This isn't one of those typical love stories, where there's a happy ending and everyone goes skipping off into the sunset. This is real life, my story, how I fell in love and nearly lost the girl that means everything to me.
"How was school today, honey?" my mom asked as I set my report card on the counter. I answered my usual, "Good." and listened to her praise at my straight A's. Yeah, like usual, like I dared get anything lower. It was late, almost time for dinner. I'd been out with friends after school. We sat at the kitchen table, her reading a book and me playing with my food, "Eat, Bella." she told me.
"Mom, I have something to tell you."
"Yeah?"
I took a deep breath, "I'm lesbian, Mom."
...
"It'll just be good for you to take a vacation, Bella." Mom pulled me into a quick hug which I didn't return.
"You're only sending me away because I'm gay."
"That's not true, you're not gay. You're just confused and all the girls around here aren't helping. Going to Forks will just let you get away for a while. Maybe you'll meet a nice guy."
Tears threatened to spill, tears that I had denied for the weeks leading up to this. Leading up to my own mom sending me away to a guy I barely know.
...
"Hey, Bells."
"Hey, Dad." I looked up at Dad. He was just liked I remembered, tall with curly hair and a big smile.
He helped me put my suitcase into the cruiser and we sat in comfortable silence until we reached his place. He told me, "You remember where your room is, right?"
I lugged my suitcase up the stairs, to the room that had barely changed. Sure, it had a bed instead of a crib, an old computer with a desk, but it was still the same.
I laid on the bed and let the tears fall.
...
"Did you see the new girl?"
"Did you see her?"
"She was in my first period class."
"She hasn't talked to anyone."
"Maybe she's stuck up."
"I wonder why she's here."
"Isn't she the chief's kid?"
"Yeah, she's definitely stuck up then."
These were the whispers I heard all day, accompanied by glares from girls who stuffed their bras and wasted oxygen by gossiping.
"Did you see the new girl?"
"Did you see her?"
"She's in my second class."
"She's pretty hot."
"I'd tap that."
These were the conversations of the boys, not as hushed as the girls. I kept my head down, staring at my desk, the floor, anything but to see their faces. Anything than to let them see my face. Would they know if they saw my eyes?
...
She sat next to me in chemistry. My third class. She was short, dressed in black, her hair spiky, dyed a bright purple. She smiled brightly, waving to the girls who sneered at us both, them mumbling under her breath to me, "Whores, all of them."
I snorted and agreed.
"I'm Alice."
"I'm Bella."
"I know."