The Mural (GirlXGirl) *PROMO SAMPLE*

Two

So, I'm pretty sure I'm gay. No. I'm definitely gay. Peyton Kelly likes girls because she is gay. I've thought it a million times.

Most times were when I was trying to convince myself that I wasn't. That it was a phase, or something that all girls probably experienced at least once in their life. Other times, when I was finally coming to terms with what a lesbian was, and I realized the truth.

But I've never said it aloud, and I wasn't planning on starting now.

Of course, there are other LGBTQ+ people here at Branton High. The fear of being the only one wasn't what was preventing me from coming out. No. But one of the reasons is because the group was small, and everyone knew everyone's business, and all the drama went to the head of the group.

Jacqueline Ross.

There are many reasons I haven't come out yet, not even to my best friend, but the main reason was because of Jacki.

See, Jacki Ross is your typical pretentious, high school mean girl, and I appreciate and cherish my status here at Branton High too much to jeopardize it. And maybe I am a fraud for encouraging people to be themselves while I actively refuse to do the same, but there were ways for the truth to leak through the cracks, and Jacki was the last person I wanted to know I was a lesbian.

Now, Jacki and I go way back. We grew up here in Branton, Georgia, went to the same schools, were on the same sports teams, and ended up in the same clubs. She's in every yearbook that I own. That's how far back we go.

Her feud with me started sometime between middle and high school, but I have no factual idea why she doesn't like me. Maybe it's because I'd beaten her out for class president ever since we were freshmen. Or maybe her competitiveness started earlier on, like when I made the all-star soccer team when we were twelve and she didn't. Or when I beat her at our sixth-grade spelling bee. It didn't seem like a reason to hate me, but it's all I could think of.

Moral of the story: Jacki can absolutely not know that I am gay because she would certainly use it against me, and I couldn't have that.

"Have you met the new girl?" Gwen asks, which pulls me out of my thoughts.

"Uh, yeah, vaguely," I reply, trying a little too hard to seem uninterested. "I gave her a tour this morning."

"She's pretty out there." She laughs. "And by out there, I mean, she's clearly gay and doesn't care who knows."

Oh, trust me, I think to myself. I noticed.

"She's in bio with me, but Jacki couldn't stop talking about her in theater class."

I'm not surprised by this. Gossip about the new kid always happens, and since Jamie is clearly gay and from Chicago, she's all everyone would talk about, at least for the next week.

Plus, Jamie is really cute.

"So, I'll see you after fourth?" Gwen wonders. "We can leave for lunch. I'm sure Darian and Gibbs wouldn't mind."

"Sure," I agree.

Gwen leaves my side as I scan the area for Jamie. I know she has this class with me, and the starting bell was about the ring. This girl sure likes to be late, huh?

I walk into the familiar art class I've come to every single year since I started high school. It's a personal safe haven because art is something not many people know I enjoy, so it allows me to be able to shut off for at least an hour of my day.

Then the late bell rings and I roll my eyes. Jamie is late. Again.

The teacher begins taking attendance as I get comfortable in a chair. My eyes glance at the door occasionally, anticipating the arrival of a cute brunette with pretty, hazel eyes.