The Kissing Booth

Enjoy! Sorry if there is a lot of mistakes. This stupid thing doesn't have spell check.

P.s Don't read if you don't like the whole lesbian thing.

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I wasn't here because I wanted to be. I was here because I was forced to be; forced by my monster of a mother, Melody Montgomery.

My mother was a part of the high-class country golf club. The men, who included my father, Hal, in the club played golf, bragging about the success of their businesses and their large sums of money while their wives drank tea, planned parties and bragged about their oh so well put together sons and daughters.

The women raised money by holding a plethora of charity events to be able to fund the club without having to have the money come out of their deep pockets. It gave them purpose.

Usually my mother doesn't involve me in her schemes to show off to the other women, that's my sister Gwendolyn's job. I am not what you could call very social. I'm barely able to speak when it comes to people I am not very familiar with, so that leaves my sister to be the socialite of the family.

Since I turn into a stuttering idiot when people are around me, my mother brags about how amazing my sister is and takes her to the fancy get together the club holds and leaves me at home.

Not that I'm complaining or anything. I'd rather read a book and be left alone anyways.

But this time my mother just refused to leave me alone. She claimed it was life or death.

My mother's grand plan for a fundraiser this week was a carnival. With all the ferris wheels, cheap roller coasters, greasy corn dogs, and creepy clowns that came with them. Every job was to be done by the children of the country club members so they didn't have to pay for employees.

There was one job that didn't have someone working it, most likely because it was the most unappealing even next to the person who cleans the leftover garbage. Since I was the only offspring left of every member in the country club, I was stuck working at the kissing booth.

I know, I know it sounds like I'm over exaggerating, but I'm not. Not only is it embarrassing as hell, it's disgusting. Sure, you get to kiss a couple of cute guys here and there, but then come along the old geezers that probably haven't been kissed by anyone in years or the people that just don't know how to keep their saliva to themselves.

Oh, and if you're pretty, you're lucky enough to get a whole line of people just waiting to put their grimy lips against yours.

I'm extremely lucky, because I was born with my mother long flowing blonde locks and my dad's sea green eyes. Where I live is a natural blonde is like God's gift or something. I wasn't ugly or anything, quite the opposite actually. But my bright sea green eyes were usually hidden behind the lens of my glasses, the curves of my body covered by my baggy clothes, my hair was unkempt when I don't feel like brushing it through. I wasn't the type to get all dolled up.

And the worst part about the whole kissing booth ordeals was I was forced out of the clothes I was comfortable in and stuffed into a square neckline knee length white summer dress that flared out at the waist. The dress wasn't hideous, it just wasn't my thing. It made me feel extremely awkward, and to put the cherry on top she was making me wear pale yellow heels to go along with it. The curves of my body could be seen a mile away.

To make sure my mother came out on top of making more money than the other women she even tried to curl my hair. Lucky me, my sister was having a hair crisis herself so mother just ran a comb through my hair to make it look presentable.

So here I was sitting in an uncomfortable stool, with the hot sun beating down my neck in this tight ass dress. Nothing could make this better and the carnival hadn't even started yet.

I sat there with nothing to do but rub my dry eyes due to the contacts my mother once again forced me to wear and stare back at the people who stared at me as they walked by. Apparently no one recognized me, since I was in such unusual attire. Well, for me that is.

"Josephine! Is that you?" I jumped in my seat at the loud shriek coming from behind me.

I turned to see Mrs. Ramsey, with board smile on her face, and her son standing behind her. She has her arms opening awaiting a hug. I stand and give her a tight squeeze.

Susan Ramsey was the most down to earth, sweet as homemade cherry pie, mother in this whole entire country club. Others were at best stuck up and rude, but not Mrs. Ramsey she was kind no matter what the circumstances. Her exuberant personality and bright red hair attracted attention like moths to a flame.

For some odd reason a nice woman like her decided to latch on to my dysfunctional family when we first moved to Cranbrooke when I was at the tender age of 7. She was always around to babysit me when my parents had more important things to do than take care of their own child.

I latched on to her just as much as she did to my family. She was my self-proclaimed godmother. Her husband was pretty nice too; until Mrs. Ramsey found out he was cheating with a co-worker of his.

Their divorce was a mess. But only because it was filled with false sympathy thrown at Mrs. Ramsey when in actuality the sympathizers were thinking about sleeping with newly divorce Mr. Ramsey themselves. Her son, Neal took the divorce surprisingly well.

Neal had become my best friend since his mother was around so much she was obligated to bring him along.

Neal wasn't so much as a pariah as I was in our little world; he was only an outsider to the children of the country club members. Neal was the smartest kid, I had ever known; which made him pretty badass in my book, but to everyone else, not so much. Although Neal wasn't like other nerds, he was very outspoken and at times immature, he was still the guy that the lacrosse players pushed into lockers when they felt like it. He was the guy that the cheerleaders felt the need to ridicule just because he got good grades.

But to the parents, well he was the guy they wanted their children to be, which only in turn made kids hate him even more.

Since we were both outcasts in some way we decided to stick together rather than to fend of the vicious high society alone. Now, at the age of 17, we only always had each other.

Mrs. Ramsey and Neal were the only two other people outside my family I felt remotely comfortable around.

"My my, you look gorgeous honey. Your mother did one heck of a job cleaning you up, hardly even recognized you!" Mrs. Ramsey exclaimed, giving me a once over.

"I'll say." Neal snickered from behind his mother, clearly making fun. I knew he was making fun because we were practically siblings. We didn't look at each other that way.

And if it wasn't for the dress I was wearing, he would be screaming in pain right now. I just settled with glaring at him.

"Neal, be polite." Mrs. Ramsey chided her son.

He huffed before folding his arms across his chest, wrinkling his nicely pressed pale blue Polo button up.

"You look very pretty Joey."

"Thank you, asshole." I retort with an uncomfortable grin, not used to the attention.

"Language. You look more than pretty, you look absolutely stunning. How about a twirl?" Mrs. Ramsey suggested, pointing with a circular motion.

I groaned, staying still. Mrs. Ramsey again twirled her finger. I knew my resistance was futile.

I turned very slowly trying hard not to fall on my ass in these heels since we were standing on the grass. Mrs. Ramsey clapped excitedly.

"Wonderful. God knows your mother has been trying to put you in a dress for years. Speaking of your mother let me go and find her to congratulate her on accomplishing such a feat."

She taps me lightly on the shoulder and pointedly looks at Neal as if to say "stay out of trouble", and then she walks off in the fray of people milling about trying to set up the carnival.

"You do look ever so lovely darling." Neal says with a heavy country drawl.

Now that his mother was gone, I didn't have to be so polite. I punched him square in the shoulder.

"Ow!" Neal shouts rubbing his shoulder. "That wasn't very lady like, now was it?"

"I don't care if it was lady like or not. I'll kick your scrawny ass if you don't shut it." I say with a smirk, knowing it was true. Neal was almost darn near a pacifist.

"Fine, fine." Neal said, holding his hands up in mock surrender, then he bashfully put his hands in his khaki shorts. "How much did your father give you this time?"

My face hardens at his question. Usually when my mother has some scheme to make me look presentable like my sister and the other daughters in the club and I resist, my father pulls me to the side and bribes me to make mother happy. But what about making me happy? Nope its all about making sure my mother doesn't throw a hissy fit.

Don't get me wrong, I love my father. He is always there when he can be, he at least tries to understand who I was unlike my mother who only wanted to make me into what she wanted.

"He gave me a 50." I say solemnly sitting back in the stool. I didn't like when my father thought he had to bribe me to keep the peace, and 50 dollars weren't enough compensation for what I was about to endure.

"I'm sorry, I know how much you don't like when he does that." Neal says awkwardly his right hand threw his rusty orange hair.

"I'm over it." I'm really not, but I say it to appease him. " What are you still doing here don't you have a job of your own?"

"This is my job. Bodyguard at your service, ma'am!" Neal shouts straightening his body and saluting.

"What do I need a body guard for?"

"In case anyone tries to get handsy, if you know what I mean. No telling what those scoundrels will try to with you being all swanky and what not."

"What can you do, strangle them with your spaghetti arms?" I say very quizzical. Neal had yet to fill out like the other guys his age who had been through puberty. He had wide shoulder, but was very scrawny. Neal was about 5.8, which was pretty short for a guy, especially compared to the guys that went to our school. His arms had little to no muscle on them, which made him protecting me laughable.

"I kick their asses that's what!" He said flexing his arms. I laugh at his antics knowing he will probably get pummeled if he tried to start a fight with someone.

Sadly, my mother walks up as he curses I rather loudly. I clamp my mouth shut, sitting up straight knowing my mother will criticize my posture.

"Neal, you really need to improve your language. That is no way for a young man to speak." She says putting her white prada sunglasses through her sun kissed blonde hair. She wore a floor length robins egg blue summer dress, with white pumps. She looks elegant even though we were at a carnival. It was so nauseating.

"Sorry Mrs. Montgomery." Neal said, hanging his head in shame. She turned her nose up at him as an acceptance of his apology.

"Now, I had Mrs. Ramsey put you two together because I know how Josephine feels about other people, but don't take my kindness for granted." She said with a disapproving glare.

"For Heavens sakes!" My mother then exclaims." Josephine would it kill you to sit up straighter, ladies don't slouch. Have I not taught you anything?"

I tried to look like I was sitting up even straight, if it was possible.

"Good, now the carnival is starting. People should be lining up any minute now since you look......." She said before giving me a once over. " Some what.........decent." Even after she dressed me, she still didn't approve of how I looked. I lowered my head in response not wanting to make eye contact.

"I'll leave you two to your work." She flipped her hair over her shoulder, then turned to leave, but turned back to point at me "Don't embarrass me."

I nodded, not knowing what to say to her. I rarely had anything to say to my mother.

After she left, Neal looked at me with an apologetic smile. I smiled back, already forgetting about my mother.

"Oh! I forgot to give you something." Neal said before frantically digging in his pants pocket. He found what he was looking for and stuck it out towards me.

"What is it?" I said before taking it, apprehensive. There was no telling what he was trying to give me.

A wicked grin broke out on Neal's face. " Its ChapStick! I think you will need it." He was clutching his stomach now, shaking with laughter. My face heated up, embarrassed at the thought of how many people might line up to kiss me.

It is going to be a long day.

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Hope everyone enjoy that. I sure enjoyed writing it. Tell me what you think. Should I finish it or leave it at that? It was so long because I planned it to be a one shot but I think I just might finish it. Laters! Thanks for reading!

P.s I spilt this chapter up into two parts, but it probably won't make a difference since most of you reading this are new. :)

Disclaimer:

Hey I have decided after learning a lot throughout 2020 and 2021, that this story needs a disclaimer. Please keep in mind that this story was written around 2015. A lot of the things that are portrayed in this novel are not things I might stand by or believe in today. I have learned so much about POC characters and disability that if I were to write this today, a lot of things would be taken out or written better.

In addition the only thing that I identify with in this story is being apart of the LGBT+ spectrum. I myself do not have a speech disability. I have a family member who does who I am very close with but that is the extent of my knowledge with the disability so the way that Joey is portray in this story I'm willing to admit may not be correct or it's her experience but written poorly.

Someone had also pointed out in a review I saw that the only POC in this novel is the "villain". I don't see this character as a villain and I also based her on Santana from Glee cause I'm an idiot. This isn't an excuse but more of a reason for my stupidity and ignorance. I myself am POC just not Hispanic/Latina. If I had the option I would change a lot of the ethnicities of the characters in this story because before their race never mattered but now I know how to write POC characters and I know that they need to be included because books need to be more inclusive. Everyone has the right to see themselves in these stories.

And you might be wondering why can't you just write it. Well this book has been published professionally by a company and this story has meant a lot to so many people. Because of these reasons I'm hesitant to rewrite the entire work. So I thought for now until I come up with a better solution I would just make this disclaimer that I was a stupid, uneducated college freshman when I made this story.  I do want to write this story. It just might be on Patreon once I get more subscribers.

If you guys have any questions or suggestions or just wanna pop in to tell me your experience so that I can better understand someone's experience with a speech imediment please do so! Thank you!

If you want to help me out on my writing journey please consider donating a cup of coffee to my Ko- fi! :

https://ko-fi.com/athenasimone96

Also check out my blog called Writing Rainbow all about fostering diversity in writers and readers!

https://writingrainbow1.wordpress.com

~~ Athena