Average Jane |Lesbian Story|

Chapter 24

In English class the next Monday, Ms. Reeds assigned another book report. Jane was sitting anxiously at her desk for some reason she hadn't known.

Then the teacher said, with her usual big smile, "Boys and girls, I want to share some exciting news with you. Lucy told me after class yesterday that one of her poems, 'Snow Bird', has won the first prize in the national writing contest!"

Ms. Reeds led the class in applause. Jane sat frozen like a block of ice. If she could take back only one minute in her life, it would be the minute when she had agreed to go along with the evil scheme. Or maybe the minute when she had told Lucy about it.

Jane glanced fearfully at Lucy. She wasn't crying, but there was something in her face that was more terrible than tears.

"And," Ms. Reeds went on, not seeming to notice Lucy's reaction to the first announcement, "I just found out that this same poem has won another prize! When Jane gave it to me last week, I nominated it for a poetry prize sponsored by the Young Readers Forum, and I got a letter in the mail today saying that it was one of only four poems in the state to be selected for publication!"

At first, Lucy's face didn't change. She looked like she didn't even understand what was being said to her. Then Jane saw a wild hope flicker in her eyes as she gradually let herself believe that it was true. Surely, Ms. Reeds wouldn't prank her favorite student, would she?

Ms. Reeds led the class in another round of applause. This time, Jane clapped louder than anyone. She saw that Charlie was clapping, too. Only Jonas and Mary weren't clapping. So Lucy had the last laugh. Her poems were good enough to be published and win a prize after all!

Jane hadn't been prouder of anyone than of Lucy.

After class, Jane waited for Lucy in the hall. She didn't think Lucy would talk to her, and Jane wouldn't blame her if she didn't. But Jane was going to try to make things right with her, anyway.

"Hey, Lucy." Jane walked up to her. She stopped walking and looked back at Jane. "I...I just wanted to say that I think it's really great, about your prize...your other prize, I mean. I really do. And I really truly am sorry about – about the other prize. I felt bad about it right from the start, and I kept trying to tell you, really did, but I – just couldn't."

Lucy didn't say anything.

Jane plunged on desperately.

"And, Lucy, I really do like you." Jane couldn't believe she was saying this, but as soon as she said it, she realized how true it was. "I – I'm glad you're my Peer-Teaching partner in math."

For a moment, Lucy didn't speak. But then her face finally melted into a smile, though there was a mischievous sparkle in her blue eyes. Jane had never noticed how blue they were and how they lit up her whole freckled face.

"It's all right, Jane," she said. "I still like you. I still like you a lot!"

Jane never would've guessed that she would be so relieved to find out that Lucy Adams still liked her a lot. And she wouldn't mind the many poems Lucy was going to write about her anymore.

Right now, Jane was just extremely and utterly relieved and happy, and as their eyes met, their hearts looked at each other through them.

For the first time, Jane no longer cared if anyone had seen her with Lucy Adams. In fact, she even took pride in being with Lucy, the talented, smart and gentle girl she came to like more than she thought she could.

To her own surprise, Jane leaned forward and pecked Lucy on the lips.

Lucy's eyes widened. Her cheeks burned like a red cherry. Jane was almost worried that she had upset the girl, but then a lovely smile formed Lucy's face, and she threw her arms around Jane's neck with a sweet laughter that made Jane's heart sing like a bird in the morning sky.

And their lips met again.

~*~

At home, for the first time in months, Jane measured herself again. She had grown a whole inch! But that wasn't all. She had gotten three As on her report card. She had done a great science project, even if it hadn't won. She had read all 422 pages of A Tale of Two Cites. She had lost her best friend and gotten her back again. She had loved. She had been loved.

Jane had been trying all year to prove to the world that life was unfair. But right now life didn't seem unfair. It seemed wonderful.

She heard Caroline at the front door.

"Hey," she said as her sister came into the kitchen.

"Hey yourself," Caroline said.

"There's a message on the board. Mom's going to be late. Parent-teacher conferences. Mr. and Mrs. Brown."

"Should we fix something for dinner?"

"Sure," Jane said. "How about we try another cake?"

Caroline shook her head admiringly. "You don't give up, do you?"

"Nope," Jane said. She started flipping through a cookbook. "This time let's make one that's edible. Like – here's one that sounds good – double-tier raspberry cake."

Caroline draped her jacket over the back of a kitchen chair. Jane tied on her dad's big apron and felt as if she was ready to conquer the world.

"Let's do it," she said.