The Best Is Yet To Come

Chapter 6

Just as I feel a panic attack creeping up on me, I feel Flora's hand on mine once again- it's as if she can see straight through me, that she can sense the storm brewing inside of me, and has offered me a safe haven. Why is she doing this for me? Everything starts to settle as I look over and mouth 'thank you' to her and she just nods her head while Willow pulls into another driveway, leading to an orchard. "Surprise number twoooo! Nah, but fer real, get out," she says jokingly, chuckling as she opens her door and hops out. I roll my eyes and get out on Flora's side, not letting go. I hate to admit it, but I don't want to.
The air was fresh and crisp as we walled through the grass, trees surrounding us like teens in a school hallway. "I've never been to a place like this before- how did you find it?"
"Me and my mom used to come down here once a year, pick apples, make a pie- the works! I thought you guys might like it here just as much as I do- with the exception that Hydra will make the pie later...?" She looked at me questioningly. "Oooof course you did," I say with sarcasm, "yeah, yeah, I'll bake us some goods later." I finally let go of Flora, and we start picking out apples off the trees one by one. "Hey, about in the jeep earlier- I just wanna say thanks, especially for not telling the others. If they found out I freaked the first time I went out..." I feel ashamed to even admit it. She just smiles tenderly, and looks away from the tree with understanding eyes. "Hey, you're alright with me, okay? I struggle from tine to time too, no biggie." More time passes, the silence filling the space between us- but it's comfortable, and it makes me weirdly happy.
"Would you like to take a break? I think I have plenty of apples," I say trying to juggle them all, she giggles at me and it makes me blush. "Yeah, lets go," she says, and we wall around looking for the perfect spot. After we put the apples on the ground and sit, the others make their way to us looking happy- Willow already has an apple in her mouth while carrying the rest and I roll my eyes as she and Anette sit down next to us. "Today's been great- I'm glad to be here with you guys," Anette sighed sweetly. "Yeah, and seeing magic for the first time was cool," added Flora.
We all sat there eating an apple or two, and enjoying each others company. Flora had been playing with a few blades of grass before looking up at me. "You know how we talked about age an everything? I was just wondering- have you ever been with anyone?" The chatter between everyone had gone quiet, Willow and Anette looked at one another and then at me; silence once again filled the void, but I was uncomfortable as i shifted in the grass. As long as i don't tell them everything EVERYTHING, I'll be alright, right? I take a deep breathe preparing myself on how I was going to answer without giving everything away all at once. "Well... There WAS someone... Once..." Anette and Willow share glances once again, smirks on their faces and Anette wiggling those pink eyebrows at me. "Ohohoho, and where is he today," she asked, trying to lighten the mood and joke around. He? "For starters- SHE, not he. Second, that was 420 years ago, so... Ya know...," I say awkwardly and shrug, trying to dance around the subject.
"Ohhh," Willow and Anette say together in unison as they piece it together. "I know we never like, talk about it but dude it's totally fine- I'm actually pansexual, and Anette here is asexual. For me, pansexual means I can love anyone regardless of gender- the LGBTQ plus is more common than you think." I listened to what she had to say as I bit into an apple, it was juicy and sweet.  "What is the LGBTQ plus? I'm not all knowing just because I'm old," I chuckled, only half joking. "I don't even use apps or anything- I only manage calls and texts."
They all laugh at me then start to explain everything as I munch away, listening intently. About how every letter stands for something different preferences, and that there's even flags that stand for every individual. "So- I'm lesbian? I.. I had no idea there was a whole community out there, let alone a word for my preferences."
"It's okay to learn about these kinds of things one step at a time- some think that having a label helps." I always knew I was different for loving... Her. A part of me feels more at peace with itself knowing there's more people in the world like me, as if I'm a part of something bigger. "What about you then Flora," I blurt out loud. "I mean,.. I'm sorry- you don't have to say. I'm just curious is all." Did I really ask that out loud? I'm such an idiot! "Oh you're fine- I'm actually lesbian too- if you want a flag for your room, i have a friend who makes them and puts the funds towards a good cause." I could barely hear her over the heat that had run straight to my face. "Th-thats great," I stutter out. Ugh, I feel like I'm going to die from embarrassment. "Back to what I was saying though- what happened back then? Did you two break up? Was that even an option?" My red face went pale as my blood ran cold. "Well," I cleared my throat, trying to find myself a way around these damn questions yet again. "We didn't break up... To make a long story short, her father didn't exactly approve. So that was the end of it- the end of us." Anette was watching me with worried eyes, noticing I was uncomfortable. I guess Flora did too as she stopped asking questions, and we all sat silently as time passed.
"Right well, I'm ready to head out- maybe go back to Hydra's and get her to make those pies," Willow interjected, breaking the awkwardness in half like a twig while picking up her apples. "Oh dear yes," Anette added,"I'm actually quite famished, can we maybe pick some food up on the way back?" I roll my eyes at the idea while picking up myself and my apples up. I hate drive through garbage and junk food- I prefer home made, but right now my anxiety has made me tired to the point where I considered joining them. "Hey wait! Before we go, can we take a group photo? It's beautiful out here, and I'd love a reminder of the time together," Flora said with a smile, flashing her perfect teeth. "Yeah, of course! And after we can swap numbers so that I can have the photo and send it to my mom. She'd be happy to see us all here together." We piled all the apples in the back of the jeep and gathered in front of the sunset to take a photo. Willow posed in her natural goofball way while Anette laughed at her. Me and Flora were in the background with one another, and as snapped the picture, she slid her hand into mine. "Tadah!" She showed the photo of us all and the sunset in the background looked great as we all looked happy together. I could tell I was flustered in the photo with my tomato red face and crooked smile. I feel... Happy... I'm glad I came out here. I'm happy to be with friends, and I think... I'm happy to be near her too. We all exchange numbers and finally get into the jeep to drive off yet again.

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