Chapter 4

Sei had noticed that Meg was much more upbeat when she came to school. During the break, she spoke to her about it.

"I see your talk with Jo went well." Meg smiled.

"Yeah, she's great. We talked for, like, an hour about all kinds of stuff."

"I see. So now you..." Sei got interrupted by noise coming from the yard. A few people were running in that direction, so Sei asked one of them. "Hey, what's going on out there?"

"You know that girl, Jo Carpenter? Two days ago, she crushed a guys nuts, so he hired a couple of thugs to "teach her a lesson"." The girl made air-quotes, then ran on. Sei looked at Meg, who was looking very worried. "Should we go look?" Sei asked. Then Meg ran off, Sei behind her. When they reached the yard, the ten guys Keiichi had hired were already lying to Jo's feet, with a ring of students cheering. Sei looked to Meg, who was obviously relieved, but then ran to Jo.

"Jo, you're hurt." Meg said, touching one of the bleeding scrapes on Jo's cheek, who then flinched a little.

"Nothing I can't handle."

"We have to get that cleaned. C'mon, Jo. I'll take you to the nursery."

"Take me? Do you think I need guidance?"

"I think you need someone at your side." Meg then pulled Jo into the building, without her resisting much.

In the nursery, the nurse handed Meg an ointment. "Just spread this over the wounds and she'll be fine. I have to take care of the ten other guys.

"Okay." Meg smiled. The nurse left and Meg opened the ointment jar and started spreading it onto Jo's wounds. "I don't know why you put up with this. You've been through so much because of me. We barely even knew each-other, and yet you've done so much for me."
"My brother taught me, never to look away."

"Well yeah, but..."

"But nothing. I helped you when you needed help. I took down one guy, and he sent ten other guys to get revenge."

"Oh yeah, that's one hell of a reward."

"You're my reward, Meg. That was just a bonus."

"I'm you're...?" Meg blushed. She took a step back and flailed around frantically. "No no no, I'm not like that. Really. I think you're real nice, but..."

"Calm down. That's not what I mean. You're my reward, because now I have a friend I can talk to."

Meg calmed down. "Oh. Okay." She laughed awkwardly and started scratching her head. "I just thought, I mean, with all these rumors..."

"Rumors? What rumors?"

"Huh, you didn't know?"

"Know what?"

There was an awkward silence. "Well, some people say...that you...how do I say this...do...a lot of...girls?"

Then Jo smiled. "Oh, that. Yeah."

"What? Wait, are you saying, those rumors are true?"

"Yeah, pretty much." Jo then noticed that Meg took another step back. "Meg, could it be that you don't know?"

"Huh? Know what?"

"Ah, so you are still in the closet."

"The closet? What clos... Oh wait a minute. Are you saying you think I'm gay?"

"Are you kidding? I don't just think that. I mean, it's painfully obvious. And I'm not the only who "thinks" it."

Meg then got very interested. "What do you mean by THAT? Have people been talking about me?" She took a step forward. "What are people saying?"

"Just that you date guys excessively so you don't have to cope with it."

"That's not why I do it. I do it, because I like it."

"You've been doing it for three years now. If you like it so much, why are you still a virgin."

"A vir..." Meg blushed harder. "What the hell does it mean to you? Not everybody has to go whoring around like you do." Meg then stormed out of the room. Jo just looked after her and shook her head. She really is a hard one. She then calmly walked after her, knowing exactly where she went.

Meg stormed through the door to the roof and walked around frantically. "Stupid Jo. Who does she think she is, asking questions like that? I swear, I am never talking to her again." She then kept on walking around a little while, then slowed down. "Okay, maybe she was trying to help me. But that doesn't change the fact that I'm straight. I like guys. With their brawny muscles, and their greasy hair and their... strong odor." Meg shook a little. "Yeah, yeah. So much better than girls. With their intense body care, fair bodies and beautiful..." She paused. "What did I just say?" Realization started hitting her. "No. No, it can't be. It just can't..." She backed up, as if to escape reality, and backed right up into something. She turned around and saw Jo behind her. They looked into each-others eyes. Jo slowly drew her face closer, then kissed Meg deeply, who didn't resist, but instead, started kissing back. After a while, they separated.

Meg looked at Jo. "I'm...gay?" Jo just nodded. Then Meg started crying.

After a while, she stopped crying, and they sat down, leaning against the railing. Meg was smiling contently. "Care to remember me, why I denied it?"

Jo just shook her head, smiling. "I just guess it's a problem for normal people."

Meg then took Jo's hand. "Aww, don't say. You're very...well...you could have been much worse." They both laughed. Then Meg sighed.

"What's wrong?"

"It's just, if those rumors are true." She looked at Jo. "How do I know I'm not just another bed buddy to you."

Jo looked at her, then away. "You remember how I used to act?"

"Yeah, you kept acting up because you missed your brother."

"Wrong, that wasn't the reason."

"What?" Jo looked at her again.

"It was you, Meg. I love you. I've been in love with you ever since I saw you for the first time at the introduction ceremony. Even back then, it was obvious that you were driving your car on the other side of the road. But you still dated guys excessively. The thought that something so beautiful was left to the mercy of men infuriated me. Yes, I calmed down when Karl returned, but that's simply because he knows how to control me. But it was you, Meg. My rage at not being able to have you is what made me act up. Eventually, I, too, started dating girls excessively, in order to get over you. But, even after three years, my feelings for you haven't changed a bit."

Meg just looked at her, stunned. After a while, she spoke up again. "So, for three years, you've been bearing actual feelings for me?"

"Yeah, so? I'm also pissed that you took so long to realize that..." She stopped when Meg kissed her deeply.

"I'm sure I can make up for that." She smiled at Jo. Jo just looked back at her, then kissed her back.

"I think I should take you out for dinner. Tomorrow's Friday, right? Tomorrow night, seven o' clock. And don't expect to come back home that night." Jo smirked.

Meg smiled. "Sounds great." They then continued kissing.

Alright, next up is the final chapter. And make sure to review this one.