couch. "Fine. I'm going to get some water and get a break from the both of you."

As she walked away, with all the talk about it... well, I couldn't help staring a bit.

"Yeah, I would stare too." Kaylee said, startling me. Busted.

I cleared my throat. Now that we were alone I wanted to ask Kaylee what she'd exactly meant with what she'd said earlier but wasn't sure if she'd answer me seriously. Instead I opted for a joke. "Keep this between us," I whispered, "but yours is better."

Kaylee smiled, satisfied. "She'll get jealous if she finds out." She whispered back.

I laughed and wondered for a second if she was joking or not. "I doubt that."

"Ohh, believe me, she will. Just don't kiss me, that would-"

"Don't kiss who?" Ann asked from the doorway.

"No one." Kaylee replied.

"I heard you Kaylee."

"I was just telling Cam to not kiss me even if she finds it hard to resist me." She winked at me and grinned.

Ann shook her head. "You have a boyfriend." She stated.

"So?"

"So... so stop messing with kids."

"I'm not the one messing with them." Kaylee said, raising her eyebrows. "And I'm monogamous," she added sadly, "as much as I've wanted to try an open relationship."

"Then you can go home to your soon-to-be-husband, right?"

"Fine!" Kaylee said brightly and got up from the couch suddenly. "I'm going. I'll leave you two alone so you can make up." She smirked. "Right?"

I watched Ann's face panick all of a sudden. As much as she wanted her sister to leave, she didn't want to be left alone with me. And I didn't either, now that I've almost convinced myself that she could very much be into women.

Kaylee collected her things quickly and before either me or Ann could say anything, she was leaving and waving goodbye a little too enthusiastically.

Here we are, I thought but couldn't face Ann, couldn't even think about anything to say that would divert us from any sort of confrontation.

"I'm sorry," Ann said and, when I looked questioningly at her, she added, "about my sister... she likes to stick her nose in things not concerning her at all."

"Uh," I started but didn't know what to say, "it's okay."

She sighed and took the remote to turn on the TV. "Do you want to watch something?" she asked as she came to sit on the couch.

"I'm kind of sleepy." I lied.

She stared at me for a long moment. "Long night?"

"Yeah." I said. It seemed like I couldn't form a coherent sentence.

She smiled. "So you finally got with Rachel?" She asked.

I furrowed my brows, staring at her confused. "Are you asking me if-"

She seemed horrified at the implication. "God, no! I was asking if you started dating."

I grinned at the blush that took over her face. "Well, no."

"No?" She seemed surprised.

"No, we're not dating. We're just friends."

"Uhm." She seemed to be mulling over that, "but you said you kissed her last night."

"Yeah, I did."

"Then you should ask her out." She concluded.

I laughed. "Why?"

"Because she must like you and you probably like her too, so..."

"What if I don't like her?"

"You don't?"

"Or she doesn't like me?"

"It won't be the end of the world, you'll easily find someone else." She tried reassuring me.

I smiled sadly. "Right. It's not that simple, I may like someone who's way out of my reach." I said. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. I wanted to add.

"She'd be stupid if she doesn't return your feelings." She said sympathetically.

I smiled. "If you say so. I'd better go now though."

I got up and she followed me to the door. "I hope I'll see you soon." She said.

"Yeah, I hope that too."