Chapter 7
CHAPTER 7
Kiera
The neon glow of the Gossip Grill sign lit up the sidewalk as the group made their way inside, laughter trailing behind them. Kiera adjusted the strap of her purse, a mix of nerves and excitement bubbling under her skin. She hadn’t been to a club in years, let alone one this vibrant and unapologetically queer. The moment they walked through the doors, the pulsing bass of the music and shouted conversations enveloped them like a warm, electric blanket.
“This place is amazing,” Maggie declared, turning in a slow circle to take in the atmosphere. The walls were adorned with cheeky slogans and murals of queer icons, while rainbow lights shone across the ceiling. The dance floor was packed, bodies moving in sync to the DJ’s rhythm.
“Drinks first, then dancing,” Pete said, steering the group toward the bar. “Priorities, people.”
Kiera followed, feeling a little out of her element but buoyed by the group’s energy. Pete and Maggie wasted no time ordering shots for everyone, and Kiera found herself sandwiched between Danica and Izzy at the bar.
“What do you think of this place?” Kiera asked, trying to bridge the gap.
Izzy glanced at her, then gave a tight smile. “It’s no karaoke bar but it’ll do.”
Kiera laughed. “God, if only.” She turned her attention to the others, raising her shot glass as Pete proposed a toast.
“To questionable life choices and even better stories tomorrow!”
“Cheers!” they all echoed, clinking glasses before downing the shots. The burn of tequila was sharp but welcome, and Kiera looked around the crowded room.
The thrum of bass pulsed through Kiera’s chest as she stood near the edge of the crowded nightclub, half-listening to Pete order more drinks for everyone.
Colorful, dim lights played over the crowded dance floor, creating an electric, slightly intimidating atmosphere. At thirty-eight, Kiera felt conspicuously out of place. Most of the people here seemed younger, more confident, and entirely at ease in their skin. She envied them, envied their certainty, their freedom to claim their space, and their identity without hesitation. For Kiera, the whole scene was disorienting — a world she didn’t quite belong to but couldn’t stop herself from being drawn toward.
Her gaze caught on Izzy, who moved effortlessly among the crowd, her blonde pixie cut catching the light like a beacon. A realization bubbled up inside her chest, unbidden and confusing. Kiera couldn’t deny how attracted she was to her in the moment, and how that realization hit her like a punch to the gut. Worse yet was the secondary realization of how attracted she had always been to her. But did that attraction mean anything beyond Izzy herself?
Kiera had never felt this way about another woman, not once in her twelve years of marriage. Even now, the thought of labeling herself as anything but straight felt almost presumptuous. How could she claim any part of the queer label when she didn’t understand her place in it? She wasn’t sure if her attraction to Izzy was enough to make her belong, and that uncertainty settled over her like a heavy, invisible weight.
Kiera shifted her drink to her other hand, her fingers damp from the condensation. A part of her felt like an impostor, standing there at the edge of something she didn’t quite know how to define. But another part of her, quieter but more insistent, wondered if this was the beginning of something. Maybe it wasn’t about labels or fitting neatly into a category. Maybe it was just about allowing herself to feel — fully and unapologetically. She glanced back at Izzy, her stomach twisting with an unease and interest that she could no longer ignore, realizing that maybe this was less about understanding and more about courage. For once, she wanted to stop holding herself back, even if she wasn’t sure what that meant just yet.
The music was infectious, a driving beat that called to her. She followed Maggie and Danica onto the dance floor, her movements stiff, her shoulders tight with the worry that someone might be watching her, judging her. But as the beat pulsed and the crowd moved in a wave of unselfconscious joy around her, Kiera began to let go.
She closed her eyes, letting the music seep into her, its rhythm grounding her in a way she hadn’t felt in years. The tightness in her shoulders melted, replaced by a cozy wine and tequila-induced warmth that spread through her chest and limbs. The noise of the crowd became part of the music, a symphony of belonging. Here, in this space filled with unapologetic energy, Kiera felt a lightness she hadn’t realized she needed. Here, surrounded by a community that welcomed anyone willing to step onto the dance floor, it felt right. She felt right.
Pete and Izzy eventually joined in and passed out drinks. Maggie and Danica danced somewhere nearby, lighthearted and giggly, and Kiera grinned, her confidence growing with each beat.
Her gaze drifted to Izzy, who lingered at the edge of the group, swaying and nursing her fancy cocktail in a plastic cup. Kiera couldn’t help but notice how striking she was in the club’s neon glow.
The DJ switched to a slower, sultrier track, and the mood on the dance floor shifted. Kiera closed her eyes again, moving with the music, her body attuned to the rhythm. When she opened them, Izzy was closer to her, her expression unreadable but intense.
Kiera stifled a smile, glancing to see that Pete and Danica were in their own world and Maggie was getting another drink from the bar.
Izzy stepped into the space in front of her, not saying another word.
They began to dance, their movements hesitant at first but gradually falling into sync. Kiera’s pulse thrummed in time with the music, a deep, steady rhythm that felt like it had taken over her entire body. She could feel the heat radiating from Izzy, her presence like a magnetic force drawing her closer.
As the world around them blurred, Kiera’s thoughts began to wander. This wasn’t the first time she’d danced with Izzy. One of her most replayed memories came to mind, unbidden but vivid: a college party, both of them tipsy and laughing, the music loud and the room packed with people. Dancing, their hands brushing, their bodies finding an easy rhythm. It had been the night of their first kiss — their only kiss. Kiera could still remember the way Izzy had looked at her, a mixture of heady lust and something deeper that made Kiera’s chest tighten even now.
She’d thought about that kiss so many times over the years, replaying it in her mind like a favorite scene from a movie. It had been fun and sexy and intense. She’d held back then, too scared to admit what she wanted — women, or perhaps just Izzy — and by the time she’d gathered the courage, the moment had passed. She often wondered what might have happened if she’d been braver, if she’d taken the next step.
Now, as Izzy moved closer, the memory felt like a spark catching fire. Kiera’s senses sharpened, every detail of Izzy coming into focus: the way her eyes glimmered in the neon light, the curve of her lips, the slight friction between them as they swayed. Her skin tingled with the excitement of being so near Izzy.
The air between them grew heavier, charged with an energy that made Kiera’s head spin. She was suddenly aware of everything — the faint scent of Izzy’s cherry and ginger perfume, the warmth of Izzy’s body so close to hers, the way Izzy’s fingers brushed hers as they moved together. It felt like the rest of the room had disappeared, leaving just the two of them in this electric bubble.
Kiera’s heart pounded harder, her palms damp with nerves and exhilaration. Her gaze lingered on Izzy’s lips, and she felt a pull so strong it was almost involuntary. The tension between them was unbearable, stretching taut, about to snap.
Izzy’s eyes flickered down to Kiera’s mouth, too, then back up, and Kiera felt something shift. A silent invitation. Her pulse roared in her ears, drowning out everything but the overwhelming urge to close the distance between them.
But just as her breath caught, Izzy’s expression shifted — hardening, as if she’d remembered something. Izzy took a small step back, breaking the spell between them.
“I’m gonna go try to find Maggie and grab another drink,” Izzy said, her voice quieter, almost reluctant.
Kiera nodded, swallowing hard as she forced a smile. “Yeah.” Danica and Pete were talking near the edge of the dance floor, but she couldn’t spot Maggie. “Probably a good idea.”
Izzy nodded and turned, heading back toward the edge of the dance floor. Kiera followed a beat later, her chest heavy with longing and disappointment. Izzy wasn’t ready, and maybe Kiera wasn’t either. Not yet.
The dance floor receded behind them, but something felt different. Within her, between her and Izzy… She couldn’t name what had shifted — only that it had, and now they’d both have to live inside the new shape of it.