She knows Sam. She knows Sam! And she was being allnice to me! Was she trying to trick me? Oh god, did Sam put her up toit? To lure me in and lower my defenses and—
"Where do you think you're going?" a voice suddenlycalls, ripping Quin from her racing thoughts. She tears her gaze offthe ground and faces the teacher standing a few feet in front of her,hands on her hips.
"I, um... b-bathroom," Quin sputters. The teachersimply shakes her head and points down the hall Quin had just walkeddown.
"Use the one by the cafeteria. You can't be down hereduring lunch."
Quin, too distraught to argue, nods and turns back. Shekeeps her head down, hoping Dina and Sam have left so she won't needto walk past them.
"Hey, is everything alright?" Quin picks up the paceas Dina trots up to join her. Quin nods, hoping Dina will leave, butshe keeps close anyway.
"I wanted to check in real' quick. You looked superscared. Did something happen?" Dina continues. Quin shakes herhead.
"Was it because of Sam?" Quin coils into herself atthe name. Dina sighs. "I get it. With all the rumors, it's easy tothink she's this mean person." Wait, what rumors? "Butshe's honestly not like that. She didn't start the fights. Sheprotected people. At least, from what I saw. I'm not saying be herbest friend or anything, but, I don't know, maybe consider giving heranother chance, okay?"
Quin hasn't spoken to anyone else at the school nor hasshe listened to others' conversations, so she isn't in the loop tothe school's gossip. While it isn't completely reassuring to know Samhas been in fights before—and, therefore, could easily get involvedin another at some point—it does allow Quin to reconsider her viewof Sam.
As someone who had been tortured by hearsay and gossipat her old school, she knows all too well how a non-event or outrightlie could take off, turning people against the victim before evermeeting them.
If Sam has been haunted by damaging rumors, and Quin hadmisjudged her based on her appearance, she feels she would be nobetter than her old tormentors.
Quin nods, more in acknowledgment of rather thenagreement with Dina's statement, and continues walking in silentcontemplation. Dina seems content to let Quin digest the informationas she doesn't restart the conversation.
Finally coming to the girl's bathroom, she reaches forthe door. The handle slips from her grasp as someone opens it fromthe other side.
Quin takes a step back and looks up at the group of fourgirls staring back at her. She shrinks under their gaze.
The blonde leading the girls speaks first. "Uh...where're you going?" Quin weakly points behind the girls to therestroom. The blonde quirks an eyebrow. "Are you sure? You knowthis is the girl's room, right?"
Quin winces. Her insides churn. She holds back the tearsthat desperately want to fall.
"Why would you say that, Annie?" Dina scolds."That's super rude! Apologize to her right now."
The blonde, Annie, scoffs. "Chill, Di. I'm justplaying." The girls step out of the bathroom, and Quin enters.
"Say sorry," Dina says from the hall.
"It was a joke! She's kinda tall or whatever, so—"Annie's voice is cut off by the bathroom door slamming shut.
Quin waits until she's locked herself in a stall tofinally let herself dissolve into quiet sobs. First losing thebeastiary, then running into Sam, and finally getting hit withdysphoria from the teasing. The combined weight of everything hasfinally become too much.
YOU ARE READING
Three Hearts
Romance[Lesbian + Polyamory] Sam is a loner with a bad reputation. Quin is a trans girl fighting her anxiety. Dina is a workaholic trying to get by. As their lives become more intertwined, they realize how badly they need each other. {Content Warning: This...
