Chapter 1: Girl Talk

"Penny!" I yelled to my roommate. "Hey, Penny!"

"What?" Penny yelled, her voice drifting in from the kitchen.

"Where did you put the papers?" I frantically looked through piles on my desk.

"What papers?" Penny asked. She walked into my room and shook her head at the mess, her short, spiky black hair swaying slightly.

"The roommate papers. I need to look them over quickly. I have a date tonight and he's really cute."

Penny smirked at me. "Does he know you're gay? Or worse, a guy?"

"Think about it." I turned away. "Of course not. It's hard to find a guy- liking guy in this gay barless town."

Penny laughed. "Is it Frank?"

I shook my head. "Frank found out last week. No, I'm going with Bill."

"Bill? He's cute?" Penny picked up some papers.

"Drop dead gorgeous," I said. "And drop dead straight."

"Ooo, sucks for you!" Penny teased. "Here."

She handed me some papers off the top of my desk. I looked at them. Yup. The roommate papers. I glared at Penny, who collapsed in a fit of laughter.

"Penny, one day you will die laughing," I said.

"Sorry, Karla. " Penny laughed again.

"Hey, I'm Kyle right now. Note the guy clothes."

"Mm-hmm." Penny grabbed the sleeve of my shirt. "It's pink, honey." I pulled my shirt out of her grasp. "Don't, it'll wrinkle! And it's not pink, it's-"

"Salmon, I know," Penny sighed and shook her head." Dude, you're gay. You can wear pink!"

"That's the stereotypical gay," I argued. "That's not me."

"Oh, yeah?" She picked up one of my CDs. "Cher?"

"My aunt Bea gave it as a gift." I snatched it out of her hand and tossed it on my bed. "She found out I was gay. Thought I'd like it."

"Kyle, you don't have an aunt Bea," Penny said slowly. " you have an uncle. Tony. Remember?"

"Tony got married three months ago," I said, mimicking her. "Remember?"

"Huh? But I thought Tony was gay!"

I had her confused. Fun! "Nope! Tony's bi. Just like Matt."

Penny blushed at Matt's name. Matt Dellen was her fiancee. Trust Penny to nab the only guy who was even remotely gay. Matt wasn't my type, though. Too flirty for my taste. Penny, however, was head-over-heels for this guy.

"Now, beat it," I pointed to the door. "I have to girlify myself."

"No, let me stay," Penny whined. "I need some good makeup tips."

"Out!" I yelled, throwing a pillow at her. She laughed and dodged it. The doorbell rang and she rushed to get it.

"Hi, there!" Penny greeted the person. "Bill, right? Karla will be right out. She's busy girlifying herself."