Not What It Seems ||An Outsiders Fanfiction||

e p i l o g u e

I have been writing this for months and months and I'm so excited to finally be sharing the last chapter of Annalise's story. It's the longest thing I've ever written and I really hope you all enjoy. Let me know what you think. :)

January 1967

Leesha and I were graduating college later on this year, and even though it was a school day, we were both still in our dorms. Leesha and I laid in each other's arms, laying in between the two twin beds that we had pushed together. We were parked in front of our tiny black and white TV, our eyes glued to the screen. They had finally done it. After years and years of being a minority, a hated group, interracial marriages had finally been legalized. I don't think I'd ever seen Leesha so happy, even if she never acted like she was discriminated by.

That guy wouldn't let her buy gas there? Fine. She can't get some food before class at that restaurant before class? She'd say okay, then walk out and find a place that would serve her. Over the past few years it has been happening less, but when it did she'd just smile through the embarrassment and own it.

Leesha was a black, lesbian woman who was in one of the nicest colleges in the area, where most didn't judge her by her skin color, sexuality, or gender so she was happy. How could she not be? The environment we were in allowed her to own and be herself, and that was all she'd ever asked for. She felt that she was luckier than most, and I felt lucky to be laying next to her.

"This is a big day, baby. Not just for me, or for blacks, but for everyone. It's gonna go down in history," she said, smiling. I kissed her, just happy that she was happy.

Watching the TV, I realized something. We had seen MLK Jr. speak to the world, and all odds beat when he won the Nobel Peace Prize, as the youngest man, and only third black man to ever receive it. We watched as the Civil Rights Act of '64 as it passed, but even that didn't even seem as important in comparison. To the rest of the country, it was everything, but to us, it was just a start.

I remember the smile she had on her face as the Civil Rights Act passed. The look when MLK won the Nobel Peace Prize. "I want to be like him. I wanna speak out," she said. That's just what he did. 

"History," I agreed with her, as interracial marriages were passed.

"We're one step closer to us, baby," she said, her eye twinkling as as spoke.

June 12th, 1967

"You ready, love?" Leesha asked me, helping me pull the black gown on my body. I smiled.

"Never been more ready in my life." We both put our caps on, and walked out of our dorms for the last time. Our clothes and belongings were loaded up in the car, ready to go on our next adventure, raising my brothers. We kissed before walking together to the football field for a last hurrah with our classmates. I felt my pocket when we left, to make sure it was still there.

The ceremony took hours, but when they called Leesha's name, I cried. When they called my name, I bawled. I heard my brothers in the stands, cheering me on, huge, proud smiles on their faces. Leesha blew me a kiss. I had never felt better in my life. Wiping the tears from my cheeks, I put a huge smile on my face and walked over to accept my diploma. Thanking them, I walked off towards my girlfriend. I had to talk to her.

"Annalise!" She screamed. I ran over to her, hugging her tightly.

"We did it, baby," she said. I nodded.

"I've got something to ask you, Leesha," I said. She smiled.

"Oh yeah? What's that?" Smiling at her, I got down on one knee, pulling out a ring.