“And for the next project, I am assigning the team of Elizabeth Williams and Thomas Brown, due in on the 25th. Class dismissed.”

I froze. I thought, “I can’t do it. How can I even talk to her? And she’s coming towards me now.” I felt a chill and started shaking.

“What’s wrong with you? You look like a cornered mouse.”

She put her hand gently on my shoulder, and I flinched. She quickly removed it. “What’s going on? Are you having some kind of attack?”

I shuddered out, “No. I get this way when I have to talk to a girl, especially a pretty girl.”

She looked surprised and pondered my reaction for several minutes. Her face became stern, and she practically growled, “Well, thanks for the compliment, but we have a project to do, and you don’t have to think of me as a girl. I’m a lesbian, and I have a partner. Now, do I have to get butch and kick your ass to get us through this assignment?”

Surprisingly, I began to calm down and focus on the reality that we had a task and we had to do together.

Her tone became gentler, and she said, “Now, let’s have some coffee and figure out how we’re going to get this done.”

I relaxed as we fell into the familiar language of equations, graphs, and flow charts. I was beginning to feel that I might enjoy working with Liz. For the first time in my life I was getting comfortable with the company of a girl.

After a while, she asked me about my life. I told her about being an only child and that I was shy and introverted. I was awkward socially and other kids made fun of me.

“That’s terrible! I hope that I can help you be more comfortable with me and other women. You’re a nice guy and good looking. Girls should be falling all over you.”

“It would be nice. Somehow, I feel more relaxed with you. Please, if it isn’t too intrusive of me, I would like to hear about you.”

“I ran with the popular clique in high school. You know, cheerleader, prom queen, et cetera, et cetera. I dated the popular guys. I was unique among that group in that I excelled academically, especially in science and math. During our orientation week at the U, I met Betsy(We both have the formal name, Elizabeth.) and we fell in love. Since then we have been living together.”

“That’s such a lovely story. I am happy for you.”

“Thank you. I’d like you to come to our house and meet her.”

...

“That was a tough class today. We have no classes this afternoon. Why don’t you come for lunch at our house, and we can work on the project. It will also give me a chance to introduce you to Betsy.”

“I’d love to. I can’t believe that you’re asking me and I’m actually accepting.”

“I’ll call Betsy, and give her a heads up.”

...

As we were walking to her home, she said, “I have to warn you. I don’t know what Betsy will be wearing. I hope something. We both are pretty casual at home about what we are wearing or not wearing.”

“Oh, my god.” I started to hyperventilate.

“Please don’t freak out on me now. Control yourself!”