An LGBTQ Love Story :)

Chapter One

I'm pretty sure my heartbeat is going to wake her up.

That is all I can think as I try to shift my focus back to the movie that we're watching with our friends and away from the sleeping girl on my chest that just so happens to be Amber Kelley, the girl I'm in love with. 

And I know what you're picturing: a guy. Nice try, my friend, but I am no man. My legal name is Leilani Merina, but if you've met me, you probably call me Mash (or some creative variation of Mash). 

It's a VERY long story.

My best friend, Matt Ramirez, gives me a subtle thumbs-up. I give him a very exaggerated eye roll. As much as I love Matt, he sometimes can't tell when it's a good time for jokes and when it's not. Nevertheless, he's been my best friend since 6th grade: two awkward, closeted tweens, both in need of someone who understood them. Matt looked...a lot different than he does now that we're 15, but he's a lot happier, which is all that matters. 

The rest of our friend group, consisting of Jay Feizhi, Rowan Fletcher, and Persephone Kekoa, are scattered around Matt's movie room. Yes, Matt has a movie room; his parents are filthy rich. But, they're not great people if you look past the gold chains and party glamour. I think everyone in the room has snuck glances at the sleeping Amber, dreaming away in prime cuddle position, but other than that, they're doing a good job of not doing or saying anything embarrassing--a first for most of them. As big of goofs as they are, though, I love them all like family. Rowan and Persephone are 16, and Seph is a HUGE mom friend. You'd think that would mean she'd drive us everywhere, but Rowan actually does most of the driving, since he has a van that can actually fit all of us. He bought it used, and that thing is even more banged up than it was when he bought it, but Amber makes sure it's always clean. We do EVERYTHING and go EVERYWHERE in that thing. It's like our domain, other than Matt's movie room.

Alright, now we're over the introductions, let's get back to the current event: AMBER IS SLEEPING ON ME.

The movie continues, but I just cannot pay attention. Soon enough, it's over, but luckily, we're all staying over at Matt's, so I don't have to move. Let me explain the setup: we all have our own kind of domains in the movie room. There's a ridiculously cushiony, L-shaped couch in one corner, which is where I'm laying with Amber currently. There are two beanbags in the opposite corner--one is Rowan's, and one is Jay's. Matt is sprawled out on the other end of the couch, and Seph is cuddled up on on ground in front of the couch. All of us are facing the huge screen on the other wall. There's also a small end table, a mini fridge with snacks and drinks, and LED lights everywhere. These are the spots we watch in and sleep in every time we come here, which is about every day, if we can. So, once Matt shuts off the screen, we all settle down. Half of us already asleep, the awakened people silently make an agreement to just go to sleep. I drift off with fantasies of Amber.