Flashback
“Y’all, I think we should call it. I don’t think I’ve ever been sweatier in my entire life.”
Celeste, Max, and I are huddled under a pitifully tiny tree, desperate to hide from the sun. Not that it even helps today—humidity hangs heavy in the air, causing even the shade to feel suffocating.
“This is why the official Atlanta Pride is in October, honey,” Max replies, flapping his huge, holographic fan rapidly. “This heat is homophobic.”
“We’ve barely even been here an hour,” Celeste grumbles. “We’ve only walked down the first row of vendor booths. I think we have like six more.”
I groan loudly. “That’s way too many.” I retrieve my insulated, emotional support water bottle and take a few swigs. It’s barely still cold.
“Ooh, incoming ginger twink, two o’clock,” Max declares, his voice pitching up with excitement.
I take a quick peek out of habit, then shake my head. Twinks are men. I’m done with men. “Pass.”
Max peers at me from over his pink sunglasses. “I wasn’t pointing him out for you, bitch.”
“Okay, here’s the deal,” Celeste announces. “We can leave, but only after Jude talks to a cute girl.”
I gape at her. “Fuck, no. I’m not getting hate-crimed today.”
“Jude, we’re literally at a Pride event.”
“So? We’re still in the suburbs. This could all be a trap.”
“Jesus Christ,” Max mumbles, rubbing his temples. “I told you this was a lost cause.”
“Wow, Max, way to be supportive at my very first Pride.”
“Will you two shut the fuck up?” Celeste snaps. “Look, I’m sweating my fat ass off, too, but we got all dolled up and came all the way out here for y’all to meet other queer hotties. Obviously, Max has already gone above and beyond with this task–”
“You know how I do,” Max adds, miming a hair flip despite his hair not being long enough.
“But Jude, come on. You’ve got to at least try.”
“But I’m disgusting,” I whine, fanning under my arms. My mesh tank top has done absolutely nothing to keep me cool. “I also think I need to reapply sunscreen.”
“God, you’re so white,” Max mutters.
“What about her?” Celeste says, gesturing to the closest booth. “She’s really hot.”
I barely have to look before I’m already blushing. “Oh, my god, Celeste, she’s way too hot.”
Celeste smacks her tongue. “You’ve said that about every single girl I’ve pointed out.”
“Well, they’re all too hot!”
“This is impossible,” Max says. “Let’s just go.”
“No!” Celeste shouts, prompting a few strangers to look our way, and I hide my face behind my nonbinary-flag fan. “Jude, I’m not joking. Go talk to a cute girl before I throw your sunscreen in the lake.”
Max crinkles his nose. “Oh, Celeste, surely that can’t be good for the lake’s ecosystem.”
I scoff. “Seriously? I could get skin cancer!”
Celeste ignores us. “What about her?”
Reluctantly, I follow her gaze to see… holy shit, one of the most gorgeous humans I’ve ever laid eyes on.
She looks like a model for a goth tattoo magazine—creamy ivory skin decorated with ivy and floral tattoos, silky black hair streaked with pink and orange.
She’s wearing mostly black lace and mesh, but several bright, lesbian-colored accessories are scattered throughout her ensemble.
Her black lipstick contrasts with her perfect white teeth, framing a truly beautiful smile beneath a septum piercing.
“She’s cute,” Max observes. “I mean, that’s a lot of tattoos, but at least you’ll be able to share sunscreen. And maybe even foundation.”
“Guys, she’s way, way out of my league. Like, we’re not even playing the same sport,” I stammer.
“So what?” Celeste snaps.
I run my hand through my hair, disgusted by how sweaty it is. “She’s not going to be interested in me.”
Celeste sighs. “Who cares? At least you’ll know you tried!”
“Plus, Celeste said that all you have to do is talk to a cute girl, not get her number or a date or something,” Max points out. “Go shoot your shot! Even if you miss, we still get to drive home in an air-conditioned car and take showers.”
Max has a point. “Fine. I’ll go say ‘hi’, tell her she’s pretty, and then we can leave.”
Celeste and Max cheer, and, after taking a deep breath, I make my way over to the tattooed angel.
As I approach, our eyes meet, and I nearly stumble. Her eyes are a piercing pale blue. She smiles at me. “Hey, cutie.”
My mouth is suddenly a desert. “Um, hi.”
She giggles. “I’m Nikki.”
“I’m—I’m Jude.”
“Aww, hey Jude! Like the Beatles’ song!” She smiles even wider.
I nod. “Yep. That’s why I picked it.”
Nikki’s expression falters slightly, but she recovers quickly. “Oh, cool! That’s really nice.”
I laugh nervously. “Thanks.” I gulp, remembering again how dry my throat is. “I just wanted to, uh, say ‘hi’, and tell you you’re really pretty. Like, so beautiful.”
Nikki beams. “Aww, well, aren’t you sweet! Right back at you, cute stuff!”
Holy shit, she thinks I’m cute. Cute is good. “Wow, thank you,” I croak. “Wow.”
Nikki laughs again. “Are you enjoying Pride?”
“Except for the heat, yes,” I answer, fanning myself again. “It’s…it’s really hot.”
“No kidding,” she agrees. “I guess that’s why Atlanta hosts Pride in October, huh?”
I nod. “Yeah, my buddy was just saying that.” I glance at Celeste and Max, who are watching eagerly from afar. “We’re probably going to head out soon, actually.”
“Good idea,” Nikki says. Her eyes fall on my exposed shoulders. “Ooh, you might want to reapply sunscreen, too.”
Sure enough, yep, they’re turning pink. “Oh, shit. Sorry, I mean, yeah, I should. Well, it was nice meeting you—"
“Wait, before you go,” Nikki pulls a Sharpie out of her canvas bag. “Give me your arm.”
I frown but obey. Nikki takes my hand and writes what I assume is her phone number on the inside of my forearm. “Shoot me a text once you’ve gotten out of the sun. Maybe we can meet up somewhere that isn’t outside in the middle of June.” She winks at me.
My lips curl into a shocked smile. “Y-Yeah, I will.”