This is just a little peek into the lives of a couple of very special teenagers as they head towards their first high school dance.

On the Way to the Dance
Copyright 2010 by Heather Rose Brown
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

A few strands of hair tickled my bare shoulders as I turned to look out the window. The dark shapes of the vaguely familiar buildings we passed seemed ... not exactly scary, but kind of eerie.

Maybe it was because I was used to seeing them from the school bus in the daytime. Maybe it was just nerves. Whatever the reason, I had to close my eyes and turn away to shake the feeling.

I felt Jo pick my hand up from my lap and squeeze it gently as she asked, "You going to be okay?"

I opened my eyes and turned to her shadowed face. "I'm ... well ... a little nervous."

She tilted her head a bit as she asked, "About going to the Freshman Dance?"

"Yeah," I answered. After taking a moment to smooth out my skirt with my free hand, I said, "More specifically, I'm nervous about wearing this."

"I think you look very pretty in that dress."

I could feel my face getting warm as I looked down at my flat chest and asked, "You mean, for a boy?"

Jo took my chin with her fingertips and tilted my head until I was looking at her again. "I mean for anyone, boy or girl."

Looking at the open, sincere expression on her face, I could tell she really meant what she said. Still, something was nagging me. "But ... I thought you only liked girls."

A grin spread across Jo's face that made my heart feel all fluttery. "I do." Her expression got a little more serious, but there was still a smile in her eyes as she said, "At least, I used to."

"So, you like boys now?"

She chewed on her bottom lip for a moment before she said, "I like ... feminine people," A shiver ran up my arm when she stroked the top of my hand with her thumb as she added, "and you're one of the most feminine people I know."

As I was trying to absorb that, the car came to a stop and Mom turned around to face us. "So, you two ready to have a good time?"

Jo mumbled something that sounded affirmative, and I just nodded my head, too stressed to speak.

"Great!" my mom said with just enough enthusiasm to be embarrassing. "I'll be back to pick you both up when the dance is over." She looked at Jo and said, "I'll be expecting you to be a gentleperson with my son."

Before I could complain about the way she was acting, I noticed a sparkle on her lashes when she turned to me and said, "It looks like my baby's growing up. Have fun, but not too much fun."

"Oh Mom," I said as I reached over the seat and hugged her around the neck, then felt her arms around my shoulders as she hugged me back.

After we pulled apart, my mom brushed a tear from my cheek, then smiled softly and said, "It's a good thing you wore waterproof mascara."

I found myself giggling for no reason I could really explain. After a moment, Mom joined me.

When we eventually calmed down, Jo touched my arm and asked, "So, you ready to go?"

"About as ready as I'll ever be," I said as I straightened my back and turned to my date.

She gave me a huge smile as she took my hand and helped me out the door. Once I was done waving to Mom when she pulled away, I poked my hand through the crook in Jo's arm and followed her to the open gymnasium doors. For some reason, I had a feeling tonight would change my life in more ways than anyone could imagine.

I looked up at Jo's still smiling face and couldn't help smiling back. If she really was willing to be there for me like she seemed to want to be, I just might be able to face whatever changes came my way.