It’s the day of the first basketball game of the season, and I just got done with class for the day. I'm heading to the athletic dorm common room to meet up with Ashley, J.J.’s girlfriend. It's 4 p.m. and the game isn't until 8, so we're going to hang out until then.
I'm a tiny bit nervous, just because we've never hung out and 4 hours is a long time, but we've texted a bit the last few days and she seems cool.
When I reach the common room, it's mostly empty, and it's not hard to spot her since I've seen what she looks like on social media.
She’s sitting at one of the tables and doing some homework from the look of it. She has a textbook out and is highlighting something. I take a seat across from her and say, “Hard at work even on vacation, huh?”
She looks up at me in confusion and then laughs when she recognizes me, “Yep. Gotta keep my grades up.”
Ashley has long, light brown hair with red highlights. Today she has it in a thick braid that is currently hanging over her shoulder. She also has bright green eyes.
My impression is that she is much girlier than my other two athletic friends, between bright pink nail polish and a thin pink elastic headband. She also wears makeup, unlike J.J. and Kay. Like those two, she's dressed super casually, wearing an oversized hoodie with our university logo and some loose sweatpants. I recognize both articles of clothing as actually belonging to J.J., which is pretty cute.
I nod and put my backpack in my lap, “If you want to keep working, I can join you.”
She closes her book with a thump, “Nah. I've been working most of the day since Jaz went to class.” She stretches and studies me a little bit, “Nice to meet you by the way. I kind of feel like we already met since Jaz mentions you all the time.”
I smile, “Yeah, meeting people these days is kind of funny. Like, we're friends on facebook and we texted a bit, so I wasn't sure ‘nice to meet you’ was right.”
She laughs, “Yeah, that's true.” She puts her book in her bag and the two of us head outside where she asks, “So, what's on the agenda?”
“Well, J.J. told me you really like coffee shops, and there's a nice one right off campus where I thought we could hang.”
“Aw that's sweet. I guess a date by proxy is better than no date at all.”
I laugh, “No time for one while you're here, huh?”
She shakes her head, “I knew that would be the case though, coming for a game in the middle of the week. It is actually sweet that she gave you some guidance.”
…
Ashley and I just settled into a table at the coffee shop. The place is only about half full. There are some students. There are just enough people for it to be pleasantly noisy and just few enough people for it to not feel crowded. Our table feels surprisingly private and intimate as a result.
She takes a sip of her mocha frappuccino, “Thanks for paying, you didn't have to do that.”
I laugh, “It’s a date by proxy right? I'll make J.J. pay me back later.”
Ashley cracks up, “I already like you.”
“Thanks, right back at you.”
She smiles, “To be honest I came into this already liking you a lot because of what you and Kara have done for Jaz.”
“Wh-what we've done for her?”
She nods and stirs her drink while she talks, “Well…I know that she was having a real hard time here for like the first month. I was really worried. But then, she started talking about you and Kara all the time and she was so much happier.”
“O-oh. Well, you’re welcome. I like J.J. a lot, so it wasn’t hard. We have fun, our little trio.”
She looks around as if she's checking to see if someone is listening, “It’s also really cool that you and Kara don’t care that we're together. She’s had to hide it from other friends in the past. I think you two are probably her best friends ever.” She winks at me, “Apart from me, of course.”
I smile, “Yeah, she was really scared when she let slip she had a girlfriend. It was kind of heartbreaking that she thought we were going to dislike her because of that.”
She studies me for a moment. Long enough that I'm about to joke that a taken woman like herself shouldn't be checking me out.
Before I can she says, “Any…particular reason you are so accepting of gay people? Like is someone in your family gay, or…”
Well…there's Kay potentially, but I can't say that.
I shake my head, “J.J. is the first openly gay person I’ve been close with. I think…doing a lot of my growing up in Massachusetts made me extra fine with it. Plus, both my parents have always talked about how gay people deserve the same rights and respect as anyone.”
She frowns a little, “Those…are good parents. I’m jealous.”
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“Yours aren’t like that?”
She shrugs, “They are…okay about it, I guess I’d say? Like, they didn’t disown me when I came out. And they like Jaz. But they are also hoping I’ll…” She uses finger quotes, “‘snap out of it’ and marry a man some day.”
“Jeez, they tell you that?”
“Not exactly. But my mom's always trying to get me to meet random guys my age. And she’s ramped it up since Jaz left the state.”
I sigh and shake my head, “That sucks. How are J.J.’s parents about it?”
She raises her eyebrows, “Oh. It's just her mom and she is really cool with it. I'll let her tell you about it some time, though.”
I nod, “Yeah, that makes sense.”
“Yep! So, you and Kara are like super close, huh?”
I'm surprised by this sudden deviation from our discussion which has so far been about her and J.J., but I guess there isn't much more to say about their parents right now.
“Um…yeah. I've known her…as long as I can remember. We lost touch for…a while when I moved, but in most ways it feels like I never left.”
Ashley nods and takes a long drink from her coffee, looking at me all the while.
It sort of feels like she's watching me closely for some reason. Like she doesn't trust me or thinks I'm lying about something. She said she likes me, but I'm starting to worry that she doesn't.
…
“Is this my girlfriend’s doing again, or just a coincidence?”
I laugh, “It’s her doing, although our interests align here, so that’s why she suggested it.”
Ashley and I are in the basement of the student union building, waiting in line at the on-campus buffalo wing restaurant.
“Oh yeah? You like buffalo wings?”
I laugh, “Yep. I like spicy food in general, and I like wings a lot.”
She gets a big smile on her face and puts her arm around mine with a giggle, “This isn't a date by proxy any more. You might just be a better date. Jaz hates spicy food.”
I scoff, “I know. Kay doesn't like it either.” I laugh as I remember the time that Kay tried to eat my dad’s green chile chicken enchiladas.
Ashley looks mystified by my laugh, so I explain,“My dad makes spicy food all the time, and one time Kay tried to eat it because she didn't want him to think she didn't like it. She was all bright red and sweaty. It was…pretty cute.”
Ashley smirks at me, “Sounds very cute. Especially ‘cause she's all huge and muscular, right?”
I laugh, “Yeah. It does make it cuter when things like that happen. She's like…the sweetest, most innocent girl you'll ever meet, but probably also the tallest and most muscular.”
“Yeah, I haven’t really seen what she looks like, only heard, since she doesn’t post anything on social media. How ripped are we talking?”
I laugh, “Very. Like, more muscular than 99% of guys too. She has like an 8-pack, big broad shoulders, and really muscular, toned legs. Her back is like…all muscle too. It’s pretty amazing.”
Ashley smiles from ear to ear, “It sounds like you know quite a bit about her body.”
“Yeah, I guess I do. I like to help her find cute outfits that work for her, so that's why I know.”
Her smile gets even wider.
Why is she doing that?
She pats me on the shoulder, "Well, anyway, let's enjoy spicy food together since our usual…companions aren't into it.”
I laugh, “Sounds good to me. Are you going for the ghost pepper? That's the hottest. It's what I usually get.”
She smiles, “Well, I have to now. We'll definitely see who likes spicy food more.”
In the end, we both eat all 8 of the ghost pepper wings we order, and we declare it a tie.
But if I'm being honest, it actually looked like she was feeling the heat less than I was.
But I'm not telling HER that.
…
Ashley and I just got to the arena about 20 minutes before the game starts. We have had a fun ‘date by proxy’ as she keeps calling it. I’ve really enjoyed hanging out with her.
I still can't shake the feeling that she is watching me incredibly closely, though.
While there are definitely way more people in the arena than there were at the scrimmage, it's still very sparsely attended. I would guess there are 500 people in the 4,000 seat arena.
That's why I am baffled when my companion says, “Pretty good turn out.”
“S-seriously?”
She nods as we walk along the concourse looking for the section where our tickets are.
“I kind of thought it would be full.”
She laughs, “For women's sports at a university this small?”
We find our section and walk down to our row which is right by the court.
Once we take our seats I ask, “People don't like women's sports?”
She looks at me incredulously, but then her confusion dissipates, “Oh yeah, Jaz told me you're new to this world.” She sighs and crosses her arms, “Women's sports get like 10 percent the support of men's sports. That might be generous.”
Now I must look incredulous, “T-ten percent? That can't be right.”
She pats me on the head, “You sweet, naive little girl. It is right. I wish it wasn't, though.”
I frown, feeling very defeated, “Why is it like that?”
“I mean…universities have only had women's sports for like 30 years. And only because the government made them.”
“Made them?”
“Yeah, Title IX. It's from the 70s I think. Doesn't allow gender discrimination at universities. So now, if a university wants to have men's sports, they have to have an equal number of women's sports too.”
Title IX sounds familiar for some reason.
Oh.
When that guy attacked me, the police mentioned it. It must also deal with that sort of thing. What he did was definitely gender discrimination too, albeit of a very different kind.
“Well, I really like Title IX. And women's sports.”
Ashley laughs, “Me too. But yeah…maybe someday women's sports will be bigger. But for now, it's kind of new and people aren't sure about it.”
…
It's the last five minutes of the second half and we're ahead 66-46.
“WOOOO! GOOD JOB KAY! GREAT BLOCK!”
I've been on my feet cheering my lungs out for Kay this entire game.
Now that I'm used to Xena, I'm enjoying the experience much more than at my first game, where I was a little freaked out.
She played great at the scrimmage, but that game seemed fair at least. In this game against another small school, it looks almost like a grown up playing with children.
Every time she makes a basket, gets a rebound, or blocks a shot I yell for her at the top of my lungs. My voice is definitely getting tired, but I don't care. It's amazing watching her out there. I don't think I've ever been this excited watching anything.
“YEAH!!!! KAYYY! YOU'RE AMAZING!”
“GREAT PASS JAZ!!!! KEEP IT UP!”
J.J. has been in for about half the game, so Ashley is cheering like crazy too. Just now J.J. passed the ball to Kay without even looking at her, and Kay put it in from under the basket.
“AMAZING JOB JAZ! THAT WAS A GREAT FAST BREAK!”
J.J. just poked the ball away and then stole it before sprinting to the other basket and laying it up.
I can see what Dr. Aines meant about her speed. Kay is fast for her size, but J.J. was almost a blur on that play.
There is a minute left in the second half. The other team is down by 30 now. They just called a time out. I'm not sure why, given the score.
During this lull Ashley shoves me playfully and laughs, “It feels a little like you and I are competing for who is the best at cheering.”
“Yeah well, I'm totally winning!”
She giggles and gives me a big grin, “You know what? I think you're right.”