Prompt: 018 Push
Character: Luke
Luke sat alone under a tree in his middle school's courtyard. He stared down at the screen of his datapad, reading an article about a new sort of ship they were going to start making called a Hornet. They looked rather interesting, though he was a bit sad to find that they would really only be used by the military. This was how he spent most of his lunches. It had been since three years ago when his secret had gotten out.
Mitt had told his entire grade about the fact that he was gay, and since then they hadn't wanted to be friends with him. He hadn't realized it but he lived in one of the worst places in the galaxy to be homosexual. His planet was known for their strict religious beliefs, one of which was that being gay was wrong. He had nowhere to turn any more, and no friends. Some of the girls would still talk to him, but over all they avoided him. Even his own father had become distant. He didn't feel like his father disliked him, just didn't know how to handle the news.
It was fine with Luke. It had shown him who was really a friend and who wasn't. He'd gotten a job at a local super market, and a book store in town that he worked weekends at. He was saving up money. Maybe one day he'd move away from here, or take a trip to a big city and find one of the support groups that he'd heard about for people like him.
The reason he really didn't care was because he'd already filled the void left by spending time with friends. He did school work, and his grades had shown the effort. He had looked into flight schools, and high grades didn't hurt when applying. If he saved up enough money, he'd even be able to afford it all on his own. Then he could go anywhere; enjoy having all of space as the limit to where he can journey.
Luke frowned as a shadow moved over him and he realized that it wasn't a cloud. He looked up to see a boy who had to have been an eighth grader. He didn't know why the other boy was there, but he moved crouch. "Can I help you?" Luke asked.
"You're Luke?" Luke nodded and the older boy smiled. "Hi, I'm Martin. You can't help me, but I might be able to help you." He held out a paper and Luke took it. He frowned down at the site that was written down on the paper. "When I was in a position like you, they really helped me." The older boy smiled and stood up, turning to walk away.
"Wait." The older boy stopped and Luke stood up. "What do you mean a situation like me?" He didn't know this kid, or what this site he'd been given was even about.
"I mean you're not like the other boys. You aren't trying to get dates with the girls. Every time you go to church you hear about how you're wrong and evil because you were born the way you were. Sitting alone outside while everyone is enjoying lunch insides. Yeah, I know that one." He motioned toward the paper. "That site can really help."
"What is it?" He looked at the address but it looked like nothing but a string of numbers and letters.
"It's a support network. There are communities like ours still around, or people who are having trouble deciding when to come out to religious families. They're very understanding." Martin smiled at him. "I mean, sure, it's accepted in 90% of the Earth colonies, but there are still pocket places like this that don't accept it. Eventually they'll help you realize that these people who don't accept you are just stuck in the past. Like stone age past." Martin laughed and Luke couldn't help but smile. "Though I have to say, you seem to be doing well with it."
Luke shrugged. "I am who I am, and I've accepted it. My friends are not a big loss. It's their problem if they don't want to be friends with me. When I become a famous pilot, they'll all see that they were the idiots cause they can't hit me up for money." He laughed a bit and moved over as Martin sat down beside him.
"So you want to be a pilot one day? What kind, commercial, military, space?" Martin settled in and relaxed against the tree with Luke. It was the first time in a while that Luke had felt like he really had a friend. They sat under the tree each lunch for the rest of the school year and just talked. It was the best year of school that Luke would ever have.