All it Takes is You and Me

Chapter 4

Two years later, eighth grade.

TW: Homophobic slurs

Alyssa Greene was straight. Straight as a line. That's what she told herself every time she was near Emma, at least. Alyssa acknowledged the sensation she got when Emma was around her. It was the same one that people said they got when they were near their crush. But maybe it was a sensation that everyone got when they were around their best friend. That had to be it, right? Besides, Alyssa could not be gay. Her mother would hate her. Her peers would hate her. She couldn't get on to the varsity cheer team in high school, or any cheer team in Indiana, quite frankly. She just hadn't found a boy who she was attracted to yet. That didn't mean she wasn't attracted to boys, it just meant that she was a late bloomer. That was all.

Emma Nolan was gay. A lesbian. Homosexual. It was the one thought that filled her mind every second of every day. Maybe it wouldn't be if she lived somewhere like San Francisco, or there about. But in Indiana, without a doubt, she knew she couldn't come out to anyone. She'd be disowned by her parents, and harassed by everyone else. Maybe Alyssa would understand. Alyssa would always tell people off when they made fun of her. And while she never confirmed wether or not she was homophobic to others, she had hinted that she wasn't to Emma. Plus, being so young, she could use the "just a phase" or "I was confused" excuse if Alyssa ended up hating her. She didn't think that Alyssa would tell anyone though, even if she did hate her for it. Alyssa would most definitely be an honor roll student when she got to high school, and tarnishing another student's reputation for something like that would ruin her's in the eyes of the high school's principal, Mr. Hawkins, who was known for being one of the only liberals in Edgewater, Indiana. So, she made up her mind. After school that day, Alyssa was coming over to her house to study. Her dad was away on a business trip, and her mom wouldn't be home until around 5:30, giving them about two hours by themselves, so there was no chance they'd overhear them. Then, she'd tell her. Emma just needed to hear herself say that she was a lesbian out loud, and to hear someone respond to it. If Alyssa hated her for it, she could start fake-crying, talk about how she was "just so confused" and needed Alyssa to help her. And if Alyssa still refused to be her friend after that, then so be it. The only thing that mattered was that Alyssa didn't tell anyone, and Emma was praying against all odds that she wouldn't.

School that day wasn't as torturous as Emma thought it would be. She didn't normally talk that much during the school day, so she didn't really need to worry about clamming up when she spoke. Even Alyssa mainly hung out with Kaylee and Shelby at school, which Emma totally understood. Alyssa still went out of her way though, to greet Emma in the morning and to talk to her in every one of the classes they had together. And Alyssa had known Emma long enough to know that when she hardly returned a smile or wave, and gave one-word responses to everything she said, something was up.

Before Alyssa put her lunch box down at her usual table, she walked over to where Emma was sitting. "Hey, are you okay? You seem stressed."

"I'm fine!" Emma unintentionally snapped.

Alyssa furrowed her eyebrows, taken aback.

"I'm sorry! I just, have a lot on my mind right now. I'll, um, tell you after school. You're still coming, right?"

Alyssa slowly nodded. "You're not mad at me, are you?"

"No! No, I'm not. I'm just... I tell you at my house."

Alyssa nodded again, before slowly turning around and heading to her table with Shelby and Kaylee. She had barely made it to her table when she felt her phone buzz in her back pocket.