The few months blurred into a rhythm of movie premieres, shared pop, and ughter eg through darkeheaters. Leona and her friends found refuge in the glow of superhero battles and edic mishaps, their collective escape from school and the uainties of teenage life. Sarah often joihem, settling into the group like a missing puzzle piece, her hand naturally finding Leona’s in the flickering light. They giggled at awkward one-liners and exged knowing gnces when a vilin’s defeat felt too ve.

  By February, as the ese Neproached, the air was cold but buzzing with energy. That night, the group gathered for a double feature, the marquee fshing bright above their heads. "e on," Trevor called, already pulling Damien toward the entrance. "If we miss the trailers, it’s your fault."

  "I swear, Trevor, you care more about previews thaual movie," Damien teased, but his smile softehe words.

  Ihe theater was warm, the st of buttered pop thi the air. Leona gnced around at her friends, notig the subtle shifts. Nate leaned close to Mallory, whispering something that made her ugh and swat at his arm. Cassie’s fioyed with Theo’s, their shoulders brushing as they debated which of the two movies would be better.

  Leona squeezed Sarah’s hand as they found their seats. “Looks like everyone’s pairing off,” she murmured with a small smile.

  Sarah shrugged, leaning her head on Leona’s shoulder. “Maybe we started something.”

  The lights dimmed, and the movie began, pulling them into its world. But Leona found her focus split, her eyes wandering to Trevor and Damien two seats down. Trevor was zily trag circles on Damien’s palm, their heads tilted close together. Oher side, Nate and Mallory shared a b, whispering in hushed tones.

  Between ses, Sarah leaned over, her voice barely a whisper. “You okay?”

  Leona forced a smile. “Yeah, just… notig how things are ging.”

  Sarah gave her a soft look, brushihumb over Leona’s knuckles. “ge isn’t always bad.”

  When the credits finally rolled, the theater lights came up, illuminating flushed faces and sleepy eyes. Nate was the first to rise, tugging Mallory to her feet. “We’re heading out,” he called over his shoulder. “Text me ter, Leona!”

  Trevor stretched, yawning dramatically. “, Damie’s go before I pass out.”

  Damien rolled his eyes but let Trevor sling an arm around him as they waoward the exit. “Later, guys!”

  Cassie tossed ay pop bucket toward the trash with a grin. “See ya, lovebirds,” she teased, her eyes dartiween Leona and Sarah before she disappeared with Theo in tow.

  Leona squeezed Sarah’s hand as they stood in the hushed theater. “Looks like it’s just us,” she murmured, her tone light but touched with mencholy.

  Sarah gave her a pyful tug. “Good,” she whispered. “I prefer it that way.”

  Outside, the brisk air their faces, but the glow from Sarah’s smile kept Leona warm. They walked in easy sileil Leoated, thumb h over her phone’s s. Quinn had bee less avaible tely, her fousid college pulling her away. Although she could still be ted on for rides, it felt wrong to disturb her.

  Leona stole a sideways g Sarah, an idea sparking. “Hey,” she said, voice brightening, “I’m kind of hungry. What do you think about hitting that all-night diner nearby?”

  Sarah tilted her head, lips curving into a grin. “Won’t that bother your sister?”

  “Eh,” Leona shrugged. “She’s probably still tied up. Besides, I feel like chili and pany.”

  Sarah’s brows lifted in mock . “Chili again? You’re determio ruin your arteries.” But her grirayed her teasing, and she looped her arm through Leona’s, tugging her in the diner’s dire.

  The chime above the door jingled as they entered, warm air and the st food ing around them. They found a booth by the window, the worher seats cracked but familiar. A waitress in a faded uniform approached, her smile bright as she set down waters.

  Leona leaned back, eyes sparkling. “I know what I want. A chili burger. Extra chili with fries. Could you scoop some chili on those too?”

  Sarah rolled her eyes dramatically. “You’re incible.” She turo the waitress. “Soup and a sad for me.” She cast Leona a teasing gnce. “I’d hate to be the only oing responsibly.”

  Leona huffed, feigning annoyance, but beh the table, her foot brushed Sarah’s, their ughter filling the space between them.

  Leona nodded in agreement. “Same here again.” The Mexi the menu caught her eye, its promise of crisp sweetempting, but she decided against it. If she was eating today, she may as well go all in. Besides, Sarah would probably remind her how sugar could rot her teeth or lead to diabetes. She g her girlfriend with a knowing smirk.

  The waitress smiled, jotted the order down, and stepped away, leaving them iive privacy. Leona leaned back, exhaling softly as the diner's warm glow settled around them. The faint strains of 1950s cssic music filled the background. It was funny how the music made the pce what it was as much as the decor.

  Sarah sighed, her firag idle patterns oable’s edge. “You know…” she began, voice low and almost hesitant, “I—really like you, Leona.” The words came out barely above a whisper, restrained by the public space, but heavy with meaning.

  Leona’s smile was instant and radiant. She leaned forward, whispering back, “I feel the same way about you too, Sarah. Ever since we met, silly.”

  But Sarah’s expression shifted, bemused and flicted. “I’m gd you feel the same, but—there’s a problem.”

  Leona’s brow furrowed slightly. “Hmmm?”

  Sarah sighed again, deeper this time. “I know how serious you are about… transitioning and all—but I have to make this clear right now.” Her voice wavered, the words weighted. “I just… don’t like girls.”

  Leohe familiar pang but kept her face calm. She had heard this before, khe fli Sarah, a girl torween love and the s of upbringing. Her smile softened, not forced, just patient. “I know,” she said quietly. “You’ve said it before.”

  Mulling it over, she added something new. “Sarah, I get it. I know a lot of what you feel es from how your parents raised you. You love them, and you want to honor what they’ve taught you. But parents don’t always get it right, even if they mean well.” Leona reached across the table, ing Sarah’s hand in her own. “They’re wrong this time. Wrong about us.”

  Sarah’s breath hitched. She hesitated.

  “You like who you like,” Leona tinued, her voice steady but tender. “And I care for you. Deeply. You like me, and that makes me so happy every time you say it. But… does it really matter what body parts I have? If I someday ge, would that ge how you feel?”

  Sarah’s face crumpled with indecision, but she nodded slowly. “You’re right,” she admitted, “but… it still feels unnatural.” Her voice dropped. “If you want to be a girl, don’t you want to be with a boy? I mean, I want that for myself. It’s tradition, not to mention God says—” She faltered, coughing to cut herself off. “Anyway, don’t you see how weird it sounds?”

  Leona inhaled sharply, the words wounding, though she masked it with a smile that wavered only slightly. “It’s not that simple, Sarah,” she said, tears prig at her eyes. “I still like girls. I always have, and I wouldn’t ge that. But I know ohing for certain—” Her voice broke slightly. “I was never supposed to be born a boy. I’ve fixed that. What’s the problem with that?”

  The tears fell now, quietly, a few slipping free, and Leona brushed at them with trembling hands.

  Sarah looked away, her shoulders sagging as if the weight of her words pressed too heavily. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, barely audible. “When I found out you were… a boy, it thrilled me. Everything suddenly made sense. Before that, I was so fused, thinking I might have feelings firl.” Her voice trembled. “But I still like boys. I see them on TV, in magazihey excite me. You’re the exception.”

  Her throat worked as she swallowed hard, the words painful. “What if someday I start feeling that way about irls? I don’t want to. I don’t want to end up like that, looking at them… like that.” Her voice cracked, breaking uhe weight of fear. “And going to hell. But with you…” She g Leona with eyes full of flict. “It worries me.”

  Leona, eyes red fr, wiped at her cheeks with trembling fingers. Her voice was tender, steady despite the ache in her chest. “I don’t believe we’ll end up in hell, Sarah. Not for this. No matter what your parents or the church say.” She paused, searg Sarah’s face. “And even if I’m right, would it really be so bad to see beauty in girls? To appreciate them that way?” She tried to smile, though it was thin and weary. “Remember how you looked at Bombshell?”

  Sarah’s head snapped up, her whisper sharp and trembling with raw emotion. “I’ve NEVER looked at girls like that.” Her hand ched oable, knuckles bng uhe strain. “Whe Bombshell, I wasn’t attracted—I was embarrassed. Scared that if she hugged me like she did those guys, it would fuse me even more. That’s all.”

  Leona rubbed her eye, her voice soft, edged with a quiet, ag uanding. “I see.” For a fleeting moment, she had dared to hope—that Sarah might embrace hoy, not only with Leona but with herself.

  Sarah’s voice faltered, wavering uhe weight of her own turmoil. “There are so maiful, talented girls, but it’s admiration, not attra.” Her gaze fell to the table, her hands twisting together as if she could wring out the fusion and fear suffog her. Her words came as a whisper, heavy with relud vulnerability. “And you… Leona—you’re very wonderful and attractive, but—” Her hand flew to her mouth, stifling the words, her face burning with a fierce blush. “I don’t want to be a lesbian,” she choked out, her voice fragile and trembling. “Not even for you, Leona.”

  Leona’s throat tightened, a quiet pain c through her, but she reached across the table, squeezing Sarah’s haly. “I won’t force you into anything. It’s not supposed to work like that.” Her voice was sorrowful, yet steady. “Just… don’t let your parents’ ideas trol who you love. You deserve more.”

  The silehat followed felt heavy, oppressive, until the waitress returned, carefully setting their ptes down. Her eyes lingered, soft with unspoken uanding, the kindness in her expression impossible to ignore. Leona and Sarah each managed a polite nod, but the waitress left without a word. They ate in near silehe king of silverware against ptes the only sound, their earlier versation hanging over them like a storm cloud. Even the food couldn’t cut through the weight of their unspoken fears, ag hearts, and the love her knew how to navigate.

  Leona’s phone vibrated, breaking the tension. Quinn’s message appeared on the s:

  PretzelzQuinzelz: I’m w8ing outside. You two do? ;D

  Leona showed Sarah the text aured to the door, reag into her pocket to pay. Sarah stopped her, setting the exact amount down with a quiet finality. They left in silehe waitress’s passionate gaze following them to the door.

  They piled into Quinn’s car, and the tension was suffog. her Leona nor Sarah spoke, the air betweehick with sadness and unresolved emotion. Quinn, oblivious to the silent rift, chattered with the upbeat energy of someone who hadn’t withe wouering in the back seat.

  “I came up with this sick beat st week,” Quinn begahusiasm bubbling over. “It’s got this heavy drop that’ll blow everyone’s mind.” She paused, waiting for aion, her eyes dartiweewo girls. Nothing. Only the soft hum of the engine filled the void.

  Leona stared out the window, jaw ched, her thoughts a whirlwind of doubt and pain. She could feel Sarah’s absence even though she was sitting mere inches away. It wasn’t long before Quinn’s attempts at versation fizzled, and silence recimed the car.

  When they reached Sarah’s house, she unbuckled her seatbelt without a word, stepping out of the car as if the air itself had grown too heavy. She walked up the driveway, her shoulders stiff, hesitating just o the door. Leona watched, breath caught ihroat, but Sarah didn’t look back. The door closed behind her with a finality that echoed in Leona’s chest.

  As the vertible pulled away, the night air whipping around them, Leona broke. Tears spilled over, and she sobbed untrolbly in the back seat, voice crag. “What did I DO? What went wrong?” The wind tugged at her hair, but it only added to her frustration, a cruel reminder of how out of trol everythi.

  Quinn gnced in the rearview mirror, her brows furrowed in . She offered a soft smile, not mog but meant to soothe. “What happened?” she asked gently.

  Between hiccupping breaths, Leona reted everything, her voice trembling with heartbreak. The words poured out like an open wound, and when she was done, she slumped back, drained.

  Quinn’s smile lihoughtful and steady. “You didn’t do anything wrong,” she said firmly. “You stood yround and told her how you felt. She o hear it.”

  Leona shook her head, staring at the blurred cityscape. “But what if she doesn’t e back? What if it’s too much for her?” The desperation in her voice was raw.

  “She will,” Quinn said fidently, her hands steady on the wheel. “Put yourself in her shoes. She’s scared. Everything’s ging for her, and she ’t make sense of it yet. But I think she likes you too much to let her parents’ wishes trol her forever.”

  Leona sniffled, wiping her eyes. “But what if she ’t?”

  Quinn’s voice softened, but her resolve didn’t waver. “She’s got to figure that out herself, Leona. You’ve done everything you could. If you need me to talk to her, I will, but I don’t think it’ll help. This is between you two.”

  Leoated, her throat tight. “Y-yeah… Thanks, sis.”

  Quinn gave her a reassuring gn the mirror. “Anytime.”

  Leona gazed at the streetlights as they passed, their glow blurring through her tears. The versation at the café had pnted a seed, ohat would grow into a storm destio reshape everythiween them.

  And somewhere on the horizon, a far darker stathered, looming, waiting to break.