Part Six:
Miranda and Brenda managed to keep their relationship a secret. Actually, it wasn't too hard in their sheltered community. Anyone that looked at them wouldn't think, Oh, what a couple of dykes! They'd all think, naively, Oh, those girls must be such good friends!
Only Jude suspected anything. Even though Brenda and Miranda had sworn to keep it a secret, Jude confronted Brenda and she confessed. Jude got a funny look on his face.
"You can't tell Mom," Brenda said quickly. "Please..."
Jude shook his head. "I won't."
"So...how long have you suspected it?"
"Um...I actually suspected that you were a lesbian a long time ago. Like, back in our old town."
Brenda was relieved that Jude was keeping it a secret. Miranda didn't mind that he knew: it sorta proved to her that Brenda wasn't ashamed of their relationship, after all.
Until, that is, the winter dance was announced.
It would be a "semi-foraml": girls in nice dresses, guys in button down shirts and black pants. But still, it was the sort of dance that almost required a date.
One day at lunch, Brenda and Miranda were eatting when Tudgeman came over. "Brenda, can we talk for a sec?" he asked. He glanced at Miranda. "Um, in private?"
"Sure," Brenda said, getting up. Miranda's eyebrows shot up, but she wasn't too concerned. Maybe he is having trouble in a class, and he doesn't want to wreck his reputation, she thought.
But when Brenda got back, she was frowning. "You'll never guess what Larry wanted."
"Um...what?"
"He, um, asked me to the Winter Dance."
"And you said "no", right?" Miranda said. "I mean, you're my date."
"But, you know, we have to keep our secret underwraps, you know?" Brenda chewed her thumbnail nervously. "Going together would be like coming out of the closet, and I don't think I'm ready for that."
"So, what did you tell him?"
"I...said I'd think about it." Brenda started talking really fast: "But I'll say no if you're not okay with it."
"No," Miranda said. "Just...go with him. I'll find a date." She's is ashamed of us, Miranda thought sadly.
"Please don't be upset," Brenda begged. "I'm thinking of us."
"I know." Miranda stood up. "I have to finish my homework thing. See you."
Brenda was so worried that Miranda was mad at her. She didn't act mad later, and she even found her own date to the dance. But Brenda knew that she was upset: she was quieter then usual, and didn't seem to want to kiss her anymore. Brenda desperately wished that she hadn't accepted Tudgeman's offer to go to the dance, but...she didn't want people to know her sexuality and make fun of her and Miranda.
Meanwhile, Gordo and Lizzie were preparing for the dance, too. Lizzie wished that Miranda would go with them, like old times, but their friendship seemed over. It had been reduced to a "say hi in the hall" relationship. Lizzie tried to be happy that she and Gordo were going together, as a couple, but it wouldn't be the same without Miranda. She knew that she was going with Cody, the same guy that she'd gone to the spring dance with the year before.
But Lizzie decided that Gordo was right: things change, she thought sadly. Time to move on, Maguire. Stop wallowing in your own pity, and try to have fun with your great boyfriend.
It would be very hard, though...
Miranda and Brenda managed to keep their relationship a secret. Actually, it wasn't too hard in their sheltered community. Anyone that looked at them wouldn't think, Oh, what a couple of dykes! They'd all think, naively, Oh, those girls must be such good friends!
Only Jude suspected anything. Even though Brenda and Miranda had sworn to keep it a secret, Jude confronted Brenda and she confessed. Jude got a funny look on his face.
"You can't tell Mom," Brenda said quickly. "Please..."
Jude shook his head. "I won't."
"So...how long have you suspected it?"
"Um...I actually suspected that you were a lesbian a long time ago. Like, back in our old town."
Brenda was relieved that Jude was keeping it a secret. Miranda didn't mind that he knew: it sorta proved to her that Brenda wasn't ashamed of their relationship, after all.
Until, that is, the winter dance was announced.
It would be a "semi-foraml": girls in nice dresses, guys in button down shirts and black pants. But still, it was the sort of dance that almost required a date.
One day at lunch, Brenda and Miranda were eatting when Tudgeman came over. "Brenda, can we talk for a sec?" he asked. He glanced at Miranda. "Um, in private?"
"Sure," Brenda said, getting up. Miranda's eyebrows shot up, but she wasn't too concerned. Maybe he is having trouble in a class, and he doesn't want to wreck his reputation, she thought.
But when Brenda got back, she was frowning. "You'll never guess what Larry wanted."
"Um...what?"
"He, um, asked me to the Winter Dance."
"And you said "no", right?" Miranda said. "I mean, you're my date."
"But, you know, we have to keep our secret underwraps, you know?" Brenda chewed her thumbnail nervously. "Going together would be like coming out of the closet, and I don't think I'm ready for that."
"So, what did you tell him?"
"I...said I'd think about it." Brenda started talking really fast: "But I'll say no if you're not okay with it."
"No," Miranda said. "Just...go with him. I'll find a date." She's is ashamed of us, Miranda thought sadly.
"Please don't be upset," Brenda begged. "I'm thinking of us."
"I know." Miranda stood up. "I have to finish my homework thing. See you."
Brenda was so worried that Miranda was mad at her. She didn't act mad later, and she even found her own date to the dance. But Brenda knew that she was upset: she was quieter then usual, and didn't seem to want to kiss her anymore. Brenda desperately wished that she hadn't accepted Tudgeman's offer to go to the dance, but...she didn't want people to know her sexuality and make fun of her and Miranda.
Meanwhile, Gordo and Lizzie were preparing for the dance, too. Lizzie wished that Miranda would go with them, like old times, but their friendship seemed over. It had been reduced to a "say hi in the hall" relationship. Lizzie tried to be happy that she and Gordo were going together, as a couple, but it wouldn't be the same without Miranda. She knew that she was going with Cody, the same guy that she'd gone to the spring dance with the year before.
But Lizzie decided that Gordo was right: things change, she thought sadly. Time to move on, Maguire. Stop wallowing in your own pity, and try to have fun with your great boyfriend.
It would be very hard, though...
