Stuck in the 50s (girlxgirl)

Peachy Keen or Great

Lunch was awkward to say the least.

Brooklyn didn't seem to think so, and neither did Lillian. Both were chatterboxes in different ways. Brooklyn was the confident, hearty kind of chatterbox, while Lillian was a bit of a gossip, fillin' the new student in on everything.

I just sat there, wanting to say something. Brooklyn kept glancing at me, probably wonderin' if I had selective mutism or something.

When lunch was finally over Lillian said goodbye and skipped off in that way of hers.

Brooklyn turned to me. "Do you wanna come over after school today?"

I was completely shocked and caught off guard by the question. "Uh-um-er..." I stuttered, trying to collect myself. This girl made me do things I didn't normally do. Sure I was shy, but I never stuttered like that.

Her cheeks flushed uncharacteristically. Her skin was dark and I wouldn't have been able to tell if I hadn't been paying such close attention.

I decided she was lucky. When I blushed my pale skin showed it off like a fire truck. There was no hidin' it.

"You don't have to it's just..." She looked down and then back up again, her lovely, lovely eyes staring into mine. "I really like you. And you're really pretty."

Now it was my turn to blush and like I said, there was no hiding it. But it wouldn't have mattered because I could tell she was paying just as much attention to me as I was to her.

But now I was confused. Normally girls told other girls they were pretty, that was fine. But the way she said it was somehow different. It was tentative and soft, yet implied something that I couldn't quite place. "Thanks." I said. "I'll have to ask my mom I can do that now."

I quickly pulled out my phone and sent my mom a quick text.

Can I go to a friend's house after school? -Carolina

Who's house? -Mom

She's new. Her name is Brooklyn. -Carolina

Sure, sweetie. Just make sure to head home before dark. Love you. -Mom

I will. Love you too. -Carolina

I turned back to Brooklyn. "I can!" I didn't know why, but I suddenly didn't feel shy with her anymore. I felt like I could tell her anything and everything and I would get no judgment.

"Great!" She cheered, grinning her amazing grin.

"By the way..." I said. "You're beautiful." Then I turned quickly and raced down the hall.

Brooklyn's house was the biggest one in the town. The old man who had lived there had recently died. He was a strange recluse and no one really knew him, which was very odd. But now Brooklyn lived there and I liked her a lot better.

I looked around her room. It was a bed and a bunch of boxes waitin' to be unpacked and there were a bunch of those little paint samples that you get down at the Hardware store stuck to the wall.

She walked in with a tray of cookies and two glasses of milk and smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry. I haven't really started unpacking yet except for my clothes." She gestured to the closet.

I smiled back. "That's okay."

Suddenly Brooklyn began to pace. "Look I wanna be forward with you and tell you everything now because I've made the mistake of not doing that before and it didn't end well."

My brow furrowed and I stared at her. "Okay...?"

"Your town is... kinda homophobic right?"

"I... I guess." I gulped. Where was this going? I had never really thought of it before but I had heard a few people say negative things about gay people. But for the most part it just made them uncomfortable. No one really talked about it. Ever.

"Well before we get close..." She looked up and blushed slightly. "Assuming that we do... I wanna tell you something to make sure you're okay with it."

I had a feeling I knew where this was goin'. "Alright. What is it?"

"I'm a lesbian."

I nodded slowly, unsure of what to say. I had known those words were coming but when she said them I got a strange little tingle for some reason.

Brooklyn looked at me carefully. "Is... is that okay? With you? If it's not then this... isn't... we can't hang out."

I had no idea what to say. My parents always avoided topics like this so I didn't know much about it or what their views on it were. I was pretty sure they didn't like it though, at least a little because one time there was a gay couple on TV and my father had cleared his throat, turned beat red, and changed the channel. My mother made little frettin' noises in the back of her throat and fluttered her hands around, not knowing what to do. It seemed as though both wanted to scream at me to shield my eyes or something.

"Carolina?" The raven-haired girl asked slowly, stuffing her hands in the back pockets of her shorts nervously. "Please say something. I need to know."

Sighing, I looked up at her and stared into those shiny mocha eyes of hers. I could get lost in them. No! Focus! I scolded myself. "I... I mean I don't know because... my parents have never really talked to me about it."

Brooklyn sighed and lifted her hands and shrugged her shoulders. "Well I'm not asking what they think. I'm asking what you think, Carolina. What's your opinion?"

My own opinion. What was it like havin' an opinion? I didn't really know to be honest. I mean I guess it didn't really matter to me. If a girl loved another girl or a boy loved another boy why would it be so wrong? I shrugged. "Well... I've never really thought about it but... yeah... it seems fine to me."

Brooklyn smiled and stepped closer to me so that we were mere inches apart. She was a couple inches shorter than me but her confidence made her seem so much taller. "Well good because... I really, really like you."

I could feel her breath on my face. It smelled like peppermint and I inhaled deeply. It was intoxicating. "I really like you too." I tried to smile but all I could do was close my eyes and breathe in peppermint again.

"I know this is like super first grade..." She whispered.

Why was she whispering? It was making it so hard to focus especially when I already had the distraction of peppermint and those eyes.

"But... Do you wanna be best friends?"

"Lillian is my best friend." I blurted out, shocked at how forward she was being.

Brooklyn blushed fiercely. "I'm sorry..." She shook her head. "Sorry. That was probably a really stupid thing to say, wasn't it?" She chuckled a bit.

I stared at her for a minute, unable to keep from smiling. "No... I can have more than one best friend. Let's be best friends. I'd like that." I couldn't believe how not-shy I was actin'. And I didn't understand the feelings I was having in my stomach. It was like butterflies or elephants. She made me so happy and I had only known her for a couple hours.

"Great." Brooklyn cranked up that amazing 1000-watt smile of hers and suddenly I felt her wrap her arms around me.

I stiffened, but then relaxed and hugged her back. I leaned my head on her shoulder, wondering if that was too much. I was even more confused now. What was up with me? When I met new friends I didn't usually feel this way. What was this feelin' that was takin' over my stomach and head and heart and flowin' down to my toes and fingertips? It was all I could feel and see and hear. And all I could smell was peppermint. I was in a cocoon of peppermint and strange feelin's and I didn't know what was happenin'.

The shorter girl pulled back, smile still in place. "Wanna eat the cookies now?" She chuckled.

I nodded. "Sure."

She turned around and I felt my eyes travelin' down to her butt. I shook myself. What the heck was I doin'? The feeling was stronger and even though she was on the other side of the room, so was the smell.

Who was this girl and why was she makin' me feel this way? I didn't know. But I did know that I liked it.

AN: I KISSED A GIRL AND I LIKED I-IT! LOL. Hey guys I hope you like this chapter! Remember to comment, vote, and share! Love ya!

-G. Schreiber