Everyone tells me it's just a phase.

You don't actually like girls, you're just confused, you're just a teenager so it's normal to think you like the same sex, blah blah blah. Nonsense bullshit. It gets on my nerves constantly. I'm always ridiculled by friends and family; they act like my entire life is a lie. I'm 17 years old for God's sake, I think I know who I like and who I don't like! For example, my mom was nagging me the other day: "Why don't you date a boy? You never get out of the house. It's about time you mingled a bit."

I just rolled my eyes, ignoring her and strolled my way out of our kitchen. Mom continues to do her normal business, washing the dishes as loudly as she possibly can, as she does whenever she's deep in thought, sometimes angry. I plopped down onto the Lazy-Boy in front of the TV and resumed into my book reading to get my mind off of her crap. Lately I had taken a loving to reading a lot of science fiction; the genre of freak-alien-attacks and sense of a distorted reality is really fascinating to me. I almost think my life is like a syfy book or movie--except with freak-gay-chick-attacks and the distorted way I'm treated by people I kind of care about. I love them, yes, but they sometimes I just want to bash their faces in. As I got comfortable underneath the blankets again, my older brother came in the front door. "Hey, I'm home!" his voice boomed into nearly every creavace of the house. He always seemed happy. I eny him. But he's one of the only people in my house that talks to me like I'm a normal person. "Hey kiddo," he glances over at me, winking playfully. "how's that book going?" He says, smiling is award-winning smile. He takes off his coat, hangs it on the hanger on the door, and sets his car keys in the key-bowl.

"Oh, good I suppose." I underexaggerate, deciding to quit reading for the night since Sam's home. I toss the book down on the coffee table in front of me, but apparently I tossed it a bit too hard because he goes, "Something wrong, Sky?" The tone in his voice was sincere; he was really concerned for me, since I never tend to lash out. Unless something is on my mind. He walks over towards me, sitting on the couch adjacent from me. "...Mom?" He whispers softly, leaning forward close to me so Mom couldn't hear from the kitchen.

"Yeah..." I mutter, thinking about the recent "argument" she and I had had just a few moments earlier. "She's saying I should 'get out more' and 'date a boy for once.'". Sam was the only  one in my family that I felt comfortable expressing my sexuality to; he was very accepting and understanding, and is there whenever I need him. I could never tell him how thankful I am to have him in my life. 

"Damn...She just doesn't let up, does she? Well, you know I'm here if you ever need anything. Really. If anyone bullies you or does anything to you, I'll kick their ass personally. Even if it has to be mom." Suddenly he fell silent, looking down at the ground. "And you know what," he added, "I'll drive you to school tomorrow so you don't have to deal with the bus filled with hormonal boys trying to get into your pants and girls who're stupid enough to not totally turn gay for you." Absentmindedly, he grabbed my hand from my knee and took it in his hand, squeezing it tight.

"Okay..." I smiled. "I'd like that."

*                    *                    *                    *

The next morning I woke up to my alarm at 7:30 AM, got dressed, brushed my teeth, grabbed my backpack, and waited for Sam at the door. After a few minutes, I heard a beep! beep! coming from outside. Looking out from behind the curtain of the window leading out to the front driveway, I saw Sam in his navy blue Mustang that he had spent over half of his life saving up for it, and damn does he love it. I guess I don't blame him, it is really pretty.

With that, I made my way down our porch and into the passenger seat. Revving the engine, he chuckled to himself, "Took 'ya long enough,"

"Oh shut it!" I hit his arm teasingly as I was in the middle of buckling my seat belt. "Just drive," I smiled, failing to keep a straight face.

"You know you loooove meeeee!" He sang as he pulled out of the drive-way and made his way down our street. Apparently he had forgotten to comb his hair this morning, because it was in a total blond rat's nest on top of his head. He was so odd... I couldn't help but love how comfortable we were with each other; normal siblings were always bickering and fighting, though with Sam and I it was different. It was real.

It took over 10 minutes for him to drive me to school, and when we arrived it was like we were rich or something--all eyes were on us. The Mustang, I guessed. My school wasn't much of a Mustang kind of school. More like a Ford truck kind of school. This kind of attention bothered me, but I wasn't sure why. I didn't exactly enjoy being eyed as ritsy, because that wasn't my personality. I liked to stay back in the shadows, one of the unknown. But we all know that isn't how it is with me, right?

I thanked Sam for the ride, climbed out of my seat with my backpack and slammed the door behind me. I started walking up the sidewalk to the front flag-pole enterance, just when a girl with dark brunette hair and green eyes tapped me on the shoulder. She had a piece of paper with scribbled notes on it. "Excuse me miss, but can you help me find my first class?" She asked politely, "I'm new here..." She had a shy smile across her face. It looked really sweet and innocent. And her voice--light but velty, and in a way highly addictive. She was a few inches shorter than me in height, and her build slightly more than my own--I was freakishly skinny due to rarely eating and never getting enough excercise. She was nearly the opposite of me: muscular but lean, short, and pretty. I was too tall for my age, skinny as hell, and extremely unattractive. I was like garbage next to a diamond.

"Oh, uh, sure!" I said, suddenly out of breath with how stunning this female was in front of me. I glanced her up and down quickly, careful not to get caught. She was wearing ripped blue jeans with a green sweater. The color of the sweater brought out her green eyes brilliantly; they looked bright and alert, lighting up her face with an accent of just absolutely beautiful color. I tried not to make it obvious that I was kind of checking her out--or was I? I was just checking what she was wearing...because apparently she's new--but whatever. I try and supress my thoughts to the back of my mind. It ended up being harder than I thought.

I ended up walking her to her first hour class: Biology with Mrs. Klabec, who I had second hour. I made sure she was okay, all settled into her class when I turned to run off to my first hour--with three minutes left until class started. I couldn't help but think about that girl the entire way there. She was too pretty. Too pretty for her own good. Oh my God, so damn gorgeous. Just the way she carried herself made me subconsciously fall for her.

This for sure is not a phase.