[Nyo Usuk] Avoid and Chase

Chapter 8

Alice clicked her mary janes through the halls the next day, holding her head high. She had no reason to feel down. A new fire was in her eyes, and she was determined to chase after Amelia like she hadn't before. Fuck conformity and society and homophobes and everything!!!

Her morning passed by in a breeze. Then, lunch came and she saw Amelia. 

Keep your cool, keep your cool, keep your coolllll.......

Alice took her eyes off of Amelia for a second, and when she looked back, she saw no sign of her. Sighing, Alice looked back to the lunch line and saw how many people were in there and decided that she might as well go wash her hands before she ate. Lunch lines are just too long these days. We should really, really consider getting more cashiers.

She turned a left out of the cafeteria and into the girls bathroom. 

Ah. Shit.

"Amelia."

The two stared at each other for a bit more than a couple seconds. Amelia quickly looked down and scrubbed off the last of her soap before turning off the faucet. Before she could reach the towel, Alice spoke up. "Amelia, stop." She saw Amelia's eyes flicker to her for a second. That gave Alice a smidge of hope; had Amelia not done that, it would really have meant that Alice wasn't worth the acknowledgement of existance to her.

"Please, listen to me."

She could see Amelia bite her lip. It was all she could do to keep from just running into Amelia's body and embracing her. All she could do now was keep her control.

"..."

The sink turned off. She quivered her breath. She dried her hands. She didn't even look at her.

.... Alice grabbed her arm.

"I CAN'T CONTINUE THIS."

Huh? Alice was surprised. It wasn't her that had screamed; it was Amelia. With Alice's hand gripping arm, Amelia, turned away from Alice, was shaking.

Shaking. 

She was crying.

Alice took Amelia by the shoulder and turned her around. They both collapsed to the ground.

"Alice, Alice, Alice..." Wiping teardrops.

Alice didn't know what to do; she was bewildered.

"I'll listen. Just please, I can't listen if you don't let me hear you." Alice tried. She coveted with all her might to hold Amelia's hand and kiss her tears.

"I'm sorry. I am so sorry. I don't... My... They..." Amelia stuttered.

"Slowly, love. Breathe." Said as quietly as possible. 

A shuddering exhale. "Mom... and dad. It's my parents. They're... The moment they found out.... They threatened to sent me to a conversion therapy camp."

"Oh, Amelia-"

"No, let me finish."

"..."

"I... I really have always treasured you, Alice. More than you would realize. But you know, I've never told you who my first love was.... I was a stupid child. Stupid.  At age 8, I'd fallen for Francine. Just a little, innocent, childish crush right? How the hell would you expect, as a child, that such innocent love would trigger such a corrupted fear that would send you such a harsh punishment? They've only ever beat me that one time, and they've never physically maimed me any other time. They sent me to a therapist, took me to the doctors, isolated me from other females... Yelled at Francine's parents... Screamed at Francine... By some miracle, the therapist was able to convince my parents that I was just a child who didn't know any better and was just confusing love with friendship, and they were just overreacting... But once the word spread.. about you... Gossip travels around more thoroughly than you'd expect, you know, Alice?"

Amelia leaned in and wrapped her arms around Alice, tears in both of their eyes. Quietly, she whispered, "Some heroine I am. I can't even protect the one I love from myself." A little more runny tears. Alice leaned into Amelia's embrace, relieved that she didn't actually hate her.

"I thought you'd hated me, Amelia. I was so scared."

"No, no.. No, Alice, I'd never hate you. It's honestly more of the opposite, hahaha...."

"Amelia, it's ok. I don't want to lie about my love for you, but... Until you become of age... until we both do.. Are you ok with parting ways?"

"...." A little rumination. "I think... I think... I'll propose to my parents and be bold, for once. We're juniors, right? I think I'm going to try to... to do that. So that I can be with you. Openly. To avoid any sort of clandestine relationship. I'd hate that. I do really love you, Alice."

Alice smiled and she felt water trickle down her cheek. "Me too, Amelia. I don't know if that's really the best way to go about this. It may truly get you into a conversion therapy camp or disowned. But I know that you're too stubborn to go any other route, as the heroine of your story. Standing up to your demons." The two stood up. 

"If we don't see each other again after this, we'll definitely keep our contact information for when we graduate and are out of our parents' houses. Promise?"

Pinky swear.

"Promise."