*Elena POV*
Syd and I had just been on the most perfect date. A lovely candlelit dinner with my stunning girlfriend. Could life really get any better than this? We were walking down the near-empty streets, that were only lit by dim streetlights, hand-in-hand. I remembered that there was a beautiful view from a rooftop not too far from home. I decided to take Syd there. It was also my perfect opportunity to make some cheesy comments.
"Follow me," I said.
"Where?" Syd replied.
"In here,"
"This looks like the start of every serial killer or slasher movie, you're not about to kill me are you?" They laughed.
"Definitely not," I laughed.
We went into the abandoned building and I took them right to the top, opened the fire escape door, and led them out onto the rooftop.
"Wow," they said. "This is absolutely beautiful,"
"Just like you," I replied, staring at them.
"You had that comment planned, didn't you? Syd replied, smiling at me.
"Maybe," I smiled back.
*Syd POV*
This view is amazing. But not as amazing as my gorgeous Elena. I admired her as she looked over the sparkling lights of LA. I turned to her and cupped her face in my hand.
"I love you, Elena," I said.
"I love you too," she replied.
I leaned in to give her a kiss and she kissed back. Could anything really be more perfect than this night?
*Elena POV*
I could stay like this forever. But it was getting really late and mom would be worrying where we were soon. So we decided to head home. But our evening was about to take a disastrous turn.
We walked around a corner to see a group of men huddled together. They turn to us and started laughing. They then started chanting homophobic slurs at us. Syd looked at me and started running. I don't know whether they assumed that I would follow them but I stood there in fear, unable to move. my eyes followed them as they ran and ran.
"Syd! Syd! Come back! Please!" I shouted, but they did not hear me. If I knew what was to follow I would have run too, but fear crippled my body. Instead, I decided to stand up for myself and Syd, for our relationship, for all LGBTQ+ relationships.
"Why would you do that, huh? What does our relationship have to do with you? We're not hurting anyone!" I shouted at them. A moment of silence rippled through the air.
In a split second, one of them punched me in the face and pushed me to the ground. Another repeatedly kicked me in the stomach. I cried and cried and begged them to stop but they wouldn't. They called me a "faggot" and "dyke" and another one stamped on my head. The group laughed as they walked away; leaving me lifeless on the floor.
