Unrequited? Air at Sea

27. Community

-Bryce-

"Cassie, what do you mean by make an enemy of the the whole Arts department? Sounds nefarious." I ask after the front door slams shut for a second time.

The red head takes a deep breath to calm herself before taking a long gulp of her beer.

She slams the empty can a little to hard against the wooden coffee table as she squats down to sit beside her girlfriend.

"A few years ago Greyman was not what is was today. The blatant racism and homophobia was beyond what anyone would call casual. Also, the head of the university did barely anything about it. He was a complete tool, useless fucking prick.
Well, three years ago a trans boy from the Arts department decided to pledge in Greymans oldest fraternity. He was warned against it but the men in his family had always pledged there. Since his family are legacies the University head stepped in and told them they had to let him pledge. What came out later was that he also told them to use any means to deter him. Those block heads took it as a go ahead to haze him to death."

Aries eyes go big, "He died? How?"

"They tormented him day and night. Saying things like if you're a real man do this. Man up tranny. One night they goated him into drinking a gallon of vodka by himself. They left him alone completely drunk out of his mind. The next morning he was found floating in the pool. He had drowned sometime during the night.
After that the school was slammed back to back with lawsuits from the family while losing one of their oldest benefactors. The students and teachers in the Art department were outraged. They banded together and organized protests and sit ins. Which inspired many of the other students who had been going through the same thing to step up and act out. Many more lawsuits flooded in from teachers and students alike. There was so much proof of how the school blatantly didn't protect them no matter how many times they asked for help. It got so big the press started to cover the story. It was on CNN. The university lost hundreds of millions from the court cases, and settling with the complaints. The university head was disgraced and subsequently replaced. Not just him but many useless alumni who knew this was happening and failed to act. After the new head took over there was a massive reform in cooperation with many students and faculty of the Arts department. I don't know why but most of the queers that go to this school are Arts majors. Anyway, since then no one wants beef with the Art department." Cassie says as she picks up Nickies beer to drink.

"Actually I did hear about that case. Didn't Nancy Grace cover it?" I ask her.

"Yup. It was a huge to do. Many staff were let go and a lot of students were expelled or transferred. Now the school has zero tolerance for the type of shit Bree was spewing. The school is not trying to lose anymore money. Many of the cases are still going on. So when a problematic student surfaces they will get transferred, or mandated to do endless workshops and sensitivity groups until they lose their shit and withdraw. If they are lucky but if they aren't depending on how bad the offense they might be expelled immediately."

"I'm glad to hear that." I say with a genuine smile. I take a deep breath relieved that at school Arie won't have to deal with the shit she used to.

Cassie turns to look at Arie, "Don't worry hun no one will give you a tough time."

Arie smiles tentatively. "I just met you. Why are you being so nice?"

"It's not being nice Arie. It's doing the right thing. If we don't speak up for one another people get hurt. Us queers have to watch each others back. United we stand, divided we fall. Next time you see one of us having a tough time do the same. There's nothing worse than to feel like you're fighting alone." She says with so much sincere conviction goosebumps prickle my arms.