Effeminate Within

Chapter Seven

Chapter 7

"ABOUT LANCE," YVONNE said as she gulped the ginseng tea that Stephanie had given me from her last vacation in Korea. "Have you seen him around?"

"What? I just got here yesternight."

"Yes, I know. And I also know that your room is just across his."

"I saw the light open at their patio, but I haven't seen him."

"Do you still have that feeling for him?"

"That was just a crush and it was part of middle-school things. I didn't take it seriously. I left them behind and almost forgotten it, actually, just until now when you mentioned it." Lance knew that I had a crush on him, and he knew that I was gay, though I didn't tell him exactly the word. The Girls teased me whenever he tutored me our math lessons at school break under the maple tree. My memory flashed back when Lance always got annoyed by the falling leaves and sometimes took metaphor of them for girls who were dying to get his attention.

"Ah, huh... You seem too loyal to Greg, perhaps?" Why was everyone telling that? They seemed like they knew more about Greg and me when I didn't even tell anyone about our kiss.

"Yvonne, there's Greg and I but there is no US."

She quieted herself and gave me a questioning frown.

She never failed of telling me the latest news in the village, in the school and everywhere I was far concern. There were these boys back in our elementary days that used to bully every small, weak, quiet, nerd or anyone who looked very vulnerable. One of them, Ranz, who was one of my cute classmates died during a fraternity hazing. I kind of pitied him even he had been nothing but bad to me every time he saw me entering the room, heads down and sitting quietly. He spat at my bag once and stole my money. I had not told mom any of it because I didn't want to put myself in a bigger trouble. I didn't want his gang call me 'momma's boy' when they saw me at hallways. I told myself that I would remain quiet and let them as long as I could still contain it. I was just thankful because humans had this stage in their life called 'Puberty'. At least on the high school, I had not experienced any bullying anymore.

"Mrs. Madrid, would you allow me if I ask Nic in a date right now at the town square?" Yvonne joked as mom prepared the meal at the kitchen.

Mom chuckled, "Sure, Yvonne, but be back for lunch."

Yvonne pulled me up, but I just rolled my eyes to her. "What are you doing? Let's go or we'll be late for our date."

"I'll change shirts. You don't want your date look like a hobo, do you?"

The entire village was shining white with snows capped roofs of each house. There were few people walking, mostly children and teens like us. Houses were decorated with Santa Clauses and candy canes and Christmas socks and mistletoes. Red and Green were widespread during Christmas season which was why my scarf was colored likewise.

The town square was crammed with merchants, souvenirs for the tourists and coffee restaurants were waving their buy-one-take-one tags and Christmas cut-off promos.

"Don't tell me you're going to invite me over to drink a coffee." I said.

"Actually, that's what I am thinking."

"Yvonne we just drank tea! My gosh, please."

"Come on, girl, I'm just kidding."

"So where are you exactly taking me?"

"Shut your mouth up. I don't want anyone even the rest of the girls to know about this. This is just a secret for until we can keep it. Okay?" She hissed.