The Class Agreement

25

I groaned softly, feeling myself come back to reality slowly. I felt a body close to me. Everything that happened yesterday came rushing back into my consciousness. It was all so much to process at once.

Athena ...

I took a deep breath. This bed feels so much different than mine. Athena's hair tickled my nose. I opened my eyes slowly, seeing dark brunette hair and a small amount of sunlight coming through her blinds. When I realized we were mildly spooning, I scooped her and pulled her even closer to me.

I wonder what time it is.

Athena began to stir in my hold a few minutes later. I loosened up as she stretched and turned over. She hummed softly, her eyes fluttering open.

"Good morning," I mumbled. Her brown eyes lighter than usual.

"Mmm, morning," She responded weakly.

She leveled her face with mine, getting close to my lips. I took it as an offer and pecked them, feeling an enormous amount of happiness and ease pump through my body. She then hid her face back in my chest. I felt her body relax all over again which eventually made me succumb back into sleep minutes later.

We didn't get up and out of her bed until eleven in the morning. Athena gave me a spare toothbrush to brush my teeth with. I quickly declared the toothbrush as my own and that she couldn't throw it out no matter what.

As we sat and ate breakfast I felt compelled to start talking about what was going through my head last night.

I spoke, playing with my cereal, "Yesterday I had a dream about my Mom. Well, it was a memory."

"Was it a good memory?" She asked.

"It was when she told me she was dying. I could feel so much pain in my body. It felt like I was dying myself — in my sleep."

"Oh ..."

I shrugged, "It's fine. Used to it I guess. I don't really talk to anyone about my Mom anymore."

"Why's that?"

"I hate when people feel pity or sorry for me. That and some people don't understand."

"I've noticed."

I arched my eyebrow, "You've noticed?"

"You get very defensive when people try to care for you. You make it seem like people caring about you is ... an insult — I can't describe it."

I shook my head, disagreeing, "There's a difference between pity and caring. Most people just pity me."

"Everyone has a different way of showing that they care," She countered.

"Touché. What about you? Why were you crying last night?"

She sighed softly, "I got into a pointless fight with my Mom."

I decided not to ask anything else regarding the situation, "I hope it wasn't a terrible fight."

"No, it wasn't. It was so stupid and small. But I guess that's what happens when you're far apart and pent up emotions just release and clash."

"I see. Can I ask you something? You don't have to answer it if you don't want too though ..."

"Hm?"

I stirred my cereal around, "So ... you ... like women? Right?"

She chuckled, "I thought that was obvious."

"I mean, maybe. Some girls hook up with girls and they don't identify as ... anything other than straight."

"That's true, but this girl likes women. I actually prefer women over men."