17: Bother Bears at Jupiter Jackalopes

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Sage Sawyer is learning how to hold hands with Genesis O'Toole.

In secret, at least.

Gee isn't one for public displays of affection. Particularly with another girl.

Sage tries not to let this annoy her.

But it does.

Still, Sage tries to catch Gee as often as she can. There's an art to furtive hand holding, and they've both become masters of it in the last few days. During brief moments in the hallway or at lunch during school hours. Of course, they're both at tourneytub practice through the week, but they force themselves to be satisfied by fleeting glances and cautious smiles.

Sage isn't used to going this slow. But for Gee?

For Gee, she supposes she can make an exception...

But now it's Friday night before the game and everyone else is quite preoccupied with throwing on their gear and fine tuning their tubs. So Sage and Gee sneak off to a secluded part of the tubhouse to have a moment to themselves.

"How about tomorrow afternoon?" Sage runs her fingers between Gee's own.

"For our date?" Gee slowly closes her hand around Sage's.

Sage nods, smiling shyly.

Gee hesitates for a moment. Something else is clearly on her mind, but she's not telling Sage. At least for now. Sage understands. Everybody has their secrets.

Especially church girls who secretly like other girls.

Finally, Gee grins. "That sounds perfect."

The girls lean in close to each other, ready to give themselves over to the moment, a moment they've both been aching for since the moment in the locker room-

When they are suddenly, rudely, interrupted...

It's Coach. Dawn seems completely nonplussed. Though she does at least have the decency to clear her throat while waiting for them to disentangle themselves from each other.

"Sawyer. Got a present for you." Coach says.

"Oh?" Sage raises an eyebrow. In her experience, presents can be double-edged.

Sage follows Coach and Gee over to the engineering section of the tubhouse, past all the clanging, cursing, and piston pumping of game prep. Inevitably, Artie greets them, flanked by something covered by a large tarpaulin. The mystery object towers over the sophomore engineer, standing about fourteen feet into the air.

"Uh. Coach. What is this?" She's certainly caught Sage's interest now.

"Well, I spoke with your dad over the phone-" Dawn begins.

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