Our New Normal

  Chloe wrapped her arms around Tori’s waist and leaned her head on Tori’s shoulder, entwining their hands as she smiled for the photo. The dark tuxedo brilliantly contrasted the light blue of Tori’s dress, and the vest’s color matched perfectly. Chloe in a tux was the perfect blend of androgynous elegance with the way that she wore her ensemble—cornflower-colored heels; a lace cami under the vest; a three-layered, sparkling silver necklace with sporadic pearls that cascaded to her chest; just the right amount of neutral makeup; and a tight, spiraled bun on the back of her head.

  Cynthia took the picture, the room exploding with bright light. Blinking to adjust their eyes, Tori and Chloe rejoined their group of friends while Cynthia got ready to leave. “What time does everyone have to be at the school for the procession?”

  Tori glanced at the wall clock. “We should leave in about ten minutes, but you won’t have to take us.”

  Cynthia smiled mischievously, playing along. “Are you sure? I wouldn’t have a problem giving you a ride.”

  Tori clutched Chloe’s hand, unable to hide the smirk on her face. “That won’t be necessary,” she teased.

  Chloe’s eyebrow rose with confusion. “You both look like you’re up to something,” she declared suspiciously. “What’s going on?”

  Tori tugged on Chloe’s arm and led her down the hallway. “Come and see,” she instructed. Their friends followed in tow, all waiting anxiously for the surprise. Tori covered Chloe’s eyes as Cynthia opened the door, and they all stepped out onto the porch.

  “Are you ready, babe?” Tori asked coyly.

  “Yes, yes!” Chloe exclaimed impatiently. “Let me see what’s going on!” As soon as Tori uncovered her eyes, Chloe squealed.

  A stretch limousine was parked in front of their house, its length taking the space of two cars. The black finish glistened in the setting sun, and a chauffeur patiently waited by the back door.

  “Oh, wow! A limo! Really? This is ours?” Chloe asked excitedly.

  Tori nodded, kissing Chloe on the cheek. “We’ll all be able to ride together, and we’ll be driven wherever we wish all night.”

  “This is so exciting!” Chloe said happily. “I’m so glad we all get to go together, and in such style!” She looked over to her mother. “Mom, you knew about this?”

  “Only since this morning,” she replied. “Tori knew I wouldn’t be able to keep the secret to myself, so she made the arrangements on her own, and I signed for it.”

  “We knew about it, though,” Mark interjected. “Tori enlisted us to help her pick out the limo company and what style of limo she should get, and we all split the cost.” The others nodded.

  “A conspiracy!” Chloe gasped jokingly. She was glad that her friends had accepted Tori enough to covertly plan things together without her knowledge. “I guess we shouldn’t keep our chauffeur waiting any longer, then. Let’s go march in that procession!” They all headed to the limo as Cynthia got into her own car. Both vehicles headed to the school, the limo filled with excited chatter as they discussed the prom.

  The limousine soon came to a halt, and the chauffeur quickly opened their door and escorted the passengers out of the vehicle. Thanking the driver, they all hurried into the building and gathered in the foyer with the rest of the students who had already arrived. They chatted while waiting in the cramped area, posing for pictures as they anxiously waited for the ceremony to begin.

  Stephen approached Tori and Chloe, his boyfriend in tow. Stephen stood beside his date, smiling proudly as he put his arm around his boyfriend. They both looked handsome with pinstripe tuxedos tailored to snugly fit their bodies. Their undershirts and cummerbunds were opposites—Stephen’s undershirt was cobalt and with a gray cummerbund while his date’s was the other way around. Their hair was freshly cut and styled, and they smelled of expensive cologne. Tori mused that they should have been models in a catalog rather than her classmate and his prom date.

  “Wow!” Tori exclaimed. “You both look amazing!”

  Stephen smiled bashfully, pulling his date closer. “I would love you all to meet my partner, Brandon,” he announced boastfully. They exchanged hellos, shaking hands. “We had to, of course, come over to thank you and Chloe. Without you, we wouldn’t be able to be here today and march in the procession with the rest of the couples.”

  “You have no idea how eternally grateful we are to both of you for fighting for our rights,” Brandon added. “It would’ve been impossible in my school, so knowing that we had somewhere to celebrate our relationship openly at prom is just amazing to me.”

  “You’re very welcome,” Chloe said. “We feel just as lucky that we got approval to walk in the procession today. We’ll have to thank Mr. Thompson as well.”

  One of the teachers exited the auditorium, and Tori got a glimpse of the stage. The stage and archway under which the students would be marching were filled with silvery balloons and flowers. Camera flashes glittered the dim room as parents snapped photos of the display, and classical music cascaded from the speakers while everyone patiently waited for the ceremony to begin.

  The teacher clapped her hands together. “Students, if I could please have your attention!” she bellowed. The room quickly filled with tense silence. “We’re starting the procession shortly. If I can please have everyone’s cooperation, we’ll be lining up along the wall according to the last name of the person who will be walking on the female—erm, the right side—of the stage. Please listen for your name to be called.”

  Both Tori’s and Chloe’s stomachs twisted in tighter knots every time they moved up in line. They were both worried what the reaction would be: if they’d get booed from intolerant crowd members or if everyone would be too concerned about their own child to even notice.

  Their question was soon answered as Tori’s name was called. A few gasps and whispers filled the room as people heard Tori’s name, no doubt recognizing that she was the estranged daughter of the Timothy Reynolds from the papers. Fortunately, no one in the audience booed or made inappropriate comments; a few people even applauded for them. Cynthia cheered loudly from the front of the stage as she snapped dozens of pictures, and Tori and Chloe both couldn’t help but smile.

  As Stephen and Brandon marched in the procession, Tori and Chloe snuck into the back of the auditorium to watch them, hoping for the best. Fortunately, they received about the same reaction as Tori and Chloe: a few gasps and some applause and cheers from their family members. Heads high and walking arm-in-arm with an air of confidence, Tori doubted that any amount of negativity would’ve brought them down.

  Once the procession ended, everyone reassembled outside of the auditorium. Tori and Chloe met Stephen and Brandon’s family, all of whom were grateful to watch the couple’s moment in the spotlight. They saw Cynthia, and they quickly hugged her before joining the rest of their group in the limo.

  As they waited in line to leave the school, something out of the corner of her eye caught Tori’s attention. Near the auditorium doors, she saw a flash of blond hair which was very similar to hers—except for the silver strands mixed within the thick mane—and a thin frame dressed in designer clothing.

  Chloe’s brow furrowed as she glanced at Tori. “Are you okay?” she asked.

  Tori nodded to the doors and heard Chloe gasp.

  They both instantly recognized Tori’s mother, and Tori couldn’t help but shed a tear.

  Chapter 47

  Tori struggled to get the image of her mother out of her head as the limo made its way to the dance. She was surprised that her mother had come all that way just for a glimpse of her—apparently she still cared about Tori in one way or another—but she wished that her mother wouldn’t have come at all. Tori had been doing well with blocking out how much she’d wished her parents were there for her prom night, and seeing her mother only reminded her of that longing.

  As she glanced at Chloe’s excited and ecstatic face, though, the negative thoughts began to mel
t away. She reminded herself that she had plenty of people in her life who loved her for who she was, felt that there was nothing broken about her sexuality, and didn’t want to change anything about her. Her mother could show up at as many events as she wanted, but reality wouldn’t change. Tori just hoped that her mother’s attendance hinted at reconciliation, albeit far into the future.

  “There it is!” Chloe announced, her palms pressed against the glass. A tall building loomed in the distance, its many windows reflecting the pinpricks of stars in the clear night sky. The prom was being held in one of the ballrooms of an upscale hotel, and every passenger in the limo was filled with anticipation as they descended upon the building.

  The driver came to a halt, returning to the passenger door to escort his fare out of the vehicle. “I will be along that wall when you are ready to leave,” he told Tori, pointing to a row of other limousines along the edge of the property.

  Tori nodded, unable to speak as her heart raced. She was ecstatic to finally be at the prom with her girlfriend, but she was worried that something bad would happen —especially harassment from the Frosted Flakes. Chloe seemed confident that they’d be fine, however—no one would want to cause enough trouble to get kicked out of prom—so Tori tried to push her worries to the back of her mind. Chances were that everyone would be too busy to even notice their arrival, anyway.

  As the group entered the ballroom, they were taken aback by its beauty. A large, crystal chandelier adorned the center of the ceiling, its components sparkling more than the stars outside. Satin streamers extended from the chandelier’s edges to the walls, and fabric lanterns and balloons embellished the space between. Each table was decorated with a solitary candle in the center of a crystal vase, the flickering light matching the glint of the chandelier above.

  “This is amazing!” Lisa exclaimed, clutching the arm of her date. Everyone nodded as they made individual comments about the room’s beauty.

  Once Tori got more accustomed to the atmosphere, she scanned the room for the Frosted Flakes. She soon spotted them on the other side of the room—although Sabrina was nowhere to be found—and she guided her friends to a table on the opposite side of the vast room. Fortunately, the clique hadn’t noticed Tori’s arrival, and she would rather it stay that way; the last thing that she wanted was any sort of confrontation.

  “I wish I wasn’t so nervous,” Tori confessed to Chloe.

  “What’s there to be nervous about?” Chloe asked. “We marched in the procession, we entered the prom without incident, and we’re going to have a lot of fun. There’s nothing to worry about!”

  “Famous last words,” Tori muttered anxiously.

  “We’re going to be fine,” Chloe assured her. “We got this far, and I’ll be damned if we don’t enjoy ourselves. Besides, who was it that said ‘to hell what everyone else thinks’ when I was scared about the winter dance?”

  Tori smirked, recalling that amazing night. “I want tonight to be like then. We had such an amazing time.”

  “Let’s make tonight just like it, then,” Chloe insisted. “Only this time, I’d like to officially call you my date and kiss you and stuff.”

  “I can live with that,” Tori said, chuckling.

  Lisa looked around the room, her brow furrowed. “Did you guys notice that Sabrina isn’t here?”

  Chloe peered into the distance and shook her head. “It’s doesn’t look like she is.”

  “Aaron’s not here, either, come to think of it,” Mark noted.

  Tori sighed with relief. “Whatever the reason is, who the hell cares?” She turned to Chloe, grabbing her hand and standing. “Let’s go have some fun!”

  While they had reserved their table, barely any time was spent there. Tori, Chloe, and their friends grouped on one side of the room, keeping their distance from the remaining Frosted Flakes. When they weren’t dancing, they were chatting or rehydrating along the sidelines. Not much time was spent just standing around, though, as the band kept belting out danceable tunes.

  By the time the night drew to a close, Tori’s feet hurt from dancing in her high heels, and Chloe was resisting the urge to remove her warm tuxedo jacket.

  Someone tapped Tori gently on the shoulder while she was slow-dancing with Chloe, and she jumped. She turned to see Kristen.

  “Sorry for startling you, Tori, but can I cut in for a moment?”

  Tori looked at Chloe for approval, and she nodded. “I’ll go get us some drinks,” she told Chloe. “I’m pretty thirsty, anyway.” She kissed her on the cheek, handing her to Kristen as she walked away.

  Chloe’s stomach churned as she felt Kristen’s touch. It had been months since they’d been that close to one another. Chloe felt guilty for even reacting to her touch, but she couldn’t help it. “You look amazing,” Chloe said nervously.

  “As do you,” Kristen replied, studying Chloe’s body. “The tux really suits you.”

  Chloe blushed. “Thank you,” she mumbled, suddenly feeling overwhelmingly exposed and vulnerable.

  “Look, I know we haven’t talked in a while,” Kristen began, “but I wanted to tell you that I’m happy for you. I never thought I’d say it, but Tori is a wonderful person, and you make a great couple. I’m glad you were able to find someone to make you happy and treat you the way you deserve to be treated.” She frowned. “I’m just sorry I couldn’t be that person.”

  Chloe shrugged. “Things happen the way they’re meant to,” she said dismissively. “You and Jim are good together, too, and I’m happy for you. We ended up with who we were supposed to be with. It all worked out for the best; no need to dwell on what could have been.”

  Kristen smiled. “Thank you.” They hugged gently. “So, we’ll still be friends once we’re out of school?”

  “Definitely,” Chloe replied. “We’ve been friends for this long, so why would being out of here change that?”

  “I’m glad you feel the same way.” She glanced over to their table and noticed that Tori was watching patiently with glasses in her hands. Kristen motioned for Tori to return and hugged Chloe again. “I guess I should give you back to your date.”

  They stopped dancing for a moment as Tori stepped back in and handed them cups. They took quick gulps of the cold, invigorating liquid before Kristen gathered the empty glasses and said goodbye. Tori and Chloe smiled at each other, wrapping their arms around each other as they resumed dancing.

  “Is everything okay?” Tori asked. Though she knew that there was nothing to worry about, she’d still been watching closely from the sidelines in case something went awry. Tori knew that they were just friends, but one was never sure when the past would come back to haunt someone.

  Chloe nodded. “She just wanted to say how happy she is that I found you, and I tend to agree.” They kissed deeply and nuzzled each other as they slow danced.

  It wasn’t long before the last song of the night was playing, and every student was out on the dance floor one last time. Tori didn’t mind the cramped space at all; it gave her more of an excuse to press herself against Chloe and hold her close.

  “This has been an amazing night,” Chloe whispered into Tori’s ear. “I really appreciate everything.”

  “No problem,” Tori quietly replied. “Besides, now we get to go home and enjoy the afterparty.”

  Chapter 48

  “Looks like you’re all set!” the registrar clerk said, handing Tori a piece of paper. “Here’s your receipt for the remainder of the matriculation and tuition fees.”

  “Thank you so much!” Tori exclaimed, slipping the receipt into a folder.

  Her paperwork had finally gone through. She was able to receive a partial college grant, and she’d gotten a scholarship. Most of her fees had been covered by these funds, so she didn’t have to shell out much towards the fees. She had decided against loans for now; if she was able to graduate without the hassles of loan repayment into late adulthood, she would already be ahead of most gra
duates. As long as she kept working, lived with Chloe and Cynthia, and stayed on a strict budget, affording the monthly payments on her own wouldn’t be too much of a hassle.

  “Not a problem, dear,” the clerk replied. “See you in the fall!”

  As Tori exited the office, Chloe stood in the waiting room. They hugged, hopping. “We’re all set, baby!” she squeaked. “We’re actually going to do this!”

  “I know!” Tori exclaimed as she followed Chloe out. “I’m glad that I was able to get everything together in enough time.”

  “I told you everything would be okay,” Chloe said. “Now all we have to do is get through finals.”

  * * *

  The last days of school were peacefully free of social interaction, but that was mostly because no one had the time to talk to one another. Finals week had arrived, consuming the lives of every student as they diligently studied and crammed for the last exams that they’d ever take in high school. Lunch was eerily silent as students splayed books in front of them and ate between page turns.

  As the bell rang after debate class, Mr. Thompson called Tori and Chloe to his desk before they could get too far out of the door. “Girls, I know you have more tests to take today, and I know I’ll see you both every Sunday, but I just wanted to say how glad I was to have you in my class this year. I know that the class itself was pretty standard; through the two of you, though, I’ve stood up more for LGBTQ rights this year than I have in a long time. It’s one thing to be a counselor and live vicariously through those who are having the issues, but it’s an entirely different animal to stand up to the school district to fight for students’ equality. I’ll be eternally grateful for my ability to help the both of you this year.”