Camilo's Journey

Chapter 37: Finale

Camilo couldn't believe his eyes. He loved that him and his friends were walking up the path linking arms with their partners. Alex had even painted all of their cheeks, on one side they had the rainbow flag on the other they had the trans flag, for Alex.
But what he hadn't expected was to Mrs. Mitchell with the same flags on her face, surrounded by eight couples of the same sex and a few that donned trans and non binary flags! Camilo cheered as he approached them!
His class mates gave him smiles or cheered back at him.

"Surprise!!" Alex exclaimed. Camilo hugged them.
"This is amazing!" Camilo was ecstatic. He kissed Spencer's cheek. But the energy was killed as quickly as it was born.

"Ease up Madrigal." Camilo turned so fast that Spencer had to steady him. Oliver.. Spencer's dad and beside him Principal Morgan. Camilo's stomach knotted.
But their group didn't cower.

"There's no way you're all going in there dressed like that, you had your chance to speak before the council and you were denied." Principal Morgan said and if they weren't grown men in suits Camilo thought they would have high-fived in their jock boy glee.

Spencer took a step forward with his head up. Camilo glowed with pride.
"All we are doing is standing here in colours that represent who we are! Just so we can have the same rights as our other peers."
Spencer stood close to his father, a look of pride and so much courage on his beautiful face. But when Oliver shoved Spencer, under of the guise of shepherding  the crowd back. Camilo's temper hit fever pitch.

"Hey! Hands off! You have no right to touch any of us. We are here peacefully, you don't get to shove us aside." Camilo raised his voice as he caught Spencer in his arms. The courage and pride visibly seeping out of him. How dare they!
"You're an embarrassment, Oliver. This is is your son!" Camilo got up in Oliver's face but Principal Morgan pulled his fellow bigot back to his side in front of the door.

Mrs Mitchell stood firmly in front of Camilo and Spencer.
"You will let these kids in as they are or I'll make it known you laid hands on a student." Mrs Mitchell said firmly.
Morgan and Oliver exchanged a series of glances, like a silent conversation.

"Stay out of trouble." Morgan all but growled as he stepped aside and let the group inside.
Alex hovered but Camilo waved them in.
"I've got him." Camilo told her and they nodded and left the two of them alone.

"Are you alright?" Camilo said softly. As he took Spencer's hands in his.
"Yeah, 'milo. Thanks." He said shyly.
"You were brave darling." Camilo said and bopped Spencer's sweet turned up nose. Spencer blushed and huddled into Camilo's side.
"I have something for you, before we hustle into prom." Camilo said. Camilo pulled the red stone out of his pocket and put it in Spencer's hand.

"This is way more cheesy than I thought it was going to be." Camilo laughed.
"No, I love it." Spencer smiled. "Red for love right?" Spencer added with a sniff. Oh no, he was making him cry. Camilo pulled Spencer into a hug.
"And something so that you'll always know I'm with you."
Spencer grinned.
"Come on, let's go dance at our prom, together."

So they did just that, sure they copped stares and Morgan and Oliver watched them like hawks but Camilo was there to pull Spencer's focus back when it drifted. He'd just say.

"Look at me, just me, this is about us."
And Spencer would smile. Camilo was quietly sad that he wouldn't always be there to keep this beautiful boy from the people or things that hurt him. But as Noah and Eric came to dance beside him he realised someone would. And that could be okay couldn't it?

That's the thing though.. it's not what he wanted. He didn't want to go back home. He had to at least try to stay with Spencer, didn't he?
So once the group were all dancing together he told Spencer he'd be back in a minute.