One

Eighteen

"O-kay.. What is it?"

"No, not here. Is it ok if we talk outside?" Althea chewing lower lip.

"Okay..." Jade went to the door a and waited for Althea..

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"Jade.."

Althea looked at Jade seriously. She breathed in and started, " I hope you'll not get mad.." She touched and held Jade's hands, making Jade sweaty and tense. "I uhm, I like you." She whispered.

Jade's eyes grew big. She could not believe it. Her crush likes her. Wow.

Thinking that it turned Jade off, Althea released her hands. Panicking, she started to walk towards their room. Suddenly, she felt a hand preventing her to move further.

Althea closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"Jade.. I'm sorry. I just –"

"Althea.. please don't go. Look at me.."

She met Jade's eyes, "Thank you." Jade said. Crushed, Althea prepared her self with the upcoming rejection.

"What will happen now? To us?" Jade asked.

Confused, Althea's reaction was, "Huh? What? Ok. Ok.. Just forget what I said. Forget that this happened, ok?"

"No, Althea, you're not listening to me. I am asking what will happen to us now, because, well.. I like you, too.." This time, it was her who held Althea's hands.

That revelation night led them to a deeper relationship with each other. They were very careful, though because Jade's family only believes in a man and woman relationship. Especially her Mother. Only Bette knows and at most times, the three were inseparable but Bette knows when to give them time alone. Their relationship lasted for about three years They loved each other so much that they believed they will be together until they get old. They thought they will be together for ever..

Until that fateful night when Jade's mother found her and Althea kissing in the living room. Jade's Parents and Anne just went to on an overnight visit to her grandmother. They just left about 20 minutes ago and thinking that they have the entire house to themselves, the two started kissing.

That was when Jade's mother walked in on them. Unfortunately, she forgot something and went back to get it. She was in rage to see her daughter kissing another girl. She told Althea to not see her daughter again and blamed her for turning her daughter into a lesbian. Jade was grounded for a week and was not allowed to use her cell phone and laptop the entire time. She was absent from school for 3 days before her father talked to her mom about allowing Jade to go back to school. But of course, there's a limitation. She was not allowed to talk to Althea or else, she will be forced to not to go to the same school. Even her cell phone must not contain any other numbers except those that her mother approves. Her mother regularly checks her phone and she is not allowed to put it in a lock mode. She was not even allowed to use it at night. Only at school, for emergency purposes.

Jade's father talked to her one day, He seemed okay with her special friendship with Althea but told her that her mother will not even listen to him. She cried and told her father she loves Althea. Her father hugged her and told her, "Baby, I know. But you're mom wouldn't even listen to me. Baby, hush.. You're happiness is important to me, But so is your mother. You know her heart is weak. I hope you understand. Besides, if Althea really loves you, she will wait for you. Until your mother accepts who you have become. I will do my best to talk to her but at this point, you should obey her." He told me gently.