The Story Behind The Pictures

{6}

Today I had a photo shoot with a girl name Melody Petal, something for senior homecoming at her school... I didn't care much as long as I was getting paid. I was in the park where her and her mom agreed to meet. Sitting on the bench I thought back three days ago when C came over and told me dad wanted to see me ' why though am I pushing away the people I care about and worrying about somebody who doesn't matter is my question.' I thought. I still hadn't contacted anybody. They didn't contact me. They knew this was a tough subject to talk about.... I was glad for the space at least. Though I missed them.  " hello...erm Daryl" a woman and a teen girl stood over me. "Hello, your mrs, and miss Petal?" I asked. They looked at each other.. Then back at me. 'They know' I thought. " yes we're them." Instantly the woman started ordering me around with how she wanted the pictures. Stressing that I would fall under her talking, we took a break in between. The girl smiled at me as we sat under the shade of a sturdy tree ,while her mother was screeching over on the side of the road on her phone about something. " I'm sorry about all this, she gets antsy around photographers."  I smiled. "It's  okay...I'm just wondering how you put up with her all day" I joked. She smiled giggling a bit. I looked up the tree, seeing the sunlight sparkle through. " so when did you know you were trans"

I froze.. She really just said that? I looked at her. The back up the tree, " since I was two actually " I said. She smiled. " I knew I was lesbian when I was nine." I looked at her, surprised a little. " How is that going with your mom " I asked. " she dosent know , all she knows is I'm going with the guy named Chad ,  when I'm really going with his sister Chelsea. Their parents have some weird thing with C names. " I laugh a lot louder, that sounded like something that happened on Tumblr. She tells me more about Chelsea .

"Well I hope everything goes swell with the lovely Chelsea ... We better get back to the session before soccer mom blows a fuse" she laughed. And we got back to taking more photos.

                                 ~
When I head home I figured I should text Riley since Dallas pride is three days away, that I missed him, And also apologize to C. I picked up the phone and dialed C. It rang a few times then went to her saying:

'Hello! You've reached CiCi Landon and I'm not able to pick up the phone right not leave a message! Beeeeeep!"

I let the actual beep ring through " call me when you can, it's Daryl." And hung up. Next I ringed Riley.

"Hello?" He asked "Hey-" I started. He yelled " where the hell have you been? I've been so worried. I went over to your house earlier today and you weren't there!"  " had a shoot for seniors pictures" I stated. He sighed " I'm coming over you know that right?" "I figured" I could feel his sarcastic smile. " be there in a little" he hung up. And I went back to work on my photos. Which were going to be posted on the mothers Facebook page... Honestly I never used Facebook. But it was a major place for parents and a good way to advertise so I made one.

I logged in, the usual messages I got were from sparse family , and my friends from high school. I noticed Veronica had messaged me three days ago. I clicked onto the message bar

Veronica: we need to catch up soon. Your hiding under a rock again >_<

I looked at her message , I had been avoiding people, this whole dad thing had been hanging over my head, and with the social anxiety adapting , I didn't even text C again.

Me: sorry V. I've been busy with school and work. I promise we'll catch up.. Maybe next weekend?

She responded a few seconds later.

Veronica-yeah sure, just don't bail this time ~Stay creepy

I finished the photos then sent them to  Mrs . Petal, who was neutral sounding a bout the photos. The doorbell rang. Riley. I shut my laptop, and went to answer the door.

Riley and I then, sat on the couch and did our usually binge watching on Netflix as if nothing happened. I slowly started falling in love with him more and more each moment.
                              ~
Dallas pride was today..
Riley offered me a ride, he had a huge black hummer. ' how does he afford this sucker was my thought'  he smiled opening the door, and waved me to get in. "What a gentlemen " I said smiling. " I try" he said.  I laughed.  And we headed off to Dallas... " I'm glad I gave you that shirt now" he said and we drove in quiet sounds of the radio.

The streets were crowded. To say the minimal. They were packed more like it. We finally found a parking space after twenty minutes of searching the walked around towards all sorts of organizations booths and wacky characters.  My favorite was a boy, who looked like he might have been ten, and walked in between two dads... ' I could never have that...'meaning, me being a biological dad. I smiled though. There were a wall of homophobes. Riley had his hand gripping tightly into mine. " are they bothering you?" I smiled at him. " homophobes make me stronger" I stated. He smirked. And walked us over to them, he leaned in. My face getting red as a tomato and he kissed me. They booed but at that moment I didn't care... He one upped me yet again. I kissed back holding his face with my hands. Then we simply walked off.

Later Riley bought us pride flags and we wore them as capes , his being the rainbow flag and mine being the transgender flag. I felt like a kid. We went up to a stage area and the started playing great music, guy who had pink long hair and heavy winged eyeliner started dancing with us, when they started to play a famous song : 'little game' by Benny. Everybody started getting in the grove. And I was swarmed by the heat of other bodies, until I felt Riley's grasp pull me in stage. I was frightened as all eyes were on us, but to heck with it. These were my people.  The sassy pink haired guy cheered us on, and Riley bowed and asked for a this dance. We slow danced for awhile, which was odd for this type of song but we were just as odd.. Or maybe even odder, and sang along . Our capes swishing along with us. Everybody cheered as the song ended. I had this feeling of utter most happiness. I didn't want this day to end.. But it had too. We walked the streets late after the parade. " that was different " I said. "Good or bad?" He asked. "Amazing"