I had just about enough of Dottie's harassment. She had been harassing me since high school. We were now in our third year of college. I found it odd that it had carried on for this long. My vision blurred as tears began to swell in my eyes. The laughs of my graduating class echoed in my head as I walked down the steep incline.
Mountains towered in the distance. I briefly glanced up at the star freckled sky. Mid century modern homes sat high like palaces on both sides of the road. If there was one thing I loved about living in Washington State it was the breathtaking scenery. It was half an hour past midnight. Almost everyone had gone to the campus queen dance, myself included. That was until Dottie had teased me about my date leaving me to dance with Martha Briggs.
Part of me blamed myself. The truth was that I had only chosen to go with Tommy because I didn't want the rest of the graduating class to know that I was what they called "queer". However, everything came crashing down when Tommy tried to kiss me and I rejected him. His words echoed through my head "What's the matter? Are you queer or something?"
Dottie had been dancing with Jimmy, a boy she had been going steady with for quite a while now. They were only a short distance from us and she had overheard. A wicked grin spread across her face before she shouted "Millie's queer!" Before I knew it what looked like hundreds of fingers pointed in my direction as the party guests all spoke at once.
The look on Dottie and her friend's faces would forever be etched into my mind. The last thing I remember was Tommy looking at me in disgust before I ran out.
Maybe I could transfer schools. The idea of going somewhere where no one knew me sounded like the dream right about now.
"Hey there Miss Lonelyhearts, do you need a ride?" A familiar feminine voice asked. Her alluring tone carried a sensual pull that made it impossible to ignore. Christine Nelson.
Christine was one of Dottie's best friends. It was well known that her family was old money. Her family had been in the lumber industry. I hadn't had any run-ins with her but anyone who hung out with Dottie Perkins was guilty by association in my eyes. She hadn't gone to the dance which I found quite odd.
Green eyes bored into mine. It was as if she could see right into one's soul. Her strawberry blonde hair sat in an elegant bun. Her white party dress complemented her pink Cadillac convertible. I found myself unable to tear my eyes away from the girl.
Whenever we made eye contact, I always felt as though I was under a spell. The corners of her lips curved upwards. "I'm fine, thanks." I managed to say, ignoring the feeling of my knees buckling. I began to walk again.
Her car rolled along at a slow pace beside me. "Oh come on now. The dorms are at least twenty minutes away on foot." A playful pout formed on her pink lips.
"Why the hell do you care? You're best friends with Dottie." I rolled my eyes and clenched my jaw.
"Believe it or not, my life doesn't revolve around Dottie Perkins. Based on how upset you are, I assume she's done something awful."
"How long did it take for you to figure that out lady Einstein? Could it be that I'm walking home alone instead of driving back with my date?!" I snapped.
Christine didn't seem to be bothered by this at all. There was a long pause. A smirk formed on her lips as she leaned over and opened the passenger's side door. "Well since we're both awfully lonesome tonight why don't you climb in and tell me all about it? We could keep each other company."
Butterflies formed in the pit of my stomach. I wanted to say no, but my feet seemed to carry me towards her as though I were a sailor being lured into the sea by a beautiful siren. A triumphant smirk formed on her lips. "Good girl." She said barely above a whisper. I ignored the tingly sensation in my lower abdomen.
***
I told her everything that had happened. She didn't seem at all surprised. To be honest, neither was I. This was typical of Dottie. "She isn't my best friend, you know." Christine finally spoke.
"Then why do you always hang out with her?" I asked.
"She's always following me around. Most people seem to do that when you come from old money." I couldn't believe my ears. Dottie following someone around? I had always known her to be the leader of the pack. People followed her. The idea of Dottie following someone else around was foreign to me.
I chuckled in disbelief. "So, are you interested in women?" Christine asked. I didn't have to look at her to know that her eyes were on me.
My face turned beet red. Fear rose within me. I knew this wasn't something I could go around telling just anyone. I had heard horror stories of people who had been found out and were sent away to asylums. The funny farm is what they called it.
"Ground control to Millie?" She teased, snapping me out of my thoughts. I cursed internally. I knew I had taken too long to answer. By the mischievous twinkle in her eyes, this was all she needed to know.
"I'm not. I love men, they're so...manly." As soon as the words left my mouth I wanted to die. Out of all the things I could say about them, that was what I came up with?
