The weekend turned out to be one long, complicated game. Kim and Gwen teased and tortured each other relentlessly, enjoying every moment of the game to its fullest. It was more fulfilling and much more healthy than what Kim had been doing with boys for years, and she decided she wanted to stay with Gwen as long as possible.

            Before they parted to go back to their own houses on Sunday night, Kim told Gwen that. Gwen had smiled softly and told her they could do this every weekend so long as Kim would be seen in public with her as well. Kim was fine with that.

            Alexandra was not. The second she found out where Kim had been all weekend and that she was planning to date Gwen openly, Alix started screaming at her and asking her why the fuck she was being so bloody stupid.

            “You bloody well confuse me, you know. Never forget that you set me up with her. So I like her, so I’ll be seen in public with her, so bloody what? I think I might even love her.”

            “No. No, you don’t believe in that word. You’ve run away screaming from that word. You’re going to get hurt. You don’t know what you’re getting into.”

            “You’re the one who tossed me into it.”

            “What if Jennifer doesn’t want to be in a band with a lezzie?”

            “Well, we’ll ask her. She’s gonna’ be over any time. I’ve gotta’ talk to you two ‘bout stage names, but I guess I can put that off a while.”

            “What’s wrong with good ol’ fashioned given names?”

            “Quit being such a bitch, Alix. It’s just a fun l’il thing t’ get into the mood of the band.”

            “Fine.”

            “Fine,” Kim mouthed, mocking Alix with a mopey look. That caused Alix to attack her, and mindless wrestling eventually led to an end-all be-all tickling match. They were screaming so loud with laughter and indignation that they didn’t hear the door opening and Jennifer walking in.

            “Dare I ask?” were her first words, which made Kim and Alix (both red-faced and still laughing) pull away from each other.

            “She was bein’ a bitch an’ she deserved to pay,” Kim said so matter-of-factly that she promptly burst into a fit of giggles as soon as the words were out of her mouth.

            “Ah. Well, as long as you two aren’t dating or anything.”

            Alix gave Kim a sidelong glance, then focused back on Jennifer. “Why? Don’t like lezzies?”

            “Nah, I just don’t think it’s smart t’ have dating goin’ on in a band. If the relationship breaks off, the band’ll more likely than not follow.”

            “No worries. I’d never even have nightmares about datin’ Alix, the thought is so bloody unappealing.” That comment got Kim shoved forcefully over the arm of the couch and onto the floor. “Ouch,” she muttered.

            “So, what was the meeting t’night called for?” Jennifer took a seat in the big fluffy chair across from the couch.

            “We need to talk stage names.” Kim picked herself up off the floor and perched on the arm of the couch.

            “Well, we need to talk getting the rest of the band together, but it seems that Kim’s priority today is names.” Alexandra shrugged.

            “Names are important, though. I understand.” Jennifer leaned forward in the chair. “Names can make or break a band.”

            “Exactly. I was talking to Gwen about names, and she figured out some great ones. First, mine. I’m gonna’ be Kim Kissably.”

            Alix laughed. “What the bloody hell possessed Gwen to call you that?”

            “I’m kissably good, apparently. I’m not going to contradict her if she wants to call me that.”

            “What Gwen are you talking about? I know this goth one. She goes to my brother’s school. Gwen Tolden, or sumthin’.” Jennifer thought for a while. “Yeah, Tolden.”

            “That’s the one I know. We’re currently goin’ t’gether. She’s got some awesome clothes and a body to go with, huh?”

            “Oh, hell yeah.”

            “Look, I don’t want to break up the Gwen Tolden fan club, but we’ve got this discussing names thing to do.” Alix had a dark look on her face.

            “I swear, she’s jealous.” Kim shook her head. “Anyway, I was thinkin’ Alix could be Elke Fairness. Elke’s a pet name for Alexandra. Input, please?”

            “I guess it’s cool.” The newly-named Elke shrugged. “I could live with it.”

            “Very well then, Elke.”

            “What about me? Got a cool name for me?”

            “Well, we ran across Geneveve Hardly.”

            “Why Hardly?”

            “Oh, y’know. It’s like ‘Mary, Mary, quite contrary.’ You’re a bitch, therefore--”

            “We’re all bitches.”

            “Exactly.”

            “So what say we make that our band name?” Elke asked. “The Bitches, or something equally as self-explanatory.”

            “Self-explanatory is boring. It’s evident. Well, no shit, Sherlock, but... I wanna’ think we’re a bit more creative than that.” Kim made a face.

            “Fine, we’ll make a band name later. Can we talk actually getting more band mates, huh? Without more people, we’re just three bitches driving each other insane.”

            “And Elke’s in a bad mood today,” Geneveve observed.

            “I’m just pissed that Kim was the one who pushed this band idea so much, and now all she can think of is her precious Gwen. Gwen, the wonderful bloody goth lesbian who’s way more important than any o’ Kim’s old friends.”

            “Look, what’s your problem, huh? I’m happy. You’re jus’ not used to that, but it’ll sink in eventually. You can’t want me to be miserable my entire life, can ya’?”

            “I can want anything I bloody well please.”

            “Alix, don’t do this to me.”

            “I’m Elke now, remember? As per Gwen the Amazing’s instructions. So from now on, I won’t respond to Alix, as your goddess has named me else wise.”

            Kim got off the couch, not sure if she wanted to start pacing, stalk out of the room, or go punch ‘Elke’s’ face in.

            “Uh, girls, I don’t wanna’ get in the middle of your fight, but Al -- ... Elke has a point about getting s’more recruits for our band. It’s a pretty sad sight, y’know, with two guitarists and a front girl.”

            “Since you’re the new chick, I say you have a go at gettin’ us someone else.” Elke was still staring at Kim, but she moved her head slightly towards Geneveve.

            “What? I ... that’s not fair! I hate people!”

            “Comes with being a bitch,” Kim muttered. “We all hate people, deary, but we also all want a band. Find people like you, and we’ll all get along with no more hostility than I get from my very own dear best friend.” She narrowed her eyes. “I’d prefer left-wingers, though. And femi-nazis.”

            “How does left-wing and femi-nazi go together?” Geneveve looked confused.

            “I, personally, believe in communal living; giving all you’ve got so everyone’s well off. But anything with a prick shouldn’t be part of the utopia I want to live in. They all deserve to die, after they’ve been as hurt, broken and humiliated as every woman in the bloody fucked up history of this world. I won’t be satisfied until the casualties of the witch burnings have been turned around and that many men are taken out for no reason. I won’t be satisfied until Eve is forgiven and Adam is blamed instead for Original Sin. I won’t be satisfied until there are as many female political leaders as there are male, and I’m not even considering Margaret Thatcher to have ever counted towards that ratio.”

            “Don’t like her?”

            “Right-wing fascist bitch.”

            “Awright, then. I think I’ll leave you two to whatever fight you were about to get into, and I’ll try to be back with another band mate within ... could you give me some leeway with this? It might be tough.”

            “A month, or I will personally kill you.”

            “I guess I can work with that, then.” Geneveve left so Kim and Elke could get back to screaming at each other. Kim didn’t even know why Elke was being like she was, she couldn’t understand a word out of her mouth or why she reacted to Gwen in such a rabidly violent way.

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