Flip of a Coin

Chapter 32

I'm sitting at the local pizza shop with Asher on my left and Annabel and Grace are sitting opposite us. I'm so glad I was allowed to go. Then again... mum thought I was going to hang out with Grace. She said that she was glad I was spending time with Grace again. "So Grace, have you come out to your mum yet?" I ask my best friend.

"Um... not yet, you know what she's like. She's homophobic I swear. Whenever we see a gay couple or lesbians she freaks out and does the whole 'Ew gross' type thing so I'm so scared to tell her," she responds.

"Well, as long as you have people around you who support your decision," I say, "Now Grace, you came up with Ashden so now you need a ship name. I was thinking either Annace or Gracabel or Grabel."

"Grabel is off the list, maybe Annace or Gracabel. I quite like Gracabel because it's like Annabel but with my name taking the place of Anna," Grace explains.

"Yeah I like Gracabel and Annace," Annabel says making a good point, "Asher, what do you think?"

"I think I like Gracabel,"Asher responds.

"Gracabel it is," Grace announces before giving a celebratory kiss to Annabel. I smile, I'm so happy for Grace and Asher plants a light kiss on my lips.

"Mummy," a little boy of about 7 says, "Look at the happy couples!"

"Um..." you shouldn't be talking to them, 2 of them aren't normal," the boy's mother says.

"Excuse me," Asher stands up, "Don't you dare say my friends aren't normal, Everyone has a right to love who they want to and if you don't agree with it, you don't need to state your opinion. Keep it to yourself and let people live the lives they want to live."

I stand up next to Asher and wrap my arms around him, "I had no idea you had that in you," I whisper into his ear.

"You know, you're right I guess. I had no right to judge your friends or anyone for that matter, I think I should probably go and apologise to my eldest daughter who is 15 and told me she had a girlfriend," the mother said.

"What's her name?" Grace asks.

"Jess," the mother replied.

"Oh cool, ask her if Eden's in her maths class because I think I might know her," I say.

"I will," she says, "thank you again for helping me realise that it doesn't matter," and with that she walks out the door with her son who was carrying their pizza which was in its box.

I hug Asher once again. "Well, I think the LGBT community has one more supporter," I say.

"Yep, Thanks Asher, I don't think any of us say that coming," Annabel says.

"Mmm... well, it was my older brother who taught me to always accept people no matter what their differences," he says and I can see him beginning to tear up. I hug him knowing the story about his brother. His brother sadly passed away when Asher was just 10. I know that Asher really misses his brother and that was the reason why they moved and are now happily settled in the neighbourhood I've grown up in. They've lived here since not long after his brother passed because living in the same area upset Asher. His brother was bullied and teased for being a proud supporter of LGBT but people in his hometown weren't very supportive. He had a big heart and Asher had promised to always stand up for what he believed in and fight for what should be allowed. He believes everyone should live their lives without pulled down because they aren't the same as everyone else... because they are different.

A/N - I'm sorry if you don't like the LGBT elements I've added but I feel it's important. There are people out there who go through a lot to be able to live the life they want to. There are people out there who have family that don't agree with their decision. If you know someone who is being bullied or teased because of their sexuality, be sure to stand up for them because they have every right to live as a regular human. Who cares if you like a guy or a girl? So what if you feel as if you were born in the wrong body? It shouldn't matter but it does to some people. Not everyone is going to be accepting and you have to know that but the worst thing you can do is be someone you're not to please someone you love. That goes for everyone whether you are straight, gay, transgender, pansexual... whatever. Don't change yourself to make someone happy. Be who you are and embrace it. You are who you are and you shouldn't have to change.