Sweet Caroline

#53 Let's do a Katy Perry

Poor Yord. That's all I can think when I watch him strike out with Tiffany time after time again. He's been at it all night, but she keeps making it clear that she's not interested anymore. I'm pretty sure the only reason Yord agreed to be a part of this plan was to see Tiff again, so I feel sorry for him, although I'm secretly glad that she isn't trying to force herself to try and be attracted to him anymore. She seems happy talking to him, yet she jerks back whenever he comes too close. He is not doing anything wrong, not even touching her, but she is making him feel like he's forcing himself on her. Poor guy.

After a while, Yord has had enough. He comes over to the table where I'm sitting with Shaughna and Stephen, chatting about a show we all watch. He slumps down in the chair next to mine and grabs the beer bottle from my hands, downing the whole thing within a few seconds.

"What is up with Tiffany?" he asks me, setting down the bottle with a bang. "First she sleeps with me, then she never responds to any of my texts or calls. Tonight she seems happy to see me and we have a great time when we talk to each other, but she's acting like she's grossed out by the mere idea of me touching her! I mean... we already had sex! Does she have a boyfriend or something? I thought you said she's still single?"

"I am," Tiffany says from behind us. "I'm sorry, Yord. I can explain."

"You can?" he replies, looking hopeful and angry at the same time. "Because it better be a damn good explanation. I don't like being jerked around."

"It's just that..." Tiffany's eyes move from Yord to me and I can tell that she's finally ready to own up to who she truly is. "I'm gay."

"You're..." Yord shakes his head. "But you..."

"I know," she says, looking so nervous I just want to hug her. "And I'm sorry that I led you on. I recently realized that I'm just not into guys and that's okay."

"Of course that's okay!" her friend Stephen exclaims. "I've been waiting years for you to finally say those words!" He gets up and hugs her tightly, lifting her up from the ground a little.

"You knew?" Tiffany asks when he puts her back down.

"We all knew," he responds, rolling his eyes. "You're not exactly subtle about it, Tiff."

She locks eyes with me and throws up her hands like she wants to say what the hell? Luckily, she's smiling so widely that it's clear that she doesn't mind. I don't know her group of friends that well, but from the few nights I spent with them, it doesn't surprise me that they don't care which gender Tiffany is attracted to. They like her for who she is, not because of her sexuality.

"Well, fuck," Yord mutters to me when Stephen drags Tiffany over to their other friends to break the news. "There goes my chance at a date with her."

I pat his arm with a little smile. "You'll find someone, Yord. Guy like you? I'd be surprised if you'll be on the market for much longer."

Sure enough, by the time I'm ready to leave the bar, Yord is kissing a girl I've never seen before in the far corner, grinding against her like he is going to need a room sooner rather than later. Shaughna and Dshawn insist on coming home with me, even though I keep telling them that it's fine if they want to stay a little longer. It's nice not to have to walk home on my own, though. Yord was originally planning on crashing at my place as well, but by the looks of it he's found himself another bed to sleep in. He's got my number and he knows where I live, so I'm sure he'll make his way back eventually.

The night ends with Shaughna and Dshawn passed out in the guest bedroom and me texting Nathan from the comfort of my own bedroom. When I finally fell asleep around 4 am, Aston still hasn't called or shown up at my place to crash here for the night. I guess his date with Annabel is going better than any of us could have foreseen.