2.0 - Edited by: Rellawing, AlliterativeArts, Raleon, Trismegistus Shandy - 9/4/2020 

Time passed and Quinn, Sarah, and Leona all went back to school. Goonie spoke with the Principal in advance, since it was Leona’s first day as a Freshman. Special provisions needed to be made for her. Thankfully, he cooperated and agreed that he and any of the other staff who knew would keep Leona’s transgender status a secret. In other words, she was granted privileges to help conceal it.

Quinn took it upon herself to introduce Leona around. As a result she got some borrowed social credit from her sister’s reputation. Sadly, Leona’s old friends wouldn’t be going to her high school so if it weren’t for her sister’s help, she’d have started from a completely blank slate and no friends.

Leona’s relationship with Sarah was delicate and had been a bit odd since the confession. 

Her parents maintained that she should maintain a proper distance between herself and Leona from that point on. They were still best friends in name, but there was a distance that belied how Sarah embraced Leona in the backseat of Quinn’s car at the drive-in.

Leona confronted her about it one day and asked her, “Hey, why have you been kind of avoiding me?”

Sarah sighed and tugged Leona into the girl’s bathroom with her. She checked around to see if it was empty before locking the door and looking directly into Leona’s eyes. “I’m so sorry. My parents told me they don’t want me to get a reputation… they’re just thinking about me. I mean, you know they forced all the details out of me… but no matter what happens, you’re still my best friend and I still love you.” Sarah suddenly seized Leona’s shirt and kissed her. Leona’s eyes widened, and she melted. She wouldn’t have expected this from her, but Sarah sometimes did some pretty contradictory things.

After breaking the kiss she smiled warmly at Leona. “I’d love to sneak more kisses with you soon, or maybe a nice hug.” Sarah flushed and smiled.

Leona didn’t know what to think, except she had feelings for this girl, no matter the circumstances. She couldn’t visit Sarah’s home nor the other way around. 

To fill the gap in her heart, Leona decided to move forward and make some new friends. This worked out until Sarah saw her spending time with others, at which point she affably inserted herself into the freshly formed group as well.

The worst thing she had to face from having new friends was that, for some reason, they were constantly trying to fix her up with interested boys, of which there seemed to be a never ending supply. She gently turned them all down and her friends eventually caught on and began to instead act as her protectors. Being in a group with them more often meant fewer incidents.

“Justicon? Are you kidding? Really?” Leona practically exploded with enthusiasm she hadn’t expressed since she was small. She bounced up and down.

Justicon was one of the bigger Superhero fan conventions and Sarah serendipitously scored an extra ticket.

“Yeah!” She smiled. “Seaside isn’t too far and I saved up… I didn’t tell my parents I was inviting you, so don't tell them, okay?” Sarah laughed.

“Of course I won’t! I normally have to watch things like this remotely! I just didn’t have the money, and even though Goonie makes a decent amount for us, it wasn’t certain that we’d be able to afford a ticket for me. Does this mean you’re going too?”

Sarah nodded slowly. “Yeah, I decided I wanted to go to something like this with you, knowing what you like. I like Superheroes too, just not as much as you seem to.” She giggled. “You know how I’ve been treating you lately… doesn’t that hurt you? I’d understand if you didn’t want to go with me.” Sarah’s smile faltered.

Leona shook her head and snatched the ticket quickly and then took Sarah’s hand as she said, “I wouldn't go there if you weren’t going to be there too! I’d have taken you, too!” They blushed together, but after a moment, Leona wrenched her hand away, remembering Sarah’s prohibition.

Flustered, Leona turned her eyes down to the ticket and her eyes widened as the blush faded as she realized what she was holding. “Oh gosh, these are…”

“Yes!” Sarah bounced and giggled, announcing what she’d gone and done, “GAMMA TICKETS! They’re the ones that last all weekend and come with all the extras!” Leona blushed, touched by Sarah’s gesture.  Leona fidgeted and looked down with a little smile. Uncertain, Sarah leaned forward and whispered, “I mean, it’s exactly what you’d want, right?”

After a moment, Leona straightened and hopped and giggled giddily. “Are you kidding? This’ll be my first time going to it, let alone Seaside City!” Leona squeed. “I’ve ALWAYS wanted to go in person!” When she was younger, she loved superheroes and was intrigued by supervillains in equal measure. Young Leona had asked her mother and father several times to go to a convention, but her mother was always busy with work. Leona’s memories didn’t go that far back, except she did remember her mother had a wonderful smile. Her father obviously didn’t seem to like superheroes, since he’d wrecked her Vanguard figure, which she also remembered. She still had that figure, but it was a little melted from being thrown into the television set. Leona swallowed hard. “I… I just don’t know what else to say…”

“As long as you say ‘yes,’ that’s all I want,” Sarah said, grinning. “So, it’s the first week in December and, this being California, I’d guess we’re not going to get any snow so I think it’ll be fun… at least I hope.”