Essie Newton

“Ms. Newton, are you single?” Jason asked from the back row.

Essie looked up from her desk, weighing if she should answer or deflect. Ultimately she opted for the engagement. “Yes, I am single.”

“My dad is single,” Diane chimed in. Essie bit her tongue, she knew Diane’s dad was single because he was a chaser and had hit on her more than once. But that definitely wasn’t an appropriate conversation topic.

Luckily, Saima redirected the group, “Ms. Newton, what are you going to do over the summer?”

She had a couple things planned, a trip to Paralía Póli with her new friend Dani, some volunteer work with the local Trans Youth Group, and fulfilling her duty as her sister’s maid of honor. “A little bit of traveling, and relaxing,” she answered. Although the top of Essie’s to do list has always been to find love.

Growing up she’d felt uncomfortable in her body, it wasn’t until coming out while attending BSU that she felt comfortable enough to date. She thought she loved her roommate, until Anna made a drunken remark about not being gay because ‘Essie isn’t a real woman.’ But she persevered, and was careful moving forward trying to screen earlier for any phobic beliefs that might exist in perspective partners.

“Traveling, my family is taking a trip to Northern Coast City to visit Grandma cause she might die soon,” Johnny said. Essie tried not to laugh, but a rogue chuckle escaped. Luckily the bell rang and everyone scrambled to leave her room.

“Don’t forget to do your reading over the weekend! We have a quiz on Monday,” Essie stated to the retreating student body. She slumped into her seat, only 3 weeks left before summer break.

She packed up her bag, not wasting any extra time after school. Grading their essays would have to wait. Essie was supposed to meet up with Dani to talk about their trip this summer.

She made her way down the hall when she heard “Essie! Wait, wait,” Misty called out. Essie almost slipped trying to stop on a dime, looking into Misty’s room.

“Yeah, what’s up?” she leaned against the doorframe, peeking through the door hoping Misty would get that she couldn’t stick around.

“My kids are with their dad this weekend, you want to go out? We could hit up the Garden, I’m not sure who is playing but if we drink enough it won’t matter,” Misty said crossing the room.

Essie liked Misty but she could be a bit controlling and wild at times. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to go out with Misty, but she had a hard time telling her no. Which meant that weekends when Misty didn’t have her kids Essie would often get roped into whatever Misty thought sounded fun. “Maybe, I’ve got to go right now. Text me,” Essie smiled and waved goodbye. Part of Essie hoped she wouldn’t follow up.

When Essie entered the little restaurant Dani had picked, she looked around until she spotted her friend waving to her from a table in the back. “Darling, how are you?” Dani said putting on a false hoity-toity accent, “You look absolutely starving, are they not feeding you in that school of yours?”

Essie laughed as Dani took her into a hug, “I’m good. Excited about this trip.”

“Right?!” Dani slipped into her natural tone, waving down the waitress. “You’ll absolutely love Greece,” Dani slipped into speaking a touch of Greek. Essie wasn’t quite sure what she said, she tried to learn the basics but it never stuck but luckily Dani was fluent.

“I’ve never been out of the country before,” Essie said dreamily, “And the beaches. Can’t wait to show off my new bikini.” She’d spent years afraid to go out in public in swimsuits, and she still wore swim skirts but therapy paid off if it meant getting to wear cute swimsuits at more places than just the pool at her sister’s.

They were about to get into details about itineraries, when Dani’s phone rang. Essie saw the screen read Ben, “I should get this. It’s not like him to call, honestly who calls nowadays?”

“No worries,” Essie smiled not wanting to be a bother. Dani was a new friend, they’d met at the gym when Essie signed up at the new year. She’d only been in the city for this school year, and had put off finding a gym long enough. Dani and Essie had quickly hit it off after Essie caught Dani when she collapsed off her stationary bike.

“Oi, cunt,” Dani answered with an awful Australian accent. Essie laughed to herself, trying Dani’s wine to see if she’d order the same when the waitress made her rounds. Then Dani squealed causing Essie to cover her ears while everyone nearby looked their way, “Does this mean you’re finally over that prissy little snob?”

The waitress came over and took Essie’s order while Dani nodded along to whatever the person on the phone was telling her. Dani quickly broke her focus from the call to order her food as well. “No, I’m listening. I had to order. No, I wasn’t. You were saying that Tim was being his normal arrogant self, and playing fake nice as always. Although truthfully I could’ve guessed that without the latest tea. Okay, yes fine, back to it. What did he say next?”

She returned to active listening, sipping from her wine and giving Essie apologetic looks. But Essie just waved her off, their food hadn’t even arrived and most of their vacation was already planned and it sounded like her friend needed her.

“His ticket! The audacity!” Dani huffed. “Well it just so happens that I am currently out with the perfect girl for you. Let me sell her on you, and we’ll talk in the morning. Brunch?”

Essie blushed a little at being called the ‘perfect girl.’

“Bitch please, you know better than to question my judgment,” Dani cackled. “Now let me work my magic, cause trust me when Tim sees pics of you and her he’s going to regret leaving you. And best of all, you’ll be saying ‘Tim who? I think I kind of recall someone by that name, but he was such a prissy little snob that I’m so happy my beautiful smart funny best friend set me up with my soul mate.’”

Essie was trying harder to follow the conversation now that she was obviously being pulled into the situation.

“Love you, bitch,” Dani said as she hung up. “So Essie, I assume you like Katropolis, right?”

Essie jumped a little at how quickly Dani had turned the conversation back to her. “Um, yeah. Who doesn’t like Katropolis?”

“I know silly question, but I went on a date the other week with this girl and when ‘Very Bad Girl’ came on the jukebox she audibly sighed. I was floored like excuse me, how can you hate great music? Oh, but that’s beside the point, don’t get me distracted. Now the bigger question, how do you feel about sweet and cute, if you’re into guys, which I believe you are last I checked, little bi boys?”

Essie tried to piece together the relevant parts of Dani’s rant, “Wait, are you trying to set me up on a blind date? To Katropolis?”