U up? 

Luella texted me this an hour ago. It's now twelve, and I'm laying in bed, wallowing in despair. I know I should be out and enjoying my summer break. But all I can think about is his dumb face. How he looked at me like I was the most despicable creature on earth. Never in a million years had I imagined my best friend looking at me like that. 

Grumbling to myself, I picked up my phone, used my thumb-ID and typed in my answer. I didn't want to ruin my summer, not for him. 

Yep. 

She didn't take long to text back. 

I'm dyeing my hair today. Come over!!! I need your help lol 

Luella was a very cool person. She had short blonde curly hair— very curly, not just wavy— and she always wore the most out-there outfits. But she made it look so good. She's short, maybe 5'2, and she's the bravest person I know. Never backs away from a fun adventure. She's just the kind of person I need around right now. 

Getting up, sliding on— more like awkwardly wiggling into— my binder, I pulled on a thick black hoodie and hid my messy curly hair inside of the hood, grabbing joggings and pulling them up. I looked like I hadn't slept in days, but now wasn't the moment to worry about my looks. 

I was out to everyone at school. Leo went to a private catholic school, and I went to a public one. It had been easy to live as myself without him knowing. Sadness washed over me at the thought of his reaction. Shouldn't best friends accept you no matter what? 

I made my way down the stairs. I was home alone today, Mom worked long shifts to afford our home and I knew she'd be back only by dinner. I grabbed an energy drink from the fridge and went outside, jumping inside my car and starting the motor after a long swig from my drink. 

Luella didn't live far. She was a couple blocks away, but she lived just far enough for it to be too far by foot. I drove there in silence, not even bothering to turn on the radio. This summer already felt like a bust— even though it had started the day prior.Part of me was mad at Harry for ruining my good summer mood. If he hadn't been... Ugh. 

I parked along Luella's street. Her driveway had only space for one car at a time, and the spot was already taken. I jumped out of my car, walked to her door, and was met with her jumping one excitedly. I wrapped my arms around her, trying not to fall. She giggled.

"A warning would've been nice-"

" YOU'RE HEREEEEEE" she sang, obviously in a very good mood.  

She pulled me inside, walking to the bathroom. It was the room right by the entrance. Hair products were scattered everywhere, bottles toppling over each other. A box of plastic gloves was balanced carefully on the sink. 

" I need you to put those gloves on" she gestured to them " and to put this product in my hair" she gestured to a blueish liquid that was inside a bottle. " I already prepared the mixture. You just need to help me put it in."

I nodded. 

"Okay. Let's do this." 

I slid on gloves on each of my hands, making them pop against my wrist. Luella bobbled excitedly, looking as I awkwardly put some product on my hand.

"So what do I do. Just rub it in like shampoo?"

"Yes, basically. Come on!"

I plopped one hand on her head to position her properly and then started rubbing the dye on her hair.

"So... How did it go last night?" she asked 

I'd told my friends I was going to come out to Harry. I hadn't updated any of them on the outcome. After he left, I sobbed in my living room with my mom until I decided to turn off all my social media and cry in bed. It hadn't been a glorious night. 

"He left. Dinner with his Mom and Stan." 

Stan was his Mom's boyfriend. He was a devout catholic and went to the church so often it was almost strange that he didn't live inside it. He was a good man, sweet, the kind of guy that would spend all of his savings if it meant helping someone in need. His name in my contacts was Lee, just because Harry and I had always joked about how he looked so much like Stan Lee. 

"Good left or bad left?"

I applied more dye in her hair.

" Bad left. But it's okay. I can have my hot boy summer without him. I'll be my own wingman. And he can find someone else to help him get girls."

Luella looked at me in the mirror.

"How are you holding up Leo?"

I rubbed the dye in her hair, making sure no strand was left behind.

"I'm fine! Honestly. Don't worry" I smiled, hoping she wouldn't notice the faltering of my voice 

I'd started T two months ago. The changes were slow, so of course Harry hadn't noticed, plus he saw me so often that changes were hard to see. But I was more masculine, for sure, and my voice was slowly starting to drop. Those weren't the only effects, but those were the ones more susceptible of outing me. That's why telling him had been so important. But I didn't want to lose him during school season. I needed him too much. So I'd waited, hoping that my precautions were not necessary. 

"Well, if ever you want to talk about it, I'm here okay?"

I nodded again.

" Of course Lu'." 

She smiled. Her hair was now completely blue and sticky. We wrapped it inside a plastic bag that was laying on the counter. 

" How long do we need to wait for it to set?"

"Not long. It's box dye. Won't take too long."

I nodded, as if that answer had cleared up anything for me. We went to her living room, where her brother Ian, a tall— 6'2— blond, curly haired boy sat, aggressively playing video games. He acknowledged us with a nod and vaguely smiled. He was muscular, and very attractive in the older-brother-in-movies way. But he wasn't older. He was sixteen too. He was Luella's twin brother. They were both born on the twelfth of December. 

Luella excitedly plopped herself next to him, and I sat on the other couch, pretending as if I wasn't intimidated by her brother. I'd known him for the past six months, ever since Lu and him moved here to Nowheresville. He was kind and way too flirty for my poor gay heart. When Lu fell asleep during our sleepovers, him and I would go sit on the roof and stargaze for hours. During day time, he was a completely over person. But I knew he had a sensible side. Last time I came over, he slipped a handwritten poem in my pocket while Lu wasn't looking. It was hard not to have a crush on him. 

"Ian." 

He ignored his sister, sniping two people. The animated people fell down, blood seeping from their war-uniform. 

"Iannnn!"

He turned towards her, annoyed. 

"What?"

"I'm dyeing my hair blue!"

He sighed, turning towards the TV again. 

"Good for you, Lu'."

She glanced at me, smiling. 

" We should go rinse it out now!"

Luella somehow convinced me to help her organize a makeshift photoshoot to show her brand new hair for her Instagram. She went all out, did a whole glam-makeup look and picked out the ideal outfit. She wore cow-print pants with a matching bralette-top. She did a matching elaborate eye makeup with fake lashes, and attached her beautiful short blue hair into little pom-poms. Then, she made me take hundreds of pictures, all at different angles. Her happiness was palpable and it made me happy too, so I gladly took part in everything she asked. 

Once we were done, she fed me homemade cookies she'd made the night prior and then we watched Marvel movies in the Phase order, probably cause she knew I hadn't been able to do that with Harry. 

Luella was my platonic other half. She was the bubbly fairy to my gloomy elf, and I adored her for planning this nice day for me. She knew how much I needed this. 

" I love you" I whispered in her ear right before Captain America ended. She giggled, playfully hitting my thigh. 

" I love you more, dummy. Did you enjoy your day?"

"It was the best, Lu. Thank you."