Pride

Pride (A One Shot LGBT+ Story)

Music was blaring and flags were being flown everywhere. All the different colors, different symbols, different people uniting as one, was amazing. Anna was in awe, laughing and loving every second of her first Pride Parade. It had been two years since she came out to her family, and this was her first year feeling comfortable enough to embrace every aspect of her identity in public. (That, and the fact that this was the first parade she had heard of in Hawaii that she could attend.)
Anna's flamboyance was a sight to behold. Her deep golden hair had rainbow streaks dancing through it, temporary Pride tattoos were plastered on every visible inch of her skin, and she was wearing an insane amount of bright colors. Her favorite part of her outfit was the colorful cape she could swing behind her in a flourish, as if she was a gay avenger here to save the day from homophobes and haters worldwide. Or at least, island-wide.
As more and more floats passed, the more Anna felt like she was truly being accepted. She had gone through hell at school and most of the communities she belonged to when she first came out, but now that the drama settled down and she was halfway through high school, the more she felt that it was worth it. In a gesture to prove her admiration for the love she felt around her, she screamed and flung her cape behind her. "Gay Avengers forever!!"
In her midst of proudly declaring her new super hero prowess, her hand was stopped behind her with the sound of a smack. Oh, crap. Anna thought. I just hit someone in the fricking face.
She turned around to apologize to her victim. "Some Avenger you are," the stranger muttered, holding her nose. The girl Anna had slapped was dressed... pretty much in the exact opposite of how Anna was. Knee high black combat boots, fishnet leggings, leather jacket and an oversized band shirt. The only color on her was her neon blue hair and the rainbow wristband that everyone received upon entrance to the Parade.
"I am so sorry--" Anna started, stepping closer to see the damage she had done. The girl backed away slightly, flinching at their proximity. "It's... It's okay. It doesn't hurt too bad, considering I was just hit by a girl that looks like a bag of skittles puked on her."
Anna laughed. "What, you don't want to look like the rest of us stereotypical queers, eh?"
"Nah, I don't have much money or interest in doing so. Not my forte."
"May I ask exactly what your forte is, other than making the most powerful Gay Avenger out there seem like a klutzy villain?" Anna bantered.
"Oh, I beg to differ. I didn't make you seem like that, that's a pretty accurate description of you so far. My forte is... Well, mostly running around. Living off the streets and kicking arrogant Gay Avengers' ass by getting my own ass kicked."
The parade around the two was growing louder, but in that moment, the only thing Anna could hear was this badass chic's voice. "What's your name?" She asked.
"Reina. What about you?"
"Anna. Hey, since uh, it is Christmas Eve, and you mentioned living off the streets and stuff... I know it's not my business, so I won't pry... But would you like to come spend the holidays with me? My older brother's been bothering me to bring a girl home so he isn't the only one bringing a girl... Heh... But, uh, please?"
Reina's eyes instantly darkened and she looked away. "No. I don't need your charity. I'm perfectly fine on my own."
Anna was taken aback. "I... I didn't mean to imply that you aren't, but c'mon, tomorrow's Christmas, you can't spend Christmas alone on the streets--"
Reina cut her off and narrowed her eyes at the colorful girl standing in front of her. "You don't get to tell me what I can and can't do, Anna. See you around." She turned quickly on her heels and walked away, the black of her outfit and attitude obviously contrasting from everyone else at the Parade. Anna couldn't find the words to say or even how to comprehend what just happened. All she knew was, that for some inexplicable reason, she felt lost as soon as Reina's darkness disappeared from her sight.

~+~

Anna stumbled into the door of her house, ignoring the holiday spirits that the rest of her family was in. She ran upstairs, eager to scrub at least some of the tattoos off and relax. She had a lot of fun, but the only thing on her mind at that moment was the mysterious homeless girl from the parade. Her name was the only thing echoing in every single one of her thoughts.
Once her face and arms were clean, Anna changed out of the rainbow-ness and slipped on a pair of shorts and a crop top. Her arms, legs, and stomach were completely visible. She walked in front of her full sized mirror and stood there, staring at the reflection.
Red marks were all over her body. Scars. Traces of her self mutilation that would never completely fade. Crisscrossing lines, parallel gashes, blue veins turned purple from being torn open so many times before. It'd been a few months since Anna had cut last, and was trying so hard for recovery. But every now and then she couldn't escape it; the scars were still there, as was the urge. Anna was tempted to throw a rock at the mirror and break it. Her reflection seemed to be shouting, "look at me!! I'm a freak and it's no wonder Reina didn't stick around for long! She could tell there was something wrong with you! Your wrists are too messed up! You're too damn messed up, Anna!" It was laughing at her. Anna had to figure out a way to escape the thoughts, and fast.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw something moving in the mirror. Behind her was her window, and it was open. Across the street was a Starbucks, festively decorated for a "White Christmas" despite the fact that it never snowed on the island, ever. That wasn't what caught her eye, though. A familiar figure clad in all black was staring through the window at Anna's reflection.
Reina.
Anna screamed and dropped to the floor. She couldn't let Reina see her like this, she'd definitely never want to "see her around" ever again. Anna took a few deep breaths and calmed herself. Slipping on a pair of jeans and a long sleeve shirt over the exposing clothes, she realized that she didn't want to let Reina go. Not again.
She stood up and saw that Reina was still standing there. Anna signaled for Reina to stay where she was, and Reina nodded. Anna shakily walked out her front door and hesitantly towards Reina. She knew she saw. There was no way she didn't. She shook her head and pushed those thoughts from her mind. Focused only on Reina, standing in all her beauty a few feet in front of her.
Anna grabbed her hand and Reina did nothing to stop her. "Please join me for Christmas," Anna said softly. "I don't want you to be alone."
Reina hesitated for a moment, but then agreed. "Okay."
The two girls walked hand in hand back to Anna's house. Reina stared at Anna the entire time, intently taking in every feature of her face as if she were trying to memorize the way she looked and like she was looking for scars there too. Anna noticed, but did nothing but focus on breathing. I've had worse reactions, she thought to herself.