Warning: This chapter mentions of @|coho|. Proceed with caution. “Who could have done such a thing?!” Avery says, slamming her kandi covered arms on her desk. My friend Talia nodded her head rapidly in agreement, her asexual pin rattling. It’s Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA), which basically is a queer afterschool club. I just told everyone about what the principal showed me. “Yeah…” I say, nodding sadly. Avery looks like he’s going to say something, but Mx. Rylan (the teacher supervisor) starts speaking. “So class, as you know, the Halloween dance is on November 1st this year.” “Not actually on Halloween?” Talia whispered into my ear. I giggle a bit, then Mx. Rylan looks into my eyes sternly. I quiet down. “Every year the Halloween dance is hosted by a new club. This year, we will be the hosting club!” Kids start cheering, and I start grinning. Max looks a bit uncomfortable for some reason. I wonder why… After GSA ends, I take the bus home. Max’s bus is a few minutes after mine, so we hug and say goodbye. I won’t see him for a week because his family is flying to Calgary for his grandma’s birthday. Even while he was smiling, he still looked kinda uncomfortable. I don’t have time to think about that though. I hopped on the bus, and took a seat next to a girl I didn’t know with long black hair. She was wearing a white short sleeved shirt over a long sleeved black and white striped one. She was wearing loose ripped jeans. “Hey! You’re Riley, right? I’m Julia, She/Her.” Her smile lit up like a firework when she saw me. “Oh y-y-yeah. That’s me. Riley, They/She.” I sat down next to her. She offered her hand, and I shook it. We chatted all the way to my stop, and her smile never faltered. I think I made a new friend! At home, I took off my hoodie and put it in my bed with my backpack. Underneath my hoodie was a green and black swirl shirt that had faded from so much wear. I heard my stepdad snoring on the couch in the den downstairs. Of course. He had been drinking again. Typical. “Welcome home sweetie!” My mom yelled from the kitchen. “Thanks!” I yelled back. My 7-year-old stepsiblings were probably still at their swimming lessons. I feel bad that their dad is an a|coho|ic. And they can’t switch houses every week to get away from him. First: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/1214631674 Next: Working on it Prev: Characters: Riley, They/She Max, He/Him Avery, She/He Talia, She/Her Mx. Rylan, Any Julia, She/Her Alex (Riley’s stepdad), He/Him Alice (Riley’s mom), She/Her
