Written by: TVM (mrtvm@mrtvm.com)

Archive: www.asstr.org/~TheVertManArchive/Stories/RB/Index.html

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This school year, my junior year, had begun just like many others, me being the school outcast with no real friends. Which to be honest I had gotten used too. It gave me an oppurtunity to focus on my studies and got me on the state honor roll for best students with a 97.9 percent average. Course my personal life was nothing more than a box of Ben and Jerry's and a late night movie on the satellite usually. But all that changed one day in late September when I witnessed a horrible scene in the school parking lot with two scum bag football players abusing a couple of the school's gay students. Tossing insults and the word fag was bounced around a lot. Which led, indirectly, to my first meeting with a girl named Valerie McCree, who begged me (saying I was better at persuading people) to help her with a petition to get the school to change their policy on verbal abuse. We got nearly two thirds of the students to sign it (1635 signature's to be exact) and presented it to the school board. Of course the 'bible challenged' fruits resisted every step of the way, until a threat of a lawsuit from one of the 'abused' students parents changed their minds. So with no choice they voted 3-to-2 to institute new policies.

Val and Kim, Kim and Val, thats how we were referred to by most every one at Round Rock high for the few weeks as we fought the seemingly unwinnable battle with the school board. So with the battle won, this is where I decided to start this tale, because this is the real story of me and Val and our 'friends' and even family.  

"WOW, I guess we showed them who they don't mess with" Val said. We had just arrived at my house from the meeting and both were still buzzing from the events of just a few moments passed.

"Yep" I said as we smacked a high five.

"We finally did it" Val said softly, a smile on her face that couldn't be sand blasted off. "I'm still buzzing."

"I know, that goof Mr. Robertson looked so mad he could spit fire at us" I said as we both laughed.

"If he did I'd protect you" Val said with a goofy grin as I blushed.

"Are you trying to tell me you like me?" I asked with a challenging smile and thinking she'd fire back with one of her usual comments.

"Maybe" She said, the smile fading to a nervous one as she stuffed her hands inside her pockets and looked down at her feet for a long moment. I froze and began to try and figure out what that could have meant. I mean she was the one who drafted me into this whole movement and it was from her that I got my fire for seeing the school boards rules change. But it had never in all those weeks dawned on me that there could be a reason behind all this, a personal reason for her. "I should have told you a long time ago."

"Hey, we're friends right?" I asked and growing even more nervous when she offered no assurances of that being her only motive with her last comment. "Right?"

"Obviously" She said as she turned her back and walked to the end of the porch, "It's just...I know you don't feel the same."

"Feel the same, nooo I do" I said, "We are friends, real friends."

"Kim, no" She said without ever looking at me. "I mean more."

"More what?" I asked in honest confusion. "Val, this is so not like you, just tell me what's up."

"I'm gay" She said in a barely audible voice. And there it was, my confirmation. To say I was shocked is an understatement. I stood there in complete body numbing shock for god knows how long. Thinking about the last bit of conversation and what it all meant and the one thing that came to the forefront of my mind was that I didn't wanna hurt her. She's got enough crap going on her in life. "Hello?"

"I'm here, you gonna look at me?" I asked as I moved to beside her and saw her look at me nervously. "Hi. Nice to meet you finally."

"You too" She said. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you, honest. But it just started so fast, and things started rolling and it was all we talked about. You know?"

"Yeh" I said simply.

"And now that it's over, I guess we go back to being strangers?"

"Not even" I said as I bumped her shoulder. Both smiling. "What makes you think that?"

"I'm gay, you're straight and I made a huge mistake" She said softly.

"What mistake?"

"I let myself fall in love with you" She said as she looked straight into my eyes. Not sure how long it took me to take another breath, but it was a while after that announcement. "I'm sorry."

"Sorry?" I asked finally. "So you regret it?"

"Yeh because you'll never feel the same way"

"You listen to me Valerie McCree, don't tell me how I can and can't feel" I said as I pushed her shoulder and she laughed. "You hear me?"

"No I didn't and stop pushing me you big bully" She said as she pushed me back and got in my face. "You know I can whip your butt."

"Yeh no doubt, but you wouldn't" I said as she smiled and shrugged.

"Pretty much, unless you hit me first and even then..." She said before trailing off.

"Someone hit you huh?" I asked as she shrugged again.

"Kinda why I'm single and got all this time to hang out with you" She said.

"You know that sucks" I said as she smiled. "It does, no one deserves to be hit."

"That we agree on" She said with an adoring smile. Even in the dim light on the porch I could see that. I noticed just then how close we were, her stomach almost touching mine. "I'd never hit you, that is if you ever gave me a chance."

"Honest?" I asked as she nodded, "I've never even thought about being with a girl before."

"Fair enough" She said and me fearing or maybe it was hoping that she would back off. But as the moment lingered and the scent of her perfume drifted into my senses, I started to think a little differently. "But would you?"

"I...ummm...honestly have no idea" I said as she smiled and I know she sensed an opening. She raised her hand and boldly, but gently touched my cheek and carefully tucked a single stray hair behind my ear. A 'move' if there ever was one. Seeing me offering no resistance I think gave her the courage to actually caress my cheek. Which felt so good, I smiled and tilted my head a little into her hand. She no doubt took this as a sign as that was the moment when she moved a bit closer, pressing her body to mine and leaned in a bit. "What are you doing?"

"You know" She said with a smile, "You tell me to stop and I will."

"Ok, stop" I said in a teasing tone as she leaned in and to my shock I met her almost half way and we kissed softly. Her lips on mine felt so much different than the few guys I had had the misfortunate of kissing. She let me move my lips first and kiss her, which I did. So soft and gentle and no probing tongue trying to choke me. It only lasted a split second as she pulled away and had the biggest smile on her face. I smiled shyly and searched my mind for a good excuse as to why I had just done that. Nothing plausible or even remotely plausible came to mind. So I said, "I told you to stop."

"Yeh I know" She said as she caressed my cheek with the back of her hand and kissed me again for a long moment. My lips moving against hers and a soothing warm feeling washing over my body for a long moment. Smiling again as we parted and she seemed now to be on top of the world. In that moment so was I, suddenly I let myself feel everything that I had been keeping in check since I had met this girl. For some reason we just seemed to have a connection and that made us a powerful force when we got together. It was almost like we had some kind of rhythm together and after that kiss, two kisses rather, I was defintely convinced that maybe it wasn't just a simple friendship anymore. "OH WOW. This has been the best night of my life."

"Yeh?" I asked with a huge blushing smile and a nervous biting of my bottom lip.

"Yessss" She said. "I better go, I wanna remember this."

"Night" I said as she hugged me and I returned it happily. She walked off the porch a moment later, bouncing down the steps on cloud nine by now. I turned to walk into the house when I spotted a shadowy figure lurking around the window in the living room and knew instantly who it was. Reaching for the door and ready to kill that 'someone' I again heard Val's voice, "HEY KIM!"

"Yeh?"

"You will still talk to me tommorrow right?" She asked from the other side of her car.

"Of course, we might just find another cause to join forces on" I said as she smiled. "Bye."

"Bye" She said as she climbed into the car and peeled out. A huge rush of adrenaline surging through my body at that moment as I began to bounce around in excitement. Unsure if it was the events from the meeting of the school board or that kiss. This was just a great night. I was just starting to calm down and comtemplate the possible ramifications of that kiss when my attention was diverted back to the window. That shawdowy figure disappearing as I pushed the door open and saw the culprit. My nosey and not so little sister Tori was just heading up the stairs.

"STOP!" I said in a demanding voice. "You either stop or I'll brand my name on your butt, nosey."

"OH boy" She said as she stopped and walked back down the steps with her head down.

"You just love spying on me don't you?" I asked.

"No, Mom sent me to get the lysol and I just saw a little..." She said before trailing off.

"Tori I am so sick of this..."

"I'm sorry, I'm 15, and thanks to mom I don't have a clue about anything" She said in a pleading voice. "I'm like those retarded kids in the home."

"Yeh that's true" I said as she gave me a dirty look. "If you stop spying on me, I'll tell you anything you wanna know."

"Deal" She said as she hugged me and kissed my cheek. Typical Tori. Lowering her voice she asked, "What's it like to kiss a girl?"

"Torrance Castleberry" I said in a warning voice as she giggled. I swear sometimes she acts 15 and some moments she was just like a giggling 10 year old. Something I hope she never loses in a way. "Want me to show you?"

"EWWWWWWWW no way" She said as she pulled away and I marched after her. Mom (Connie) was just coming through the swinging doors to the kitchen when Tori crashed into her and jumped behind her. "She's trying to kiss me."

"Mom little motor mouth was bugging me about kissing a girl and said she was dying to try it" I said as Tori's mouth dropped open and Mom laughed and looked back at my shocked little sister.

"I did not, you liar" Tori said in a panic as I smiled smugly.

"Can we please drop this lesbian stuff and get back to normal life?" Mom asked in what I thought was a tired voice.

"Mom it was only one joke, she didn't really say that" I said.

"See" Tori said.

"I think that was fairly obvious" Mom said. "It's just with all this stuff at school and home with you and Valerie, I'm ready for some normal life again."

"Huh?" I asked in total confusion.

"Honey it's been gay central around here for the last two months or more while you and Valerie fought the school board" Mom said as my own lip dropped open. "I'm just more than ready to see you focus on something else. Like a nice young man?"

"Oops" Tori said in a giggle and as I glared at her she took off running up the steps, laughing the whole way. Me blushing a mile a minute.

"Mom, those nice young men...are not exactly knocking down the door" I said.

"They will, it just takes time" She said. "Don't be close minded and open yourself up to new possibilites and you'd be surprised at what you discover."

"Yeh" I said as a smile spread across my face. "I am gonna be more open minded."

"Good" Mom said and taking a deep breath, thinking she had no doubt convinced me to not give up on her 'nice young man'. She headed off to bed a moment later and I was gonna go up and have a chat with my goofy sister but a yawn and a stretch later, I was ready for bed. Heading up the steps and passing by the door of my youngest sister's room I poked my head in to see if she was asleep yet. Nope.

"Shouldn't you be alseep?" I asked Gemini.

"Nobody read me story" She said from the bed. That's my four year old little sister folks, she's a character.

"Want me too?" I asked as she grinned and nodded excitedly. A half hour later she was resting comfortably and I was ready for bed myself, not that I slept much, still buzzing from the events at the meeting and of course that kiss on the front porch. I might have drifted off for a few minutes but I'm not sure. Which made for a very early morning and a nice long shower and soak in the tub. I heard my phone ringing and before I could get out to answer it, the answering machine kicked on. My answering machine should be noted is more like a 900 line than a normal one. When you call my private number you hear me say in a very sultry voice, "Kim's private line, leave a name and number. I'll holla back sexy."

"I love that message" Val said after the beep as I climbed out of the tub. "Guess you're not up yet, wanted to hear your voice. Oh god, I'm such a bad stalker. I hope you'll still talk to me after hearing this. Bye."

"I shouldn't" I said and giggling as I drained the bath tub and dried off. Wrapping a towel around myself and heading back towards my room, I saw the light on in Tori's room and was just about to knock when I noticed her door was open. Peaking in for a second before knocking, I got quiet a surprise. She had her back to the door, topless and wearing only a thong. Who knew my little sister had a thong. My eyes sorta zeroed in on that for a long moment, her bare butt cheeks holding my gaze for a moment. Until I was successfully able to force my eyes away and just in time too. Tori turned just then and almost caught me snooping. I jumped away from the door and rushed back into my room with the thought that I had just checked out my first girl. "You're losing it Kim."

An hour or so later, after a long torture filled bus ride, I stopped at the front door of the school and sat down on one of the benches adjusting the books in my bag when I felt a pair of eyes on me. Looking up, on the other side of the entry way stood a girl with long red hair and a ice cold stare directed at me. It made me nervous for the long moment that she stood there, no emotion on her face or in her eyes just a deadly serious look. The bell sounded a moment later and she reluctantly walked off as I got up and headed inside and to my locker. With the weirdest feeling washing over me that this had something to do with what happened last night on my porch. Shaking my head and trying to clear those thoughts, I heard a very nervous sounding voice say, "Hey?"

"Hey" I said with a smile after turning and seeing Val.

"You mean you're still gonna talk to me?" She asked as she leaned against the lockers beside me now. "Huh?"

"Not so sure after this morning" I said as she blushed and covered her face. "Wanted to hear my voice?"

"I like your voice" She said softly and looking at me as I smiled. "And I'm a terrible stalker."

"You sure are" I said as we both laughed. A small silence developing after that.

"UMMMMMMMM....how did you get to school this morning?" She asked finally. In what I thought was a question just to break the silence.

"Bus" I said.

"You wanna ride with me in the morning?" She asked. "I don't mind, it's kind of on my way."

"Ok" I said as she smiled. "Just no detours."

"Huh?" She asked as I raised my eye brows suggestively and she laughed. "No way. Unless you want too."

"I'll have you know I don't even like you that way" I said in a low voice as I leaned closer to her.

"Yeh after last night I believe that" She said with a devilish grin that just oozed confidence.

"So you took advantage of me" I fired back.

"And you took advantage of me right back" She said as I smiled. "Can I ask you a completely honest question?"

"Sure" I said and getting a bit nervous as she touched my hand gently and stepped in front of me. Me nervously glancing around and seeing that no one seemed to be watching at that moment. Coming back to meet her gaze I swear I thought she was gonna kiss me.

"Will you go on a date with me?" She asked, smiling shyly. I froze in shock for the longest moment of my life and offered no response. The shy smile leaving Val's face after a few more moments of silence. And thinking about it in those few moments, I remembered the few dates that I had had this school year and let's just say they were less than stellar. Both happy handed ass clowns who thought "stop that" meant "oh god baby do it some more". Knowing that if I did go out with Val that I would no doubt became the newest lesbian in school and even worse, with that rumor floating around I'd never get another invite from a guy. Funny thing is that kinda made my decision, because I know for a fact that a date with Val wouldn't be filled with expectations for sex, at least I hoped not. Problem is with all that thought processing taking place I sort of forgot to offer any type of reply to Val's nervous invite and she took that as a sign that I had no interest. "Too soon..."

"Yes" I said as she nodded.

"I know, sorry..."

"No, I said yes" I repeated. "Date?"

"Really?" She asked with a smile on her face. "Me and you?"

"Yeh, no pressure?" I asked.

"Kim, no of course not" She said. "I know you're history. If you give me a chance I swear on my heart I'll treat you the way you deserve to be treated."

"Looking forward to that" I said as I laced my fingers with hers for a moment and squeezed hers in mine. She smiled at me and I knew then she was gonna kiss me and in that moment I didn't care. She moved a bit closer as the ringing of the school's second bell shook us back to reality. "Bell..."

"UMMMMMMM...I hate that damn thing" She said as I laughed. "Ride home after school?"

"No detours" I said as we both laughed.

"See ya" She said as she pulled her hand away reluctantly and walked off. I picked up my book bag and was ready to head to class myself when I spotted that same intimidating red head from earlier standing down the hall and this time giving me an almost evil stare. I tried to pretend I didn't notice as I walked by. But she jumped into my path and stopped me cold as the hallway became almost deserted now.

"Can I help you?" I asked as she glared at me.

"You need to stay away from Valerie McCree" She said in a menacing tone. "You hear me?"

"I heard you" I said, "And who are you?"

"The girl you're gonna have trouble with if you don't do what I say" She said in a direct attempt to intimidate me. She did. "Am I making myself clear?"

"Val is my friend" I said. "So what ever problem you have take it up with her."

"You my problem, you girlfriend stealing bitch" She said as my lip dropped open in shock.

"Girlfriend stealing? Me?"

"You" She said with a finger point. "I saw the way you were grinning at each other and flirting. It's sickening to see and you better back off."

"Tell me who you are and I might" I said.

"Sasha Keller, Valerie's girlfriend" She said as a case of shock swept over me. "And you're only gonna get one warning, back...off."

"Valerie's girlfriend?" I asked.

"Me" She said. "Let me guess she forgot to mention me?"

"We've been friends for like two months now and she's never even mentioned you" I said and remembering all those nights that Val had camped out on the floor of my bedroom and even shared my bed a few nights. She never once mentioned having a girlfriend, obviously, since her announcement that she was gay came as quiet a surprise to me. "When does she see you? Cause she's almost always with me."

"Well we've had some problems and she wanted some space and I gave it to her" Sasha said. "But now we are back together and I am not gonna let you screw that up."

"Then why did she ask me out on a date just then?" I asked. Watching as Sasha's face went to one of shock and her eyes showed the hurt and frustration she must have been feeling in that moment.

"She did not" Sasha said in a questioning manner as she backed away. "You're lying."

"Honest she did" I said as tears came to the girls eyes and she pointed at me and barked, "You heard what I said. Back off."

"Yeh ok" I said as she turned and practically ran down the hall and slamming into the bathroom door before disappearing inside. Me feeling a case of intense confusion, shock and anger sweeping over me. I unfortunately had to live with that for the rest of the day as I headed off to my first class and wondered what exactly I had gotten myself into. Was Val really playing me and was she really still with this Sasha girl, who could hurt me physically. Or was this Sasha girl just making stuff up to keep me and Val from whatever it was we had going. Somehow I made it through and at the end of the day planted myself at the back of Val's car and waited on her, determined to get some answers. The seconds soon turned to minutes and my thoughts drifted to what if all this stuff with Val was her just playing me to get into my pants or something. A depressing thought to say the least. "I guess last night was the rhythm and this is the blues."