The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School(71)

Bo’s mom’s covers her mouth with her hand. “Oh, honey, I’m so, so sorry we made you feel like that.”

“We never wanted to hurt you, Bo. That was never why we did any of that. You know that, right?” Rick says.

“I know, I know. You guys love me and just wanted to help. But, like, intentions don’t change the impact. And it took me a while to realize how I felt about it, anyway.”

“Sit with us,” Emma says, patting the space on the couch next to her.

I take a step back, suddenly realizing how awkward it is that I’m in the middle of this very intimate family discussion. Bo looks back at me, and I try to send a telepathic message, like I would to Cesar.

Do you want me to stay?

“You don’t have to stick around for this part, Yami. Thanks.” She reaches out to give my hand one final squeeze before sitting down with her parents. I’m almost too shocked that she actually got my message to leave, but I manage to give her a reassuring smile before heading upstairs to the guest room.

I could get used to being on vacation. I know I’ll have to work twice as hard when I get back home, but that can be my New Year’s resolution. Mom and Cesar come home for New Year’s tomorrow, so I have one more day to enjoy before I have to worry about working, and I intend to make the most of it. It’s easier not to worry when my mom’s not around. I feel guilty for thinking that, but it’s true. Without her around to remind me what I have to lose, all I have to worry about is ice blocking.

Taking a big block of ice and riding it down a hill is already pretty fun as it is, but the Taylor family apparently takes it to the extreme. They even freeze ropes into the blocks to act as handles, so you can steer yourself.

We wait until around ten thirty at night to leave the house and head for the park, so we can be outside when the fireworks go off. Our ice sleds sit in two different chests, and we have to lug them all the way to the top of the hill above the lake when it’s time.

I take the spot on the top of the hill where the grass looks shortest. It’s better that way, since there’s less traction. The first slide down is just to get a feel for the hill, but Bo happens to slide down at the same time as me, and I’m a competitive bitch. There’s no way I’m letting her beat me to the bottom. We’re neck and neck, but there’s a lump in the ground up ahead. I yank my rope to the side, but go too far left and bump into Bo’s sled. She’s thrown off track for a second, but then she pulls her rope and bumps me right back. We’re officially bumper sledding.

After a few hits, we both end up falling off our blocks before we make it to the bottom.

“Ha! I win!” Rick shouts as he speeds by us.

“We were racing?” Bo’s mom calls out from the top of the hill.

Bo laughs and rolls her eyes, then hands me her phone.

“Yami, can you record this? I want to try something.” I nod, and she runs up the hill with her ice. She stands on her block, hunching down low enough to reach the handles. “Okay, are you recording?”

I throw her a thumbs-up. She leans forward and starts ice block surfing down the hill. I don’t know how she manages to look clumsy and badass at the same time. She’s an enigma. She’s surfing right toward me, and we both start screaming like we’re about to die. I’m as frozen as her sled when she and her ice block tackle me to the ground.

It feels like that one scene in every rom-com ever, where the romantic interest and the main character knock into each other and end up in an awkward position on top of each other. Except it’s somehow not awkward. We’re both laughing so hard we can’t breathe. If we were in a rom-com, I think this is where we’re supposed to kiss.

It isn’t until Bo’s parents come to help us up that I remember they’re here in the first place. It’s almost like that first time we spun around together, when everything else was a blur but Bo. That’s how it is with her sometimes. Dizzying and breathtaking, but she’s right there when I come up for breath.

Bo starts recording us all the next time we slide down. For the camera, I decide to try something cool and slide down belly first for maximum aerodynamics. Bo chases me down the hill, recording and cheering me on. The farther down the hill I get, the faster I go. Since I’m on my belly, I don’t stop sliding at the bottom of the hill. I’m about to slide right into the lake when Bo leaps forward and grabs my ankles to keep me in place. My ice block shoots out from under me and into the water.

I roll around when she lets go of my ankles.

“I GOT THAT ON CAMERA!” Bo hops up on her feet and wags her butt in a victory dance.

“You saved me!” I get up and tackle-hug her. We both fall to the ground laughing again. “Thanks for not letting me fall into the lake for views.”

“Oh man, I didn’t even think of that!” She sits up and snaps like she’s disappointed. I laugh and curl up on my side. Adrenaline really drains you. Bo lies down next to me, and I swear I’m dreaming because the fireworks go off right when she looks at me. I watch them go off in her eyes for a second before I roll onto my back to see them for real. We just lie there, while rainbow matches light up the sky.

Bo’s parents meet us at the bottom with blankets, hot chocolate, and Oreos. There are only two blankets, so Bo and I have one to share. I’m side-eyeing Rick super hard right now, since he totally could have brought more than two blankets for the four of us, but I’m not exactly complaining. It’s cold enough outside for a straight girl to want to snuggle her friend-who-has-a-girlfriend to keep warm, right?