“Because some kids asked me to and I think it’s important for LGBTQIA+ kids to have a safe space in school when they might not have one at home. It’s especially important here in light of what we saw happen to Macie.”
“A GSA isn’t going to magically solve homophobia.”
“Well, obviously not, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t have one. It could help. I know it would’ve helped me a lot when I was in high school.” Lily watched understanding flicker across Eva’s face. “Anyway, I don’t expect you to get it, so—”
“Why’s that?”
“Um. Just that…you know.” Lily waved a hand toward her, knowing she was digging herself into a hole and not sure how to stop or pull herself out. “You know what? Never mind.”
“Oh no, please continue. Or should I fill in the blanks?” Eva raised one of her sculpted eyebrows. “I can’t possibly understand the impact of homophobia because I’m straight, is that it? Surely the first thing you should be teaching in your little club is to not make assumptions, hmm?”
Lily’s stomach lurched. Was Eva saying what Lily thought she was saying? Had Lily read her wrong? Not that Eva was easy to read in any respect, but Lily had never gotten any kind of vibe from her. “I…” Lily’s mouth opened, but she had no idea what to say. “I, um, I didn’t realize.”
“That’s the thing, isn’t it? There is no way to know. Maybe that should be your next topic of discussion.” Eva brushed past her, freeing up the coffee machine, but Lily didn’t feel like drinking anything anymore.
What the hell had just happened?
* * *
Eva dropped into her desk chair with a huff.
She hadn’t planned on outing herself to Lily Cross across the teacher’s lounge on an otherwise quiet Thursday evening, but she’d had to pick a fight, hadn’t she? Eva couldn’t control herself around Lily, she should know to keep her head down and not engage, and yet…
And yet she hadn’t, but instead had let herself get annoyed about Lily assuming she was straight, even though she’d never once revealed anything so personal at work. Even at Georgetown, Kate had been the only exception.
Eva glanced at the clock hanging on the rear wall of her classroom. Five thirty. She didn’t have to pick up her mother from Angela and Tom’s until seven, and Eva refused to let her confrontation with Lily get in the way of the work slowly piling up around her. Eva had earmarked this time to get ahead while she wasn’t needed at home, and she wasn’t going to let it go to waste.
Focusing her attention on finalizing her lessons for the next few weeks, Eva pushed all thoughts of Lily Cross from her mind. Which became impossible to do when the woman knocked on Eva’s door.
Eva bit her tongue, aware of the possibility that a fuck off might slip out were she not careful. “Can I help you?”
Lily wrung her hands as she slipped into the room and closed the door behind her. Eva opened her mouth to protest, but then footsteps sounded in the hall, and Eva understood. The janitors were some of the biggest gossips in the school—Eva didn’t want to be overheard either.
“I wanted to apologize.” Lily took a few halting steps forward, but paused shy of Eva’s desk, plucking at a loose thread of her sweater. “I shouldn’t have assumed anything, and I’m sorry.”
Eva kept her on the hook for a moment, lips pursed. “Okay.” Meant to be a dismissal, her gaze returned to her laptop screen.
Lily didn’t take the hint. “And I…I won’t tell anyone.”
“Tell anyone what?”
Lily’s laugh was nervous. “Right. Cause I’d never out someone. Especially not…well. I know you’re a private person, so. I wouldn’t.”
“Yes, I believe we’ve established that.”
“Who’d have thought you and I had something in common?”
Eva pulled off her glasses, and Lily turned fuzzy around the edges. “Certainly not me.” If Lily expected comradery, or a shift in Eva’s demeanor, she was sorely mistaken.
Why would it? Lily was still infuriating, still invading Eva’s space at every opportunity.
Which she was doing right then, lingering when surely there was nothing else to say, her eyes on Eva’s face. “Was there something else?”
“Um, no, I guess not.” Lily buried her hands in the pockets of her slacks and turned toward the door. “Goodnight, Eva.”
Eva didn’t return the greeting, slipping her glasses back onto her nose as she watched Lily leave. The door clicked shut as Lily’s footsteps retreated down the hall, and Eva’s attention returned to her lesson plan.
One more, and then she was free.
