If I Were Allowed To Love You

Eight

Ripped black jeans with fishnet tights poking through the holes, a white t-shirt tucked in with a spiked belt, leather, fingerless gloves, and dirty canvas sneakers. Melissa's phone, credit card, and bus pass were all tucked in her back pocket, and her switchblade resided in the other. If she was going to a party, she was prepared to show off her "party trick" as Tamara put it.

Her heavy black eyeliner and eyeshadow prompted a lot of people to stare at her, but she didn't mind it. Stares were nothing but white noise to her at that point, but there was something about a group of college kids staring at her that made it nerve inducing. Maybe it was because she wasn't the only one to dress in a dark, edgy fashion. She almost felt inferior compared to the rest of them.

"You look so beautiful," Tamara gushed as she grasped onto Melissa's hands. "I'm so glad you were able to make it. It's a lot more fun being at a college party when my own lame friends can join."

"I hope you're not implying that my friends are lame," Evie, Tamara's older sister, teased. As she stared at Melissa, her eyes sparkled, and she clasped her hands in front of her smile. "I heard you're the knife girl."

Melissa sighed, smiling anyway. "Yeah. That's me."

"Thank you for helping get the bullies off her back," Evie stated as she wrapped her arm around Tamara's shoulder. "I know I wish there was someone to look out for me back when I went to high school."

"How long has it been since you graduated?"

"Five years. People were not okay with people being transgender back then, but at least people are becoming more accepting nowadays." She chuckled to fight the tears about to pour from her eyes. "Such a short amount of time, yet so much more progress. I am so thankful other students don't have to suffer as much."

"She's practically started a movement," Tamara giggled as she clung onto Melissa's arm. "We have guardians all over the school, and all because she watches the hall with her knives. And she always has one on her."

"Do you have one even when you're at school?"

"It's only for emergencies, since I never miss my aim," Melissa stated. Though it was a brag, she never considered it one. It was merely a gift, occasionally a curse. She knew how to keep her peers safe in an emergency. It was the only reason she agreed to bring a knife with her to school. If her principal did not convince her it was for the safety of her students, she would not have done it. It was a miracle the school board trusted her so much, but she refused to hurt anyone unless it was an emergency. She was not a violent person, and the school board knew that. So did the student body, but the bullies all feared the day she would finally snap, and they'd become a victim.

"Do you have one on you?"

Melissa slid the switchblade out of her pocket and flicked it open, tossed it in the air, and caught it in her other hand without breaking eye contact from Evie. "You let me know the next time someone harasses you for being yourself. Let them see me, and let them know we're friends. No one will ever fuck with you again."

Evie laughed, throwing her head back as she patted Melissa's shoulder and led her out to the backyard. "I like you. I think you'd like my cousins, Lucas and Mikey."

"Oh?"

She stepped out in the backyard, and there was a tall man in the middle of the backyard with everyone forming a wide circle around him. He was bald, muscular without his shirt on. His back, chest, neck, and arms were covered in tattoos, all very beautiful from what Melissa could make out.

He and another boy were in the middle of the circle. The other boy was skinny and had his shirt on. His hair was short with a fluffy quaff on his head. Light brown hair, no tattoos, but he did have a leather vest on with his ripped navy tank top and skinny, skinny black jeans on.