The suggestion landed somewhere deep in my chest. Suddenly, I was hyper-aware of everything—the heat of her body so close to mine, the way her eyes had gone intense, and the way my skin prickled.
“Curious about what?” I managed to say.
Her smile was slow, dangerous, and knowing.
“About what you want, princess. About what makes your heart race. About what it might feel like to stop thinking so much and just… feel.”
I was…drowning. That was the only way to describe it. Drowning in her eyes, in the implications of her words, in the way she was looking at me like I was the only person in this room full of so many people.
“I…”
“There you two are!” Atlas’s voice cut through the moment. “Come on, Carmen’s waiting!”
And just like that, the spell was broken, leaving me standing there breathless and confused and more aware than ever that something fundamental was shifting inside me.
What did she mean by “what it might feel like to stop thinking so much and just… feel”?
We followed Atlas to a booth where another woman sat. She had warm brown skin and dark curly hair that fell in loose curls, with the kind of eyes that made you feel immediately at ease, and I was certain she was Latina.
“Hey, Mar,” she greeted Marley, then she looked at me. “And who is this?”
“This is Kelechi, my course mate,” Marley replied.
“The project partner,” Atlas said with a grin. “Kelechi, this is Carmen, my girlfriend and the absolute love of my life,” Atlas said as she slid into the seat and kissed Carmen passionately.
Jesus.
What was I doing here? What would my father say if he ever found out that I set foot in such a place? My mother would literally have a heart attack.
But they aren’t here, Kelechi. Live, a tiny voice in my head said.
“Nice to meet you, Carmen,” I said as they broke the kiss, before sliding in to sit beside Marley.
“The pleasure is all mine,” Carmen replied with a warm smile and an accent that sounded distinctly Mexican. I’d watched enough telenovelas to know the difference.
“So,” Atlas said, settling back with Carmen’s arm around her shoulders, “tell Carmen about this project you two are working on. I’ve been hyping you two up all week, and she’s been dying to hear about it.”
“It’s research on cultural adaptation and gender expression,” Marley explained. “We’re exploring how different cultures shape the way people understand and present non-binary gender identities.”
“We’re focusing on interviews,” I added, finding my footing. “Through personal stories and lived experience. Not just relying on theory.”
“Finding participants is the tricky part,” Marley said. “We’re thinking social media — Reddit, Instagram, LGBTQ Facebook groups. Get people interested in volunteering to be interviewed.”
I nodded. “Cast a wide net and see who responds. We want diverse perspectives from different cultural backgrounds.”
Carmen nodded. “Smart. People open up more when they choose to talk.”
Atlas nudged her. “See? I told you they’ve got it together.” Then she turned to me. “So, Kelechi. Where are you from?”
“Nigeria.”
“Oh wow… and what brought you here?” Carmen asked.
“My master’s programme.”
“How about you guys? Where are you from?” I asked.
Atlas and Marley exchanged a look.
