It had been a great night, one filled with mutual laughter and flirting and snark and drinks, it was something Gail had never experienced with another person. She'd never connected with someone so easily, so freely. And she was actually excited to see the brunette again, -surely they'd meet again. Even if not as an item- which was new for her. Gail hated everyone. So when the topic of how they identified came up and Holly suddenly left once Gail uttered the word 'bisexual', she was crushed.
It had come out of nowhere, during the few hours they'd been talking Holly had seemed so cool and funny and accepting and open minded and smart, all wrapped up in a sexy nerdy librarian shell. -Which Gail had now concluded was her thing- So it hurt even more when the brunette turned out to be one of those biphobic lesbians.
Gail had gotten used to the biphobia, grew a thick layer of calloused skin towards the harsh judgments that went along with her sexuality. But she'd never peg Holly for one of those people and so that shield hadn't been up.
But even though Holly turned out to be so judgmental she found herself in a breakup mood, moping around, harsher with people she'd refer to as friends, -on a good day- and thinking about her lopsided smile nonstop.
"Gail what's your deal? I've been here for an hour and you haven't said one snarky comment, I even brought food and you haven't touched it." Traci poked Gail's side with her foot.
"Nothing. I'm just feeling a little sick."
Traci snorted. "I've seen you sick and you've never acted like this. In fact the closest I've seen you to how you're acting right now is when you got back from Vegas."
Chloe handed Traci a bottle of water and sat on the floor across from the couch the other two were lounging on.
"She's been acting like this since we went out to the new bar down the street. Gail was hitting it off with this really hot, nerdy brunette, and I totally thought I'd be staying at yours or something but the girl suddenly left and-"
Chloe was interrupted by a hard thrown pillow in her face.
"She's a judgmental bitch and I'm like this because I've been feeling sick. Now take your giggles elsewhere, I'm trying to sleep." Gail growled.
"Tell me again why you're going home with me and not that hot blonde you've been talking up all night?" Lisa asked while hailing down a cab.
"Because she's bi, you know how that is"
"Hol, she's bi, which means she's into men and women. You two were the definition of heart eyes tonight, I just don't understand why you'd give that up for something so stupid as a stereotype."
Holly was glad there wasn't any further discussion on the subject once they were in the cab. She was already upset enough by the turn in events, that Gail had turned out to be bi, making her a no go. That beautiful, sexy, funny, snarky, fascinating woman was off limits.
Holly looked up from her menu at the sound of a familiar laugh, a laugh she'd never forget, and scanned the small diner for its owner. The owner of which Holly hadn't thought about in a while.
Her heart dropped and fluttered simultaneously. Gail looked good. Her hair tousled in the perfect mix of adorable and sexy, her clothes casual but tight and revealed just enough for the obvious date she was on. Which brought on the knife in her gut and the fire in her veins. Gail was stroking her thumb over the proffered hand held in her own and was smiling at their contact.
Holly tore her eyes away. It was insane of her to be jealous of the interaction, she had her chance and walked away and Gail moved on, like she thought she had. She's still bi, Holly reminded herself. But this time it didn't hold any of the power it had that night three months ago, it wasn't said as a reason to retreat. Suddenly Holly couldn't remember why she walked away, why she'd throw away someone as amazing and different as Gail. All she could think about was how to apologize and possibly get Gail to agree to a date. She needed to see the blonde, to be in her life in anyway possible.
Holly continued to watch the table Gail and her date were seated and tried her best to not look as creepy as she felt. She went over different apology scenarios in her head as she watched the two talk. The green eyed monster didn't help much in ways of how to be cool about it all and Holly was finding the whole thing impossibly frustrating. She came to a simple 'I'm really sorry for being a judgmental bitch' approach and decided to follow through with it once she scrounged up enough courage. But that all went to hell the second Gail laughed and shook her head, their eyes met in the movement and Holly froze. Shit.
Gail froze too, both just staring at one another like deer caught in headlights. Holly wasn't sure what to do. The chittering from the cafe was drowned out by the loud thumping of her heat. Gail's jaw set and she turned back to her date, threw down a few bills and stormed out of the building. Holly was stunned and only barely registered the curious stare from the blondes date before she found herself on the sidewalk.
"Gail!" She called out and started to jog to catch up to the blonde. "Gail please!"
"What" Gail suddenly stopped and spun around, making Holly almost run into her.
She opened her mouth but nothing came out, the prepared apology stuck in her throat.
"I have better places to be than to waste my time with someone like you." Gail spat out and turned on her heel, once again walking away from the brunette.
Holly groaned internally and chased after her again. Damn she walks fast. She grabbed for Gail's arm and pulled on her stop. "I'm sorry."
Gail ripped her arm out if Holly's grasp but didn't turn around or stop, only slowed her pace so they were both walking.
"I was an asshole and I was biphobic and I'm really sorry."
"You're sorry?" Gail hissed and turned to face her. Holly didn't catch that Gail had stopped and found herself a hair width apart from the blonde. Her breath hitched at the proximity.
"I'm really really sorry." Holly clarified.
Gail's mouth twitched, an almost smile, and she crossed her arms. Holly smiled internally, this might work.
"I was stupid, so very very stupid, and I shouldn't have walked out." She explained with all the emotion she could. Gail didn't make a move so she continued. "I like you, a lot. You're sarcastic and snarky, intelligent and badass, absolutely beautiful and I've honestly never laughed more in my entire life. And I don't know about you but I was quite bummed out after that night"
Gail unraveled her arms and shoved her hands into her pockets, and looked down at her shuffling feet.
"I don't expect you to forgive me, I probably wouldn't forgive me, I was a giant judgmental bitch-"
"Yeah, you were." Gail scoffed, interrupting Holly mid sentence.
She chuckled halfheartedly. "So I'm going to go out on a limb and be as desperate as I'll sound, was that your girlfriend back there?"
Gail's head snapped up, her eyes bulging out in shook. "Traci?! God no! First of all ew, she's a friend -on a good day. Secondly she's got a boyfriend. And thirdly" she shuddered as if that was a reason all on it's own.
Holly smiled despite herself.
"How in the world would you think that was a date?" Gail prompted, still shaking off the thought of being with her friend.
She shrugged and averted her gaze. "Well you were laughing a lot and uh, you were holding her hand."
Holly chanced a glance at the blonde from under her eyelashes. Gail smirked as realization flashed across her blue eyes.
"So you were jealous of me looking at her ring and mocking people?" Gail had a new bout of confidence, she stood taller and her eyes didn't leave the brunette, a sly grin played at her lips.
Holly's cheeks grew hot and she knew they had to be a deep enough shade that Gail could see. "I guess so."
"I have to get to work now, so are you going to ask me out or wait another two months before bumping into me again?"
"Do you want me to ask you out?" Holly gave a crooked grin and tilted her head in question.
Gail smiled fully and Holly's stomach filled with the flutterings again, she spun around and started walking down the street. Holly rolled her eyes and took a few log strides to catch up, again. But this time both were smiling and it gave her a thrill.
Once they fell in step with one another Holly bumped her shoulder into Gail's. "Gail, if you're willing to overlook my horrible behaviour from last time, I'd really like to take you out sometime."
"I'll think about it, nerd." She made a sharp right, leaving a stunned and amused brunette a few steps behind.
"You'll think about it? You just asked me to ask you out!"
"Yup."
"Fine. But if you're going to think about it we should exchange numbers so when you decide to stop being a butt and say yes we won't have to wait to bump into one another."
Gail scoffed. "You sound awfully confident for someone who was practically begging me to forgive them ten minutes ago."
"You gave in very quickly, which to me says you're still interested."
"Who says I was interested in the first place?" Gail raised a challenging brow.
Holly smirked and leaned in to her ear. "For starters you bought me at least three drinks. You played with my hair and whispered in my ear. I caught you watching me walk to the bathroom, you lip looked me more times than I can count and we both know we would have gone home together. And I can practically hear your heart right now."
Gail licked her lips. "You sure you aren't just reading into things?"
"I'm very sure." She kissed just below Gail's ear before taking a step back and taking out her phone.
Gail rolled her eyes but took the phone. She sent herself a text so she'd have Holly's number and gave the phone back to the brunette.
"I'll text you with my answer when I decide."
"I look forward to the date." Holly smiled and started walking backwards.
"I haven't decided yet nerd" she called out.
"I'll see you later Gail"
Gail shook her head and turned to walk in the opposite direction. Holly paused to watch the blonde, she was sure the extra swing in Gail's hips was for her. When she got back to her car and checked her phone to see what name the blonde had given herself she smiled at the simple text.
Yes