A Fight, a Forgiveness

The moment Christie's mother disappeared into the church, Christie exploded. "What the SHITTING FUCK do you think you're DOING? GET YOUR HANDS OFF OF MY DAMN MOTHER! She's not like that, she doesn't want you touching her that way!!!"

Amber screamed back at her. "Why should I do that? How do you know she doesn't want it? And I thought you didn't CARE if people wanted to be touched?!?"

Christie was struck silent as the full weight of Amber's accusation hit her. The air in the car was silent for minutes as Christie struggled for words. Amber didn't know what to say, didn't know what she wanted said, she was just angry. She sat there shaking, waiting for Christie to throw something at her so she could retaliate. When Christie finally did speak, it was nothing more than a whisper, choked through tears.

"I... I said I was shitting sorry, Amber... Y-you said you f-forgave me... y-you said you weren't 'like that'... into... into girls... like me. And... I know she doesn't want it, because... I told her this morning. Who I am. That I'm a lesbian. And she did this." Christie pointed her finger at the red mark on her cheek, still easy to make out.

Amber was taken aback at the sudden vulnerability. She had expected to feel irritated by Christie's response, but instead she felt... terrible. Maybe it was the fact that she was in a shouting match with her best friend, maybe it was the fact that they were fighting in a car outside a church on a Sunday, but she wanted things to be better. She wanted to make things right.

"Fuck..." Amber winced as she saw her friend's cheek, swelling slightly. "I... I didn't know you told her. I'm... I'm really sorry." Amber began to cry as she spoke. "I just was so angry and I felt like I couldn't trust you, and your mom was acting really weird and I didn't know what it meant, and I just felt so good to be the pretty one instead of you for once, and I got carried away because I've never been pretty before and I'm so sorrryyyyyyyyyyyy!" Amber burst into tears, burying her face in her hands. None of this was going how she wanted. The book had seemed like a good thing at first, but so far her beauty had only been a curse.

Christie began to sob as she heard Amber's words. "Oh my god I had no idea you felt like that!" She said, awkwardly putting her arms around her best friend from the back seat. "I'm so so sorry if I ever made you feel inferior or like you couldn't trust me! I just... I just wanna put all this behind us Amber! I love you, but I'm never gonna **** you to be with me. I just wanna be your friend again... please?"

The two cried together for several minutes, before Amber lifted her head, looking her best friend in the eyes. "Of course Christie, always. Always always!! You're always gonna be my friend."

Christie smiled, tears still streaming down her face. "I'm so damn relieved Amber. I've been terrified since last night we'd never speak again."

Amber wiped her face, holding out her hand for a handshake. "Actually, the name's Ambs... nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you, Ambs." The two burst into laughter as Christie shook Amber's hand. "So... friends again?"

"Friends again." Amber nodded. The two sniffled, grinned, and did their best to get themselves together. "C'mon now," Amber said. "We've got a church service to suffer through."

Christie laughed, and the two walked into the church building holding hands.