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After several rounds of denial, and a few breaks to help customers,
Kate finally accepted the fact that Helen was still as pure as the
driven snow.
?Is he gay?? Kate asked. ?I mean, look at you, Len.?
?I haven?t asked, but I?m pretty sure he?s straight,? Helen replied,
and then she sighed. ?I honestly don?t know what?s going on.?
?No reason to rush, and don?t let anyone make you feel bad if you
want to wait, either. It?s more fun if you take your time, anyway,?
Kate said with a warm smile, changing the subject at the first sign
of Helen?s discomfort.
Although Kate seemed convinced that eventually she and Lucas
would go beyond virginal hand-holding, Helen suddenly wasn?t so
sure. The one time she had tried to kiss Lucas he had told her to go
to sleep. Despite what everyone was saying about them, the truth
was that she and Lucas were no more than friends. Lucas could
have anyone he wanted, and if Kate?s response was any indication,
that included women long out of high school.
Knowing that didn?t do anything to help Helen?s confidence. She
could tell that Lucas liked her?she?d caught him staring at her and
she?d heard his heart pound when she lay down next to him?but
for some reason Lucas didn?t seem to want to do anything about it.
Was that the way dating always was in the beginning, or was she
unintentionally doing something to push Lucas away? She?d never
had a boyfriend, and she honestly didn?t know what ?normal? was.
After work, she went home and forced herself to do all of her
school assignments before bed. By the time she switched out the
light it was well past two. Helen was beyond tired, but she still
couldn?t fall asleep. She felt like she was missing something, or
maybe misunderstanding something. Lucas obviously liked her