Disclaimers: All of the characters in this story are fictional. Two of the characters just happen to resemble the physical features of Xena and Gabrielle.
Love/Sex: Depicts a loving relationship between two female teens.
Violence: Nope
Notes: Hi everyone! I know… where have I been right? What can I say…? LIFE. I hope you all purchased a copy of my first published book Within the Heart! I use the author name Daisy TimShar. Anyway, this is yet another high school love story I just had to get off my chest. I just wanted to share this with my fellow readers. I hope you like Part 1 and I will update weekly, possibly sooner.
Please let me know what you thought of my new characters and their story!Chapter Four
It did not take them long to reach Dana's house. Morgan pulled up to the front, parking across the street. She cut the engine.
“I don't think she's home,” the blonde stated, looking at the two-story house with dark windows.
Morgan glanced at Dana and nodded slightly.
“Come on,” the blonde said, opening the car door.
The brunette watched as Dana climbed out of the car and walked around to the driver's side. She looked at Morgan quizzically. “Are you coming?”
Morgan finally registered what was going on and climbed out of the car. She followed Dana to the house and they went through the front door.
The inside was not what the brunette expected. She had prepared herself for a filthy house with beers cans on the ground and maybe a few ashtrays scattered about; like any typical drunk in a movie would have. But it was the complete opposite. The house was clean and eerily inviting. Dana said her mother kept up appearances.
Off to the right was a den with nice furnishings and a television. Further back past an archway was a kitchen. That was all Morgan was able to see before following Dana to the stairs which were straight ahead.
Dana flicked on a light switch. “My room is up here,” the blonde stated, climbing the stairs.
Morgan followed Dana silently up the stairway. Never in her wildest dreams did she think Dana Campbell would be leading her up to her bedroom. As they reached the top, Morgan saw a room with double doors straight ahead. She assumed that was the master bedroom. She followed Dana down the hallway past a bathroom and to a single door. Dana opened it and clicked on a light before stepping inside the room.
“It shouldn't take too long for me to pack. Make yourself at home.”
Morgan walked into the room and took in the new surroundings. The room was not large, perhaps a bit smaller than hers. To the left of the room was a double bed covered by a powder yellow comforter. On the walls were a few posters of current musicians. Further into the room against a wall was a desk with a laptop. On Dana's windowsill, to the right, four trophies were on display. Morgan walked over to them to get a closer look. Two of them were for cheerleading and the other two were for gymnastics. So, this is Dana's room.
The brunette felt Dana walk up and stand next to her.
“These are nice.”
Dana smiled lightly. “Thanks. There used to be five trophies up here.”
“What happened to the fifth one?”
Dana let out a heavy sigh. “My Mom smashed it against the wall when she was drunk one night. She said I didn't deserve it.”
Morgan watched as the blonde caressed the figure of a gymnast on one of her trophies. Dana's expression looked haunted.
“That's why I have to get away from her,” the blonde said. She turned around and walked back over to her suitcase on the bed. “She's poison.”
Morgan could not think of anything to say in that moment. There was no way she could truly understand what Dana was going through. Sure, she and her mother would have shouting matches but never had her mother come at her in a drunken rage. Morgan felt the blonde's sadness coming off her in waves.
The brunette was so lost in thought; she did not realize Dana was now calling to her from her walk-in closet. “Um, yes.” Morgan replied, walking over to the doorway.
Dana looked at her with a sheepish expression. “Would you mind grabbing this box up here?”
Morgan smiled lightly in amusement as she saw that the blonde could not reach the box because of her short stature. “Sure.” Dana smiled lightly and brushed past Morgan to allow her into the small space. The brunette reached up and easily grasped the box. She huffed, surprised by the heaviness, but it was soon forgotten when she saw the contents.
“No way…” A smile broke out on her face and she turned hurriedly, placing the heavy load on the blonde's bed. She picked up one of the many magazines that were in the box and held it up to Dana. “You have a subscription to Motor Rumble Magazine?”
The blonde smiled, placing a folded shirt in her suitcase. “I told you… closeted car freak.”
“Wow!” Morgan read the titles on the cover and then looked at Dana expectantly. “Do you mind if…?”
“No, go ahead,” Dana grinned, amused by Morgan's giddiness.
Morgan excitedly began to leaf through the magazine. She was totally floored. At least once a week she would spend hours in the magazine shop, reading copies of Motor Rumble magazine. Now she's discovering Dana did the same, only it came to her house.
It took another fifteen minutes or so, but Dana had finally packed everything she needed. “Okay, I think that's everything.”
Morgan looked up from the article she was reading and saw that Dana was now standing by the door. The brunette was so engrossed in the magazine she did not even noticed the blonde had stepped away from the bed.
“Oh, sorry,” the brunette quickly hopped off the bed and set the magazine in the box with the others. Morgan felt like a pinhead for drooling over the blonde's magazines. “I was just…”
“Page thirty-seven?” the blonde asked with a hint of a smile.
Morgan raised her eyebrows, surprised Dana was correct. “Yes, actually.”
“Yeah, that was a good one.”
Morgan chuckled lightly and nodded.
“Can you grab the box?”
“Sure.”
The brunette lifted the box from the bed and followed the blonde downstairs and out the front door. As they were going down the front steps, a yellow taxi pulled up to the curb. Dana faltered in her step as she noticed the vehicle.
The driver of the taxi climbed out of the car and opened the backseat door. The two teens watched as he helped someone out of the vehicle; his passenger obviously very drunk.
The man spotted the girls on the front porch. “Do you know this woman?” He called.
Dana set her suitcase down and headed towards the driver. Not sure what to do, Morgan placed the box she was holding on the porch and followed the blonde.
“It's my mother,” Dana spoke warily.
The man nodded and helped to lean Dana's mother onto her so she could support the heavily intoxicated woman to stay on her feet.
“Thank you,” Dana said, turning her and her mother towards the house.
“Wait, I still need to be paid,” the man stated.
“Oh, how much?”
“It's twenty-three.”
“She should have some money in her purse.”
Seeing that Dana was struggling with holding up her mother and trying to open the older woman's purse, Morgan swept in on the opposite side and placed the woman's other arm over her shoulders. Dana finally dug her mother's wallet out of her purse and opened the zippers and compartments, looking for money. There was none.
“Um, I don't think she has any…”
“Look sweetie, I'm not leaving until I get my money.”
“I have it,” the brunette said, reaching in one of her pants pockets.
“Morgan, no you don't have to…”
Morgan stopped the blonde's words with a look, reassuring her it was okay. “I've got it,” she spoke softly.
“Thanks,” Dana whispered.
The brunette handed the man a twenty and a five. “Keep the change.”
“Thank you.” Satisfied, the man walked over to the driver's side of the taxi and hopped into the vehicle.
“Mom?” the blonde asked, snapping her fingers in front of the disorientated woman's face. “Mom, can you hear me?”
“Well… of course… I'm not deaf!” Janice Campbell bellowed loudly with an obvious slur in her voice.
Dana despairingly glanced at Morgan. “Can you help me get her inside?”
Morgan silently nodded, and the two girls led the older woman towards the house. After the altercation that happened between her and her family earlier that afternoon, Janice rushed over to the nearest bar and drank her sorrows away. Luckily, the bartender knew her as a regular and phoned a taxi, giving the driver her address.
Dana looked a lot like her mother Janice. Same blonde hair, same eyes and the same smile, at least that's what Morgan imagined. But this woman was a washed up older version of the bright eyed Dana she knew.
They finally stepped foot in the house, holding up a very intoxicated Janice.
“Are we taking her up to the bedroom?” Morgan questioned.
“No, let's put her on the couch here.”
The two teens carefully turned and placed Janice on the couch in a position that seemed comfortable.
“Okay, let's go.” Dana sighed. They headed for the door.
“Where are you going?” the older woman slurred.
They turned to Janice and saw that she was having trouble keeping her eyes open.
“I'm leaving, Mom. For good.”
The only response was a soft snore sounding from Janice's nostrils. She had obviously passed out. Dana stared at her mother for a moment before casting her eyes over to Morgan.
“I'm ready to go,” the blonde said glumly.
Morgan gently nodded. “Okay.” She walked over to the front door and opened it, allowing Dana to go out first.
As they drove through the city streets, the girls fell into an unsettling silence. Morgan had just witnessed the nightmare that Dana had been living with for years. A nightmare the blonde has been able to hide with her bubbly smiles, contagious giggles, and perky personality. All of that was a protective layer covering the true pain that was in Dana's soul. Morgan did not know what to say as her hands grasped the stirring wheel. She could never imagine how Dana was feeling in this moment.
They finally arrived in front of Dana's uncle and aunt's one story home. Morgan cut the engine and slowly looked at the troubled girl beside her. The blonde was looking down at her hands, as though she were in deep thought. Morgan hesitantly placed her hand on top of Dana's.
“We're here.”
As if breaking a trance, Dana raised her eyes, looking out the window then over to Morgan. She smiled lightly. “I'm sorry. I must have been daydreaming.”
Morgan grinned. “Daydreaming is not bad. Trust me, I know.”
Dana chuckled. “I'm sure you do.”
After their snickers quieted, Dana regarded Morgan seriously. She took the brunette's hand and held it gently between her own hands. Morgan's breathing increased and heart pounded as she looked into Dana's eyes.
“Morgan, I just want to say thank you for helping me tonight. I don't know what I would have done without you.”
“You're welcome,” the brunette replied shakily.
The blonde slowly shook her head and lowered her eyes. “I wish you hadn't seen all that. My mom coming home drunk. It was such a mess… I'm really embarrassed.”
“Don't be.” Morgan quickly interjected. “Dana, what I saw tonight does not change what I think of you. You're a great person. I know that.”
Dana looked into Morgan's eyes. The brunette did not miss the look of relief that passed over Dana's features. She felt the blonde's hands squeeze hers lightly before letting go. Morgan immediately missed the warmth.
The blonde opened the door and began to climb out of the car. Morgan took a moment to start breathing again before getting out of the vehicle herself. She helped Dana carry her belongs to her relatives' front door.
Dana's uncle, Ted, greeted them and offered to take the heavy box out of Morgan's hands. Dana set her suitcase in the den and walked back over to the front door where Morgan was still standing.
The blonde looked at Morgan sheepishly and smiled. “Well, thanks again Morgan.”
“It was no problem.”
Dana placed her hand on the door, preparing to close it. “So, I'll see you at school?”
Morgan stuffed her hands in her pants pockets. “Yeah, at school.”
“Goodnight.”
“Night.” Morgan watched the door close in front of her before turning around and heading towards her car. Before she got halfway to her vehicle a voice called her from behind.
“Morgan, wait!”
Morgan whipped around and saw the blonde jogging over to her. She held out Morgan's coat that was two sizes bigger than her. “Your jacket.”
“Oh, yeah. Thanks.” Morgan smiled, taking her coat from the blonde's hands.
“That jacket is so cozy I forgot I had it on,” Dana smiled.
Morgan chuckled lightly. It was either out of amusement or nervousness; she didn't know which at the moment. She looked into those smiling green eyes and she was at a loss for words.
“Well, bye again, Morgan.” Dana turned and headed back towards the house.
Morgan realized Dana was walking away and finally snapped out of her haze. “Uh, yeah… bye again, Dana.”
Dana looked back at her and smiled before disappearing into the modest home. Morgan turned and headed to her car again. She let out a breath and smiled.
**********
Morgan pushed open the door to the small ice cream shop in town. A bell rang over her head announcing her entrance. A few patrons looked her way, as did her friend Jax who was working behind the counter this Sunday afternoon. The redhead smiled as the brunette took a seat at the counter on one of the swirly stools.
“What's up, Morg?”
The brunette was grinning.
“Are you going to tell me why you sent me a text saying, something unbelievable happened last night ?”
Morgan glanced at the rag Jax was using to clean the counter. “Can you talk now?”
“Sure, I'm going on break anyway.” The two grabbed a booth and sat opposite each other. “I can tell by the look on your face that this is about Dana.”
“How did you know?”
“You have this particular look about you anytime you're about to talk about her.”
Morgan furrowed her brows. “I do?”
“Come on. Spill it woman.”
With much delight, Morgan told her story of what happened the night before with Dana. Well, it was not all delightful since it was an extremely tough time for Dana.
“Wow. So, you're like her knight and shining armor.”
Morgan shrugged her shoulders. “I guess you can look at it that way. I don't know.”
“You are so in there my friend.”
“What?”
“Morg, don't you see? Out of all her friends and all the people she knows, she called you to come help her.”
“Yeah…”
“That means she feels comfortable with you. She may even like you a little. I'd say that's a good start.”
“A good start to what, Jax? I don't think she likes girls. She has a boyfriend practically every second.”
“True. But isn't Keri like her best friend. Why didn't she call her instead of you?”
Morgan pondered that question for a moment. Why didn't Dana call her best friend? She and Dana barely knew each other. Keri is the one she at lunch with, had sleepovers with, and went on double dates with. They practically did everything together.
“I don't know. Maybe she was too embarrassed.”
Jax nodded. “That's possible. But she still called you . She obviously trusts you, Morg.” The redhead clasped his hands together with a smile and gave a dramatic lovey-dovey sigh. “Awww, Dana and Morgan sittin' in a --”
“If you finish that lyric I will punch you.”
* * *
A few days later, Morgan sat in her room sketching when the doorbell rang. Annoyed by the interruption, she rolled her eyes and pushed up from her seat. Normally, her mother would be answering the door, but this particular evening her mother was out hosting her monthly book club. Keri was out with her boyfriend, and her Dad was working late at the garage.
The brunette hustled down the stairs as a knock sounded at the door. “Yeah, yeah,” Morgan grumbled.
She pulled open the door and suddenly became a deer in headlights. Dana was standing on the stoop with shy smile on her face.
“Hey,” the blonde spoke sheepishly.
“Hi.”
Morgan had not spoken to Dana since she dropped the blonde off at her Uncle's a few nights ago.
“I um, I just thought I would stop by--”
“Sure, come in.” The brunette stepped aside.
“Thanks,” Dana said, walking into the foyer. Morgan closed the door and walked over near the foot of the stairs where the blonde was standing. Dana looked up at her with friendly green eyes.
“You know Keri isn't home.”
Dana smiled. “That's fine. I'm not here to see Keri. I'm here to see you.”
Morgan was taken aback and her heart practically did a back flip in her chest. “Oh… me?”
The blonde simply nodded. “Yep.”
Morgan nervously shoved her hands in her pockets. “So what's up?”
“Well, first off… Morgan, I… I don't know how to thank you. For what you did the other night.”
“It's okay Dana, you don't have to keep thanking me,” the brunette smiled bashfully.
“But it feels like I do.”
“But you don't, really.” Morgan reassured her. “One thank you was great. It was the best thank you I had ever had actually,” the brunette joked.
They both chuckled lightly. After a moment, Morgan seriously looked into the blonde's eyes. “So, how are you?”
Looking at the genuine softness in Morgan's blue eyes, Dana knew how deep that question went.
The blonde nodded slightly. “It's going good. Really good.”
They looked into each other's eyes for a moment and Morgan's heart skipped seeing the light that had been missing in Dana's green eyes. She could tell the blonde was speaking true. She was lost in the blonde's gaze. “I'm glad,” Morgan replied.
“Now, for the reason why I'm here...” the blonde said, clasping her hands together.
“Yes.”
“Well, the carnival is in town this weekend. I wanted to know if you'd like to go with me.”
Morgan stood there speechless.
“You know, as a thank you,” the blonde continued. “I was hoping the next time we hung out it wouldn't involve tears and a bunch of sad talking. What better place to avoid all that than the carnival, right?”
Was this really happening? Dana was asking to hang out with her . Morgan's mouth opened slightly, but no sound came out.
The blonde was now looking unsure. “Unless you don't like the carnival.”
Morgan shook her head slightly. “No, I like the carnival. I do.”
Dana smiled with reassurance. “Good. So, you want to go with me this Saturday?”
Morgan could have sworn Dana could see her heart beating through her shirt. She had only dreamed of scenarios like this. “Uh, yeah. Sure.”
“Great!” the blonde practically jumped in the air and she pulled Morgan into a crushing hug. The brunette was surprised but happily returned the embrace. They broke the hug. “So, can you pick me up around three? I'll pay your way into the carni.”
Geez, this was beginning to sound like a date. Morgan internally chastised herself. There is no way this was a date. Dana only wanted to thank her with a fun and friendly day. “Okay, yeah.”
“Plus, I want to ride in that awesome car of yours again.”
This made Morgan grin. “The cuda will be ready to go,” she chuckled.
The two of them exchanged numbers and Dana left. As Morgan closed the front door after the blonde, she could not stop smiling.
*********
It was another typical evening dinner at the Reed residence. As usual, Annette had prepared a picture perfect dinner for her family and everyone was seated, ready to eat.
“Morgan, don't forget to put a napkin in your lap,” Annette said.
“I know, Mom,” the brunette mumbled.
Annette put on her best smile and picked up her fork. “Well, I hope you all like this new recipe I'm trying with the meatloaf. I saw it in my cooking magazine and just had to try it.”
“It looks lovely, honey,” Nathan reassured his wife.
“Yeah, Mom. It tastes great,” Keri replied.
Morgan remained silent, stuffing a mouthful of meatloaf past her lips. She hated meatloaf, but her mother never remembered that nor seemed to care.
“What do you think of it, Morgan?” Annette asked.
“Morg, hates meatloaf, Mom. She barely touches it every time,” Keri explained.
“Not that she notices,” the brunette muttered.
“Well, of course she likes meatloaf. Since when have you not like meatloaf, Morgan?”
The brunette finally looked up and met her mother's gaze. “Since always...” Morgan said flatly. The brunette tilted her head regarding Annette for a moment in disbelief. “Do you really know that little about me?”
Annette gave an arrogant sigh and looked at her daughter as if she were a pathetic little girl. “Morgan honey, you are my daughter. I know plenty about you.”
Morgan shook her head solemnly. “You never want to hear anything I have to say.”
“That's not true,” Annette smiled, trying to brush off the brunette's comment.
Morgan turned to Keri and her sister gave her an understanding look before shrugging her shoulders. The brunette looked back to her mother. She watched as Annette carefully cut a perfect meatloaf slice on her plate before delicately putting it in her mouth. Morgan was so sick of this woman's self-centered ways and total disregard for her. Yeah, it was time to burst this superficial bubble.
“Mom, I would like to discuss my art.”
“Oh, Morgan, this is not the time to discuss your petty habits.”
“Mom!” Keri interjected, backing up her sister.
“No, Keri it's okay,” the brunette said to her sister. “That's what I was expecting. Mom, how come I can't ever talk about what interests me?”
“That's nonsense dear, you can talk about whatever you like,” Annette replied nonchalantly.
“Really?” The brunette asked with raised eyebrows. “Fine. Well, I want to talk about this car I saw in Motor Rumble Magazine.”
“What car was it?” Nathan asked, encouraging his daughter.
Morgan regarded her father with a small thankful smile and began to speak. “Well, it was a Viper. It was one of the coolest I had ever seen, actually…”
“That's very nice dear,” Annette's voice cut in. “But the dinner table is not a place to discuss cars.”
Morgan looked at her mother with a snarl in her expression. How could this woman continue to do this to her? The anger began to build inside of her, especially when Annette casually turned her direction to her other daughter. She just totally disregarded Morgan as if she had never spoken.
“Now, Keri tell me. What do you plan on wearing--”
Morgan couldn't hold it in any longer. “Why don't you listen to me!” Morgan shouted at the top of her lungs, jumping out of her chair.
Annette's eyes widened, staring at her daughter in disbelief. The room was now eerily silent and everyone at the table was now looking at Morgan.
“I'd like to say something at the table for once.” The brunette spoke looking her mother dead in the eyes.
Annette placed a hand on her chest and opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out.
“I love you, Mom. But, I don't feel that you love me. I've been feeling that way for a long time. Practically, my whole life. You never once ask me how my day was at school. You never ask what I did at work. All you do is criticize me and tell me I'm not good enough. It's like you don't give a damn about me.”
“Now, Morgan…” Annette began.
“No!” the brunette cut in sharply. “You have your one perfect daughter, right?” Morgan gestured towards Keri who looked at her sister sympathetically. “But look, Mom. There are two of us. You have two daughters and we're different. I'm not Keri and I never will be. I'm me.” Morgan stated, pointing at her chest.
Annette continued to look at her daughter. Her expression was something no one in the family had ever seen before. She almost seemed deflated.
“I like working on cars, I like sketching, and I like daydreaming. It helps me get through the day. And if you can't accept that then tough shit.”
Annette's jaw dropped open even more as she took in her daughter's words. Morgan stepped away from the table and began to walk towards the kitchen. Before she made it out of the room she stopped and turned towards her family once more. “Oh, and another thing. I like girls, too. In a lesbian way.”
Everyone at the table sat motionless, staring at Morgan in surprise.
“I'm going out for a while.”
The brunette walked out of the dining room and grabbed her keys from the kitchen counter. She couldn't prevent the grin that spread across her face. She had finally told off her mother and it felt good.
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