“The next morning, I was worried about what would happen to our friendship.” Evelyn smirked. “I never intended for things to go that far—or anywhere at all, for that matter—but the wine lowered my inhibitions. I was relieved I didn’t start it because I’d tried so hard for years to control myself, especially when inebriated.”
“I was worried that Evelyn would never want to talk to me again, because she’d never indicated any interest in women—and especially not for me,” Karen explained. “I’d never thought about being with women, either, so I just figured that I was drunk and lonely, and I tried to write it off as a one-time thing. The thing is, though, that I had never been as close to anyone as I was to Evelyn. I really cared about her, and I treasured every second with her. I knew I always wanted her in my life, in one way or another.”
“A few weeks later, we had a long talk about it, and we decided to try and work it out as a couple,” Evelyn said. “There was obviously a reason that we were both drawn into that incredible act, and there was a reason we’d been inseparable for over a decade.”
“I have to admit, I’d been guilty of admiring Evelyn’s figure on several occasions. I’d always thought she was gorgeous.” Karen smiled. “I didn’t think much of it at the time, but after the first time we made love, it all made sense.”
“Even though it was a really happy, exciting time in our lives, we decided to keep it a secret,” Evelyn said. “We were especially careful around the kids; not only did we not want to confuse them at such a young age, but we also didn’t want their father to find out about it. We were still affectionate and acted like a couple when the kids weren’t home, though, or when we were at a gay bar. We figured the bars were safe.”
Karen frowned. “We still don’t know whether Justin had someone watching me or if someone just saw us at the bar, but it wasn’t too long before Justin found out. He had me in court so fast my head was spinning!” Tears began to well in her eyes, her hands balled into fists. “H-he took my babies away! That bastard made me look like a bad mother just because I was living with a woman! The courts didn’t understand homosexuality back then; they thought I was some kind of pervert, but my relationship with Evelyn was perfectly healthy! We loved the children and provided a safe, supportive environment for them. The courts didn’t care, though; they awarded him full custody and left visiting rights to his volition. He, of course, wouldn’t permit me to see them, and there was nothing I could do.” Karen began crying, and Evelyn placed a hand on her shoulder. “He turned them against me! They were still so young, and they believed everything their father told them. They refused to talk to me when I called and tried to explain to them that I’m bisexual and that there’s nothing wrong with that. My youngest, Michelle, even told me she hated me!”
Evelyn put her arm around Karen, shaking her head. “Only recently, now that Michelle and Jon are teenagers, are they beginning to understand that their mother is not some kind of pervert. About six months ago, the kids came over for the first time in years, and the four of us had a long talk about what being LGBTQ really means. We also assured them that we weren’t going to try to hurt them as their father had suggested. They’re still hesitant to consider me part of their family, and I know it’s going to take some time. At least they’re on speaking terms with Karen, and they come to visit now.”
“I am so happy to have them back in my life!” Karen declared, wiping her eyes. “But I’ll never regret deciding to be with Evelyn. It was the best decision I ever made, as far as I’m concerned. We’ve had some hard times, but we’ve gotten through them together. There have been a lot more good times than bad, and we concentrate on those moments rather than the negative.”
“Thank you so much for sharing your story,” Randy said supportively.
It wasn’t long before it was Tori’s turn. With Chloe’s support, they told her story—how she realized she had a crush on Chloe, how they’d eventually gotten together, how she was provoked at school and got suspended, how she was kicked out by her parents, and how she had started rebuilding her life. Tori got emotional a few times, but it was cathartic to talk about what she’d been going through in a sea of nurturing, sympathetic faces.
Tori sat in silence as the others told their stories. All of them had gone through hell—or knew someone who did—just because they were different. She sympathized with the pain and betrayal that they’d endured by those they’d trusted and loved, and she realized how blessed she was to have Chloe. Once everyone had finished their stories, the group waited patiently for Randy to speak.
“Thank you, everyone, for sharing your stories with us,” Randy said solemnly, looking at each member of the group. “I can assure you that all of us going through such adversity will no doubt benefit us in one way or another, whether it’s through helping someone going through a similar situation or finding peace with who you really are. I’m so proud of all of you for making it tonight; being here—learning from others, releasing internal frustrations, and venting anger in a supportive atmosphere—is an important step to heal your inner wounds.
“Tonight we’re going to discuss interacting with those who aren’t supportive of the LGBTQ community. Everyone in this room has come across someone who just doesn’t understand, and we’ll surely all face more of them in our lifetimes.
“Usually the ones who are most combative are either devoutly religious or feel threatened by change and differences. A lot of the time they’re people close to us; they’re our best friends and family members until the words ‘homosexual,’ ‘transgendered,’ or ‘genderqueer’ are used, and then they lose their minds. They condemn us to an afterlife of fire. They try to physically beat it out of us. They deprive us of advancement opportunities. They make our lives, well, miserable.
“So why should we be nice to them? We could fight back and argue with them until our faces turn blue, but that’s not going to help the situation; hate only begets more hate. We have to break through the stereotypes they have and somehow get them to realize that we’re just looking for the same happiness that they are, that we’re not trying to convert everyone to ‘our ways’. I’d love to say that, once these people get to know the real us, our being a member of the LGBTQ community won’t matter; however, I think we can all attest to the fact that that’s usually not the case.” Most of the people in the room fervently shook their heads.
“I wish that none of us had to worry about how people will react or if our lives will be in danger if we prefer a certain type of clothing or mention that we have a partner of the same gender. In the meantime, though, we still have to work to tackle the labels these people have given us and make them realize that those in the LGBTQ community are good people, too. Many of us at the Center volunteer at food banks, homeless shelters, and other charities. Many of us also attend the Pride Parade downtown every year if we’re able. Before we start talking about what’s on our minds, I’d like us to discuss other ways that we can help those in need as well as shine a positive light on the LGBTQ community.”
The group discussed different community programs of which they either knew or were involved in, and Tori found herself wishing she’d brought a notebook to take notes on the ways that she could help out. Volunteering at a youth shelter appealed to her—after all, if things were different, she’d be in one. She thought of her newly acquired furniture and how gorgeous it would be once she and Chloe were done with it, and she was filled with hope. She was well on her way to getting things figured out; she just had to find a job so that she could keep the forward momentum going.
Once they finished discussing ways to help out the community, they moved on to talking about the hurdles that everyone was struggling with that week. Not all of the concerns were discrimination-based; some were stressed about work and paying bills, some had health issues, and others were dealing with relationship issues.
After about an hour, the meeting came to an end. Many of the attendees dispersed, but some headed to the snack
table for a cookie and coffee before leaving. Tori and Chloe lingered for a while afterward, getting to know some of the others.
Randy soon came over, hugging each of them tightly. “I’m glad you both came tonight, ladies. I know that things have been pretty tough lately.”
“I’m glad we came, too,” Tori agreed. “It’s been rough trying to get my thoughts situated over the past couple of months, then with what happened with my parents…”
Randy nodded. “I’m just glad that Chloe was there to take care of you,” he said, smiling at Chloe. “And I think it’s rather neat that I’m partially responsible for your relationship. It’s a small world, isn’t it?”
“Definitely,” Chloe agreed. “I consider myself lucky that you forced us to be on a team. I don’t think any of this would have happened had it not been for you.”
“I’m sorry that you’ve had such a hard time, Tori, but things will get better,” Randy assured her. “Once you get out of that school, you’ll see that most of the world isn’t quite as bad as those petty people.”
“I sure hope so,” Tori muttered sadly.
“Listen, ladies, if you need anything during school hours—anything at all—please don’t hesitate to come and talk to me between classes. I’ll write you guys a pass or whatever if need be.” Randy smirked. “I know it’s not cool being friends with teachers, but you guys only have a couple months left, so what the hell, right?” The girls nodded, smiling. “I just wish I could do more; I know how rough this must be. I hope the rumor mills move on soon.”
On the way home, Tori studied Chloe’s face as she placed a hand on her knee. “Thank you for going with me tonight.”
Chloe put her hand over Tori’s, her eyes still focused on the road. “No problem,” she replied. “I’m really glad I went, actually. I couldn’t fathom going through the hell those people have! I get why you’d want to be around others who have been where you are and can offer advice on how to get through it. There’s no way I could help you the way they can.”
“You do plenty to help me. I’d be much worse off in many ways if I didn’t have you in my life.”
Chloe chuckled. “You know, you don’t have to thank me all the time,” she insisted. “I’m just doing what a girlfriend should do. Eventually, all of this is going to be worth it, I promise.”
Chapter 32
Unfortunately, the rumors about Tori were still a hot topic when she returned on Monday. As the girls walked into the building together, every student they passed began whispering. Chloe had kept her head down and tried to avoid her peers the previous week, but she felt stronger with Tori by her side. Inspired by the stories that they had heard the night prior, neither of them wanted to hide anymore; they kept their shoulders high and their faces forward as they walked into homeroom together.
Kristen had heard all of the rumors about Tori, but she’d left Chloe alone about it while things settled down. She doubted that Tori had actually made advances on Sabrina or any of the other girls in the locker room, but she knew that her being gay was enough for most people to believe just about anything. Kristen almost pitied Tori—almost—and she especially worried about Chloe now that she was being dragged into the middle.
Kristen was tempted to try and talk to Chloe about the situation on a strictly platonic level. She knew Chloe and how she handled stress, and she had no doubt that she was hiding her fears and worries to protect Tori. Chloe had always been the strong one, only breaking down when no else one was around to see her, and that would be difficult with Tori in the same house—and the same bed. She knew Chloe would have to vent about everything eventually, and it would be better to talk to Kristen than anyone else. Regardless of their breakup, Kristen was still the person who’d been around Chloe the most, and no one knew Chloe better than her.
Chloe and Tori hurried into the classroom, keeping their eyes forward as they made their way to the back of the room. The room immediately grew silent, every eye following them as they selected the two seats furthest away from those who were sure to harass them. Tori and Sabrina glared at one another as Aaron sneered, and Kristen glanced at Chloe sympathetically. Chloe was surprised at Kristen’s look of compassion; she figured that she’d get an “I told you so” from Kristen before she received pity. Whispers filled the room as everyone talked about Tori.
Chloe peered over at Tori and noticed that she was frowning as she hung her head. “Are you okay, babe?” she whispered, touching Tori’s arm.
Tori flinched involuntarily, then shook her head. “I was feeling strong, but I feel like that’s gone. It’s bad enough that my parents hate me now, but now I have to deal with everyone in here talking about me—and right in front of me. I know they’re just getting me back for everything I’ve put them through, but I hate how they’re talking about me like I’m some kind of pervert—and the fact that they’re probably saying the same thing about you pisses me off even more. Our relationship is none of their business, anyway. I just wish I could shut them up.” Her hands clenched into fists.
Chloe noticed Kristen approaching them, and her gut wrenched. She and Tori exchanged worried glances as Kristen stood in front of them.
Kristen knelt in front of Chloe’s desk. “Is it true?” she whispered, trying to avoid eavesdroppers.
Chloe raised an eyebrow skeptically. “Why?”
Kristen shrugged. “I’d just like to know.”
“Which part are you talking about?” Tori asked with confined rage.
Kristen sighed. “I mean, obviously Sabrina’s locker room story is bullshit; anyone with a brain knows that. I mainly mean, are you two a couple?”
Chloe’s eyes narrowed. “Why does it matter?”
Kristen frowned. “I guess it doesn’t, not really,” she replied. “But the four of us over there—you know, your friends—still want you around. None of us care about your relationship, so if you’d like to come over and sit with us, you’re welcome to.”
“What about Tori?” Chloe asked, holding onto Tori’s arm to convey that she wasn’t going anywhere without her.
“If you guys are dating, Chloe, then there must be something different about her from the Tori we all used to know and…love.”
Tori sighed. “I’m not the same person, Kristen, and I really am sorry for being a bitch all these years.” She chuckled. “I suppose karma’s coming back to bite me in the ass, huh?”
Kristen smirked. “Yeah, it kind of looks that way. It’s just a shame that Chloe’s being dragged into the middle of everyone’s revenge.”
“Indeed,” Tori said. “I didn’t mean for this to happen, especially not to Chloe. We wanted to keep it a secret until we graduated, but it didn’t work out that way.”
Chloe nodded, squeezing Tori’s arm supportively.
Kristen pointed to Mark, Lisa, and Tina. “Why don’t you guys come sit with us? Having some support will be good for both of you right now.”
Tori considered the offer, but her stomach quivered with guilt. She kept thinking about all of the horrible things she and her friends had done over the years, and she couldn’t help but think that she didn’t deserve the support. Mark had already done so much by helping her move her new furniture into the attic; that was already more than enough. She wanted nothing more than to stay concealed in the back of the room, away from most of the prying eyes, but she could tell that Chloe wanted to go; she probably missed her friends and could use the support just as much as Tori could. Tori reluctantly nodded her approval to Chloe, and they moved over to the group.
Chloe’s friends didn’t look the slightest bit happy to see Tori—except for Mark who went out of his way to say hi to her—so she sat on the opposite side of Chloe, furthest from the group.
After a few agonizing moments of awkward silence, Lisa cleared her throat. “Well, I might as well get this out of the way,” she said sternly. “Tori, I don’t trust you. You’ve done a lot of shit to me and my friends over the years. Having said
that, I am willing to give you a chance because you’ve gone through hell to be with Chloe. She obviously sees something in you that we don’t, and I don’t think you would’ve endured any of this if you weren’t sincere.”
“But if you ever think of going back to your old ways or hurt Chloe,” Tina added, “we’ll to do much worse to you than what you did to Sabrina’s face.”
Tori instinctively looked over at Sabrina. The side of her face was still swollen with scabbed gashes.
“We’re what you’d call real friends,” Tina added. “We look out for each other, and we’re honest with each other. We have no room for someone we can’t trust.”
Tori sighed, realizing how badly she wished that she had someone to defend her like Chloe’s friends did for her. “Look, I’m not going to sit here and try to defend my actions,” Tori said. “I’ve been a horrible person for a long time, and I’ve done a lot of shitty things to a lot of people. I don’t expect any of you to trust me; God knows I wouldn’t in your place. I just ask that you give me a chance like Chloe did. I’m not the same person I used to be, and I have Chloe to thank for that.” Tori scoffed as she looked over to the Frosted Flakes. “Besides, I don’t think my friends or family will ever have me back after recent events, anyway.”
“Your family?” Kristen repeated.
Chloe nodded. “Tori’s parents kicked her out,” she explained quietly. “Tori’s living with me and mom now.”
Mark nodded. “I helped them move some of Tori’s stuff in yesterday,” he added. “Wasn’t my place to say, though.”
“Please don’t say anything to anyone, though,” Tori pleaded. “I don’t want to give the rumor mill any more material.”
The group sat in stunned silence. “We didn’t know that,” Tina muttered solemnly. “That’s awful!”
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