Dreaming of Another Day
By Kathryn K Williams
Based in part on a true story
Chapter Twenty-Two
The next couple of weeks sped by a lot quicker than Kris expected. Sarah met up with her every morning at the front of the school and left with her at the end of the day. The two of them spent more and more time together with each passing day. Kris could tell that Sarah was worried about Jason taking revenge on the two of them which was why the girl stuck to her like glue. Kris didn't mind the attention as much recently. She did wish though that Tanya could be one of her friends again.
During the last week before the dance the two of them talked about whether they should dress up as something or if they should just come as they were. In the end they both decided that they would surprise each other. On the final day Kris needed to go home and decided that since the dance wasn't until later that night they would meet up later on. Sarah walked with Kris part of the way to the girl's apartment.
"There is where I live." Kris pointed to a set of apartment buildings off in the distance.
"So you walk from there everyday?" Sarah asked trying to think of something to talk about.
"It really is not that far." Kris proclaimed, "Only about ten minutes or so for me." She smiled.
"I should get back home," Sarah suddenly stopped and nervously looked at her friend, "So you'll be here at 7 pm right? You promise?" Part of her was worried that Kris was going to go home and never return.
"I just want to have a bath and get dressed." Kris answered, "I'll be back before you know it. It should not take me too long. I'll make sure to get here around quarter to 7 alright? Will you meet me here or should we meet up at the school?" Kris casually asked like she went to dances all the time. In fact she had only been to one other dance and that was in Junior High with Jenn.
"I'll be here with my brother." Sarah looked at the sky and noticed how dark it was already, "My parents are afraid of me walking around the neighborhood at night so he said he'd watch out for me while they are away for the weekend."
"Must be nice to have a brother like that." Kris mentioned looking up at the sky.
Sarah stuck out her tongue, "Nah, he's a pain. He just graduated from college and hangs around the house all the time. My parents even rented out the basement to him now that he has a job. I wish he would go away so I wouldn't have to fight with him over the bathroom."
Kris laughed. The sound startled her. She tried to wipe the smile off her face which caused Sarah to also break into laughter. Kris began to slowly walk backwards not wanting to take her eyes off of Sarah. She turned to look towards her apartment, a few street lights had turned on and she could see her building glowing in the twilight. She turned back around to Sarah before running off, "Your brother will be here right?" She didn't want to admit it, but she was afraid of the dark.
She felt like at any moment something would jump out of the shadows and grab her.
Sarah nodded "Yes, now hurry up and go home so you can get back in time."
Kris jumped twice on one foot then turned and broke into a light sprint, "I'll see you soon." She called out waving to the girl over her shoulder. She poured on the speed, running as fast as her legs would let her. Still, by the time she got home the moon was high in the sky and the sky was black except for a small patch of red clouds on the horizon.
Kris forwent the elevator and quickly ran up the stairs, taking two at a time. Upon reaching her floor she pulled out her keys and rushed into the apartment. She flicked on a light and tossed her jacket to the floor before entering the kitchen. Her cat wrapped itself around her ankles as she opened the fridge where she found herself a couple of eggs and decided that they would do for now. Kris grabbed a cast iron frying pan and dropped it on a burner and turned the heat on full. Leaving the frying pan to heat up, she stripped off her clothes and added them to the pile in the corner. At first she grabbed her favorite dress shirt from the closet, the one Jennifer gave her, looked at it for a moment then tossed it back into the closet. She pulled a different top over her arms, not bothering to button it up, and ran back into the kitchen. Breaking three eggs open and letting them drop into the pan. They sizzled upon hitting the cast iron. Grabbing a spatula she
flipped the eggs twice. She was in such a rush that grease splashed out of the pan and hit her in the stomach. Kris bit her lip against the pain and grabbed the frying pan with her bare hand. The pan was so hot that it caused her to drop it in the middle of the stove. Cursing to herself she turned on the cold water and stuck her hand into the sink. With her free hand she grabbed a towel, soaked it and placed the towel against her stomach.
Kris stood there for a moment standing in her underwear with her hand under the stream of water and wet towel dripping down her legs and laughed. "Why couldn't I start to feel pain on another day?" She snarled to herself, "Why did it have to be on a day when I'm in a rush of all things?" Using her burnt hand to hold the towel in place she used her now free hand to scoop out the eggs onto a plate, then set the plate down on a chair and sat down next to it. She took a few deep breaths and tried hard not to think about the pain and instead focused on trying to get something into her stomach before heading out the door.
When Kris was done, she moved to the bathroom and filled the tub. Maybe a cold bath would heal the burns enough to face the dance. She found herself actually looking forward to the night, and she wasn't going to let a little burn stop her from going out. She stripped off the last of her clothes, then slipped into the cold water and sat there for a moment. There was a group of red circles across her tummy and her fingers were red as well, at any rate nothing blistered just yet so she felt she could still face the night ahead.
After a quick bath she got dressed into the best clothes she could find in the house, which equated to a white silk shirt, black silken blazer, black tie, and black dress slacks. She brushed her curls back until they stayed in place leaving only one lock to fall in front of her eyes. Then grabbed her dress shoes. She felt she was ready to go, and still had an hour to kill, so she turned off the lights and sat in the dark watching the small digital clock on the shelf. The minutes felt like hours, the burns dulled from the sharp pains to a tingling that she was sure she could easily ignore. Half an hour passed by, Kris got up and started towards the door. If she left now she would only be a little early, and right now that was better then sitting in the dark listening to herself wander, because if she let her mind think too much, she knew it would convince her of some stupid reason not to go.
So she grabbed her keys, leather jacket, wallet and was out the door. She took her time walking down the stairs to the lobby, like she was on her way to taking one of her normal nightly leisurely strolls through the street. She stopped at a cross walk that would take her to meet a girl that only a couple of months ago insisted she would never fall in love with. Was she really in love? Kris wasn't sure she could answer that question. Sarah was cute, however Kris couldn't think of the
girl in the same way as she did Jennifer. No one would be able to replace Jennifer. At least she wasn't trying to push herself onto Kris like Tanya did. Kris's heart started to hurt as she waited for the lights to change. She was about to turn back to her apartment and call the night when the lights suddenly turned green. Kris looked at the light for a moment. Part of her told her to run, however Kris was growing tired of running. She straightened her collar and stepped across the
street.
Kris didn't realize that she was walking even slower than usual. Battling with the urge to take off in a different direction. Any direction. She didn't arrive at her destination until around ten to seven. She looked up to see Sarah standing under a street light in a long white gown that made her almost look like a ghost in the night. If it wasn't for the tall boy in a t-shirt and jeans, who Kris suspected to be Sarah's brother, standing next to the girl, Kris would have thought she was a
trick of her imagination. She stopped for a moment and watched the girl as the wind played with the hem of her dress.
Sarah finally looked up to see Kris standing in the distance,"You made it!" Sarah gleefully said with a hop. Kris started to walk towards the girl again. Sarah was stopped when Kris came closer, "Wow." She stood there staring at the girl.
Kris could not find the words to express how she was feeling. She could not take her eyes off of Sarah, she looked even more beautiful than ever before, "Yeah, I guess I did." She said bashfully, "A pair of flying eggs almost made sure I didn't." She laughed to herself.
Sarah didn't know if the girl was joking or not. Then her brother stepped forward, "So this is little Sarah's new boyfriend." He smiled.
Sarah glared at her brother, "Brother, what did I tell you!" she snarled at the boy.
He put up his hands defensively, "It was just a joke, cool down." He looked Kris over, "I have to admit she looks sharp." He walked around Kris studying her, then returned to his sister's side and leaned over to whisper in her ear. "Good to see you have some taste in girls."
"Will you quit it?"Sarah yelled taking a swing at her bother only to have him ducking out of the way.
Her brother just laughed at his little sisters attempt to attack him and Kris wondered if this boy really was a college graduate. He didn't act old enough to be out of high school. He then turned to both of the girls, "Come on you two, we have a dance to get you too." He started to walk towards the school with the girls following closely behind him.
"You... you look good." Sarah stuttered and blushed.
"You look beautiful." Kris ventured, her heart felt like it was going to pound out of her chest. Almost as if Sarah sensed her friend's distress she warily slipped her hand into Kris's. Kris looked down at the girl's hand then up at Sarah who was redder than before. Kris squeezed the girl's hand to reassure her that everything would be alright.
The group stopped at the corner of the school ground. A line up of teens could be seen entering the gym. Sarah's brother turned to his sister, "So, what time do you think you'll need me to pick you up about? Ninish?" He asked.
Sarah looked at Kris then back at her brother, "Can I call you when we are ready to go?"
He smiled and gave the girl a wink. Kris noticed that he had the same smile as his sister, "Sure thing, I'll be watching movies with a few friends. Mom said I could use the tv in the living room so you can find me there. Don't bother calling my number because I probably won't hear it." He turned to Kris, "Take care of my sister and no funny stuff, you hear?" He poked Kris on the nose before turning around laughing.
"Remember not to tell mom!" Sarah called out after her brother.
"I won't." He said as he left the two girls alone.
Sarah turned to Kris, "Ignore him. He just likes to tease me." She froze as she noticed Jason walking towards them. She grabbed Kris by the arm, dragging her quickly into the school.
They got in line and paid their fees before entering the auditorium turned dance floor. Actually it wasn't much of an auditorium, more like a second gym with a stage at one end. The lights were low and there were Halloween decorations hanging on the walls and from the ceiling. Music played loudly from speakers on stage where a DJ could be seen taking requests. A few kids were already dancing in the middle of the gym while others stood along the walls. For the most part the girls were on one side and the boys on the other. Kris felt herself smile because for the first time there would be an advantage to dating another girl. A small laugh escaped her lips.
Sarah looked at her date, "What is so funny?" She inquired.
Kris tried to wipe the smile from her face, "Nothing, it was nothing." She looked up to see Shannon standing with the former Kris fan club. The news was that the Principal shut down the club and Shannon got three days detention for harassing Kris. Shannon saw Kris with Sarah and glared across the gym, however Kris had already turned away so didn't receive the greeting. Kris searched the crowd hard and was disappointed to see Tanya was nowhere in sight. She had heard that the girl was going to a Halloween dance at the youth group, but wished she could see the girl again.
The two girls ventured over to where the teachers had laid out a set of tables with chips and paper cups of soft drinks set out along it. Mr. Klark watched the girls from behind the table, he had a cape wrapped around his shoulders in a vain attempt to look like a vampire or at least that was what Kris thought, "I'm glad to see the two of you could make it." He smiled, "Most of all you, Kris." He turned his grin to Kris, "You are looking sharp. I almost didn't recognize you. How have things been going?"
Kris shrugged as she picked up a cup of what looked like orange juice, "Better I guess." She said taking a sip of the drink noting that it was actually watered down orange pop. Kris turned to see Miss Thomson filling cups and setting them on the table. The councilor's jaw was almost on the floor when she saw the way Kris was dressed. Kris put her arm around Sarah's shoulder and smiled at her councilor. Sarah looked at Kris's arm, then up to see the councilor staring that them. Sarah nervously waved at Miss Thomson before grabbing a drink with one hand and Kris's hand with the other, dragging the girl to the other side of the gym. She leaned against the wall and took a long swallow of her drink. She noticed that she was still holding Kris's hand and quickly let go.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to make you nervous." Kris apologized examining her own drink, "I just couldn't help it when I saw the way Miss. Thomson disapproved with us being together."
Sarah sipped at her drink, "It's alright, I just wasn't prepared for it." It was obvious how nervous she was. She seemed to be fine outside, but now that they were around other people it was a different story all together.
Kris watched the girl and wondered if this was such a good idea. Sure, a lot of girls and boys came with their friends, however none were famous for being openly gay at the school like she was. Kris could tell that there were a few gay kids amongst the crowds, nevertheless none of them showed up with a date of the same sex except for Kris. She was used to being stared at in this way but she doubted if Sarah could handle it. She started to wonder if maybe they should have gone to the gay dance instead. At least there they would be able to feel more comfortable, but it was too late to change their plans now and if they did go they would certainly run into Tanya for sure. Kris was not sure how the girl would take seeing her with Sarah.
Song after song passed by and the two didn't say more than two words to each other. A slow song finally started and Sarah's ears perked up as the gym filled with sound of the tell tale piano music of Bryan Adam's "Everything I do (I do it for you)" Sarah set her cup on a bench slipping her other hand into Kris's and pulled the girl onto the dance floor.
"Whoa, Hey, I don't dance." Kris protested tossing her empty cup into a passing garbage bin, "Sarah?" Before she knew it, they were in the middle of the dance floor.
Sarah wrapped her arms around Kris's neck, "Come on, it's just one song." She pleaded looking Kris in the eyes. Kris looked around to see if anyone was watching them, everyone was too busy dancing with their own partners to notice the two of them so she gave in.
Kris looked down at Sarah amused, "You are weird, you know?" She mentioned with a half smile.
Sarah pulled back, "I am not... I just..." She blushed as she felt her eyes fall on Kris's. As the song played Sarah couldn't take her eyes off the girl in front of her. The two stared at each other while the music played in the background. Kris closed her eyes and Sarah heard the girl begin to softly sing. Sarah looked around to see if anyone else could hear and when she was sure that the song was only for her ears she turned back and set her head on Kris's shoulder and enjoyed her voice.
The song came to a close and most of the kids moved off of the dance floor. Kris and Sarah held hands as they moved to a small set of stairs that led up to the back stage. They stood in the stairwell and didn't say a word. Kris sat on the stairs and watched the other kids dance. Sarah joined her and rested her head on Kris's shoulder.
After a few more songs Kris slowly stood up, "I'll be right back, I just need to go to the washroom. Wait here, alright?"
Sarah nodded and watched her friend disappear across the gym and out one of the doors.
In the restroom, Kris washed her hands, splashed some water on her face and fixed her hair when she heard the door open and turned to see Shannon enter the room. She was dressed in a tight cat suit that showed how little the girl had developed for her age.
"Look at the Dyke!" She snarled at Kris, "Having fun with your new little girlfriend?"
Kris walked over to the girl, reached out, grabbed her by the throat and pulled the girl close to her face, "You can call me names all you like, but if you ever try to hurt Sarah I will personally tear out your throat. Is that clear? And I am the insane one remember, so don't think I won't do it." She let go of the girl and walked out the door before Shannon could reply, across the hall and back into the auditorium.
Sarah wasn't sitting in the stairwell where she left her. Kris nervously looked around the gym in search of the girl and spotted her near the snack table, talking to a small group of girls. Kris let out a sigh of relief as she cut through the middle of the dance floor and walked up behind Sarah. For some unexplained reason Kris suddenly flopped around Sarah's shoulder's. Sarah was so startled that she almost dropped her drink.
"Kris, you scared me!" She exclaimed to the head on her shoulder.
Kris smiled "Isn't that what Halloween is all about?" She didn't move her head from where it lay and wrapped an arm around the girl's waist. Sarah's friends looked amused at Kris's actions. Sarah introduced the group to Kris who waved. She then gave Sarah a slight squeeze before she went to find herself another drink. She was finally beginning to loosen up and was actually feeling like life might be turning around for her. She talked with a couple of girls from class that usually avoided her and danced to two more slow songs with Sarah. Before they knew it it was past 9:30 pm and a lot of the teens were already beginning to head on their way home.
The two girls spilled out into the hall. Both of them were giddy with happiness. Either that or someone slipped something into the drinks, which was very unlikely because Kris couldn't go near alcohol and would have been sick instead of giddy. Kris fell against Sarah and pinned her to the wall. The hall was empty, so Kris took a chance to move in closer to the girl. Their heads touched and Kris could feel Sarah's breath against her lips. Their lips were only an inch away from touching when Sarah slipped out from between Kris's arms.
"I should call my brother," Sarah said nervously as she walked to the payphones that hung down the hall, "He's probably getting worried."
Kris nodded in disappointment, "Yeah." She watched as Sarah turned and ran to the phones, then sunk to the floor and let out a sigh. She watched Sarah pick up the receiver and dial. Kris wondered to herself if maybe she was moving too fast. She's only known Sarah for not even a couple of months. She had to stop pushing herself on the girl, however she couldn't seem to help herself. Something inside her kept stirring. Sarah was just so pretty and she wanted nothing more than to feel her lips. Kris hit her head on the brick wall to stop the thoughts that tried to invade her mind.
Sarah hung up the phone and skipped back over to where Kris sat, "He said he will be here in a minute. We don't live very far away so he just has to get his shoes and jacket and he will be on his way."
"Great." Kris tried to force herself to sound trilled, however no matter how much she tried she just couldn't. She really didn't want the night to end just yet. Didn't want to return to the nightmare of her life. She got up and took Sarah by the hand. If she wasn't going to be able to kiss this girl on the lips today she will at least try to taste a piece of her before the night ended. Kris knelt and lightly placed a kiss on Sarah's hand. She did it so quickly and gently that Sarah didn't have time to pull her hand away or protest.
Sarah flushed, but didn't pull away. Kris looked up from the girl's hand and gazed her in the eyes. It looked like Sarah was about to fall over right there. Kris realized that maybe it wasn't the fact that Sarah wasn't in love with her, but more like the girl wasn't as... experienced as Kris was when it came to this kind of thing. For Kris dating was the hard part. She was unlucky enough to have had a father who had done everything else to her.
Kris stood up, not letting go of Sarah's hand. Slowly the two of them walked down the hall and out the front door. The Principal was there to greet them a good night as the students started on their way home. Many ran off to see if they could still get some candy from the neighbors while others got into their parent's cars and headed straight home.
The two girls were too busy looking at each other to notice that they were no longer on the school grounds and passed where they were supposed to meet up with Sarah's brother and instead they started to walk to Sarah's place themselves.
The moonlight danced through the trees as the two girls walked along the road. Then something stepped out of the shadows and grabbed Sarah, pulling her out of Kris's hand. Kris could hear Sarah call out to her as fists hit her hard in the side. Kris fell to the road, scrapping her hands on the gravel. She tried to control her anger as a foot kicked her in the ribs causing her to roll into the curb. Kris tried to stand, attempted even harder to fight against the fog. It was like a nightmare come true. She looked around and tried to find Sarah as over and over again hard blows hit her. Finally she went down with her face in a puddle. She saw a bright light and heard feet running away. Everything suddenly turned dark and muddled.
Sarah dropped to Kris's side. "Kris! Kris speak to me!" She called out to her friend.
Kris opened one eye to see Sarah kneeling over her. She pulled her face out of the mud, "Did... did they hurt you?" She asked through a veil of pain.
"No, No they didn't." Sarah said shakily. Kris could see tears forming in Sarah's eyes, " I'm sorry... I'm sorry." Sarah cried.
Kris forced herself to smile, "It's alright... as long as you... are alright..." She allowed the darkness to take a hold of her and collapsed to the ground.
*******
To be Continued....
******
Authors Notes: This story is based on a true story. All names and places were changed to conceal their identities. This was written in an attempt to help me cope with my own insanity. If you find any errors, typos and the like feel free to email me at Kathryn@KatAndNekoManga.ca
If you wish to see some of my other works (art and manga) feel free to visit us at http://www.KatAndNekoManga.ca and thank you for taking the time to read my stories.
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