Assisting Victoria

Part Twenty-Three

            Life sure got a lot better for me after Tori had admitted that she liked me. I sat down in the band room after school with her. We weren’t working, or anything, just talking. It was really nice actually. She told me about how she had liked me for a while, but she didn’t know I liked her back. She told me about how she was confused for a long time, and thought that if she tried hard enough, she could be straight. I knew how she felt, when I was in middle school I did the same thing, believing that there was no possible way I could actually be gay.

            I asked her if Heather had been her girlfriend and she said yes. Heather was the first woman she had actually been with, even though she knew long before they met that she was into women. The sad part though, was when she told me that the reason Heather and her broke up was because Heather had been cheating on her with Jennifer, who was apparently an ex of hers. Suddenly, I really disliked Heather. I was glad she was out of Tori’s life.

            “How did you find out?” I asked.

            I wasn’t sure if I was being too nosy or not, but I really wanted to know.

            “I saw them. I was actually supposed to go out with Heather that night, but she told me she had other plans. I decided to go for a run and… I found her with Jennifer in the park. I just couldn’t believe what I was seeing.”

            I took her hand in mine and held it for a while as we sat in silence. I didn’t know what to say to that. I felt really bad. That was a terrible thing for Heather to do. It sure explained why Tori hadn’t been acting like herself.

            “I’m sorry things turned out that way,” I finally said after a while.”

            She smiled.

            “I suppose it wasn’t as big of a deal as I made it out to be at first. I mean, I still liked you, sometimes I think she knew that, and it gave us a chance to be together.”

            “Yeah, it did.”

            I smiled back and leaned forward to kiss her. She kissed me back and made her smile that pretty smile of hers again, but leaned back and looked me right in the eye. The smile still on her face though, and that was all that mattered at the time.

            “Kelsey….” She shook her head. “I swear you are going to get me in a lot of trouble one of these days.”

            “I’m sorry. I felt you needed that.”

            “I suppose I did.”

            I looked over at the clock and realized that it was almost time for me to go. I hated that. All I wanted to do was stay in the band room with Tori and pretend to be helping her out with things. I sighed as I stood up.

            “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow then,” I said, somewhat disappointed.

            She stood up, wrapped her arms around me and pulled me close. The feeling I got being held in her arms was better than I ever imagined it would be. I was a little sad when she let go.

            “Yes. I will see you tomorrow.”

            I grabbed my bag and headed for the door. Before I walked out though, I looked back and smiled at her one more time. She smiled back and I left without saying another word.

-

Not telling Lauren was really hard. I did apologize for the way I left her when I got the chance, and she said she understood. I told her that things were okay, and that Tori didn’t have a problem with it as long as I didn’t try anything. Oh how I wished I could tell her more. Everything in fact. I wanted to go on for hours explaining every little detail with my best friend, but I couldn’t.

Mitch walked by our table at lunch one day. That’s right, he walked by, not intending to stop and harass me anymore. This time, I had to stop him.

“Mitch!”

He turned around and looked at me. When he saw that I was the one calling his name he got a very confused look on his face.

            “I don’t know what you think I did, but I swear I didn’t do it.”

            I pulled him aside to a quieter spot.

            “You told Tori I like her.”

            He was quiet for a moment.

            “Oh yeah… I suppose I did. Look if something bad happ….”

            “Why?” I asked, cutting him off.”

            He sat down at one of the empty tables.

            “Because I know she likes you,” he admitted. “I heard my aunt and her girlfriend talking about how Tori seemed to be way too focused on this Kelsey girl.”

            I tilted my head a little in confusion.

            “Who’s your aunt?” I asked.

            “Her name’s Jennifer White. She’s dating Tori’s ex. That’s also how I found out that Tori was into women. I guess Heather said she talked about you a lot.”

            This made me smile.

            “Oh. I see. And so you figured you’d tell her I liked her?”

            “I thought I was helping you out,” he said. “I thought maybe, since she was single again, and you two apparently like each other. I don’t know. I guess they whole student/teacher thing never crossed my mind. Maybe I figured if she liked you… then it didn’t matter to her.”

            I don’t know why, but the next thing I did was reach out and hug him. He stood there awkwardly for a moment before hugging me back. I held on for a few seconds and then let go to look him in the eye.

            “Thank you,” I said calmly.

            He gave me a weird look.

            “I take it things turned out well for you?” he asked, suddenly amused.

            “Let’s just say, I didn’t tell you that just now. You already knew.”

            A smile spread across his face.

            “Go Kelsey!”

            I lightly punched his arm. It was kind of weird actually, but I think for the first time ever, Mitch and I were actually getting along.

            “You won’t tell anyone will you?” I asked.  

            He shook his head.

            “I’m practically the one that got you two together. Why on earth would I tell anyone?”

            I smiled.         

            “You know… I actually don’t hate you anymore.”

            “Gee thanks,” he said sarcastically. “Sure means a lot.”

            “Oh you know what I mean.”

            “I know.”

            He smiled and walked away after that and I went back over to sit and talk with Lauren.