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Kate stared at the earrings on top of her dresser. She wasn’t sure if she should wear them. She wanted to though, really badly. They were only small studs, maybe a quarter inch wide, each in the shape of a flag. Not just any flag though, a rainbow pride flag.
Three years ago Kate realized just how nice Dana looked at freshman prom. Three months ago Kate felt frustrated that none of the boys at Blackwell seemed cute, or nice, or attractive in any way whatsoever. Three weeks ago Kate had finally figured out what the hell all that meant. Three weeks ago, after years of confusion and angst, Kate finally accepted that she was gay. Not an easy pill to swallow if you had been raised catholic, especially if your parents were as strict as hers.
Rainbow flag earrings seemed like a nice way to clandestinely acknowledge her new found orientation without actually outing herself to the rest of the school.
Perfect. Small enough to hide behind my bangs, big enough to actually show off if I want to.
With that, she put the earrings on and carefully moved the edges of her bangs to cover them up. Proud but secret, just the way Kate wanted it to be. Her phone’s buzzing startled her out of her reverie. Fifteen minutes to get to class.
Shoot, I spent half an hour debating whether or not to wear these stupid things. Now I don’t have time for breakfast.
She grabbed her books and ran to class, hoping to last until to lunch without crashing.
Later on Kate sat down at her assigned table in chemistry class. While she was getting her notebook out before the bell could ring, a familiar voice spoke “Hey Kate,” as it sat down next to her.
“Oh, good morning Dana,” Kate replied, matching the cheery tone with her own. “How are you?”
“I’m pretty good, just finished up English with Ms Hoida. How are you doing?” Dana asked.
“Oh, I’m pretty good too. A little hungry, but I always feel good after life drawing class.” Kate answered with a big grin.
“That’s nice,” Dana replied as she leaned in close to Kate. “By the way, I love your earrings,” she whispered.
Kate froze, eyes wide. Her hands shot up to her ears to check the part of her hair that was supposed to cover her rainbow pride studs. Nothing, there was nothing covering them. Her body tensed as she realized that she tucked the bits of hair behind her ears in drawing class to keep them out of the way. “Oh,” was all she could manage as her face turned red.
Dana’s smile turned to concern as she put her hand on Kate’s arm. “Hey, I-I’m sorry if I upset you. I didn’t mean to-”
“It-it-it’s-I-um” Kate stuttered as she pulled the sides of her bangs back over her earrings. “It’s ok. I just didn’t realize that-” Kate was cut off by the late bell.
“Alright class, everybody in their assigned seats. I’m looking at you Miss Ward,” Ms.Grant smiled at Dana.
Dana squeezed Kate’s arm and flashed an apologetic look as she got up and made her way to her own seat in the back.
Fifty minutes later, the bell rang and Kate nearly jumped out of her seat and rocketed out of the classroom before Dana had the chance to ask her what was wrong.
A few hours later and Kate had made it to lunch in one piece. She went about her usual routine, having forgotten about her encounter with Dana earlier. A salad from the bar and a seat at her usual table. Today she ate alone because both Stella and Alyssa had second lunch while Kate had third. Life was unfair sometimes but at least she had thoroughly enjoyed her life drawing class. A tall blond wearing an concerned face carefully walked into her field of view. “Hey Kate,” Dana said as she waved hello. “Sorry about earlier.”
Oh boy. That’s right, Dana saw my earrings in chemistry class.
“Um, It-it’s ok Dana” Kate managed to get out.
“I hope I didn’t embarrass you or anything” Dana apologized.
“No no, it’s ok, really. I don’t think anyone else heard you, and no one was staring, so I don’t think anyone noticed anyway. I just,” Kate sighed and rubbed the back of her neck, “it’s my first time wearing anything like this,” she gestured to her ears, the pride earrings hidden by her hair, “and I forgot to cover them back up after my drawing class.”
“Ah, then I guess that you weren’t wearing those to show how much of an ally you are?” Dana cautiously inquired with a raise of her eyebrow.
“Oh, uhh,” Kate mumbled while she looked at anything that wasn’t Dana.
Dana reached out for Kate’s arm but stopped just shy of touching her. “Is it ok if I?” she glanced from Kate’s eyes to her arm and back.
“Oh, of course,” Kate said while nodding.
Dana gently rested her hand on Kate arm and smiled warmly which seemed to cause Kate to blush a bit. “We’ve been friends for a few years now right?”
“Yes, ever since freshman orientation,” Kate smiled with the memory, “no one wanted to sit near me in the auditorium, but then you showed up and started talking to me like we’d been friends for ages. It made me feel so welcomed, like I truly belonged here at Blackwell. You even introduced me to Stella and Alyssa once we got moved into the dorms.”
“I’m just glad I could help.” Dana’s smile changed to a look of concern while she squeezed Kate’s arm lightly. “Over these past few weeks, I’ve seen you withdraw from everything. You stopped playing the violin at night. You’ve barely left you room for anything other than classes in over a month. I just,” Dana sighed and looked Kate in the eye, “I don’t like seeing my friends in pain. I just want to know if there’s anything I can do to help.” She squeezed Kate’s arm again, not sure if the contact was to reassure Kate or herself. “Does it have anything to do with those?” Dana gestured to her ears.
Kate looked down at the table and nodded.
“I remember how nerve wracking it was coming out to my parents as bi,” Dana said.
Kate’s eyes shot open. “You’re?” Kate yelled before covering her mouth with her hand. “Bi?” she mouthed silently.
“Yep,” Dana shot back confidently. “I figured things out back when I was 15.” Dana propped her head up on her hand. “It was so lonely, thinking I was different. Thinking no one else could understand, or would accept me. I suffered in silence for almost a year before I couldn’t take it any longer and came out to my parents.”
“How did it go?” Kate asked, enraptured in Dana’s story.
“It went pretty well actually. My parents were both pretty cool with it, although my dad still thinks it’s all just for attention. Doesn’t help that I’ve only dated guys ever since Jules and I broke up.”
“Wait, you and Juliet dated?” Kate asked incredulously.
Dana chuckled. “Well, aren’t you the gossip?” Dana said smarmily, grinning at the other girl.
“I-oh-um” Kate stuttered now blushing furiously, “I didn’t mean to- not unless you felt comfortable-”
“Its ok, it’s ok Kate, no worries.” Dana rushed out, “Bad joke. Everything’s fine. I wouldn’t be having this conversation with you if I didn’t trust you. Jules and I didn’t last very long. While she’s my best friend, she is still very straight.” Dana paused. “I’m actually kinda surprised you didn’t hear about this years ago, considering the first person I came out to after my parents was Juliet.
“I actively try to ignore the rumor mill here. Granted my only friends here are you, Stella, Alyssa and Max, so that’s not too hard.” Kate replied.
“And that is part of what makes you such a nice person to be around,” Dana said with a wide and warm smile.
Kate couldn’t help but smile back, there was something about Dana’s positivity that was simply infectious. Whenever Dana was happy, Kate had a hard time not being happy too. “Thank you Dana. I really enjoy being around you too,” Kate sighed, her smile slowly taking over her face.
Dana broke the forming silence, “Either way, my dad might be in for a surprise since I’ve sworn off of men after that shit show with Logan.”
“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that something bad happened. Is everything ok?” Kate reassured as she put her hand on Dana’s arm.
Dana smiled as she put her hand over Kate’s, “I’m fine now that every thing is over.” Dana sighed as the smile fell from her face. “It was kind of rough for a while back there though. It’s kind of a long and personal story,” the smile returned almost as fast as it disappeared. “But, suffice to say Logan is an asshole, and no one should date him.”
Kate chuckled at Dana’s declaration.
“Well, lunch is almost over and, I have to go to the gym for cheer practice. It’s been great talking to you again.” Dana stood up and leaned in close. “If there’s anything I can do to help with,” she gestured to Kate’s earrings, “please let me know. I don’t want you to have to deal with that all by yourself if you don’t want to. There’s plenty of us around here that are understanding and accepting.” She started to walk away but stopped suddenly, “Also, just because I’m besties with Juliet, doesn’t mean I can’t keep a secret,” she reassured Kate.
Dana got one step away before Kate grabbed at Dana’s jacket and pulled her back down gently. “Hey Dana,” Kate whispered, barely loud enough for the other girl to hear.
“Yes Kate?”
“I-I-I,” Kate took in a deep breath and sighed it out. “I’m gay.”
Dana reached over and wrapped Kate in a bone crushing hug. “Congratulations Kate.” She pulled back a bit to look Kate in the eyes. “And thank you for trusting me with that too. I know how scary that can be.”
“I just. Ugh.” Kate looked around to make sure no one had gotten close. “I want to be out but,” she sighed and covered her face with her hands, “my parents aren’t what you would call accepting or understanding. My Mom used to say that being gay was a sin, and that it’s our duty as morally upstanding people to show them the error of their ways and put them back on the path to righteousness.”
“Whew boy,” Dana sighed as she moved to rub Kate’s back. “That sounds super rough.”
“No kidding,” Kate muttered. “So if anything got back to them, which knowing how vicious the rumor mill is here, is a definite possibility-”
“Well people might love their gossip,” Dana cut Kate off, “but most of them are a little better than you give them credit for.”
“And miss the opportunity to stick it to the stuck up girl who ran the abstinence club?” Kate hissed. “I didn’t even want to run that stupid club in the first place. My mom got an info packet from our pastor about running an abstinence program and forced me to run it. She said it was part of my duty as a God fearing Christian to show the ‘heathens’ the path of righteousness. She even said that was part of why they paid for me to go to Blackwell in the first place, which is completely false.” Kate was ranting a mile a minute now. “They never mentioned that before I came here. Not once!” Kate took in a huge gulp of air and started to catch her breath.
“Wow,” Dana gasped. “I didn’t know things were that bad.”
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to rant like that. My mom is a good person otherwise and, my dad has never actually said anything bad about gay people. I’m just scared that if they found out they would pull me out of Blackwell and send me to conversion therapy.” Kate lamented.
“They…wouldn’t…would they?” Dana stammered.
“I don’t know,” Kate sighed. “She did threaten to pull my tuition if I didn’t run the abstinence club. I have no idea how far they would go if they find out I’m gay though. You can see why I’m so worried about me being gay getting back to them right?”
“Oh God, of course, absolutely,” Dana paused for a moment. “Well, no pressure at all. Especially given all of that but, if you’re comfortable there is a group that meets in the guidance councilor’s office every Wednesday after classes. It’s a LGBT support group. Completely confidential of course. It’s a nice way to feel a sense of community and get support, especially if you’re not able to be loud and proud.”
“That…sounds like a great idea. Thank you so much Dana.” Kate wiped away a tear and hugged Dana tightly.
“No problem at all Kate,” Dana beamed.
When the bell rang to signal the end of lunch, they both pulled apart and gathered their things to get going.
“I’ll see you at the thing tonight after class,” Kate promised as she waved goodbye to Dana.
“Hey Kate…umm,” Dana stammered suddenly blushing. “I have one more thing real quick.”
“Sure, what’s up Dana?”
“I uh,” Dana chuckled nervously, “I heard from a friend that you like tea, and, um. There’s a new tea shop that opened up on the boardwalk by the beach. I was wondering if you’d like to go check it out with me this weekend? If you’re not too busy that is.”
Kate’s smile threatened to break her face in half. “I would love to.”
Dana smiled back at Kate. “It’s a date then. Oh! I meant…unless…only if you wanted to-”
“It’s a date,” Kate replied warmly. “I’ll see you tonight.”
“See you tonight,” Dana replied before they both walked to class, a new bounce in both of their steps.