𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑴𝒊𝒅𝒏𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝑹𝒐𝒔𝒆

𝕷𝖔𝖛𝖊𝖗 𝕸𝖆𝖓

"Hey, uh, Valentino?"

They were sitting outside again, soaking up the sunset. "What's up?"

White felt butterflies in his stomach. Never in a million years did he think he would do this. "Do you want to see a movie with me? It's a really cool one about gorillas."

"Like tonight?"

"Yeah."

"Yeah, sure."

-

White looked over at him. Why did he like a guy? He was supposed to be straight. Christians shouldn't be gay, at least that's what the church said. He never thought he was, but yet again, he never had the chance to explore it. With the gang, war, grief, some more war, and then depression, he never had the time or energy for a relationship.

Valentino was the same way. He was busy exploding his gender, work, school, and everything else the war brought that he didn't care. Nobody paid them any attention anyway because they were always the shy, overweight kid that got picked on for not knowing how to speak Korean. Then she lost that weight and became famous, a lot of people wanted her. Between his career, writing songs, anxiety, and moving here and there, he didn't care. Besides, who would date a genderfluid person?

The taller tried to gather the courage to touch her hand. What if he gets mad? It's funny. For someone who's been to war, he's scared of simply holding a hand.

---------

Luna's stomach heavy. Mom was coming over for the first time since the divorce for her birthday. Sarah had one of her coworkers give her to Clara.

"Hi, Lunie." Her stomach was in knots. She hoped her daughter didn't hate her. "I got you a gift."

She gave her the toy she wanted. Luna didn't care about it. She just wanted her mom.

"Do you want to go to the restaurant? You can get whatever you like." She picked her up, kissing her hand. She missed her so much. She wanted this moment to last forever.

And the birthday girl felt the same way. "Yeah! You can get whatever you want too."

She drove there, she still didn't sell the car. She wanted her old life back. Walking to school with Luna, playing and singing with her, sleeping beside Sarah, kissing her body. She knew she ruined it. She knew they were better off without her.

The minute they stepped out of the car, the looks began. The dirty glares, whispers, and laughter, she hated it. Luna didn't understand why mom was so nervous. The people were very kind to her, waving and smiling at her.

"Ma'am." If looks could kill, the waiter would've been thrown in jail. "I kindly ask you to leave."

Didn't have to tell her twice. She picked up Luna and carried her back into the car, crying when she was at the wheel.

"What's wrong, mom?" The little girl felt so scared. She wanted to get run out and get away from her feelings.

Clara wiped her face. "Nothing, kæreste. They're closing. We need to go somewhere else."

"Oh, ok! We can go to the park, that never closes!"

"Yeah, ok!" She turned on the car. No people should be there. It was getting dark.

They had fun. It was the first time in months since Clara smiled. It was the first time Luna got to be on mom's lap and have her hold her. If only time could stop, Sarah texted her daughter on her first ever phone that it was time to go home so she could play with her school-friends at the house. Her mother drove slowly.