A Collection of Short Stories

5

We arrive back at the academy at 9pm not even having to knock on the door. Unfortunately Tammy was the one to greet us with a very unpleasant look on her face. I just walked in and past her heading for the stairs. I'm stopped in my tracks by Delia telling me to come back.

I turn around and look at her confused, Tammy sporting the same look. "Listen. I know this is awkward... for all of us" she's not doing this right now. Is she? "I just wanna clear the air" she's really doing this right now. "We should sit" she suggests and I nod going over to a chair in the living room.

Tammy and Delia sit on a couch and she sighs wiping her hands on her pants. "I love you both and I know that may be hard to comprehend. Shit it's even hard for me to wrap my head around. I don't want to hurt either of you and I don't particularly want to choose either" she sighs.

"But who would you choose?" Tammy asks sadly, "maybe that's-" "I don't think we should-" she cuts us both off. "Who? Her or me?" She asks, "Cassie" Cordelia says confidently but softly. I look at her with a mixture of shock, confusion, and disbelief.

Tammy looks at me and sees the look on my face. "Is it because she's good with the girls? Because she's prettier-" I giggle unintentionally and try to straighten my face immediately. "This is funny to you?" She asks scarily calm and I shake my head quickly.

"No, I swear! It's just- you can't possibly think-" I scoff at my own thought and stays my head. "What? Spit it out" she says giving me all her attention. I look over at delia who has this child-like confusion etched on her face. "It's just absurd to me that you could think I'm prettier than you" I say seriously.

She scoffs and rolls her eyes turning back to Delia. She opens her mouth to speak but I beat her to it. "I'm deadass serious. Not to be that girl but like... have you seen yourself? Have you seen me? I mean you saw firsthand how I reacted when she said my name. You're obviously-" I stand up and feel very uncertain of myself all of a sudden.

"Shut up" Tammy says standing up to, "let's go" she says walking over to me. "Where?" Delia and I ask simultaneously, "the greenhouse" she answers. "Maybe I should-" Delia interjects, "stay" Tammy says and she sits. She's like a damn puppy, it's kinda cute.

We make it to the greenhouse and she closes the door behind her. She gestures to a seat before sitting herself and I sit across from her.

"Did you date?"
"yes"
"When and for how long?"

"Before I left for 6 months. What is this an interview" I chuckle. "Look. This is a tricky situation. I'm not asking you to do anything stupid... I just-" she sighs and closes her eyes. "I can't lose her, ok?" She says opening her eyes with tears brimming in them.

I walk around the table and pull her into my arms. She immediately hugs me back and sighs into my chest. "I'll leave tomorrow just say the word" I say and she pulls back quickly. "Why would y- Jesus Christ you're too nice for your own good. I used to be like you... Delia changed me" she says smiling softly.

"Yeah with a girlfriend like that you can't be passive" I giggle. "I swear it's like every man and woman can smell her from a mile away! It's so frustrating" she rolls her eyes. "I think it's the energy she carries, it's magnetic... intoxicating. Addicting even" I explain.

"You're not lying. Anyways, you can't leave. She'd never forgive me and... well-" I see she gets nervous. Out of all my time here, which hasn't been long but still, I've never seen her truly nervous. "What is it? You can tell me anything" I assure her as I take her hand in mine.

She bites her lip and it reminds me of how Delia does. "Stop that" I say pulling her lip back out not really thinking about it. She looks up at me as she's still sitting and I see that soft look in her eyes. Her eyes flicker to my lips and quickly back up to my eyes.

"I think... I thought that I hated you. I was so mad when you came because I could see how her eyes lit up. Just slightly different from the way she looks at me" she says softly. Never taking her eyes off mine as she explains. "I wanted to hate you, and fuck I really tried" she chuckles.

"But it only took me one small interaction to figure out why everyone loves you. And I realized... I can't hate you. I don't wanna hate you" she whispers looking into my eyes. "What are you saying?" I ask her trying to make sure I understand what she means.

She takes my other hand and puts both around her waist. She gasps softly as I hold her and her eyes flicker to my lips again. "Every time you touch me, or I touch you for that matter. I feel this rush of energy through your fingertips..." she says softly.

"It makes my body... hot" she whispers, "Tammy I think-" "don't think" she says softly. "Delia's waiting for us..." I tell her as she inches her face closer. "She's still your girlfriend" I remind her, "I know that. She wants you, and I want you too" she whispers.