Coming In Ep. 01

*** No sex scenes in this episodes. This one is mostly meant as a Prologue to introduce the Protagonist and set the stage for the events to come. ***

"Is this your first time here? I don't think I've seen you before."

The person who asked was wearing a black top that left one shoulder bare, tight white pants and flat shoes. The hair was cut chin length and dyed turquoise. Attached to the top was a pin. Against a background of rainbow colors, it read "she/her".

"Yes, this is my first time here today. Just recently moved to town."

"Cool, glad you're here! I'm Kelly. There's the bar over there if you want a drink. The dance floor is down the hall, this room here is a little quieter for those who want to hang out and chat."

"Quiet is pretty good for now, I think."

"All right. If you want, you can grab a pin with your pronouns on it." Kelly pointed to a bar table with a small basket sitting on it. "Have fun," she added.

"Thanks!"

A quick search of the basket did indeed reveal a pin that read "they/them" in yellow-white-purple-black striped letters. Their heartbeat fastened as they stuck it on their chest, entered the room and looked around cautiously.

Dimmed light in blue and red illuminated a few sofas and armchairs, which were arranged into several seating groups in various corners. Standing tables were spread out on the open space between them. On the opposite side of the room was a pool table. Balloons and colorful garlands hung on the walls. Above the bar hung a large banner that read Out and Proud Party.

They tried to feel a little pride. After all, they were here today, right? That had to count for something.

They headed for the nearest empty seating area and sat down in the corner of one of the sofas. At first they leaned back, but then straightened up again, looked around and tapped their foot on the floor.

What now?

The party hadn't really come to life yet, with maybe twenty people there, sitting in pairs or in smaller groups in other seating areas or standing at the tables talking. Should they join one of the groups? Or maybe get something to drink? Indecisive, they began to tap their fingers on their thigh.

Come on! You're here to make friends!

While they were still cursing their own insecurity, someone sat down on the armchair opposite them and then someone else on the second sofa, which was at right angles to the one they were sitting on.

The person across from them had shoulder-length auburn curls, a round face with freckles, and wore a green dress that ended just above the knees, matching tights, and Chucks. Emblazoned on the dress was a pin that read "she/her" and a second with a purple, a blue and a pink horizontal stripe. The other was a little taller and less curvy with black straight hair that fell over the back, a black and red plaid top and black jeans. The pin also said "she/her."

The two didn't seem to notice them until now, because the brown-haired one looked at them and asked, "Oh, sorry, would you rather be alone?"

"Oh! No, no," they assured.

"You sure? We wouldn't mind sitting elsewhere."

"No, really. It's fine."

She smiled. "Okay, cool. Have you been here before? You don't look familiar."

"No, I just moved here."

"I see. For university?"

"Yeah, that's right. I started this semester. Literature and history."

She nodded, then said, "Oh, we haven't introduced ourselves. I'm Laura."

"And I'm Alina," the black-haired girl said. "And you?"

Such a simple question. Such a difficult question. Several times they made an effort to answer but somehow the word refused to leave their mouth. Laura and Alina seemed to notice their struggle, because Laura said kindly, "It's okay, you don't have to tell us your name if you don't want to."

"It's Ro," they finally blurted out.

"Hi Ro," Alina said, and they felt happiness bubbling up inside them like pearls in a champagne glass as she spoke the name. "Cool name."

"Thanks, I picked it out myself," Ro beamed as if it wasn't obvious, then added blushingly, "It's the first time I've introduced myself by that name."

Laura's eyes got big. "Ooooh, how cool! You should be proud of yourself, Ro!"

"So we're the first to hear your new name?" Alina asked.

"Well, I've been practicing a bit at home," they mumbled, looking down at the floor with their face burning.

"I probably would have done that, too," Alina said. Then she stood up. "I'm going to get a drink, do you want me to bring you something?"

"The usual," Laura said.

"You got it," Alina replied. "Ro?"

"Um...", Ro was caught off guard by the question. "A Coke?"

Alina nodded and walked over to the bar.

Ro looked at Laura, who smiled encouragingly. She probably expected them to say something now. But what?

"Um, what do you guys do? So are you studying too, or..."

"Yeah, I'm studying medicine and psychology, and Alina is enrolled in biology."

"Medicine and psychology? Sounds pretty demanding."

"Yeah, it's a lot to learn, but I really wanted to."

"You and Alina, are you... Well..."

"Are we a couple, you mean?"

Ro blushed again. "None of my business, really."

"We're not," Laura explained. "We're just living together."

Ro nodded.

"What about you? Did you manage to find a place? Every semester, new students are pouring into town, scrambling to find accomodation."

"I have a shared flat in the student dorm, but..." Ro broke off.

"You don't like it?"

They shook their head. "My roommate, he... I don't know. We get along, but I don't think we'll become friends. He doesn't know about"-Ro made a vague gesture to the pin with the pronouns. "It's better that way, I think. Sometimes he makes these remarks..."

Laura grimaced. "Oh man, what a bummer. If you can't even feel safe at home..."

"Yeah, right. And I just don't know anyone here. I've felt pretty lonely since I moved here. And this"-again, they gestured to the pin"-has given me a lot to think about, too."

"It's still new?" asked Laura.

"Yes," Ro replied.

She nodded. "Yeah, I can imagine you've got a lot to figure out there. But that's what you're here for now! Among people who understand you and want to help you. Isn't that great!"

They smiled a little. "Yeah, I guess."

Alina came back, set a glass full of Coke down in front of Ro, handed Laura a tall narrow glass with a straw sticking out of it, and then sat down with a bottle of beer. "What's great?"

"Ro being here today and not alone in the dorm with an uncool roommate," Laura replied.

Alina smiled. "I'd say so, too. Where are you from, anyway?"

Ro told a little about themself, and in turn learned more about the two. Alina had grown up in a rural village and fled to the city first chance she'd gotten. Only Laura was from the city here. "I know it's kind of uncool to stay in your hometown to study, but I like it here."

Ro hastened to assure that it was not uncool at all. They found that it was quite easy to talk to Laura and Alina, almost as if they had known each other for a long time. Time flew by, and soon all of them had emptied the second round of drinks.

Alina set her beer bottle down on the table. "Feel like dancing?"

"Absolutely!" Laura exclaimed. "Ro?"

Their good mood evaporated in an instant. "Um...no. Dancing's not really my thing," they squirmed, hastily adding, "But you go ahead. I'll stay." They struggled to hide the disappointment. The evening had started so well.

Laura frowned. "No, out of the question. Then we'll stay, too."

"It's fine, really."

"Nonsense, we won't leave you alone, will we Alina?"

She shook her head.

Ro felt a mixture of joy that the two had obviously decided to take them under their wing for the evening, and guilt that they were now preventing them from having fun. They let their eyes wander around the room, which by now had filled up considerably with people, and had an idea. "Maybe you want to play pool? We can take turns."

Laura and Alina liked the suggestion, and the three of them walked over to the pool table, which was currently free. With a round of rock-paper-scissors, they made up the order, and the first to play was Ro against Alina. After she had won by a decent margin, they passed the cue to Laura and went to the restroom. When they returned a little later, Alina and Laura were apparently engaged in conversation, but fell silent when they approached.

"Do you want another drink?" Ro asked.

The two wanted, so Ro walked over to the bar and got in line. The crowd was busy right now, so they had to wait some time to order from the bartender who was donning a mesh t-shirt, tight black pants, made-up eyes, and he/they pronouns. Ro ordered the non-alcoholic cocktail that Laura had been drinking all evening, a beer for Alina, and after a moment's hesitation, a beer for themself. When they turned around, they saw that Alina and Laura were apparently continuing their conversation from earlier. Ro felt a slight twinge of uncertainty in their chest.

Pull yourself together! they admonished themself. They've been friends for a while, but they've only known you for two and a half hours. Of course they talk when you're not there.

Alina was also ahead against Laura, but not as far as against Ro. Laura sank a few more balls, but finally Alina holed the black eight ball for the second time that evening. She handed the cue to Ro who was now up against Laura. While Laura put the balls back on the table, Alina said, "Ro, we want to talk to you about something." Her tone was more serious than it had been during the evening's conversations, and Ro felt a lurch in their stomach. Had they done something wrong?

"Laura said you have a room in the dorm, but you don't feel comfortable there."

"Yes," they answered cautiously, a little confused. What was this all about?

"Laura told you we were sharing a place," Alina continued.

Ro nodded, still cautious.

"We wanted to ask you if you-"

"If you'd like to move in with us!" Laura blurted out. "We have plenty of room!"

Ro felt giddy with happiness and resisted the urge to pinch themself to find out if it was a dream. They opened and closed their mouth a couple of times, unable to speak.

"You don't have to decide now," Alina said, apparently mistaking their silence for hesitation. "Come by tomorrow and check out the room and the place where we're staying, and then think it over."

"Yes!" Ro finally managed to answer. "Sure I'll come by tomorrow." They felt a big grin spread across their face and looked back and forth between Laura and Alina. Both grinned back.