August 5th, Saturday, Greendale Apartments 9:07 pm Dear Dad, Even though I haven't even been here for a week, things have been pretty hectic, and I haven't had time to rest. At first, I wasn't sure if I'd fit in with the other players, or even the other students. You know, based on where I came from. As it turns out, I'm not the only one who's led a hard life. In fact, after getting to know a few of the girls better, I consider myself fairly lucky. At least I had a good, strong fatherly role model to look up to, and even though I still resent mom a little, it wasn't like she was cruel to me. I don't have any physical or mental problems, and all things considered, I had a job and friends back home. I had my problems, but when I think about it, they weren't as severe as you'd think. Many of the other players have it really rough. My roommate hasn't seen her mother in years, and for some reason, she really seems to hold a grudge towards her father (she's very private and uncommunicative, so it's hard getting her to open up). There's this one girl who just recently got out of an institution, and another with a life-threatening illness (I think). So many of the players are unemployed, and not many seem to have a lot of friends. Daddy, I love you, and I just want to say that I'm glad I got you as a father. All right, that's enough of the mushy stuff! I'm really enjoying my time here, but I think I'll hold off on visiting you until things settle down. It was raining all this weekend, and it might not even stop tomorrow. So far, we have fourteen members on the team, counting myself and our self-appointed "manager". Most of them are pretty good girls, but I don't know them very well. I think we'll start practicing in earnest once the weekend ends, so I may not have as much time as I'd like. I'd still love to hear from you, so please send me mail! I don't have an email account yet. Oh, and don't worry about our video games: two of the players are geeks just like you, dad. J I'd like to say one more thing before I end this letter. Awhile back, I used to hate mom for what she did. I felt like she betrayed and lied to us both, especially you. But lately, I've slowly begun to understand her decision, and while I still think she did the wrong thing, I can forgive her and come to terms with everything. All this came about because I'm more like her than I thought. I'm a lesbian, dad. That's all I wanted to say. Please write soon. With love, Kasumi. "Finished," she sighed, folding the letter and stuffing it in an envelope. She hesitated, though, staring numbly at the incomplete stationery and thinking about the revelation she had put on it. Her father knew a lot about her, but he didn't know everything. He didn't know...that. Then again, Kasumi herself had been unaware of it until recently, and she was trying to keep a firm hold of the situation. Her world had changed; she had crossed a significant border that opened up new problems as well as new possibilities. "Now if only I could send it," she murmured, taking the letter and hiding it. You complete my fate The world unwinds inside of me You complete my fate The halo crawls away You repeat my fate Rewinding all we can You refill my place You refill my place Come and save me Come and save me You complete my fate The heavens stroll inside of me You repeat my fate Revealing who we are You refill my place You refill my place Come and save me Believe in me Drink the wine Take my hand Fill me up Believe in me Drink the wine Take my hand Let me follow "Particulars" Dean Rosewood had the day off on Sunday, but she stepped into her office anyway to resolve some last-minute details she had been working on recently. Classes would start in three days, and she would need all that time to get caught up with her summer duties and prepare for the semester. Most of Carnegie was predictably empty, except for the gym and the fencing school, which were usually open all year long, but someone else was in the main office, going through his own final preparations: the Chairman. Rosewood silently tended to her stack of papers and folders, glancing over at her accomplice, wondering what he would connive. The room was quiet enough to hear the tick of a wrist-watch; neither of them spoke for hours, it seemed. "How's progress on your teams?" he said flatly. "I haven't learned yet," Rosewood replied. Fitzgerald looked over at her placidly. "You don't know anything? They're your teams, Rosewood." "Not really. They're actually Bracton's and Leena's teams; I merely proposed their creation. I believe the men and women have sufficient players now, but I don't think they'll be practicing outdoors anytime soon." "Hmm. Speaking of practice, Rosewood, if they really do have sufficient numbers, don't you think they should be tested?" "Games don't start until summer, Fitzgerald." "I mean practice games, against other teams." His voice turned smooth and weasly, like a politician's, and although he did not smile, a playfulness tugged at his face, and his sea-grey eyes sparkled. "I'd like to measure the skill of your players against other teams- off the record, of course. I only think it's fair for the board to see how their investment is faring. Naturally, we'd have to select people that are a strong and fair match for them. The board will only laugh at you if you can't offer your players a good challenge." "I completely agree," she stated, pursing her lips firmly. Fitzgerald was up to something- but what else was new?- and she would be forced to take the bait, since he had a legitimate point. She could still humor him, though, and turn his idea against him. "But they have only just begun, and since I don't know very much about it, I don't know how skilled they might be." "All the more reason for these practice games," he replied calmly. "And since they're all so new," Rosewood resumed firmly, "let's give them some time to prepare. I'd say that two weeks after school starts, around the end of August or the beginning of September, we should begin the...assessment." "Fair enough," he relented, "but let's negotiate the terms of this test. I'm not going to pretend I support or like these teams, and I feel that if the board believes they don't have the potential to stand as you envision, they should be disbanded before they embarrass the college." "Are you saying that if they lose these practice games, they should be eliminated in favor of your music program?" Fitzgerald removed his glasses stoically and cleaned them. He stared into her eyes with a cold fire. "You have to agree that my feelings are justified, Rosewood. Think about it. If they cannot win a practice match, what hope do they have against the real thing?" "I understand what you're saying," she murmured delicately, "but we should treat this fairly. Let them have three games, or five, or however many you feel is necessary. If they win more games than they lose, they should stay. But if they cannot, I will agree to your proposal and revise my decision for the board. Of course, this will mean I will not have to resign, but I suppose a small victory is better than none at all." "Not a victory, Rosewood," he told her. "Only a confirmation. Best two out of three will be satisfactory. I suggest you alert the Coaches of this new development once you are finished here. I shall be in the fencing school if you need to contact me. Good day." "And you." She took a relaxing breath once he left the office and smiled in spite of her anxiety. "So now, we have finally begun. I hope you two can pull your people together- for your sake and mine." - Arina Essylt, 19, Psychology major, team psychologist/reserve- Kasumi was amazed at her religious devotion. She worked in a lesbian nightclub- and before that, a gay bar- she had indirectly came out of the closet, she had gotten into fights, she cursed, she had had sex with a stranger...and yet she kept up her church attendance, her prayers, and her studies, when she could. Kasumi had grown up United Methodist, and in all honesty, she felt like she was doing this out of habit. She had gone to church mechanically, stood and sat with the congregation, followed the words and listened to the sermons (she didn't sing), and even volunteered once in awhile. But now, as she woke up Sunday morning and ritually put on her best clothes, she wondered if she should continue her attendance now that daddy wasn't peering over her shoulder. "Do gay people even go to church?" she wondered aloud as she combed her hair. She snorted. "I don't even know what churches are around here. I'm a total newcomer. Maybe I should just skip this week. I'm not even sure why I keep going." Now that she thought about it, Kasumi felt like she had never fit in with her last church. Was it because of her growing homosexuality? Or maybe she felt too rough and coarse to attend. Church was for people who had nice clothes and clean faces, people who could afford to drive there, donate generously, and then go out to a restaurant later. Kasumi was very far removed from the ideal Christian, even though she still considered herself a devout believer, but she wanted to be honest with herself as well. She wasn't sure what to do. "Actually," she murmured as her thoughts changed gear, "I did see that one place while I was moving in. I could at least check it out." She looked at herself in the mirror, a silly slum girl pretending to be a socialite, and undressed, choosing to represent herself in more comfortable attire. She already believed she wouldn't fit in, so why bother pretending? It would be better to come as she was and be truthful about herself, even if that truth was a little unattractive. The rain from yesterday was still falling, although it had lost its strength. Kasumi was nearly tempted to go without her raincoat, but she didn't think this calm would last, so better safe than sorry. The church she had spotted was about a mile away- a decent exercise for her- and a good thing it was so close: her expectations were low and she didn't want to ride so far only to be disappointed. Kasumi was fairly waterlogged when she reached the parking lot and chained her bike, so she wandered around looking for a bathroom where she could dry off. Good thing she wasn't wearing her nice clothes. As she expected, there wasn't much of a welcoming committee- in fact, there was hardly anybody wandering around, probably because service had started and Kasumi was late. She could already hear the congregation singing, so she just slipped inside and hid in one of the back rows, out of sight and out of mind. She elected not to stand when the others stood; she just sat there and judged the service carefully. One of her neighbors was a plump, balding man who sang and clapped boisterously, and the other was an elderly woman with a clear, joyful look on her face. It turned out the speaker was nearing the end of a series of sermons; he was discussing the disciples' letters to the early church, and had clumped the three letters of John together. It wasn't anything special, just standard fare, but there's something comforting about a preacher covering the basics. It made Kasumi feel less like a guest and more like a member. He spoke honestly and sincerely, without an axe to grind, and freely told jokes and anecdotes; she started to like him. Kasumi passed on donations and communion- she was a guest, after all. When service let out, she was one of the first out the door. She gravitated towards the bulletin boards and searched for programs devoted to people her own age. Going to church wasn't completely habitual for her: she did have an ulterior motive for attending. Unfortunately, this church seemed to lag behind when it came to focusing on particular age groups: there was a children's ministry, middle and high school programs, men's and women's focus groups, and something for people over 55, but nothing for that essential college and post-college age niche. Predictable. So maybe it wouldn't do any good for her to keep going here. Nobody seemed to notice her wandering around, wedging through the crowds as she headed for the door: newcomers must have been as invisible as God Himself. "Kasumi! Yo!" She turned around, startled that somebody recognized her, and noticed one of her teammates standing there smiling. If memory served... "Um...Sharon, right?" "Shannon," she corrected. "Close enough. Do you go heah?" "Um, no, I'm just visiting." "Ah. I come heah every once in awhile to visit some pals. I ain't Protestant or nothin', but Christ is Christ, right?" "I guess so. So you're...Catholic?" "Yeah, there's this Catholic church neahby I usually go to. Say, if you ain't a membah, why don't you come to service with me next week?" "That's very kind of you," Kasumi replied warmly. "I've always wanted to see what a Catholic mass was like. Um, would it be okay if I came?" "Sure, guests are welcome. So are you like religious, or just curious?" "No, I went to church regularly back in DC with my dad. I've been kind of lost ever since moving." "I know just how ya feel," Shannon said. "Say, it's freakin' noisy in heah. Let's go outside and see if the rain's stopped. Did you drive heah?" "No, I took a bike." "Wow, in the rain?" Kasumi silently picked up her raincoat from the rack and put it on. Shannon looked smug as she grabbed her umbrella. "Ah, I get it. You live neahby?" "About a mile away. You?" "Close enough to walk in the rain. You wanna come ovah to my place and watch the baseball game?" "Uh, sure, that sounds nice. I'm not really into baseball, but...what the heck! Should we pick up something to eat first?" "Nah, I'll cook. I don't mind." Kasumi smiled warmly as she followed Shannon back to her house. She hadn't expected to have such a turn of good fortune that day, but who can really tell what the day might bring? She had been so close to missing out on making a new friend! The rain was starting to really come down by the time they arrived at the double, so Shannon had to change her clothes; Kasumi just settled for a towel and dried off. "Can I ask you a question?" she said as she peered around Shannon's place. It was bigger than Kasumi's, but she didn't have a roommate yet, and alarmingly messy, even for a tomboy. "Go ahead." "Why are you being so nice to me? We barely know each other." "We're on the same team, ain't we? I heah you're pretty good, and I ain't so shabby myself. Besides, I don't have that many pals, and I figya we bettah get acquainted eventually. Ha...maybe I shoulda just told you it was my 'religious obligation'." "Fair enough. So what's for lunch?" "Vindaloo curry. It's perfect for rainy weathah. My papa bought me some beer, but there's prob'ly enough V8 to go around." Shannon came out of her room wearing jeans and an orange T-shirt, padding barefoot to the cupboards as she turned the television on. "Make yahself at home," she offered. "Cups are up theah." "Thanks. You're very nice." "You'd do the same for me," she smiled. Kasumi blushed and looked away. Shannon had that charming good-time gal personality, a fine build and weight for her age, and blond hair bouncing in a ponytail. Her chest was small but sufficient, and she had a bruise on her nose that hinted at how rough-and-tumble she was. All in all, a beautiful, down-home lady that could wrestle you as soon as hug you. Odds were good that Shannon wasn't interested in a same-sex relationship, but Kasumi had to be sure. She was a churchgoing lesbian, right? "Uh, Shannon, there's something you should know about me before you get any...deeper acquainted." "What's that?" "Well, I..." She sighed. She had never openly proclaimed her sexuality to another person. She was starting to wonder if writing it in a letter even counted. "I don't want to scare you away, but I have to be honest and...tell you that I came out recently." "You mean outta the closet?" "Uh, yeah," she replied meekly. "I hope that doesn't bother you." Shannon shrugged carelessly. "Meh. I figured at least one gal on the team would be gay. They was all ovah the place back at my old school. I've had a few bad experiences, but as long as you don't wave it in my face or make a pass at me, theah shouldn't be no problem." "Oh, good, okay. No, I'm not like that. I'm actually pretty nervous about it." Shannon reappeared in the den, throwing a feeble smile. "Then I guess we ain't gonna have any problems. I mean, I ain't a total homophobe; I just feel a little uncomf'table cuz' of my bad experience. I kissed a girl once, but it was freakin' repulsive, and I only did it so she'd tell me about some damned intahview she got. Puh, guess wheah that got me! Eww, I hated her- but you seem all right! Still, I don't see how you gals can do that. Guys are much bettah." "It's not that simple...and I've known a lot of guys, gay or not, who were total pigs. But I guess that applies to women as well." "Ain't that the biblical truth," Shannon commented. She presented Kasumi with a plate of vindaloo curry and a beer, and they sat down to watch the ball game. Shannon quickly turned into a diehard fanatic, yelling and cheering at the TV, leaving Kasumi to sit in surprise and boredom. She didn't understand baseball (or most sports, for that matter, besides boxing and soccer), but she was polite enough to keep Shannon company. It was the least she could do after her host had been so generous. - Jen Andre, 20, Computer science major, defensive midfielder- The soccer field was closed due to the weather, but the gym was still open, albeit sparsely populated. Fausta, Alice, Felicity, Jen, Freya, and Arina were the only ones there, besides Leena and Kathlyn; everyone else was either at work, at church, or somewhere else, away from the rain. Leena didn't begrudge them their absence since training hadn't officially started yet, but she had been hoping for a bigger turnout. It soon became clear that nobody else would be signing up for soccer: it had been a fad that came and went, but at least they had a team of sorts. "Well, I suppose that if nobody else comes in today, then you're free to come and go as you please," Leena announced. "But from Tuesday on, we'll be practicing and training together, and you'll each have to hold the other accountable for her attendance. I understand there are emergencies, and stuff happens that we can't prevent, but there's no excuse for slacking off. Remember, nobody forced you on this team, so the least you can do is show up. Make sure everyone else understands this. Oh, one more thing before I leave you to your work: this gym is open twenty-four hours a day, and while we'll be using it whenever we can't access the field, it's not ours. If you borrow something, put it back. If you make a mess, clean it up. We're all adults here; we can behave as such. All right, enough of my buzz-killing. Go have some fun." "We're not children," Fausta grumbled as she started jogging around the gym. She chose Felicity as a partner, because she admired her singular drive and focus. "Not most of us, anyway," she answered. Fausta grinned at her. "So you noticed it too, huh? Lauren's a real slacker. If she had such a lackadaisical attitude, she shouldn't have even bothered signing up." They vaulted up a flight of stairs and ran around the upper bleachers. Right now they were on a walking track that circled a basketball court; there was also a weight room, locker and shower areas for both genders, a cardio room, and a small lounge with snack machines and a television. It was a fairly nice gym for its size. Alice, meanwhile, wandered around looking for a place where she could work out in private. Her therapist had recommended an exercise program for her, but she didn't feel like socializing yet; she just wanted to focus on something without being bothered by others. Freya chatted with Arina while Jen ran laps around the court, and since Felicity and Fausta were on the track, that left the weight room completely free. She headed there but stopped as she saw two strangers coming through the door, heading towards Leena. "Now what could this be?" she wondered. She walked closer and pricked her ears up, insatiably curious. She heard scraps of their conversation; in its full length, it went as follows: "Hi there, how are you? Ungodly weather we're having. Is this the place where I can sign up for the new sports team?" "Uh, yes... So you wanted to try out?" "I believe that was already implied. So what is it that I have to do to get on? I don't have any medical records with me, but I'm in perfectly good shape, as you can see." Alice watched as the woman leaned over, exposing her cleavage, smiling slickly as she stared at Leena's face. She didn't think the Coach would fall for such a cheap trick- in fact, she wondered what the younger woman was thinking. "Well, your shape isn't important," Leena relied, keeping her gaze steady. "Let me see your footwork, Miss...uh..." "Fleur Lacroix. F-L-E-U-R, L-A-C-R-O-I-X, pronounced 'la-CROY'. So do you have the balls around here?" "The ball cage is over here!" Freya exclaimed, waving her arm and ignoring Fleur's double entendre. Fleur raised her eyebrow and smirked. "So it is. If you'll excuse me, Miss Coach. Do keep a sharp eye out. Oh, this lady here is Rain. She came to offer her support for me. Wasn't that sweet of her?" Rain copied Fleur's nihilistic smirk, waved, and sat down in the bleachers, watching as her friend proved her worth. When she got bored, she glanced over at the attractive blonde near the ball cage, or the girls running laps around the track, until she finally focused on the tall woman lumbering into the weight room. It was rare for Rain to see girls that towered over her (or even guys), so she was naturally drawn to this one, and followed her inside, giving Fleur's performance one final glimpse. "She'll definitely get in," she said to herself. Alice was on a treadmill, her shoes off, a barbell in each hand, walking at a steady pace. She glanced over to see who was coming in, then resumed her activities. One visitor probably wouldn't create much of a disturbance. "Are you on the team?" Rain said. Alice nodded. "Uhuh." "Any athletic experience?" "None at all," she gasped faintly. Rain frowned. "Then how the hell did you pass the screening process?" "Uh, my therapist got me in. He said that exercise would help." Introduce yourself, you clumsy giraffe! It's time to start opening up! "I'm Alice, by the way," she announced stiffly. "You know, like Alice and the mad tea party. I took a growth potion and it worked a little too well. Now all I need is a Queen of Hearts and a caterpillar smoking a hookah." She blushed and sped up. Alice hadn't meant to let all that spill out. She wasn't used to an audience. "Hmm, really. Well, I'm Rain, and I'm outside smacking myself against the building." Both girls grinned and relaxed; it was nice being in the presence of another weirdo. "You said your therapist brought you here. Was this like a physical therapist, or..." "No, I...just...lost my marbles," Alice said, sighing grimly. It was difficult to talk about, so she chose every word carefully. "I know what that's like," Rain grumbled. "I've got OCD and a form of dyslexia, plus some other...issues and complexes. My therapist recommended sports as well." "So are you signing up with your friend?" "I should," she laughed, "but no, I'm with the fencing team. You know, Chairman Fitzgerald's group. I only say I should to give him a shock, but I really won't. Sorry to disappoint you." "No hard feelings. We barely know each other." She stopped the treadmill and put her weights down so she could get a drink of water. "I'm supposed to be paranoid and schizophrenic." "We have so much in common," Rain drawled comically. Alice grinned. "Yeah, really." Now ask her out on a date. You've got nothing to lose. "Just out of curiosity," Rain said, "what do you think of the team?" "Uhh, I'm not sure. I'm pretty new, and I still don't know anybody." "Do you think it stands a chance?" "I wouldn't know what that means," Alice said, shaking her head. Rain shrugged smugly. "Oh well, never mind. It's just that Chairman Fitzgerald was against it from the beginning, or so I hear him muttering. Don't worry, it's not your fault. He's entitled to his beliefs, as selfish as they are. Anyway, I'd better get back to see how my friend made out...and I don't just mean with the try-out." "Oh." Alice felt lost; she didn't know what that meant either. She decided to buck up and put her heart on the line. "Uh, say, are you like, free on Monday or something? I mean, if you'd like to hang out..." "Sure, but I've got practice later on. Well, maybe you can come watch, if you want. Fencing isn't really like the movies, but it's better than sitting at home, staring at the wallpaper." "I'd know about that," Alice murmured. "We both would," Rain grinned. "So I guess it's a date." "A date?" Rain laughed at her expression. "Yeah, I date girls now and then. Is that a problem?" "N-not for me," she stammered. Rain grinned and saluted. "All right then, see you tomorrow. Oh- when and where?" "Uhh...I don't know this place very well. Anywhere is fine." "I'm not familiar either. Do you know where Parody Bookstore is?" "Yeah." "Meet me there at nine tomorrow morning. I'll treat you to breakfast if you'll treat me to lunch." "Okay! See you then!" "Take care until then," Rain said as she turned back and waved. To celebrate Fleur's initiation into the soccer team, she fucked her pretty nihilistic brains out. - Valencia Durante, 21, Fashion design major, goalie- Since Fausta took the day off to squeeze in some extra practice, Robin had to call Terra in to fill up the weekend shift, and since it was Sunday, the place was packed and they were frantically trying to maintain order. Terra panicked for awhile as the swarm of "weekenders" clogged the small bookstore, and started to worry about inventory and registering all these orders. She and Robin both had to man a cash register for three hours straight; Robin left her when she thought a lull had settled to call Fausta and beg for her assistance. "Look, I know you asked for the day off, but I'll pay you time and a half. We really need you here, Fausta." "Well...I'll think about it before I wrap up. I'll have to take a shower and drive all the way over." "Fine, get here when you can. Do you promise you'll be here?" "I don't have any other plans today," she mumbled, "and I do need the money. I'll be there, but I won't make a habit out of coming on my days off." "All right, fine. I'll see if I can hire some extra help. Thanks." She hung up and rushed over to check on Terra. The poor girl had to face a long line of impatient customers all by herself, and several shelves badly needed to be restocked. There was also a small mess that needed to be cleaned, and order forms to fill out. Robin dashed to the next cash register and declared she was open; the line evened out and the two entrenched themselves once again. "Is it usually this busy?" Terra asked breathlessly. She had long ago given up trying to devote herself to every customer's needs: there was no way she could last at that pace. Now she was just trying to scan their items and get them out, and only a few were cooperative and considerate enough to help move things along. "Just on weekends. It was raining harder yesterday, which is why we didn't get too many people. Things should pick up once the last of the students arrive." "I noticed that. So tell me more about these game tournaments. Uh, thanks, have a nice day!" "I usually hold them every Wednesday night, but the serious tournaments are on the second Sunday every month, once the store closes." "Oh, great. Uh, does a woman named Jennifer Andre ever come by here?" "Yeah, she's a regular. Do you know her?" "Just from online games," Terra grinned. "We're on the same team, though, so I guess we'll get to know the real-life versions of each other." "I've never played any online games. Are they any fun?" "I'm not exactly an authority. I could only afford the free ones. So how did you and Gardenia meet?" "Must we talk about that slacker?" Robin smiled. "I was just about to say that it must be really busy over there, or else she would've dropped on by to annoy me. Don't let my description fool you," she giggled; "I really love that woman. She's my best friend. My life would be so dull without her. And I'm just as guilty of playing hooky and visiting her. We met about...oh, five or six years ago, I think, before Carnegie was here. I had just bought this property and turned it into a bookstore, and she was one of my customers that day. We didn't really get to talking until a month later, when I first started those game tournaments. She asked if I'd like to watch a few movies over at her club, so I said yes, and we've been friends ever since. It's hard to believe that she's rich." "Rich? Like, how rich?" "She owns the Lily Club," Robin shrugged. "Dee doesn't talk about her money. It's embarrassing. She does pretty well for herself, and I do too. So tell me about yourself, Terra." "What do you want to know?" Robin delayed her response as the door opened. "Hey, here she comes to save the day!" She sang out for joy as Fausta walked through and clocked in. She hastily tapped the water from her umbrella and went straight to work. "So what do you need me to do?" "I've got the register, so could you please handle stocking and inventory?" "All right. I'll go clean that mess, too, while I'm at it." "Thanks, you're a lifesaver." Robin's shoulders relaxed and the tension left her face; she was herself again. "Okay, that makes me feel better. So where were we?" "My life story. Is it okay to talk while all these people are here? I mean, shouldn't we concentrate?" "I can talk and work at the same time. Dee and I chatter all the time whenever she comes over. So what do you like to do, besides gaming?" "Actually, I've gotten into amateur game development, and I'm even making an RPG webcomic. I'm also heavily into Tae Kwon Do and Battodo- that's sort of like kendo. I read and draw manga, and I really love anime, but I usually steer clear of the mainstream crap like Naruto." "Do you like Revolutionary Girl Utena?" "I've never heard of it." "Well, it's an older series. Dee's decided to show the movie for her next Saturday matinee, so why don't you check it out? It's a bizarre film, but really great." "Sure. What other series have you seen?" "Oh, Noir, Strawberry Panic, dot hack/Sign- Eva and Sailor Moon, of course- Mai Hime, Macross, Read Or Die, Love Hina, Bubblegum Crisis- that's my favorite along with Utena." "Oh wow, you're a real aficionada. Do you think I could borrow a few of those?" "Sure, as long as you promise to give them back. I don't have any manga, though, but considering where I work, I don't think I need it." Terra chuckled and felt herself loosening, even though the rush was still in full swing. She definitely felt lucky for landing such an awesome job, and getting such a cool boss. "What about your family?" Robin asked. Terra frowned and intently focused on her work. "I don't like talking about them. They were nothing but dictators all my life. They kept me in a cage and forced me to play along with their outdated beliefs. They didn't even want me working, for crying out loud- they were probably hoping I'd just marry some rich guy and pop out grandkids. Now you have to tell me about yours." "I only wish they were that colorful," Robin lamented dryly. "Suffice to say that they were as banal as a phonebook. My father's a nine-to-fiver in a gray little office and my mother's a homemaker. They're about as traditional as they come. We never had any problems and we never worried about money, but it was the emptiest existence you could ever imagine. I can't count the number of times I ran away from home." Terra laughed and felt a little better for having (and conquering) such an oppressive childhood, and together, she and her boss weathered the storm. The action didn't really slow down until around 7:00 that night, just two hours before the store closed. By that time, the rain had ended and the clouds were unfolding, but it was still wet and muggy outside. Robin and Terra went to the basement for an extended break, leaving Fausta to care for the shop until they got back. "You did well for your first weekend rush," she complimented. "I was glad to see you relaxing after awhile. That's the key to handling big crowds: just keep your cool and keep moving." "Well, I have lots of martial arts training, so that helped," Terra replied humbly. "It shows. You have good discipline, and you're pretty strong for your size. Also, even though it was a futile gesture, I appreciate you trying to devote some time to every customer. They may seem like total dictators, but your parents raised you well." Terra cringed and made a face. "Please don't talk about them anymore." Robin grinned apologetically. "Sorry. I guess this is a case of the pot calling the kettle black, huh? So do your classes start on Wednesday?" "Yep. I've got two days left after today." "Do you have any plans?" Terra shook her head. Besides soccer practice and official orientation, her schedule was wide open. "Ah. I'm asking because I'd like to take you out on a date." "Um...excuse me?" Her face turned red and she stiffened. Nobody had ever been this direct with her before, not even Mayu. And besides, there was also... "Yeah, a date. Haven't you ever been on a date before?" She shook her head. "Not with another woman...and not with my boss!" "Don't think of it that way!" Robin laughed. "Fausta and I dated a bit before you came here. I just want to go out and have some fun. I promise I won't do anything strange, and I promise you'll see me as just another ordinary person before it's over." "Oh, so it's just like something a couple of friends would do." "Well, yes," she gestured, "but I wouldn't mind having you for my girlfriend." "Uh...so you're...um..." "Gay and proud of it!" she beamed. "I'm just not as...flagrant about it as Dee is." "Oh. You know, I thought you two might have been...uh, you know." "A couple? We are. But we're not married, Terra: we do date other people, and we're totally cool with it. I mean, if you have a problem- " "No, no," she stammered, "I'm not a homophobe or anything! I don't have any problems! I think I might actually be bisexual!" Whoops, talk about letting the cat out the bag. Well, you had to say it eventually, Thuy. That kiss Mayu gave you helped open up a whole new world. "Then there aren't any problems!" Robin said, grinning sweetly. "I mean, unless you have issues with older women. You're nineteen, right? Seven years is not too bad." "You mean you're only twenty-six and you own your own business?" Robin nodded, leaving Terra deeply impressed with her employer. She ultimately decided to accept her offer, if only to say later that she had indeed dated another woman. She would worry about the particulars of her situation later.
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