Postgrad Partners

Out and Proud

The supposedly stress-free weekend away from work had instantly soured thanks to a candid video, an unexpected outing, and Tori's panic attack resurfacing almost as quickly as it left. Night was falling over the apartment as Nora and Piper sat quietly together on the dining table, staring down at their phones and each other's anxious faces. The only sounds for the last several hours were the sobs from Tori's room, where she and Jade had locked themselves in since that morning, and an occasional vibration coming from Tori's phone on the dining table.

As the vibrations persisted more than usual, Nora turned her head toward Tori's phone, trying to read the notifications through the cracked screen and barely making out the words "Mom", "Dad", "Trina", and other names she recognized as Tori and Jade's friends. Sighing, she took out her own phone and selected Holly Vega's number from her contacts list. The call was answered within one ring.

"Nora! Have you seen Tori?! She's not picking up her—"

"Holly, it's okay. I'm with her and Jade at their apartment right now. If you're asking about the video, they saw it, and they just want to be left alone right now."

"I just want to see if she's okay! Was that video from the dinner you went on with them?"

"Yes, my girlfriend and I invited them last night and we all have a good time! But then we were talking about them and how they felt about...being out. She didn't show it then, but Tori started to feel anxious and so we talked about it more with her this morning. That's when we learned about the video..."

"I don't understand, Nora. How does anyone there even know they're a couple? It wasn't one of their friends, was it?"

"No, it wasn't. Jade told us they met two young girls who were fans of Tori's from her TV performances and they saw the two of them together. If they were the ones who took the video, I'm sure they didn't mean to out her maliciously. From what Jade told me, they were just happy to meet her."

"I'll take your word for it, but...my god, that one video has thousands of views already. But most of the comments are just complimenting them! Doesn't she see...?"

"It's not the singing or the video that made her panic, Holly. Tori had just told us that she didn't feel ready to come out to people—and she didn't know when she would be, but then comes that video outing her before she could say anything herself. Even if there are more good comments than bad, it doesn't change the fact that something very personal was just taken away from her and exposed to thousands of strangers online. She needs time to process that."

"Dammit, I should be there for her right now...but I'm glad you and Jade are, at least. To think I gave them such a hard reception when they came there together..."

"You've nothing to apologize for! The fact that you care means you're a good mom to Tori, and I wish you were here for her, too. I promise, we have her back the whole way. I'll let you know as soon as she's ready to talk."

"Okay...okay. Thank you, Nora. Tell her that her dad, Trina, and I are all here for her and Jade."

"I will. Talk to you later, Holly." Nora hung up and took deep breath, looking again at the closed bedroom door.

Tori's bedroom was totally dark, save for the moonlight peeking in through the window above the bed. Jade sat wordlessly on the bed for hours, her back leaning against the headboard, while Tori had finally stopped crying and just laid quietly in her girlfriend's embrace. The "Roommates First" rule was the last thing on their minds.

"Jade..." Tori said in a very raspy whisper, her throat dry from the hours of crying and silence, "Please tell me we're dreaming; that today didn't actually happen and we're gonna wake up soon."