Pride - Delilah and Aubrey

two

It was 2:53 when the pair was arriving at Second and Park. They had been through many trials and tribulations, including the disgusting meal they got from a food cart along the way. Delilah was a mix of terrified and ecstatic, her brother on the other hand was completely calm. The only thing that seemed to bother him was Delilah's choice of outfit.

"Remind me again why you chose to wear sweatpants and a tight-ass graphic tee to a pride parade..?" He had been making comments like this the entire trip.

"Well I'm sorry I'm not out yet! Jesus Clay, you make it seem like I can walk out the house in rainbow suspenders and flannel." Delilah looked down at her clothes and shrugged. "It works for me," she mumbled, suddenly very self-conscious. The silence between them seemed to last forever, until it didn't. "Is that... Music?"

Clayton cocked his head and laughed. "Yeah, that's music alright. It's also Queen, so can you guess where it's coming from?"

Delilah gasped and did an excited hop. "We're here!" The young girl began humming along to the music, Don't Stop Me Now by Queen.

Clayton and Delilah began pushing past the people in the sidewalk. "S-Sorry! Excuse me! Pardon me!" Delilah repeated after bumping into several pride-goers. Clayton scoffed and dragged her into the middle of the street. 

"Guess it hasn't started yet," he smirked, spinning around to get a full view of the people lined up on the sidewalk. "I'M BACK BITCHES!" 

"Clay!" Delilah screeched, covering her face with her hands as other gay men whooped and clapped at her brother's display. "This isn't the time!" Clayton's yelling also alerted a few girls, but Delilah hadn't noticed yet.

"This is exactly the time sis, it's the gay parade! As long as we don't... murder anyone we're fine. People like us are welcome here, not excluded. Now, you're going to do what I just did." 

Delilah ripped her hands away from her face to glare at the smug-looking man in front of her. "I swear to god Clayton, if you do anything-"

"Hey everyone!" he began, earning a few hollers from the crowd. He shot a glance down the street and cursed. "The parade is about to start, so I'll make this quick. This is my sister-" half-sister, Delilah corrected in her head. "-and she just came out a few months ago!" Delilah heard cheers and clapping from all around her and she gave the onlookers an embarrassed smile. She looked around, scanning the crowd. Before Clayton did anything he might regret, she wanted to make sure no one from their school had come down to the parade. 

Her gaze got caught on a particular pair of space-buns from the crowd. Her eyes drifted over the features of the girls face, the dimples on each of her cheeks, the smooth, freckled skin that covered her body. The way the loose fabric of her top lifted just slightly to expose her midriff. The way she smiled while laughing with her friends on the curb. Delilah's hand clenched around the bottom of Clayton's tank-top. "C-Clay! Someone from Seldstone is here," she muttered under her breath. She watched as the amber eyes of the girl locked onto hers. Needless to say, Delilah quickly averted her eyes and began pestering her brother again. "Clay please! Don't do this!"

"Who?" Clayton asked, following Delilah's gaze. "Oh yeah, her. She's a sophomore if I can remember correctly. Her name is Aubrey." He shrugged and continued looking into the crowd.

Aubrey, she thought to herself. Such a pretty name. 

Clayton eventually returned to the loud tone of voice he had used earlier. "Her name's Delilah, and she's still a little weary about being here. Can we should her some love?" The pair earned cheers from both sides of the street. "Delilah! Delilah! Delilah!" Clayton began, and soon enough, everyone had joined in. 

Delilah, now blushing as red as a tomato, looked back in the direction of Aubrey. The girl had joined in on the chanting. She wasn't sure whether she should hide in shame or be happy that she was feeling so... appreciated. "Okay! Okay! Everyone, we can calm it down, I'm- I'm feeling better," Delilah called out through a smile.

Clayton began to pull them off the street and towards the curb. Before Delilah could stop him, he had shoved her right in the face of Aubrey. "Haaaaave you met Delilah?" he chirped, pushing his sister down onto the curb, right beside Aubrey. 

"Clayton! I swear to God-" but he was already on the other side of the street, and the parade was starting. Delilah was stuck, sitting next to a cute girl, with no escape.