Purgatory Blues

Jessie ran to the school gates, but the car wasn't there, nobody was there. Katie had already left and so had Grace. Jessie was alone. She walked back to the main entrance shaking her head. "Grace was supposed to wait for me! She's a stupid...so full of herself…self indulgent…" The blond mumbled throwing her bag down onto the stone steps. She fell down next to it and tipped it upside down. Aside from a few tissues, a couple of sticks of gum and a pen, the bag was empty. She tried the pocket and pulled out a couple of coins: a nickel and a dime. Not enough for the bus.

Jessie climbed the steps and made a beeline for her locker. She squinted into the dark recesses her eyes lighting up at the sight of something silver wedged in the corner: Only a Quarter. She had forty cents. How could she get home? She would have to call someone to come and get her.

She stuffed the books and loose leaves back into her locker and slammed the door hard, causing an echo to rebound down the empty corridor. Jessie flattened her face to the cold metal, and tried to regulate her breathing. She was so pissed at Grace right now "Why didn't she wait for me?"

"Miss Sammler, Everything alright?"

Jessie spun around quickly to find Ms George stood in the doorway to her classroom.

"Are you alright?"

Jessie nodded, searching for a lie to get rid of the older woman.

"I just…left something in my locker…" She began. She looked at her English teacher, wishing that the ground would swallow her up. "I have to go…" Jessie turned to leave but the teacher was persistent.

"Jessie, if I could speak with you for a moment…"

The teen conceded and followed her teacher back to her classroom.

"Have you had chance to think about what we discussed yesterday?"

'No not at all, I was too busy with my incredibly hot…' She thought before replying, "I still don't feel that I want my assignment to be submitted for that competition."

Isobel George sat at the desk next to Jessie. "That's not really what I meant, I have already submitted your work."

"You can't."

"Jessie, it's a really beautiful piece of text, I'm very excited by it, and it's a very exciting opportunity for you represent this school…"

Jessie put her head in her hands and mumbled. "Ms George, I really don't think you understand…I…" She paused before whispering "I wrote that for someone who…someone that I am in love with. It's not really about Elizabeth Bennet."

Jessie looked up at the older woman, but could tell by the look on her face that the cryptic reasoning wasn't going to work.

"Ms George, please withdraw the paper. I…I'm gay."

Jessie paused. Her head was throbbing, and it felt so light. She felt like she could feel blood running though her whole body. She blinked and opened her mouth.

"I'm gay." She said again expecting a response from her teacher. Isobel George merely smiled at her student. "So…I guess…you don't want the paper now?"

"Jessie, I'm not withdrawing your paper."

"Did you here what I said?"

"It's very important to draw from your personal experiences…but your sexuality is not at the crux of the assignment…your feelings for this other person might be, but the subtext is not gender specific."

Jessie sighed.

"I don't think you get it…I just told you that I was gay."

Isobel George ignored the statement again. "I have a couple of things to finish up here, but do you need a ride home?"

The young blonde paused and considered lying before she agreed to a ride from her teacher.

**

The car pulled up outside the Manning house and Jessie clicked off her seatbelt.

She turned to her teacher and smiled appreciatively.

"It does get easier."

"What?"

"Saying the words 'I'm gay' out loud."

"And are you?" Jessie enquired.

"Yes." She smiled at her the girl. "If you ever need anything…other than your paper…you know where to find me."

"Thank you."

Jessie slipped from the car.

**

"Oh my god!" Grace exclaimed as she followed Jessie in from the hall.

"What now?" Jessie scowled.

"That was Ms George!"

"And?"

"You just got out of her car!"

Jessie rolled her eyes in response, slung her bag on the counter top and walked towards the fridge. She opened the door, poured a glass of juice and closed it again. When she turned back to the other girl, Grace was motionless, aghast.

"Jeez. What's your problem?"

"She's giving you a ride home now?"

"She wouldn't have to if you had been there." Jessie growled

Grace ignored the bitterness in the other girl's voice.

"Kate…"

"Katie was supposed to ask you…"

"She didn't Jessie…I'm sorry."

"Its fine. I needed to talk to her anyway."

Grace's eyes were wide with anticipation as she waited for Jessie to explain.

"She's submitting me for the regional writing prize. Don't tell anyone!"

"You're getting published. You got an A+. Jessie that's amazing!"

"I don't wanna talk about it."

"It's great news."

"For YOU!" Jessie spat.

"And why wouldn't you want it?"

"That writing was private! I didn't want any one to see it."

"Now George has gone and published it."

"Oh…it's about Katie!"

Jessie was quite for a while. "Just don't mention it to my Dad." She sighed. "I need to do my homework."