Moonbow | Tyrus

Six

Cyrus's POV

I've never been to a climate strike before, but I've seen the movement through social media. I also follow Greta Thunberg and Luke Mullen on Twitter, so I've heard a fair bit about the climate change issues, but I've never seen it in person.

TJ holds his cardboard sign in one hand and my hand in the other as he leads me across the downtown street and back onto the sidewalk. Downtown in Shadyside isn't busy like the cities, but it's still busy for Shadyside. People zip around as though their always late, and if they're talking on the phone, they don't even notice when I bump into them accidentally, which makes my constant need to apologize pretty pointless. TJ glances at me with a cute grin every time that happens.

"I'm just being polite," I justify.

"You don't come downtown much, do you?" he responds with a chuckle.

I brush it off and continue alongside him down the concrete, eventually seeing what we came here for.

I imagined Shadyside's strike would look a lot like the massive ones in Washington and Berlin and Ottawa, but this is much smaller. There are only about forty people gathered on the steps of town hall, each holding a sign. Most of the people here are teenagers, but a few are older adults. Actually, there's a group of four seniors all in knitted cardigans and patchwork dresses, looking a lot like dolls dressed by a toddler. They hold signs with a logo for a group called The Raging Grannies, which I assume must be them.

"Where is—?"

"The movement is a lot smaller in Shadyside," TJ explains before I can finish my question.

One of the people there, a girl, probably in her late teens, gives TJ a wave as we walk up. She wears a beret that covers the divide between her half blonde, half magenta hairstyle that sits as a bob on her shoulders. Leaning on the planter behind her is a large, black portfolio case.

"Hey, TJ," the girl says.

"Hi, Leilani. Um, this is Cyrus."

Leilani smiles at me right away, saying, "Nice of you to join us in crushing capitalism."

I chuckle, and she gestures to the portfolio.

"Feel free to grab a sign. We have lots."

"Thanks."

I go over and look through the folder at each of the signs, settling on one that says 'Honk if you support climate action!'

"That one's bent on the corner," TJ informs me.

I spot what he's talking about but reply, "It's been well-loved. I want to make sure it knows that it's still loved, no matter its age."

That makes TJ smile. "You're so soft."

He brings his arm over my shoulder to pull me into him, and I follow along easily.

"Says the guy who plays love songs on the piano," I mutter.

"Hey," he says. "We don't talk about my weakness in public."

"Being soft isn't the same as being weak," I argue.

He smiles and brings his lips close to my hear to whisper, "No, but you make me weak."

It looks like he's about to kiss me when another face comes up, steering his intention away. This teenager looks younger than us, but they wear a full blue business suit as though they're the CEO of a company.

"Hi," they say. "I wanted to introduce myself. I'm Skyler."

"Cyrus," I say, shaking their hand when they offer it.