Break All the Rules (LGBT) ✅

Break All the Rules Timestamp 3

Timestamp 3

The second time he switched, it was simpler. It didn't feel as strange as it had before and it was easier to get used to this life even when it should have freaked him out, given Alex was now the daughter of Chinese immigrants.

Her family had just moved to Cambridge, her father taking a prestigious teaching job at the university, and they'd all been excited about their new life. Alex had been so happy when she'd heard about it because she'd always loved the England of the movies. The people were fair and beautiful, dressing in elaborate suits and petticoats and they acted so graciously around each other. She knew she'd miss her home and her friends in the first few weeks but she'd make lots of new ones.

Or so she'd thought.

It hadn't happened. Instead, she'd found it hard to understand the other children with their strange accents and fast speech and it'd immediately led to a divide between her and her classmates. They made fun of her accent, of her appearance and her lunchbox and that was why she'd started eating in the library. She was too scared to go to the bathroom where the older girls smoked and stared at her as she walked past.

It was the fourth day she'd taken the table at the end, the only one that hid her from the librarian, so it was a surprise to see it already occupied. The girl sitting there was crying, wiping her eyes with her too long sleeves, and Alex's father had always taught her to be kind.

"Hi." She said, smiling shyly, and then. "Do you mind if I sit with you?"

Red rimmed eyes looked up at her and Alex thought she'd refuse but the girl nodded shakily, trying to quiet her sniffles. Her bowed head let Alex examine her closer and, even though she was a girl, it was definitely Freddie.

"Thanks." Alex took a seat opposite her, sliding her backpack to the floor. "I'm Alexandra, I started this week."

"I'm Whitney."

"Nice to meet you." She sent another smile her way. "I normally eat my lunch here. Is that okay?"

Freddie shrugged, which was as much permission as anything.

Alex's lunchbox was different to the sandwiches and crisps the other students had and she'd never felt self-conscious about it before but she did in school. People didn't eat rice and vegetables with char siu pork here and they'd stare at her chopsticks.

Like the others, Freddie looked.

"Is that your lunch?" she asked.

"It's normal in China." Alex said defensively and then, because she felt bad for snapping, she asked. "Do you want to try some?"

"Um," she hesitated, before shrugging, "okay."

And that was how Freddie and Alex became best friends.

At eleven years old, the simple act of sharing food was enough to cement their relationship. It helped that they were both outsiders. Alex was the foreign kid and Freddie was overweight and prone to crying. It was why she'd been in the library that day but, every day after that, they'd spent their lunches in the library for a different reason. It was their safe space and the librarian, who'd seemed so scary at first, would slip them sweets and book recommendations with a smile.

Alex found it difficult to read all the books but Freddie was patient and she'd invite Alex to her house so they could practice more. It was intimidating, because Freddie had four brothers and sisters and the house was full of noise and activity, but they were all so kind to her. After a while, Alex didn't need them to speak slowly or repeat things and she found herself thinking more in English than in Chinese.