CHAPTER 20

The moment their lips met,Dylan lost control.She knew she should have topped her the moment she touched her face but she didn't.She knew the little amount of wine they had drank wasn't enough to impair her judgment so she knew what she was doing and well,she had also craved for the touch for so many months and now she wanted to enjoy it for as long as she could.The taste of wine mixed with the taste of strawberry bubblegum as her lips always smelled increased the urge to kiss her more deeply.She felt Carly part her lips wider allowing her entry.She deepened the kiss twirling her tongue inside her mouth which was probably a bad idea because the moment their tongues touched,the spark they had unwillingly buried sputtered to life.She felt her whole body come alive especially when Carly's hand touched her bare skin on her back.She felt it travel along her back then coming up front to her bikini covered breasts.Carly cupped one and squeezed lightly.She moaned loudly and that was enough to break up the moment.Carly let go of her immediately as if she went staggering back.The counter held her by good luck.Carly had moved a few steps from her gasping for breath.When she finally looked up,she fond her looking at her with  regret pain in her eyes.

 "Why  did you stop?"

 "Seriously Dylan?" she asked in a way that seemed to say that she should already know the answer so she just shrugged questioningly. "First of all,I don't wanna get caught doing that here,I'm still not out yet and second,you fucking broke my heart!Why do you think I haven't been kissing you all this time?"

 "What?I didn't break up with you,you did and it broke me.It left me going crazy wondering why you would just do that out of the blue."

Carly shook her head but tears were threatening in her eyes now,"Don't keep this up.I loved you,I was loyal to you but you went and betrayed me the first chance you got.It made me feel like the most stupid fool." When she didn't reply and her look became more confused,Carly went on and added slowly,"Why did you cheat on me?" This time her tears spilled down her face slowly."And even worse,you pretended that you didn't know what you had done?"

Dylan's face changed from confused to shocked.She walked closer to her and looked her in the eyes,"Lee,I would never cheat on you.Who told you that?" She paused then remembered,"It was Emily,wasn't it?That's what she used to make you leave me and get into her inner circle."

 "No,"she replied then took out her phone.She scrolled through her gallery and found what she was looking for then displayed it before her eyes,"Here,evidence doesn't lie.Look at this photo and tell me that it didn't happen because even I know how to differentiate between fake and real."

 Dylan looked at the photo and finally understood what what happened. "Fucking bitch!" She cursed out loud and shook her head.She paced around the room as she remembered what had happened that day.It had been nothing and she had forgotten about it immediately it happened.She remembered Alison coming up to her in the gym locker room and kissing her out of nowhere.Dylan didn't even get time to react and stop her before it happened and the person who took the photo must have been hiding somewhere and must have known the exact moment to capture it.She stopped mid step abruptly as realization dawned on her and turned back to Carly who had stood observing her the entire time with her arms crossed defensively.

 "She set me up," she said loudly.

Now it was Carly's turn to become confused,"Who did,what are you talking about?"

 "Alison,she must have known about us and wanted to get back at me for taking the captain spot instead of her and she must have had help.Who sent you that photo?" 

 "Dylan,please stop.Don't try to lie to me anymore.It's only paining me even worse."

Dylan walked up to her and looked directly in her eyes.She searched her for her moment and there was evidence of pain in her eyes and fear in her voice.She touched her softly and when she didn't flinch,she murmured," I'm not lying to you Lee,I would never do anything to hurt you.Alison came and kissed me.She caught me off guard and that must have been her plan all along.I pushed her away and told her I wasn't interested with anything like that.I swear I did," she said in a defensive tone. "I  forgot about it immediately and completely because it was nothing and then all this happened."

Carly seemed to believe her because her face now displayed a little confusion.Her eyes moved rapidly searching hers.

 "Do you know who sent that photo?" she asked her softly.

Carly sighed deeply, "It was an anonymous text.I don't know who sent it." They stood silently in thought for a while then she added hesitantly, "You really didn't kiss her willingly?"

        "No,I would never do that to you and I swear it meant nothing. I felt nothing when she kissed me and I would have told you about it had I not forgotten about it completely." She then lifted her hand and traced her fingers down her face,taming the loose hair strands as she used to do.It was then that Carly really looked into her eyes and saw the sincerity she at first didn't want to believe. She lifted her own hand and covered Dylan's then leaned her cheek onto them.

        "I love you Lee.I always have and probably always will."

 Carly kissed her hand softly and closed her eyes to let the words sink in.She now knew and felt that Dylan meant every word of that statement. She also felt that she still loved her and wanted to kiss her so bad yet there was an underlying unsatisfied feeling. She didn't know what it was but it made her unsure if that was who she was supposed to be and be with.She suddenly felt guilty of even doubting what she was feeling. She wanted Dylan and her at the same time she felt like there was something missing. A gap she needed to fill.She opened her eyes and pushed Dylan back lightly but still held her hands.She met her eyes but before she could speak, a figure stood in the doorway. They both turned.

   Dylan was the first one to let go but not because she was trying to hide they had been holding hands; she wasn't afraid of anyone anymore ever since she came out to her mom,she did it partly for Carly's sake and to confront the intruder.

          "What are you doing back here?Everyone is only allowed in the pool and anywhere else but in here," she said.Her hatred for Emily had doubled the moment she broke up with Carly and after she had called her a homo.

  Emily looked past her to where Carly was standing.

          "I'm guessing Carly isn't everyone?"

     Dylan gave her a scolding look then replied firmly,"She is not."

  Emily smiled as if to annoy her,"Well,I just thought I should see around my next door neighbor's house.Didn't know it was out of bounds."

        "Now you know so,get out," Dylan said in a slightly raised voice.

 Instead of leaving, Emily walked past her towards Carly. She stopped at the fridge and took out a bottle of water. "I hope you don't mind," she addressed Dylan and uncapped it without waiting for a reply. Dylan remained in her spot as she watched her gulp down the water.She then turned to Carly.

        "Oh,I saw that you two are now getting back together after ditching me. I hope you still remember what she did to you all those months ago and I was the one who came to your rescue before you could fall apart."

 Carly took her time to let the words sink in.When Emily came to her that day in the gym locker room and offered her the deputy cheer leading spot out of the blue, she had questioned her intentions but hadn't sat down to think that she could be behind everything. She had believed what she had seen and had stupidly broken up with Dylan even without getting to know her side of the story.She hadn't even thought about what Emily knew when she had addressed Dylan as 'homo' in the school hallway. She had known Emily was evil but she had followed her stupidly without thinking.

       "How did you know we were together?" she asked.

       "Oh,come on.I live next door and my bedroom is upstairs and adjacent to hers.I saw everything even when you thought no one was watching."

        "Did you_"

         "Send you the photo of her and Alison kissing?" Emily cut her off as was her habit."Yes I did.I was there when it happened and I took it." 

 Carly walked a few paces from her then covered her face in her hands.

       "I'm so stupid," she said.

  Emily grinned in satisfaction thinking that she had won.She relaxed on the counter and added, "Yeah,your little girlfriend is not as loyal as you thought,believing that she actually loves you. She's a kid who doesn't have any idea what love is."

   Dylan had had enough, she walked towards Emily and stopped a few inches from her face.

       "And what do you know? Is that why you think that your English teacher is the right match for you or is it because no one around your age wants to date you or even kiss you?" Dylan didn't flinch even when Emily stood up fully looking like a deranged animal.She knew she had hit the right spot when she saw her face twist with different emotions;anger,contempt and shock.

She went on,"That's right,everyone in school knows you have the hots for your English teacher even though we all know he's never going to look at you the same way," Dylan paused as Emily looked away with a hint of pain in her eyes but didn't stop there,"So yeah,I might not  know what love actually is but I do know that what I feel for Carly is special and real unlike your unreturned feelings for the wrong person. And that's how I know that I would never cheat on her.Just cut the crap and admit you did set me up so she would break up with me."

     Carly had watched the entire exchange silently and she had to admit that Dylan really was courageous. She also realized that she couldn't have possibly said all that to Emily if she was lying about being set up.She admired her unwavering courage and it made her like her even more.What overcame her completely was the look in Dylan's eyes and the confession she had just made.Dylan really loved her and that was more than she could take.

She walked towards them and stood next to her but faced Emily.

        "I believe her Em,I know she didn't cheat on me and I know you used Alison to set her up," she paused and gave her time to look up.The moment their eyes met,she saw something different from what had always been in her eyes.They now seemed defeated,hurt and softer.Almost as if she was hurting in the inside so she lowered her voice.

        "What I want to know is why you did it."

    Emily's mouth opened and closed a couple of times trying to formulate words before she finally said,"I wanted to get closer to you.Alison wanted to get back at Dylan for the captain spot.Dylan was the perfect target so we set her up knowing that both of us would get what we wanted. You by my side and Dylan broken and weak."

         "How would my broken heart serve Alison?What would she gain from that?" Dylan asked in confusion.

         "I guess the joy of seeing you hurting and also she hoped that you would be weaker maybe drop the spot and she would gain.Turns out it made you stronger and more determined."

 Was that a complement coming from Emily Hill? That was new.

       "I had basket ball even before Carly,why would I be affected.That's stooping too low even for her," she said. 

          "I still don't get why you would want me to be closer to you. We are not even a tiny bit similar. There are so many girls in our class who have so much in common with you," Carly said.

Emily looked between them in turns and they didn't fail to notice the hesitancy and fear in her eyes.

         "You could have chosen any one of those,why me?" Carly continued.

         "Because..." she stopped.They both looked at her curiously but patiently. Emily closed her eyes and when she opened them,there were tears threatening. "Because I like you Carly!". she blurted out and the tears fell but she didn't wipe them away. " I always have.I wanted what you and Dylan had and I got so jealous and tore you apart."

          "Oh my God!" Dylan said then moved away and leaned on the far end of the kitchen wall.

         "What do you mean what Dylan and I had.You mean our love?"

   Emily sniffled and crossed her arms,"I have always been in love with you even before Dylan came to our school. But I was so afraid of what people would think of me if they knew." She looked away in embarrassment.

        "What about Mr Gilbert?"

Emily shook her head,"None of it is real.I just  wanted to make you jealous and it didn't work."

    By now, several people had gathered around the kitchen and others in the windows watching all the drama unfold. Carl and Taylor were amongst the ones inside. She wasn't sure how much of it they had heard but by the look on her brother's face,she knew he had heard enough. She met his eyes and waited to see him storm out of the room but instead,he came forward to her.He took her into his arms and embraced her lovingly.

        "So,you are gay?" he said with a smile when they pulled apart.

          "Yeah,at least I think so."

           "Cool,that's so cool," he replied then added,"Dylan is_?"

Carly looked over to where Dylan was standing looking at them then turned to her brother.

            "We are in the middle of a crisis here,can you not?" she said and pushed him away playfully.

         "Okay,sorry.But I'm happy for you sis." 

      Luckily, Dylan's mother appeared from another door adjacent to the sitting room.Carly counted it as luck since she was now too confused to act.She had seen her several times but not at close quarters and she noticed how similar she was to Dylan. Their eyes met and held for a moment which was enough for her to realize that she knew about her.She smiled at her knowingly. Carly was only confused for a moment but returned the smile.She then broke up the party which was a little early to do so but it was the best action.​