EJ

Chapter 11: telling Eva

"You're bullshitting me."

"I'll show the evidence if you want."

"Oh, you'll show me the evidence alright, Jodie my love . . . shit, this is bloody amazing. I thought I had become a lesbian . . . maybe I have."

Eva was looking at me with big eyes while I was worrying desperately about how she would respond to my revelation.

"Oh, you sneaky bitch (my heart sank). Nobody knows, do they? Bloody hell, you're just like a girl, a lovely gorgeous chick, wow (heart back up a bit)."

She continued looking at me, then smiled a little devilishly, "Hey, let's kiss."

My, my, my, our first kiss and what a wonderful kiss it was.

"You know, my sweet Jodes, the more I think about it, the more I like it. Oh yes, yes, babe, this is good, so fucking good."

My heart was soaring. With glowing eyes, I asked a little shyly, "Are we in love?"

"Absolutely, definitely, completely," Eva declared emphatically just before her mouth closed over mine again.

When Mouse and Dory came back to the dorm, we told them that we would be sleeping together from now on.

The Mouse grinned and replied rather matter-of-factly, "The others think you are already. EJ is considered to be an item by everybody."

Eva and I looked at each other and laughed. We should have known.

At the mid-sem break, we both went home to acquaint our parents of the 'new situation'.

The end of the year. Eva and I arranged for our parents to pick us up at the same time; we wanted to talk to them jointly. We were standing out the front in our uniforms with our cases waiting.

Dad got there first, gave me a big hug and met my beloved Eva.

"Mr Kent," Eva asked, "we were hoping that you would allow Jodie to come and stay with us for a bit during the holidays.

Dad looked at me then back to Eva, putting on a serious face, "Well, I'm not sure, Eva. There are the lawns to be mowed, the cooking, cleaning and all that pruning; the spare room needs . . ."

I'd not seen my father in such a silly mood for years. I began punching him in the shoulder, "Stop it, Dad, stop it."

He laughed. "Eva, of course she can. In fact, I was going to ask your Mum if she could look after my lovely daughter for a couple of weeks straight after Christmas. It's a bit of an ask . . ."

"Mr Kent, we'd love to."

"Your Mum won't mind?"

An amused snort, "My mother thinks Jodie is a saint."

The person in question arrived.

Nerida and Brody were immediately on first name terms and quickly onto the same wavelength. We went to the bistro in the pub at the small shopping centre a few K's down the road from the Wessex.

Eva and I didn't know what to do about next year.

Nerida had already told Eva that she didn't have to return to Wessex next year if she didn't want to, and Dad had said the same to me.

We didn't know what to do about our futures: Eva's potential professional sports career and my music career. Wessex wasn't the best for either. But . . .

And I wasn't sure what to do about my gender status, because I now wanted that to be a joint decision.

They told us to go and explore the shops; they were going to have a parent talk.

When we got back, our parents were laughing and smiling at each other (hey, what are you doing, this is serious). "Okay, sit down you two."

Nerida: "Eva, I thought just in case, I would enrol you in Dukes College for next year. They have a very strong sports program with links to professional teams."

Dad: "Jodie, I took a chance and enrolled you in the City Music Academy for next year."

"You can still see each other on most weekends and holidays."

"It's your choice, you can both stay at the Wessex if you wish."

Eva and I looked at each other and wailed comically, "We'll be apart all week."

Our respective parents glanced at each other and smirked (come on, you've only known each other for a couple of hours). In unison, "Welcome to the real world, kiddies."