Tunnel Vision

Chapter One - My BFF The Lesbo

-Emilie's POV-

Arizona had one type of weather - hot.

Not one day passed while you weren't trying to fight a heatstroke, or even worse, keep your hair silky and not a lion's mane from the humidity.

Through the blasting heat and burning sun, somehow Loraine and I manage to keep cool as we speed over the highway through Thunderbird and into Phoenix where we go to school.

Sure, there's a closer high school in Peoria, but Phoenix has a great record of academic achievement, and we would rather go somewhere more institutional.

"Put it down!" Loraine yells over "Closer" by the Chainsmokers which is blasting through the speakers.

I put my red polished forefinger over the top down button and the car's roof slides down opening us to the dry air and heat.

"Now that's more like it!" Loraine yells as our music makes other drivers turn their attention to us.

We're the kind of girls you would normally see throwing or crashing a party, drinking since 16 without managing to get ourselves caught, and getting kicked out of high school.

We normally make heads turn but not in a stuck up manor, we're actually just loud and outgoing.

Pretty popular not to brag.

I smile as I hear Loraine sing off key to the lyrics and enjoy the wind tugging at my light brown hair, pulling strands of it out of my messy bun.

"In the backseat of your rover! That I know you can't afford! Bite that tattoo on your shoulder!" I start to sing along happily, also while trying to keep my eyes on the road.

The school comes into view so I slow down and turn the radio on a more quiet setting as I take the exit into the town.

"Ugh, I'm so not excited to sit for an hour in Crookshank's class while listening to him rant on about his weekly Sunday trip to the library." Loraine grunts as she slumps her body against the door, her red hair flying loose in the breeze.

"Listen, it's probably not going to take that long, he said he wanted to start the new chapter this week." I say reassuringly as I focus my eyes onto the street signs.

"'This week', well his week officially starts on Tuesday because I don't think there was one Monday he didn't shut up about 'Finnegan's Wake'" I laugh as I turn my attention to Loraine while she rolls her amethyst eyes in a perfect circle before turning her attention to her phone.

The school grows nearer and nearer until I finally put my car on park and walk out into the boiling hot temperature.

"God what is it? 104?" I ask as i see Loraine slowly get out of the car and cross her arms.
"Don't know don't care, let's just go before we fry."

We speed walk into the school and meet up with Darren and Justice, who were both gawking at guys.
"What about him?" Justice asks as a short boy with curly hair and a muscle tee walks by, carrying a backpack on one shoulder.
"Too 'thinks he's buff'." Darren rejects and watches as another guy, this one with shoulder length blonde hair and a plaid shirt walks by with a stack of books in his hand.
"Too 'see you in bed'." Justice rejects this one too and they both burst out in laughs.

Darren came out of the closet back in ninth grade after dating Hailey Corpin, it really gave her a bad reputation and she only had one other boyfriend after him before moving to Flagstaff.

"Find anyone you like?" I ask them as we take our usual seats at the table we claimed back in freshman year.
"We can ask you the same thing." Darren asks me with a smirk.
"What?" I ask as I start to feel self conscious around my friends.
"Yeah maybe we should start looking at the girls for you." Justice says while playfully hitting my arm.
"Guys stop, I already told you I'm not looking to date." My face creeps up with red and I look down hiding my embarrassment.
"There's nothing wrong with liking the same gender, you shouldn't hide your sexuality." Darren tells me while patting me on the shoulder.
"Listen I know that! I'm not lesbian I just don't like anyone that's all!" Anger soon replaces embarrassment as I'm sick of them always trying to hook me up with someone.

A silence replaces our normal chatter and we listen to the rest of the cafeteria laugh and talk away, my outburst keeping us quiet.

The bell rings and we head to our classes, me not wanting to talk to any of them, and them, scared to talk to me.

I'm not a lesbian! I like guys! I do! Just none of the guys here.

Hey guys! This is a new teen romance book I'm starting and I hope you like it so far, I'll be trying to keep steady updates on it like I am the other and I hope you can enjoy it! Love you!

-Milana ❤️💋