Revelations

Chapter three

After tea me and Jo washed up the plates then returned back to her room, "So what do you think of everyone? Pretty boring aren't we" I looked over at Jo as she flicked through Netflix. She looked quite blank, like she was waiting for some sort of appraisal. I shook my head.

"No way! None of you are boring, quite the opposite. If you want boring you should have my life. Mum and Dad both work ridiculous hours. They're never home at the same time and we never do anything together.

Jo was a little upset by, "Nothing's changed, until now?" Jo inquired. Then she did something I didn't quite expect, she hugged me! It felt so good to be hugged by someone other than my parents.

Jo looked at me with a sad look, "Sometimes it would be nice to have an ordinary life, sometimes living in the fast lane isn't always a good thing." She hugged me again.

I wanted to ask her why she was sad, what she meant by this, but something told me not to, something said I might not like the answer.

"Well, everyone has taken a real shine to you I'm glad, I have only ever brought two other people home and we'll it didn't go down that well." Jo was laughing, well it sounded more like a grunt.

"I mean I bring you home and they instantly fall in love with you, you have already become a part of us, instantly. You really must tell me your secret, I have been trying for years to get that much attention. You got it going on, sister! I just haven't figured out what it is yet."

I shook my head "I have no idea. I'm just me. I've never tried to be anything I'm not, but I've always wished I was the same as everyone else." She shook me, I thought my head was going to fall off.

"Gracie, I will slap all kinds of silly shit out of you if you don't start to realise that you being different is what makes you special. It's what makes others like you."

If this was true, then how come Jo has been my only friend? Sure, others spoke to me, but never like this. Maybe she was the same and was just being nice. Only time would tell.

She touched my arm. "I can't honestly start to understand what life has been like for you. Nevertheless I feel such a connection to you, like you've been apart of my life the whole time."

I shook my head that's not possible. Or was it? "I've been to over fourteen schools, and never made any friends. Girls used to chat with me, but I always sat on my own. I used to sit in the toilet at lunchtime because I hated people watching me eat.

"I suppose I kind of kept myself to myself because the bullying was everyday. I used to believe I never belonged anywhere until now." I looked up to see Jo crying, she was crying over me. But why?

"Oh Gracie, Im so sorry I wasn't at every damn school looking out for you, why did you go to so many schools? but anyway everything is going to be different now! We've found each other. Just let me in. Don't shut me out."

"If I'm honest I dont really know, everytime I started settling in one school we would move again. It was like we were on the run. Dad would say it was because his work needed him elsewhere, I just felt it was because nowhere wanted me.

I cried happy tears, I didn't ever want to shut Jo out. I felt attached to her, too. It was crazy, finally maybe, I could fit in, and make up for seventeen years of always being alone. Never belonging, never being wanted on anyone's teams at PE time. Maybe now I, too, can have a social life.

The phone rang taking me out of my train of thought. Jo picked it up, "Hello? Yeah, what do you want? Oh well maybe he don't then! Yeah What you want me to do about it? That's not my problem maybe you should leave him alone then! Oh, for god sake, just leave him alone!" She put the phone down.

I looked at her confused she shook her head, "Girls will never learn." I was even more confused. I wish I was telepathic, and could hear everything that was said. I chuckled and Jo looked at me smiling.

"Sorry, that was Reaba, she's a little annoyed because Leighton wouldn't even speak to her today." She came over to me quickly and sat beside me seeming a little excited.

"You know what this means don't you? If he's not interested in Reaba then he's interested in you." I was shaking.

I didn't know what to think or say. I was seventeen years old and never had a boy look at me, talk to me or even kiss me, so what's so different about Oxford. We move here and now everyone's interested. It was safe to say I was bricking it.

"I don't think so, Jo. I just think he's being polite. Besides, why would he be interested in me when he could have any girl in that school?"

Bewilderment crossed her face. I thought she was gonna slap me. She just sighed in frustration. "You will just have to wait and see then, won't you? Besides, from what I know, he loves curvaceous beauties! Reaba was a rebound." She was rolling around now in stitches. I joined her but my insides were like jelly.

How did she know all about him? Something was a little off. Her phone rang again, she rolled her eyes and went to pick it up. "Hello? Oh, it's you! Yeah I'm busy now. No I can't, I'm here with my best mate. Yeah I know. Yeah ok see you later." She put the phone down she turned round.

"Sorry, babe, that was an old friend of mine in need of a shoulder to cry on."

I nodded "Ok I'll get going"

She came and pounced on me. "No way! You're not going anywhere. He can wait."

Hmmmm. A boy needs her shoulder. I bet she's getting it, what a lucky sod but I wasn't gonna ask, I'll suffer with my jealousy in silence.

We were talking so much we hadn't even been watching the TV. I hadn't been keeping an eye on the time either, "Oh hell no, It's 9:45. I best get going. My parent's are going to flip." Jo laughed.

"I'll get Dad to take you home. We'll see you in school tomorrow." She hugged me, as we rushed downstairs. My heart was in my throat,panicking about what my parent's would say. I felt like a right dirty stop out.