When It Rains [Sameena]

thirteen: the play and the essays

"But people treat her as an object. They use her because of her looks, they want to get close to her just to mess with her. But Sam isn't an idiot. She can tell when that's happening and she'll be sure to put a stop to it. But usually only if it's affecting people around her, too. You see, Sam is so caring, she usually throws her own stuff to the side. Her emotions, her mental health. And I can understand that more than I would like to admit. So I just want her to know that her emotions aren't a burden. That she should share them when she wants to, when she needs to."

Sam looks at her with the most loving eyes, a true, huge smile plastered on her face. "And that's just who she is. Loving. Caring. Beautiful. And she shouldn't be used for her beauty. Because she deserves so much better, and she deserves love."

She puts the paper down, smiling. She receives some applauds, but the only applaud she cared about was Sam's. Because she sat there, her hands clapping together, with the truest smile that she had had on her face in ages. But that smile soon turned to a blank face when she heard her name being called.

"Samantha Fraser, please come share your essay."

She nods, gulping as she walks to the front of the class, the paper shaking in front of her due to her shaky hands. "My name is Samantha Fraser, and I wrote my essay about Deena Johnson."

Her saying that received some laughs and chatter from the class, but Mr. Spotsor shut them up, and Sam could feel chills go over her. She wondered if people noticed that she was shaking, and they did, but nobody really cared to question it. Except for Deena, but she knew she couldn't get up and ask.

"It's called..." she pauses.

"Lover."

She receives looks from the class, one being from Deena, who just stares, confused. But then realization comes over her, and she just faintly smiles, playing with her hands as she sighs. "When I first got paired up with Deena, I knew she was more on the inside than she is on the outside. On the outside, Deena is rough, tough, but on the inside, she's a sweetheart. A kind, loving, beautiful sweetheart who is hated because of some rumors."

"Deena doesn't deserve to be most hated at Shadyside High School just because rumors spread of her being a lesbian. Deena has changed me, for the better. She makes me feel like myself, like I don't have to put on one of my little fake smiles when I'm with her, because she makes me happy. Genuinely happy. An escape from the space of mine where I'm used to yelling, used to not being myself."

"And Deena, I love her."

People stare, and Sam was still so nervous, but she didn't care. Because her love for Deena was stronger than her nervousness. She places the essay down on her and Deena's table, and Deena just stares at her, smiling as she laughs softly.

She leans in and smashes her lips onto Deena's, staying like that for a good minute before she pulls her lips off and smiles.

Chatter fills the room, some laughs or groans of disgust follow but neither of them cared at this moment. They only cared about each others love in this moment, they didn't care what negative stuff people had to say about it.

"I love you," Sam whispers, sitting down next to her.

"I love you too, Sam."

"Be quiet!" Mr. Spotsor yells, putting his hand up, "Deena, Sam, that's great of you guys. But Sam I do need your essay for a grade. I'll return it."

"Shit," she mumbles, nodding. She walks up to him and hands it to him, the bell ringing after. At the lockers, Deena is stood at hers with a huge smile on her face. Almost as big as Simon's goofy smile, but his was just too much to compete with.