14. Well, D'uh.

The next day came as usual. The girls got up, dressed and met in the bathroom to put themselves together to face the day. The only variation was the embrace that preceded mouthwash and the lingering kiss that followed it. Next came breakfast and trying to act as "normal" as possible in front of their decidedly oblivious parents. Saying their goodbyes, they left for school.

The day was uneventful. They'd managed to have a moment alone in the Novak – a moment spent holding hands and kissing each other softly. It was a display so sweet as to make the cynical gag. Thankfully, neither was speaking to Nicole Julian.

They arranged to see Lily and Carmen later that day for coffee. Brooke suggested that Sam see them alone.

"They were your friends first. Maybe it'll be better if you talk to them alone – at least at first."

Sam's response was a curt "Nice try McQueen. You are so not dumping this on me."

"Damn, I thought that would work," was Brooke's answer. The girls exchanged smirks and blushed at each other for the thousandth time in 24 hours.

"Okay, what's going on?" Lily said abruptly, sitting in the booth, Carmen trailing behind her.

"What do you mean?" the twosome chimed in harmony.

"Of come on, you didn't just invite us out for coffee. That was the most obvious 'we-need-to-talk' invitation I've ever seen, so spill it! What's up?"

"Ooookay," Sam finally answered. "We... I..."

"We" Brooke interrupted.

"Yes," Sam continued. "We just wanted to let you guys know that we found out something this weekend. Something important – but we need to swear you to secrecy, at least for the time being."

"What is it?" Carmen's eyes were as wide. Lily said nothing, assuming that 'Bram' (as she'd begun calling them behind their backs) knew her better than to have to ask.

"Well, I'm gay," Sam blurted out.

"So am I," Brooke added.

"And we're..." Sam searched for the word. She and Brooke hadn't really clarified the nature of their relationship, officially.

"A couple," Brooke added, turning to Sam, who smiled her approval of the term.

"Ohmygod!" Carmen looked somewhat deprived on oxygen. Lily just giggled and held out her hand to Carmen.

"Pay up Ferrera!" she said in a very self-satisfied tone.

"WHAT!!" Brooke and Sam said in unison, their jaws (figuratively, at least) hitting the table.

"Oh come on!" Lily fired back. "You've got to be kidding! You two have been the poster-children for 'Unresolved Sexual Tension' for the past couple of years."

The twosome looked at each other. Had everyone figured it out before they did? Apparently they had.

Lily pocketed Carmen's money with a grin. "I told Carmen when you asked us to meet you that I bet today was finally the day you told us you'd gotten together."

"And I thought, 'No way, they're still in denial.'" added Carmen.

Mentally, Brooke and Sam kicked themselves again for not having the brains to see what everyone else did.

Brooke wondered, silently, if Nicole and Mary Cherry had figured it out too. Well, maybe not Mary Cherry, but Nicole had a brain. No heart to speak of, but a brain, definitely.

They also both began to realize that their 'secret' might not be a secret for as long as they thought it would.

On the bright side, if everyone reacted positively as Carmen and Lily, that might not be so bad.

Of course, that was a mighty 'if.'

The four chatted for awhile, omitting the salacious details.

Finally, Brooke thought of a terrible question.

"Does Harrison know?"

Sam dropped the cup she'd been drinking from.