"Evening with the Light" It was December 8th, snowing lightly, and Corona Marcos was about to go swimming. Her brother Alonso was happy to take her—if anything, to get her out of the house so she could exercise and socialize where he worked—provided she hung around for his full shift. Being winter, of course, they went to an indoor pool. Corona had not wanted to stay indoors anyway, not with all that homework and the surrounding chill of her small house, and since she hadn't been swimming in years, indoors or out, it was a good time to go. Being a modest 5'4" and tipping the scales at a healthy, feminine 130 pounds, Marcos was unashamed of her body as she went into the locker room and undressed. She had company, all strangers, all of them with varying degrees of body type and shape. Some were Rubenesque and large, like manatees, and a few were old and wrinkly, like plastic bags that had been crumbled up too long. A few were reasonably shapely, but none of them were the "standard for women": none could've passed as a model, or an athlete, or the sexy star of fantasies everywhere. They were just themselves, unwilling to aspire to anything else, but that in itself was beautiful. "Hey, great bod." Her ears burned as she received an unexpected compliment from behind, and smiled when she felt a cool hand touch her Latino-skinned shoulders. She turned, not all the way around, and blushed as she recognized her girlfriend, Alexandra Blair, still fully dressed in that Gothic-punk-raver mix she was known for. She grinned—Blair's shaggy mane was unnaturally green and quite attractive—and turned around again, not daring to allow the girl she loved a glimpse at her nudity. "Allie, god, don't you know how to knock?" "Hey, I can't help it if there ain't no doors round' here. So anyway, nice coincidence seein' ya here, babe. Lookin' good." "Can I have some privacy?" she squealed. Alex smiled and traced a finger across Corona's naked back. "Sure thing, sexy. Unless you wanna watch me undress." "Go, go!" She laughed quietly and went to the other side of the room, hiding behind a row of lockers so they could talk. Corona sighed and slipped into her monochrome red swimsuit, wincing just a little as it squeezed. Oof—maybe she did need a new one after all. "So what brings you here?" she called. "I haven't called you and we haven't spoken since yesterday." "Eh. I guess I don't know. I'd like to call it fate, but it's more like coincidence. I really didn't expect it, but I sure as hell loved it. Damn though, girl, you seriously have one hot body." Corona smiled humbly, despite knowing she really did not. "If you say so." "Too bad I didn't get to see all of it. Hey, if ya ever wanna see me and my jollies—" "I'll pass. What's with you, anyway?" she giggled. "You're not ever this flirty and...bouncy. It's like you're high on sugar and not...you know, that other stuff." "Hey, I've been clean for months. Got my head all straight and fixed up and everything. I'm thinking clearly now, I'm not as emo, I'm being more careful, shit like that. I've changed a lot." "You have indeed," she murmured to herself. She called out to Alex that she was done; the other girl came walking out quietly but proudly, grinning all the way. Corona stared, hard. Blair was always a little skinny, but ever since quitting drugs and her nightlife, she had filled out to a more reasonable size and looked better for it—and the skimpy black bikini with skulls on the breasts and backside certainly helped accentuate her figure. Marcos was left breathless—she had never seen so much of Alexandra's skin before! "And you think I'm hot?" she said mindlessly. Green-hair whistled. "In that thing? You bet, Roni! Damn, I kinda feel all horny now." Corona grinned at such attention, and gave her girlfriend a come-hither motion that could not be resisted, least of all by somebody who wanted it. Blair strolled over, squealing sensually, and descended into her girlfriend's arms to share several passionate kisses. Corona accepted her green-haired girlfriend as she wrapped her pale naked thighs around her waist and straddled her; their arms entwined around each others' bodies, as lips so too entwined, and they stayed locked until interrupted. "Oh, get a room, you dykes." "Shut the fuck up, you—" Blair interrupted herself as she saw who interrupted them, and made a face. Not an angry one, not a happy one, not even one that could be defined. It was gnarled, wrought with multiple emotions—her eyes glittered with more precision. Their guest rolled her eyes. "Well, well, well. If it isn't the homophobic friend of our dear Miss Tran! So how's the world of the penis, miss Kwan? Gotten fucked well by that prick yet?" "Grow up," groaned Farrah, turning her back to the two as she changed. "Hey, why don't you? Corona and I are just spending some quality time together, and you—" "Just drop it, Allie," said Marcos gently, touching her emerald hair. Their eyes met as the less aggressive of the two touched Blair's naked skin, begging quietly. "Okay?" Alex smiled in defeat and pressed their noses together. Corona just loved Eskimo kisses. "Since when did you start calling me Allie?" "Since now. Want me to stop, Allie?" "God, no, you make it sound great. Allie, huh? As opposed to Haley?" "Yeah. Your whole name's a mouthful and I don't really like calling you Alex or Lexie cuz' of that other girl, so you need a nickname of your own." "What, you don't like Haley?" "You're not Haley," said Corona, tickling the girl's palms. "You're Allie, my Allie, pretty and sweet." "Bah, don't say that." Hail—"Allie" now, it seemed—didn't like people sweet-talking her, and the attention embarrassed her. But it was Corona, so it was okay. "Anyway," she said, giving a snide leer at Farrah, "what are you doing here?" "I didn't come for your heckling," she answered, putting her top on gracefully. "Just to swim, so back off. And a word of warning: you talk trash about Tristan again in my presence, and I'll make you wish you were cleaning the school at Homecoming again." "Ouch," grimaced Alex. "God, that's rough. Well, bitches of a feather flock together." "Allie, come on." Blair groaned. "But she's a frickin' homophobe!!" "I just don't think homosexuality is right," snapped Farrah as she left. "I'm not afraid of it, just intolerant." "May as well be the same thing," Hail muttered when she was gone. She sighed and refocused on Corona, but Marcos brushed her off and slipped away. "Hey..." "You were pretty cold back there, Allie. Looks like you still have some changing to do." She disappeared from the locker room and went to the pool; Alex grunted and ran her hand over her face. Defeated. From good to bad, just like that. Just for some remarks off the side to a girl she barely knew. "Damn it... Why do I always fuck this stuff up?" Alex scanned the pool for Corona, and found her, in all places, talking with Farrah. She walked over, ready to kiss butt and make up, but the two noticed her and warded her off with nasty looks. "I'm not talking to you," said Corona bitterly. "Not after the way you treated Farrah. She doesn't deserve it. Go off somewhere else." "Babe, I'm sorry, okay?" "Go off somewhere else." "Babe!" Corona brushed her off with a wave. Farrah gave her a dirty look. Alex cursed loud enough to be overheard by several sensitive people, who in turn pointed her out and had her escorted out of the pool. She gave Corona a desperate look as she was forced out, but she didn't come to her defense. Alex cursed again, feeling the full familiar range of misery sweep over her again as she was shoved outside, in the freezing parking lot, with only her swimsuit and belongings. What had she done? "Shit, it's freezing!" she hissed. She quickly got inside her rotting car, knowing anything was better than standing out in the cold, and cranked up the heater to full blast. It barely coughed. She swore again and bumped her head against the wheel. Well, another barrier to overcome... "I'm sorry about Allie. She's not normally that rude." "You better watch that one, Corona," advised Farrah, who found the atmosphere much more pleasant with the furious one gone. "She's bad news all the way through. I mean, okay, so my best friend messed with her mind, but she was twisted to begin with. What do you see in her?" "I guess we're just two twisted souls. She and I...we're very alike. I can feel her pain..." "Marcos, that thing doesn't feel pain, okay? She always gives and never receives—real generous, huh?" "Don't say that," Corona murmured gently. "Allie's got her problems but she's really good underneath. I've learned to bear the worst of her because I've borne it myself all my life, from my own experiences." "Corona... You have got to be seriously messed up to like her." "That's me in a nutshell," she admitted with a gesture. "I would take offense, but you have no idea how right you are." "Come on, I like you. You're all right. You're really sweet—a bit weird and standoffish, but sweet. Furious Hail is a disaster." "I have to try, Farrah. She's been great to me. We understand each other. I mean, sure I'm mad at her now, but I still love her too. Eventually we'll calm down and I'll have her apologize." "She insulted my Tristan," said Kwan stubbornly. "The guy can be a jerk sometimes, but he doesn't mean it and he tries really hard. I still—" "Love him?" Farrah nodded, but the full scope of what she was saying didn't strike her until a little later. She sighed and drew her legs to her chest, floating quietly in the shallow end. Corona sank down a little until her knees were touching the bottom. "So you feel the same way about Furious Hail as I do about my boyfriend?" "Yes." Farrah smiled sadly. "I guess we're both hopeless romantics. Corona, I still don't like the whole idea. I think you'd be much better with a boyfriend. Are you sure you're gay?" "I'm not gay, I just love Allie. If that makes me gay, fine. I just...want to love her. Sometimes I think that's really why I was born, to help her. People everywhere need help, but she needs it a lot. You know me. You know my affect on people, how I always seem to make their day go better. It's the same with Allie, but stronger. I just...love her." "Unconditionally?" "Well, she does love me back. I can see it. She's really...very sweet around me. She just needs to work with her non-twisted soul relation skills. With you, for example. I bet there's nary a part of you that's messed up." "Oh, just enough." "But nowhere near our level." "Hey," she said defensively, "those are your words, not mine." Marcos smiled graciously, and swam a few slow laps until she became tired. Farrah waded around, feeling good that she could carry such a meaningful conversation with the other girl. Just because she didn't tolerate the actions and lifestyle of a lesbian, that didn't give her the right to be mean to them, or isolate them. They—all gay people—had enough problems without her adding things. It was Alexandra that... "So what're you gonna do?" she asked. Marcos was doing the backstroke; she answered carefully, not wanting to break her concentration. "Well, I'm gonna swim until I start to prune, then I'll dry off and go read until Alonso gets off work—he's that lifeguard over there, my brother." Farrah looked over and smiled. "Oh, him? Handsome guy." "Thanks. After that, I'll do my homework and get some other things done. Then I'll call Allie and see if we can't make up." "You really going through with it?" "Sure, I want this relationship to last. I really do." Farrah grinned. "Girl, I hope you know what you're getting into. I'd wish you luck, but I don't believe in that, and you'd need more than I could give anyway. Just...try to keep her tolerable at least." "You should get to know her. She's really wonderful." "No thanks. Ivory is enough for me." "Now that's a story," laughed Marcos. "How do you tolerate her?" "Amigo, sometimes I wonder myself. But then I tell myself, ‘Farrah, she owes you big-time, so until she makes it up to you, you can surely hold out'. At least her girlfriend's doing a good job of keeping her leashed. Ancelin's...been nice to her. I hope they last. Ivory's not keen on long-term relationships." "Ah." "I hope you two last too," she whispered kindly. "If for no other reason, to see that monster improve. God, I still can't get it around my head!" Corona chuckled and splashed Farrah, who in turn gasped and splashed back so much that Alonso Marcos himself had to break them up. ......... Allie. It sounded like a new version of her, like she had truly been reborn into a new life, away from the scum of Furious Hail and the bleak seasons of Old Alexandra. Allie. Like she actually mattered, and somebody loved her. Allie. Corona said it with such adoration. Allie. Allie. What a name. Blair liked it. She would have to ask everyone to call her that from now on. Allie. But she would keep the dyes. No way would she ever go back to her original hair color. "Allie" was good enough. Allie Blair. It had a nice ring to it. Ring? Her phone was ringing. It was Corona. "Yo." "Hey. Uh...you wanna meet before Keys' class so we can talk?" "Sure. And sit together too?" "Yeah." Pause. "I'm real sorry, Corona. I really am." "I know, sweetheart." Sweetheart. What a thing to call her. Alexandra nearly wept. "Listen, I'm busy, so I'm gonna hang up. Seeya tomorrow." "Yeah, bye." "Bye." Click. Alex sighed. "I love you, Corona." And then, she did weep. They smiled at each other as they met by the lockers across from the only class they shared together, but did nothing else—no kiss, no hug, not even a handshake. Just a smile, but it was enough, and it was good. "Hey. You look nice." "Thanks. Not going Goth today?" Alex—Allie now—looked down at her button-down white business shirt and long black dress, and looked back with a smile. "Thought I'd go classy today and prove to you I'm not some punk kid." "I know you're not, Allie." "God, I love that name." The girls chuckled, breaking the little remaining ice around them, and finally touched as they sighed and went in for reconciliation. "Hey, uh, I talked to Farrah today. God, she was pissed. She nearly smacked me, but said it'd bring her down to my level. Whatever; she let it go and forgave me, but told me the usual shit: ‘Don't talk that way again or I'll kill you!' Just not in those words." "Yeah. So you're cool now?" "As cool as possible. I wouldn't make her a friend of mine, but..." "Yeah...she really thinks you're bad." "Oh, but I am." The gleam in her eye, the smile on her lips, the way she growled playfully and advanced...Corona laughed and slapped her gently. "Stop it, that's not what I meant!" "You like naughty girls!" said Allie, her voice muffled as she buried her lips in Corona's neck. Marcos half-laughed, half-moaned, and it was only by the grace of the bell and Mrs. Keys' polite interruption that they were stopped at all. "As happy as I am seeing you two together," she said, "I'd be much happier if you were in your seats now." "Yes, ma'am." So they went inside, grinning and holding hands, and waved to a few students who adored them as a couple (most notably Ana, Gabrielle, and yes, even Ancelin). As they began the day's projects—really the last serious ones before winter break came—Allie kissed her girlfriend's ear and whispered something while she was at it. "I was thinking..." "Hmm?" "Maybe you'd like to come over to my house for New Year's?" Corona grinned happily. "I'd love to. You doing anything on Christmas?" "I'm spending it with Mrs. Keys. Yeah, my idiot father apparently got invited to her house for the holidays, so I'll have to shack up with Jocelyn and/or Erica. Probably both with the way they're going. Makes ya sick." Her smile said anything but. "Oh. Well, I'm not really doing anything, just midnight mass. I'm also visiting my mother, for what good it does." "Hey, at least you've got a mom. I haven't seen mine since I was like, ten." "Yeah, but she doesn't recognize me." Allie nodded. "I know how that feels." And kissed Corona softly, lovingly. She wanted to tell the girl how she felt, but...not here. Not yet. They still had a lot of work to be done, in more ways than one, before the final, fateful night of December 31st, 2004. Next time: Evening Temptations
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