Riding the Twister, Jane C [ebook voice reader TXT] 📗

Chapter 1    

 It was a dreary Monday morning when I woke up. My alarm rang at 630, rudely awakening me from my sleep. I groaned and flung my arm out and fumbled around until my hand slapped the snooze button for five more minutes of much desired sleep. My name is Jessica and I am 16 years old, and attend Grace High School. I am in the twelfth grade, nearing the end of my senior year.    

 I live with my family in a little town in Alabama. I live with my parents, my twin brother, Michael, and my older sister, Heather. Heather is 19 and is in her Freshman year of college. I miss Heather very much, but at the same time I am grateful that I mgot the room we had once shared to myself.    

 I finally stretched and stumbled out of bed, going to the bathroom and walking back to my room to choose the outfit I was going to wear that day. I could hear Michael next door getting ready as well. I walked down the stairs and I heard my parents' voices in the kitchen. My mom is a bank accountant and my father taught at the local elementary school. Both had to be out of the house by 7 every morning to be at work by 8.      

"Jessica, just so you know, we won't be home until 7 or 8," my mother said. "Your father and I are going into town tonight for the meeting and a late dinner."      

"Got it, Mom." I smiled to myself. I was thrilled, because this meant I could spend some quality alone time with my girlfriend, Haley. Michael wouldn't bother us, he'd be in his room most of the time. No one in the family knew we were together. I am afraid of what my parents would think of having a lesbian daughter. Growing up in a small town was difficult sometimes. Everyone knew each other, and we all knew each other's business. My mom and Dad had raised my siblings and I Catholic, and the religion is not very open to gay and lesbian relationships. I had just recently started looking into an Episcopal church near where I live. I have heard it is extremely welcoming there and that the priest was also gay. I was trying to get the courage to visit there soon. I could only imagine how nice it must be to be completely out and accepted with not only friends and family, but also fit the lifestyle into your religion. Being Catholic, I constantly tried to fight my being lesbian due to the unwelcoming feeling the Catholic church portrayed towards gays.    

 Anyway, I am sure my parents would not take me being lesbian well, so the relationship stayed secret. I didn't trust Marina and Michael to keep a secret like that from our parents, so they didn't know either. Same was for Haley and her family.      

Michael came bounding down the stairs, grabbed his back pack and told me to move it if I wanted a ride with him to school. Saying goodbye to our parents, Michael started out the door. I scooped up my backpack,said goodbye to both parents, and ran out the door.    

 Michael and I started the ride to school. On the way we started talking about our friends. For some reason, Michael chose that car ride to ask me about Haley. I didn't realize that he had noticed I have been spending an increasing amount of time with her, and less time with my other friends. "Why don't you spend any more time with Maggie?" Michael asked me. "You seem to be spending a lot of time with Haley. Any reason?"      

I eyed my brother, "I hang out with other friends too, not just Haley." That was sorta the truth. I did hang out with my other friends-before and after school, and during lunch. Just not the weekends anymore as much those were mostly spent alone with Haley, unless there was a big party going on or something like that.  

   There must have been something in my voice, because Michael dropped the subject. "Well, I'm going to go right home after school, so Haley can ride home with us. I have a test I have to study for that's tomorrow."    

 "Thanks, Michael! We will stay out of your way!" I was surprised at my brother's genuine offer and his desire to study, so I decided to continue with the friendly conversation that beat the usual silence of our morning commute to school. "You're going to the prom Friday night with Regina?  

   "Yup, and looking forward to it!" The car turned into the school's parking lot. Michael parked, and we walked into the building, separating into different groups of friends. The morning went on pretty much the way it usually did....honors Calc, chemistry, and lunch. It was after lunch at my locker when things started to go wrong. I had just slipped Haley a note into the back pocket of the jeans I wished Haley wore every day, as they perfectly outlined her lower half, and we shared a hug.      

We had Honors English together (as well as Spanish, which was our last class of the day)so we usually spent at least half the period writing notes back and forth. A friendly note before class generally got the ball rolling. A quick glance from both Haley and I around the seemingly-empty hallway lead us to believe that we could enjoy a moment to kiss.      

Unfortunately, two other twelfth grade students walked around the corner amisdt our kiss. Both boys were friends of Michael and their names were Tyler and Chris. I didnt hear them until Tyler let out a wolf whistle and high fived his friend, Chris. We stopped suddenly, both turning towards the guys, fear in our eyes because we were just caught. Chris's eyes widened in shock when he realized it was me who was kissing Haley. He let out a low whistle and eyed his friend Tyler whose mouth was hanging open.      

Before the four of us could utter a word, the bell rang for classes to be let out. Out of a room walked Michael, and his two friends pulled him aside. I ran up to the trio, saying, "Guys, please don't say anything. It wasn't what you think."

But to no avail, Michael was told that they had just seen me kissing Haley. I saw shock and disbelief in Michael's eyes, but I ran down the hallway with Haley right behind me. I heard Michael yelling my name, but I didn't stop until I had reached the English room upstairs. Out of breath, I plopped myself into my chair, cursing myself silently. Now what was I going to do?      

"What did you mean, it's not what it looks like?" Haley demanded, sitting down at her usual spot, next to me.      "Look, Haley, I am sorry. I got scared. I didn't mean it. I mean, my brother just found out about us, damnit! Besides, what if it was someone in your family that Tyler and Chris just outted us to? How would you feel? If my parents find out..."      

But, at that moment the bell rang again, signaling that class was about to start, and in walked Ms. Ryan. The rest of Honors Haley and I sat, vigorously writing back and forth to one another, passing the note back and forth when Ms. Ryan wasn't looking. By the end of English, I had been able to pacify Haley, and we both decided if Michael was still willingto drive her over to my and Michael's that they would talk to Michael and convince him not to tell any family members or friends. However, even though we had a sneaking suspicion, we both came to the conclusion that most of the kids in the high school would find out, since Tyler was one of the biggest gossipers that we knew. It is funny to me that out of the group of people I know and hangout with, a guy is much more gossipier then any of my women friends. Well, except for maybe one or two! We decided to stick together and defend ourselves on whatever outcome happened.      

Finally, the bell rang ending class. The class gathered their books, and headed out the door. One of my best friends, Maggie, ran up to me in the crowded hallway. "It is not true is it?", Maggie asked me, suspiciously eyeing Haley next to me.    

 I decided to play dumb just in case this wasn't about the kiss, although there was a sinking feeling of nausea entering the pit of my stomach. "Is what true?" I asked my friend innocently.      

"That you are a dyke! That you and Haley are girlfriends!" Maggie exclaimed. Sulmutaneously, Haley and I winced at the word 'dyke', and we eyed one another.    

 "Who told you that?" Haley asked Maggie.    

"It is all over the school! Apparently, Chris and Taylor caught you guys kissing one another. It isn't true, is it? Because, that would be totally gross and unnatural!"    

 "Shit, shit, shit", I muttered. I was in shock that my kiss with Haley had gotten around the school so quickly. Then again, I probably should have known that it wouldn't have taken too long to get around when a guy like Tyler was the one whom had spread the story.      

"What did you say?" At that point, we had walked downstairs, and into Spanish, the last class of the day.      I took a deep breath, reached behind me to grasp my girlfriend's hand for reassurance before I answered Maggie. I gritted my teeth and in an unsteady voice I informed Maggie that no, I was not a dyke, but yes, Haley and I were girlfriends. At that point Spanish started, relieving me the difficulty of answering any more questions. I sighed and put my head in my hands, not paying attention to class, but praying for the bell to ring so that Haley and I could meet Michael and head home. It had been a long day, and I still had to talk to Michael. I knew there was no way around that.      

Finally, the bell ended and the last class of the day was over. I scribbled my homework in my notebook, and turned to Haley. "Let's get out of here. Thank God school is over. I told Michael we'd meet him in the parking lot."    

 I ignored Maggie's pestering voice and Haley and I headed to our lockers to get our books. We blended pretty well in the over crowded hallway until once again we reached our lockers. Both mine and Haley's friends were waiting for us, I guess to hear first hand wether or not the rumor was true. About three friends were there, but Haley and I told them we would call or text them later, and escaped to the high school parking lot. Michael was already at the car when we got there.      

Haley sat in the back seat of the car while Michael and I were in the front. Haley was so nervous about the upcoming conversation that she didn't talk, but she kept on swinging her leg back and forth, making her foot hit the front seat of the car. I knew she was nervous, but I was the one who had to smooth things over with Michael, not her!