Pride

9

I stiffened up when I saw her face...

She was crying, her eyes red and puffy. Filled with tears that will eventually fall down her cheeks.

Her sniffing was the only sound heard in the corridor as she went up to hug me.

"I...... I need your help...... P-Please Michael......." She sobbed into my hoodie.

I quietly looked around, a little panicked. Slowly moving my arms to rub her back.

"What is it?" I whispered, wanting to calm her down.

She looked up at me, rubbing her nose slightly.

"You really want to help me? After all the bad shit I pulled on you?" her eyes still had more tears coming.

"Well you are still my cousin, right?" I chuckled, trying to lighten the mood and figure out what might the problem be.

She nodded slightly and calmed down after a few minutes, breathing in.

"I have this girl in my class." She started, I being amused on the inside. "She is just so calm, nerdy, gorgeous and friendly to me. I got to know her a little bit more and, honestly, I think I like her. But not in a friend way, in a......... R-Romantic way......"

"Explain a bit more" I replied calmly, clearly showing interest.

Her face flushed a deep shade of pink as she continued, "well uh... I seem to zone out a lot more often when talking to her. Always imagining what it'd be like to hang out with her more, go somewhere, hold hands, and how her soft lips would feel on mine.... I just want to make her mine!......"

A small smile was creeping onto my face, fanboying on inside.

"I'm sorry about judging you so much, especially when I, myself, didn't know how it felt like crushing on someone of the same gender. I heard of all the drama that was happening around you, and I got clouded by all these beliefs about God hating queer people........ But honestly, I love her." She looked up at me, a smile evident on her face.

"Apology accepted." I replied, ruffling her hair.

Her eyes lit up, as she bear hugged me. Mumbling plenty of 'thank you's.

"So, what's the other problem you have? Cause clearly just that isn't the only one." I mentioned, going into my room, letting her follow me.

"Well...... No one besides you knows it, and I don't know how to tell them. Honestly I know Rikko wouldn't mind at all, seeing as he's always asking about you. But my parents are also being very strict about us......"

Nodding, we sat down on my bed. I started brainstorming ideas of how the best way would be to tell them.

"You could just walk up to them proudly and hope for it to end on a good note." I mumbled, "But there's also the other way it can end."

She was biting her lip, looking deep in her thoughts.

Sighing, I stood up and mentioned a hand towards her. "Come on, the kids still want their juice and we can think more about it later on. Plus, they might think someone got injured or something."

Brittany looked up at my hand, taking it as I pulled her up towards me.

"Again, thank you so God damn much. I'm sorry, again, for all the shit I put you through when you were already having to deal with your parents and other family members." She said, smiling slightly.

"There's a nice real smile that we all need." I replied, walking to the kitchen as I took two bottles of apple juice.

We both walked back outside, putting the bottles on the kids' table and made our way back to our separate places.

Rikko looked up, "No blue eye? What happened?"

I sat down, drinking the coke I had in my glass quickly.

"Nothing much, just had a nice little chat." I smirked at him.

Continuing to talk through the night, we burst out laughing at a joke Rikko said.

Not noticing how quiet a certain person was, looking at me and my cousin.