After Quinn bolted, Stacy stood in front of the mirror and cried. She looked stupid dressed like Quinn. The pink was all wrong.
And so was she. She didn't want to be Quinn; she wanted to be with Quinn. She was just like Jimmy, Jeffy, and Joey, only she couldn't even take Quinn to Chez Pierre. What if Quinn knew? What if it was totally obvious, and that was why Quinn left so fast? Monday Stacy would be a total outcast.
Who would be friends with a lesbian? Daria and Jane, maybe, but she could never hang out with them. They wore those horrible boots! And being around Daria would just remind her of Quinn, and she would cry all the time.
Stacy cried until two, and then snuck downstairs to cut cucumber slices to put on her puffy eyes.
Monday at school Quinn acted like nothing had happened. Stacy was so grateful she almost wanted to kiss her. Except she wasn't supposed to want to. She blushed and looked at the floor, but nobody seemed to notice.
By the end of lunch she worked up the courage to ask Quinn over.
"I don't know," Sandi said, before Quinn could open her mouth. "Do you have any new magazines?"
"Oh! Sandi, I—I wasn't actually thinking of everyone, I just wondered if Quinn —"
"Good! Because I have a date."
So they talked about Sandi's wardrobe, and it wasn't until they were gathering their books for class that Quinn leaned over and said, "Sure, Stacy."
Which was how they got to be sprawled on the floor of Stacy's bedroom with Quinn's makeup and manicure bag open beside them.
"I'm really glad you came over. I wasn't sure you would want to."
"Stacy, of course!" Quinn put down the nail polish to beam at her, and Stacy felt better already. "Fashion Club allegiances are very important."
Fashion club made Stacy think of Sandi scowling. Stacy bit her lip. "Quinn, would we...would we be friends if we weren't in the Fashion Club?"
"Why wouldn't we be in the Fashion Club, silly?"
Stacy was about to feel dumb when Quinn added, in her most Sandi voice, "We are very fashionable." They both giggled.
Quinn finished her right toes and moved on to her left.
"I just...I'm really glad we're friends." That wasn't enough; Stacy tried again. "I like being with you."
"I like being with you, too." Quinn finished the last toenail with a flourish. "There!"
"Oh, Quinn, perfect. They'll look great with your new sandals."
"Yeah, won't they?"
Suddenly bold, Stacy blurted, "Would you do mine?"
"Sure." Quinn scooted over and took Stacy's right foot into her lap. As her fingers pressed just behind the ball of Stacy's foot, Stacy flushed hot all over.
"You have great feet."
"Really?"
"Your toes are totally cute. Just wait 'til they're glittery, they'll be even better."
"Thanks, Quinn." Stacy felt like she was flying.
"You know, you should—" Quinn was looking at her toes while she talked, striping the polish on carefully. "You should be more self-confident. Don't let San--I mean, anybody put you down."
"I'll try."
"I think you should be dating more." Quinn finished the right foot and patted her ankle; Stacy moved it carefully to the carpet and put her other foot in Quinn's lap.
"I —" Stacy wasn't sure how to answer. "There's somebody I like but I don't know if I'm cool enough."
"Stacy! Why didn't you tell me?"
Stacy bit her lip to hold back the words.
"Whoever it is, I can't imagine they wouldn't want to go out with you. They'd have to be crazy."
Later, replaying the conversation in her mind, Stacy would notice Quinn hadn't used the word "he," and would wonder whether that meant anything. At the time, she just closed her eyes, and tried to memorize the feel of Quinn's fingers on her ankle, and let herself dream.
(659 words)
The End