Lost in Translation

Chapter 5: Schrödinger's Date

———Ben———

Saturday, May 4th, 2019

"Valeriaaaa!" I shouted as I burst through the cafeteria door, searching for Val. The cafeteria was mostly empty by now, so it was easy to spot where she was sitting. I beelined towards Val in close to a sprint, earning a reproachful glare from the cafeteria workers.

"Bwen," Val shouted back through a mouthful of a pulled pork sandwich, quickly placing it back down on the plate across from her that I assumed was meant to be mine. "I, uh, I got some for you, but you were taking so long, and—"

"Val, I don't care, I don't— fuck, Val, you were right," I panted, the words spilling out from me as I tried to catch my breath.

"Oh, sweet. About what?" She asked.

"About me, about why I was, uh, I..." My mind was buzzing, the white noise drowning out most coherent thoughts.

"Why you were.... oh, this morning? About why you were all over the place on patrol?" Val asked, eyes wide. I nodded frantically, and she jumped up out of her seat.

"You sensed a potential mate!?" Val squealed, and I nodded again, not trusting myself to speak.

"What are you nodding for!? Give me details! Who is she?" Val gushed, grabbing my hands and pulling me down into the seat across from her.

"He," I croaked out, still feeling overwhelmed and buzzy.

"He? Oh. He. That's ok. Did you expect a he?" Val asked, concern now mellowing out her excitement as she noticed my panic.

"I didn't expect anything really, I... I've never looked at anyone like... I've thought girls were cute before, but I've never felt like I did today with anybody. Gods, Val, he's fucking gorgeous," I said. She giggled, and I felt heat rush to my face. I turned away in embarrassment, but she caught my hands again.

"Really, Ben, it's ok. It's not like I don't understand being attracted to the same gender," she said with a gentle smile, pointing to the bi-pride button on her jacket. Val and I's friendship started in high school when she asked out my girlfriend at the time, not knowing we were together. The relationship didn't last, but my friendship with Val did.

"Holy shit, he's a guy," I said, staring at her in complete shock. I hadn't really considered that particular aspect of my current situation until now.

"I'm not that surprised, honestly, now that I think back on it," Val mused as she took another bite.

"You're not?" I said, feeling flustered by that. Was my sexuality a mystery to only me?

"I mean, you had plenty of girlfriends in school, you were on the football team, cute, kind.... surefire recipe for popularity," Val said, counting on her fingers.

"And being popular and having a lot of girlfriends implies I'm... not straight, because...?" I countered, not at all understanding her train of thought.

"How many girls did you have sex with?" Val asked pointedly.

"None. You know that. I... wanted to wait," I said. Val and I didn't really keep secrets between us, which was why I was here now, immediately spilling my guts to her about the disastrous development in my love life.

"Never felt tempted?"

"No."

"Not even a little?"

"No."