Abbie shares some of her philosophy

[NOTE: This chapter happens in parallel with Jake's narrative.]

"I am," Abbie said again. She was looking across the way, thinking about Jake, her eyes darting over to see Danny and the others. No doubt Danny was sharing his triumph of acquiring Abbie's phone number, though Abbie knew a phone number meant nothing if there wasn't some kind of action to go along with it.

Abbie wasn't big on texting or social media. Despite being young and technologically savvy, she wasn't particularly eager to get into a world of non-interactive socializing. Her view of the world was only made real through actually connecting with people, not blurbs of words or emojis or memes.

"Sorry, but I'm so curious," said Melanie, "and maybe it's the **** talking now, but ... can I ask you how that works?"

"Sure, ask me anything," said Abbie. "I'm not shy."

"Are you going to hook up with Danny?" said Melanie.

Abbie laughed. "Oh wow, I have no idea!"

"What would your boyfriend think?" said Staci.

Abbie smiled. "I can really only say what I think, not what Jake will think. But the world is a big place with a lot of people and a lot to learn. If I can grow from sharing an experience with someone, I'm all for it."

"Even sex?" said Emily.

"Especially sex!" said Abbie. "When else are you at your most **** and most real? When else do you see people for who they truly are than when you're intimately connected to them?" Abbie reached her hand out toward Emily. "May I touch your hand?"

Emily nodded and held out her hand. She looked down at her own fingers, and remembered how she was touching Staci just moments earlier.

Abbie gently placed her hand on Emily's, not quite clasping fingers, but more of a caress and a grip than just resting still. "When I touch you, I feel the sensation of another life. You have warmth, a pulse, an energy about you. I know more about you and this moment because we're connected in it."

"Like palm reading?" said Melanie.

"I don't look at lines and predict the future, but yes, I think I'm learning something from hold her hand." said Abbie. "Maybe it's some kind of spiritual understanding. I can't tell you that you're going to get a lot of money or that you must be a Pisces or something."

Emily blushed, but didn't retract her hand. "I actually am a Pisces," she said quietly.

Abbie laughed. "One in twelve chance! Lucky me!" She held Emily's hand tighter. "But now your heart is beating faster because you were surprised by my lucky guess. Your hand is getting warmer. I'm holding it more tightly, and you're now becoming aware of me in a way you weren't before."

"What does this have to do with giving Danny your number?" said Staci.

"It only has to do with the way I choose to connect to the world around me. I want to know people. I want to see them. Touch them. Feel their life in mine."

"I'm fascinated," said Melanie. "How does that work with sex, then? Like with Danny or Jake?"

Abbie smiled. "I don't see the same distinction between sexual contact and other kinds of contact." She looked down at her hand embracing Emily's, then made eye contact with Emily, who didn't work to retract her grip. "I know other people do, so I don't cross lines -- if you don't want to be touched, that's your right."

"That's why you asked me," said Emily.

"That's why I asked you. Consent is critical. But I consent."

"Always?" asked Staci.

"So far," said Abbie with a little tilt of her head.

Melanie was in awe. "Seriously, you're the most interesting person I've ever met. I feel like if someone else told me all this, I'd just be like, 'well, you're a slut, you're sleeping around,' but with you, it's like a religion or something." She realized the bartender had delivered another drink, which she picked up and swallowed half of. "And Jake is into it?"

Abbie nodded. "Again -- so far. I know it's not the way a lot of people behave, but I don't judge or doubt myself, so I don't worry about what others might do."

She was still holding Emily's hand. Their fingers were moving slightly, shifting lightly from grip to touch to rub.

Emily swallowed. "This," she said, indicating her hand, "is the most intimate I've felt in a while." She ran her other hand along the back of Abbie's hand, but then finally let go of Abbie. As she retracted her hands, she touched the part of her palm that had most been in contact with Abbie. "That was ... unusual. And ... arousing."

Abbie looked at her. "For me too."

At that moment, the women all sensed someone approaching, and shifted their focus. It was Jake. Abbie looked at him and smiled. "Hey!" she said happily.

Jake grinned. "Hey. Having fun?"

Abbie glanced at Emily briefly, but nodded to the group as a whole. "Absolutely. These women are wonderful. I'm so glad we came to this!"

Jake leaned over the bar and asked the bartender for five beers. He turned back to Abbie. "Some of the guys down there think you're pretty cute," he said. "Danny is getting a little flustered, though, because he can't remember your name."

Abbie giggled. "He should have just asked!"

"Well, he missed a chance for that. But I'm here instead, so I'll ask -- can I kiss you?"

"Yes!" said Abbie. She shifted her position slightly as if presenting herself to him. Jake wrapped a hand behind her head, leaned in, and kissed her deeply. His tongue slowly and delicately swirled around in the kiss, meeting Abbie's, melting together. Abbie felt blood rush through her veins, to her head, and was grateful that Jake had his hand on her, holding her steady, as this kiss was almost literally sweeping her off her feet.