The P. A. G. E. Club ~ Chapter 1

This is the first chapter of a novel I'm writing about a teen LGBTQ-inclusive book club. I posted it on Young Authors Amino and thought I'd also post it here! Happy reading!

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Chapter 1

3:30. The meeting was set for 3:30. I stare up at the clock, biting my lip, my fingers drumming nervously on my desk in my AP English class. Our teacher, Ms. Lyra is busy ranting about something I can’t quite distinguish. Probably sentence structure, but I’m not really listening. All my attention is on the clock, on that eternal ticking as the second hand makes its way around the face, signalling that another grueling minute has ed.

Come on… Come on. I think,  Just a little more… Come on.

The clock ticks away slowly, almost as if savoring my internal suffering. I resist the urge to slam my head on my desk in frustration, resorting to gritting my teeth instead.

This must’ve caught Ms. Lyra’s attention, because she’s staring right at me. “Ms. Peter, do you have a comment?” she asks.

I blink, my throat going dry, “I… Uh…” I avert my gaze, suddenly feeling incredibly foolish. “N-no, Ma’am.” I manage, my voice barely above a whisper.

“What was that?” Ms. Lyra puts a hand to her ear, “Can you repeat that, honey?”

That ‘honey’ makes me grit my teeth even more,

“No, Ma’am.” I growl, my teeth practically bared in a snarl.

Ms. Lyra doesn’t seem to notice my sudden act of aggression. She just shrugs and continues on her rant.

I sigh exasperatedly, shaking my head. “Keep your cool, Robin,” I whisper under my breath. “Keep your cool…” Soon, this class will be over. It’s only a matter of time.

I try to pay attention to Ms. Lyra’s lecture, but it’s hard. My eyes keep going back to the clock. My attention is averted, however, when a crumpled piece of paper pelts me in the back of the head.

I blink back my surprise, my eyes lowering to the paper ball at my feet. I look around, wondering who might’ve thrown it. It couldn’t have been by accident; I’ve known most of these people since my first year at Triton. Whoever threw it did it on purpose.

Sighing, I duck down and pick up the scrap of paper. It was obviously meant for me. Biting my lip, I carefully unfold it, my eyes falling on a message scrawled out in messy, unkempt handwriting.

Eyes up front, Fag

I hear a snicker from a couple of seats behind me. I don’t even turn back to see where it's coming from. I immediately know who it is.

Torrence Fanshaw.

Triton’s top-tier scholar. He also happens to be

Triton’s number one homophobe.

And since I am the only known homosexual on campus, his hit list is pretty low.

I rip up the note with a relished rage, not once breaking eye with him. Soon, the note is nothing but little bits of yellow confetti in my hands. I am tempted to get up out of my seat, waltz over to him and blow it all over that smug face of his, but I hold myself back. No need to draw attention to myself. Instead, I stuff the remains of the note into my pocket. I do manage to send him my own kind of message, though. One pretty rude hand gesture. Torrence pretends to grasp it out of the air, as if I had blown him a kiss. I roll my eyes, scoffing silently before turning my head back around.

The dork isn’t even phased by my insults.

The class drones on for another half-hour before the bell calling for dismissal rings. The sound is like a saving grace. Finally. I get up from my seat, my books a struggling heap in my hands as I start towards the door. I don’t make it very far before Torrence catches up to me, his lips turned up in a cruel smile. “Hey, Peter. Where’s your little groupie?” he jeers. When I ignore him, he follows the comment up by blocking my path, “Hey, look at me when I’m talking to you.”

I don’t make eye with him. “Buzz off, Torrence.” I say, as steadily as I can manage.

“No, I don’t think I will. Now,” He shoves me into the lockers, the books tumbling from my hands. “Answer my question, dyke.”

I splutter, the wind suddenly knocked out of me. I stare at him, my expression more reminiscent of shock, not the expected terror. But that shock quickly morphs into something more threatening, something angry, visceral. “Let go of me…” I growl, my teeth bared.

“Why should I, freak?” He leans in close, so much so that I can smell his putrid breath, “You’ve got someplace to be?”

I glare at him. If he intends to keep me here, I’m going to miss the meeting. And if that happens…

I struggle against his hold, my heartbeat elevated. I thrash, a strangled cry caught in my throat. It comes out a meek whimper.

“That’s right, pussy. Cry. Cry, then maybe I’ll let you go…” Torrence sneers.

My stomach twists. No way am I summitting to this homophobic dirtbag. My eyes are frantic as I look around. There’s nobody in sight. Nobody would help me anyway…

I close my eyes. It’s hopeless. He’ll just find me again. But, just as I’m about to give up, a voice calls out.

“Hey!”

Torrence turns his head, “What the-?”

The weight of him is practically ripped off of me. I blink open my eyes. It’s then when I see her. My lips turn up in a relieved smile.

Spider Martins. To anyone else, she’s my best friend. But, alone, when nobody’s listening, I’m glad to call her my girlfriend.

Spider gets right in his face. “You think you’re so tough? Just because you’re a sexist ass who picks on girls for fun?” She raises an eyebrow at him, “Well?”

“I… I-I… Uh…” Torrence looks away, his eyes wide.

“Hey,” Spider grabs his chin, forcing him to look at her. “Look at me when I’m talking to you!”

I smirk a bit, going to Spider’s side. “It’s OK, Sye. You don’t need to be too hard on him.” My eyes are cold as I look at Torrence. “I’m sure he knows the repercussions for bullying. Don’t you, Fanshaw?”

Torrence gulps, looking at me, then to Spider, “I-I… I’m sorry. I wasn’t… I didn’t mean to-!”

“Sure you didn’t.” Spider shoves him, causing him to stumble backwards a couple paces. “Get lost, Tori.”

Torrence stands up straighter, huffing as he storms off, becoming sightless in the now crowded hall.

Spider turns to me, an eyebrow raised, “Do I always have to save your sorry butt from these guys?” she asks, chuckling.

My grin is wide, and I wrap my arms around her, giving her a grateful squeeze, “Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it.” She pulls away, her smile falling. “But, seriously, Robin. I wasn’t joking. Can you handle yourself around them?”

I sigh, “I’m fine. I’m lucky you were here. Torrence was about ready to clobber me.”

“Damn right, you’re lucky!” Spider says, giving me a light noogie. I shove her back, lightly, and we both laugh. “Anyway. Where are you heading?”

“To the principal's office.” I say.

Spider rolls her eyes, “Uh oh. Don’t tell me you got after-school detention.”

I blink at her, “What? No!” I pick up my books, heading to my locker. “I have a meeting with him.”

“Oh?” Spider looks intrigued, and… Dare I say it, almost impressed. “What about?”

“I’ll tell you on the way there.” I say. I hold out my books to her, “Now, will you help me with my locker?”

~

As we walk down the hall, I give Spider a brief explanation about the meeting. “It’s for a club,” I supply.

“OK?” she says. “I’m going to need more to go off of than that, Tweety.”

I roll my eyes, groaning a bit. “OK. About a month ago, I had a meeting with Mr. Wazowski about possibly getting a GSA Club started on campus.”

Spider blinks, then scratches her chin, regarding my words silently, “Go on.”

“He said that it’d be up to the school board to decide.”

“And?” Spider presses, “There has to be more than that.”

“Well,” I say, sighing a bit. “Today is the day we find out if it’s happening.” I look up at the door to the principal’s office, my nerves from earlier in class returning.

Spider gives me an encouraging smile. “Don’t worry. I think a GSA Club’s a great idea.”

I look at her. Of course she’d be all behind it.

She’d never it it to anyone, but Spider has more than just an attraction to girls. She’s genderqueer, meaning she doesn’t really align herself with any one gender identity. I’m the only one who knows that about her. I’d see why she’d like something like a GSA Club on campus. It’s probably the same reason why I brought it up to Mr. Wazowski in the first place.

We have no place to belong at Triton.

This might be our only chance to have a place on campus where we don’t have to pretend around others.

Our only chance to be ourselves.

I manage a smile, giving her a quick peck on the cheek. “I’m glad you think so.” I say. When I look at the office door, my smile falters a little. “I just hope the school board is as open to the idea as we are.”

Spider gives my arm a reassuring squeeze,    “You’ll do fine.” We both look at the clock. 3:29. “You better get in there.” she says to me, “I’ll wait out here for you.”

I nod, “OK.” My hand brushes the door handle, and I glance back at Spider. “Wish me luck.”

She gives me a thumbs up, her teeth flashing in a smile. I love her smile. I give a small wave, then make my way inside the office.

Mr. Wazowski looks up from his computer, his brown eyes meeting mine behind his round spectacles. “Ah. Ms. Peter.” he says, clasping his hands together, “Come. Have a seat.”

I nod, and take the empty seat in front of his desk.

“Now, I am aware that we conversed a month ago about this matter.” He looks at me expectantly, “Did we not?”

“We did, sir.” I confirm, giving a small nod. “You said you’d have to run it by the school board before we set up anything official.”

“That is correct, Ms. Peter.” He gets up from his desk, going over to a filing cabinet in the corner, retrieving a few papers. “They have gotten back to me with a response.”

My heartbeat accelerates a bit. My hands feel clammy resting on my jeans. This is it.

Mr. Wazowski  sits back down, flipping through the file. Finally, he stops at one and scans it before continuing. “They have decreed that Triton Charter High School will not be providing a GSA Club unit at this time.” He looks up at me, his eyes showing pity. “I’m sorry, Robin.”

At that moment, my whole world stops.

~

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