The new girl - Elmax

Chapter 33 : Questions

The party and Jane were in Health class. The teacher was talking about having a good life hygiene with a regular physical activity and healthy meals. The party was on the right of the class while Jane was near the window, at the back with Troy, four rows in front of her. She was uncomfortable because she was feeling people's eyes looking at her and wondering what happened to her. She spent the class looking at her desk and trying to calm herself. The period was at more than his half when Clara intervened with a question :

- "I'm sorry, it has nothing to do with that. In fact, I have a question for someone in the class."

- "Well, it's not really the place for your personal question," Mr. Mark told.

- "It's important, I, I don't know a better place to ask it," the brunette insisted.

- "Fine, go on."

Clara, who was on the right of the class, in front of Max and Beverly, turned to the opposite angle of the room.

- "How...how did you know you liked girls?" Clara shyly asked.

Jane, surprised by the question, didn't dare to look up. She knew Clara was asking this to her and thought some people were going to laugh or mock her, but the room was quiet, like if they were all interested.

- "Um...I don't know...it happened, like that," Jane answered, giving quick looks to the class.

- "And...was it hard?"

- "It's still hard..."

- "But, when your family learned about it, did you have problem?"

- "Well, as my sister is my only family, it was okay."

- "And—"

- "How many questions do you have?" Mr. Mark cut.

- "Sorry, I didn't want to...I stop," Clara apologized.

- "It's okay, I think it's interesting, go on."

- "Um, ok. How is it? With a girl?" the brunette shyly continued.

- "How is what?" Jane asked.

- "You know..."

- "Sex? (Clara nods) It...depends of the partner. Why do you want to know all of this?" Jane mumbled, embarrassed to be at the center of the attention.

- "Because, no one else did. They didn't even try to understand you. I mean, those who hurt you, not your friends...(looks down and gulps) I tried to ask you all of this, in the toilets, but you were angry and you thought I was going to mock you like everyone else, and I can't blame you for that...and I think, other girls and boys are like you, and talking about it could help them to accept it."

Jane nodded.

- "Um, did you ever have a girlfriend?"

- "Yes."

- "How many?"

- "Uh...(rubs her face) officialy two but technically one."

- "What!?" a guy in the room frowned.

- "The first one wasn't gay, it was for fun at first, but she didn't dare to tell me she wasn't really in love with me. We still had good moments," Jane explained.

- "Were you? In love?" Clara continued.

- "With her? Kinda..."

- "And with the second one?"

- "Yeah, I was," Jane said with a sad voice.

- "Why did you break up?"

- "We didn't..."

Max felt a pinch in her heart. Was Jane still with her girlfriend and didn't tell anyone? She couldn't believe it and she didn't want to.

- "She...She is dead..." Jane confessed with difficulties feeling the tears coming and her throat tightening.

Max was now feeling stupid. It was selfish to think about herself while Jane was sharing hard stories about herself. And, at these words, the entire class remained silent, their faces faded, waiting for her to continue.

- "How?" Troy softly asked.

Jane looked at the class in the corner of her eyes and all seemed interested by this story. She didn't know if she could tell them, if she was able to tell them. She took a deep breath and began:

- "We...we were walking in the street, doing nothing special. It was her birthday, so we went to the mall to do some shopping. She loved doing shopping, I never understood why she always wanted me to come with her because I hate doing shopping. But it was her birthday, so I made an effort. Anyway, when we were going to my apartment, a group of teens of our school followed us and blocked us in the street where I was living."

She took a moment to calm herself and wipe her face before continuing with her wet eyes :

- "They...they were nine...They separated each other to beat us...I tried, the best I could to fight them but...they were too much...She, she was screaming and crying, no one came to help us...she looked at me like a last goodbye, like if she knew...and when they were done...(sniffs) they raped her...and forced me to watch..."

All the class was dazed, even the teacher seemed shocked. Jane tried to wipe her tears which were flowing without stopping.

- "If my sister hadn't intervened I would be dead too..."

Max's face paled. She couldn't imagine her life without Jane now and just the idea made her dizzy. She understood better her reaction after the kiss, she was terrified to live that again and it was more than understable.

- "What was her name?" Beverly asked.

- "Loren..." Jane sniffed, still looking at her desk.

Troy stood and slowly walked to Jane. He stopped behind her and wrapped his arms around the girl, putting his head on her right shoulder. The girl cried more, hiding her face in his left arm.

- "Class is over. You can leave," Mr. Mark told as shocked as his students.

They all stood to leave, letting Jane with Troy in the class. The party met outside, watching at each other with wet eyes, still in shock. They didn't say anything, unable to find the right words. They thought Jane would probably want to be alone and preferred letting her with Troy.

A bit later after their last period, Dustin was walking in the halls to a particular room. The halls were almost empty, majority of the teens on the fields, at the library, at the mall, or at their homes. On his way, he saw Jane, sitting against her locker and looking at a picture. He felt his heart breaking more and couldn't let her like that. He slowly approached her and, when she noticed him, he tried to smile to her. Her eyes were puffy and red, with some tears under. They stared at each other a moment, not knowing what to say. But Dustin thought that she probably didn't want to talk, so he just held out his hand to her.

Jane frowned, not understanding what he wanted, but grabbed it anyway. He helped her to stand and the two friends walked in the halls. They arrived at a room with computers and robots. Jane knew there was a Robotics Club, but she never knew where it was. Dustin explained her he had a project and showed her his robot while explaining how he was working. Even if Jane didn't understand a thing of what he was saying, she enjoyed the moment, changing her mind. She could even try his robot.

Even if he hadn't seen her smiling, he knew she was feeling good in this room. They were alone, a bit isolated from the school life, allowing the girl to empty her hurt mind.