Sitting on the smelly, stick bathroom floor of Marcus High School watching my best friend cry, I wondered what brought me here. Did I do something wrong? I had no idea, but I was getting really mad. I had done nothing wrong to these people.



When I looked back at Melissa she was still crying and saying words under her breath. Instead of asking her what she was saying; I got up to get her a paper towel. As I was walking, I thought how Melissa and I first met. It was the first day I was riding the bus. She was sitting in the back and whispering to her other friends. After I put my stuff down on a seat she asked me if I was going to be riding this bus. I replied with a 'yes' and she answered with 'cool'. I know it doesn't seem that amazing, but taking a seat across from her and making a conversation was so easy. It seemed like we knew each other for years and years, and that was just two weeks ago. The laughs we had since then are unimaginable. Suddenly, I felt something hit my leg. I had dropped all the paper towels on the floor. After I picked up most of them; I went back to Melissa. She held her hand out waiting for me to place a towel in it. Woops. I ran back to get one really fast and tripped on my way back. She giggled and my embarrassment went away. I handed her a towel, and tried to help her up. She neglected my help, so I just sat beside her.



As I sat that trying to comfort my close friend, I decided to review on what happened that week. Monday was like any other, volleyball, school, and home. Tuesday was the same. Wednesday. Wednesday was different. Wednesday was the day Melissa bought me lunch, that lunch changed everything. Like always, she comes by my locker and we go to lunch together. My day was going rather fantastic, so we linked arms and ran down the stairs. Once we walked into the cafeteria it seemed all eyes were on us, like we were caged monkeys in a zoo. I noticed some people whispering behind us, but it seemed Melissa didn't. After picking up some pizza and a drink with Melissa following behind me, we walked to the line to pay. Now we both heard the whispering and immediately turned around.


'Aren't you two a couple?' I can still Olivia's voice anxiously waiting for the truth.


'Yeah, sure just don't tell anyone,' Melissa replied in a sarcastic tone. I watched Olivia's expression turn from funny to serious.


'What was that about?' I asked Melissa.


'Something stupid, it doesn't matter,' she replied.

I didn't believe her. I could tell something was up. As we walked to out lunch table more and more whispering was occurring. Louis was whispering so loud I could hear every other word. 'Yeah, they're dating. I know it's sick. I didn't know they were like that.' Those sentences were repeated more times than I could count. People I didn't even know were saying that. Right then, it just started to make sense. They saw us link arms. Did they think we were gay just because we linked arms? Girls did that all the time.

'Are you girls dating?' Louis raised his whisper to a loud shout across the lunch tables.

'No, what makes you think that?' I quivered to the response. I just moved here from Florida, and people were starting to think I was gay. Not that I have a problem with gay people; I'm just not one of them.

'Well, everyone thinks you are,' he answered with a matter-a-fact voice.

My mouth dropped wide open bugs could be flying in and out. I immediately looked at Melissa who was already staring at me. I couldn't believe what he had just said. I was absolutely dumbfounded.

'What?! How does everyone think we're gay? Are you going to say anything Marti? That guy just called us gay!' Melissa's calm voice rose higher and higher till she was screaming.

'I know! I was here when he said it! I can't believe it either!' Words were flying out of my mouth faster than my mind could think.

'Well we're not gay! You know we're NOT gay right?!' Melissa scanned the table to make sure there were no doubters. I had never seen her yell like that; she was seriously upset.

'Yeah, yeah okay.' Louis replied. Now that I think of it, he was probably afraid to say anything back to Melissa.

'Who told you this? Who told you this bogus lie?' I demanded.

'It's everywhere, I don't know.' He's reply was phonier than a house on clouds.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Everything from lunch went down hill, Thursday and Friday were just icing on top of a horrible week. I started to think Texas was worse that I predicted.

Now it brings me back to where I am now, still sitting on the floor with my best friend slowly returning to normal.

'Marti?' her voice was stuffy from crying.

'Yeah.' I responded kind of stuffy myself.

'What's wrong?' Her voice was kind like it always is.

'Nothing, I just need to chill from Destiny awhile, you know?'
Destiny was the girl who started the whole rumor. We ended up having a strong'discussion that night.

'Yeah, I totally know.' We both cracked up and decided that home would be the best place to make some hot chocolate and watch Never Back Down a million times.

So that was my 3rd week at Downing Middle School. Going from new girl to gay girl was an interesting ride, and if I had a chance to react again, I would. I wouldn't have yelled at Destiny. I would recoil from being rude and aggressive. Maybe my life would be different if I had responded a different way. I could even be friends with Destiny right now. I guess everyone learns lessons a different way.