Prom- Trixya

Chapter 8

Katya POV-

I get to school early like always and shove my things into my locker. I ate at home today and the school store isn't open yet anyways so I go to sit by Trixie's locker so I'm there when she gets to school. Around the corner of the senior hallway I'm glad that I'm the only one here. I just need a little while of quiet to myself. Sometimes I get that at home, but definitely not during the day or in the morning when all the daycare kids are showing up. School is the best place to be right now, with only a few freshman in the hall next to this one, and one or two staff members locked away in classrooms.

The lockers are cold against my back and I grab a book out of my bag. It's one I'm reading for the fun of it so it's good for my still somewhat tired brain. Typically I'm awake by the time I get to school or even step out of my bedroom but today I hardly wanted to get up. All my limbs feel too heavy to lift, my eyes too itchy to stay open. I turn to open the book in my lap and see something peeking out of the corner of Trixie's locker. Part of me knows I shoudn't open it but I know it's not something that she put in there. I just don't want her to get hurt again. I open the locker quietly and the piece of paper falls out face down. I'm almost afraid to read what's on the other side, I don't know how she's never that bothered by the shit written to her.

It's a short message, written quickly, put here not to make her question something or to pose an idea, just written to hurt her and make her confused. There are slurs written across the top, some that don't have anything to do with being queer. The main message feels like a kick to the gut. All it says is 'we know you're with another girl' and then has a smiley face written on it. The main message isn't mean, but not knowing who wrote it it's safe to stay it could have some consequences. That is, if they actually know anything. Some of it is likely suspicion, maybe they don't know anything and they're just trying to scare her. However if they aren't, though Trixie and I haven't made anything official it's pretty clear that we're very close. If they do know something it involves me too. My stomach twists, I can feel my face going hot with anger. Now that the note is here I'm not sure if I should get rid of it or let Trixie see it. The note was written to her, but is knowing what it says and letting her see it anyway cruel or just honest? Maybe it's both.

I don't have time to think it through as people begin to file into the hallway, the clock ticking closer to the start of the school day. Trixie is maybe the tenth person to show up. She walks to her locker, she looks like she's not totally awake yet. Trixie shows a light smile when she sees me. "Hi."

"Hi." I reply.

"What's that?" She asks, pointing to the paper still in my hand.

I sigh and stand up. "Bullshit that was sitting in your locker when I got here. Well part of it was sticking out so I grabbed it."

"Oh." She mumbles. "Great."

"You want it?" I offer.

"What does it say?"

"A string of very kind words." I say and she rolls her eyes knowing I'm being sarcastic. "Then after it says 'we know you're with another girl.' Which seems a little vague if you ask me."

She reaches for the paper and I hand it to her. "They don't know anything, they're just bluffing." She tears the paper in two and drops it into the nearest trash can.

"You're just going to throw it away?" I ask, a little surprised at how calm she's being about this.

"Nothing else to do with it." She replies. "Anyways, how are you?"

I shrug. "I feel kinda gross today but alright. You?"

"I've been better."

There's silence after that, we're both in bad moods but that's okay. As the rest of the students find their way to their lockers we head our separate ways to our first classes.

At Lunch Trixie seems to be in a much better mood and I feel pretty good. She doesn't talk a ton which is a little unusual but listens to everything I say and laughs when she normally would. I wonder if something is just a little bit off that's making her like this today. Out of the corner of my eye I see some girls from student council walking around the cafeteria. They're holding printed posters in one hand and some have streamers. Throughout the rest of lunch they spend the time decorating the rest of the cafeteria.

When they move out of the way I have time to read the signs which I realize are for Prom. The theme has yet to be announced, and I'd honestly forgotten that they'd said something about it on the announcements yesterday. Most of the juniors and seniors are reading the signs which have dates for further announcements and the date that Prom will be on. I'm actually kind of excited. Prom might be with a bunch of annoying private school kids this time but I never got to go my Junior year and I want to go at least once. Hopefully Trixie will go with me. Maybe as a date? Or is that too much?

It doesn't matter what we go as, I just want to go with her. I want to dance with her, be her friend in front of everyone. And I want to have that one high school experience to say at least one thing has gone right in the last 4 years of school. Prom, though not that big in the long run, is suddenly important to me.