f Hariss: "Just take a seat anywhere Mr. Carpenter."
Turns out Gabriel would be taking Chemistry with us this year after all. He gave the class the once over, and when he saw Josh and me sitting in the back row, to the left, he made a beeline for us.
Gabriel: "Hey..."
The classic adolescent greeting.
Josh: "Hey man. Didn't know you were into Chem."
Gabriel: "Yeah, it's actually my all time favorite...and judging by how eager you two were to come in here early, for notes, I'm assuming..."
"Hate it!"
Josh: "Yech!"
Gabriel: "Right...well. I missed the last few weeks so, can I borrow your notes and stuff? To catch up?"
Josh: "No problem."
Hariss: "It's nice to see that you're settling down so well Mr. Carpenter, now would you care to join us for the lesson?"
Gabriel: "Uh...yeah...sorry."
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Stacy and Vanessa were walking down the hallway, heading to their Biology class. Catching up and girl talking along the way. It had been ages since they last had been able to, but now it was hardly noticeable even. It seemed like they had just picked up where they had left off.
Victoria: "So, what do you think of Gabriel?"
Stacy: "I-"
Victoria: "You like him don't you?! Knew you would. Damn, aren't I like the perfect matchmaker?"
Stacy: "But I didn't say anything!"
Victoria: "You don't have to...think I don't see how you drool when you see him? Hahaha!"
Stacy: "I don't drool...I just.."
Victoria: "It's either that...or you're waaay overdue for your rabies booster."
Stacy: "Since we're playing this game, why don't you let me hook you up with someone?"
Victoria: "Not a chance!"
Stacy: "Why the Hell not?"
Victoria: "You don't have enough good taste..."
Stacy: "Well I do like Gabriel don't I?"
Victoria: "Aha! Confession...I knew that was the reason you ran over to my house to borrow my clothes."
Stacy: "Fine you got it out of me...I like your cousin. There, you can die happy."
Victoria: "I can tell he really likes you too."
Stacy: "Really? How, how?"
She was sounding a little too eager, almost desperate, but what the Hell?! She was! Desperate to find out any and everything she could about him.
Victoria: "Well, last night, I woke up, hot and thirsty. Had a hell of a dream too! Jude Law and Hayden Christensen were in it and we were all in this log cabin up in Canada and-"
Stacy: "Vickie! You can relive your sex dreams some other time...get to the point."
Victoria: "Which is...what again?"
Stacy sighed in exasperation.
Stacy: "You told me that Gabriel was into me and you were going to tell me how you knew."
Victoria: "Oh...right. Well I got up all hot and thirsty from sleep and decided to head on downstairs to the kitchen for some water. I was just passing his room, this was like two in the morning...and I was just passing his room on my way downstairs and I heard..."
Stacy: "You are going to make me hit you...WHAT did you hear?"
Victoria: "I thought he was having an asthmatic attack! I mean all the gasping, and heavy breathing...either that or someone was strangling him to death! Anyhow, I was about to go in and see if everything was alright...damn good thing I didn't!"
Stacy: "Why, why?"
Victoria: "I heard a "Nuh-uh-uh" and a "Staaaaaaacyyy", and I realised just what was...going on in there...."
Stacy was shellshocked! She was sure that her facial expression was a mixture of "YES, YES, YES, OH MY GOD YES!", and "Ugghhhh....ickie".
Stacy: "You mean...he was...you know what...over on..well ME?!"
Victoria: "Sure sounded like it. And that's how I know."
She enjoyed the feeling for a while. But then she remembered just who she was dealing with. Stacy took a long hard look at Victoria, who was now visibly smirking.
Stacy: "None of that's true...is it?"
Victoria: "Not a damn word...sure was fun seeing the look on your face though! Hahaha!"
Stacy: "Bitch!..."
Victoria: "You got it bad girl. Seriously though...I can tell he likes you. Since he first met you at the coffee shop. But you better act fast...knowing the girls around here...why, here's one of them now!"
Stacy turned in the direction that Victoria was looking in. She saw Jessica making her way down the hall. She instantly remembered her fight with her, and whilst she was a little unnerved at seeing her, she had to act brave in front of Victoria. She had told Vickie that she'd kicked Jessica's ass after all. Jessica walked right up to them and gave Stacy a death glare. Stacy was a little shaken, but Victoria gave her one in return.
Jessica: "Well, just when did you get back?...Hardly anyone could tell that you left. Stacy, how'd you like that Ruby Choker I gave you?"
Victoria: "What the Hell is she on about?...Ruby Choker? Jewellry?"
Jessica: "Something like that...just hope you learned your lesson Stacy...ain't no girl in my Brad's life but me."
Victoria: "Does he know that?"
Jessica gave her a withering look, then turned to appraise Stacy.
Jessica: "Well now...you look...nice. From the right angle...in the right light...if you twist your eyes just a little, and watch from the corners...avoiding direct line of sight..."
Victoria: "Don't you have anything better to do with your time?"
Jessica: "You're right...I better get moving before people start thinking we're friends or anything."
And she was gone.
Victoria: "You gonna let that bitch talk to you like that?"
Stacy: "I was gonna tell her off."
Victoria: "You're not...afraid of her are you?"
Stacy: "Me...afraid..no...a little intimidated maybe, but not afriad or anything. Let's just get to class before we get in trouble for being late."
Victoria: "Whatever..."
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Brad knew something was wrong. He could feel it in his bones. There was something that Jessie was not telling him. It was obvious that he had told Josh. When he questioned him, he didn't deny it. But what he didn't get was Jessie's reaction. Something had gone wrong, or, at the very least, not according to plan. What was hard to figure out, was exactly how it went. He weighed the possibilities...Jessie told Josh...okay. So now, it's a given. Josh knows about him. So far so good. Josh wasn't acting odly, not really. He took a ride with them in the morning, he seemed okay. He didn't exactly speak as much to Jessie as he usually did, but considering what he had learnt the day before, that his best friend of eleven years was gay...it was understandable. He certainly wasn't behaving like a homophobic jackass. So, if the problem wasn't likely Josh, then was it Jessie? Jessie didn't say a word to Josh...come to think of it, he hardly even looked at him. He'd have to find out. He didn't like the idea that something was wrong and Jessie wasn't telling him. They'd have to talk about it, the sooner the better.
He was pondering on how to broach the subject to Jessie as he wandered along the halls. He was broken out of his trance by a soft, feminine voice calling his name. He stopped, without turning around to look at the owner of the voice,
"What is it Jessica?"
Jessica: "I just wanted to say that I'm sorry...for acting like I did that day...can you...forgive me?"
"I'm not the one you should be apologising to, Stacy is.."
Jessica: "You really like her, don't you?"
"She's not my girlfriend...she's just a friend..of a friend."
Jessica: "Oh, well, in that case...maybe you and I can.."
"No, we can't."
Jessica: "Why are you being so..."
"I'm not with her, but I've been...seeing someone else."
Jessica: "Who?"
"It's not my place to say...if...she wants you to know, she'll have to be the one to tell you."
Jessica: "Is she someone I know?"
"I don't think so. Listen, I have a class to get to, I have to go."
And before she could start talking again, he took the opportunity to bolt. He so did not like having conversations with her. She always asked such probing questions and for some reason he felt compelled to answer her, with lies if necessary. It seemed like she made him feel like he was on trial. He couldn't just expect her to understand that he just didn't want to be with her. He knew the rumor mill in the school. Jessica was one hot piece of ass and if he just said that he didn't want to be with her...people might start talking...it would look so...Gay. He couldn't have that. So he lied to her. It wouldn't look Gay if he didn't want Jessica because he was with some other girl. He hoped she'd buy it, and if it ever filtered into the general gossip channel he'd be safe. He wasn't gay...he just had feelings for one guy...that was all. Better that people think he was with some mystery girl. He sighed and went on his way...
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Jessie's Point of View-That's so Gay...
I was really beginning to dislike Gabriel Carpenter. Do you wonder why? Well, I'm going to tell you. We had just finished Chemistry class and we had a free period on our hands. We decided to kick it in the cafeteria. We were all a little hungry anyway. It seemed like a good idea. So we went to the cafeteria. We just got ourselves something to eat and sat down at a lone table. The cafeteria was more or less empty, just a few occupied tables here and there. People who had free periods usually hung out in the cafeteria where they could get something to eat and chill. Apparently two of these people caught Gabriel's attention. We were supposed to be eating, minding our own damn business to boot, when Gabriel started laughing. Naturally, as he was perfectly quiet before, it got our attention, not to mention piqued our curiosity. We looked at him.
Josh: "Haha...just what is so funny?"
Gabriel pointed to our right, still cracking up.
Gabriel: "That is so fucking gay! Sick..."
Josh was a bit jovial when he first saw Gabriel lauging, but his comment just wiped the grin off his face. It had the same effect on me. I looked to where he was pointing, two guys were sitting at a table. One of the guys had some sort of stain on his cheek, looked to me like ketchup or something, and was trying in vain to get it off. The other guy was trying to help him wipe it off. I have to admit, it did look a little...okay a lot gay-ish...still, the fact that Gabriel seemed to be having such a laugh at it really threw me. I was just boiling inside. But I had to contain it. It wasn't like I could just up and take a stand for Gay rights just then and there. I took a glance at Josh. He was somewhat different though. He was visibly fuming. I nudged his foot under the table, by way of telling him to calm down. He looked at me with an exasperated expression on his face. I knew how he felt. So this was the kind of guy Stacy had her heart set on...what a jackass!
Gabriel: "What...what's wrong?"
Josh: "Nothin'. I just got to go to the bathroom."
And he was gone. Leaving me with the jerk. I wasn't feeling in the mood for a conversation obviously. Gabriel had other ideas though.
Gabe: "So, Jessie...uh, that girl I saw this morning...Stacy-she seeing anyone?"
"Not to my knowledge."
I so did not want to have any part in possibly bringing them close to each other.
Gabe: "Cool...she's one hot piece of ass."
I didn't exactly know how to respond to that.
"Yeah.", was all I could manage.
Just then Josh came back from wherever it was he went to calm himself down.
Josh: "Yo, Jess we got English Lit next, you comin'?"
Thankful for any reason to escape him,
"Yeah, wouldn't want to be late and have Jameson on our case."
Gabe: "Well, see you guys around."
Josh: "Yeah."
Go back to Canada, or Hell, whichever you prefer!
"Right."
With that we started walking down the deserted corridor towards the other end of the school, where Jameson's classroom was. Josh had reverted to his angry mood again. So had I.
Josh: "I think I'm starting to have some strong dislike for that guy. I mean, when I heard that he was Vickie's cousin, I was prepared to like the guy, but he looks to me like one annoying fuck!"
"Same here. What the hell is his problem with Gay...for that matter what the hell is it with some guys bashing on gay guys? I think they should be happy some of us are gay. More pussy for them. Twisted isn't it? The girls aren't mad, even though it's less dick for 'em, but some guys get mad. Screwed up world."
I stopped ranting when I noticed him staring at me, laughing. Well, at least he wasn't as mad as he was anymore. Never did like to see him mad.
"What?"
Josh: "You are the only one who could make me laugh like that...is all."
"Yeah...well, I don't like you being mad."
Josh: "Me neither..."
We had by this time nearly reached Jameson's room.
Josh: "Thank you."
"For what?"
Josh: "If you didn't nudge me back there...I would have probably cussed the guy out and outted myself in the wrong place, wrong time."
"Oh..well. You just have a little anger management problem..nothing major. Besides, I was on the verge myself."
Awkward silence.
"So you goin' in or what?"
Josh: "I'm just reading the warning first."
"What warning?"
Josh: "The one above the door."
"There's nothing there..."
Josh: "Sure there is...Abandon Hope All Ye Who Enter..."
"Haha...lamest joke I've ever heard..."
Josh: "You're one to talk."
We went in to yet another of Jameson's Classes...
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Jessica Ponders
Just who was this mystery girl...who? One way or another she was going to find out. Even if she had to play the role of a sneaky spy to do it. She couldn't help but wonder if it was someone she knew. When she asked Brad who it was, and if it was someone she knew, he was a bit off when he said he didn't think so. She was willing to bet that it could very well be someone she knew after all. By hook or crook, she was going to find out who Brad had picked over her...HER! What kind of girl could she be? Was she a badass kinky chick? Or a sweet Sara Poppins type...what was it about her that Brad found so intriguing. She definitely had to scope out the competition, that way she could find out what Brad was into now and compete more effectively.
Maybe she had been going about it all wrong after all. Perhaps she was a little too slutty on the football field... Brad had said that she was out there gyrating like a goddamned stripper...maybe he was into nice girls now. Maybe that was what she needed to be...she'd try it...it would definitely be a stretch, but until she found out what this mystery woman was like, she'd have to go with that theory. But being a nice girl would take some work...and a whole new wardrobe too. Well..then, she better get snapping. She had work to do...
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Jessie's Point of View-Jameson's Class
I made my way over to my seat next to Brad. He looked up and smiled. So did I. I was feeling a whole lot better now than I was feeling this morning. It no doubt showed on my face too.
Brad: "So you look happy...or happier than you were this morning anyway."
"Yeah...I am."
Brad: "So, can I ask what caused this happy turn of events?"
"Can we please not talk about this...not here."
Brad: "The class is practically empt-"
"Please...just not right now.."
Brad: "I just want to know what changed you so much since this morning.."
"It doesn't matter, what matters is I changed, okay..?"
Brad: "Okay..I guess.."
He regarded me a little weirdly, and I guess I couldn't blame him. It must have seemed very weird indeed, and it wasn't like I was enjoying keeping secrets from him. Good thing he didn't press more too. The class started to fill up with students coming in from their other classes. I wondered what Jameson had in store for us today. We still had our project to work on, and that was coming along well enough, despite certain distractions. Apparently however, this class was not going to be as dull and dreary as the rest of Jameson's sessions. It all started out so normal. We usually do studies of authors and playwrights and such. They range from slight research to all out autobiographical sketches. And this being an English oriented class, debates and such were usually in the works...Jameson announced that we would be doing a little class discussion on the playwright who wrote "The Glass Menagerie"-Tenessee Williams. It seemed so innocent. No way the topic of "Gay", could come up...right? WRONG! She had just reached the part about his part-the auto-biographical bit.
Jameson: "...one of the most influential playwrights.....America.....in his autobigraphy he revealed his homosexuality and it's significance to his literary works..."
I was shell-shocked! The entire class was judging by the complete silence in the room. Then it came. The reaction to the bomb she just dropped on us. The most obvious one was the uncontrollable laughter emanating from the backrow of the class. And I do mean uncontrollable raucous laughter. This topic being so touchy to me, for obvious reasons, had me trying to keep my cool. First that idiot Gabriel and now this...how much is a boi supposed to take? I glanced over at Josh and he looked visibly upset. Stacy was next to him and she looked at me sympathetically.
Jameson: "Calm down! Order!"
Boy: "I always told you that The Glass Menagerie was so Gay...Now Tell me I'm wrong!"
More laughter. I took a glance at Brad. I swear I got even more upset. For the first time since we had admitted how we felt for each other, I was angry at him. He was laughing right along with them! The look I gave him probably told him that too. I mean it's one thing to not want anyone knowing about you, but to join right along with them and their bigoted shit! He changed his expression a little and I could see the pleading in his eyes, trying to make me understand no doubt. It wasn't exactly the greatest thing in the world to see the guy of your dreams laughing at you. Because that was how I felt. When people made those kind of comments about gay people, I always feel like they attack me personally, like they single me out for their crap...and it was no different now. And seeing Brad join in with them, even if it was only for the sake of him keeping up appearances, was saddening. I looked away from him and turned towards Josh. I could see him trying to maintain his cool, hard for him to do as ever...
Boy: "No wonder that Tom didn't have a girlfriend...I wonder if he was into Jim?!"
More laughter.
Boy: "Did you ever notice how touchy he was whenever Amanda brought up the topic about her "Gentleman callers" ? Maybe he was bitter cuz he never got any "Gentleman Callers" !"
More laughter. I think I found yet another reason to hate Jameson's class. But it just goes to show, you think you know how a person will react to something. Jameson really surprised us, all of us. Please do go on Mrs. J!
Jameson: "Enough Roger! I will not have you spewing such bigoted, homophobic comments in this class."
Roger: "But the guy was a-"
Jameson: "Very talented playwright. End of discussion."
My perecption of Mrs. Jameson changed radically from then on. She was still a Bitch with the homework and assignments, don't get me wrong. But she was a Bitch with Ethics! After the day I'd had witnessing some homophobic comments myself-thank God none were directed to me-it was just what I needed to hear and see. I left the class that day with some hope...
Well...That's the End of Chapter 16. Be sure to email me a comment or two. Feedback is everything.And sorry once again that I've held back on postings, I was in a bad place. Will try not to let it happen again. Thanx! Email at birdofflame_587@yahoo.com