“Know me?” I asked.
“Yeah, hook up with you,” she said.
She bit into her burger, letting the grease dribble down her chin after her comment.
“I’m not gay,” I said.
Chloe looked at me, with the same confused look as Carla had given me at the party when I talked about a boyfriend.
“She usually only recruits young, cute lesbian women…” Chloe said.
“Well, she kept telling me I was,” I admitted.
Chloe laughed as she leaned back in the booth. “Wow, she’s a piece of work,” she said.
I felt relieved that Chloe was so cool about Carla’s mistaken perception. She never questioned me about my experience with other women, and never once made me feel as though she didn’t believe me when I said I liked men.
She lived just a couple blocks away, in the opposite direction of my apartment, but still close enough to walk.
We met up that evening and shared a pizza and more beer at the bar just past her place, and that Sunday, we took a long walk in the park, stretching and stopping to do yoga by the water.
Her personality was addictive, and I was enjoying spending all of my time with her. No longer did I feel cold and alone in the busy city, but more as if I fit in, belonged with someone.
It may not have been the traditional pairing, but having a friend was amazing. I never wanted it to end…I hoped it wouldn’t.
Three weeks passed, and we had spent almost every day together. Chloe sat on my couch, kicked back against the pillow and her feet on the coffee table. “So, why don’t you have a man in your life?” she asked.
I didn’t know the answer to that. I stopped; stood in front of her holding the outfit I was getting ready to change into for our night out on the town.
“I don’t know,” I said.
“I guess, I don’t need one…” I added.
“Don’t you want one?” she asked.
“No,” I replied.
It was the truth. All I wanted was what we had, it was enough for me. The thought of finding a man and losing Chloe wasn’t something I could deal with. She was my bes
t friend, she was all I needed.
I enjoyed our weekends in the park and our late nights on the couch watching horror movies. I couldn’t imagine giving that up, for what, a man?
The fear of reality kicked in quickly. Maybe she had met a man, maybe that’s why she was asking…
“Why don’t you?” I asked.
She let out a loud laugh “What would I do with a man?” she asked.
My heart slowed its pounding inside of my chest. Good, she hadn’t met anyone.
“You don’t want one?” I asked.
Chloe stopped laughing and leaned up from the couch. Her eyes were heavy on me as she followed me with them. I moved slowly, waiting for her to respond before I made it to the hall and out of her sight.
“Marcie, seriously?” she asked.
I stopped, turned to look at her. She looked serious.