First Impressions (GxG)

Shocking realizations

The attic space was huge, almost the size of four or five rooms combined. It had low ceilings, but still high enough to appear like a regular room as it arched up in a triangle shape. There were rafters, with thick beams, and hanging from the beams on the far side, was a punching bag. The whole section stocked with a weight bench and treadmill, that looked thoroughly used even with the high brand names.

A sound system hooked up to the walls, which was impressive in itself. There was a huge bed against the wall, along with a few band posters, that had many of the girls awing at the signed artists on the corners. There was a book shelf built into the wall, with books filling half the shelves, and next to it were two boxes over flowing with other novels, with worn covers.

There were boxes lining the walls, some filled with trophies, others filled with files, probably from her fathers company .

"Camila... This room is amazing.." Bea breathed out amazed.

"I actually agree with Miller on this one." Lauren nodded, looking around the huge space.

Camila chuckled, and said, " Thanks guys. It's not much now, but when this is all unpacked it will look awesome."

Walking over to her bed, she shoved her hand underneath it, pulling out three bean bags, and tossing them next to the girls. Grabbing her back back, she pulled out a note book and pen, before jumping on her bed, sitting against the wall, smiling at them.

"Okay, so take a seat, and we'll get started." Camila ordered, as the girls chose their spots carefully.

Normani, Ally and Dinah enthusiastically took the bean bags, while Bea and Lauren sat on the bed with Camila, sitting a reasonable space away from each other.

"Okay. I want the guys on the team that are the ones that party the most. You know the guys that come to school hung over. Or sleep around instead of practicing or doing homework like they should." Camila informed them, holding her pen at the ready.

"That would be Luis." Lauren spit out irritated by the sound of his name.

"Austin." Normani said scrunching her nose.

"Arin sometimes." Dina added.

The girls went on and on, until Camila had almost over half the page filled.

Once they couldn't remember any names Camila turned to Bea and said,"Now I want the bully's. I want the guys that do the most idiot and hurtful things. I need to know who is dangerous, who is a follower."

Lauren scrunched her nose and said,"Bullying? Who does that in this day in age?"

Camila looked at Bea silently as she noticed the girl skittishly look down, avoiding their gaze.

"Bea, please I need to know." Camila pleaded softly.

The four other girls looked to her in surprise, despite their irrational fear of her sexuality, they never knew the kind things were going on that came out of Bea's mouth, and it changed their opinion of the girl that had always seemed weak.

"Arin slaps my books around, a lot like the other guys on the team, but that's nothing compared to the others. Austin and Luis whisper disgusting things while I try to get to class, and pass me sexual notes about showing me what I'm missing. I have Luis in my English class with Miss Lovato, and he tries to touch me. I want to sit away from him but no one will switch with the schools lesbian. Their afraid to catch my disease." Bea bitterly said, sniffling as the tears started to brim her eyes.

Lauren stilled, gaping at her shocked, feeling like she wanted to throw up.

Ally's eyes watered, as Dinah and Normani shook with anger.

Camila put down her notebook down, and moved next to Bea, taking the crying girl in her arms gently.

"Austin sometimes sneaks into the girls locker room, and tries to get to me while I'm changing. He says he wants to rid me of my disgusting disease, and will do it before I graduate. He thinks he can cure me." Bea finished sniffling.

"Why didn't you say anything? I was dating him! I could have made him leave you alone!" Lauren exclaimed shakily as she left the bed and started to pace the room.

"Me talk to the Cheer captain? The lesbian of the school? Before Camila came, I was only ever in the same room with you in class, and even then you treated me like I had AIDs. Why would I have come to you? Why would I think that someone that looks at me like a freak would even care about someone like me?" bit out Bea bitterly.

"Bea.. We may not be Bff's but... regardless of what we think of your dating life.. Your still a woman." Ally whispered sniffling.

"So what!?" exploded Bea, shocking them all as she started pacing the room.

"You finally realized I'm a human being with feelings so now you care? Tell me, why now huh? Why not when Selena tripped me, making me rip my new pair of jeans? Or when Tory and Ariana stole my clothes and made me sit in the locker room naked crying for hours before my mom found me? Why not then? Despite what you've been told all your lives I never chose this! I didn't wake up one day thinking how can I make my life harder! I am gay! I didn't choose it! I genuinely am not attracted to men! Not their hairy chests, not their gross facial hair, nothing! All I ever wanted was to go to high school and have friends! Be normal! But I can't do that because people like you have been conditioned to think that I'M evil incarnate!" Bea boomed, making the girls flinch in shame.

Lauren had stopped pacing, frozen as she listen to the quiet girl she had known as Bea, finally stand up for herself.

Tears welled in her eyes and her words came out shaky.

"W-were not perfect Bea. We make mistakes, and tend not to think for ourselves. But to allow someone to hurt you... Terrorize you in this way..." Lauren choked out, furiously wiping her tears.

"I'd never be okay with that.... Never. I'd never take the side of men like that. Their not even men... their monsters in training." Lauren whispered, staring into Bea's heated eyes.

Bea's eyes softened, and her body shook as she fell to her knees, feeling like she was finally heard for once in the three years she had been at that school.

Camila got up to comfort her, but was waved away by Lauren, who approached the sobbing girl, lowering herself to her knees and engulfing her in her arms.

Lauren whispered reassuring words to the broken girl, promising to protect her from now on. Dinah, Normani and Ally got off their bags and sat around them, rubbing the crying girls back and shoulders in comfort.

The rage Camila felt when Bea had started telling her story dissipated, and she was left smiling at the five girls, happy that some good had come, even much sooner than she expected.

The girls may not have agreed with her sexual preferences, but they finally got a glimpse of the girl that was Bea Miller. Not a lesbian, not a senior, not a nerd with no friends. But a girl trying to have a normal high school experience, while being hurt by the choices of others constantly.

They saw her as strong, and resilient, and a person. Something many of them had forgotten along the way.

The six of them talked for another hour, and came up with a list of boys from the team that Camila guaranteed to never step foot on a field again, because giving them more power in their school was dangerous, and a luxury that they no longer deserved.

When it came time to leave, the girls were closer to being friends, and Camila couldn't have been more happy, seeing Bea's eyes glow with a light she hadn't seen since their meeting.

Once everyone left, and Lauren offered to drive Bea home, Camila sank down on her bed, anxious for tomorrow to come. She was going to set this school free, and it started with Austin and Luis.