The Guidance Counselor

Bacon, Eggs, and Apologies

The drive to the diner for breakfast was silent, for one reason or another. Camila was lost in her own thoughts of what had transpired between herself and Lauren earlier that morning, meanwhile Normani's mind was reeling with the realization that maybe she was a little more towards the middle of the kinsey scale than she had always assumed she was. They made it to the restaurant, the two of them ordering coffees and the breakfast special before either of them spoke, Camila making the first move.

"So explain to me what happened," Camila said softly, sipping at her freshly poured cup of coffee.

Normani looked down at the table and shrugged, not exactly sure how to start the conversation or where to begin with the details. "Friday night when we went to get the pizza after we moved you in, things were different, I don't even know how to explain it, I guess I just saw her differently than I thought I would. There was something easy about talking to her and laughing with her, I don't even know. Then yesterday when you went to the library, with Lauren apparently," Normani said with a small laugh and a hint of a smirk on her face. "We got along so well, she wasn't Dinah Jane the kid with the scraped up knees and wild hair like I remembered from when we were little, she was Dinah Jane with the most intoxicating smile and eyes that cut through to my heart. I realized maybe there was something there, something that hadn't been there with the guys I dated in Texas, something I hadn't seen or felt with any of the girls I crossed paths with in Texas. It was different, but it felt okay, you know?"

Camila pursed her lips and gave a small nod, she did understand the feeling, not just because of her relationship with Lauren, but Camila had felt all these things once with a girl she had met in the 8th grade, the girl who's name Camila couldn't recall, despite her being the girl that changed everything Camila thought she knew about herself.

"After you went out with Lauren, I don't even know how it happened, we started talking about relationships and then we sort of-"

"Kissed?" Camila asked, knowing full well what happened next. Normani nodded her head and Camila gave her a small smile, "What happened after you kissed?"

"Nothing," Normani laughed. "We kissed and then we looked at each other for a while and then her phone rang, her Mom needed her to come home so she could babysit, so she did. She left."

"And then?"

"And then I freaked out and then I showered and then I freaked out again, but with your company," Normani said while Camila just laughed softly to herself. "I don't know what this means, I don't know if I'm feeling what I think I am or if I'm just very confused; And worse, I don't know what she's feeling or if I possibly just ruined our friendship, just as we were getting it back."

"When did she tell you she liked girls?"

"Um, when we were staring at each other?" Normani said, questioning her own memory. "I remember asking something like so you're not straight? Or maybe it was more like, I thought you were straight. She just said she likes who she likes, she doesn't question the gender of the person."

Camila took a deep breath, swallowing down the bubbling anger she had felt the night before, "You have to talk with Dinah, it's scary I know, but the only way you can sort out what happened last night is by talking to her, facing the fear."

"I don't even know what I would say," Normani groaned, placing her head in her hands.

Reaching across the table, Camila placed a comforting hand on Normani's forearm, "Start by asking her if last night was just a moment or an opening. Start a conversation, because I can guarantee that if Dinah knew how badly you were freaking out, she'd want to help. If she likes girls like you say she does, she'll have been through this before."