A Different Kind of Us

Chapter 7

"How's it going at home?" Ada finally says. This is her way of asking Sutton about her parents. She knows everything has been harder on Sutton over the last year and a half, ever since her brother went off to school.

"They didn't fight at all this week," Sutton says.

"That's good."

"It's tolerable."

Ada squeezes her fingers. "You're so much like both of them. I can see what each one of them gave you. It's hard to fathom that they don't, like, connect or whatever, when they're both really great people who made such a great person."

Sutton draws a belly-deep breath. "I wish they could be in love, like your parents."

Ada picks at her eyes--Sutton can tell she's adjusting a contact. "Yeah," Ada says, her laughter hollow, "Not that their being in love makes any difference to either side of the family."

Sutton sighs. "That's so dumb. Why do they care as long as your parents are happy? And you're happy?"

Ada rolls onto her side so she's looking at Sutton's profile. "I don't know. But let's talk about something less depressing."

Sutton rolls over to mirror her. "Like what," she smiles.

"Like...what we're gonna do over Christmas break."

"Eat and sleep."

"I was thinking we should do our movies challenge."

"Yeah..." Sutton breathes. "How many free rentals have you saved up at Blockbuster?"

"Only two," Ada laughs.

"That's a start, though."

"Yeah."

"Ade?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think...we could rent some, like...girl-on-girl movies? Not porn, but like...just romance or something?"

Ada lets the silence build, but only, Sutton knows, because she wants to give weight to Sutton's need.

"Of course," she says gently.

"Thanks."

"Sutton...I don't think you need to stress about this so much. Whatever you want to define yourself as is just semantics. It's just a label."

"It matters to me."

Ada is quiet again. "Okay," she says. "I'm sorry."

Sutton knows Ada is not placating her--that Ada always wants Sutton to have the things she needs. Still, Sutton can't understand how Ada doesn't worry about this stuff.

"Don't you think about the label?" Sutton asks.

"No."

"Why?"

"Because I don't want the finality of a label. Labels are for making other people comfortable."

"But what about us?"

Ada holds her hand again. "What do you think about us?"

Sutton smiles despite the seriousness. "I think...I like kissing you."

Ada laughs. "And snuggling."

"Yeah," Sutton says, "and the other stuff."

"Definitely the other stuff."