The Butch Lesbian

Summer at Aidan's

"Mom, dad," I addressed my parents as I buried my face in my hands.

"Sweetheart, you can tell us anything, don't you worry," my mother sympathized, stroking my dark brown hair with her wrinkly fingers.

"I absolutely agree with your mother one-hundred-percent," my father added, glancing over at my anxious face.

I exhaled deeply then started, "So...I've been feeling this way for a long time now..."

"Yes, darling?"

"I am gay." I immediately broke down, not wanting to hear what my parents were going to say.

"Kacii Li Macias! You have a role under this roof of ours. And that role is to get yourself a stinking boyfriend, love him, soon marry him, and give us grandchildren! What part of that doesn't make sense? And I'm sure you only think you like girls for one reason and one reason only: because you're going through some stupid phase like your friend Bethany was!" My dad bellowed throughout the house, shattering my only existence.

"It's not a phase. It's a truth," I sobbed, my eyesight too blurry to make out the fine lines of the world around me.

"What is a truth? That you're gay? That will not ever be a truth. As long as we keep you with your boyfriend Travis, there are no more words to be shared," my mom continued, "now go to your room. You've wasted enough time today."

Before I left for the stairs, my dad sealed the deal by saying, "We no longer can deal with your attitude. The next thing I want is to be right next to you and your so-called 'girlfriend'. We're calling Aidan. And yes, you have to spend the rest of your summer with him in his condo." He scowled. "Enjoy being gay somewhere else that's not here."

I hastily darted for the stairs, tears streaming out of my eyes faster than raindrops falling out of the sky. I already knew what was coming; I had already pre-planned the whole action to unfold. With a swipe of my hand, I grabbed my luggage and keys, which I used to lock the door as soon as I was out of the house and heading toward my car. I wept the whole way to the airport, not ready to calm down any second.

"Sir?" The baggage carrier asked as I parked my car in the parking lot.

"I'm a woman. Get your damn facts straight," I mumbled, opening my trunk and unloading both my carry-on and my luggage by myself.

"Well you should at least look like a woman so I can figure it out in the first place," the man chuckled.

"Guess what? You should at least act like a baggage carrier so that I could get help in the first place," I replied, not looking back.

"Excuse me." He tried to get to me, but I was way too fast for him.

In the slightest way, I felt a bit extra. Without looking back, I stuck up my middle finger at him and just kept walking.

***AFTER THE FLIGHT***

"Hey, hey, hey! Kacii!" My older brother Aidan greeted me with open arms.

I hugged him for what seemed like an eternity, before pulling away abruptly. "You know why I'm here?"

"Yep. Our homophobic parents," he answered delightfully, making me giggle uncontrollably. "But on the bright side," Aidan continued, "you get to spend your whole summer with me."

"Yeah, guess that'll be fun."

"Here, let me get your bag, you must be exhausted." He reached for my luggage and then carry-on.

"But really, thanks."

"For what?"

"Being better of a guy friend than Travis will ever be of a boyfriend."

"You know, I try."

We both laughed the whole way until we got to his car.

He took a seat in front of the wheel as I sat in the passenger's seat. As he started to drive, I rolled down the window and stared outside as a warm, California breeze swept past my face.

"Well, welcome to California. Home of the beaches, the fun nights, and the cute girls." He winked at me, trying to reference my sexuality. "So...what are you?"

"Where I'm at, or who I am?" I asked, still letting the wind brush tenderly past my cheeks.

"Like...your sexuality?" He ruffled his dirty blonde-highlighted hair while half-heartedly concentrating on the road.

"I'm..." I thought for a long second before continuing, "A butch lesbian."