A Touch of Sunshine (gxg)

Part 7

I kept waiting all weekend for my mother and father to approach me saying they heard I was hooking up with a girl.

By Sunday night, however, I had not been approached by them. Valerie must have not said anything. But I knew I was going to have to speak to her at school in private.

Of all people to see me as well.

I was nervous that on Monday when I got to school, everyone would be whispering about me. I would be ostracized. Homosexuality is not uncommon in my country, but for the Duchess to be gay...it was unheard of.

However, when I got to school on Monday- Ellie came up to me as usual, and nothing was different. I was still waiting for the other shoe to drop though.

When I got to Chemistry class, my first one with Valerie, all she did was smirk when she saw me. She now knew my deepest, darkest secret. I felt sick to my stomach about it. I needed to talk to her.

I couldn't go up to her during lunch though. It would be too obvious. She always had people following her around and I couldn't get the attention of everyone. Who knows, she might go ahead and blurt it out in front of all of her friends.

I decided that I would write her a note, telling her to meet me in a spot on campus and somehow pass it to her without anyone else noticing during my second class of the day with her. I wasn't sure how I was going to do this, but I would try.

I got my perfect opportunity in Women's Studies. Our professor paired us off into groups of four to work on a project together- and as Valerie walked past me to go to her desk, I forced the note into her palm, checking to see if anyone was looking. When I turned and looked at her, she glared at me. But I saw her open up the note and read it.

I wrote: Meet me in the spot you found me on Friday at 4 PM. We need to talk.

I figured behind the trees would be a spot where no one could find us talking.

After my last class I said goodbye to Ellie, acting like I was walking to the front of the campus as she walked back to her room. But when she wasn't looking, I made a detour to the phone booth, called Stephan, and told him to pick me up an hour late. It was now 3:45, and I had to walk across campus. I kept my head down as I walked, hoping no one would notice or talk to me.

I reached the trees where Valerie had found Abel and I just days before. I wasn't sure if it was the exact tree, but it was close enough.

I had no idea if she was even going to show up. I wasn't expecting her to.

I stood and waited- and looked at my watch. It was 3:59 PM.

I then heard footsteps walking toward me. I looked up to see Valerie, her hands in her skirt pockets, walking toward me. Her expression was unreadable.

I leaned against the tree and she stood in front of me.

"Thank you for meeting me." I said, "I wasn't sure if you were going to."

"I am assuming this is about what I saw on Friday night?" she asked me.

"Of course it is. Please- do not tell anyone. I know we don't like each other. I know our families have history. But Valerie, I am begging you. You cannot say a word about what you saw." I spoke with sincerity, hoping the message would get across to her.

She raised an eyebrow, "I never thought Duchess Lucy would be begging me for a favor."

"Valerie, please." I said, "You can't say a word."

"And why should I do you any favors?" Valerie crossed her arms, "A chance to take the royal family down? Expose a dark secret? I should jump on it, my family would be upset with me if I didn't. I think I just might."