“I won’t be able to make it to tomorrow’s rehearsal,” I told Mrs. Harrison, our theatre director. “I have a doctor’s appointment.”
“That’s fine,” She replied, waving me away. “Just find someone to read your lines for you.”
I looked around. I didn’t even know most of these people’s names. There was another Ashley, but she was surrounded by people who were a bit too loud and rowdy for my liking.
Only one girl stood alone. The frizzy-haired girl from yesterday. She was looking snobbily at everyone else, like she was above us.
But at least she would get the job done.
“Hey,” I said, walking up to her. “Do you mind reading my lines for me tomorrow? I can’t be there.”
“I got you, girl,” She replied. “You’re Ash, right? I see you walking to school after seminary.”
I frowned. “You’re Mormon, too? I haven’t seen you at seminary before.”
“I go to the early class,” She smiled and tossed her hair. “I’m in the top choir. We meet before school.”291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHbxPhLkRmS
“Oh. Cool,” I pulled out my phone. “Anyway, can I have your number? I’ll send you my lines.”
I looked at my phone as she handed it back and checked out her contact information. Lizzy Williams. I changed it to match my aesthetic: lowercase letters only.
Lizzy jumped as a paper airplane hit her in the back of the head. She turned and started chasing the short girl who threw it.
“Hey! Don’t throw stuff at me, that’s homophobic!”
Homophobic?
Was Lizzy gay?
And a member?
It couldn’t be…
“Alright, circle up!” Mrs. Harrison called. “We got a show to run!”
* * *
“I just don’t understand,” I complained. “That’s two guys in one week that have asked for my number. I thought I was, like, ugly.”
“You are not!” Mia protested. We were chatting on the phone while I watched the sunset from my front porch.
“Okay, fine,” I grumbled. “But I’m not used to this kind of attention. Nick wants to meet me at the park this Saturday and as much as I want to want to, I just don’t want to!”
“Then don’t,” Mia said nonchalantly. “Don’t do anything you don’t want to do.”
“But I feel bad because I haven’t tried dating boys since… since…”
“Since Aaron,” Mia replied.
I was silent. I had to shut my mind down, to stop the bile from rising in my throat. I couldn’t think about Aaron, I couldn’t, I wouldn’t, I-
“Ashley?” Mia asked. “You there?”
“Yeah,” I answered. “Yeah I’m here.”
“Look, just don’t date anyone,” Mia said. “You don’t have to date anyone right now.”
She didn’t get it. Nobody got it.
Unless…?
“Look, I have to go,” I said. “I have a church activity.”
We said our goodbyes and I opened up my messages and stared at the two unopened messages I’d been stressing about all day. The first was from an unknown number.
(###) ###-####:291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBgWGC4Dp2J
Hi! This is Adam from choir. What are you up to?
I stared for a second before finally answering with:
ash:291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX7gLc7F7xX
hi my name is ash! nice to meet you, just headed to a church activity hbu?
Then I opened the next message from Nick.
nick:291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEUeHNeJHz1
hey wanna meet at the park on saturday
I took a deep breath and finally replied.
ash:291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡblCCdDRQ4t
hey im sorry i didnt mean to lead u on but i am actually a lesbian
Sent.
Next order of business: send one final text.
ash:291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrW5lGJ11Rb
hey lizzy r u a gay mormon too?291Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd3ny8hUsxv
