The Allen County Literature Competition (More Pride, Less Prejudice) [Censored]

5

  "Our school does have a GSA, did you know that?" Mrs. Albert, the school counselor asks.
     "Oh I know about it, I'm just not interested," replied Cooper.
     "Any particular reason?"
     "I don't know. I don't think I need to be associated with a big group of people like me in order to... I don't know... be me?"
     "Then would you consider yourself proud of your identity?"
     "I mean... not necessarily. I'm not ashamed, but I'm not proud."
     "Why not?"
     "Why am I not proud? I don't know, I guess the world is still so cruel to us that it makes it really difficult. There's nothing wrong with being proud, it's just not me. It used to be me, but not anymore."
     "Why do you think you're not proud anymore?"
     "I don't know actually. Something happened entering junior year. Entering high school changed my life so much for the better but it just changed. I don't know what exactly happened but."
     "It could be anything. I hope it comes back to you Cooper."

                                         ***

     Later that day, Cooper walked home again. Well, still not home. He went to stay with Adelaide. It was tiring to stay in a cheap motel with his mother and sister. Well, tiring may have been too generous of a word. It was depressing.
     "I missed this," Adelaide gripped Cooper's hand, "a lot."
     Cooper smiled, "me too."
     In Cooper's mind, Adelaide's home wasn't as dark and full of sorrow as his own. Adelaide thought quite differently.
     "You can go ahead to my room," Adelaide said, "I've got to use the bathroom."
     Cooper climbed the stairs to her room. It was painted purple. A small bed sat in the corner with a pile of stuffed animals, so large it was a wonder she had any room to sleep. It alternated between pink beanie babies and characters from video games. She had a Yoshi for every color of the rainbow... and more! There were generic dinosaurs and teddy bears, but characters from cartoons as well.
     In contrast with the purple walls and decorative flowers that hung on the wall, there were posters from anime shows and video games. Next to Billie Eilish you saw Call of Duty, and next to Animal Crossing was Five Nights at Freddy's. Adelaide opened the door.
     "Sorry about that, I guess the cat didn't have water all day. Now I feel bad." She kicked some stuffed animals to the floor and climbed in the bed next to Cooper. "New cologne? You smell nice."
     "Hotel bedsheets," Cooper half-joked, "they do smell quite nice actually."
     Adelaide laid on Cooper's chest. Adelaide envied Cooper's chest. It felt like a pillow. They sat in silence for a minute, until Adelaide said:
     "Well, no one's home," Her eyes met Cooper's. There was no more to be said. Cooper pulled her closer for a kiss.
                                     ***
      Regular Show was put on the TV and the couple sat and watched. They heard the sound of the door opening and closing.
     "That must be Mom. I wonder what's for dinner," Adelaide leapt from the bed, "wanna come with?"
     "I'm good," Cooper breathed, "I'm really tired."
     "I'll be right back," Adelaide hurried down the stairs to meet her mother.
     Cooper wasn't paying attention to the TV. He felt his body melt into the bed as he curled under Adelaide's Sonic the Hedgehog blanket. It was the perfect bridge between being asleep and being awake— one of the few times where comfort and consciousness could coexist. Adelaide came back upstairs.
     "Mom's going back out to get Culver's? What do you want?"
     "Just the fish sandwich and fries... with um... pepsi?"
     "Ok cool," she rushed back downstairs. Cooper was drifting off into their half sleep, half wake state. He turned onto his other side, slowly, and began to melt back into the bed.
     "Hey buddy I got your food"
     "Thanks. How on earth do you have so much energy?"
     "I don't. It's all in my head, it seems. My brain and body are never equally rested" she laughed. She pulled Cooper's head closer to her chest as she watched the show. Cooper saw the food, and he wanted it. But in Adelaide's arms, he felt so safe and so comfortable that they preferred to wait.