Fifteen: Free Fallin'

Chapter 23: When the Party's Over

Monday night consisted of group dinner. Everyone gathered together to talk about what was going on with one another, but there were things going on that wasn't common knowledge to everyone in the group.

The group did not know that Preston and Elsa had sex or that he made her climax ten times and eventually pass out. The group wasn't aware that Stefan and Daisy were seriously bonding over a lot of shared interests and growing closer as friends. Daisy knew he was still oblivious to her feelings for him and maybe that was for the best as he was still healing from his breakup with Aria. It still wasn't common knowledge that Faye was seeing a TA. However, other than that everything was out in the open and discussed.

Like currently, how Gracia was in the process of wooing Taren the RA. "Taren is so hot," JT commented. "I know right!" Gracia smiled thinking about the raven-haired beauty. The whole conversation was making Sophia Kate sick. She excused herself and walked out of the Abington cafeteria and Aria was hot on her trail.

"SK wait!" She called out as she caught up with her outside the dorm hall. "Are you okay?" Sophia Kate shook her head no. "How can I be when she's in there talking about some other girl she's into." Aria grabbed her friend's hands and squeezed them. "Tell her how you feel, Sophia Kate." It was a simple instruction, but Sophia Kate was grappling with the theoretical consequences that were sure to come.

They headed back inside where Jaden and Stefan began a discussion on basketball. Daisy looked at Sophia Kate and mouthed "Are you okay?" to which she received a nod. They all went their separate ways once dinner was over, but Sophia Kate grabbed Gracia before she headed to the parking lot.

"Can we talk for a second?" The nerves were building within Sophia Kate as her hands began to shake. She rung them out as a means to distract her ever anxious mind. "What's up?" Gracia asked taking a seat at a nearby bench. Sophia Kate followed suit and took a deep breath. Here goes nothing.

"I like you. Not as a friend like I've tried to convince myself since the day we met, but as more. When you kissed me I felt like my entire body was a spark and I knew only you could do that to me. I don't know what this all means for me or us, but I do know that I have feelings for you and I don't like that you're into or talking to someone. I thought you should know."

She let out a deep sigh as the pressure that had been weighing her down began to alleviate. Gracia sat there grappling with the newfound information and sifting through her thoughts. The silence was driving Sophia Kate crazy. "I knew it!" Gracia finally exclaimed. "What?" Sophia Kate questioned confusedly. "I knew you were into me. My gut is never wrong and when it came to you it was sounding alarms." Sophia Kate chuckled. "You sure that's not just IBS?" They both laughed.

"No, it wasn't gas, you goof. Why are you just telling me all this now?" Sophia Kate looked down at her hands. "I don't know what all of this means. I don't understand these feelings. I just know that when I look at you or touch you or kiss you I feel like that's what Heaven feels like, so hearing you talk about other girls is a bit too much." Gracia smiled widely at her admission and cupped her cheek.

"I'm going to kiss you now, okay?" Gracia asked. Sophia Kate looked around before nodding. "Oh...okay." Their lips touched and Sophia Kate swore she saw stars. The slight flick of Gracia's tongue had her opening for her to deepen the kiss. After a few moments, Gracia pulled away and smiled. "You're amazing, you know that."

Sophia Kate shook her head. "I'm not. I'm just a girl who really likes you, but has no idea what I'm doing." Gracia squeezed her hand. "Have you ever had a boyfriend?" Sophia Kate sighed. "Trey wasn't really a boyfriend. We kissed a few times and I felt nothing before coming out and telling him I didn't see him in that light." Gracia nodded. "So, I'll be your first everything." She blushed at this. "If you want to be." Gracia smiled mischievously. "Oh, baby I want to. I've wanted to since the moment I laid eyes on you."

Sophia Kate smiled as she looked down at their intertwined fingers. "So, does this mean I'm gay?" Gracia laughed at her confused expression. "It means you're Sophia Kate and you like a girl. That's not to say you won't like a guy down the road or anyone else on the LGBTQ+ spectrum. I don't really do labels, but I know that I only like women so the label of lesbian doesn't really bother me. You have your whole life to figure out your sexuality. There's no rush and no one else's opinions of you matters, okay?"

Sophia Kate smiled and nodded. "Now come on, let's go to your room." Gracia stood up pulling her towards Abington. "What for?" Sophia Kate asked. Gracia laughed. "If you think I'm not about to suck face with you for at least two hours then you're crazier than I thought." Sophia Kate laughed loudly as Gracia all but sprinted to her dorm room.

Daisy and Stefan sat in his car overlooking the campus. It was a little makeshift cliff that Stefan had found and wanted to share it with someone. "Still heartbroken?" Daisy asked as she finished up the Starburst she was eating. "Honestly, I think my pride is what's bruised the most. Aria is an amazing woman, but it was always Caleb for her. I was just a welcomed distraction for her when he couldn't get his head out of his ass and she was a welcome distraction for me when I didn't want to deal with the fact that my parents have missed yet another milestone in my life." Daisy nodded as she looked out at the scene in front of them.

"I was always Team Caleb." She laughed as he stuck out his tongue. "Hear me out," she chuckled. "You and Aria are too alike. You're too good. Two good people together don't work. Life is all about balance. You both need someone rough around the edges that'll take your mellowness and shake it up a bit. She has that in Caleb."

Stefan knew what she was saying, but he felt like he could never find his own minx that would shake him up just enough. "So, where do I find this girl that will balance me out and make me happy?" Daisy shook her head. "You don't need anyone to make you happy. You've got to do that all on your own. You need someone to complement you and bring out your best, but happiness comes from within."

Stefan looked at Daisy and really looked at her. Her usually curly shoulder length hair was now straightened and down her back. Her hazel eyes shone brighter than usual, while her full lips looked ripe for the plucking. Has she always looked like this? Has she always been in front of me?

"Earth to Stefan! Where did you go?" Daisy chuckled as she picked up the candy wrappers. "Sorry, what did you say? I zoned out." Daisy laughed. "I'll say. I said we better get back we have class in the morning." Stefan nodded as he turned the car on. "Thanks for coming out here with me...and just for hanging out with me lately."

Daisy smiled. "I like hanging with you, Stef. You're a great guy." They shared a look and then headed back. Daisy had always thought Stefan was beyond handsome, but his sights were set on Aria and she tried to respect that. Now that was no longer the case her interests were further peaked, but she needed to make sure he was over Aria. She felt she was just the right amount of wild to shake up Stefan's cookie-cutter persona in all the right ways.