Different Kind of Love

Chapter 6 The Rumour

"You're not lesbian?" I gasped and Ember and Marionette nodded.  I assumed Marionette knew this already because she had a sullen face and was sitting quietly.  

"You bet I'm not!" Ember started, "In Grade Seven there was a rumour, started by Dinah, that I was lesbian.  I don't know where she gets these things, but it got online, too."

"It wasn't pretty." Marionette added.

"Soon, with all the horrible things that the websites and the other kids said about gays and lesbians, I didn't have any friends.  Except for Marionette."  Marionette beamed proudly at Ember's remark.

"I just don't understand why Dinah thought lesbians and gays are treated so badly!  Why is it a bad thing if you're lesbian, gay, transgender, bisexual?  Any of those are as good as a girl loving a boy!" Ember cried out, "I'm not a lesbian or any of those, but I support them.  Really, I do."

"There must be some mistake." I said, mouth full of vanilla cupcake, "Was there another Dinah in Grade Seven, too?  Dinah Colby wouldn't do that.  No, not at all."

I looked at Marionette pleadingly, but she just shook her head.  "No," she said, sadly, "Dinah started the rumour."

I was really panicky now.  Could I not trust my only group of friends because Dinah was one of them and had started the rumour?  I rested my head in between my elbows.  "Oh, shoot." I said quietly, "Shoot, shoot."

"I'm sorry, Megan." Marionette said.

"I know, it's not your fault, or Ember's." I said blankly.  I turned to Ember, who was fiddling with a piece of hair, "Ember," I started, "I'm sorry that I said those things about you.  I know you might not be able to forgive me, but I'm sorry."  I copied some phrases from a Teen Magazine I read with tips on how to apologize.

"You got that from a magazine, didn't you?" Ember asked, cracking a grin.  I guess she reads Teen Magazine as well.  I nodded, smiling too.  "Uh, um yeah." I said dumbly.

"That's okay, I forgive you!" Ember said, giggling a little bit.

"And I'm sorry about your friend." Marionette said.

I just nodded at that.  Again.  Even though Ember forgave me.  Even though Marionette was sorry that I now knew Dinah started the rumour.  Even after all of that, I still had a sick feeling in my stomach.  And even cupcakes wouldn't help.

We all walked with each other home.  Ember's house came first- a southern-colonial style  house with navy blue shutters and lights dangling from the roof over her porch.  I saw an orange and white tabby cat which Ember said was named Peaches. Even though we got to Ember's house first, she still insisted on walking with us and walking by herself back when we were done.  My house came next.  I was a bit worried that Marionette and Ember may not like it because it wasn't that big, but they loved it!  They kept commenting on how "quaint" it was and how it had a nice garden (Mom's garden is her pride and joy).  Marionette's house, though, could make a million houses go to shame!  It was like that dream mansion I've always wanted, with sun bricks and tan stone perfectly matching, two towers coming out of it, and did I hear laughing and splashing in their backyard?  Guess what, they have a pool.  They even had a gate at the front of the driveway, making their entrances really dramatic.  After introducing everyone's homes, we exchanged phone numbers and emails, so we could keep in contact, and promised to see each other the next day.  When I walked back home, though, all I could think of was:  Ember is not bad.  Why would Dinah think that?  Ember is not bad, Ember is not bad.

"Would you still love me if I were lesbian?" I looked around the dinner table at Mom, Kaelyn and Dylan, who stopped dead eating their salmon and Greek salad and a side of chickpea salad, and stared at me.  "What's lesbian?" Dylan asked, the oblivious dope.

"It's when girls like other girls.  Same as gays.  Boys who like other boys." Kaelyn explained, "Gross!"

"It's not gross!" I protested, "Lesbians and gays are still norm!  It's not like they have purple skin or something."  I rolled my eyes at my sister.

"Or they don't have an eye growing on top of their head, like this!" Dylan placed her fork upright on her head, holding it straight with her hand, giggling at her not-so funny joke.

"Dlyan." Mom warned, but then calmed down.  "Girls," she said briskly, "Megan has brought up a very awkward topic.  Lesbians and gays are not okay because-"

"Why not?" I interrupted, "Two girls in my grade say gays, transgendered, bisexuals- all of the people who are those are fine and don't deserve to be treated differently."

"Please wait until I'm done, Megan." Mom scolded gently, "Those people have never really been accepted in society, in my opinion, because they are different.  Imagine, being in love with another girl, ladies.  They don't need to be treated above everyone else because they are those types of lovers and stuff.  Girl loving boy is normal.  Girl loving girl is not.  Understood?"

"Yes." I sighed.  I ate my dinner in a weird silence after that.  Why are gays, transgenders, bisexuals, lesbians all treated poorly?  Why are they bad assets to towns and things?  They're not good or bad, like any of us when you get right down to it.  They're just...human.  They just have different kinds of love.

Little did I know the last phrase I thought just there would be the start of a course of life changing events that determine the fate of those around me.