New Ways

FOURTEEN

Sigrid

Sam Smith's I'm Not The Only One was playing on the radio in the car as Kate drove me to school this morning in my blue 2014 Ford Mustang convertible. I had spent the night over at her place last night, right after dinner with her family. Kate and I had been dating for over a year now. The first time we met each other was at a yoga convention which my parents had dragged me to. Apparently Kate's mom was a marketing manager for one of the Yogasutra studio in Times Square and she had dragged Kate along too to the convention. The two of us instantly hit it off when our parents introduced us, and after a few hookups we decided to try dating.

You say I'm crazy

'Cause you don't think I know what you've done

But when you call me baby

I know I'm not the only one

Goddammit, not this part of the song. Best part was, she was even singing to it!

"So," Kate turned to me when we reached a red light, fiddling with her waterfall braided silver hair. "You didn't answer my question last night. Last Saturday too, for that matter."

I adjusted my seatbelt to a more comfortable angle as I slightly turned in my seat to face her. "Do I really have to?"

"Yes, you have to," Kate pressed on the accelerator pedal when the green light came on. "I deserve to know. We agreed on this, Sig."

"Some girl at the studio I work at," I casually replied. Noticing that Kate's calm expression was still on, I continued. "She's one of those instructors that rotates around the different studios, you see. It's not like I see her all the time either."

"No one else?" Kate glanced over at me.

I shook my head and took her free hand, placing it on my lap. "No one else, I swear."

Here's the special thing about Kate and I - we are non-monogamous. I told Kate this the first time I met her and she was totally cool with it. It wasn't because she had commitment problems, she explained, but she was just open to the idea of seeing different people at the same time without it actually being an issue. I was relieved when she said that because I, on the other hand, think I have commitment problems and didn't see myself settling down with anybody yet. There was just too many places I haven't been to yet, too many people I haven't met yet and I was glad I found a girlfriend who clearly understood that.

Also because of the fact that Kate was studying and living in another state and we only get to see each other once in every few months when she has semester breaks, I didn't want to tie her down just yet. I wanted her to enjoy the same kind of freedom she gave me, the kind she deserved too. Kate had always made me happy. I loved her so much for that. She was like the best friend I never had.

Hopefully one day when I'm finally ready to commit, it'll be her that I commit to.

"We're here!" She chirped, not bothering to park the car near the curb, instead only stopping right beside a white car parked at a spot near the gates of my school. "Chinese takeaway after school?"

"Chinese takeaway after school," I repeated, pulling her into a kiss before I ended it with one on her forehead.

"I love you," Kate whispered when I pulled away.

I pinched her cheeks and hopped out of the car. "I love you too, hottie. Thanks for the ride. Take care of Horsey. And I end at four today, don't be late!"

My girlfriend held up an "okay" sign as she reversed my car out of the street before driving off.