Quotes From "Bliss" By Lauren Myracle

He slouches, ' DeeDee contributes.' True--he needs to work on his posture, ' Thelma says.' You guys, ' I say.' I'm serious, ' Thelma says. 'What if you get married? Don't you want to go to fancy dinners with him and be proud?'' You guys. We are not getting married! '' I love his eyes, ' Jolene says. 'If your kids get his blue eyes and your dark hair--wouldn't that be fabulous?'' The thing is, ' Thelma says, 'and yes, I know, this is the tricky part--but I'm thinking Bliss has to actually talk to him. Am I right? Before they have their brood of brown-haired, blue-eyed children?' I swat her. "I'm not having Mitchell's children! '' I'm sorry--what?' Thelma says. Jolene is shaking her head and pressing back laughter. Her expressing says, Shhh, you crazy girl! But I don't care. If they're going to embarrass me, then I'll embarrass them right back. 'I said'-- I raise my voice--' I am not having Mitchell Truman's children! ' Jolene turns beet red, and she and DeeDee dissolve into mad giggles.' Um, Bliss?' Thelma says. Her gaze travels upward to someone behind me. The way she sucks on her lip makes me nervous.' Okaaay, I think maybe I won't turn around, ' I announce. A person of the male persuasion clears his throat.' Definitely not turning around, ' I say. My cheeks are burning. It's freaky and alarming how much heat is radiating from one little me.' If you change your mind, we might be able to work something out, ' the person of the male persuasion says.' About the children?' DeeDee asks. 'Or the turning around?'' Dee Dee! ' Jolene says.' Both, ' says the male-persuasion person. I shrink in my chair, but I raise my hand over my head and wave.' Um, hi, ' I say to the person behind me whom I'm still not looking at. 'I'm Bliss.'Warm fingers clasp my own.' Pleased to meet you, ' says the male-persuasion person. 'I'm Mitchell.''Hi, Mitchell.' I try to pull my hand from his grasp, but he won't let go. 'Um, bye now! ' I tug harder. No luck. Thelma, DeeDee, and Jolene are close to peeing their pants. Fine. I twist around and give Mitchell the quickest of glances. His expressions is amused, and I grow even hotter. He squeezes my hand, then lets go. 'Just keep me in the loop if you do decide to bear my children. I'm happy to help out.' With that, he stride jauntily to the food line. Once he's gone, we lost it. Peals of laughter resound from our table, and the others in the cafeteria look at us funny. We laugh harder.' Did you see! ' Thelma gasps. 'Did you see how proud he was?'' You improve his posture! ' Jolene says.' I'm so glad, since that was my deepest desire, ' I say. 'Oh my God, I'm going to have to quit school and become a nun.'' I can't believe you waved at him, ' DeeDee says.' Your hand was like a little periscope, ' Jolene says. 'Or, no--like a white surrender flag.'' It was a surrender flag. I was surrendering myself to abject humiliation.'' Oh, please, ' Thelma says, pulling me into a sideways hug. 'Think of it this way: Now you've officially talked to him. Lauren Myracle

I keep what I know about Sarah Lynn and Lawrence to myself. I also remind myself that even if Sarah Lynn does have a scary strict father, that doesn't release her from the responsibility of treating others with respect. Abuse of power is wrong, no matter the context, no matter the history. What is "power" anyway? Power is an ego trip. Power is a way to rise yourself up by lowering others, and I want nothing of it. Lauren Myracle

I was just teasing, " I say. "I myself don't like to eat plain butter, but hey, it's a free world. Lauren Myracle

The first time someone else touched me with the intent to pleasure, I fell in love. Not with that person, but with the act itself. Such intimacy and accord. Even with the awkwardness of first time lovers there was a grace and purity, carnal and beautiful that I knew from that moment on I could never live without. Fiona Zedde

One: Don't play leapfrog with elephants. Two: Don't pet a tiger unless his tail is wagging. Three: Never, ever, mess with the Ladies Auxiliary.-Mayberry Rules for a Long, Happy Life Lauren Myracle

Across from her, Hunter devoured her meal even more completely than she had. Sinclair watched her sink sharp teeth into the chicken bone, heard it snap, then the soft grunt of satisfaction. She made soft sucking sounds then emptied her mouth of the tiny ground up remains on a corner of her dish. Hunter ate with rabbit-like intensity, biting and sucking and spitting in an even rhythm until all that was left on the plate was a small brown and beige pile of ground bones. She finally looked up and caught Sinclair staring. Fiona Zedde

Just because I’ve been gone from this country for most of my life doesn’t mean I understand it any less. When I was fifteen I left Jamaica. I knew that I was a lesbian then and, because of what I looked like, I was an out lesbian. It was hard for me. It was hard for the thirteen years I was in England, for various reasons, and it’s going to be difficult here as well. I don’t anticipate anything being easy. But I’d rather suffer the chance of someone accosting me for being a dyke than suffer the emotional violence I’d do to myself if I wasn’t honest about who I am. . Fiona Zedde

She holds herself with such reserve. She smiles, but the smile doesn't reach her eyes, even in the company of the girls she's chosen to eat with. Why?I have no clue, and I really don't want to spend my time worrying about it. But my brain pushes at the question anyway. Why are people aloof? Because they don't want to let others in. Why don't they want to let others in? Well, sometimes because they're shy, and sometimes because they're convinced of their own superiority. But those aren't the only reasons. Sometimes it's because thay have something to hide. Lauren Myracle

Sarah Lynn strides out of the stairwell. Lawrence watches her go. The door slushes shut behind her, and he turns to me with a tightened jaw. I want to tell him: No, no, you've got it all wrong. I don't care if you kiss a white girl. I don't care if you love a white girl. I just wish you'd chosen a white girl worthy of your love. Lawrence's Adam's apple jerks up and down, and I realize that in addition to whatever else he's feeling, he's scared. He's in love with the darling of the school, Sarah Lynn Lancaster, ad he's afriad I'll expose his secret. I give a tiny shake of my head, wanting him to know he has nothing to fear, not from me. . Lauren Myracle

My angel-boy is close now, as in five-feet-away close. There's no way I'm going to burst into song in front of him. But then the contrary part of me says, you're going to let a boy keep you from singing out loud? Sing, sister! Sing! So I do, and my angel-boy turns his head. Lauren Myracle