A/N: You guys are lucky-- you get3 updates out of me in like 4 days. I was tempted to hold this chapter until I got more reviews, but I decided to give it to you and just hope for some detailed long reviews on all 3 chapters instead. It'll probably be at least a week before another update, but you never know, I couldn find inspiration sooner. Really, it all depends on how exciting my spring break is. :) Thanks to every one who has been reviewing, they are very much appreciated.
Chapter 13
How many eternal moments do I have to go through with Ren? She was considering my offer, weighing the pros and cons. She didn't move forever it seemed. And then the bell rang, still she stayed standing there, uncertain—or perhaps her mind was already made up…how would I know?
Suddenly she turned around and came over to my side of the table. She stayed a few feet from me though. I remained seated, overcome with nerves as she stood towering above me. "What did my dad say when you told him about you?"
"What?" I choked, so ready to burst into tears. "Oh, I, uh… he wasn't very happy about it… he told me to get out of his house."
She looked down at the table.
"Ren?" I couldn't bear these silent responses, I needed to know her answer.
"I think he'd do the same to me," she said flatly, not looking up at me.
"You're his daughter…"I muttered. "It's different."
"I don't know if it is."
"Ren…"
"He may kick me out of the house," she continued. "Or disown me."
"He wouldn't--"
"He might," she cut me off. "He's said so before. He was talking about Louis, and this was when all the gay marriage stuff was headline news, he said something like 'the only way you could ever completely disappoint me was if you became one of those fags and married a man. Hell, then you wouldn't be my son.' And my mom, who is all for gay marriage was like 'what do you mean he wouldn't be your son, of course he would' and he said 'I'd disown him. Stevens are faggots.' Well, I'm a Stevens and I'm a faggot."
"He might not be too happy about it but Eileen probably wouldn't let him go so far…"
"She doesn't have to let him."
"I know but--"
"Well, Ren Stevens," Larry Beale popped out from behind a bookshelf and approached us. "I never knew."
My eyes went wide, but Ren didn't move at all in body or expression.
"This is certainly interesting news—student body president comes out of the closet? I think it warrants a headline in the school paper. I might have to see what I can do," He scracthed his chin in mockthoughtfulness. "You know at that party the other night I saw you making out with some chick, other people did too, but everyone just figured it was because you were drunk and apprently I was the only one who thought you making out with a girl was bigger news than you getting drunk in the first place. But everyone else was just so shocked that 'Ren Stevens consumed alcohol.'"
I tried to think of something to say to him, this was none of his business, but nothing came to mind. Nothing I said would faze him, I figured.
"Larry, can you just go," Ren finally said. "Do whatever you want. I don't care."
"You don't care? You've got a problem as serious as this, and you don't care?" Larry started, in honest shock. "That's not like you."
"You don't know me very well, Larry," she mumbled. "So please, just go away."
"What? That's all you have to say?" He almost yelled, but checked himself, being in a library after all.
"Yes, that's all I have to say," Ren maintained, looking over at him imploringly.
"Oh I see," He said, a smile creeping onto his face. "You just want some alone time with your little girlfriend here."
She sighed, frustrated. But, as I took note, she didn't deny me as her girlfriend. Probably me reading too much into it, but still…
He moved closer to her. "I could make you a deal."
Honestly, I thought he was going to ask us to let him watch us have sex. I don't quite understand what it is with guys interest in that.
"Larry," she protested.
"You have sex with me, and make her watch," he explained, pointing to me.
"What? No fucking way!" That was the first time I ever heard Ren swear. I think it was the first Larry heard it too, because he seemed quite shocked at her response. I couldn't help but smile a little, though my eyes were still full of tears and my heart was thumping away in my chest at unrelenting full speed.
Larry was speechless. Had he really thought she'd agree to that though? And why the hell did I need to watch?
When he finally did speak again, it was in a much quieter, and very defeated, tone. "Hey, I was just seeing what I could get," he shrugged. "How about you give me the editorship of the paper, or the presidency—not both, just one. Unless you want to give both, then feel free. But I'm being reasonable this way, I think."
"Why should I give--"
"Just think about it, Ren," he started. "You've been hiding it so long for a reason—it's going to be your downfall. And I could work it out to be your father's fall too. My mom is his boss and she's more disgusted by you people than anyone I know. And you know I'll embellish how I found this information out to everyone I tell it. I'll be graphic and it'll be scandalous. It'll humiliate your family—especially your father."
As resilient as she'd seemed to be with him, at this she crumbled. She would not be her father's greatest disappointment and though I seriously doubted how much power Larry had to do any of this, she wouldn't risk it. "I'll resign as president."
His smiled broadened. "Good, I'm glad we've come to an agreement. We'll get it settled after school." He started to leave but stopped. "And just so you know, my secrecy in this matter only exists as long as I don't have to see you people. If I walk in on you again, you'll be giving me the editorship to keep me quiet."
We remained in silence for a while after her left. I wasn't sure how to broach the crucial subject he'd so rudely interrupted.
Ren finally sat down, resuming her seat from before I began the brief sequence of interruptions. "The administration is going to want and explanation. It's not common for someone to just hand over the power to someone else. In fact, I don't think you can do it. But it's Larry and he's probably been counting on this... he probably has something worked out."
I didn't say anything. She didn't seem to be really addressing me, more talking to herself.
"And if I get into Harvard or Yale… they'll want to know why I gave up the post half way through the year…" she paused briefly, and muttered: "It could very well make them not accept me."
No one was more cut out for the Ivy League than Ren and suddenly dropping positions in student government, especially the presidency, was bound to raise a few eyebrows. Those at the Harvard and Yale admissions offices were the last people she'd want to do that. It was what she'd bee working for all her life. Nothing would devastate her more that the idea that she wasn't good enough for them. Everyone knew she was, of course, but if she was rejected she'd take it personally. And this wasn't a good move to make. For Larry, it was great. If the administration let him just take over it'll look like he's a hero who stepped in as soon as he was needed, when the first president couldn't fulfill her duties he came to the rescue. Nothing was going the way it was supposed to with us.
"Tawny?" She asked, apparently noticing that I'd zoned out.
"Yeah?" I replied, startled for her to address me at all.
"I...I don't...well...it's..." she looked at me, a very strange look-- aching and lost and lonely come to mind but none of those words hit it exactly. She leaned over and kissed me. It was a soft, gentle kiss, not very long. Barely an inch from my face she said, very calmly and very sweet, like she really, really didn't want to hurt me: "I want you to know that I love you... but I don't think it's a good idea for us to get back together."
And with that she got up and quicklywalked away, leavingme sitting there, shellshocked.
