Chatelaine

Helping out

Evelyn's POV

Once I got home from my shopping, I stepped into the house. "Rowan could you help me out with these grocer-" before I could finish asking for help, Rowan came running. She gave me the biggest hug. It lasted a good 30 seconds before I asked: "What's going on?"

"Evelyn, love, I just missed ya, that's allowed, no?" She said, but she was shaking. Aww, I felt the urge to protect her, make her feel better.

"Rowan.." I hummed. She stiffened a little when I said her name. I could see her chest rising and lowering, indicating that she was breathing heavily. I wonder what that was. Seriously, something was the matter. "Please tell me what's wrong." I smiled softly and rested my hand on her shoulder.

She nodded and indicated for me to follow her. We walked down into the basement. She locked the door behind her. "Look, do you think I'm too masculine?" She asked. There were tears in her eyes.

"Oh, sweetie, no..." I said softly. "What brought this on?" She pulled a newspaper from the trash and let me read it. She pointed to a specific article. "Women Can Like Women." Oh. That's what this is about. As I continued to read, I understood more and more what the matter was.

"Oh, wow, Rowan... well I can tell you personally, that you're beautiful just the way you are and... well since the day I met you, I've been captivated by how bold you are, to dress and look the way you do." I twirled a piece of her hair in my hand and then tucked it behind her ear.

She let her tears flow. "I have the disease, Evelyn." She said in between sniffles. "How could it be a disease?" I mean, this is the first I'm hearing of this, but how do we know it's not me who has the disease since I like men? How do we know its everyone else with the disease, Sweetheart?"

She cried even harder now. "You like men..." she whispered to herself. More tears fell from her eyes. I slid my thumb underneath her eye to wipe them away.

"I... I dont know, yes I think so...." I spoke. I knew I did but for some reason, I couldn't get myself to say yes right away. I guess I have something to think about.

"You think so?" Her eyes got wide. "You dont know?" She questioned. Her head lifted up. She seemed Luke she got a bit of hope. Does that mean she wants me to be? "I have to think about it, Rowan, is it me who you're attracted to?" I asked.

She nodded, looking at the ground. I sighed. "Oh, sweetheart" I pushed my lips to the side. I needed a second to process that. No one has talked for a few seconds. I quickly realized the situation and reached to hug her.

Once we separated she was staring hard into my eyes. Our breathing was getting heavier. Our faces were so close to each other. I figured It would help if I just-

Rowan's POV

Before I could even think about what was going on, I leaned in to kiss her. It was like instinct. I couldn't help it. It finally kicked in that I was kissing Evelyn, a girl. It felt natural. Softer. It wasn't a skin-crawling feeling like it was with Jack. Before I caught myself and backed up, I felt her nibbling softly back into my lips. She was into it.

"Woah." I broke the kiss. "I thought-" she cut me off to say "I did too. And I do... I like men." She finalized. That can't be true, she enjoyed it as much as I did. "But you-" she cut me off again to say "I know what I did." She had a confused, angry look on her face. She got up and left. "Evelyn!"

*********

A week had passed and we continued our friendship as if the day of the kiss never happened. I was gonna help her realize that she didn't like men, just like me.  

I was straight out the shower, she was in Jacks chair, reading. I walked into the room confidently without anything on. She looked up from her book. Her mouth opened just a bit. Was being discreet about looking. She gulped down hard. Aha, I heard that. She knows it, now. I stand next to her and reach over her to get a towel. she was staring, I can feel it. 

I finally wrapped the towel around my body, but tightly, in order to show off my hips. She continued looking. I walked back into the bathroom to get changed. Hopefully, if she didn't know then, she knows now that she has a homosexual disease. 

-

"Rowan," she called me into the room. "Yeah?" I was smiling, hopefully, she was going to tell me she was homosexual like me. "What was that stunt you pulled earlier?" She laughed, keeping the mood friendly. "I know what you're doing, and I'm still not gay," she spoke blatantly. Her eyes shifted to her book, again.  "I dont know what you're talking about, "I claimed. She sighed. 

"Rowan," she hummed. I loved making her do that. "What kind of relationship do you even imagine us having?" she questioned. That was a good question. I didn't know. I rested my fingers on my chin, in thought. My eyebrows connected, showing that I was confused. 

"Can women get married to other women?" I asked. She gave a thoughtful expression. "No." Jack showed up behind me. "Uh oh," Evelyn said, and then she hid her face in her book. Jack reached for the back on my neck and squeezed tightly. "Jack, you're hurting me." I whined. He was though.