Jensen might have been fantasizing a little too much about what the outfits would actually look like for Pride. From what I saw, there weren't exactly loads of glittes online. There were a lot of wild outfits though. We started searching the internet after work for inspiration.

Jensen decided on a pink silk cropped top with a velvet purple bra under it. She paired it with a pair of high waisted light washed jeans.

I designed my eyeshadow to have pink, purple, and blue. I found a deep purple lip stick too. For my outfit I decided on a purple crop top, Jean shorts, pink earrings, and blue boots.
Jensen hadn't said anything about dressing up as the bi-flag instead of rainbow. She just saw what I was planning and ran with it. I loved that she knew when to ask questions and when to just let it be.

We spent the next two days planning out our looks and practicing our makeup. Even though Jensen's parents got back on Wednesday, she stayed with me. They didn't seem to care and Dad said she was welcome to stay as long as she wanted. It wasn't like he was home enough to notice.

The morning of the parade we curled our hair and did each other's makeup. I did my best to compartmentalize the situation.

Jensen and I were friends. I was in a relationship. I was lonely and missed Tyler like crazy. I tried to assure myself that that was the reason I was enjoying her company so much. She was newly single and her parents were out of town. I assumed that was the reason Jensen seemed to be enjoying my company so much too.

Dylan came to pick us up for the parade. Laura and Gavin were already in the truck with Jaylen. We were going to have to squeeze in.

I looked at Jensen who just smiled and said, "I can sit in between Jaylen and Dylan up front or I can sit on your lap back here."

I nodded and pulled her into my lap. She casually wrapped an arm around my neck to get better balance. Laura gave me a side eye. She was decked out in rainbows and wore an Ally t-shirt.

"You two went with bi aesthetic?"

Jensen nodded, "Alex is my platonic girlfriend today."

I looked up at Dylan who was smiling an all knowing smile at me from the rearview mirror.

Laura nodded, "Love it."

So that was how Jensen saw today? We were 'girlfriends'?

Jensen go out her phone and took a selfie of us. We definitely looked like a couple in these outfits. I watched as she posted it to social media. I felt nervous. I wasn't sure how people would view it.

Would they think we were actually dating? Did I actually care?

The only person's opinion I knew mattered was ours. And maybe Tyler's. I wasn't sure if he was checking social media at all right now. He had barely texted me from the road. I knew he was busy and wasn't sure how to balance yet him being on the road and my wanting him home. Jensen had made the last few days a lot more bearable. I needed her. Her friendship. More than ever at this point. I vowed not to let any feeling I might have at the moment fuck that up.

We were able to find parking about half a mile from the parade grounds. The streets were already packed. The parade didn't start for another half hour but people were already crammed onto the sidewalk to claim their place to see. Jensen held onto my hand as we walked through the crowd. I was thankful to have her by my side. I would have felt like the 5th wheel without her here. It made me miss Tyler. I wondered if he would have gotten decked out for the parade like this? His brother Gavin was sporting an Ally T-Shirt that matched Laura's and jeans. I wondered if he or Laura thought it was odd that we weren't in Ally clothes? Would they care? Did it even matter?

No. It doesn't. No one fucking cares what you wear here.

I looked around and saw the proof of that. People were decked out in ballgowns, tutus, body paint, and glitter. Some wore t-shirts while several were in tuxedos. It was truly a melting pot of color. I felt myself relax.

You belong here.

I reminded myself. Here, no one gave a fuck about who I wanted to go to bed with.

Well almost, no one. As we got closer to the sidewalk where  the parade would start, several people with signs proclaiming that we would all burn in hell stood in our path. Dylan is a mountain of a man at 6 foot 5. Jaylen and Gavin weren't much shorter. They positioned themselves so that us girls were flanked with Dylan in the front and Jaylen in the middle, and Gavin in the back. We walked by silently, not making eye contact with the hateful men and women. They threw slurs like F*ggot and D*ke at us. I felt my eyes start to water. Jensen wrapped an arm around my waist and I saw her flipping the bird to them as we passed. I was in awe of her at that moment. She was a lot braver than me.

"Fucking idiots." I heard Dylan say when we were out of ear shot.

"Why do they go out of their way to be hateful?" Laura added.

"Probably closeted self loathing." Jensen retorted.

That made me giggle for some reason. I noticed then that her arm was still around my waist. I let it stay there. I like the protection it provided. She made me feel safe in a situation that was far outside of my comfort zone.

We found a spot that all of us could squeeze into comfortably and waited on the parade to start. There were a couple of girls holding hands and kissing next to us. I envied them. They were living their authentic selves and were unashamed. I couldn't say the same for myself. I couldn't imagine being that care free.

Jensen smiled at me. We were the same height right now. Her boots had a larger heel than mine.

"You look so pretty today, Lex. Thank you for inviting me out."

I felt myself blush, "You look gorgeous yourself and of course. I want you here."

She got her phone out and we started to pose for another photo.

"Let me in." Laura said and we made room for her in the shot. I wrapped one arm around my cousin's waist and the other around Jensen.

It might be wrong but it made me more comfortable this way. If we were in a group, less people would make the wrong assumption. I hated that I felt self conscious about it but I did.

"So cute." Jensen smiled.

"Air drop it to me." Laura added.

She sent it to to both of us. I texted it then to Tyler. I wondered if he would care that I was out here?

I felt my phone buzz a moment later. He had "loved" the image with a heart.

I saw the three dots moving on my phone meaning he was messaging back.

A photo popped up. It was of him, Brenna, and Elle of all people. I wasn't aware that Elle had gone on the road with them.

'Elle is there?' I texted.

'She and Aaron showed up to watch us play tonight.'

I felt a twinge of jealousy and hurt. Elle hadn't mentioned that she was driving out to them and hadn't invited me. I showed Laura the picture.

"What the fuck?" She turned to Gavin.

"Did you know Aaron and Elle were going to see Ty and Brenna play?"

He nodded his head no. "He mentioned that they were going on a road trip for the next week. I think they decided last minute. Didn't know that's where they went."

Laura pouted, "I wanna go on a road trip."

I smiled, "Want to check out colleges with me in Texas?"

Jensen smiled too, "Yes! Come with us!"

She looked confused, "You're touring colleges in Texas?"

I nodded, "At the end of the summer. Jensen is coming too. I know Aunt Claire would be down for you coming."

Laura's face lit up. "We need to get Jensen a fake ID so she can get into the bars with us!"

I rolled my eyes. Of course Laura wanted to go party.

"One, Jordan would kill us for that. Two, our Ids say nineteen. You have to be twenty-one to get into bars in Texas and we do not look twenty-one."

Laura pouted, "Fine. PG college tour it is."

I hugged my cousin close for a moment. The thought of having her on this trip felt like a chance for us to really get closer. We hadn't exactly ever been best friends since I moved here. We were very different people. It would be nice to get to hang out with her in Texas.

We heard shouts of excitement. The parade was making its way down towards us.

It was humbling. Watching so many people proudly march in support of one another. Proudly proclaiming that they didn't give a fuck who knew about them. That they would love who they wanted and didn't care if the world knew it.

I looked over at Dylan. He had his arm casually wrapped around Jaylen's shoulder. I had not seen him so at ease in a long time. I wanted this for him. I wasn't sure that I could want it for myself yet but I wanted this for him.

Luckily the nasty protesters had found something better to do with their time by the time we headed back to Dylan's truck. We had decided to go to lunch somewhere further from the crowd. I was thankful for that. Large crowds always made me so uneasy.

Dylan pulled into a gastropub called the House on Parliament. We followed closely behind. I expected someone to check our IDs to even enter but no, no one seemed to even notice us. We definitely were not the only ones from the parade eating there either. We all squeezed into a circular booth. The girls were in the middle and the boys flanked us on the outsides. 

Dylan smiled at his collective family there. We had all just successfully been to our first Pride Parade and it had been mostly for him.

"I just wanted to thank you all for coming out with me today. It means a lot." He beamed.

"You came out so we came out." Gavin joked and Dylan rolled his eyes. 

"Maybe next year, the rest of the Families can join?" I added. 

I noticed a twinge in Dylan's smile. "Maybe." He said politely.

I wondered though what was hidden there? Were some of the others not so understanding? Surely with Reece and Ryan already in the folds, no one would care? 

I started to say something but thought better of it. I didn't want to spoil the moment.

The waitress came to take our orders. The boys all got beers and Dylan side eyed us hard enough that none of us minors tried to order anything other than cokes. 

I pulled out my phone to see if I had any missed calls or texts. Namely from Tyler. He had been so quiet the last few days. I knew he was busy with the tour but I had expected him to reach out more. I knew I had been quiet as well. I had rationalized that with the fact that I was trying to not be that needy girlfriend. 

There were zero calls or texts. There was however several notifications telling me that I had comments and likes on a post that I had been tagged in. 

Jensen had posted the photos of us all at pride. The boys from school that followed her had take to them like moths to a flame. They were pretty quick to hide behind their computer screens and keyboards to call us hot and a few even asked if we were together or if we were into threesomes. 

I felt bile rise in the back of my throat. 

Idiots like that were yet another reason why I didn't feel safe letting the world know that I was... whatever I was. I felt my cheeks go red. I handed my phone over to Laura and Jensen.

Jensen rolled her eyes, "Some boys are such pigs."

Laura nodded, "No one actually thinks either of you is gay. You're both obviously straight."

Dylan gave me a knowing side eye. 

"Meh, I feel like everyone is a little gay." Jensen retorted. 

Laura's eyes got big, "Really?"

She shrugged, "I mean it's a spectrum right? Some are gayer than others. But I mean, I know under the right circumstances, I could totally go for a chick."

I felt my heart start to pound out of my chest. Was she serious? 

"Called it." Jaylen added, looking quite pleased with himself.

I looked surprised over at him. 

Dylan nodded and rolled his eyes, "Fine, I owe you a beer."

"Called what?" I asked.

"That one or both of you two like the ladies. You two are way too cute together."

I felt my cheeks go hot. That also meant that Dylan had bet against me coming out. I silently thanked him for not outing me himself.

Gavin laughed, "Well I mean Alex is dating my brother. So they don't look that cute together."

He had a point there and I knew he was pointedly making it. 

I nodded, "Exactly. Jensen and I are just platonic." 

I looked over at her. She nodded in agreement, "I would never go for a taken lady. Lord knows I know how that feels."

So she wouldn't go for me because I'm taken not because she doesn't want me?

I took back my phone and started scrolling again. I landed on Elle's page. She looked like she was taking a live video. She was in the band's dressing room and they all looked like they were about to do shots. There were several groupies in there as well. One in particular stood out. 

She was wearing a Leafs hoodie with a familiar coffee stain on the front. 

Tyler's hoodie.