Chapter Thirteen: "Her Truth"

Lucy narrated everything to the principal in a sequential order, from Louisa's advances, to the party, then to the recognition list; she stopped after narrating the events of the morning.

"Bree, you're a lesbian?" The principal asked, stupefied.

Bree nodded "proudly".

The principal stared at her like he had seen

a ghost, she was too beautiful, too smart, too amazing to decide she wanted to desist from the normal order of nature and tread on a path that was condemnable.

Becca gazed at the complacent look in Bree's eyes, Bree wasn't the only proud one "is something wrong with her being a lesbian?" She questioned the principal.

"Umm… the thing is, the school is strict against homosexuality, seeing that her" he stared at Bree, he couldn't find the words to describe anything anymore.

"Truth" Andrea spoke up "her truth"

The principal gave a look and continued "seeing that her truth has come to light, then I'm sorry but we'll have to expel her"

Becca gaped at him, her lips moved to say something but before she could form words, Andrea already spoke up "bullshit, then what about promiscuity, what are the consequences of promiscuity and stigmatization?"

"Andrea please keep your thoughts to yourself" the principal demanded rudely

"Why must she?" Andrea gaped at Becca "She is my niece not yours and certainly not a student in your school because even an idiot with a fish brain could guess your intentions towards her, having the record of a murderer many petitions must've been written against her, even now she beat up the son of the prime minister, is she so amazing that you would want to keep her?"

Andrea couldn't find words to say, this was the first time Becca had ever said something that wasn't against her.

"Andrea, dear, go on," Becca concluded.

Andrea nodded at her and proceeded "Bree is a lesbian, but never had she ever involved herself with fornication, Louisa came to her, Charles fucking Rick even wrote her love letters but all these she refused, she did not force anyone to join her on her single log bridge, so tell me, how can you punish her for being a lesbian, she said it, but she never acted on it"

There was no way she would allow Bree soar into the heavens.

"Surely these other students will be punished" The principal said

"But they wouldn't be expelled because they didn't say they were homosexuals. The simple punishment that would be sentenced to Louisa would be suspension because she is straight as proved by her sexual association with a boy, but she wouldn't be considered pansexual or bisexual even though she tried to have sex with Bree, even locked her up in the girls locker room to rape her. As long as she doesn't say it, then she isn't, right?" She waited for the principal to answer, but the poor man could only mutter incoherent words.

Andrea continued "okay, keeping Louisa aside, what about those students that decided to take laws into their own hands, okay let's say what Charles did wasn't on school grounds so it doesn't count but what about the defamation of character, openly calling her a slut, just because she chose to be different." Like she already guessed the reason for their presence, she gestured towards the students she didn't recognize. "I bet you I'll find something against them, why are they here?"

This question, the principal could answer, but he surely didn't want to "They are the students that Bree was tutoring. The teacher reported that the students refused to listen to Bree and resorted to even throwing rotten fruits at her, she asked Bree why but Bree refused to say"

Andrea's voice got stuck in her throat, her rage intensifying. "They bullied you?" The question was directed at Bree, but the latter didn't respond. "But they wouldn't be punished with expulsion but rather suspension or removing gum from the tables and chairs or detention. What if Bree was a weakling, someone that would resort to killing herself because of the stigma, only then would they be punished, but as long as she's strong, she doesn't deserve justice because she can persevere. Lesbians are unworthy of being heard, of justice, of human rights because they're different from you, you stereotypical animal!" The last line was yelled out in rage.

"I understand where you're coming from, Bree has done nothing wrong, she doesn't deserve to be expelled, but there's nothing I can do, if it's up to me I'll let her stay but I don't own the school" The principal lamented. "If it's any consolation, I can write a recommendation letter to your next school"

"You don't have to bother yourself" Bree's voice was extremely low even though she had been hit like a ton of bricks by Andrea's words "my face is enough recommendation" Bree gave a complacent look at the principal.

"Fuck you, the administrators and your stupid recommendation letter" Andrea moved to grab Bree's hand "we're getting out of this shithole and guess what" the principal gave her a questioning stare "you don't get to expel us, we're leaving on our own accord" she locked her fingers with Bree's and walked out of the office.

Andrea led Bree to the parking lot to wait for Becca, she tried not to stare at Bree despite feeling her piercing gaze.

"You were so beautiful," Bree blurted out.

"I don't think I've ever been ugly, but thanks" Andrea joked and they both laughed.

"When did you plan this?" Bree asked.

The morning sun glared fiercely, the soft autumn winds blew slowly, bringing with it a chill, but Andrea was hot.

Her gaze lingered on Bree for a while before she replied "when I had a hint of your plan" she tucked the tendrils from her ponytail behind her ears and asked "why do you want to leave?"

"I have to fulfill the wish of a dying man and also" Bree stared at the school's building, for a slight moment she felt nostalgic.

Just for a moment

"I do not want to hide my truth, Royal High would never accept someone like me"

"No one would tread on the path you've decided," Andrea said calmly.

"These people are nothing but shallow and stereotypical, there's a vast world beyond this, out there, I might be accepted for who I am" Bree smiled gently against the wind "I know there's a place for people like us, a world out there"

"You're so hopeful" Andrea couldn't continue staring at her, she peeled her gaze from the surreal human. "Aren't you gonna ask me why I want to leave?"

"Why should I ask when I already know the answer," Bree said.

"What do you think is the reason?" If Bree really knew the answer Andrea swore she would spend the rest of life in devotion to Bree.

"Reality sometimes is really horrifying, so many people say that the world would change, but they show no signs of changing" she fixed her eyes on Andrea "Though you've been through a lot of things any human wouldn't even wish on their enemy, but that doesn't make you inhuman or even strong. You've built a wall around yourself out of fear, you're a coward that would never advance, you'd rather run away than embracing the pain your pleasure brings with it" Andrea guffawed.

"How are you so awesome?" Andrea asked rhetorically "now I know why Lucy worships you, you're totally deserving of such glory, how omniscient"

"Fuck it, I am not going to devote myself to her" Andrea thought

The mirth in Andrea's eyes intoxicated Bree, she laughed along with Andrea for a while. "I'm not omniscient"

"Ohhh, now you're being humble, back there you were like" she imitated Bree "my face is enough recommendation" Bree guffawed loudly.

"There's something wrong with you" Bree smiled at the scene, finally she got to laugh with Andrea, finally she got to experience first-hand Andrea's silliness.

Finally for a moment, they were the only thing that mattered to the both of them.