“All right?” Mei said, and Lily nodded.
“Glad it’s nearly home time.”
“Speak for yourself. I still have ten term papers on the origin of the universe left to grade.” Mei waved the stack of papers sitting on her desk. “I’ve already had to read one talking about it being God’s creation. Give me strength.”
Lily gave her a pat on the shoulder. “Then I’ll leave you to it. Thanks again. I’ll put those Twizzlers on your desk tomorrow morning.”
“I might still be here. Keeled over. Dead of boredom.”
Lily was still laughing when she returned to her own classroom, where she found a notification waiting for her.
Cheered up yet?
A little.Lily sat at her desk to type the reply. She had work she ought to be doing but talking to Elsa took priority.
Good. Can’t have you being upset on a holiday.
A holiday?
It’s National Coming Out Day, isn’t it? You seem like the type to celebrate.
What gives you that impression?Lily was curious what conclusions Elsa had drawn about her over the past few weeks they’d been talking.
I don’t know. You’re easily excitable. And I’ve seen the pride flag in your window on a few of your photos.
Lily grinned. She couldn’t argue with that.True. But it’s not a holiday I feel like celebrating.
Had a bad coming out experience?
Something like that,Lily typed, shuddering at the memory of being shunned by the other kids at school.I struggled with my sexuality when I was younger. I mustered up the courage to tell my best friend, and she outed me to the whole school.
Shit.
Yeah. It wasn’t fun.Lily didn’t know what she would have done if not for Daisy threatening anyone who dared so much look in Lily’s direction with a sneer.I went back into the closet for a long time.
I don’t blame you. Were your parents okay with it?
When I eventually told them, yeah.Lily remembered bringing her first serious girlfriend home from college, her stomach in knots, only for her parents to accept them both with open arms.Were yours?
To be honest, I think my mother knew before I did.Elsa had never mentioned a father, and Lily got the impression he wasn’t in the picture. She hadn’t pried about the reasons why though, trusting Elsa would tell her if she wanted Lily to know.She used to strategically place things around the house that let me know she was okay with gay people.
How long was that happening before you told her?
About a year. I wanted to see how far she’d push it. When my bedroom was overflowing with LGBTQIA+ books and movies—and we’d watched Ellen coming out fifty times on her show—I decided to put her out of her misery.
Lily laughed, setting her phone aside and logging into her laptop. Her day might not have gotten off to the best start, but she was in a much better mood now, and she knew she had Elsa to thank for it.
* * *
“I’d like a word, Aaron.” Eva raised her voice to be heard over the sound of rustling bags and stools being tucked under benches, her AP class eager to escape and start their weekend.
Other than Aaron, one lingered, and Eva sent Tiffany a withering look as she hovered in the doorway. “I don’t recall asking for you to stay too, Tiffany. I won’t keep him for long. I’m sure the two of you can manage being separated for five minutes.”
Though based on the way Eva had seen them canoodling at lunch times, it might be a stretch.
Aaron approached her desk with his bag slung over his shoulder. “Have I done something wrong?”
“No. But I’ve noticed your grades slipping these past few weeks.” A few fluctuations throughout the year were to be expected, but not a dip to this extent. “Is everything okay? Are you struggling with the workload?”
