Chapter 10

The following day begins like every other and Ali finds herself laughing at the monotony. So much in her life has changed in just a couple of days and yet her routine remains the same. As she climbs the stairs up to her locker after class, she ignores the array of glances coming her way – some brief and subtle; others intense and drawn out.

Ali is surprised when someone grabs her hand. She looks down to find fingers linking her hand and another together. Then she looks up to find Rachel gazing down at her, dark circles beneath her swollen eyes, paired with a forced smile. Ali brushes her thumb lightly back and forth across Rachel's knuckles as she leads them towards her locker.

"Hey," Ali whispers, nudging Rachel slightly as she leans against the metal door, "I don't want to sound like one of those really naggy girlfriends but…" Ali's eyes widen slightly as she realizes the word she's just used but decides to ignore it, "I can tell something's up."

Rachel sighs and allows her eyes to close briefly before nodding. Ali remains silent, not wanting to pressure her into saying anything.

"I overheard my mom talking to one of her friends last night," Rachel whispers so softly that Ali has to lean in slightly to hear her as she explains what happened.

"I tell you, Janet, they're practically teaching it in lessons over here now," Jennifer speaks into the phone with a hushed voice.

"You can't be serious?" A shocked voice replies.

"No really, even the vice-principal is a lesbian." Jennifer replies, shaking her head, "If it wasn't the best school in the area I'd have pulled Rachel out weeks ago."

"Oh, my…I have to admit I was shocked to hear the news the other month." Janet mumbles on the other end, careful not to be overheard on the base.

"Me too, it's unnatural." Jennifer's voice rises slightly, her anger starting to surface, "I've always said to Rachel that marriage is between a man and a woman. And that's final."

"Hey, it's going to be okay," Ali whispers, cupping Rachel's cheek gently despite her blood beginning to boil at the thought of someone even thinking those words.

"How is it?" Rachel asks, staring into Ali's eyes, "Mom's going to hate me." She mumbles, allowing herself to finally fall into Ali's arms completely.

"Mine don't," Ali announces after a few moments of silence. Rachel slowly pulls back from her, confused, "I told them after dinner last night. Though come to think of it, they weren't too surprised." She jokes in an effort to diffuse some of the tension and is slightly relieved to watch the corners of Rachel's mouth curve up.

A beat passes between the two of them before Rachel steps towards Ali and closes the gap again. They hold onto one another tightly, neither wanting to let go.

"We should get going if we want to catch the bus," Rachel mumbles into Ali's shoulder.

"What?" Ali mutters.

"You wanted to go see your old home, remember?" Rachel pulls back slightly to gauge Ali's expression. She watches as the memory comes back to Ali of them planning the trip last week, "Come on then, slow coach. Let's get going!" Rachel moves away from her and holds back her hand as she leans down to pick up her bag. Ali accepts the invitation and links their fingers together before allowing herself to be dragged towards the bus stop.

Meanwhile, Ali's moms were having their own debrief on last night's events in Lena's office.

"So…our daughter's gay." Lena simply states as she walks over and settles down on the couch in her office, handing a mug of coffee to Stef as she joins her.

"I just didn't see this coming. Don't get me wrong, I don't care but still," Stef sighs as she reclines into the soft cushion behind her.

"Well, I like to think that her being raised in an accepting home has something to do with that." Lena smiles slightly, taking a sip of her drink.

"I suppose we can't all get caught snuggling and then sent straight to see the priest." Stef jokes but Lena doesn't see the funny side, "Come on love, I'm trying to lighten the mood here." Stef reaches out and takes Lena's free hand in her own and gives it a gentle squeeze. "She's 17 and no matter what she decides to identify as, or if she even identifies as anything, we'll support her just like we would if it was any of the others."

"It's not that that I'm worried about." Lena looks up to meet Stef's gaze, fear filling her eyes, "Rachel's mother isn't known for her acceptance on such liberal issues." Lena uses her words carefully, trying to phrase it in her best vice-principal persona.

"She's homophobic?" Stef puts the question to her with typical bluntness that makes Lena wonder why she even bothers sometimes. Lena nods.

The bus pulls up beside a lay-by looking out over the ocean, the waves lightly lapping against the pale brick wall as the sun begins to set. They walk slowly into suburbia; the houses all uniform with perfectly cut front lawns. At the corner of this long road, they finally find the address they'd been looking for.

Tears prick in Ali's eyes as she casts her gaze over the now flattened piece of land, small pieces of brickwork the only remnants that a building ever existed here. Thankfully, the large trees she remembers from her early years still stand boldly in the grassland, providing some shade and privacy. Rachel reaches out and takes Ali's hand, giving it a slight squeeze.

"You see that tree right there?" Ali asks, pointing to the tallest tree at the front of the plot of land. Rachel nods, "It used to have a rope swing. I fell off it once and broke my front tooth." Ali laughs slightly, turning to face Rachel, "See, still a bit chipped." She grins widely but the wobble of her lower lip gives her away.

Rachel guides her over to sit on the front stone wall. They remain huddled there for a while, sitting in silence as their surroundings gradually darken. Rachel's shivers pull Ali out of her daydream, her immediate instinct being to put her arm across her shoulders and pull her closer.

"My dad would've liked you," Rachel speaks with conviction. She knows her mom might never approve but she was a daddy's girl – anything that made her happy, made him overjoyed.

"I wish I could've met him." Ali smiles sadly, "My parents would've loved you. I remember my mom could make friends out of strangers in minutes."

"I guess we'll just have to live with the would haves," Rachel sighs and pulls away from Ali's side to look around at the empty land behind them, "I thought there'd be a new house here since it's been so long."

"My moms said that it's part of my inheritance when I turn 18." Ali explains, "Weird how that's next year. Feels like yesterday that I showed up on Lena and Stef's doorstep." Ali's chin drops down to meet her chest as she takes a deep breath.

Seeing this, Rachel reaches out and tilts Ali's face so that their eyes meet. She gently wipes away a single tear threatening to fall down her cheek. Rachel smiles slightly, nervously biting her lower lip. Both lean in simultaneously, lips meeting softly at first. After a while, both pull away slowly to create a small gap between them.

"I think you're the best thing that's happened to me." Rachel whispers, nervously biting her lip again; a habit Ali had picked up on not long after they first met, "I think…I know…I love you." Rachel quickly darts her eyes towards the tarmac at their feet.

It's Ali who now tilts Rachel's chin up to her, "Hey, I love you too." They both giggle nervously as they make their way back to the bus stop, hand in hand.