When two new kids are introduced to Pembrooke High School, Rose finds herself falling in love. With both of them? As Rose tears herself between what seems like two entirely different people, dealing with her sexual identity, and all the other fun as...
Winter break passed as if it hadn't even existed. Panic! was my only friend, as I sat there in the dark screeching the lyrics until my voice was hoarse, and my lungs were screaming. I can't wait to see my friends again, I can't wait to see her again, hell, I was dying. I guess I didn't bother to think if she was even gonna show up.
I panicked this morning, what should I even wear? God I'm so deep in it I can't even see straight. Mom called me down this morning by way of screaming; "GET YOUR GAY ASS DOWN HERE ROSE OR I'M TAKING BETSY TO WORK!!!"
Well shit.
I threw on a black sweater, some black ripped jeans, and a plaid corset with a white shirt. Not my best, but I mean, I always look meh so...
(This is what it would sort of look like, but you can use your imagination)
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
I rushed downstairs, tripping as I put on my combat boots, grabbing my bag and running out the door. I threw my bag into the bed of my truck and climbed into the drivers seat. It was then I got a text from, yes, from Reggie.
Reggie: can u pick me up? I'm wearing flats and I don't want to walk, lol
Me: yeah, where do u live?
Reggie: u kno where
Me: tru
Reggie: hurry I'm cold
Me: immmmmm cominggggggggggggg
Deep breaths Rose. Deep. Fucking. BREATHS.
TO HELL WITH IT.
I slam on the gas and zip over to her house, just to see her standing there in a floral skirt and fishnets, and flats? She said flats. Those are not flats. Those are FUCKING PLATFORM BOOTS. Well she certainly knows how to make an entrance. She climbs into the car like a butterfly carefully maneuvering her wings around a nail.
"Your friends will think we are dating." She says.
I choke, very literally, on my saliva. "That's fine, I-I guess..." I mumble in response.
She laughs, and proceeds to plug in her phone and blast her music, Panic! just like me. It also matches what my brain is doing. Panicking. I've had too much of that today. Nothing I can do, though.
We sing along to Mona Lisa and Victorious the whole way to school, where I make a point of helping her out of the truck. Damn her skirt is short. I may have imagined it, but when I put my hand on the small of her back, I thought I saw a blush rise to her cheeks. I probably did. I grab my backpack from my car and walk in with her, as if nothing just happened.
"Do you take a language?" I ask.
"French and German, actually." She replies, looking down.
"Damn you're smart and pretty." That only makes her blush more, and a bunch of fluff rises to my brain. "Let's go find Sam and Lexi, they probably spent the whole break doing it so they should come in together."
"Wait, isn't that Sam?"
We go over to her, and see Sam sitting alone, Lexi nowhere to be found.
"What happened? Where is Lexi, Sam?" We both asked.
"She's mad at me. We didn't do anything over winter break because I was in Florida, and I got back two days ago and I didn't tell her."
"Did you apologize?"
"Of course!"
"Do you want us to talk to her and figure out why she is upset?"
"If it wouldn't be too much trouble?"
"Of course not!"
And so, our first day back is a quest for answers.
The bell rings, jarring us from our contemplative state. We rush to class, Reggie splits off to AP German while I head to English which I fortunately have with Lexi. I grab her outside the hall.
"Hey, we need to talk," I say.
"Is this about Sam?" She asks, eyes red from crying.
"This is about you, Lexi." I walk inside.
"Miss Wilkins? May I use the restroom?" I say. Lexi takes this as her cue to do the same.
"Um... me to-"
"Just go girls, work it out." Our teacher sighs impatiently. "The homework is an essay due next week about a problem you have faced! I expect you back before the bell to collect your winter break report cards!"
We rush out of the classroom.
Once we are safely away from prying ears in the hallway I decide to gently start my interrogation.
"What's wrong?" I ask.
"I thought... I thought Sam didn't like me anymore, which is why she went to Florida. I know, I KNOW it sounds silly, but before winter break I got a text from her that wasn't for me saying "So excited for a break! Lets hit the parks Ray!" And she never told me who Ray was or what happened. So I thought she cheated on me. And I'm mad at myself for having such little faith in her, and I just missed her so much, that I called her and she answered it accidentally and I heard her laughing with this guy and she was talking about how much she loved hanging out with him and I-I, I just didn't know what to think." She took a deep breath and wiped some stray tears.
Woah. Sam would NEVER cheat! "Maybe it was a cousin? Or a friend of her parents son? I don't know? Have you asked her who it was?"
"Yes, she said swore she wasn't cheating, but that if she told me who she was with it would betray that persons confidence."
"That doesn't sound bad though!" I seriously doubted that Sam would cheat, I saw how much she loved Lex, but this mystery person was beginning to catch my attention.
"Lexi!!" We turn and see Sam walking toward us. With Reggie?
"Please I can explain, Rose you have to stay here please. Come on Lex."
