Down South(incomplete) gxg 18+ (girlxgirl)

Prologue

"I gotta go Ro, but I'll see you after third period.", says 17 year old Tracey Simpson. She's known 18 year old, Rose "Ro" Givens since the sixth grade. They definitely had to warm up to each other, though. In fact it was so bad, they honestly couldn't stand each other for years. The only reason they were around each other was because their moms were close friends. Initially the girls' felt their personalities were way too similar.

Both are strong willed, extremely driven and used to being the center of attention. They are best friends now. But they didn't become tight knit until tragedies brought them and their families even closer together. The walls closed in on both girls right around the ages of 15 and 16. Both Tracy's older brother and father were murdered by the Ku Klux Klan. Tracy's brother was accused of whistling at a white girl on his way home from school.

As you can imagine the girl's father, brother and uncles didn't take to that very well. Tracy and her mom were in the city. While Jack and Jonathan Simpson were being tortured and hung. Rose was hit with sadness that year when she lost both of her parents to a drunk driver. All of Rose's grandparents were dead and gone. Rose's  parents were similar to her in the sense they were both only children.

So with Rose's parents being gone, Rose was set to become a ward of the state. Tracey's mom Paula was not about to let that happen to her best friend's only child. Everything was like a domino effect type of thing. Or maybe better put a snowball effect. Either way sadness and grief enveloped both girls at the same time. And from that pain their bond only grew and grew.

They are now in their final year at James B. Dudley high school in Greensboro. Neither plan on going far from home. In fact both are staying in their hometown and going to Bennett College, a local all girls HBCU. Tracey will be studying chemistry there and has set her mind on being a doctor. Her mother's heart disease and diabetes played a major part in her decision.

Rose will be studying political science and has set her heart on being a civil rights lawyer. Between Tracey's brother's and father's murders and seeing someone like Mr. Thurgood Marshall, Rose felt that was her best path in life. South Carolina is all they know so they feel most comfortable staying here. Both girls want to double major in Africana Women's Studies. Also neither want to be far from Paula. Her health has taken a turn for the worse and without the girls she would be left alone to raise a young child by herself.

Both Tracey and Ro stay with Paula and Tracey's two year old brother Chris. Paula was pregnant with Chris when everything happened. They all stay in the house Tracey's dad built. The memories are the main reason Tracey wants to stay in a dorm on campus. She's tried for years to get her mother to move. But Paula was insistent on staying and wouldn't budge. Tracey figures if she moves she'll still be close enough to her mom to check on her daily. But she also will get away from they daily reminders of her father and brother hence avoiding remembering the way they died. Ro said she'd move with her if that is what she truly wanted.

While Rose is sitting in class her mind wanders into a daydream. She is and has always been an excellent student. But she's also very creative. So that means inspiration can come and go whenever it wants. She gets a vision. Rose's creative outlets are to paint and draw. So when she gets a vision in her mind (like she is now) Rose likes to doodle. She doodles often. Her mind just wandered to a place no one knows it often wanders. It wandered to thoughts of her muse. She's never understood why Tracey brought out the most creativity in her but she does.

Tracey on the other hand is technically the more practical of the two friends. But she also has lately gained the problem of daydreaming. And her dreams are also mostly about her best friend too. She has never seen Ro as a sister type or anything, but she knows she does love her and their bond. Whenever she is having a bad day and just needs to clear her head, she knows no matter what's going on Ro will be there for her regardless.

But now Tracey is not only catching herself thinking of her friend more, she's caught herself watching her get dressed or looking at Ro's breast and behind. Until Ro, Tracey hadn't looked at any other person like that. Guy or girl. Ro has had boyfriends. Tracey never has. Ro would describe what it was like to kiss a boy and Tracey never sat and thought that was something she wanted.

It didn't even sound appealing. She's never understood what Ro liked about guys. They were hairy and they stank. She hasn't found one she's like yet. Ro knows Tracey likes girls but is waiting for her to come to her own realization. She's read books on lesbians and gays before. In fact two of the best novels she ever read were queer novels. Giovanni's room by James Baldwin and Spring Fire by Vin Packer.

Honestly Ro never told Tracey about those books because she was confused and embarrassed that she secretly felt a connection to a lot of the feelings being discussed in those books. Ro is hoping maybe college might help her friend figure things out. Tracey is often sad and has become more reclusive and aloof from all of their friends. She has never minded being there for Tracey but she also has never known Tracey to not be the life of the party.

Tracey is the funniest, smartest person Ro has  ever known. She honestly just wishes Tracey would see those qualities in herself. Ro is also hoping college can help her figure things out about herself as well. So honestly college couldn't come fast enough for either. Their care for one another has been strong for years now, practically making them inseparable.

Tracey has been there during some of Rose's darkest hours and vice versa. Rose knows things about Tracey that not another single soul knows and vice versa. Yet neither has put two and two together. And as close as they believe their lives are now. The next chapters in their lives will show they actually have had no idea how much closer and connected they truly are or can be.

I hope you're enjoying the book. If you like what you just read please feel free to comment and/or vote.