Chapter 16
"We spent all night together at the party. She asked me to go to the cinema a few days later that's when she told me she was gay." I say. "I'd never admitted it to anyone but, there was something about her. I felt like I could trust her. I told her that I thought I might be gay." I add. "What happened?" Cheryl asks. "We started dating when I was fifteen." I say with a smile as I place the photo frame on my knee. "I'd still not told my parents I was gay when we started dating. I daren't. Lauren encouraged me to tell them, she was with me when I finally had the courage to tell my mum." I mumble. I zone out as I think back to the night I finally told her.
"Lauren, I can't." I mumble as I pace up and down my bedroom. "Kimberley." She says as she steps in front of me, preventing me from pacing. "Take a deep breath." She whispers as she places her hands on my waist. I do as she says, taking a deep breath in before exhaling slowly. "What if she's reacts badly?" I whisper. "Can I tell you something without you reacting badly?" She asks. "Err, yeah." I reply as I raise my eyebrows. "Sit down." She says as she pulls me down onto the bed beside her. "I think she knows." She whispers. "What?" I gasp. "When I spoke to you at Sally's party, don't think I didn't want to because I did, but Sally had asked me to. She said she had her suspicions and wanted you to know you weren't on your own." She says slowly. "She asked you to speak to me?" I whisper. "Yeah, at college that day. Honestly, i'd already decided I wanted to talk to you." She replies as she wraps an arm around my waist. "Plus, we've spent the last six months glued together, even more so in the last two months. I think that might look a bit suspicious." She laughs. "That's true. Do they know you're gay?" I ask. "Yeah, they've known for over a year." She replies. "I think i'm ready." I whisper. She pulls me up off of the bed and wraps her arms around my waist. "It'll be okay." She whispers before fusing our lips together.
"Mum, can I talk to you?" I mumble as I shuffle into the living room, followed closely by Lauren. "Of course darling, what's wrong?" She asks as she pats the sofa beside her. "Nothings wrong as such." I say as I hesitantly sit beside her. Lauren sits on the opposite sofa and flashes me a reassuring smile. "Mum, I, it's just, I." I stutter. "Kimberley, love, what is it?" She asks. "Mum... i'm gay." I blurt out. You could hear a pin drop, it's that quiet. I glance over at Lauren who simply smiles at me. "Are you sure?" My mum asks. I look at her and nod. "I'm sure Mum." I whisper. "Well, i'm glad you told me." She smiles. I let go of the breath i've been holding and smile. "You mean, it's okay?" I ask. "Of course love, if that's who you are then that's who you are." She smiles. "Mum, there's one more thing." I say. "What is it love?" She asks. I look at Lauren who smiles and nods at me. I take a deep breath before saying "Me and Lauren we're, we're together Mum." I say quickly. "Is that okay?" I add. "Are you happy?" She asks. "Yeah." I reply. "Are you happy Lauren?" She asks. "Yes." Lauren says with a smile. "Well then, it's completely fine." She says as she hugs me.
"I'm proud of you." Lauren says with a smile as we lay together on my bed. "I feel better now she knows." I say. "I knew you would." She smiles. "Thank you." I whisper. "For what?" She laughs. "I wouldn't have done that if it wasn't for you."
"Kimberley?" I'm pulled from my thoughts by Cheryl's voice. "Sorry. My mind was somewhere else." I say. "It's okay." She says as I drop my head onto her shoulder. "I fell in love with her so quickly." I mumble. "A matter of months." I add. "Someone at Lauren's college found out about us when we'd been together about five months, passed it round my school. I was bullied by everyone." I say. "Badly?" Cheryl asks. "They defaced my locker with every single word for lesbian they could think off." I laugh dryly. "That's horrendous. How can children be so cruel?" Cheryl mutters. "I still remember the first time she told me she loved me." I say, more thinking aloud than actually talking to Cheryl. "It was one of the most special nights of my life." I add in a whisper.
