Skin Deep Part Eight

The next day, hell the rest of the week proved to be interesting. At first we got a lot of looks and a few comments. Though I learned pretty fast that all I had to do was shoot the offender a dirty look and they shut up and left us alone. I guess having a tough girl rep can work to my advantage sometimes. Izzy seemed to agree, she got real tough just like she said she would. I mean, really.

On Tuesday afternoon Izzy and I were heading out of school when a bit of what we were bracing ourselves for happened. Izzy had met me outside of my last class, greeting me with a hug. "Hey baby," I said as I grabbed her hand and we started down the hall.

"Hey you," she responded, then kissed me on the cheek. I smiled, yes I was still getting nervous every time we acted all girlfriendly in school. but I also loved the sense of freedom that came with it. So I chose to ignore the nervousness and focus on the happy. I started to rethink my decision when I heard the gagging sounds behind us. At first we just tried to ignore it but that proved to be impossible.

"Hey, fagots," said the gagger. That stopped us and we turned around to see a blond cocky looking preppy sophomore boy surrounded by four of his friends. I think his name is Bo, but what ever, who cares. I of course was pissed. I was just about to say something when Izzy stepped forward.

"What did you just call us?" She said in a voice that was trying to stay calm. She took a breath before continuing. "Because it sounded like you called us fagots. Is that true?" She asked while cocking her hip to the side and placing her hands on her hips. Her voice was nice and steady now, with the slightest hint of contempt. The boys snickered from behind their friend. Izzy walked up to stand right in front of him and I saw his cocky smile falter. I scrambled to get a better view of both their faces.

"Yeah," he said, regaining his confidence. "What, you deaf too?" Izzy actually laughed, it did sound a little nervous but her face didn't show it at all.

"No," she answered, "not deaf just making sure you are as dumb as you look." He looked like he was about to explode, then he really almost lost it when his friend's snickers turned into laughter. Before He could say anything she stepped so close to him that he had to back up to avoid their bodies touching. She continued, "sense we are girls the correct slur would be dykes. I mean really, if your gonna insult someone, at least use the right words." Blondie was visibly uncomfortable but seemed unable to move. I noticed that quite a crowd had grown around us. Thats not good, crowds bring teachers. I tried to get Izzy's attention but she was too focused on the boy in front of her. "One more thing, you are not ever going to give me and my girlfriend trouble again." I cracked my knuckles then for dramatic effect and say him shoot a slightly frightened glance at me. I noticed that his friends had moved back a few feet. Just then what I had been worried about happened. The vice principal Mrs Hampton, stepped into the circle around us.

"Is there a problem here?" She asked, while raising one of her dark severe eyebrows.

"No Mrs. Hampton," Izzy answered . Then slyly shooting blondie a look she continued, "We were just talking." The vice principal turned her attention to blondie.

"Is that true Bo?" She asked. Huh, I got his name right, I thought as I looked to him, willing him not to snitch. Though it was pretty unlikely that he would, being a guy and all. Tattling would make him look like even more of a wuss to his friends that he already did.

"Yeah," he said, sounding fairly believable. "Everything is cool." Mrs. Hampton stood there for a moment thinking. She had a look on her face that said clearly that she didn't believe them. "Well then, lets get moving everyone." She turned to leave, then all the spectators scattered like cockroaches when the lights come on. We just stood there for a moment before leaving. As we walked, Izzy laced her fingers through mine and I could feel her shaking.

"Baby, that was awesome! I swear I thought he was gonna pee his pants before you were done with him." I squeezed her hand and looked at her. I noticed that she didn't look like she was breathing. I stopped just after we got out the front door and pulled her off to the side a little. "Izzy? Whats wrong?" She didn't answer, she just stood there staring with a kinda freaky smile on her face. She still didn't look like she was breathing. "Baby?" I said, getting worried now.

Finally she looked at me then. "Whoa," she said after letting out the breath she had been holding. Then she looked at me and her smiled changed to be full of excitement. "Oh my god! I can't believe I just did that!" She smiled at me and squeezed my hand.

"I know that was great! You really did toughen up." I hugged her then, I couldn't help myself. I really wanted to grab her and kiss her full on the mouth. But I wasn't sure if that would be OK.

"That felt really good to tell that kid off." She was smiling so big, then I got the answer to my question. She leaned over and kissed me. Wow. It wasn't full on but it was definatley not how you would kiss your mother.

The next day it was obvious that news of Izzy and Bo's little talk had gotten around. The comments and most of the looks were a distant memory. We did get some looks and comments of approval though. It was kinda weird, some people even started commending us like we were making some kind of statement. It was all strange and kinda annoying. I mean we weren't doing anything all that strange, we just happened to be two girls doing it. OK so I don't always feel like that but I wish I did and everyone else could too. My brain was buzzing with this and other stuff concerning Izzy and me as I made my way to our favorite outside table for lunch. As I stepped outside I saw Izzy waving me over. Jesse, Parker and Ashlee were sitting with her.



"Hey gorgeous," Ashley said as I sat down.

"Ash, I never knew you felt that way about me!" I said in mock surprise as I scooted over to let David, Ashley's boyfriend sit across from her. "Hey Dave," I said while smiling. "I'd keep my eye on this one if I were you." I motioned toward Ashley before going on, "she thinks I'm hot."

He hung his head in "defeat," causing his short dreads to swing forward. Then he looked up, an expression on his face that I think was supposed to be hurt but couldn't chase the laughter from his hazel eyes. "Oh Ash, not you! Whats a straight guy to do?"

"Parker raised her and, "hey, I'm single, straight and female!"

"Hey now!" Ashley piped up, "You, my darling, have nothing to worry about." She pulled him to her and kissed him.

"Well, now that thats cleared up," Parker said, "lets move on." David and Ashley broke apart and we all laughed.

We all ate for a while, not really talking about much, then I spoke up. "So does anyone else think that all the positive response to Izzy and me being out is kinda weird?" That shut everybody up.

"How do you mean?" Ashley asked.

"Its just, people are acting like were making some big statement. That is not my intention, or yours, I mean, is it Izzy?"

"Oh no, I just wanna be with my girlfriend." She smiled at me and squeezed my hand.

David spoke up. "Well, I guess its because there are only a few kids other than you out at school. Also, you two are the only open couple here. Its like if it were 1980 it would probably be like that for Ashley an me cause of me being black and her white. Its kinda like just being open is political whether you mean it to be or not."

"Yeah, I get that. Its just weird, ya know?"

"Yeah," Izzy chimed in, "it is kinda weird that us being together means so much to other people. Good and bad."

"Kinda along the same lines," Ashley started, "now that your out at school, has either of you thought about coming out to your families?"

Izzy and I looked at each other, then at the same time said, "no."

"I don't really tell my mom anything personal." I said, then thinking about it added, "Though she usually figures me out any way."

Izzy looked nervous. "I don't think I'll be telling my mom any time soon. We just patched things up not long ago, I don't want to risk screwing that up."

Jesse (who is out to his mom, but not his dad) spoke up then. "I'm with you girls, though its nice having my mom know, my dad would probably drop dead, or kill me."

"Do you think your mom would freak though Izzy?" Ashley asked.

"I don't know, she was pretty messed up toward your dad that one time, remember?" Side note, Ashley's dad is gay. During the school's open house Izzy's mom called him and his partner fairies. In her defense, she was drunk, but still.

"Yeah but she was still drinking then."

"Yeah, uh can we change the subject?" Izzy asked, I squeezed her hand under the table.

"I agree with my girl here, why worry about stuff that's not gonna happen for a while?" I said, "We will deal with it when it comes." Izzy looked a thank you at me and kissed my cheek.

David jumped in then talking about something and I just slipped into my brain while they all talked. I thought about the past three weeks and how much had changed, everything that happened with Blake and now being with Izzy. A year ago, hell three months ago I wouldn't have believed it if someone told me I would be in a happy relationship with a girl, let alone, Izzy. The great thing is that I wouldn't trade her for a million guys or girls for that matter. Who knew I could be so happy? Izzy tapped me on the shoulder just then and I noticed that everyone was getting up.

"Hey, Izzy you walking with me to class?" Jesse asked her as he hefted his book bag onto his shoulder.

"No," she responded, "I'm gonna walk Alicia to class first."

"Cool, well see ya," he said while catching up to everyone else who had already waved their goodbyes.

As Izzy and I got up and started walking, she looped her arm with mine and leaned into me. "Thanks for the save back there."

"Any time baby. I could tell that you were uncomfortable."

"Yeah... Do you think your mom would freak?"

"I don't know. She is pretty cool so I doubt it, but she was raised Catholic. She even goes to church once in a while."

"Weird." Izzy said before pausing for a moment. "Did you know that we will have have been together for a month on Friday?"

"Really? Wow, that's, wow." I kissed her cheek then."

"Yeah, so I was thinking we could celebrate. Wanna spend the night Friday? Mom has a hot date so she'll be out late."

"Ooooo! Sounds great count me in!" Just then we made it to my class and the bell rang.

"Oh! I better go, see you after school." Then she gave me a quick kiss before hurrying off to her next class.