As the night continued, Alex began to feel more relaxed. She'd had a couple of drinks plus the shot and was starting to feel buzzed… and she was actually having a good time. Olivia's friends were lovely - smart, interesting, welcoming. And funny. She couldn't remember the last time she laughed like this.
Seeing Olivia in this context was fascinating as well. She was different but also exactly the same. Maybe better.
The brunette had pulled up a stool for herself next to Alex. Because of the sheer number of people squeezed into the bar, they'd had to sit fairly close together and every now and then Olivia's knee would brush Alex's leg.
"Ok, I'm getting us another round" Olivia said. She was a bit buzzed herself and unintentionally leveraged Alex's knee as she rose, her hand lingering for a moment before she realized what she was doing. She tried to act natural, pulling her hand away gently, and made her way over to the bar.
The touch had sent shivers up Alex's spine. She quickly tried to forget the unexpected contact.
"So how do you guys all know each other?" Alex asked the girls.
"Well, Jamie and I grew up together in Philly, Olivia and I went to college together and - " Rachel started before Jamie cut her off.
"Don't be withholding, Rach. You're so shady. Olivia and Rachel DATED in college" she said to Alex.
Alex looked surprised.
"Yes, it was all very dramatic" Jamie teased.
"And as for Sutton... well, no one actually remembers how we met Sutton, she just magically appeared one night."
"Jamie, I told you, I had figured it out. It was Drew's New Year's Party in 2005. You were dating that ugly dude with the Cereal T-shirts? How can you not remember?" Sutton exclaimed.
"Who the hell is Drew?" Rachel asked.
As the women began debating how they had met, Alex took the moment to process what Jamie had revealed. So I guess that question is answered once and for all, she thought. She was actually relieved, not having to wonder about Olivia's sexual preference any longer. And she'd be lying if she said that the idea of Olivia dating women didn't kind of excite her.
Alex shifted her gaze to Rachel. She found herself evaluating the woman in a different way now that she had additional context. She was intimidatingly beautiful - tall, thin, long dark hair, expressive blue eyes. Confident in a way that made Alex feel inferior. And uncomfortable. And something else. Jealous? She wasn't sure.
Alex looked away from Rachel to Olivia standing by the bar, leaning over the edge, saying something to the bartender. She let her eyes travel over her body for a moment.
Fuck, she's so gorgeous, Alex heard herself say in her mind. And with that very raw thought, she realized how drunk she was becoming.
"Alex?" Rachel said, breaking Alex out of her reverie.
"Yeah, sorry, I missed what you said" Alex responded, focusing on the woman who had now approached her.
Olivia turned around to survey the scene as she waited on their drinks. Sutton and Jamie were engaged in conversation with each other while Rachel stood in front of Alex. She leaned into whisper something in the blonde's ear which made Alex chuckle and nod.
Olivia immediately felt her heart sink. Rachel pushed Alex's shoulder playfully, laughing, smiling at her. Olivia turned around, annoyed, not wanting to see any more.
But she couldn't not look. She turned back in time to see Rachel standing in front of Alex holding her top up to the underside of her breasts, exposing her stomach and the tattoo snaking out above her hip and up her torso. Alex reached out and traced her fingers over the design as they chatted.
Olivia was furious. How dare Rachel flirt with her friend.
She tried to make sense of her emotions. She was definitely angry at Rachel. No question. But she had to be honest. She was also angry with herself for being turned on at the sight of Alex touching another woman.
Fuck, this is not good, she thought.