Rainbow High OC Scraps

Coming Out

 Sabrina slowly dragged herself back to her room, trudging like a zombie. Ever since she'd visited home, she'd felt so undead, she might as well stay in the dirt.

The moment played in her head over and over again. Standing in her cabin with her parents. Things had been going so well. She'd just told them about her girlfriend, Pepper, when the light showed up.

Her mom knew it was there, but she couldn't see it like Sabrina and her dad. The light was more beautiful than anything she'd seen in her life. It radiated a calm, peaceful energy. Had Sabrina not known better, she'd run right in herself to dissolve in that lovely energy.

But the light wasn't for her. Not yet. It was for her dad. After all this time.

Her dad had crossed over. She didn't like thinking about the details. Like the final things he said to her and her mother, or the empty chill that filled the room when the light left. She'd felt cold ever since. Cold and empty.

Sabrina was used to death. After all, her dad's been dead far longer than she had been alive. She understood how it worked, and how spirits lived on. She'd had friends over the years that have disappeared into that light. But it was different this time. She was close enough to feel the warmth, the irresistible pull. And this was her dad of all people.

Things were different now. She'd never truly experienced loss like this before. It sucked all the energy from you. And she was sure her roommates had noticed. She could tell in the way they watched her trudge by. But they didn't dare ask her about it.

Sabrina sat on her bed, wrapped in a blanket she'd helped her parents crochet. She examined an old drawing of her dad wistfully. She'd prepared for this, filling an old sketchbook with drawings and names of the spirits she meets. So many stories. And then...those stories end. Too soon.

A sharp knock snaps Sabrina out of her funk temporarily. She looks up to find Pepper standing in her doorway. Her pretty face was contorted with concern. Uh oh.

"Hey...can we talk?" she asked quietly.

Sabrina blinked at her girlfriend. Talk...about this? About them? She didn't really like any of the options. But she just couldn't say no. She nodded, and Pepper took a seat next to her on the bed, making sure to close the door behind her.

"I know something's been bothering you," she said, turning toward Sabrina, determined. "Ever since you got back from your visit home, you've been acting...gloomier than usual. You obviously don't have to talk about it if you don't want to, but I'd really like to know...what's wrong?"

Sabrina couldn't help but blush under the attention of Pepper. Despite everything, it was tough to look into her eyes and not feel uplifted at least a little. But...what could she say? "Hey, my dead dad died again!" Pepper'd think she was weird. Weirder than before. Bad weird. But...just saying he died didn't feel right either. It was a lie. One that demanded follow-up information. When? How? When is the funeral? Can I see a photo of him? She can't answer those without even more lies, and one big lie was bad enough as it is.

Pepper anxiously brushed her hair out of her face, revealing her other eye. "Sabrina?" she prodded.

Sabrina found herself frozen. Pepper was amazing. She already knew that. But her face was usually obscured by her hair. Now...staring into BOTH her eyes, Sabrina couldn't think straight. This girl was so beautiful and seemed to...actually care about her somehow? She genuinely wanted to know what was wrong.

How could Sabrina possibly take such a secret from her?

She shook her head and turned away, trying to find the words. "You'll think I'm nuts."

"Hey, you don't know that! Try me,"

"Ok..." Sabrina closed her eyes tightly. When she opened them, things would be entirely different. "I'm half ghost! My dad's a ghost, but he just crossed over for good and I really miss him!"

Silence. She slowly opened her eyes to see Pepper watching her with a look of intrigue. "A...ghost? For real?"

Sabrina nodded, bracing for the worst, But the worst never came.

"That's...that's so...amazing! I knew you were cool, but this is a whole new level!"

"You...believe me?"

Pepper seemed taken aback. She took Sabrina's hands in her own and looked at her incredulously. "Of COURSE I believe you. Why wouldn't I?'

"And you don't think I'm...weird?"

"I think you're the absolute most amazing girl in this whole school! You're a real-life cryptid! It's out of this world. I love it."

Sabrina felt her face heat up. She wrenched her hands from Pepper's and put her face into them. So much just happened. She felt Pepper gently place a hand on her back. "And...I'm really sorry about your dad. I know there's not really anything I can say that will help with this sort of thing...but I'm sure he's happy wherever he is."

Sabrina couldn't help but laugh a little. She lifted her face out of her hands, remembering the intense calm the light brought. "He is."

"See? I know loss isn't easy but...if you let me in more...I can help you get through this. I want to be part of your world, Sabrina. Ghosts and all,"

Sabrina's vision began to blur with tears. It was all too perfect. She leaned in and placed a quick kiss against Pepper's lips. They were soft and tasted like pears.

Pepper pulled back and tilted her head, a cheeky look on her face. "So...do you have any cool ghost powers?"

Sabrina couldn't help but laugh. She'd never felt more glad to be part ghost. And never more glad to have someone like Pepper.