The Five Stages of Gayness

Chapter Seven - Grace

ADRIEL

Chapter Seven

I stood on the creaky porch, my knuckles hovering in front of the door. What was I doing here, anyway? It was a stupid idea to come and see her. I'd left school in a hurry, taking my truck down the highway to her tiny house several miles outside Clint. It had been on an impulse, just a stupid fucking need to talk to someone. I was pathetic.

I slowly lowered my open hand, regretting my decision. I was ready to turn around and go home. I didn't come all this way for nothing, though. But I just couldn't...

Fag.

The single word filled me with such anger that I rapped my knuckles against the door with tremendous force. I shook out my bleeding hand, wincing at the sharp stinging. I may have had splinters in there.

I could hear the rustle and crash of someone hurry around inside. The noise lasted a few seconds before the door was brusquely yanked open. Standing in the doorway was a dark-haired woman with several piercings on her eyebrows, nose, lips and ears. She wore very heavy black eyeliner and purple lipstick. The only clothing on her torso was a blood red bra that revealed the tattoos all along her abdomen, back, and arms. Her jeans were unbuttoned and falling off as if she had pulled them up in a hurry. Her eyes were wild and unfocused.

Fucking shit.

"Fuck off!" She yelled. "I'm kinda in the middle of..." Her voice caught. "Adriel?"

I nodded. She motioned inside, stepping back to let me in.

"Excuse the mess," she apologized, indicating the living room.

There were books stacked haphazardly all over the floor and furniture. There were multiple newspapers scribbled on with red Sharpie. On top of all these things were electric wires attached to all manner of computer or electronic device. The whole place smelled like cigarette smoke from all the smoking she did inside. The whole place was a fire waiting to happen. It contrasted wildly with my family's spotless little house.

A brunette wearing only a black bra and black underwear, her pupils dilated, wandered out of the kitchen holding up a blue dildo.

"Hey Grace, I found the-" She jumped, seeing me for the first time. "Jesus fuck, Grace! You didn't tell me that you let a guy in when I was gone?" She squinted as recognition dawned. "Adriel?" She asked slowly.

Grace nodded tersely.

"Diana was just leaving," she said forcefully in the other girl's direction.

"I was?" She asked, confused. Understanding dawned. "Oh yeah, right. I go grocery shopping in my underwear all the time. Not like we were having sex or anything..." She said with a wave of her hand. Diana grabbed some clothes off a lamp. "See ya."

"But that's my-" We heard the slam of a door. "...Shirt." finished Grace. She turned to me. "This better be good. Do you have any idea what I just passed up for you? Now my girlfriend's mad at me on top of it. So just say it before she comes back with poison to slip in my dinner."

I scrathed the back of my neck awkwardly.

"Listen, I'm sorry." I said simply.

She knew that I wasn't just apolgizing for the inconvenience that I'd caused her earlier. I was sorry for everything.

"It's been two years, Ree." She began, her voice choking up a little when she used my old nickname. "You had two years to come see me. You just had to pick up the phone. Yet you haven't spoken to me since..."

"Since you came out. I know. And I'm standing here to tell you I'm sorry."

She shook her head.

"I'm afraid sorry just doesn't cut it. Not this time. You were the only person person I told, Ree. You were my best friend, and you betrayed me. You told everyone. They chased me out of Clint, they tried to burn the evil demon who'd been masquerading as a woman all this time. My own parents proclaimed that I wasn't their little Gracie anymore. Do you know how much that hurts?" She said forcefully, tears springing to her eyes.