Insert 19: Trio
Written by Rosey Collins
Conchita and Isabel were in Isabel's college dorm room, standing in front of a full-length mirror with Isabel holding a flamenco dress up to Conchita's body and smoothing out the skirt.
'Did Beth really make this?' said Isabel.
'From scratch,' Conchita said proudly.
'It's amazing. Except... well, it looks like it's going to be a little tight on the bust.'
'Oh, that's all right.'
'Yeah?' said Isabel, with a mischievous grin. 'All right for who – Josh?'
'Not specifically,' Conchita said airily.
'But there's a chance, right?'
'I don't know. I guess there's always a chance.'
'Well, is it a big chance?' said Isabel, taking the dress away and laying it on her bed. 'I mean, you want him, don't you?'
'You know I do,' said Conchita, 'and you know what I'm afraid of. That guy has a reputation, Izzy.'
'Yeah, and I know that's the main reason you've been keeping him waiting more than four months,' said Isabel. 'If he was going to get bored and look elsewhere, surely he'd have done it by now.'
'Maybe,' said Conchita, 'or maybe he just wants to do me once, no matter how long it takes.'
'He can't do that. Your dad's his boss.'
'He can leave that job at any time. He doesn't see himself as a career Ghostbuster. But he doesn't know what he does want to do yet either, so...'
'You've talked about the future, then,' said Isabel.
'We've talked about everything,' said Conchita, a smile playing on her lips. 'But there's not just his intentions to worry about. I mean, it's probably not a very good idea for him to sleep with somebody who can't seem to trust him, right?'
'To be honest, Chita,' said Isabel, 'I'm having trouble understanding that part. You're the most trusting person I know, and even if you're not sure, you listen to your heart. But with this guy, it sounds like you're listening to what other people say about him.'
'I'm listening to both,' said Conchita. 'One of the things my heart's saying is, don't let him hurt me. He really could, you know.'
'Aw, hon,' said Isabel, putting an arm around her. 'But y'know, he could make you really happy.'
'Yeah,' said Conchita, the smile creeping back to her face, 'he could do that.'
'And Halloween's a good time to find out,' Isabel went on. 'You know: you dress up as something you're not, you lose your inhibitions...'
'Not if you're careful. I intend to hang onto my inhibitions, no matter what happens.'
'Are you sure? Maybe you should ignore your heart for a while and listen to your loins, huh?'
'Oh, well...' said Conchita, looking away from Isabel's inviting grin. Some seconds of awkward silence followed, then there came a knock on the door.
'Ooh,' said Isabel, rushing to the door, 'that'll be Jem!'
'Evening, ladies,' said James, as Isabel let him in. Then he took her into his arms and kissed her passionately. Conchita averted her gaze, going to the bed to pick up her dress.
'Not leaving, Chita?' said James, leaning away from Isabel but keeping a firm hold on her waist.
'I thought I'd better go get ready,' said Conchita.
'We still got over an hour,' said James.
'I have a lot of make-up to put on,' said Conchita.
'And some shaving to do too, right?' said Isabel suggestively.
'Stop it!' said Conchita, giggling and smacking Isabel on the arm as she approached the doorway.
'Stop what?' said James. 'What'd I miss?'
'Girl talk,' said Conchita. 'Private.'
'That means it was either about me or Josh,' said James.
'We don't have that kind of conversation about you, Jim,' said Conchita. 'You're my friend, but you're my family first, and it's gross.'
'Hey, Jem,' said Isabel, cuddling up to James and stroking him on the pec, 'you like Josh, don't you?'
'In what way?' said James.
'As a person,' said Isabel. 'Not just as a hunk of hot, steaming Italian stallion. I mean, that goes without saying, right?'
'Hey!' said James, digging Isabel in the ribs and making her giggle. Then he looked pensive and said, 'I don't know him all that well yet, Chita, but I can tell he's crazy about you.'
'And,' said Isabel, 'not just as a gorgeous length of leggy chica latina, right?'
'Well,' said James, 'I can't read his mind. Or his heart. Or even his dick. But for what it's worth, Chita, my gut is telling me that he really likes you for who you are. I think he's a keeper.'
'Right,' said Conchita, 'and if you lose his key, you can open him up with a Popsicle stick.'
'Say what?' said James.
'A Keyper,' said Conchita. 'You remember, my mom showed us... never mind. Look, I really need to go get ready – I have a lot to do.'
'Need any help?' said Isabel, rather half-heartedly, as James had begun kissing her neck.
'No thanks,' said Conchita. 'I'll meet you in the lobby in about an hour, okay?'
'Hey,' said James, withdrawing from Isabel and catching Conchita's arm as she passed them. 'Don't lose your key, will you? If you see what I mean. Especially not if you're thinking about a couple of stupid guys from high school you didn't even really like all that much.'
'Don't worry, Jim,' said Conchita, giving him a grateful smile. 'I'm not thinking about them.'
On that note she left, closed the door behind her, looked troubled for a moment and then walked down the corridor until she reached a flight of stairs. She ascended this, walked along another corridor and finally went into a room near the end. This room had in it two sets of bunk beds arranged in an L-shape, and three young women in various stages of dressing up for Halloween.
'Chita, there you are!' said one of them. 'Abandoned us for those other friends of yours, did you?'
'Yeah, sorry,' said Conchita. 'But they're having sex now, so...'
'Hard luck,' said the girl, going to Conchita and putting an arm around her. 'Never mind. We'll help you get ready for your party, shall we?'
'Thanks, Tia,' said Conchita. 'I might need a little help getting into this dress; I don't think it's exactly the same shape as me.'
'I thought it was custom-made,' said Tia. 'You should demand your money back.'
'My aunt did it,' said Conchita. 'I didn't pay her. And she was making something for my sister at the same time – I didn't want to bother her with it anymore.'
'You mean you're going to suffer in silence for somebody else's sake,' said Tia.
'I won't suffer,' said Conchita. 'It's just the bust, and I think it'll work fine with my push-up bra.'
'I'll get it for you – I'm right here,' said another girl. She then opened a drawer full of Conchita's underclothes and began rummaging through it.
'Thanks, Taylor,' said Conchita, and she began stripping down to nothing but underpants.
'You should've told me about your dress, Chita,' said the third girl. 'I'd have adjusted it for you. No, no, don't say it – I know you don't want to put anyone to any trouble.' She laughed as she waved away the response ready to come from Conchita's open mouth. 'Hey, listen, I'll do something really cool with your hair if you'll do that thing to mine that you did to Taylor's for the freshmen's ball.'
'Of course I'll do your hair, Kat,' said Conchita, 'but you don't have to do anything in return. I'm wearing a hat, so I'll probably just have my hair loose.'
'Do you have to wear the hat?' said Kat.
'Where've you been, girl?' said Tia. 'She's going as that Mexican skeleton thing, and the one thing she always wears is a hat. Right, Chita?'
'Right,' said Conchita. 'It's a symbolic hat. I have to wear it, Kat.'
'No big,' said Kat. 'We can work around the hat.'
'Here,' said Taylor, finally finding the right bra and handing it to Conchita. 'Put this on before we all get jealous of your perky little boobies.'
'Speak for yourself,' said Tia. 'I like my boobs the way they are.'
'Good for you,' said Conchita as she covered herself up. Then she examined herself in the full-length mirror on the wall. 'Hmm... maybe this bra is a little misleading.'
'To who?' said Kat. 'You planning on showing somebody the contents of it?'
'I don't know, maybe,' said Conchita.
'Yeah?' Tia grinned. 'Well, I sure hope he's good enough for you.'
'Or she,' Taylor said pointedly.
'Right, sorry,' said Tia. 'Come to think of it, I kind of hope it's not a guy. I mean, you told me your costume was inspired by something you do with your dad, right? Some people would call that very Freudian, my friend.'
'I wouldn't listen to those people,' said Conchita. 'Don't you know that Freud was full of crap? I mean, he's the guy who came up with penis envy!'
'Right,' said Kat, 'and he's the guy who came up with vaginal and clitoral orgasm. I mean...!'
Conchita looked away and focused her efforts on getting into her dress.
'All just ways of making male genitalia seem more important than it is,' said Taylor. 'Much more.'
'I stand corrected,' said Tia. Then she turned to Conchita and began helping her to arrange her dress on her shoulders and chest. 'Anyway, Chita, I wasn't really being serious. And look, don't worry what anybody else thinks of your body, okay?'
'Even if you're sleeping with them?' said Kat.
'Especially if you're sleeping with them,' said Tia.
'Did Beth really make this?' said Isabel.
'From scratch,' Conchita said proudly.
'It's amazing. Except... well, it looks like it's going to be a little tight on the bust.'
'Oh, that's all right.'
'Yeah?' said Isabel, with a mischievous grin. 'All right for who – Josh?'
'Not specifically,' Conchita said airily.
'But there's a chance, right?'
'I don't know. I guess there's always a chance.'
'Well, is it a big chance?' said Isabel, taking the dress away and laying it on her bed. 'I mean, you want him, don't you?'
'You know I do,' said Conchita, 'and you know what I'm afraid of. That guy has a reputation, Izzy.'
'Yeah, and I know that's the main reason you've been keeping him waiting more than four months,' said Isabel. 'If he was going to get bored and look elsewhere, surely he'd have done it by now.'
'Maybe,' said Conchita, 'or maybe he just wants to do me once, no matter how long it takes.'
'He can't do that. Your dad's his boss.'
'He can leave that job at any time. He doesn't see himself as a career Ghostbuster. But he doesn't know what he does want to do yet either, so...'
'You've talked about the future, then,' said Isabel.
'We've talked about everything,' said Conchita, a smile playing on her lips. 'But there's not just his intentions to worry about. I mean, it's probably not a very good idea for him to sleep with somebody who can't seem to trust him, right?'
'To be honest, Chita,' said Isabel, 'I'm having trouble understanding that part. You're the most trusting person I know, and even if you're not sure, you listen to your heart. But with this guy, it sounds like you're listening to what other people say about him.'
'I'm listening to both,' said Conchita. 'One of the things my heart's saying is, don't let him hurt me. He really could, you know.'
'Aw, hon,' said Isabel, putting an arm around her. 'But y'know, he could make you really happy.'
'Yeah,' said Conchita, the smile creeping back to her face, 'he could do that.'
'And Halloween's a good time to find out,' Isabel went on. 'You know: you dress up as something you're not, you lose your inhibitions...'
'Not if you're careful. I intend to hang onto my inhibitions, no matter what happens.'
'Are you sure? Maybe you should ignore your heart for a while and listen to your loins, huh?'
'Oh, well...' said Conchita, looking away from Isabel's inviting grin. Some seconds of awkward silence followed, then there came a knock on the door.
'Ooh,' said Isabel, rushing to the door, 'that'll be Jem!'
'Evening, ladies,' said James, as Isabel let him in. Then he took her into his arms and kissed her passionately. Conchita averted her gaze, going to the bed to pick up her dress.
'Not leaving, Chita?' said James, leaning away from Isabel but keeping a firm hold on her waist.
'I thought I'd better go get ready,' said Conchita.
'We still got over an hour,' said James.
'I have a lot of make-up to put on,' said Conchita.
'And some shaving to do too, right?' said Isabel suggestively.
'Stop it!' said Conchita, giggling and smacking Isabel on the arm as she approached the doorway.
'Stop what?' said James. 'What'd I miss?'
'Girl talk,' said Conchita. 'Private.'
'That means it was either about me or Josh,' said James.
'We don't have that kind of conversation about you, Jim,' said Conchita. 'You're my friend, but you're my family first, and it's gross.'
'Hey, Jem,' said Isabel, cuddling up to James and stroking him on the pec, 'you like Josh, don't you?'
'In what way?' said James.
'As a person,' said Isabel. 'Not just as a hunk of hot, steaming Italian stallion. I mean, that goes without saying, right?'
'Hey!' said James, digging Isabel in the ribs and making her giggle. Then he looked pensive and said, 'I don't know him all that well yet, Chita, but I can tell he's crazy about you.'
'And,' said Isabel, 'not just as a gorgeous length of leggy chica latina, right?'
'Well,' said James, 'I can't read his mind. Or his heart. Or even his dick. But for what it's worth, Chita, my gut is telling me that he really likes you for who you are. I think he's a keeper.'
'Right,' said Conchita, 'and if you lose his key, you can open him up with a Popsicle stick.'
'Say what?' said James.
'A Keyper,' said Conchita. 'You remember, my mom showed us... never mind. Look, I really need to go get ready – I have a lot to do.'
'Need any help?' said Isabel, rather half-heartedly, as James had begun kissing her neck.
'No thanks,' said Conchita. 'I'll meet you in the lobby in about an hour, okay?'
'Hey,' said James, withdrawing from Isabel and catching Conchita's arm as she passed them. 'Don't lose your key, will you? If you see what I mean. Especially not if you're thinking about a couple of stupid guys from high school you didn't even really like all that much.'
'Don't worry, Jim,' said Conchita, giving him a grateful smile. 'I'm not thinking about them.'
On that note she left, closed the door behind her, looked troubled for a moment and then walked down the corridor until she reached a flight of stairs. She ascended this, walked along another corridor and finally went into a room near the end. This room had in it two sets of bunk beds arranged in an L-shape, and three young women in various stages of dressing up for Halloween.
'Chita, there you are!' said one of them. 'Abandoned us for those other friends of yours, did you?'
'Yeah, sorry,' said Conchita. 'But they're having sex now, so...'
'Hard luck,' said the girl, going to Conchita and putting an arm around her. 'Never mind. We'll help you get ready for your party, shall we?'
'Thanks, Tia,' said Conchita. 'I might need a little help getting into this dress; I don't think it's exactly the same shape as me.'
'I thought it was custom-made,' said Tia. 'You should demand your money back.'
'My aunt did it,' said Conchita. 'I didn't pay her. And she was making something for my sister at the same time – I didn't want to bother her with it anymore.'
'You mean you're going to suffer in silence for somebody else's sake,' said Tia.
'I won't suffer,' said Conchita. 'It's just the bust, and I think it'll work fine with my push-up bra.'
'I'll get it for you – I'm right here,' said another girl. She then opened a drawer full of Conchita's underclothes and began rummaging through it.
'Thanks, Taylor,' said Conchita, and she began stripping down to nothing but underpants.
'You should've told me about your dress, Chita,' said the third girl. 'I'd have adjusted it for you. No, no, don't say it – I know you don't want to put anyone to any trouble.' She laughed as she waved away the response ready to come from Conchita's open mouth. 'Hey, listen, I'll do something really cool with your hair if you'll do that thing to mine that you did to Taylor's for the freshmen's ball.'
'Of course I'll do your hair, Kat,' said Conchita, 'but you don't have to do anything in return. I'm wearing a hat, so I'll probably just have my hair loose.'
'Do you have to wear the hat?' said Kat.
'Where've you been, girl?' said Tia. 'She's going as that Mexican skeleton thing, and the one thing she always wears is a hat. Right, Chita?'
'Right,' said Conchita. 'It's a symbolic hat. I have to wear it, Kat.'
'No big,' said Kat. 'We can work around the hat.'
'Here,' said Taylor, finally finding the right bra and handing it to Conchita. 'Put this on before we all get jealous of your perky little boobies.'
'Speak for yourself,' said Tia. 'I like my boobs the way they are.'
'Good for you,' said Conchita as she covered herself up. Then she examined herself in the full-length mirror on the wall. 'Hmm... maybe this bra is a little misleading.'
'To who?' said Kat. 'You planning on showing somebody the contents of it?'
'I don't know, maybe,' said Conchita.
'Yeah?' Tia grinned. 'Well, I sure hope he's good enough for you.'
'Or she,' Taylor said pointedly.
'Right, sorry,' said Tia. 'Come to think of it, I kind of hope it's not a guy. I mean, you told me your costume was inspired by something you do with your dad, right? Some people would call that very Freudian, my friend.'
'I wouldn't listen to those people,' said Conchita. 'Don't you know that Freud was full of crap? I mean, he's the guy who came up with penis envy!'
'Right,' said Kat, 'and he's the guy who came up with vaginal and clitoral orgasm. I mean...!'
Conchita looked away and focused her efforts on getting into her dress.
'All just ways of making male genitalia seem more important than it is,' said Taylor. 'Much more.'
'I stand corrected,' said Tia. Then she turned to Conchita and began helping her to arrange her dress on her shoulders and chest. 'Anyway, Chita, I wasn't really being serious. And look, don't worry what anybody else thinks of your body, okay?'
'Even if you're sleeping with them?' said Kat.
'Especially if you're sleeping with them,' said Tia.
When Conchita went down to the lobby, dressed and heavily made-up to look like la Calavera Catrina, James and Isabel were already there. They were dressed as Gomez and Morticia Addams, and James was fixing his smartphone onto a selfie stick.
'Hey, Chita!' he called, when he saw her on the stairs. 'Selfie!'
'It is you, right?' Isabel grinned at her as she joined them.
'Yes, it's me,' said Conchita, dropping her coat on the floor as James started chivvying her into position. 'I guess I might look a little out of place in this one, huh?'
'Never,' said James. 'Gomez and Morticia would love to meet la Calavera Catrina. Smile!'
He took the picture, and moments later the phone made a sound. James took it off the selfie stick and jabbed it a few times, then said, 'Kev's outside waiting for us. This just looks like an ordinary text, doesn't it?' He thrust the phone in Isabel's face. 'You'd never know it had come from a phone that belongs in a museum.'
'Let's not keep him waiting,' said Conchita, grabbing her coat and wrapping herself up warmly as she went outside. As she approached Beth's car, with Kevin in the driving seat, she double-checked that her chest was safely tucked away.
'Wow, you guys look awesome,' said Kevin, as James and Isabel climbed into the back of the car and Conchita into the front. 'Nice to see kids are still putting some effort into Halloween.'
'Thanks for giving us a ride, Kev,' said Conchita.
'No problem,' said Kevin, 'so long as you understand I can't bring you back. I'm working tonight.'
'That's cool,' said James. 'We can crash at Mom and Dad's. Or, y'know, wherever. You never can tell with a wild party, can you, Iz?'
'I don't guess Freya's Halloween parties are all that wild,' said Isabel.
'This one will be,' said James, and he pounced on Isabel, making her squeal.
'If everyone turns into their costume this time,' Kevin said to Conchita, 'I don't guess those two will act much different.'
'Has that ever actually happened?' asked Conchita.
'Once,' said Kevin, 'years ago, before you were born. Didn't anybody ever tell you about that? I was a tweenage werewolf, and your mom was Buffy the Vampire Slayer.'
'Yeah?' said Conchita, amused. 'What was my dad?'
'Nothing but his own sweet self. He never dresses up if he can help it.'
'Oh yeah, I guess not. I wonder why.'
'Well, you know,' said Kevin. 'You dress up as something you're not, you lose your inhibitions...'
'So I've heard,' said Conchita, no longer sounding amused.
Kevin gave her a glance and said, 'Y'know, Chita... well, all of you...' A quick look in the mirror showed him that James and Isabel were not paying him the least attention. 'It can happen, so just... be careful, okay? Ask yourself, what would I do if I had my regular clothes on? I mean, you wouldn't want to end up doing something you'll regret.'
'You know what my mom says?' Isabel chimed in, as she came up for air. 'You don't regret the things you do, only the things you don't do.'
'Y'know,' said James, 'at the end of the day, the best advice to listen to is what your heart is telling you. You just have to do what feels right.'
'You're so right, Jimmy,' said Kevin. Then he added firmly, 'Unless it's drugs.'
'Hey, Chita!' he called, when he saw her on the stairs. 'Selfie!'
'It is you, right?' Isabel grinned at her as she joined them.
'Yes, it's me,' said Conchita, dropping her coat on the floor as James started chivvying her into position. 'I guess I might look a little out of place in this one, huh?'
'Never,' said James. 'Gomez and Morticia would love to meet la Calavera Catrina. Smile!'
He took the picture, and moments later the phone made a sound. James took it off the selfie stick and jabbed it a few times, then said, 'Kev's outside waiting for us. This just looks like an ordinary text, doesn't it?' He thrust the phone in Isabel's face. 'You'd never know it had come from a phone that belongs in a museum.'
'Let's not keep him waiting,' said Conchita, grabbing her coat and wrapping herself up warmly as she went outside. As she approached Beth's car, with Kevin in the driving seat, she double-checked that her chest was safely tucked away.
'Wow, you guys look awesome,' said Kevin, as James and Isabel climbed into the back of the car and Conchita into the front. 'Nice to see kids are still putting some effort into Halloween.'
'Thanks for giving us a ride, Kev,' said Conchita.
'No problem,' said Kevin, 'so long as you understand I can't bring you back. I'm working tonight.'
'That's cool,' said James. 'We can crash at Mom and Dad's. Or, y'know, wherever. You never can tell with a wild party, can you, Iz?'
'I don't guess Freya's Halloween parties are all that wild,' said Isabel.
'This one will be,' said James, and he pounced on Isabel, making her squeal.
'If everyone turns into their costume this time,' Kevin said to Conchita, 'I don't guess those two will act much different.'
'Has that ever actually happened?' asked Conchita.
'Once,' said Kevin, 'years ago, before you were born. Didn't anybody ever tell you about that? I was a tweenage werewolf, and your mom was Buffy the Vampire Slayer.'
'Yeah?' said Conchita, amused. 'What was my dad?'
'Nothing but his own sweet self. He never dresses up if he can help it.'
'Oh yeah, I guess not. I wonder why.'
'Well, you know,' said Kevin. 'You dress up as something you're not, you lose your inhibitions...'
'So I've heard,' said Conchita, no longer sounding amused.
Kevin gave her a glance and said, 'Y'know, Chita... well, all of you...' A quick look in the mirror showed him that James and Isabel were not paying him the least attention. 'It can happen, so just... be careful, okay? Ask yourself, what would I do if I had my regular clothes on? I mean, you wouldn't want to end up doing something you'll regret.'
'You know what my mom says?' Isabel chimed in, as she came up for air. 'You don't regret the things you do, only the things you don't do.'
'Y'know,' said James, 'at the end of the day, the best advice to listen to is what your heart is telling you. You just have to do what feels right.'
'You're so right, Jimmy,' said Kevin. Then he added firmly, 'Unless it's drugs.'
James got back to his dorm room at ten o'clock the next morning and found his roommate sprawled on one of the twin beds, drinking beer and caressing his tablet with an inane grin on his face.
'Krish, where'd you get that beer?' James said severely, dropping Conchita's coat onto his bed.
'Jeez, man, lighten up,' said Krish.
'I just don't want you getting me in trouble.'
'Tame party you went to, was it?'
'It was a lot of fun,' said James, going to sit on his own bed and starting to take off his Gomez costume. 'Do you know if Chita came back yet? She left her coat at the party.'
Krish grinned wolfishly. 'You mean your hot cousin?'
'I mean my cousin Conchita, yes,' said James, frowning.
'Er... yeah,' said Krish, as he happened to glance out of the window by his bed. 'Isn't that her?'
James crossed the room, all the way onto Krish's bed, shoving him out of the way so he could get a better view from the window. Conchita, holding her hat in her teeth, had just finished hanging a helmet on the back of a motorcycle and was now slithering out of a jumpsuit, revealing her chesty flamenco dress underneath.
'Whoa,' said Krish, boggling at the sight over James's shoulder.
Josh was there, leaning casually against the motorcycle and watching as Conchita scrunched up the jumpsuit and shoved it inside the helmet. The couple then fell into each other's arms and kissed passionately for a number of seconds.
'Dude!' said Krish, his eyes popping. 'Does that guy know how lucky he is?'
'I sure hope so,' said James, slithering off the bed as Conchita went in for another all-consuming kiss, after looking very much like she had been about to leave. 'Stop watching now, Krish.'
'Are you gonna go give her back her coat?' asked Krish.
'I don't think I will right now,' said James.
'Oh. Well in that case, then, do you wanna use the bathroom before I go in there and rub one out?'
'Krish, where'd you get that beer?' James said severely, dropping Conchita's coat onto his bed.
'Jeez, man, lighten up,' said Krish.
'I just don't want you getting me in trouble.'
'Tame party you went to, was it?'
'It was a lot of fun,' said James, going to sit on his own bed and starting to take off his Gomez costume. 'Do you know if Chita came back yet? She left her coat at the party.'
Krish grinned wolfishly. 'You mean your hot cousin?'
'I mean my cousin Conchita, yes,' said James, frowning.
'Er... yeah,' said Krish, as he happened to glance out of the window by his bed. 'Isn't that her?'
James crossed the room, all the way onto Krish's bed, shoving him out of the way so he could get a better view from the window. Conchita, holding her hat in her teeth, had just finished hanging a helmet on the back of a motorcycle and was now slithering out of a jumpsuit, revealing her chesty flamenco dress underneath.
'Whoa,' said Krish, boggling at the sight over James's shoulder.
Josh was there, leaning casually against the motorcycle and watching as Conchita scrunched up the jumpsuit and shoved it inside the helmet. The couple then fell into each other's arms and kissed passionately for a number of seconds.
'Dude!' said Krish, his eyes popping. 'Does that guy know how lucky he is?'
'I sure hope so,' said James, slithering off the bed as Conchita went in for another all-consuming kiss, after looking very much like she had been about to leave. 'Stop watching now, Krish.'
'Are you gonna go give her back her coat?' asked Krish.
'I don't think I will right now,' said James.
'Oh. Well in that case, then, do you wanna use the bathroom before I go in there and rub one out?'
Conchita was ascending the stairs in something of a daze when she was intercepted by Isabel, who squealed and flung her arms around her and said, 'It happened, didn't it? Oh, I'm so happy for you! So how was it? Was it amazing?'
'Um,' said Conchita, still in her daze, pushing Isabel gently away and carrying on her way. 'Yeah, it was nice. Look, Izzy, I'm pretty tired so I'm just gonna crash for a while, okay?'
'Oh... okay,' said Isabel, following Conchita as she walked. 'I guess I'll go see if Jem wants to hang out some more. You'll come and find me when you wake up, won't you? Maybe we can grab a late lunch together.'
'I'd like that,' said Conchita, as they approached the stairs that separated Isabel's floor from hers. 'I'll see you later.'
So saying, she gave Isabel a squeeze on the arm and then went up to her own room. It was occupied only by Tia, who was sitting on one of the top bunks and highlighting words in a textbook on business management.
'Hi,' said Tia.
Conchita dumped her hat on her dresser, took off all of her clothes and put on an oversized T-shirt and comfy socks, then lay down on the bunk below Tia's. She didn't acknowledge the greeting, so Tia leaned over the edge of her bunk and said, 'Anybody in there?'
'Oh!' said Conchita, startled. 'Sorry, Tia.'
'Can I take it you and your bra parted company after all?' said Tia, with a grin on her upside-down face. 'Or is it none of my business?'
'Well... I don't know.' Conchita sat up and looked thoughtfully at her roommate. 'I kind of want to tell someone, but at the same time I kind of don't. Anyway, I don't know if you'd understand.'
'Try me, if you want to. If you don't, I'll get back to studying.'
'It's just... I never knew it could be like that.'
'Ah,' said Tia, her head disappearing from view, to be replaced moments later by her legs and then the rest of her. She sat down beside Conchita. 'Gotcha.'
'You do?' said Conchita. 'Really? I mean, I knew it could be like that in theory, from the way other girls talk but... well, you know.'
'Yeah, I know,' said Tia. 'I must've looked like you do now about a year ago; that's when I found out what all the fuss is about.'
'You did?' Conchita said eagerly. 'Oh, that's such a relief! I was starting to feel like I was the only one! I mean, the way Kat and Taylor talk... and I'm pretty sure even my little sister knows. Just by herself, I mean... I hope.'
'Nice for her,' said Tia, 'but some of us just can't seem to figure it out, huh? It was an older guy who did it for me. Slightly older – it wasn't weird or anything. God, I thought I was so in love with him.'
'What happened?'
'Nothing sensational. I just realised I wasn't in love with him, and I wanted to come here to college more than I wanted to stay back home with him. Y'know, it's easy to think you're in love with the first guy who makes you come, but nine times out of ten, you're probably not.'
'Oh, don't worry,' said Conchita. 'I already had that advice from my grandma.'
'Your grandma? Ew!'
'She's not like other grandmas. She makes me call her Jill. Anyway, she told me all this, and I was just thinking: what are you talking about? That's never going to happen for me! But now...'
'I'm happy for you, girl,' said Tia, smiling and clapping Conchita on the back.
'I just can't wait to see him again!' Conchita gushed. 'I don't know why I let him bring me back here this morning – I wish I'd made him skip his lecture. I just want to kiss him and touch him and be naked with him! I want to take him to Cozumel and have sex with him on the turtle beach!'
Tia laughed. 'You really got it bad, don't you?'
'Maybe too bad,' said Conchita, deflating suddenly. 'I was afraid of sleeping with him because I've heard that he's a player. I mean... maybe I couldn't make him skip his lecture.'
'Sure you could,' said Tia, putting her arm around Conchita and giving her a squeeze. 'And y'know, if he does get sick of you, it's his loss. But in the meantime, let's hope for the best, shall we? I mean, he's a nice guy, right? And he's not just pretending?'
'Yeah,' said Conchita, 'he's really nice, and I'm pretty sure now that he's not just pretending. He didn't seem any less interested in me this morning, anyways. He was really sweet and attentive and... well, kind of smug, but...' – she giggled and blushed – 'he has just cause.'
'Hey, c'mon,' Tia said sternly. 'Don't encourage him. Sounds like he needs to learn some humility.'
'Nobody's perfect,' said Conchita, 'but this imperfect man is one I really like a lot, and not just because... well, you know. I'm really glad I talked with you about this, Tia. Thanks.'
'No problem,' said Tia. 'Hey, listen, since it's come up I'll make a confession: I wasn't sure about you to start off with, Chita. You were so nice, I wasn't sure if you were really nice, or if you were just pretending to be nice so everyone would think you were nice. But now I know: you're nice.'
'I'm not always nice,' said Conchita. 'Not in my secret heart. Sometimes... I think things.'
'We all do that,' said Tia. 'It's okay to think things, just so long as you don't Tweet it like some people do.'
'Um,' said Conchita, still in her daze, pushing Isabel gently away and carrying on her way. 'Yeah, it was nice. Look, Izzy, I'm pretty tired so I'm just gonna crash for a while, okay?'
'Oh... okay,' said Isabel, following Conchita as she walked. 'I guess I'll go see if Jem wants to hang out some more. You'll come and find me when you wake up, won't you? Maybe we can grab a late lunch together.'
'I'd like that,' said Conchita, as they approached the stairs that separated Isabel's floor from hers. 'I'll see you later.'
So saying, she gave Isabel a squeeze on the arm and then went up to her own room. It was occupied only by Tia, who was sitting on one of the top bunks and highlighting words in a textbook on business management.
'Hi,' said Tia.
Conchita dumped her hat on her dresser, took off all of her clothes and put on an oversized T-shirt and comfy socks, then lay down on the bunk below Tia's. She didn't acknowledge the greeting, so Tia leaned over the edge of her bunk and said, 'Anybody in there?'
'Oh!' said Conchita, startled. 'Sorry, Tia.'
'Can I take it you and your bra parted company after all?' said Tia, with a grin on her upside-down face. 'Or is it none of my business?'
'Well... I don't know.' Conchita sat up and looked thoughtfully at her roommate. 'I kind of want to tell someone, but at the same time I kind of don't. Anyway, I don't know if you'd understand.'
'Try me, if you want to. If you don't, I'll get back to studying.'
'It's just... I never knew it could be like that.'
'Ah,' said Tia, her head disappearing from view, to be replaced moments later by her legs and then the rest of her. She sat down beside Conchita. 'Gotcha.'
'You do?' said Conchita. 'Really? I mean, I knew it could be like that in theory, from the way other girls talk but... well, you know.'
'Yeah, I know,' said Tia. 'I must've looked like you do now about a year ago; that's when I found out what all the fuss is about.'
'You did?' Conchita said eagerly. 'Oh, that's such a relief! I was starting to feel like I was the only one! I mean, the way Kat and Taylor talk... and I'm pretty sure even my little sister knows. Just by herself, I mean... I hope.'
'Nice for her,' said Tia, 'but some of us just can't seem to figure it out, huh? It was an older guy who did it for me. Slightly older – it wasn't weird or anything. God, I thought I was so in love with him.'
'What happened?'
'Nothing sensational. I just realised I wasn't in love with him, and I wanted to come here to college more than I wanted to stay back home with him. Y'know, it's easy to think you're in love with the first guy who makes you come, but nine times out of ten, you're probably not.'
'Oh, don't worry,' said Conchita. 'I already had that advice from my grandma.'
'Your grandma? Ew!'
'She's not like other grandmas. She makes me call her Jill. Anyway, she told me all this, and I was just thinking: what are you talking about? That's never going to happen for me! But now...'
'I'm happy for you, girl,' said Tia, smiling and clapping Conchita on the back.
'I just can't wait to see him again!' Conchita gushed. 'I don't know why I let him bring me back here this morning – I wish I'd made him skip his lecture. I just want to kiss him and touch him and be naked with him! I want to take him to Cozumel and have sex with him on the turtle beach!'
Tia laughed. 'You really got it bad, don't you?'
'Maybe too bad,' said Conchita, deflating suddenly. 'I was afraid of sleeping with him because I've heard that he's a player. I mean... maybe I couldn't make him skip his lecture.'
'Sure you could,' said Tia, putting her arm around Conchita and giving her a squeeze. 'And y'know, if he does get sick of you, it's his loss. But in the meantime, let's hope for the best, shall we? I mean, he's a nice guy, right? And he's not just pretending?'
'Yeah,' said Conchita, 'he's really nice, and I'm pretty sure now that he's not just pretending. He didn't seem any less interested in me this morning, anyways. He was really sweet and attentive and... well, kind of smug, but...' – she giggled and blushed – 'he has just cause.'
'Hey, c'mon,' Tia said sternly. 'Don't encourage him. Sounds like he needs to learn some humility.'
'Nobody's perfect,' said Conchita, 'but this imperfect man is one I really like a lot, and not just because... well, you know. I'm really glad I talked with you about this, Tia. Thanks.'
'No problem,' said Tia. 'Hey, listen, since it's come up I'll make a confession: I wasn't sure about you to start off with, Chita. You were so nice, I wasn't sure if you were really nice, or if you were just pretending to be nice so everyone would think you were nice. But now I know: you're nice.'
'I'm not always nice,' said Conchita. 'Not in my secret heart. Sometimes... I think things.'
'We all do that,' said Tia. 'It's okay to think things, just so long as you don't Tweet it like some people do.'
A few hours later, Conchita was sitting in the campus dining hall, jabbing idly at her phone. She stuffed it into her pocket when she saw Isabel, who sat down opposite her, saying, 'Hey, sorry I'm late.'
'Oh, hi, Izzy,' said Conchita, smiling at her. 'I thought you'd be even later, if you hooked up with James again; he hasn't posted Just said goodbye to my girl, sad emoji, or anything.'
Isabel laughed and said, 'That does surprise me. Mind you, the last time he posted that...'
'Oh, sorry, I didn't think!' said Conchita, looking mortified.
'Hey, it's okay. If you're gonna care what stupid morons say on the internet, you might as well kill yourself.' Then she, too, looked mortified. 'Oh, God, I shouldn't have said that – some people do!'
'Promise me that you never will,' Conchita said earnestly, taking her hand.
'Of course I won't, Chita. I promise,' said Isabel. Then there was a silence, which Isabel eventually broke with, 'You don't want to tell me about Josh. I'm right, aren't I?'
'What do you mean?' said Conchita. 'I tell you about Josh all the time.'
'Yeah, but you don't want to tell me about sex with Josh.'
'Oh, well... that's okay, isn't it? I mean, you don't want to tell me about sex with James – it's not just because he's my cousin.'
'I suppose that's true,' said Isabel. 'It's just... don't you feel like things have changed since we've been here? Or is it me, getting together with James? If you and I are together, or you and he are together, and then the other one of us comes along... whichever one you're not with, I mean... you can't get out of there fast enough!'
'I just don't want to be a third wheel,' said Conchita. 'I'm really glad you guys are together, Izzy. I love you both so much, and I want you to be happy.'
'But you're not a third wheel!' said Isabel. 'I don't want to push you away.'
'You're not.'
'I think I... well, we kind of are, and... you're being pushed and pulled, aren't you? And it's not just Josh who's pulling you – it's those girls in your dorm room too.'
'I've made friends with them,' said Conchita, 'if that's what you mean. But that's okay, isn't it?'
'Of course, but... I guess I'm jealous,' said Isabel. 'You're right and I'm wrong, but I can't help it.'
'Hey, listen,' said Conchita. 'I like those girls a lot. That doesn't change the way I feel about you.'
'Well... good. Hey,' Isabel went on, smiling now, 'you know what we have to do? We have to make time to hang out, the three of us, just like it used to be.'
'Maybe not just like it used to be,' said Conchita, 'but yeah, we definitely have to do that.'
As she finished speaking, her phone buzzed and she picked it up. She jabbed it a few times, then seemed to melt into her chair. Isabel looked away awkwardly until Conchita was back in the room.
'Sorry, Izzy,' she said. 'Just...'
'Just Josh, right?' said Isabel.
'Right. Oh... look what Jim just posted!'
She showed Isabel her phone and Isabel read out loud, 'Just made lunch. Used a dishcloth instead of an oven mitt. Worked great. Oh Jem, honey, who cares?' she said, laughing.
'That means he's in the communal kitchen right now,' said Conchita. 'Let's get some take-out here, then go up there and all have lunch and make some plans to really hang out together.'
'Okay,' said Isabel. 'Oh, James has your coat, by the way.'
'My coat?' said Conchita. 'Oh yeah, I forgot all about that!'
'Oh, hi, Izzy,' said Conchita, smiling at her. 'I thought you'd be even later, if you hooked up with James again; he hasn't posted Just said goodbye to my girl, sad emoji, or anything.'
Isabel laughed and said, 'That does surprise me. Mind you, the last time he posted that...'
'Oh, sorry, I didn't think!' said Conchita, looking mortified.
'Hey, it's okay. If you're gonna care what stupid morons say on the internet, you might as well kill yourself.' Then she, too, looked mortified. 'Oh, God, I shouldn't have said that – some people do!'
'Promise me that you never will,' Conchita said earnestly, taking her hand.
'Of course I won't, Chita. I promise,' said Isabel. Then there was a silence, which Isabel eventually broke with, 'You don't want to tell me about Josh. I'm right, aren't I?'
'What do you mean?' said Conchita. 'I tell you about Josh all the time.'
'Yeah, but you don't want to tell me about sex with Josh.'
'Oh, well... that's okay, isn't it? I mean, you don't want to tell me about sex with James – it's not just because he's my cousin.'
'I suppose that's true,' said Isabel. 'It's just... don't you feel like things have changed since we've been here? Or is it me, getting together with James? If you and I are together, or you and he are together, and then the other one of us comes along... whichever one you're not with, I mean... you can't get out of there fast enough!'
'I just don't want to be a third wheel,' said Conchita. 'I'm really glad you guys are together, Izzy. I love you both so much, and I want you to be happy.'
'But you're not a third wheel!' said Isabel. 'I don't want to push you away.'
'You're not.'
'I think I... well, we kind of are, and... you're being pushed and pulled, aren't you? And it's not just Josh who's pulling you – it's those girls in your dorm room too.'
'I've made friends with them,' said Conchita, 'if that's what you mean. But that's okay, isn't it?'
'Of course, but... I guess I'm jealous,' said Isabel. 'You're right and I'm wrong, but I can't help it.'
'Hey, listen,' said Conchita. 'I like those girls a lot. That doesn't change the way I feel about you.'
'Well... good. Hey,' Isabel went on, smiling now, 'you know what we have to do? We have to make time to hang out, the three of us, just like it used to be.'
'Maybe not just like it used to be,' said Conchita, 'but yeah, we definitely have to do that.'
As she finished speaking, her phone buzzed and she picked it up. She jabbed it a few times, then seemed to melt into her chair. Isabel looked away awkwardly until Conchita was back in the room.
'Sorry, Izzy,' she said. 'Just...'
'Just Josh, right?' said Isabel.
'Right. Oh... look what Jim just posted!'
She showed Isabel her phone and Isabel read out loud, 'Just made lunch. Used a dishcloth instead of an oven mitt. Worked great. Oh Jem, honey, who cares?' she said, laughing.
'That means he's in the communal kitchen right now,' said Conchita. 'Let's get some take-out here, then go up there and all have lunch and make some plans to really hang out together.'
'Okay,' said Isabel. 'Oh, James has your coat, by the way.'
'My coat?' said Conchita. 'Oh yeah, I forgot all about that!'
Later, around midnight, the three of them traipsed into their hall together. Conchita began walking off when she saw James murmuring something in Isabel's ear, but moments later she felt his hand on her arm and turned to see that Isabel was walking off to her room without him.
'You know what, Chita?' said James. 'I'm glad we did this. The three of us don't seem to hang out much anymore. I mean, you have Josh and your new friends, and sometimes me and Isabel want to be alone, and... well, we need to do things like this. I just hope we don't start having to force it.'
'If that ever happens,' said Conchita, 'it'd be better to stop doing it. But I bet it never happens.'
'I love you,' said James, giving her a hug. 'You know that, right?'
'Yeah, I know,' said Conchita. 'I love you too. G'night, Jim.'
She left him following after Isabel and ascended the stairs to her own dorm room, where her three roommates were still up and painting each other's toenails with very few clothes on.
'Hey, Chita's back!' said Taylor. 'Tia, you are so full of shit! Chita, Tia said you'd be staying with your Josh again tonight.'
'Oh, I wasn't with Josh,' said Conchita.
Tia, who had been blowing hard on Kat's left foot, looked up anxiously and said, 'You weren't?'
'It's okay, Tia,' said Conchita. 'I'm taking him to the Day of the Dead festival tomorrow, and we're planning to spend the whole day together. I can't wait!'
'You know what, Chita?' said James. 'I'm glad we did this. The three of us don't seem to hang out much anymore. I mean, you have Josh and your new friends, and sometimes me and Isabel want to be alone, and... well, we need to do things like this. I just hope we don't start having to force it.'
'If that ever happens,' said Conchita, 'it'd be better to stop doing it. But I bet it never happens.'
'I love you,' said James, giving her a hug. 'You know that, right?'
'Yeah, I know,' said Conchita. 'I love you too. G'night, Jim.'
She left him following after Isabel and ascended the stairs to her own dorm room, where her three roommates were still up and painting each other's toenails with very few clothes on.
'Hey, Chita's back!' said Taylor. 'Tia, you are so full of shit! Chita, Tia said you'd be staying with your Josh again tonight.'
'Oh, I wasn't with Josh,' said Conchita.
Tia, who had been blowing hard on Kat's left foot, looked up anxiously and said, 'You weren't?'
'It's okay, Tia,' said Conchita. 'I'm taking him to the Day of the Dead festival tomorrow, and we're planning to spend the whole day together. I can't wait!'
