by Kiki Archer
‘I think you mean we tell her properly. We tell her how ridiculous this whole thing is. My only daughter is not gay. My only daughter will get married and my only daughter will have children.’
The thought of playing devil’s advocate crossed his mind. ‘Fine,’ he chose against it.
‘But if she thinks she is bringing a tattooed, short haired, leather clad bulldog into our house then she is sorely mistaken.’
‘We ignore it.’ He leant over and tapped her pad, ‘For now.’
Chapter 22
Kat could not wait to see Freya and find out how the news had been digested, and if Freya’s lack of reply to the text message was anything to go by then it was probably a positive reaction with the whole family sat round discussing the future et cetera. As Kat entered the quiet B Block corridor, a smile of remembrance washed across her face, the vision of Freya stood up declaring her lesbianism was one she would find hard to forget. She realised they could easily have been mistaken for lifelong friends the way the conversation had flowed and the giggles had followed. She felt good. Work was good, home was good and the future was looking promisingly bright. The same might be said of Hannah Phag she thought passing the quiet classroom, heads were down and pens were scribbling. Miss Phag had even started to alternate her green felt skirt with a grey trouser suit, admittedly the material was flannel but it was a change and so was her new highlighted hairstyle – slightly bowl-esque but a style all the same. Kat looked up and saw them. Bea and Freya were strolling down the pale blue corridor towards her. They looked great, both with their long brown hair bouncing away and their smiles of conversation glowing on their attractive faces. Bea noticed her first. The look was one that Kat could not quite place, was it hostility or possibly pride? Bea was a hard person to judge and admittedly Kat had got her wrong in the past, but now as Bea grabbed Freya’s hand and smiled falsely she reassessed her judgement.
Freya felt the heat of Bea’s hand and panicked. She looked at her intense brown eyes, fierce with pride, and decided to go with it. Freya breathed in, lifted her head high and looked straight ahead. Kat was there. Their eyes met and she felt a pain so wounding that she tried to flick Bea away, but her clasp was too tight. Freya felt sick. Kat held her gaze and smiled gently as they passed without a word.
Kat was stung. Whether it was the sight of them together or the look of apology in Freya’s eyes that evoked her hurt she did not know; what she did know was that she had been a fool - again. To make matters worse a smug Diane Pity was clipping her way up the corridor. Today it was a skin tight black and white stripy dress with pink heels and a pink arm bracelet, where on earth did she think she was going thought Kat?
Diane stopped in front of her and stood on tip toes to peer over her shoulder. ‘At least she has the age right now.’
‘Pardon?’ sighed Kat.
Diane nodded her head, ‘Freya Elton. I said at least she has the age right now. Shame about the sex.’
Kat realised she was worth nothing and stepped to the side in an attempt to walk forward.
‘Cat got your tongue?’ sneered Diane.
She started to walk. Breathe. Breathe.
Freya pushed open the metal B Block doors and stepped out onto the icy concrete. She was fuming. Bea must have seen Kat and taken her hand deliberately, marking her territory or possibly claiming her trophy. Freya tried to release the ever tightening grip but Bea quickened their pace. ‘You’re hurting me,’ she said finally breaking free.
‘Yes well you are hurting me too.’ Bea stopped walking and glared at Freya, her dark brown eyes were popping out like daggers, ‘It’s all or nothing.’ She took a sharp breath and tried to compose herself. ‘Let’s just face this head on. Let’s just get it out of the way.’ She took another deep breath and reached for Freya’s waist, drawing her close and softening her voice, ‘Everyone could know by the end of the day and we will be old news by the end of the week.’
Freya was annoyed and confused, but Bea was so powerful and intoxicating and the experience of the previous night had been so completely incredible that she struggled to reason. ‘I just don’t want to rub it in anyone’s face, that’s all.’
‘Who?’ Bea let go of her hold, ‘Look you either want this or you don’t.’
Freya looked at the highly passionate, highly charged temptress stood inches away and impulsively kissed her cheek. ‘I like you a lot Bea.’
‘Ai Ai!’ jeered Chianne on her way to the cool down zone. What a pair of weirdo’s she thought, especially that tanned, pouty one; first paying her twenty pounds to film them kissing and then fifty pounds to delete it.
Chapter 23
Kat’s term ended up uneventful and frustrating. She did not have the same issue as other staff chasing students for unfinished coursework or cramming in extra lessons in a vain attempt to finish the syllabus. Everything ran smoothly. Her examination classes met their deadlines and even Big Tom handed in a final essay of good length and quality. Kat had enjoyed their private tutoring sessions and was bowled over by a letter of thanks from his parents attached with a very expensive bottle of bubbly; they cared about their son and their son cared about Miss Spicer, enough to work harder for her than any other teacher in the school. His proposition of a date to celebrate their final session was met with a kind smile and polite decline. Diane Pity and Fiona Mews had cut back on their catty remarks and poisonous eyes - possibly because there was very little for them to see; Freya had been distant and very hard to get hold of. Bea would shunt her out of the lessons, take her off site at lunchtimes and hang around outside the classroom when Kat requested a private word. These rare personal moments were tension filled and hard to judge and Kat refused to trust her instinct that swore the feelings were still mutual; if they were then why had Freya failed to respond to her occasional text message? Kat’s routine would be the same, a romantic DVD surrounded by her loved up housemates, a bottle of wine and a burning desire to reach for her phone. She managed to stop herself for the most part, but a couple of messages had been sent. How are you? Here if you need to talk? K. She even once suggested a meeting, much to her embarrassment when no reply was received, Hello have booked a court with Lucy at 10am on Sat. Do you fancy a knock about? K. Kat tried to blame Freya’s distance on the upcoming exams. She was a conscientious student and would most likely be spending these final few weeks revising and preparing for the highly important A-Level’s. She cursed herself for even daring to send the messages. It was probably this hassling that explained Freya’s reluctance to stay and chat at the end of her lessons and the reason she had not popped up for any private lunchtime gossips. Kat was confused; the very least she thought they had was a friendship.
Kat was being honest when Lucy and Jess had quizzed her on Freya’s apparent relationship with Bea; it did not bother her. Kat would much rather Freya experimented with Bea and determined that women were indeed what she enjoyed. At least Freya would know for sure, at least she could test her feelings and grow in her own confidence. Somehow Kat had convinced herself that it would be a short lived affair, but now as Ben and Lucy sat in the apartment lounge discussing once again, the school’s popular lesbian power couple, she decided it was time to acknowledge Freya’s choice and move on.
Jess saw the look of hurt in her eyes and realised that Kat was indeed bothered so once again tried to sell her idea of a speed dating night. ‘Don’t be ridiculous Katherine! You will get so many matches!’
‘If we go, what will you do?’ Kat spoke with her back to the black sofa, shaking her head.
‘I will stand at the bar.’ Jess was thrilled that the idea was finally being entertained.
‘What and look over at me the single saddo moving from table to table in a vain attempt to get someone to like me.’ She stuck out her bottom lip.
‘As if Kat! Look at you,’ shouted Lucy. ‘I didn’t like that Freya from the moment I saw her.’ She was moving her head in a jerky fashion, ‘Who does she think she is flaunting herself with that Ev
a Mendes look-alike?’
Kat fidgeted on the wooden floor, still uncomfortable discussing her feelings openly in front of Ben – who, much to her dismay, had now replaced her and taken permanent residence next to Lucy of the left side of the sofa. ‘She is a student in a relationship with another student.’ She nodded in conclusion, ‘That is the way it should be.’
‘And it looks like a pretty red hot relationship if you ask me!’ Ben fanned his face.
‘We didn’t,’ scowled Lucy. ‘We will come as well won’t we.’ She nudged his wide chest.
Kat reddened and flung her head, once again, back onto the leather sofa. ‘My embarrassment does not need an audience thank you all the same.’
‘You will get loads of ticks! ’ Jess had taken her time to explain the process of three minute meetings followed by scores and possible matches displayed privately on the internet. Kat had nothing to lose, decided Jess. She had been so down recently that a boost to her confidence was definitely the best medicine. ‘I will sign you up now.’ She reached for her pink laptop, anxious to commit. ‘Here we go, Gail’s on Thursday. The twenty to thirty category starts at eight.’ She typed quickly, ‘Done.’
Everybody giggled apart from Kat who closed her eyes and shook her head in utter disbelief.
Kat was still shaking her head as she caught Jess’s eye from her lonely table complete with red tablecloth, red plastic rose and blank score sheet. She was a sitter and would hold the position as a variety of eligible women came and went. She sipped on her dry white wine, needing something stronger. Jess was looking over with pride and Kat felt like a child on her first day of school, mother in the window checking she got a good seat. A net of pink balloons opened from the ceiling as the klaxon made a loud and penetrating sound. Kat watched as the waiting women descended on the tables, banging shiny balloons out of their field of vision. Kat wriggled on her hard blue chair and sat upright. She messed with her hands before deciding to hold them together on the table; she paused - too much like a teacher, and moved them to her knees. She watched as the large figure approached her table. The woman was as black as the night and her gender a mystery to most, a mystery not helped with the deep husky voice that followed. ‘Betty Jean,’ she thrust out a hand.
Kat stood to greet her and noticed the smell of petrol.
‘Mechanic.’
‘Hello. I’m Kat.’ She smiled warmly, disguising her sudden feeling of complete horror at the frightful situation. What on earth had she been thinking? She would much rather be alone for the rest of her life than be degraded to this dreadfully desperate experience.
Silence.
Betty Jean nodded, ‘Nice tits,’ and continued her stare.
Kat moved her right arm to her opposite shoulder. ‘You too.’ She was shocked and could not think of anything else to say.
‘Is that meant to be a joke?’ Betty Jean looked down at her red checked shirt and flat chest.
Kat raised her shoulders nervously. They were only ten seconds in.
The dark face remained serious. ‘I don’t want no commitment or nothing. I just want sex.’
Kat coughed.
Betty Jean’s face had not cracked, ‘But I wear the strap on.’
Kat fumbled for her drink and took a large swig clocking a worried looking Jess through her shaking wine glass. ‘I am not really into that sorry.’ She thought about getting up to leave, but she couldn’t, what would people think? That she was too good for them? That was the last thing she was.
‘What strap on’s or sex?’ Betty Jean looked like she was about to attack.
‘The former?’ she said apologetically.
‘Suit yourself; thought you looked a bit prudish when I walked over.’
‘Sorry,’ she offered.
‘Oh well I’ve got fourteen more to go so no shit on me sweetheart.’
They sat in silence for the remaining two minutes with Betty Jean spending the majority of time scratching her imaginary balls.
The klaxon sounded and Kat started to breathe again. Betty Jean thumped to the next table and left her sweaty seat for Marcy who looked like a Poodle and sounded like a Chiwawa, gushing that they would do nails, lunch and shop, but only after she had checked her schedule as her life was so full to bursting. Kat hardly spoke and her desire to call it a day was almost fulfilled when Jodi Elton plonked herself down in the blue plastic chair.
‘Ello ello ello Miss Spicer! What brings you here?’ She grinned and Kat wanted the ground to open up and swallow her whole.
‘The same as you probably,’ she was deeply embarrassed.
Jodi teased her blonde Mohican seductively and winked, ‘What cruising for Punany? I’m not being funny, but last month I got a ninety percent match rate and I have worked through fifty percent already.’ She talked with a swagger that didn’t match her tiny childlike stature.
‘I don’t think we have officially met.’ It seemed so long ago when Jodi was making her excuses and leaving a bewildered Freya in the arms of her soon to be teacher.
‘No, but your staff picture on the Coldfield website is hot and so are the braces you were wearing with those high waist trousers in the activities week photo’s. I always check the monthly uploads.’ She winked and puffed up her chest, ‘You clearly recognised me though. I’m not one to forget am I?’
‘I guess not,’ said Kat devastated at the situation and depressed with the incessant chat.
Jodi poked Kat’s hands that were clasped together on the table, ‘So come on Teach, what are you doing here?’
She returned her hands to her knees. ‘Just trying to meet someone nice I guess.’ She studied the lime green swirl on the drink stained carpet and wished desperately for the klaxon to sound.
‘Well here she is.’ Jodi patted her raised chest then paused, ‘Actually scratch that. I don’t tread on toes, so you and I are a no go. Sorry about that Teach.’
‘Not to worry,’ she said relieved. She smiled and lifted her hands to touch Jodi’s arm noticing the string of tiny star tattoo’s moving from her wrist to her forearm; they actually looked quite pretty. ‘I am sure you will get snapped up anyway.’
Jodi calmed down and spoke genuinely, ‘You know you really are as nice as she described.’
‘Am I?’ she knew exactly who Jodi was talking about and so did the pain that suddenly returned to her heart.
Jodi nodded and her blonde Mohican flopped slightly to the right.
Kat could not help herself, ‘Is she happy?’
‘Do you really want to know?’ she questioned raising her eyebrows and lifting the red heart piercing to a new height.
Kat twisted her glass and sipped her wine slowly. ‘Probably not.’ She returned the drink to the table and gave her full attention. ‘This is about you anyway, so tell me about yourself.’
This was too good an opportunity to miss so Jodi rattled on nonstop about her prowess as the ultimate lady lover and her desire to one day bed her old French teacher, even though she was now going on fifty.
The noisy klaxon sounded and Kat reached gently for the starred wrist. ‘Please don’t mention this to Freya. I am embarrassed enough as it is.’
As Jodi looked into the deep blue eyes and felt the soft fingers on her arm, she understood, for the first time, Freya’s dilemma. ‘If that’s what you want.’ Freya’s actions suddenly made sense to her.
Kat nodded and reached for her bag, hoping to escape as the familiar table shuffle commenced, but as she went to stand a gentle hand brushed her tense shoulder. ‘Please don’t tell me you are leaving?’
Kat looked up and saw the pretty woman with rich auburn hair smiling kindly at her. ‘No, sorry, I was just -’ She sat back down and composed herself, ‘Hi, I’m Kat.’
‘Rachel. Ok shall I start?’
Kat smiled, she seemed normal, but then what was normal in this completely abnormal situation. She would never be able to look at the Gail’s ‘quiet room’ in the same way again. It was usually so trendy and relaxing but n
ow it was garish and cheap with its bunting of hearts stretched from bar to bar and its dreadful Sunday Morning Love songs CD on repeat. ‘Please do, I am not very good at all of this.’
‘Oh I don’t know if I believe that.’ Rachel’s eyes smiled and Kat began to relax. ‘Ok so I am Rachel. I train horses. I had my heartbroken by a girl a while ago and I am just starting to get my life back on track.’ She smiled and paused for a moment, ‘Sorry if that was too much? I just want to meet someone nice,’ her eyes scanned the room, ‘someone normal.’
Kat laughed, ‘Well scratch number one and number two off your list then.’ She composed herself, ‘Sorry. Ok I am Kat. I am a teacher and I also just want to meet someone nice.’ They smiled shyly and the conversation flowed quickly and easily, both startled when the klaxon sounded, sure that the time had been shorter this round.
Kat chose to stay and endure the remaining ten candidates and added a tick to number eight and number eleven. The final klaxon sounded with three short bursts and the wedding march boomed out over the club’s surround sound speakers. She watched as the women cheered and whooped, deciding that she must indeed be uptight, boring and lifeless. Defeated, she made her way back to Jess at the busy bar and tapped her score sheet with raised eyebrows; she would try and be enthusiastic for Jess’ sake. ‘Three ticks.’
‘Is that all?’ Jess grabbed the sheet.
‘Hey! I am proud of that. Three women that I might ... possibly .... maybe ... want to see again?’ She had only taken part for Jess whose intentions had been kind, even though the outcome had been dreadful.
‘But they have to tick you too and only then do you get a match.’ She bit on her lip, worried, ‘You might have sold yourself a bit short.’
‘Thanks!’ She linked her friend’s chubby arm, ‘Let’s go. I am a bit peckish anyway.’
Jess beamed, ‘Yes good idea, we can get take out and then check the scores on my laptop. They promise a result within the hour.’