on Saturday morning. She quickly logged into Facebook on her laptop and searched for Katie George. She found the one she was looking for immediately. Piper sat and stared at the picture of Katie before deciding to send an add friend request. She left Facebook logged on while she went into the bathroom to shower. Wrapped in her robe with a towel around her hair Piper returned to her bedroom and noted that Katie had not only accepted her friend request but had also sent a message.
Hey, I was gonna add you but it looks like you beat me to it.
Piper looked at Katie’s Facebook page and noticed that she lived in Bundaberg, which was only an hour from where Piper lived. By this time Katie was no longer online, so Piper sent a message
You live in Bundaberg? We should get together sometime. Do you drive?
Hesitant, she sent the message before she could change her mind.
Two weeks passed without any word from Katie and although Piper could not explain why, she found herself feeling disappointed. When her mum invited her to go to Bundaberg for a weekend Piper almost refused. In the end she agreed, only because her mum promised they could go the movies as a treat. They needed food for their stay in Bundy and so, on their arrival the supermarket was one of their first stops. Piper was still listening to her iPod when Mum spoke
“Piper, can you get some green apples,” Piper nodded and headed toward the fruit section, she almost didn’t hear the voice calling her.
“Piper!” she turned to see Katie. She was excited for a minute before remembering that Katie had ignored her for the last two weeks.
“Katie,” she said coldly. Katie frowned at her tone of voice.
“Something up?” Katie asked. Piper shrugged.
“You don’t reply to my message on Facebook or even send one for two weeks. Then you see me and I’m your best friend?” she said.
“I was busy with school,” Katie answered. “I don’t see why it bothers you.” Piper opened her mouth to reply but then closed it. She didn’t want to admit that not hearing from Katie for two weeks did bother her. From the moment she met Katie, she’d been feeling something that she had never felt before and was not able to explain the sensation.
“I have to get apples,” she said. She turned away from Katie and kept walking. Katie followed and fell in to step with her.
“Let me make it up to you,” she said. “You live in Dallarnil, right?”
“What’s that got to do with anything?” she asked and Katie smiled.
“How about you spend the rest of the weekend here with me?” she said. “I can drive you back to Dallarnil tomorrow”
“I can’t,” Piper triumphantly said. “I’m here with my mum. We’re staying overnight at a motel and we’ve already paid.”
“Your mum can still stay there, can’t she?” Katie said. Piper nodded reluctantly as she tried to think over another way to get out of Katie’s invitation. She smiled as she spoke.
“How will I explain staying with you to my boyfriend?” Piper kept her face free of emotion as she turned back to see Katie’s reaction. Katie didn’t even blink.
“Tell him you’re staying at a friend’s house,” she said. Katie could see that Piper still wasn’t convinced and grabbed her arm. “Please, Piper. It’s just a day and a half.”
“Let me talk to my mum,” Piper said reluctantly.
“Mum and I were going to see a movie but we can see it,” Piper said as she followed Katie out of the supermarket and into the car park.
“We could walk to the cinema,” Katie said. “But I’m feeling lazy.”
“I better ring Marcus,” Piper said. “I told him that Mum and I would be back tomorrow morning so, I should explain what’s happening.”
“Knock yourself out,” Katie said as they hopped into the car.
“Marcus, there’s been a change of plans,” Piper told him. “I ran into a friend and I’m staying with her so I won’t be back until late tomorrow night.” Piper paused as she listened to Marcus speak.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “It’s been awhile since I saw this friend.” He was yelling now and Piper moved the phone away from her ear.
“I can’t ditch all my friends just because I have a boyfriend, Marcus,” she said but he wouldn’t listen. Eventually she hung up.
“You ok?” Katie asked. Piper sighed as she shoved her phone in pocket.
“I think we just broke up,” she said. “And yet I don’t care but I feel like I should. We were together a year.” Katie reached over and squeezed her hand.
“I’m sure you’ll make up,” she said. “His manly feelings are probably just hurt.” Piper looked over at Katie and started laughing.
Piper was still laughing the next day as Katie pulled into her driveway.
“It was great hanging out with you,” Piper said as Katie turned off the motor. “Thanks for helping take my mind of Marcus.” Katie smiled.
“Anytime,” she said. “But I have to tell you something, Piper.”
“You can tell me anything, Katie,” Piper said. “That’s what friends are for.” Katie stared out the window.
“I haven’t been completely honest with you,” she said. “But I can’t keep it a secret anymore. I don’t want to keep lying.”
“What are you talking about?” Piper asked. Katie turned to her and took her hand.
“I’m gay, Piper,” she declared. “That’s what I’m talking about.” Piper pulled her hand away.
“Why are you telling me this?” she asked. Katie looked at Piper’s hand curled up in her lap.
“I’m telling you because I don’t want to lie anymore,” she said. “And I know you’ve been feeling it too.”
“Feeling what?” Piper asked. Katie didn’t answer but she reached up and rested her hand on Piper’s shoulder.
“Don’t fight it,” Katie whispered before leaning in. The instant Katie’s lips touched hers Piper felt something that she had never felt before, something that she had only read about.
“I’m not gay,” she said. “I like boys and I have a boyfriend.” Katie simply rolled her eyes.
“A boyfriend who dumped you because you wanted to hang out with a friend,” she said. Piper got out of the car and slammed the door.
“Don’t talk to me ever again,” she yelled. She ran inside and shut the door before she allowed the tears to fall.
When Piper arrived at school the next day, Marcus was waiting at her locker.
“Piper, we need to talk,” he said as soon as she reached him. Piper opened her locker and pushed her books in before answering.
“What about, Marcus?” she asked. “I thought you told me everything on Saturday.” Marcus looked at his shoes.
“That’s why I want to talk to you,” he said. “I overreacted and I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”
“Why should I believe you?” Piper asked. Marcus took her hand and looked deep into her eyes.
“Give me one more chance, Piper,” he said. “One more chance to prove I’m worthy of your love.” Everything in Piper screamed at her to say no as she returned Marcus’ gaze. She looked at her feet and took a deep breath before returning her gaze to his face. She felt her stomach sink as she realised what she was about to do.
“One more chance,” she said. “One more chance to prove I chose the right guy.” She watched Marcus’ face light up. He kissed her cheek.
“Meet me at the gate after school,” he said before running off. Piper waited until he was out of sight before resting her forehead on the closed locker next to hers.
Dallarnil, the small country town where Piper lived with her parents only had a primary school. The three options for high school were to go attend boarding school, travel to the public high schools in Bundaberg or Childers or the third and most common option was to attend Burnett State College in Gayndah. Piper attended Burnett State College, which was, an hour from Dallarnil. This is why Piper and her mum lived in Gayndah during the week and spent weekends and the school holidays at their house at Dallarnil. As the
y lived in Gayndah during the week Piper was able to have a job at the local supermarket.
Piper had expected Katie to call but she had no idea that Katie would turn up at her work on Monday.
She was serving a customer when Katie walked in.
“Ten dollars change,” Piper said to her customer.
Sam was operating the register next to Piper and because she didn’t want to talk to Katie at work she asked Sam to serve her, “I’ll do anything you want.” Sam looked at the girl Piper was referring to.
“Do you know her?” she asked. Piper nodded and replied,
“I would rather not talk to her.”
“Whatever,” Sam said but Katie had spotted Piper and was headed in her direction. “How can I help you?” Sam asked Katie who continued walking toward Piper.
“Thank you but I need to talk to her,” she said.
“Katie, I’m a little busy right now,” Piper said. “How did you find out where I work anyway?”
“First I went to your house in Dallarnil,” Katie replied. “Your father told me the address of your house here and your mother said you were at work.”
“If we must talk, can you at least wait until I finish?” Piper said. She glanced at her watch and saw it was six o’clock. “I finish work at seven thirty, I’ll meet you out the front then.” Katie smiled.
“Agreed,” she said. “See you then.” Piper watched her leave before looking back to see Sam staring at her.
“I thought you didn’t want to talk to her,” she said.
“I had to do something to get her to leave,” Piper replied.
Katie was