Pride

9

It took all the courage I had in me to walk up the steps to Nolan's house, and knock on his door.

The time it took for him to answer felt like an eternity. Maybe he didn't want to go with me after all, and trying to think of a polite excuse. Maybe he had seen me through one of the numerous windows, and—

The door swung open, and I was met by Nolan's radiant smile. I didn't say anything, waiting for him to react to the flag around my shoulder and clutched desperately by both my hands. Waiting for my world to come crashing down at my feet.

Nothing changed in his eyes when he looked at me, and he was still smiling when he closed the door shut softly behind him.

"I'm so glad you decided to walk with me." He held out his hand, smile gentle and eyes reassuring. I took it in my own trembling hand, and I look down at me softly.

"Have you been scared of me all along?"

I looked up in alarm at the sadness in his voice.

"No, it's not of you exactly. I just..." I took in a deep breath, looking past him to try and control my emotions. I didn't want to cry today.

"All last school year, I was trying to figure myself out. I knew I didn't fell right in my body, but I didn't know what to do. At first, I just cut my hair, and people started talking about that. First it was just talk, and I could handle that. But then...when I started dressing differently, and stopped wearing make up..."

I squeezed my eyes shut, all the painful memories of last year coming to the front of my mind. My flag had slipped off of my shoulder while we talked, and Nolan's hand moved to it, pulling the material over my shoulder gently, nodding at me in encouragement.

"Everyone thought it was their duty to make me pay for being different. All the girls mocked and disowned me, but the guys...when I tried using the men's bathroom..."

"Did they beat you?" He quietly supplied the questions when my emotions had grown too much for me to talk. I nodded, and his fists clenched at his sides.

"Some of them. Of course, Chris stuck by me, but he wasn't openly gay back then, and no one loved him like they do here.

I put up with it for a few months, but then something happened that made me tell my parents and have me moved. One of the guys there...he cornered me in the men's bathroom, and threatened to...to 'prove to me that I was still a girl'. He was going to rape me. But Chris came bursting in like my guardian angel, and dragged me away. I never stepped foot in that school again."

Before I knew what was happening, my face was buried in Nolan's chest, his arms wrapped around my tightly. His yellow, blue and pink flag fluttered to the ground, but he didn't even glance down at it, hiding his face in my hair and kissing the top of my head.

"I'm so sorry, Luke. I can't believe you had to put up with that. It's horrible, a-and awful, and I can't believe you've been through so much. I understand why you were scared to tell me, but please don't be anymore. I know, and it doesn't change how I think of you at all."

I sighed into his chest, trying to keep my tears in check.

"You don't know how happy I am that you took this the way you did. I almost called this whole thing off, I was so scared."

"I bet Chris convinced you to give me a try." I pulled back slightly to look up at his face.

"Actually he did." Nolan smiled, pecking my forehead sweetly.

"Chris is amazing. I owe him."

"So do I." I leaned forward again, loving the feeling of being protected in his strong arms.

We didn't say anything for a little while. Nolan was probably giving me a moment to get my emotions in check. His hand ran through my hair slowly, his other rubbing my back in comfort.

"This kind of explains why you are so short though."

"Shut up, asshole." I whacked his chest playfully, but pulled back so that out smiling eyes could connect.

"But it's cute, baby. I like being taller then you. I like being able to protect you. No one is going to hurt you again. They'd have to go through me first."

I blinked back my tears, but couldn't keep the two forming from sliding down my cheeks. He brought his hand up and wiped them away gently, his other arm still wrapped protectively around my lower back.

"Baby?" I asked, still trying to process his words that had touched my heart in a way it had never been touched before.

"Yeah." He replies breathily, leaning closer so that our foreheads were almost touching.

"Will you be my boyfriend so I can call you that all the time?"

"Yes." I replied without hesitation, standing up on my toes so that I could reach his better.

He tilted his head down to account for the rest of the space between us, and then his lips were on mine. I wrapped my arms around his waist, and he held me close to him. Our kiss was pure and simple, a promise not meant to be broken. I felt safe in his arms without a doubt in my mind that if the need arose, he would protect me like he promised.

I pulled away reluctantly, and he picked up his flag from off the ground, taking my hand in his and keeping them connected the whole time.

"So, you're pan?" He beamed at me, when brimming with a happiness he couldn't contain. It's amazed me that I was the reason for his happiness.

"Yes I am. And I'm so proud of you for wearing your trans flag after everything you went through." He kissed me again, and I sighed into his lips.

"Thank you." He was proud, and that was enough for me. Somehow going to the parade and being seen by so many people didn't seem a frightening anymore. Not with Nolan's hand in mine, and his promise so close to my heart.

"Don't we have somewhere to be?" I nodded, and he smiled down at me.

We were both still smiling like idiots when we arrived at the parade, hand in hand.

The End