The FaceTime call trilled, and Sophie answered.
“Sis!” Jordan practically screamed from the other side.
“Yes, Jordan?”
“Did you book your ticket yet for my birthday?”
Sophie scrunched her nose. “Not yet. But I will.”
“Don’t even think about backing out on me now. You promised!”
“I know. I will be there.”
Sophie moved to National City six years ago. She came out to her mother, and it was a horrible experience. Everything in Gotham reminded her of something bad or heartbreaking, and she had not been back since the day she left, regardless of her sister still living there. Sophie needed a new environment and a fresh start where she could feel accepted and be her true self without judgment. She never planned to be away for so long. Time and life had just gotten away from her.
“I visit you every year. You owe me!”
“Okay, stop yelling at me.”
“You already know everyone that will be there, and you finally get to meet them in person.”
Jordan had a weekly wine night on FaceTime that Sophie rarely missed once they started. Jordan's friends from Gotham got to meet Sophie, and they all got along well, blowing up the group chat on the daily. She had taken to a particular one quite well, Ryan, and she was actually quite nervous about meeting her in person. The transition from online to real-life relationships was heavy on her mind, even if they were all Jordan's friends and she knew everyone's personalities. She was most worried about how the chemistry she felt she had with Ryan online would translate into reality, as it could be totally one-sided.
“I will book my flight later. You better be there to pick me up.”
“Duh. But book it now. Stop procrastinating.”
“Goodbye, Jordan…”
“Love you too!”
Not two minutes after getting off with Jordan, she got a text.
Ryan: I’m supposed to make sure you booked your flight.
Sophie: My god, she is relentless. I’m on the website right now!
Ryan: You know she’s super nervous you won’t show. And we are all looking forward to finding out just how tall you actually are.
Sophie: Stop. I’m not even that tall! I can’t help it you all are short.
Ryan: If you say so, Jolly Green Giant.
Sophie rolled her eyes and put her phone down. The way Jordan’s friends loved to tease her was going to be quite interesting when she got to Gotham.
The plane landed, and Sophie was exhausted. She just wanted to get to her hotel and deal with the anxiety of Gotham on her own before having to deal with the anxiety of meeting semi-new people.
She came down the escalator and didn’t see her sister. ‘Where is she?’ She thought. Then she saw someone else… Ryan. Dark wavy hair long around her shoulders, in a flannel, like she usually wore on video, holding a picture of the Jolly Green Giant character.
If it wasn’t for the joke on the sign, she might have been caught up in Ryan’s beauty.
“You’re such a dick.”
Ryan looked up, over exaggerating the strain on her neck. “Hello! Can you hear me up there?”
Sophie rolled her eyes. “Nice to meet you too. Where’s Jordan?” Her stomach was doing summersaults, and she was trying to focus.
“She got caught up with a kid at the center and sent me instead.” Ryan smiled. She was doing everything she could to not be awkward and come off as cool and aloof.
“Lucky me…” Sophie was going to kill Jordan.
“Hey, you got one meeting out of the way. Only five more to go.”
Ryan tried to make small talk on the way to the car, but Sophie was short with her responses. They had developed their own rapport. However, it was through texting. Where they could craft their responses and think through what they wanted to say. When they video chatted, there were usually five or eight people drinking or playing games. Verbal communication, one-on-one, was a new experience for them.
Ryan decided to be quiet and let Sophie process her first return to Gotham in years. She knew Sophie's trepidation about Gotham and wanted to give her space to process all of her emotions without having to worry about talking to her.
Sophie was glad Ryan didn't try to fill the void. Sure, she could have made fun of Ryan’s tiny car, or asked if she could even reach the pedals, but she wasn’t supposed to meet her like this. She planned it all out. She was going to process the city and her return, maybe scream at Jordan about her mother on the ride. Once she got over it, she could meet the group. Joke and banter, just like they did every week. But Jordan had to be busy and send the one person she wanted to make a good first impression on, which was already ruined.
She watched familiar sights pass through the window. The stores she went to, the places she visited with her family, the parks she played at. She wanted to close her eyes and stare all at the same time. It brought back a flood of memories, both happy and sad. She felt like a part of her life was passing by as she looked out the window, and this overwhelmed her with a mix of emotions.
“You good?” Ryan broke the silence as she watched Sophie’s leg bounce in place, wanting to reach out and steady it with her hand. “I know this might be a lot for you.”
“I’m fine.” Sophie didn’t even look at Ryan.
“You can talk to me if you want. Or text me, if that’s more comfortable.”
That received a light chuckle from Sophie. “Really, I’m good, just tired and taking things in. I’ll bounce back before dinner.”
“I hope so, because you know Renee likes to hold the crown for most melancholy. She won’t let you take that away from her.”
“So she really is always a sourpuss?”
“The divorce has certainly accentuated it. But yeah, she’s always cranky, even when she’s happy.”
They pulled up to the hotel, and Ryan put the car in park. “Do you need help?”
“No, I’m just going to take a nap and reset. The time change killed me.”
Sophie got out, grabbing her bag from the back seat.
“Hey, Soph!” Ryan yelled before the door shut. “It was nice to finally meet you.” And she gave the thousand-watt grin that always made Sophie's heart flutter on video. In person, it was even better.
Sophie headed to the front desk to check in. “Moore.” She gave her name, and the receptionist began typing.
A tall woman with dark features walked in next to her. “McMahan,” she said to the other receptionist.
Sophie couldn't help but notice the beautiful woman who walked up next to her. Her feelings for Ryan were genuine, but she wasn't sure if they were reciprocated. She was still free to admire the sights while on vacation.
In National City, she was struggling to find genuine connections and get any further than the morning after with any woman. The women in National City were pretentious and not offering her what she was looking for. Her feelings for her sister’s friend further complicated things.
“I don’t seem to have a reservation for you.” The man behind the counter snapped Sophie out of her daze.
“Excuse me?!” This was the last thing she needed from Gotham right now.
“I’m sorry, ma’am. I just don’t see it. Could it be under a different name?”
“No.” She snarked at the small man.
He typed more as Sophie’s anger rose. Her mother moved in with Jordan, and while she saw her in the background, Diane refused to say hi or acknowledge Sophie’s constant calls to Jordan. Crashing at Jordan’s was absolutely not an option.
"I'm sorry I couldn't help but overhear. Sir, did you spell this beautiful woman’s name correctly?” The lady next to her chimed in to help.
He nodded as he kept typing.
“I’m Siobhan. Here from Metropolis for the weekend.” She held out her hand to Sophie, who shook it.
“Sophie. Originally from Gotham but moved to National City, so just visiting.” Wow, the woman’s hands were soft.
“Well, Sophie, if this young man can’t find your reservation, we just might need to bunk up for the weekend.” She smiled, still holding onto Sophie’s hand. Sophie couldn’t help but blush. Confident women hitting on her still piqued her interest in many ways.
“Ma’am, I still don’t see it. You said ‘Moore’ M-O-R-E?”
“Yes,” Sophie said, not looking at him. “Wait, no. Two O’s.” She finally released Siobhan’s hand and turned her attention back to him.
“Oh! Here it is. I’m so sorry for the confusion.”
‘One O… fucking useless.’ Sophie thought as she grabbed her key, and he tried to apologize again.
Siobhan smiled at Sophie. “I’m glad that’s sorted. Although I didn’t hate the alternative.”
Sophie lightly laughed at the friendly woman.
“I hope I’m not too forward. My friends tell me I don’t know where the line is, but if you are free at all this weekend, I’d love to buy you a drink.” Siobhan pulled out a business card from her pocket and handed it to Sophie. “I work on west coast time, so I’m up all hours of the night.”
“That’s very nice of you.” Sophie took the card. “But I am hoping a friend becomes more than that.” She froze. “And I don’t know why I just told you that.”
“You’d be surprised how often I hear that. I might be forward, but I have a disarming nature. People just want to tell me their stories. And something about you tells me your story is one I'd love to know.” The elevator stopped on 3, and Siobhan started to get off. “I hope it works out for you. They seem lucky.”
Sophie smiled and watched the woman disappear. ‘What the fuck was that?’ She chalked it up to the stress of traveling, having to wake up super early to catch her flight, sitting next to a crying baby on the plane, and the lack of quality caffeine coursing through her veins. She got off on the 5th floor and made it to her room. Falling face first into the white sheets, she needed sleep and hoped the rest of the trip would go smoothly.
Sophie woke to her phone ringing and saw the name on her screen, which confused her.
“You don’t call me…”
“And now I see why. You sound peachy,” Ryan said. “I’m your wake-up call, and I’ll be at the hotel in an hour to pick you up.”
“I can uber to the restaurant.”
“I was told to be your personal chauffeur this weekend.”
Sophie knew exactly what Jordan was trying to do with that assignment.
“You better not be late.”
“I’m never late.”
And Ryan wasn’t. She was 1 minute early but still found Sophie waiting on her, dressed to impress. The plan was dinner, drinks, then dancing. Sophie preferred drinks, drinks, and drinks.
When she walked into the restaurant with Ryan, Jordan couldn’t hide her excitement.
“Oh my god! Yes!” Jordan screamed, pulling her sister into the tightest hug imaginable. Sophie gladly returned the hug. She wasn’t a hugger, but her sister didn’t fall under that rule. She had been in Gotham for 5 hours, and just now, seeing Jordan helped her breathe a sigh of relief. Finally, a familiar face, her family. The warm embrace the sisters shared spoke volumes about the bond between them. For a moment, it made Sophie miss the feeling of home she once had in Gotham.
Introductions went around the table, and everyone was ecstatic to meet Sophie in the flesh. She met Imani, Renee, Luke, Mary, and Marquis. Dinner was casual and better than Sophie expected. The anxiety was fading, and getting to watch everyone interact was actually calming. She knew these people, and she knew the jokes. She was just used to 2-dimensional versions, with sometimes choppy video. Sophie settled into the company, feeling a sense of belonging as the evening went on.
They made it to the club, where Jordan instantly ran to the dance floor, and Sophie found a comfy spot on the couches nearby.
“Sophie, you can’t tell me you intend to park it here all night! We came to dance!” Mary exclaimed, trying to pull the stubborn woman off the couch.
“Maybe after a few more drinks. You kids go have fun.”
Renee sat and joined her. “I get it. Us being the oldest, they still have a lot more spunk than these old knees can handle.”
“Smartest thing you said all night.” Sophie teased.
Talking to Renee was easy. They had a lot in common. Liked to complain about the youth, drink fine whiskey, and went to similar military academies. So the company was not unwelcome.
Sophie preferred being an audience member, not an active participant at most social gatherings. And while she normally scanned and watched all directions of a crowd, her eyes were focused on only one, Ryan. Everything about Ryan drew Sophie to her. Her smile, her laugh, the ease of their conversations, the way her sister spoke about how selfless she was. She wasn’t sure when her crush started, but she was hooked.
So here she was, sitting with Renee, pinning over the woman who unknowingly stole her heart. Ryan was close with everyone in the group. She had the personality that everyone loved, and while Sophie thought they had something special, she never really knew for sure if it was reciprocated at all.
Watching Ryan and Imani dance and laugh made Sophie’s stomach uneasy, but she smiled when she saw Ryan start to turn to walk away. Hopefully, Ryan would be coming to sit with her. Until Imani grabbed Ryan’s arm and pulled her back into a kiss, Sophie instantly sat up straight.
“Fuck.” She whispered and looked down quickly, feeling that bearing witness to any more would cause her to stop breathing.
“What’s happening?” Renee looked at the dance floor and saw it too. Her eyebrows scrunched. Imani and Ryan didn't make sense together so watching her friends kiss made her uncomfortable too. She took a few looks between Sophie and Ryan, and then it clicked. “Aw shit.” Sophie had a thing for Ryan.
“You know, I gotta go. I - um-“ Sophie didn’t know what excuse to make. She just needed to get out of there fast.
“Sophie, don’t leave!”
“Tell Jordan I’ll text her.” She hurried to the bar, knowing her sister would understand. She had plans with her all weekend. Dancing night was for her friends.
Across the floor, Ryan was taken aback by the suddenness of the kiss, as well as the fact that it was Imani, someone she considered a close friend. She was confused and unsure how to respond, so she pulled away, looking at Imani with caution.
“Wow,” Imani said.
Ryan ran her hand against the back of her neck. “Yeah, uhh.” Not sure what to say.
I meant wow, as in wow, that felt like nothing to me, and clearly you as well. I’m so sorry I did that.”
“Really?”
“We’ve been drinking. We're both single. The way Jordan spoke about having no regrets at thirty made me want to try it, but wow. We are better as friends. Zero spark.”
Imani was one of the last to join the group when Jordan hired her at the community center. She meshed well with the everyone, and Ryan was always excited to have another lesbian friend. Keyword: friend. Just like Renee.
Ryan was so relieved she didn’t have to let down Imani that she hugged her. From across the room, it looked much more intimate to any onlookers.
They shared a smile as they walked up to the couch where Renee was sitting.
“I don’t know if I should be excited or grossed out that you two are hooking up,” Renee said to what she thought was a new happy couple.
Ryan and Imani looked at each other and laughed.
“Shit, you saw that? That was nothing. We aren’t hooking up. Never will.” Imani said.
“We all saw it, and it sure didn’t look like nothing with the way Sophie just bolted out of here.”
Ryan looked around quickly. “Sophie left? When?”
“As soon as you two started to make out.”
Ryan didn’t say a word and rushed to the bar, hoping to find Sophie still in the building.
Sophie stood at the bar, twirling the business card from her wallet in her fingers when she felt a hand gently run against her back. She quickly turned, certainly surprised to find who she saw.
“Oh hey,” Sophie tried to sound as casual as possible.
“What are you doing?”
“Trying to pay my tab.”
“Why are you leaving?”
“Just not feeling it anymore. Clubs aren’t my thing.” Sophie looked at Ryan and back at the bar.
“Renee told me you saw Imani and me-”
Sophie’s voice went up, trying to sound perky through the pain. “I’m so happy for you. You guys seem to have a great connection. So, you know, that’s cool. Cool. Cool.”
“Soph…” Ryan reached out and placed her hand softly on Sophie’s forearm, causing her to stare at the contact. She had been dreaming of any contact for so long. They didn’t even hug when they finally met, which Sophie hoped would happen, for such the anti-hugger she was. This was the first real touch that felt like something other than that quick brush against her back. “I know you like me.”
Sophie pulled away. “What?” Debating whether to try and lie her way out of this. “Pffft.” She was actually a bad liar, so that wasn’t going to work. Avoidance was the best option. “You should go find Imani.”
“Soph, stop. Do you have feelings for me?” Ryan needed to hear it, an admission. She assumed Sophie liked her. She didn’t hide it well. But she needed to hear Sophie say it.
“Are you just trying to humiliate me right now?”
“Just tell me, please.”
The bartender finally came up to Sophie, and she instructed him to closer her tab. He smiled and nodded.
“Can’t you just let me go back to my hotel room?”
“Then I’ll walk you. It’s just a few blocks.”
“What are you doing right now? What is your end game here?”
“You keep asking me questions yet refusing to answer mine.”
“Refusing? My god, woman. Yes! Yes, I’ve had feelings for you. And the fact that you had to ask me is almost infuriating. I have flirted with you. I have called you cute, attractive, even sexy. I have told you I’ve had dreams about you. I have never tried to hide my feelings. But what I don’t get is your insistence on me answering that when you and Imani were just making out on the dance floor for everyone to see. Which, again, is totally cool. You can do whatever you want. You don’t owe me anything. All I want is for you to be happy. So can you please let me leave with my last thread of dignity?”
Ryan’s hand slid down to Sophie’s, making the first skin-to-skin contact which almost felt electric. “I didn’t want to kiss Imani.”
“What?”
“I’ve wanted to kiss you.”
“What?” Sophie was shocked at that omission. “But I just saw-”
“Imani kissed me. There was no spark, no chemistry. I love her, but in a deeply platonic way.”
“Okay, first, what the fuck is wrong with you? You should have led with that!”
“Wrong with me?” Ryan scoffed.
“You drive me fucking insane! Would it kill you to be open and honest with someone?”
“I’m literally doing that right now, telling you that I like you.”
“Right there! Now you said it. Not earlier when you first walked up. Not when you met me and I got off the plane. Not when I spent all that time flirting with you, and you were breadcrumbing me.”
“I was not breadcrumbing you. That was me flirting. I was trying to be mysterious.”
“You were trying to be a pain in my ass. That’s what you were doing.”
“Come back to my place.” The statement was blunt and it surprised Sophie.
“To your place? That’s presumptuous. What’s your end game here?”
“Why do you need to know everything?”
“I want you to tell me something real, so I’m not sitting here trying to guess what you are thinking. What do you want, Ryan?”
Ryan took a big breath and looked in Sophie’s eyes. “What do I want? I want you to go to your hotel room, get your bag, and stay with me for the rest of your trip. I want to spend as much time with you while you’re here. I want to get get to know what you are like in person. But I’m open to whatever you want to happen. So I’ll walk you back to your hotel and say goodnight if that’s what you’d like.”
Sophie was taken aback. She was a complete sucker for Ryan, and she was surprised by the pushback she had given her thus far. Of course, she wanted all that. She’d settle for the chauffeur option and trying to find any excuse to go somewhere in the city she hated, just to be near Ryan as much as possible.
“What if we don’t have a spark?” Sophie said, glancing at Ryan’s lips.
Ryan pulled Sophie’s hands to her waist and then cupped Sophie’s jaw. “I don’t doubt that for a second. But I'd be happy to prove it to you.”
Sophie was a little drunk, and being in Ryan’s orbit this close, was a different type of intoxication. She leaned towards the shorter woman, closing the gap. “I’m not kissing you until you’ve brushed your teeth.”
Ryan scoffed. “My breath does not stink!”
“I didn’t say it stunk, but I’m sure it tastes like someone else.”
Ryan shook her head. She deserved that. “You know where my toothbrush is? My loft.” The eye contact became intense.
Sophie licked her lips. “Then show me.”
The thousand-watt grin was back as Ryan grabbed Sophie’s hand and led her out of the club.