We walk into Mr. Gittens class as Max rants about the musical auditions.
"And you will never believe who else is auditioning!" She says excitedly. "Let me guess? Riley?"
"OMG how did you know! Did Abby tell you?" She says surprised.
"Its not like you've been talking about her since forever" I say rolling my eyes.
"Oohhh" She huffy.
We take our seats near the back.
"Welcome back AP English. Hiding back their is our new student Virginia Miller" Mr. Gitten announces. Everyone turns their head back toward us.
"Its Ginny" She corrects him.
"As a back to school surprise, we will be taking a pop quiz over The Crucible. Don't worry Virginia, I don't have expected you to read it." He says, as he starts to pass the quizzes around.
Ginny raises her hand.
"Yes, Virginia"
"There are 16 books on this syllabus."
"Yes. Like I said,
you can always drop down..."
"Fourteen of them are written by men,
15 were written by white people,
and I'll guess the one Black author
will crop up for Black History Month.
Am I right?"
"Excuse me?"
"I'm very serious
about my education, Mr. Gitten.
I'm worried I might internaliz
an ideology that the main viewpoint,
the viewpoint worth studying in class,
the viewpoint of the greats,
is only that of the white male,
thus eradicating my voice as immaterial.
And finally, I'm worried
I won't be stimulated intellectually.
Also, I have read The Crucible,
and I'm confident
I can take the quiz today."
I look at Ginny then back at Max. We make I contact. She mouths 'OH MY GOD.'
"Are you through, Virginia?"
"No.Please call me Ginny."
Well, I don't know how things were doneat your last school,Ginny,
but here, we don't tolerate
political outbursts and grandstanding
at the expense of your peers' class time." Mr. Gitten replies shocked.
Max raises her hand with a cocky smile
"Yes, Maxine?"
"Hi. I'm, like, also super concerned
about my subconscious digestion
of the superiority
of the white male perspective.
Also, I have period cramps,
so can I go to the nurse?"
I smirk.
She places her head in her hands with a sweet smile on her face.
After class Max drags me across the hall to the new girls locker.
"Marcus begone" She says pushing him out of the way.
Once Marcus leaves Max says, " sorry about Marcus. He's an asshole."
"Ya total asshole" Ginny scoffs.
"Thats her twin brother,"I state.
Her eyes widen. "Oh, I'm sorry..."
"No, I'm sorry. I should have strangled him with my umbilical cord in the womb and done humanity a solid" Max explains, we start walking toward our tree. Once we realize Ginny isn't following I say with an expected look, "Are you coming."
I hit her arm and give her a dirty look for what she said about Marcus.
"Oww, that hurt, Lola" She says with a hurt look on her face.
I roll my eyes
She drapes her arms around my shoulders and says, "your lucky your my best friend."
As we approach the tree Max quickly introduced them to Ginny. She turns to Ginny
"Were are you from?"
"Texas"
"Are you straight?" "What?" Ginny questions.
Do they even let be gay in Texas?" Max says ignoring her question.
"Um, I'm straight" Ginny says, surprised by Max's forwardness. I sense how uncomfortable Ginny is.
I jump in and say, " she's gay."
"There are no good gays here" She says disappointedly.
"Your skins amazing, do you jade roll?" Abby asks, touching her skin.
I give her a dirty look.
She pulls her hand back quickly. "OMG I'm sorry. Is this like when white girls touch black girls hair."
Ginny gives an awkward smile. "You should sit with us at lunch" I tell her smiling. Max nods her head vigorously. "OK, ya I will thanks guys. I gotta get to class, see you at lunch."
We wave goodbye.
~Time skip to lunch~
"Why'd you move here" Norah asks.
"My step-dad died." She says looking down.
"Well, how did he die?" Norah says chomping on a fry.
"Um… car accident.Well, heart attack, then car accident." Ginny states.
"That's horrible. Was anyone else hurt?" Norah says concerned.
"Was he on the highway?
Was he on a motorcycle?
I saw the most gruesome
motorcycle accident one time.
This guy's arm was literally
four lanes away from the rest of him.
Know what? My stupid idiot twin,
he's probably gonna end up
the exact same way.
He bought a motorcycle,
which is more pathetic than it sounds
because our birthday isn't until December,
which is when he could ride it.
By that point, the roads'll be all icy.
He'll probably just die immediately." Max says rambling
"Shut the hell up Max" I say covering her Mouth with my hand. I feel her tongue slide against my skin.
I pull my hand away wiping it on my shirt
"Oh! I didn't mean to, like,
bring up painful memories for you.
I love all that gruesome shit, you know?
I'm so morbid.
I've seen every episode of SVU,
and I only listen to podcasts
about girls like me getting
brutally murdered. Want some yogurt?" She asks nonchalantly.
- Uh...You know what? You're right. The food here is crap." Ginny says.
"Let's sneak off campus and get some tacos." I suggest.
"Good choice babe! Let's go." Max says patting my shoulder.
I can't help but feel butterflies in my stomache when she called me babe.
Ginny raises her eyebrows at me. I shrug it off.
As we walk out of the school Ginny asks, " so are you dating?"
I blush as Max says to Ginny, " What!? Lola is my best friend since like forever! Well not forever, but almost forever-well ok 7th grade but that's technically-"
"Your rambling" I state
" sorry, we are not dating. Lola's straight, but it's a shame she's so hot. Every guy is swooping on that, but she never let's them. Why is that?" She asks, stopping in the middle of the sidewalk.
I'm surprised the conversation to a turn to my dating life.
" I don't know, they just don't interest me." I say looking at the ground with a flushed face.
"Well you should-"
"Oy my god." Ginny says with her mouth hanging open.
We look at her.
"What?" We question
"Thats my mom"
Once we explain to her that she was eating with the mayor, we head back to school.
When I get home I go to my room and do my homework. I hear a light knock before someone opens it.
" hey, sweetie how was school?" My mom says sitting on the edge of my bed.
"Good" I say quietly. I've learned over the years just to do what she says and maintain eye contact. If you look down, she will assume somethings wrong and if you don't tell her she will call around. She always finds out. It's kinda scary.
"How's Max?" She says with a tight smile.
I scoff and roll my eyes.
"Don't roll your eyes at me." She says sternly.
" why do you ask about her if your just going to talk about her behind her and my back"
" I just don't approve of her and you know why" My mother says raising her voice.
"Actually I don't!" I say also raising my voice standing up.
"Being gay is a sin, why don't you see that she is a terrible influence on you!" She stands up to, also yelling.
"You are unbelievable. It's the 21st century. Everybody is a little gay!" I yell getting my car keys and walking out.
"The Fullers are not gay! Don't storm out of my house, young lady" She yells following me out.
I open the front door and turn around.
"Watch me" I say oddly calming then slam the door in her face.
I run to the car and drive to Max's house.
I walk in(not bothering to knock) to her bedroom and plop down on the bed with a frown.
"Whats wrong?" Ginny asks with Max's jacket on.
"Got in a fight with my mom. Again."
"Ugghh that bitch!" Max yells, laying down beside me.
Ginny looks confused so Max explains my situation.
"Her mom is strict and homophobic. She doesn't like me."
"Wow.... That Bitch" Ginny joins in. I chuckle.
"Do you have a boyfriend?" I subtly ask.
Ginny scrunched her eyebrows
"I'm supposed to ask. Hunter wants to know" I explain
" I've actually never had a boyfriend."
Max and I sit up and say at the same time, "What?!"
"I don't know, it's just I've never been in a town long enough to make friends, let alone a boyfriend."
"Your super hot, and have a beautiful body." Max says. Ginny blushes at the compliment.
"Speaking of which, how's your mom" Max says messing with her hair.
W
Ginny and I both looked at her with an exasperated look.
"What?! She I so banging. Max exhales.
"Ya,well everybody thinks that" ginny says messing with her hands.
Max and I give her a look to explain.
"She always does this thing where she meets a guy, they breakup, then we move cause she can't handle facing him again." Ginny explains.
"That sucks.." I say rubbing her shoulder.
"Well you have to stay this time, because I have decided I like you" Max states.
"Really?" Ginny says surprised.
" 'I am confident that I can take the pop quiz today' your amazing!" Max mimicks.
"Also can you get us sodas?" Max asks pouting her lips.
"Fiinnee" Ginny says.
She leaves. Max turns to me with a concerned look on her face " Are you ok?"
I give her a tight smile" ya, why?" I Ask, even though I know what she's talking about.
" The fight with your mom. Was it about me?" She questions
I grab her hands and clear my throat.
"Max, you are my best friend and no matter what my mom says about you, you will always be my friend because I love you."
She pulls me into a hug. I close my eyes and enjoy the moment. I wish I could tell her how I really feel. But I can't. I knew that my friends would support me but I have already disappointed my mom enough.
We pull apart. We smile at each other. Her eyes linger on my lips. I can't help but look at hers. The door swings open and Ginny waltzes in. We pull apart even farther.
"I'm gonna go see you guys later" I quickly leave. Making the situation more awkward.