Contest - See Yourself in Sex.Ed!

Do you see yourself -- or people you know -- in Sex.Ed? Starting in January, enjoy the chance to see yourself in the story. Literally!

From January 1-January 31, we'll be accepting character sketches for people you want to see at Edgedale High. They might flesh out a scene or take on a life of their own*. The point is: they start with you! Base your submission off of yourself, a friend, a relative, or the person you wish you were.

1.10 - Preparation is 9/10ths of the Law

Alexa stood before her closet door and frowned. She shouldn’t be standing here, dithering over what dress to wear to the Homecoming dance but here she was, wondering if the red dress was too fancy and the blue one too plain. She didn’t want to buy a new dress just for a silly dance but she did want to look nice. She had the feeling Logan was going to dress to impress and she didn’t want to end up looking like his country cousin.

She took the red dress out and eyed it critically. Yeah, it would be OK. It had nice spaghetti straps with a sweetheart neckline and a skirt that flared out from an empire waist design. It was feminine but not excessively so; clean lines and a bit of black crinoline that gave shape to the skirt and peeked out from under the edge of the skirt. 

1.9 - Second Time's a Charm

Logan sat and stared at his phone, twitching slightly. He had waited for Frances to say something, anything that was remotely smart ass about the missent text message but Frances hadn’t breathed a word to him; this was good. Logan was glad because he had the distinct feeling that Alexa would be most unhappy with him if he’d broken Frances over his knee.

So now he was thinking about texting Alexa again but he was hesitant. He maybe thought it was a blessing in disguise that he’d sent that text to the wrong person. After giving it some thought, he thought that the best way was to ask Alexa in person. Not be a wimp and send her a text message but look at her and ask her to the Homecoming Dance. This would have the side benefit of him not obsessively checking his phone every five seconds for a reply from her. He didn’t need that stress and he didn’t want to have a heart attack at the tender age of 17.

1.8 - The Cafeteria

This scene is so tired, Wendy thinks, slinging her tote bag back onto her shoulder. Every year the same merry-go-round, last-player-standing shit. By the time she’s dropped off her books in her locker and made her way back to the cafeteria, the room is stinking and crowded with exactly the type of people Wendy would never sup with given any sense of option.

1.7 - I Bleed Rainbows

Frances fidgeted in front of the doorway, a rare hesitation in his movements.

Alexa frowned. She had agreed to come with him to the GSA meeting because she wanted to see what it was all about but she thought he was entirely sure about being here.

‘What’s the matter?’ she asked him, leaning over to whisper into his ear, her hand a reassuring presence on his upper arm.

‘Nothing,’ he replied, quickly. ‘Just...Wendy’s there. And Riley.’

1.6 - New Phone

Logan scratched his head as he studied the new phone his grandma had got him for his birthday. He didn’t really need a new phone but his grandma liked to buy shiny technological toys for him and his brothers. This meant that when the newest phones came out on the market, she’d cajole him to take her to the electronics store and she’d poke at them and ask question after question to the salesperson.

Logan was beyond being surprised at her technological savvy; he always enjoyed watching the shock on the salesperson’s face when the realization dawned that his grandma knew what she was talking about. He also enjoyed the wink she gave him when she stumped the salesperson.

Special - Too Young to Vote (But Not Too Young to Care)

‘So, if you could vote in this year’s election, how would you vote?’ asked Miriam as she sat down between Alexa and Logan.

‘Uh....I haven’t thought about it a whole lot,’ admitted Logan, sheepishly, his hand going to the back of his neck as he side-eyed Miriam.

‘Really? Because it’s kind of important, you know...the whole voting thing,’ retorted Miriam, her eyes gleaming.

1.5 - Session 26

Dr. Cloud: Good to see you, Riley. How was your day?

Riley: How do you think?

Dr. Cloud: I think what I think isn’t important. 

1.2.2 - After The Thing That Happened In Gym

Last class for the day. Miriam sighed as she trudged into the classroom, sitting down in the back seat, letting her notebook and pencils settle haphazardly on the desk. She didn’t want to sit in the front; she wanted to sit where she could see who was going to be in this class with her.

She knew Alexa was; they’d compared schedules and were delighted to see that they shared four classes this semester. If she included lunch, she and Alexa spent most of the day together and Miriam was just fine with that.

A few other students walked in, interrupting Miriam’s thoughts. She nodded her head at them and they said ‘hi’ back. They settled into seats, chatting with each other.

1.4 - One More Cookie

Logan got off the school bus and grabbed the mail from the mailbox by the side of the road. He flipped through the circulars and ads, looking for any letters that might be of interest to him. There wasn’t anything for him; just a couple of bills for his parents which he was happy to set on the mail table when he got in. He put the other junk mail into another basket on the table and took off his backpack.

He set it in the cubby next to the staircase and shrugged off his jean jacket as well. He hung that up on the hook above his backpack, and then headed down the hall into the kitchen. His mom was there, reading at the breakfast bar, and she smiled when she saw him.

‘Look at you! You look really nice, honey,’ she told him.

1.3 - A Light in the Darkness

Daisy rocked back on her heels, then forward, to her toes. The hallways of Edgedale were full of bodies and noise, but as Daisy locked eyes on the poster, she felt the presence of God. This, she thought, was perfect.

*

1.2 - Bodies

School was going all right thus far, Alexa decided. Her morning classes were about what she expected. Lunch was better than she thought it would be as she sat at a table with Frances to the right of her and Logan to the left of her with Miriam across from all of them. It was perfect.

Now, though, she felt as though she’d run out of luck. She hated gym class. She never saw the point of doing physical type things under duress. She liked working out because she liked having a strong body. She didn’t work out to look model thin or anything like that. She thought that was ridiculous. Her body wasn’t model thin material nor did she want it to be. She liked it just the way it was.

1.1 - Ignoring the Triangle

Last class for the day. Miriam sighed as she trudged into the classroom, sitting down in the back seat, letting her notebook and pencils settle haphazardly on the desk. She didn’t want to sit in the front; she wanted to sit where she could see who was going to be in this class with her.

She knew Alexa was; they’d compared schedules and were delighted to see that they shared four classes this semester. If she included lunch, she and Alexa spent most of the day together and Miriam was just fine with that.

A few other students walked in, interrupting Miriam’s thoughts. She nodded her head at them and they said ‘hi’ back. They settled into seats, chatting with each other.

Thoughts on Suicide Awareness Day

I'm no stranger to suicide.

I'm not going to tell you that one call to a hotline will solve everything, that you'll magically wake up full of joy and verve and purpose. I am 26 (almost 27) and I've struggled with depression, anxiety, and bipolar depression since I was in my early teens (and probably before that, but I've done a good job of blocking out my childhood).

The nature of my illness, something I've talked to Mage about many times, is that I forget what works. I set up support systems, make lists of Good Things, go to a counselor, go to a doctor, get on meds -- and then when I'm feeling good, I destroy all that. And yet, every time I am shocked to find myself at the bottom again, in the spaces of suicidal ideation, of anxiety attacks and midnight sobbing,  of feeling hopeless and worthless and empty. When I am there that is all my world consists of. There is no hope, no chance of escape. I think: Come on, self. You were happy and functioning and excited less than a month ago! But I cannot remember what that felt like. Until I start taking care of myself again, utilizing those resources, getting better. Then I am amazed at what lengths my mind has gone to try and kill me. I am shocked at the delusions and the desperation.

Depression and mental illnesses are different for everyone. Growing up, a close family member repeatedly attempted suicide. Struggling with mental illness, several misdiagnoses, and a world that isn't always the safest or softest place to land, he was hospitalized and eventually got help and got stable. Working to maintain that help and stability is something we have in common, though his illnesses differ in some very particular ways from mine.

0.0 - Meeting Frances

The first impression Alexa had of Frances was that of a fiercely determined boy, cornered by three other boys in a shadowy hallway in the school. She had taken a shortcut to class and normally wouldn’t be in that area at all. Yet, there she was and as she took stock of the situation, her lips pressed into a thin line.

She’d seen Frances around school. He was tall, thin, with an aristocratic air that surrounded him, much like the lime scented cologne he wore every day. His eyes were a gunmetal grey and his hair was the exact shade of apricot. He walked with the grace of a drunken cat and she was reminded of Captain Jack Sparrow more than once with his languid air and his not so steady movements. She thought he was attractive. She had always been a sucker for a sharp dresser. He often wore crisp dress shirts to school, tucked into skinny jeans that emphasized his long legs. 

1.0 - The First Day of School

Music blared throughout the room. Frances winced and scrambled for the remote to the stereo system. ‘Fuck!’ he groaned as he turned off the stereo. He sat up in bed and rubbed his hands over his face. First day of school. He had been up half the night before, talking to Alexa on the phone. He smiled, thinking of her outrage at his joking suggestion to pick her up in the convertible. Alexa wasn’t one for flaunting wealth around and she preferred to be picked up in his old Volvo.

Frances got out of bed, padding to the bathroom just to the right. He slept in the nude so it was just a matter of him tinkering with the temperature of the water to get the shower going how he liked it. After a moment, he stepped in, grunting as the water sprayed onto his face. Hurrah for school.

Welcome

Welcome to Sex.Ed, a new serial story written by mage_girl and aphrodite_mine. Our story revolves around seven young people in the Minneapolis area. They deal with things all teens do: dating, sexual identity, race, parents, siblings, jobs, body acceptance, mental health, and on top of it all, homework. Coming to you with at least one fresh episode a month, we -- mage and aphrodite -- commit to the truest story possible. We won't step away or fade to black when things get uncomfortable.

If you have questions about the site or the authors, take a look at our About page. Get to know the characters on the Cast page.

Episode one goes live just after Labor Day.