/404 days/
"How long have you liked her?" Tom asked immediately as I walked into the kitchen upon arrival at work. He was doing the dishes slowly, staring down at the plate he was scrubbing in concentration. I was taken aback.
"I- Dodie is just my friend," I furrowed my brows as my anger gained momentum. "You know, just because I'm gay doesn't mean I fall in love with every girl I happen to lay my eyes o-"
"I never said a name," he smirked, finally raising his head from the dishes to look me in the eyes. "And you're blushing right now. I can tell this is different. It's pretty plain to see. So, how long have you liked her?"
I sighed. "I guess since I met her at your party."
Tom nodded. He continued washing, and there was a silence. Things were weird for a bit after I told him I was gay, but he got over it pretty fast. He seemed more relaxed around me, maybe even a little less awkward now.
I decided that since he knew anyways, I might as well get some information out of him. "Is there any chance that she likes girls?"
"Hard to say. She's been with the same guy for as long as I've known her."
"Do you know Charlie, her boyfriend? What's he like?" I hadn't had the chance to meet him when I had slept over. I was secretly relieved, but Dodie assured me there'd be other opportunities.
His face twisted into something sour and disgusted. "Biggest fucking asshole I've ever met."
/400 days/
My phone vibrated in my pocket as I watched America's Next Top Model alone in my room. Half the girls in the house were in the middle of a cat fight, and things were getting pretty heated. I was prepared to decline the call, but Dodie's name appeared. I paused the show.
"Hello."
"Hi, you don't work today, correct?"
"Correct."
"Perfect! I've got a surprise for you," Dodie squealed through the phone.
I sat up in bed and wiped the crisp crumbs from my shirt, grinning. "And whatever would that be?"
"I got you. . ." she made anticipatory drumming noises, "a date with a hot lesbian!"
My smile dropped. I was unsure of how to react. I thought about Margo, and how she told me to look for other gay fish in the sea. And here was one, reeled up by Dodie. "Oh. That's great!" I said, still a bit wary. But I supposed I should get back into the dating scene if I were to ever truly get over Dodie. She kept sending me mixed signals. If she'd been single, I would've definitely thought she was making advances towards me when I'd slept over. But I needed to get it through my head: Dodie has a boyfriend. We are just friends.
"Her name's Bridget. She's really sweet; I think you'll get along great." She told me when and where I'd meet her.
"Alright. Thanks, Dodie."
"For sure! Tell me how it goes!" We said our goodbyes before hanging up. I glanced at the clock and sighed. If I wanted to look half decent I'd have to start getting ready now. America's Next Top Model would have to wait.
---
Bridget looked sweet- she was short, had blonde hair that was pulled into french braids, and a little tooth gap. She was also insanely hot.
I was sat at a table in the diner Dodie told me we'd meet when she approached. "Evie?"
"That's me!" I tried my best to be enthusiastic. If I really wanted to put my embarrassing crush on Dodie to rest, I had to give an effort.
She sat down across from me and we made our introductions. I learned that she going to school to be a pharmacist, a profession that she wasn't passionate about, but paid well enough to make up for it. In her free time she liked to rollerblade.
"So how do you you know Dodie?" I asked.
A look of confusion crossed her face. "Dodie? Oh, Dorothy. I'd say we're more of acquaintances than friends; I don't know her all that well. Unfortunately, I think our setup was less of a 'I think they'd be good together' thought and more of a 'oh look, they're both gay, put em' together' kinda thing. It's a bit annoying, really, but that's how it usually goes." She blew her cheeks out, then looked me up and down. "But I am open to have some fun."
Bridget cheekily stole sips of my milkshake when she thought I wasn't looking and played footsie with me under the table. I laughed every time she did impressions of the snotty waiter, and caught myself by surprise when I realized that I was actually enjoying myself.
When we got the bill, she didn't offer to pay, or make any objections when I got my wallet out. I brushed it off, reminding myself that I would've insisted on paying anyways. As I was signing the receipt, though, Bridget leaned over across the table and whispered into my ear.
"I'll pay you back later." And bit my ear. My eyes widened, and I froze. Apparently her sweet exterior hid an explosively flirtatious personality. At least she made her intentions clear. She sat back and surveyed my shocked expression, taking obvious pride in her effect on me. "You look cute when you're flustered."
---
We didn't stick around once our milkshakes were paid for. She was more than eager to get me to her flat, and I made no objections. I knew what was coming next.
I didn't even have time to take in my surroundings upon arrival before Bridget shoved me onto her couch and straddled me. She cupped my face and kissed me, and after only a moment of hesitation, I returned it. My body was running on auto pilot when my hands began creeping up under her shirt. She grinned and leaned back to rid of it altogether, then helped me strip mine. I pulled her back down to meet my lips again, but her kisses wandered down to my neck.
And then I slipped up. The slightest of a mumble of a moan. Barely audible. But Bridget caught it nonetheless, and shot up from my neck. "Dodie? Oh, this is a twist I had not seen coming."
I ended up telling her everything. "I'm trying to get her out of my head. I'm sorry, I don't know I'm telling you all of this, especially on a first date." I grimaced just thinking about the current situation. She seemed unaffected, though, and brushed it off.
"I have a proposition," she said, tracing circles on my still bare stomach. "I'll be your girlfriend, and you could either come to love me, or Dodie could realize what she's missing out on. I'll be your something to take your mind off of her in the meantime."
"I don't understand. Why would you want me to use you? How would you benefit?"
She shrugged nonchalantly, a bra strap slipping from her shoulder. "Nothing's worked for me this far, Evie. To be quite honest, I'm losing faith in love. I'm still lonely, though. And so are you. You don't just want to get over Dodie, you miss being touched."
I chewed my lip in consideration. She was right. I didn't realize it until tonight, but I'd been craving intimacy, and immediately caved when she offered it. A moment of frustration washed over me- how had I been so transparent with my feelings? I had been so easily read, first by Thomas, now by Bridget, was it that obvious to Dodie as well? I sighed, and looked into Bridget's eyes. She seemed to be dissecting my thoughts again, and without difficulty. "Are you sure you're up for this?" I asked. "You don't even really know me."
She sat up straighter and adjusted her strap, then tucked a stray hair behind her ear. "I know you're a hopeless romantic, and you feel your emotions intensely. It's worth a shot, yeah? Besides, we can always back out if either of us have second thoughts."
"Ok."