Chapter One
Paige sat at the empty desk in Mrs. Kwan's room. It was empty, and quietness was hovering heavily over the room. Paige's right foot was tapping the floor occasionally at uneven intervals; her light brown leather boots noise echoed sharply.
She sighed impatiently and glanced at the clock that hung on the wall. Four-thirty. She's late. Paige thought, frustrated. She knew this would happen! Knew it! Maybe she wasn't going to show up, maybe she was just ditching her for someone else…
"Paige?" Paige jerked up in her seat and her eyes quickly soared to the doorway. It was Alex. She stood there in the doorway, blocking out the hall lights. Her hair was in its normal, everyday "style": her large hoop earrings hanging from both earlobes; baggy army fatigues covered her legs; and a black tank topped the outfit.
Alex held up a folded letter that was scribbled on composition paper. "I got your note." Paige nodded awkwardly and, without an offer, Alex pulled back a nearby chair, and slumped into a seat, giving Paige a look that she would imagine on a mischievous child's face when seated in the principal's office. A look that clearly meant, "Yeah, I did something bad. Whatcha gonna do about it?"
There was silence for a few seconds before Alex abruptly finished it.
"So. You wanted to see me?" Paige nodded once again and quickly cleared her throat.
"Yeah, about that." She said and stood up and slowly paced past the teacher's desk, obviously nervous. Her shoes tapped against the floor and Alex watched her through amused eyes. "Um…Alex? You know about the time at the premiere when you—when you—when you told me that…?" She trailed off, unable to finish. A smirk slithered on Alex's face.
"Told you what?" She asked and leaned forward with her hands clamped together. Alex found this amusing; she enjoyed watching Paige confront her with this topic. She knew what she was going to say, what she was trying to say. But would she say it? Alex knew that was the question. She had a good idea of what the answer will be.
"That—that—" Paige tried again. "That you're a lesbian." Alex's smirk dropped from her face. That was not the outcome she expected. She was dibbing on the "unable" table, but now, she lost the bet. She sighed angrily and leaned back against the chair once again and stared at Paige harshly.
"Yeah? So? You gotta problem with it?" She asked in a demanding tone.
"Well, no." Paige tittered. "I—I just want to know. Why? Why are you telling me? What do I have to do with your sexuality?" Paige's eyes pleaded towards Alex, begging her to put an end to her confusion. Alex kept on staring at her. After a few moments, she finally answered.
"Do I really need to answer that?" Paige was a little surprised at this answer.
"Well, yes, I would like to know…" Alex snorted and glanced outside. She turned back to Paige with a mocking smile on her face.
"You are so stupid, you know that, right? So stupid. Have you honestly not found out yet?"
"Found what out yet?"
"Found out why I told you!"
"Oh…um, no…"
"Tuh!" Alex stood up, grabbed her books, and headed out the door. "Call me when you do!" Paige grabbed her bag and scrambled after Alex.
"Alex! Wait! Come back, please! You didn't answer!"
"And I won't! You'll have to find out for yourself!" Alex called over her shoulder and slammed the door behind her, not even glancing back. Paige whimpered softly after the door came to meet her. Why is Alex being so secretive? She shivered in the chilly, air-conditioned room and then slumped in the chair closest to the door, the one that Alex sat in. She soon sighed happily and cuddled up against the back of the chair.
The seat was still warm...
