Alison stood in the empty hallway, trying to force her bulky textbooks out of her tiny locker. All of her classmates had already gone, and the only sound was the clock ticking on the wall.
Suddenly, footsteps echoed from around the corner and another female figure appeared at her side. “Hey gorgeous. Need some help?”
“Hello Violet.” Alison smiled, recognizing her girlfriend. “No, I think I’ve almost got it.”
She finally freed her book from the locker and stumbled back, tripping over her own feet. Violet lunged to catch her before she could hit the ground.
Alison stared up into Violet’s teal-colored eyes and blushed. “My hero.”
“Anything for a beautiful maiden in distress,” Violet said.
It was true. Alison was an absolutely beautiful girl. Her eyes were a piercing shade of ice blue, and her brown hair fell in silky curls around her shoulder. Violet had a plainer face, but both her hair and personality were a fiery shade of red. She helped Alison to her feet, kissing her hand in a noble fashion. “All better?”
“It is now,” Alison said, joining in on Violet’s flirtatious mood. “What do you say we forget about our homework tonight and go catch a movie instead?”
“Deal,” Violet agreed. “I was going to forget about my homework anyway.”
Alison laughed. She should’ve seen that one coming. “I love you,” she said more seriously.
“I love you, too,” Violet told her. “Actually, I’ve been meaning to ask you something.”
“What’s that?” Alison asked happily.
“Well, you know that the Fall Formal Fling is coming up next week,” Violet said, choosing her words carefully. “I think we should go together.”
Alison’s smile faded quickly. “You mean like… in public?”
“It’s a public school,” Violet said.
“Well, yeah! But that’s…” Alison was at a loss. “That’s admitting that you and I are… that we’re…”
“You can say the word, Alison.” Violet crossed her arms. “We’re gay. And why do you have to say admitting like it’s a confession to some crime?”
“What do you want me to call it?” Alison asked. “We wouldn’t just be coming out to the people at school! I’d be coming out to my parents, my grandparents, my friends…!”
“Alison, I know what I’m asking is a lot,” Violet said, “but we’ve been hiding away long enough, and we haven’t done anything to be ashamed of. There’s no reason for us to hide who we are.”
“That’s easy for you to say! Your family’s supported you all your life!” Alison argued. “My parents think that homosexuality is a sin and a choice. What would they say if they knew?”
“I don’t know,” Violet admitted. “But I know that they’re wrong. We’re in love, Alison. We want to be together. What’s wrong with that?”
“Nothing’s wrong with that!” Alison hurried into her arms and held her tightly, closing her eyes. She felt safe in Violet’s arms, like some kind of a shield had come up around her. “I don’t mean to be this way, it’s just… I’m afraid.”
“I know,” Violet murmured gently. “I don’t blame you. But will you at least think about it? For me?”
Alison nodded. “I’ll think about it.”
Violet smiled and kissed her forehead. “Thank you.”

Alison sat alone in her room a few days later. She and Violet hadn’t spoken of their discussion in the hall since it had happened, but she could feel that Violet was growing impatient, even if she tried not to show it.
It wasn’t that Alison didn’t want the world to know of her sexuality, she did. There were times when she wanted to shout it from the rooftops, but her fear held her back. What would people say if they knew? She didn’t want to be the outcast that people whispered about when she wasn’t in the room. She didn’t want to be pushed into walls every day and tormented endlessly just because she was different than everyone else. Was that the kind of life that would await her if she went with Violet to the school dance? Sometimes the thought was almost too much to take.
Just then, there was a knock at the door, making her jump. She whipped around to see a familiar face smiling at her.
“Guess who’s home from college!”
“David!” Alison cried happily, rushing into her older brother’s arms. “You’re home! For how long?”
“Just a few hours, I’m afraid,” David said. “But I couldn’t go without seeing my favorite little sister.”
“I’m glad you’re here.” Alison sighed with relief. “I really am. I’ve missed you.”
“I’ve missed you too.” David smiled. “Hey, is something wrong? You look a little… out of it. What’s going on?”
Alison felt her heart beginning to thump. Should she tell her brother what was really on her mind? What would he do? Her parents were one thing, but surely David wouldn’t judge her. Would he?
“David...” Alison’s voice shook slightly. “What would you say if I told you I was… different?”
David laughed. “Different? Ali, you’re my sister. I love you no matter what.”
Alison felt relief wash over her. Finally, she was going to be able to talk to someone! The secret she’d kept inside wouldn’t have to be a burden any longer.
“David,” she said quietly. “I’m in love.”
David’s face lit up. “That’s fantastic! Ali, I’m so happy for you! Who is he? Have I met him?”
“Well, that’s just the thing,” Alison explained. “He’s not a he. She’s a she.”
David’s smile slowly faded as he took in what she’d said. “What?”
“The woman I’m in love with is named Violet,” Alison said. “I’m gay, David.”
David’s jaw was hanging open and his eyes were wide. “You’re… one of them?!” he demanded suddenly.
“Don’t say it like that,” Alison begged him. “I’m happy, and Violet’s good to me. You told me you’d accept me no matter what.”
“I didn’t expect you to tell me you were gay!” David cried so loudly Alison was afraid her parents would come running. “How did this happen, Alison?! You were a perfectly normal girl! You wore skirts, you went shopping, you baked cakes! How is it that you turned out to be a…?!”
The word made Alison flinch as though he’d struck her. She’d heard the word before, and knew what it meant, but somehow being called it to her face now made her knees go weak.
“David, don’t say that!” she pleaded, feeling tears roll from her eyes. “This is who I am, I can’t help that! Please don’t treat me like this!”
But David wasn’t listening. He’d already spun around and was storming back out the door.
“You need help, Ali!” he told her. “I don’t know how this happened, but you need help! I’m getting Mom and Dad! If I can’t talk some sense into you, then maybe they can!”
He slammed the door so hard the whole house shook, and Alison fell to her knees, sobbing into her hands. Not even her big brother would accept her for who she was. Was there anyone in the entire world who could see past their own nose?
She could think of only one.

“Alison?” Violet opened the front door of her house, shocked to find her girlfriend sitting with her head on her knees on the walkway steps. “What are you doing here? I thought you were staying home tonight.”
“I was,” Alison said quietly. “I was, I…”
She broke down sobbing again, panicking Violet.
“Hey! Whoa, whoa, whoa!” she crouched beside Alison and pulled her close. “Deep breaths, tell me what happened.”
“I told him,” Alison choked out. “My brother, Violet. I told him about me, and about us, and do you know what he called me?!”
“I have a pretty good guess,” Violet sighed. “Alison, I’m so sorry. This is all my fault.”
“No it’s not! It doesn’t even matter!” Alison was still crying. “I would’ve had to tell them eventually, and this is how they treat me?! My parents called me sick, like I had some kind of horrible disease! Do you have any idea how that made me feel?!”
“Of course I do,” Violet said. “My parents may have supported me, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t felt how badly words can sting.”
Alison was beginning to calm down. Her breathing steadied and her tears flowed more slowly. “How are we ever supposed to handle it?”
“By remembering that they’re wrong,” Violet reminded her. “People who judge us have no idea what they’re talking about, okay? We’re not sick, we’re not confused, we’re not sinners, and we’re not different. We’re human beings, just like anybody else. We haven’t made a choice to love each other, the choice was theirs in choosing to judge us. Don’t you dare let them shame you for loving me, because you’re my one and only.”
Alison found herself beginning to smile. “If there is one thing I’ll never be ashamed of,” she said, “it’s loving you.”
“There you go.” Violet kissed her forehead. “Are you going to be okay?”
“I think so,” Alison nodded. “After all, it’s my family who needs to change. Not me. I can stand living in an imperfect world, just so long as I know it’s getting better.”
“Always,” Violet agreed. “I love you.”
“I love you too,” Alison said. “And Violet?”
“Yeah?”
“Go rent your tux.”

The End