Different Kind of Love

Chapter 12 The Escape

I flopped down on the couch in despair.  Kaelyn looked at me quizzically, but then rolled her eyes, wandering away.  I wanted to throttle her!   Hasn't she ever had drama where she came home crying from a heartbreak like I did today?  Why was she treating me like a different species?

I went over what happened over the course of the past few weeks.  I neglected Ember every time I saw her, to try to be cool, I refused to tell Mom I was lesbian, so she wouldn't get mad, I dated Marionette, because I liked her and I broke up with Marionette, because I was being cyberbbullied by Dinah.  I was a real flip flop, I was refusing to hang out with someone who everyone thought was lesbian, but was dating someone who actually was lesbian.  What did I really want?

SLAM!

I sat up.  Mom was home.  She staggered into the kitchen with arms full of shopping bags and groceries.  Kaelyn lunged to help, but Mom said, "Thanks, sweetheart, but I want to talk to Megan please."  As Kaelyn exited, I stepped forward, heart pounding.  Mom was scowling as I leaned against the countertop, awaiting her next words.  This is not good, I thought, this is really, really  not good.  "Megan," Mom began, in a steely tone I never heard her use before, "I ran into Marionette's mom at the grocery store just now."

I gaped, realizing what was about to come.

"She said," Mom continued, "that Marionette was really excited about going on another date with you."

Obviously, Marionette's mom hadn't seen Marionette come home from school today, I thought.

"Megan, I'd like to ask you, are you lesbian?  Have you been dating Marionette?"

I started trembling, afraid.  What could I do now?  There was no time to think of a lie.  "Mom, I can-" I started.

"HAVE YOU BEEN DATING MARIONETTE OR NOT, MEGAN GABRIELLA MAXWELL?!" Mom shouted.

"Yes, I have!" I cried, shielding myself from her with my hands.

Mom's face drained of the red colour that was forming along her cheeks and she went ghost white.  "Megan," she said, with disappointment, "Megan, you know what this means."

"I'm a lesbian." I said, voice cracking.

"Yes.  And I've never been more disappointed in my entire life."

"Mom," I choked, tears streaming down my blotchy cheeks, "Mom, I'm sorry!"

"Just go.  Go to your room.  Let me decide what to do with you." Mom said, closing her eyes, gesturing up the stairs.  I opened my mouth to reply, but then stopped.  There was nothing left to say.  I climbed upstairs and saw Kaelyn and Dylan step out of their rooms, faces changing from, confusion, anger, mischief, sadness and sympathy, as I closed and locked the door to my room.

I lay on my bed, thinking.  I couldn't cry, I couldn't punch my pillow and let our anger, I just sat, like a lump.  Mom was probably going to kick me out and Dad was all the way back in Winsconsin.  I needed a plan for my future.  

Suddenly, it hit me.

I leapt of my bed and grabbed my school backpack, which I always drag upstairs after school before heading back downstairs to be lazy.  I opened my drawers and threw in my backpack two pairs of jeans, one pair of track pants, one pair of leggings, some under clothes, three T-shirts and one long sleeved shirt, two hoodies and a bunch of socks.  I-pad?  Check.  Hairbrush?  Check.  Hair elastics?  Check.  Sketch book?  Check.  Art supplies?  Check.  Granola bars?  Check.  Everything went in the bag.  I slipped on a pair of sneakers and began tying my bed sheets together.  It was hard to get the cloth in sturdy knots, but I managed.  As I worked I let the tears fall.

Finally, I was ready.  I opened my window to hear the rush of wind and the plit  plat of rain.  I threw my rope of bed sheets out, tying the remaining end that was inside to my bedpost, grabbed my bag, and grasped the sheets with my hands tightly.  I swung down so I was dangling in the air.  I began working my way down, but suddenly one of the knots untied and the sheet I was on slipped down, plummeting to the ground.  I lunged for the one above me, but I missed and began falling, too.  "Aaaaaauuugh!" I screamed, but thankfully no one saw me or heard me. For a few split seconds it was just me and the air.  I landed on my behind with a thud and began to bawl like a baby.  I didn't break any bones or anything, but the weight of this whole day was just overwhelming.  I quickly got up and dusted myself off, and began to walk down the driveway.

I was running away and no one could stop me.  

I needed help and was going to someone who could give it.