Melrose Ave.

Los Angeles, CA

The clacking of her Christian Louboutin's on the concrete gave Sadie some sort of confidence. For some reason, she was walking as if there were hidden cameramen in the bushes. She always wanted to be camera ready no matter where she was heading.

Just finishing up another long photo shoot for Gucci, she walked alongside the LA streets, heading to have dinner with Jodie. She changed outfits about ten times before she decided on a pair of leather pants, a loose short sleeve shirt. Her nails freshly painted white as her toes perfectly shaped as French tips. Her waist line bundles pulled up to a high ponytail. The nerves she felt was unexplainable. She thought out so many scenarios of what could happen on this dinner date with Jodie.

She studied on the questions she would ask and acted out how she would response to the ones she would ask her. At the age of twenty-one, she had her feeling like a kid all over again.

Approaching the double doors of the five star restaurant that Jodie sent the directions too. She walked in to an upscale style of interior design. The suede-royal blue chairs matched well with the white skirt tables. Sadie eyes wandered, looking for Jodie pretty face. "Hello, have a reservation?" a lady approached her, wearing a plain black dress.

"Um yes I'm meeting a friend" Sadie said walking up to the wooden stand that the lady walked over too. She nodded as she scan through the list.

"Name please" she asked with the most sweetest tone, Sadie has ever heard.

"Jodie Peterson" she responded. Almost instantly she looked back up to her and waved for her to follow. Sadie did just that as they walked pass different people who were conversing over nice meals.

"Ms. Peterson" the lady mumbled. Jodie sitting in the royal blue seat with her head deep into the menu. The lady moved over for her to step and take the seat that was directly across from Jodie.

"You ladies have a wonderful night, your waiter will be right with you" she said before walking off, leaving the two at the table. Jodie eyes still in the menu she didn't bother to say anything or look at Sadie. With the pettiness Sadie had in herself, she did the exact same thing. Reaching for the menu that sat in front of her she casually looked over the different choices.

"This place too fancy for me" she finally said. Gently laying the menu down on the table, "we could've went to this chicken spot I know about"

"Then why didn't we?" Sadie asked, still roaming through the entrees. Shrugging her shoulders, Jodie didn't have a true answer.

"Thought you would like a place like this" she stated, "you probably eat at places like this everyday huh?" She questioned.

"Are you trying to indicate that I'm boujee?" Her eyes eventually looking at Jodie. "Because when have I eve—"

"I ain't seen you in a while Sadie" she cut her off, "shit you're a supermodel now, how the hell I'm suppose to know who you are"

"I don't know" shrugging her shoulders, "ask me maybe"

"Well let me ask you something then?" Leaning back into the chair. "How long have you been in LA?"

"Came here after I dropped out of college after one semester" Sadie spoke, "so three years"

Jodie nodded her head, looking at her intensively like she wanted to say something else but decided not too. "So you know about me and Beverly?"

"Congrats" was all she said, Sadie really didn't want to dive deep into that subject. If anything she wanted to know why Jodie didn't upkeep her promise.

"Preciate it Sadie" she smiled, "and you?" She pointed at her, "married? Any kids?"

"No" she mumbled, as the waiter came over, disrupting the conversation.

"Good evening ladies, can I start you off with drinks maybe?" She asked looking over at Jodie then Sadie.

Jodie waved her off as she pushed back on the chair to let herself up, "No ma'am" she looked over at Sadie, "turns out we not that hungry like we thought"

The waiter looked confused but just went on about her day by taking the menus from the table and walking away. "Where are you going?" Sadie asked.

"Shit to get some real food" putting out her hand for Sadie to take it, "you down?", she hesitated but placed her hand into Jodie's as she lifted up from the chair. The two made their way out of the building, standing back out in the LA streets.

"Want me to drive or just meet there?" She asked, but Sadie didn't want to leave her Jeep Wrangler — but if it meant spending extra time catching up she was all for it.

"You can drive" she said, Jodie body turning left, making her way down the street. It was so many things she wanted to ask her—like how did her and Beverly meet or when did the girl Sadie grew up with find out she was into women. They came near to a cherry red metallic Dodge Challenger. Jodie chirped it, proceeding to open the passenger side for her. "Thank you" she said as she slid in. Jodie smiled as she closed it. Jogging over to her side, getting in.

"Here" she said, handing Sadie her phone as well as the aux cord. "Play that Major Nine"

"What song?" Sadie asked, scrolling through Apple Music until she came across the artist. Jodie glancing over at her , one had gripped tightly on the steering wheel while the other one propped on the gear. "Worst" she said back.

Sadie did as she was told and played the song, placing Jodie's phone in the cupholder. The song played throughout the car as they cruised down the streets. The sun just setting, gave the skies a warm soft color. Sadie was quiet most of the ride, part of the reason was she didn't know what to say or how to spark up a conversation.

"You never answered my question back at the spot" Jodie said, causing Sadie to turn her attention towards her.

"Huh?" curling up her lip as well as her brow.

"I asked if you were married or had any kids"

"Single and no kids" keeping it cute and short. "Can I ask you something" Sadie switched the subject, out of curiosity she wanted to know the answer to the question she was about to ask.

"Shoot" she nodded, her eyes still focused on the road.

"I've known you half of my life" Sadie started to say, "and I never once seen the signs of you—"

"Of me what" Jodie started to smirk, "of me liking women?"

"Well,—yeah, when did you you—" she stuttered a little, trying to find the right words. "It was just surprising to me when I found out that's all."

"You and Daniel use to be so in love, I j—", Jodie laughter took over the atmosphere of the car, over powering the music. It caught Sadie by surprise because nothing she said was funny. Jodie pulled into a parking lot and turned off the car. She slouched over in her seat, staring over at Sadie. Her left dimple showing every time her cheeks rise from laughing.

"Daniel" Jodie repeated, finally catching her breath, "you know that nigga happily gay now too" she said cheesing again just off the irony.

"No way" Sadie said giving a shock face. Jodie and Daniel on and off relationship was so toxic—the two couldn't seem to leave each other alone when they were sixteen—neither gave the impression that they were interested in the same sex.

"Hell yeah, I went to his wedding last year" she said, unbuckling her seatbelt.

"Oh" Sadie said in a tone of jealousy, "y'all kept in touch but not us" she said the last part under her breath

"Daniel was my first everything, you know that" Jodie tapped Sadie in the arm, "I don't know what we had going on, maybe it was soul ties" shrugging her shoulders, "but obviously we weren't each other's type when it all came down to it."

"But hey" Jodie pulled the handle to her door, pushing it open, "let's go fuck some chicken up right quick" she stated, stepping out of her car.

The two ate while they laughed and joked, not realizing that it was going on midnight. Sadie missed the energy Jodie brought around her. To be honest it didn't feel like five years had gone by. Just two friends who came back from a long vacation.

Jodie ended up explaining to Sadie, when she decided to come out. It was little over a month after she left WestBrook. It was something about being around new faces and a new environment that made her feel as if she could truly be herself. Since then she's been in multiple rocky relationships—some ending in tears and some not so much. With Beverly she explained that it was complicated—she knew she was Beverly's first real girlfriend and how afraid she was—but it was hard to control how fast both were falling for each other.

Of course Sadie didn't want to hear none of this but wanting to reconcile an old friendship she was going to have to deal with it. "So be honest" Jodie said, picking up the styrofoam cup to take a sip of her Fanta grape soda. "Who's your boyfriend? There's no way you're living this life single Sadie"

"And why not" she scowled, "why can't I be single?"

"Well if you are that's crazy" Jodie mumbled under her breathe,

What Jodie and most of the public didn't know was—Sadie was indeed attracted to women. She's been that way her whole life, hint the reason she can't forget the goodbye kiss Jodie gave her all those years ago. "And what make you so sure it's a boyfriend"

Furrowing her brows, Jodie held her hands in defense, "You in the pussy club too old bestie?" Jodie joked but was being completely serious.

"My fault I didn't know–" she stopped to looking over her face expression to see if Sadie was being serious, "you asking me since when, what about you?"

"All my life" Sadie responded, "unlike you I couldn't fake it til I make it—I couldn't actually see myself with a boy"

Jodie laughed but not before playfully flicking Sadie off, "So wait—you still" forming one hand into a 'O' and using her index finger from the other—pushing them together to indicate sex.

"Have I had dick?" Sadie blurted loudly, causing Jodie to bend down slightly, putting her finger to her mouth to hush her.

"Damn girl—" she laughed , "yeah but have you?"

"You remember it almost happened—"

"With Trevor" they said in unison before they both busted out laughing. That was the most horrific experience Sadie has ever went through.

"Yea I remember" Jodie nodded, "Damn ain't that something—both of us some gay motherfuckers"

They laughed again, until they came to complete silence. The spot that they were eating at was closing, and it was time for Sadie to head home anyway. Tomorrow wasn't nothing on her agenda but getting a few promos done and answering emails. If anything it was going to be a chill day.

"I missed this" Jodie sighed, her eyes glossy as if she was on the verge of tears. Sadie knew she wasn't going to cry well not in front of her at least but it was cute. It was cute that she felt the same as Sadie did—this friendship is what they both missed the most.

"I'm sorry for ghosting you" she said again, "I-I was just battling my own demons and thought it was best to cut you out my life. And still til this day that is my biggest regret Sadie seriously."

"I told you that we would forever be for each other and not even a month later—I stopped calling and answering" she recalled

"But why though?" Sadie interrupted, she really wanted to know why she chose to end their friendship like it meant nothing.

"We being honest right?" she asked, eyes still fixating on her.

"Always Jodie" she said

"When I kissed you," those words caused Sadie heart to stop, her body temperature immediately felt like it was overheating.

"When I kissed you is when I really knew it was time for me to be myself" she explained, "I don't know if that kiss meant anything to you but Sadie" she reached for her hands across the table, "that kiss meant everything to me—hint the reason why I couldn't be friends with you. How was I going to tell my best friend that I might've loved her in a way a husband loved his wife"

"Jo–", Jodie shushed her just off the sake of wanting to tell her truth.

"Let me finish please" she said, "but me showing up to your place yesterday wasn't a coincidence—that shit was fate."

"Fate?" Sadie repeated and caused Jodie to nod. Her hands still being held.

"Yeah, a second chance on our friendship that I messed up so long ago." Flipping Sadie's left hand over to reveal the scar that was still on her palm. Jodie smiled, tracing over it with her finger, "With my blood and yours, our bond will never break" reciting what she said the day she cut both of their palms.

"You down for a second chance?" She asked, hoping the answer was what she was thinking. "Cause I'm damn sure is"

Sadie felt herself holding back the tears. Jodie's friendship was more than she wished for—she missed having her in her life. She was right, this wasn't a coincidence—this was fate.

"I'm down" she said with a smile causing Jodie do the same.

This was the start of something new—and Sadie was all for it.

Here & Now

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