Everyone dressed up for the parade. Teagan, Marco, Jasper, and Celeste all dressed in full rainbows. Celeste wore a princess-like rainbow gown with glittery makeup, looking like a queen as she always did. Teagan wore a rainbow tie-dye t-shirt, rainbow suspenders, and rainbow boots along with what seemed like a hundred buttons that said "I'M GAY" in huge lettering. Both Jasper and Marco had rainbow paint all over their bodies and wore nothing except for flip flops and rainbow boxers.
Surprisingly, the rest of the group was put to shame by their display, but still went all out. Nettie dressed up as the human version of the bisexual flag, and Bailey spray-painted her hair to match the trans flag. Mason and Kari didn't dress up for a particular sexuality, but they did have lots of pins and buttons and both held pride flags in support of their friends.
Despite their efforts, they were practically invisible in all the amazing chaos of the rest of the parade. Music, shouting, signs, laughing, and fun filled the streets of Orlando. Teagan and Celeste bawled their eyes out with happiness for about ten minutes when they arrived, and Nettie just stood in awe.
They met so many people, all with tons of emotional and inspiring stories. One girl they met was named Mack, and she was abrosexual. She told them that she'd been questioning her sexuality for seven years before discovering the label that best fit her. On the other hand, they met an asexual named Rory who knew his sexual identity almost his entire life. There was an entire spectrum of beautiful and kind people, from non-binary people to polyamorous couples to cisgender heterosexuals who just came to support their friends and family members in the community.
While Mason patiently walked along the group, relatively quiet and respectful of others around him, Kari was on his shoulders, screaming like she was a crazy person (which she was), half laughing and half crying with joy.
Bailey was off meeting new people and communicating her story to other pre-transitioned transgender teens and children, hoping to inspire them. She also visited a small memorial of people inside the LGBT+ community who had died in the effort to gain love and acceptance for their sexualities and gender.
Celeste ran off to chase some girl she thought was trying to outdo her attire, and ended up getting the cellphone number of the girl, which made her very confused. However, Destiny immediately threw it away and gave Celeste a kiss.
The two remaining couples stood side by side, smiling like goofs as they walked next to their friends and fellow queer people and allies.
"This is amazing." Teagan practically had to screech over the crowd. "Thank you so much."
"Thank you, Tea." Nettie replied, hugging Teagan close to her. "None of this would even be possible if it wasn't for you. I wouldn't be your girlfriend, I wouldn't be friends with all these amazing people, and I might have never known I was bisexual. This is all because of you, and I just wanted to repay you." She smiled and held Tea's hand, looking down before meeting her eyes again. "I love you more than you could ever imagine."
"Well, I hate to break it to you, but I love you even more than that." Teagan replied, winking flirtatiously.
Jasper walked by, holding Marco in his arms effortlessly. "Well you both need to step aside, because I love Marco even more than that."
They all laughed, competing with each other over who loves who more, but in a way, it was a worthless feat, because they all won. Love withstood social and physical boundaries, crossed school campuses and countries, and still found its way to meet people from different worlds.
Love can do anything. Nettie thought to herself, raising a pride flag high above her head and laughing.
•••
a/n; double update! i've accepted this is super cheesy, and i love it! they're just so dang cute?? so don't rain on my pride parade ok!
QOTC: what would you do at a pride parade? (or if you've gone to one, what did you do?)
AOTC: i'd probably be crying like kari the whole time tbh