"Attention ! Attention, kids !"

The class settles down as Mr. Thomson starts droning on about geometry. The class has been going on for a while when Toby shoves a note into my hand. But before I even get the chance to open it, Mr. Thomson snatches it from my grasp.

"This behavious is most unacceptable ! Tobias and Arie, don't make me send you to the  Principal !"

That sobers us up quickly. We both don't like the Principal-and the feeling is mutual. Here's the thing: Toby and I are a bit... different, compared to other Midbury High students, and our Principal would win hands down at a Miss Conservative pageant.

We're gay.

Needless to say the Principal hates us with the most profound loathing you could ever imagine. Most of the school is accepting-lots of people actually said they supported me when I came out to the world, way back in 7th grade. But some never will, including the Prinicpal and some popular butt-holes (I was told to keep this PG-13) who go out of their way to pin us down.

DRIIIIIIIIIIIIIING !

" Already over ?" pouts Toby. Terrible joke, but it makes me laugh nevertheless-at least until I'm thrown to the ground. I look up; the butt-holes have struck again. I just sigh and pick myself up. I have to forget these things and bottle them up-ignoring the fact that one day, I will burst.

Dusting myself off, I notice a pair of shoes. Customised, hand-drawn swirls cover them from heel to toe, a rainbow of vivid colors. I look up, slowly, and my gaze slides up a pair of jet-black jeans and a turtle-green sweater. Strawberry blond hair flows down her back, framed by two birds trapped in a perfect golden cage hanging from her earlobes. Beautiful, like her.

Kindness is noticeable even in her walk, in the way she sways her head, in the tap-taping of her wrist against her thigh, drumming along to a random beat.

Meet Dove Mason, my crush. Flawless in every way.

Only two problems which mean we will never, ever be together:

Her friends are the butt-holes.

Aaaaand the Prinicpal is actually named Mrs. Mason.

                                                                                                ***

End of English class, which means end of school, which means seeing Dove. Well, not really. Making a detour to pass by her as she waits for her bus. And not in a stalker-y way either ! Just... seeing her.

She never mocks us, even though all her friends do. She even flashes these apologetic smiles to me across the room, sometimes. Once, she helped me get up from the ground after a fall. She was so gentle, and didn't smirk at my beet-root face as she steadied me with her strong hands.

I collect these small hints against my heart, hoping that they mean something more than just banal kindness.

There she is. My head snaps downwards and I avoid eye contact, walking hurriedly. I'm almost at the end of the street, when-

"Wait !"

I freeze.

"Hey." Her voice is soft, and close.

" I wanted to apoplogise to about my friends. They're..." She swallows. "... brutes."

I turn around, palms sweaty, but manage a: " I'm used to it."

Passion takes over her face, sweeping away any hestitation she might have had before.

"No !" she protests, loudly. "You shouldn't have to be."

I don't know what to say. As usual, my head falls down, and my gaze landed on her nails. All shades of pink, purple and red. The lesbian flag.

I look up. My face aflame, I bite my tongue, so hard it draws blood. Is it a coincidence ?

A few words renegade words escape my mouth, with the bitter taste of instant regret:

"Do you want to go to the movies with me Friday ?"

Nonononononononono. What the heck did I just-

"Okay."

My jaw almost drops with suprise. Did she...

Vroooooooommm

The bus pulls up as she hurriedly shoves something into my hands.

"My number", she explains, "text me with the time and place."

She jumps in the bus and it pulls away, to the beat of my thundering heart.

                                                                                              ***

Friday finally arrives after a week of anticipation. When I pull up before the pick-up point, I almost run into the pavement in suprise. She is stunning. Decked out in a long, white dress that swirls to her ankles, her hair is pulled up in an intricate crown, flowers woven in and out of it. The birds earrings are there again, and her eyes glitter with excitement.

"I told my mom I was going out with Joe Slavin," she admits as she slides in, grinning.

***

There were a few silences, but they never turned akward. The rest of the time was filled with chatter about school, gossip, and our intrests. We found out that we were both huge Hunger Game fans, and that we were both on Team Peeta. We also might have raced to the counter to pay for popcorn and just ended up falling on each other, giggling hysterically and terrifying the whole place, but does that really need mentioning...

We're currently in the car, on the way back. I'm silently driving at 3 miles per decade, trying to stretch these last few moments into minutes.

"You know," she starts, shattering the quiet, "I always thought you were so brave."

I don't say anything. Instead I pull over and turn, my full attention on her.

"You've been out since, what, 7th grade ? People, my own friends, gave you crap for it, yet you never faltered. You've always been so strong. I wish I could be like you."

I think back on all those nights when I fell asleep crying, my sobs muffled by my pillow.

"I'm a lesbian, Arie."

I close my eyes, emotion overwhelming me. I am so full with my love for her, I could burst.

"Am I... the first ?"

She nods, meeting my gaze. Smiling.

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY DAUGHTER ?"

A pink, puffy face splatters itself against the half-open window.

Oh. No.

Dove's eyes are full of panic.

"Mom, please, let me explain-"

"You're out with Joe and then I find you here ? With," she pauses momentarily, "her ? I go out for a stroll, and suddendly stumble on this ? GET OUT !"

"Mrs. Mason, don't blame her, it was my-"

" You. Shut. Up. And you," she turns her attention to Dove, "Get out of the car. Now."

Reluctantly, she does, and I watch on, pain-stricken, as the Prinicpal yells:

"YOU ARE NOT MY DAUGHTER !"

Dove stumbles backwards. Heartbreak is visible in every ounce of her body as she watches her mom stride away.

"Dove..."

But she races away at full speed. I tumble out of the car and sprint after her.

                                                                                       ***

I find her collapsed on herself in a forgotten meadow, ignoring me as I sit next to her.

"Dove."

"IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT !"

She snaps at me, the suffering in her eyes morphing into anger.

"YOU LITTLE- !"

She is abruptly silenced as I kiss her.

I've wanted to do this for years now, and it's more amazing than everything I've ever imagined. I'm falling, but flying at the same time; nothing stopping us. When I finally pull away, we both have tears in our eyes.

"I'm so sorry," I whisper.

In response, she kisses me back.

I close my eyes, stars dancing across my vision as I plummet towards them. She turns her head suddendly, my lips brushing against her jaw.

"No. I'm sorry. It isn't your fault."

The silence hangs heavy between us.

" I've always known that she would hate me for it. So I loathed myself. "

She smiles, a sad, bitter smile that breaks my heart.

"Nothing would cure me of what I thought of as a sickness. I believed something was wrong, twisted, in me. And then I met you."

She pauses and inhales the night, before continuing.

"My whole life-my friends, my mom-are against what I secretly am. I didn't know what to do. And then you appeared. And I fell in love with you. Instantly."

She turns and our eyes lock.

"I love you."

I wipe her tears away.

"I love you too. I'll get you out of this. Promise."

She smiles again, but this time with a glimmer of hope.

                                                                                                      ***

That night, she bunked at my house (in two seperate rooms, no panic-this is PG13, remember) and the next day, my parents went to hers. Apparently a lot of yelling was involved, and in the end, Dove went back home. But her mother refused to talk to her for months on end.

It was tough, and sometimes Dove would sob for hours on end. We were there for her though, a group of supportive friends that accept her as she truly is.

Then her mom started to speak to her again, even though she still avoids the subject of her daughter's sexuality with medical precision. Yet Dove is certain her mom will be able to accept her sexuality one day.

And then Dove will be unloved no more.