What a Girl Wants

Chapter Nine

As the school year moved along, Mandy tried to rekindle her friendship with Gabby into what it had been before, but with the latter's confession, it was hard. And was Mandy supposed to tell her friend that she'd thought about her in ways she'd only previously thought about men? Or that she saw the slightly older woman, her heart confused itself with a drum? She sighed and tried to finish her test. "Hey, Mandy!" Someone called to her as she stalked out of the room.

"Oh, hey, Callie, what's up?"

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, why do you ask?"

"You sighed so loud that MacDougall actually woke up." Mandy cracked a smile at the thought of their perpetually sleepy professor rousing at her sigh. "That's better. So?"

"Nothing. Girl trouble," she said before she could stop herself. "I mean... I don't know what I mean."

"I didn't know you were into girls."

"I'm not. Just one." She ran a hair through her hair. "I'm tired and I don't know what I'm saying."

Callie put her arm around her shoulders. "You can talk to me."

Mandy sighed again and they laughed. At an off-campus pizza place, she started at the beginning and ran down the entire story. Callie sat there and listened, only interrupting to get clarity on things. "And now... I'm losing my friend, I don't know what to do and I sigh every seven seconds."

"Wow."

Making a face, Mandy dropped her head in her hands. "I'm confused or conflicted or maybe I'm not, but it's hurts."

"Can I be honest with you?"

"You know so much about me already, so why not?"

"You like her," Callie said simply.

Mandy nodded. "I know. She's a great friend."

Callie laughed and took a sip of her drink. "That's not what I meant."

"There's nothing more to that?"

"Mmm. Yes. In general, you may not like women, but you like Gabby. And, girl, I don't blame you. She is gorgeous and a good kisser." Back on campus, they sat outside of their connected dorms. "You know, just because you like her, doesn't mean you have to date her."

Mandy shrugged. "Isn't that the point? If you like someone and they like you, dating is the next option?"

"You wouldn't date a guy just because y'all had a crush on each other, would you?"

"I guess not. What about the... sex?" She whispered.

Callie chuckled loudly. "I didn't take you for the type to talk about sex casually."

"I don't, but at this point..."

"Well, uh, it's not for everyone. And it's different, at first; but I enjoy it," she said tilting an eyebrow. "My girlfriend likes it, too."

Mandy fidgeted with her hands. "So, what do I do?"

"What do you want to do?"

"I want to not feel like I want to kiss her all over. I want her to get out of my head."

Callie looked up. "Well, that's going to have to wait."

"Why?" Her classmate pointed at Gabby who was heading in their direction. "Oh, damn."

"I'll just leave you two." Mandy shook her head. "Yes. Yes. Be brave."

Mandy cursed. "I'm not brave."

"What's up, y'all?" Gabby asked.

"I was just leaving. My girlfriend is waiting for me." She stood up. Callie leaned in and hugged Mandy. "Be brave," she whispered.

Gabby sat down next to her. "How was your test?"

"It was alright," she shrugged. "How was your day?"

"Good."

The quiet between them was awkward and highly unusual. "Can... we talk?" Gabby nodded. "My room?"

They walked to her room, closely. Their fingers touched as they rounded a corner. Mandy took a deep breath as she opened her room door. "So?"

"I've been thinking... about you."

"Mandy, what I said... I shouldn't have said it because clearly, it's made you uncomfortable."

Suddenly, Mandy turned around, biting her bottom lip. "I don't like women."

"I know."

"But I'm attracted to you. I like you."

Gabby grinned. "Seriously?"

She nodded. "I'm 99% sure."

"And it's not a joke?" Mandy reached for her hand and locked their fingers. "I can barely breathe."

"That's a good thing, right?" They hugged and before she knew it, their lips were pressed together. The warmest feeling flowed through her body—something like she'd never experienced before. Gabby's lips were as soft as she thought they might be. She let out a moan that pulled her back to reality. "Gabrielle?"

"Yes, frosh?" She whispered touching Mandy's belt loops, pushing up her shirt.

Mandy took a step back. "We should slow down."

"I'll just go then," she said walking to the door.

"Don't go," Mandy told her picking up her hand again, pulling her to the bed. They sat down and began kissing again. Everything in her wanted to stop, but with every taste of Gabby, she fell deeper. The two of them lay back on the bed. Gabby moved on top of her and put her lips on Mandy's neck, sucking on it. "God, that feels good."

Gabby's hand went to the front of her jeans. "Is this okay?"

"I don't know."

Gabby fell back on the bed next to her. "I didn't know how much I wanted you."

"You're not alone."

"Really?"

"You've been on my mind a time or two," Mandy admitted as they rolled to face each other.

Gabby pushed back some of her hair. "Just a time or two?"

"Shut up," she said touching Gabby's bare skin that was showing. They smiled at each other. "Scotty's gonna have a field day."

"You told her?"

Mandy shook her head ferociously. "She just knew."

"I told her that I liked you."

"And she didn't say anything!?"

Gabby touched her chin and pulled her in again, naturally. Another kiss was followed by another and another. She put her hand on Mandy's butt squeezing it and turning her on. "I think that we should go on a date."

"I... we... I'm nervous."

"I am, too. Go out with me anyway."

Mandy jerked her head back. "Is that how you ask?"

"Will you go out with me... frosh?"