Our New Normal

  Tori frowned. “I know what you mean about trying to date guys. I tried to make things work with Aaron, I really did, but I was never truly happy. Everyone knows me being the head cheerleader and him being the star quarterback means we should be the school’s power couple. There was something that wasn’t right, though, something that I just couldn’t shake. I thought maybe I was just super nervous about having sex for the first time, but once you and I started getting to know each other, I realized what my real problem is: I don’t want to date men; I want to be with women.”

  Chloe smiled sadly, reaching over to interlace her fingers in Tori’s once more. “I don’t want our past to ruin our date. We came this far from those assholes, and I think it took a lot of courage for us to admit that we like each other; it was a big risk for both of us.”

  Tori nodded, squeezing Chloe’s hand. “Let’s forget about them for tonight, okay? They’re not worth it.”

  Chloe nodded. They spent the rest of dinner talking and laughing, the world around them melting away as they became engrossed in conversation and got lost in each other’s eyes.

  After dinner, Tori and Chloe walked into a bustling crowd at the Rabbit Hole. They found a quiet spot in the back corner where they could dance privately and enjoy each other’s company without too many prying eyes around. Chloe wasn’t necessarily worried about anyone bothering them; those who frequented the Rabbit Hole were generally open-minded enough that anyone who happened to see them being affectionate wouldn’t care enough to say anything. Still, she didn’t want to risk anything running their date.

  Chloe had been worried that Tori wouldn’t enjoy the music or would sit at the table all night without getting involved, but the exact opposite was true. They spent the majority of the evening dancing in their corner, occasionally taking a break to rehydrate.

  Tori brushed against Chloe as she stood in front of her, their bodies swaying in time with the music. Chloe’s heart was racing as she considered putting her hands on Tori’s hips, but she was afraid of being too forward too soon. Instead, she closed her eyes and got lost in the sensation of dancing with Tori.

  Tori’s face hurt from smiling. She’d never had this much fun or felt this excited to be with anyone, and she wished that it’d never end. She spun around to retrieve her glass from the table and found herself face-to-face with Chloe. She smiled bashfully, wanting to wrap her arms around her and dance closely but afraid to do so.

  A slower song came on as Tori set her glass back down on the table, and she was overcome with bravery. Hoping that Chloe wouldn’t object, she wrapped an arm around the small of Chloe’s back.

  Chloe sighed with relief, thankful that Tori had the same idea and had made the first move. She draped her arms around Tori’s neck as Tori placed her other hand on Chloe’s hip. Pressed against each other, she nuzzled Tori’s neck as they danced.

  After the show ended, they walked hand-in-hand to Chloe’s car. “That was great!” Tori exclaimed. “We have to go again! Do they play here often?”

  Chloe beamed, excited that her plans for their first were a success. “They usually perform every couple of months, and I try to go every time. I’d love for you to go with me; I had a better time with you than I usually do.”

  “I’d love that,” Tori said. “And we should find other places to dance together, too.”

  Chloe grinned, her pulse quickening as she thought of being wrapped in Tori’s arms once more. “That can be arranged.”

  Chloe pulled into Tori’s driveway, putting the car in park. She watched Tori reluctantly remove the seat belt as she twisted to retrieve her purse from the backseat. Chloe was compelled to stall in some way; she didn’t want the night to end. “Can I ask you something?”

  “Sure.”

  “What made you realize it?” Chloe inquired.

  Tori’s brow furrowed as she looked over at Chloe. “Realize what?”

  “What made you recognize that you wanted to be with women and not men?” Chloe asked. “I mean, I kind of knew my whole life, but you said you hadn’t realized it until recently. There had to be something that caused you to figure it out.”

  “Don’t get me wrong; I’ve always admired the female body, though I dismissed it as just appreciating fashion. Lately, though, I realized that I’d been paying a lot of attention to this one girl, and that I was going out of my way to impress her by changing the way I’d acted all these years. That’s what made me finally understand what was going on with me and why I’d been reluctant to date guys.”

  Chloe raised an eyebrow. She saw the look in Tori’s eyes, and she decided to probe further. “So…is that why you’ve been working so hard on this assignment? Why you’ve spent so much time with me?”

  Tori nodded. “You’ve brought out a side of me that I didn’t even know existed, and I’ll always be grateful for that; I love not having to hide my intelligence for the sake of popularity. You’ve changed me into the person I always wished I was, and I’m so glad I got to know you.”

  Chloe’s face flushed. “I’m really glad that I have you, too.”

  Tori glanced over, and Chloe was gazing at her in the dim light. “You’re so beautiful, Chloe.”

  “So are you, Tori,” she whispered anxiously, staring into Tori’s eyes.

  The sound of the engine running and the music from the radio faded into the background as they got lost into each other’s eyes. Tori decided to take the lead again, her heart pounding as she leaned in for a kiss.

  Chloe’s heart leaped with joy as she finally felt Tori’s lips pressed against hers. Her lips are so soft, Chloe thought, her head spinning. It’s like they’re made for mine…it’s never felt so good to kiss anyone before…

  Tori’s thoughts mirrored Chloe’s as she moaned. This is what it’s supposed to feel like, she thought. I’ve wasted so much time being someone I wasn’t, and that’s going to change.

  When their lips parted, they gazed at each other and smiled breathlessly. “Wow!” Chloe exclaimed.

  “I know!” Tori agreed. She leaned back in, their arms wrapped around one another as they continued making out.

  After several minutes, Tori opened an eye to peek at the clock. Realizing how late it had become, she gently pulled back from Chloe’s embrace. “I should probably get inside.”

  “Probably a good idea,” Chloe agreed breathlessly as she turned to face forward again.

  They chuckled at the fogged up windows as Tori opened the car door. “We need to do this again, soon!” she said, straightening her hair so it didn’t look like she had just come inside after a make out session in her parents’ driveway.

  Chloe giggled as she cranked up the air to defog the windshield. “The date or the kissing?”

  “Um…both,” Tori responded coyly. She gave Chloe another small peck on the cheek and got out of the car.

  Chloe waved back as Tori went inside, giddy with excitement over the best date she’d had in years. She already couldn’t wait to see Tori again.

  Chapter 21

  Tori woke up with a smile on her face, yearning for Chloe’s lips as she replayed their first kiss. She stayed in bed for a while, her eyes closed and heart pounding as she pictured dancing with Chloe in the Rabbit Hole. Since she had already offered to pay for their next date, she started thinking of places where she could take Chloe—ones that would be private enough for them to be openly affectionate. She couldn’t wait to feel her lips again.

  She eventually headed to the kitchen for breakfast, trying to keep her mind occupied for a few more hours. While she was eager to call Chloe, she didn’t want to seem too eager or desperate by calling her first thing in the morning.

  Tori hummed cheerfully while pouring a bowl of cereal, and her mother glanced up from her magazine. “You look happy today, Victoria,” she noted.

  Tori blushed as she looked up from her cereal bowl. “I guess I just slept well last night,” she lied. In reality, she’d barely gotten any s
leep as she replayed her date with Chloe over and over again.

  “That’s good, dear,” her mother said.

  “Since midterms start on Monday, I wanted to know if I could invite a friend over to study. Is that okay?” Tori didn’t plan on telling her mother about her relationship with Chloe any time soon; she knew that it would only cause problems, especially knowing that her mother had proudly signed the church petition.

  “That’s fine, dear,” her mother replied. “Just keep it quiet while you guys study.”

  “We will, mom,” Tori said, smirking. She wondered if they’d even have a chance to talk as they made out most of the night.

  Nothing could distract Tori from thinking of Chloe as she waited until mid-morning to call her. Tidying up her room and trying to watch TV only made her antsier, and she checked the time on her phone every few minutes. The more that Tori thought about Chloe, the more that she couldn’t wait to hear her voice. Longing for as much time with her as possible, she finally gave up on waiting and dialed Chloe’s number, hoping that she was already awake.

  Thankfully, Chloe answered on the first ring. “Good morning, babe,” she greeted cheerfully.

  “Hi!” Tori squeaked, bouncing as she sat on her bed. “How are you?”

  “I’m in a pretty good mood this morning for some reason,” she teased with a coy giggle. “I just can’t stop thinking about last night. How about you?”

  Tori beamed. “Believe me, I can’t either!” she paused for a moment. “Hey, I wanted to ask you: would you be interested in studying for midterms with me? My mom already said it was fine for you to come over. I promise we’ll get some work done.”

  “Yeah, some work done.” There was a pause before Chloe whispered, “I’d like to continue what we started last night.”

  “I’d like that, too,” Tori agreed quietly, laying on her back and staring at the ceiling. “That can be our reward for studying.”

  “Great!” Chloe exclaimed. “I’ll give you a call when I’m going to head over, okay?”

  “Awesome!” Tori cheered. “See you then!”

  As soon as they hung up, both girls rushed to get ready. Tori hurriedly put all of her clothes away from the night prior, took a quick shower, put on sparkling lotion, found the lowest low-cut shirt she owned, and she threw her hair into a loose ponytail. She nervously tidied her room as she awaited Chloe’s call, picturing them laying on her bed as they cuddled and kissed one another. Her heart pounded as she felt an unfamiliar warmth spread throughout her body; she’d never been this aroused in her life.

  Chloe rushed around her house, also having to clean her room to find the clothes she wanted to wear. I know I have seductive clothes somewhere, she thought. Where in the hell is that red, low cut tank top with the spaghetti straps? And where’s my push up bra? She frantically searched under her bed, on the floor of her closet, and behind her dresser.

  It suddenly occurred to her where the shirt was. I let Kristen borrow it, she remembered sadly, recalling the sex they’d had after Chloe had let her try it on. She was so hot in that shirt. She shook her head, trying to erase the memories flooding her mind. I have Tori now, and the kiss we shared last night was better than any kiss Kristen ever gave me. Tori knows how she feels about me and wants exactly what I want.

  Chloe found an alternative shirt to wear—though it wasn’t quite as low cut, it showed a sufficient amount of cleavage—and pulled her hair into a bun. I don’t want my hair getting in the way of Tori kissing my neck, she mused with a sly smile. Inspecting herself one last time in the mirror to ensure that she was attractive enough to get a reaction from Tori, she threw shoes on and said goodbye to her mother.

  “Where are you going so early in the day?” her mom inquired, confused by Chloe’s sudden rush.

  “I’m heading over to my friend’s house to study for midterms,” she replied hastily, anxious to leave.

  “Okay,” her mom acknowledged casually. “When do you plan on being back?”

  Chloe smiled. “Um, don’t wait up for me when you make dinner, I guess?” she answered. “It’ll probably be a while. There’s still so much to do, especially with that public speaking assignment.”

  Her mom kissed her on the head. “Okay, hun, be safe. I’ll see you later.” Chloe waved goodbye to her as she rushed to her car.

  The car ride to Tori’s place seemed to take hours. Chloe was anxious to see her, especially after their short make out session the night prior, and she wanted to get their studying done quickly so that they could spend more time together as a couple.

  Are we a couple, though? Chloe asked herself. I hope she doesn’t think we’re just a hookup. My behavior might reflect that; maybe I should have waited to start making out with her…

  Chloe shook her head, trying to dismiss her worries before she got to the door. Tori’s obviously into me, too; we’ll get it figured out.

  After parking, Chloe flung her backpack over one shoulder and rang the front doorbell. Instead of Tori, an older woman greeted her as the door opened.

  That has to be Tori’s mother, Chloe thought as she smiled in greeting. Tori was a spitting image of her mom with the same hair, eyes, and body type. Chloe noticed that Tori had a kinder face, though, as Tori’s mother seemed to regard her with slight disdain.

  “Can I help you?” she asked, studying Chloe’s outfit. She had worn a hoodie to cover her low-cut shirt, just in case she met Tori’s family, and she suddenly wished that she’d worn her more formal peacoat.

  “Um, I’m Chloe, and I’m here to study with Tori,” she replied anxiously, shifting the bag on her shoulder. She heard footsteps rushing from the distance, and Tori’s smiling face peeked from behind her mother.

  “Hey, Chloe!” she exclaimed, pulling her by the hand past her mother. “We’ll be upstairs, mom. If you need anything, text me.”

  “Okay,” her mother said, returning to the kitchen.

  “Don’t mind her,” Tori whispered. “She’s not exactly the most welcoming person that ever lived, not unless she’s the hostess at one of dad’s events. When she’s in charge of hosting a party, she’s a completely different person.” She escorted Chloe to her room, locking the door for extra privacy.

  They looked at each other nervously, unsure how to act. “Um, hi,” Tori said with an anxious giggle, leaning against the door with her fingers still on the lock.

  “Hi,” Chloe responded, walking to Tori and wrapping her arms around her waist. She backed away from her just enough to gaze into her eyes.

  Tori smiled bashfully. “I missed you,” she whispered breathlessly, pressing her lips to Chloe’s.

  Chloe backed Tori against the door for support as she leaned against her. “I missed you too,” Chloe replied quietly, pulling Tori’s hips to hers for an even deeper kiss.

  After a few minutes, they reluctantly pulled apart. “We really should start working on homework before we end up not doing any of it,” Tori suggested, fixing her disheveled hair.

  Chloe chuckled. “Yeah, you’re right,” she agreed.

  They unpacked their book bags onto Tori’s desk and began working on their homework, stealing glances at one another as they sat close enough for their bodies to remain in constant contact. Occasionally they’d take a break to steal a few kisses, but they quickly got back on track; they both agreed that studying for midterms and finishing the last minute touches on their debate was more important. There was plenty of time for fun when they finished.

  * * *

  Several hours and a pizza break later, Tori slammed the textbook shut. “Finally!” She sighed heavily, sinking into her seat. Her eyes ached from focusing on the text, and her hand was cramped from writing and typing. “I thought we’d never get done!”

  Chloe nodded groggily, resting her head on Tori’s shoulder. “I can’t believe this damn debate assignment is finally over.”

  “Well, it’s not done yet,” Tori reminded her. “We still have to present
the information.”

  “I think we’ll do just fine,” Chloe said. ”We’ve worked really hard on it, and we have a reason to want to win.”

  “Spreading the word is one step closer to not having to keep us a secret,” Tori agreed.

  Chloe placed a hand on Tori’s knee. “I guess that we should talk about that,” she suggested hesitantly.

  “Yeah,” Tori agreed. “Well, I mean, considering my situation, I’d like to keep us under wraps, just for now. I’m going to have to introduce my sexuality to my parents slowly; they don’t exactly support this sort of thing.” She quickly explained the petition they signed in church. “And, as for my friends…well, that’s not going to be easy, either.”

  Chloe hung her head. “I understand,” she said sadly. “I hate to stay in hiding, but it makes sense. My mother doesn’t know about me yet, either, though I’m pretty sure she’ll be okay with it. Besides, we don’t even know what’s going on yet. I mean, I do like you a lot, but this is all so new to both of us.”

  Tori raised an eyebrow. “But you had Kristen. You’re not new to this.”

  “I’m new to having an official relationship with a female,” Chloe reminded her.

  Tori nodded. “Hooking up and being a couple are completely different things,” she said. “I’d rather have a real relationship than screw around, though, if that’s okay with you.”

  “Yes, very much so,” Chloe agreed. “I was hoping you would say that, honestly; I’m over just hooking up with people. I know this is new to both of us, but I’m okay with learning to be in a relationship with you.” She gave Tori a small kiss, and a familiar warmth raced through both of their bodies.

  “You’re going to have to teach me what to do,” Tori whispered. “I…I’ve never been with anyone before, not ever.”

  Chloe smirked. “I don’t think I’ll have an issue with accomplishing that task…” She rolled her seat closer to Tori and kissed her neck.