Never Fly Too Close To The Sun

The Sun Will Come Out

Monday Morning (Pre-School)

"Dad, come on! I don't want to be late for Chl- class prep," the brunette whined at the front door to Dr Mitchell as he walked from the kitchen with his briefcase and flask of fresh coffee.

"Beca, I don't think I've ever seen you so eager to get to school on a Monday.. And so EARLY!" he marvelled at his daughter's enthusiasm and impatience as they marched toward the car through the strong winds and rising sunlight.

"I have some stuff I need to get done, and I don't want my grades to drop, do I?" Beca replied with the pretext nonchalantly as she worriedly checked the messages on her phone.

---

25 Minutes Later

"I'm so sorry, I tried to get him to speed but he was too uptight to break a few laws for my excuses about school," Beca frantically explained as she sat down next to the ginger in their tutor room. The lights were only on at the front, and Chloe's bright orbs glistened in the shadows at their desk. Other than them, the room was empty.

"Baby, relax," the ginger breathed as she displayed her dazzling smile. Her right hand reached out and rested atop the smaller girl's; halting Beca's nervously tapping left-hand fingers. She stroked with her right index finger, the golden ring gliding across the brunette's pale skin.

"So," the smaller girl cleared her throat and glanced over with her intense gaze, "Did you figure out what all of the messages actually meant?"

"Mmhmm," Chloe hummed happily before explaining, "Basically, you know how Stacie asked whether I was cheating on you?" Beca nodded, "She then sent the picture of me holding Aubrey's hands to comfort her (though it isn't visibly her - just a blonde) and asked who they were. I admit that whoever took the photo (my thoughts are Tom) has really made me look like I'm gazing at my one true love. Ironically, the reason I look so happy is because my best friend had just said that she accepted my girlfriend as being caring and able to make me happy: I was thinking of you.. I guess the original description is accurate. Anyway, so Stacie is doing her best to qualm the rumours but there's only so much she can say without shining a further spotlight on her.. and then, inevitably, you."

"Therefore, the messages were just yet another rumour concerning your love life and sexuality being spread?" the brunette queried, less concerned now for the lack of proof or potential issues which could arise for their relationship. They'd dealt with rumours already, how hard could another be? Beca thought contentedly.

"Well, yes and no," the ginger appeared to uncomfortably squirm a little in her seat, "Stace has managed to message people assuring them that I'm not dating the blonde in the photo, but they no longer care about that. One of her mutual friends on the football team apparently saw me (or a ginger who looked like me) kissing with a dark-haired girl in the park yesterday as the sun was setting. They were walking their dog with their girlfriend apparently on the pedestrian path and there wasn't enough light to get a photo. However, the fact that there are two witnesses saying it within 24 hours of the previous rumour seems to give it validity. Meaning.." Her voice died off and she looked down.

"Meaning..?!" Beca pressed, the intonation in her voice rising with fear.

"Meaning that," Chloe sighed, "People are branding me as a promiscuous/slutty lesbian, while also trying to deduce who my blonde and dark-haired lovers are. Luckily, the current rumour of the second girl seems to describe her as having (dyed) black hair."

"Okay, do you know anyone who matches this description to throw them off the scent?" the smaller girl pondered, trying to find a slither of reassurance in the situation.