One Day At A Time - Revised Edition

Two days later, on Monday, Ava goes into the cafeteria with an extra bit of pep-in-her-step.

Before anyone can ask what it's for, she tells them right off the bat,
"I told my mom everything."

They all lean in, looking at her eagerly.
"And?" Lilly questions first.
"She's really happy for me, for us." Ava nods toward her when she says, "us" and Lilly wraps her arms around her without a second thought,
"I'm so, so happy for you!"
Lucas grins at her across the table,
"I'm proud of you!"

Rose tells Ava that they're proud of her as well. Then, for a moment, they dig around in their backpack, holding something in their hand.
"Well, now I can give you this." They say, presenting Ava with a bracelet made of glittery rainbow beads.
The word, "queer" spelled in metallic letter beads. "I wanted to wait until it was okay to give it to you, but I hope you like it."
"I love it!" Ava beams, going over to Rose and hugging them, thanking them for the bracelet.

It's her first pride related thing and it's special, because of that.

When she's in the car with Lilly after school that day, Ava abruptly asks her while fidgeting with the bracelet,
"Will I be able to get more stuff like this?"

Lilly looks over at her for a second.
"Yeah, definitely. Wait until next month, you'll be able to get plenty of it."
"Maybe we can get some stuff together? Like a shopping date?"

Lilly thinks about the odd, judgmental look her mom will give her if she comes home with more pride-related things.
The thought of it admittedly scares her.

"I don't know, maybe..."
"We don't have to, but I think it would be cool-" Ava cuts herself off, she can see Lilly's shoulders tense up. "Are, are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm okay. I just kind of worry about bringing home stuff like that."
Ava looks down at her lap,
"I'm sorry. I, I know that it's a, a touchy, um, subject."

Lilly pulls into Ava's driveway and parks the car.
"It's not really a touchy subject, it's... fine. I want to buy stuff like that and I want to buy some of it with you. I like the idea of it being a date, actually, but I worry about what my parents will think."

Ava looks at her again, reaching over to hold Lilly's hand, and giving it a squeeze,
"I know you worry about it."
"I do, but then, I might just say, 'Screw it' and buy whatever I want."

When Lilly says it, she sounds almost determined.
She's determined to do what she wants.

"Maybe you should do that, I believe in you. I know you could do it." Ava tells her, running her thumb over the back of Lilly's hand, smiling at her reassuringly.

Those words and that sweet smile are enough for Lilly to feel calmer.
"I might just do it. When June starts, you and I are going shopping to get all the rainbow crap we can get our hands on!"

She sounds even more determined than before, like a switch has gone off in her head; a "screw it!" switch.
It'll be a move against her parents, against her mom.

In spite of her mom.

It's sort of a stupid idea, buying colorful paraphernalia in spite of her mom, but she's too determined right now to think about anything else.

She looks right at Ava with a wide smile on her face. "How does that sound?"
"It sound great!"
"Good, then it's settled."

The determination in Lilly's eyes in a beautiful thing to Ava.

She blurts (and thinks quite loudly) with a soft smile on her face,
"I love you."
And Lilly smiles and says it back.

Ava kisses Lilly's cheek, per their routine, and she says, "I love you." again when she gets out of the car.

She's happy to see Lilly so determined; it's more than beautiful to see.