Average Jane |Lesbian Story|

Chapter 19

On the morning of the science fair, Jane's father loaded both girls' project displays into the back of his van, and Jane hunted frantically on the floor of her closet for a blazer. She definitely owned at least one. She hated having to ask her mom to find it, but her dad was already in the van, honking his horn.

"Mom! Have you seen my blazer anywhere?"

Jane's mother didn't show any expression on her face as she took the blazer off the hanger at the rear of her closet and handed it to her. But once she had put it on, her mom gave her a hug.

"I can't help it," she said. "You and Caroline both look so gorgeous today. I'm so proud of both of you."

The blazer idea had been Caroline's idea. "That's another thing," she had told Jane the night before. "Personal appearance. The judges love it if you dress smart."

Jane didn't wear heels and a tie like Caroline, but she had tied her hair up neatly and she had to admit that she looked pretty nice in her blazer and blouse.

She went down to the van. Caroline was already there. She looked like Hermione Granger in the sixth or seventh movies.

At school, Jane's dad helped them carry their displays into the gym.

"Good luck, my big girls," he said gruffly and then hurried off to his first roofing job of the morning.

Jane swallowed hard. She had entered the science fair every year, but this was the first year she had cared about winning. It was embarrassing having her parents see that she cared. And between her carefully constructed display and neatly tied hair, this year everybody at school was going to know that Jane Waleski cared.

Jane thought about taking off her blazer and putting it back on after lunch when the fair would be open for judging. But it was cold, so she decided to keep it on, at least through science class.

But when Emily saw her in homeroom, Emily looked so betrayed that Jane turned away. Losers don't dress smart.

Emily hadn't said it out loud, but she might as well have.

Ms. Anderson was dressed up, too, in a new blue dress that had kind of an olden-days look to it. She looked nervous herself as she greeted the class at the start of the first period.

Then Jane saw Lucy. She wore a grayish knitted sweater over a white shirt and also a red tie. Her wild hair was pinned back. She looked like Hermione Granger in the first movie.

When Lucy turned and saw Jane, she didn't look away for a good few seconds, and then she blushed.

"Today is our big day," Ms. Anderson said. "I know all of you have worked very hard. You have produced some truly outstanding projects."

Jane flushed. She felt as if Ms. Anderson were talking directly to her. Though maybe Emily thought she was talking directly to her, too.

"I hope that some of you will have the satisfaction of having your projects chosen to go on to the regional science fair. As you know, three projects will be chosen for each grade. But more important, I hope that your participations in this year's science fair has taught you something about the excitement of conducting your own scientific research."

Ms. Anderson brushed back a strand of hair that had escaped from the rest.

"This is our last week together," she said softly.

Jane's heart tightened as if Ms. Anderson had clamped a vise around it. She had known from the start that Ms. Anderson was going to be at her school for a short time, but she couldn't believe that the time had passed so quickly. She couldn't imagine what school – or life – would be like without Grace Anderson.