November 27, 1989
Dear Jane,
In my life so far, I've learned I can't handle many things. I can't handle bad movies, I can't handle loud eaters, I can't handle Winona Ryder's accent, but most of all, I can't handle being away from you. I know your family hates me... and that mine hates you. My mother told me I'm sick, that I need to get help. She told me she's going to send me off to an all-girls reform school in Sweden. As much as that won't help me because I'm not sick, but she plans to surround me, a girl who likes girls, with a bunch of other girls who like girls. How do I explain to her that it's like giving a drug addict a pipe and a lighter?
Maybe last year I would've reveled in the idiocy of her plan, but not now. Now, I don't want other girls. I want you. But I'm so lost as to what to do. My mother plans to keep me locked in my room until she ships me off. I don't even know how I'm going to get this to you...
If I never see you again, know I love you. I'll never forget you.
Love, Carla
Panic ached in Jane's chest. The letter had been written a week before, and yet she was only now receiving it and it was sparking so many questions in her head. Sweden? Is she still here? She's almost 18, is this legal?
"Is she still home?" Jane demanded, looking at Carla's older brother, Ken, who was a gracious assistant in their love affair. He was a great man, covering for them when he could purely because he wanted his sister to have happiness. Though, when their parents had discovered what was going on, hell had broken loose and there was absolutely nothing to cover for any longer. Now he was a messenger.
"She is. She gave this to me when I brought her dinner last night. Mom plans to send her off tomorrow." He informed her, despair taking over her tall body.
"Tomorrow?"
"I'm sorry, Jane, I tried. Mom said if I kept fighting her on it, she'd kick me out." He reasoned. Jane couldn't be angry with him, he was as brilliant a helper one could have when it came to secret love affairs. "It's ridiculous. It's the late 80s, you'd think it wouldn't matter. Love is love, right?"
"Ken, it's the 80s in southern Mississippi. Love is only love if it's boring." Jane said simply before thanking him, allowing him to be on his way to work.
Jane sat down on her front porch, thinking as hard as she possibly could about what she was going to do. There was no way in hell she was going to allow Carla to be shipped off, it wasn't an option. She had to do something, she just didn't know what, especially with both of their parents being adamant they go nowhere near each other.
Originally, their parents had adored the girls' friendship and how close they happened to be. They had met in sixth grade and instantly became best friends. Through the years, they had only gotten closer and closer. Jane wasn't sure when Carla felt more for her than just friendship, but Jane could pinpoint the day. It was on her 16th birthday when Carla had spent the entire day by her side, staying over the night before just so she could wake her up at midnight and wish her a happy birthday. There was something about the sweetness of waking to Carla's lovely voice singing Happy Birthday and ending it with a loving hug that had propelled Jane to realize she didn't see herself not being with Carla. She loved her.
It took Jane an entire year to grow the courage to say anything about it, only deciding to after Carla's date to the school dance had stood her up and taking another girl. She was so crushed; the only thing Jane could even think of to try and assist her heartbreak was to heal it with lengthy hug and a chaste kiss on the cheek. Only, Carla had moved to look at her at the exact moment she went to do so, ending up in an awkward kiss that had both girls stunned. Before either one could even think to apologize for the mishap, it seemed to happen again. Only this time it was on purpose.
