I crash into a seat next to Willow and cross my arms. Willow raises an eyebrow and places her book down, carefully shutting it and setting it aside.
- What happened? she asks.
I sigh and start digging through my lunchbox - which was half empty.
- I don't know what's going on between me and Zoey. We've been, well seeing each other a lot and even - kissing but I'm wondering if we'll ever become something more.
- Kissing? Willow says, looking intrigued.
I can feel my face turn a little red.
- Yes but even then, I definitely like her but i don't know if she likes me back.
- But you guys have been kissing?
- She says she needs time to think about it, to think about us being together.
- Well then why don't you give it to her? Give her the time she needs.
I toss my lunchbox over to the side and place both of my elbows on the table and my palms against my face.
- I do, i definitely want to but i guess I'm just eager to see if I'll ever be more than just the girl she kisses to her eyes.
***
The bell rings and I rush over to my locker, only to find Zoey turning to see me. She smiles and walks over to me.
- Hi
- Hey, i force yet another smile.
Zoey reaches her hand out to me, it seems like fireworks flicker and fly around us as our skin touches. Her eyes look up to me.
- Do you want to -
Right. Zoey doesent even have to finish her sentence because I already know what she means.
Suddenly, the whole fit I had earlier in the cafeteria with Willow - everything that has been going on recently shifts away, like all the negativity in the air runs off and leaves me alone in the room with the girl I'm in love with. It feels like its just us in the world, there's no one else, no one at all.
I smile and guide Zoey across the hall, holding her hand tightly. We find an empty art class and enter, closing the door behind us, pushing past shelfs stocked up withs paints and paintbrushes before Zoey gently backs up into a wall as I kiss her, her hands sliding across my neck to my shoulders and then my waist.
I kiss her for a few more seconds before pulling away, meeting her dark eyes and soft smile.
- I need to talk to y-
Footsteps approach us and the girl who confronted me in the bathrooms a few days ago appears - Dana.
She stops and stands in front of us, her arms crossed with shock splattered across her face, accompanied by a grin.
Zoey quickly pulls away and walks away from me, going up to Dana.
- Dana, what are you doi-
- I could be asking you the same thing, I knew there was something going on between you too. One thing I didn't know though is that you were a lesbian Zoey, that's a real shocker.
- I'm not a -
I step in front of Zoey.
- Zoey is not a lesbian.
Dana laughs and throws her short brown hair out of her face.
- Then what might you call this whole thing? I know its been going on for a while; First at the Halloween party and now here?
Zoey looks down, rubbing on of her arms with the other nervously, i can tell she's uncomfortable.
- Dana, just stay out of it this is none of your busi- I try to say before being cut off.
- Stay out of it? That's an impossible task, ill make sure the whole school knows because people here need to know the kind of girl they're befriending - the gay sort of one.
"There is some sort of drama going on here though" Dana continues. "I don't know what is it but you've both got some sort of gay relationship problems you need to sort out, don't you?"
Zoey snaps, she freezes for a second before running out of the room - shutting the door behind her. Once she disappears from the art class, the energy in the room becomes dark and too much to handle. Being alone and around Dana feels like she's judging everything about me, like i shrink when I'm with her and she stands above me with that hideous grin of hers. I haven't known Dana or any of her friends for very long but I certainly know how uncomfortable they make me feel.
- It was fun running into you guys but I've got to go - I don't want to catch some sort of gay germ.
Dana walks out and slams the door behind her; leaving me alone in the room, still shocked from what happened since it all occurred so fast.
I take a moment to breathe, to piece myself together but a thought strikes me.
Zoey.
I anxiously storm out of the room to find her, I need to make sure she's okay.
YOU ARE READING
Outside the lines
Romance"Outside of the lines" is a short story about the exploration of identity and sexuality, represented by two characters who fall in love, Zoey Patterson, an 18 year old cheerleader attending Westfield Academy and her opposite, Rowan Sinclair, a flun...
