How To NOT Be Straight✓

22: Rule 6- Always Be Kind

The next week was pretty bleak for me. From Blake avoiding the shit out of me, to almost everyone coming to shit on the club, I can definitely say that this week was a shitty week. Pun intended.

It's now a Saturday, and I'm chilling with my mom, making sandwiches. My mom loves giving small snacks to Alexis's siblings on Saturdays, and normally she'd do it herself, but today I'm the one going to go serve them. But hey, I don't mind, it's bonding with my mother, and I get a chance to see Alexis again.

Alexis was literally my rock this entire week. She was there to encourage me and help me forget. Where Blake didn't fit, Alexis fit in so well. She's a real one, and I'll forever appreciate that.

"Mom?" I said, cutting the sandwiches into triangles. "Jaden and Simon don't like the crust, right?"

She nodded, handing me another sandwich. "They gave me back the bag last time with the crusts intact."

I began to cut the crust off. "You know, it's nice doing this with you and not tearing each other's heads off once in a while." I commented, putting the finished sandwiches in a clear bag while mom chuckled.

"You're right, I never know what my daughter is into anymore." She smiled, handing me another sandwich. "So, what's going on in your life?"

"Oh, mine?" She nodded.

I wanted to be sarcastic, but I knew it wouldn't work. I wanted to tell her the truth about the letters and shit, but how do I do it? 'Oh, my life? I started a club to tell all the homophobic douchebags at my school to fuck off! And also, I'm getting verbally bullied by some idiot that decides to write instead of confront me, my life is going great, mom!'

Yeah, that shit does not work.

"Nothing much really, this term went...smoothly." I lied. "I started a club to raise bullying awareness month, which is this month." I commented. "Our club will be wearing blue and putting up posters, trying to stop bullying throughout the school, and more."

At least that part was true. October is national bullying awareness month, and the color for it is blue. So, this week, we put up posters and gave the student body blue ribbons to put on their clothing as accessories. There's also a box in the guidance room and a few ribbons in my room, so if anyone wants to support, they can get it from me or from Mr Dale. There's a blue ribbon on my hair as a scrunchie, keeping my now brown braids in place. I also made use of my blue eyeshadow, and put a bit of it on my eyes. The reason why I'm okay with going to Alexis's is because we're going to the school today to set up the gymnasium for the official national bullying awareness day celebration, which is next week Friday. With permission from principal Smith, I'll be speaking in front of all the students at Plata, and everyone will be required to at least wear one blue item.

She looked pleased. "I'm glad you're doing something good, Cameron. That's excellent."

I zipped the bag up and gave my mom a kiss on the cheek. "Bye, mom." I put the extra sandwiches and an orange in my bag and grabbed a water bottle and slung the bag over my shoulder, ready to leave.

"Wait!"

I looked at mom, who gave me a muffin. "I'll make cupcakes for you to sell at the school. Maybe you can donate the money to a charity or something."

I looked at her. "You'd really do that for me mom?"

She nodded. "Of course. It's going to a good cause, so I'm here for it. I'll make a batch of 50 cupcakes on Thursday and we'll decorate them with blue icing. It's gonna be perfect."

"Thank you mom." I walked up to her and hugged her tight, feeling a sense of comfort in her arms. "Thank you so much."

"It's alright, honey." She kissed my forehead. "Go on."

I left the kitchen and bolted out the door. When I got to Alexis's house, I knocked twice, and Jaden answered the door. He grabbed the sandwiches from me, and tilted his head as if to study me.

"You look like a blue fairy." He said, and I smiled a bit, "Alexis!" He yelled, "She's here!"

Alexis practically ran down the stairs and Simon threw the car keys at her, which she caught with ease. She was wearing blue jeans and a sky blue top, paired with a black jacket. Her hair was tied up in a bun, and she had a blue star on the cheek that had a scar on it. She came over to the door and smiled.

"You look beautiful." I complimented, still staring at her.

"You look beautiful." She said back, fixing the collar of my denim jacket. "Let's go, CJ."

She walked out the door and I turned back. "CJ?"

"Yeah, you're CJ to me now." She winked, and I stared at her in awe before following her to the car.

~~~~~~~~~

Chloe and Felix put an extra poster by the door while Darren and Terrance hung the blue streamers above. I was going over my speech with Alexis, practicing over and over again while she pretended to be a part of the audience. It wasn't as scary to me, but when my eyes drifted to the door, I freaked out.

"Shit," I blinked again and she was gone. "It's like I saw Blake by the door, smiling."

Alexis looked behind her, and as expected, saw nothing. "You're probably still a bit hung up."

"Am I?" She nodded. "I wish I could decipher my emotions better than other people can."

Someone tapped my shoulder, and I turned to see Roseanne with some gum. She gave some to me, and placed her hand on my shoulder, chewing the gum obnoxiously while I joined her.

"You two look like sisters side by side." Alexis smirked, and Roseanne removed her hand quickly. "Really, Rose?"

"I just came to see how the captain is doing with her speech." Rose diverted the conversation. "Everything good?"

"Yup, might be ready to speak in front of people I don't give a shit about." I smiled. "You still haven't told me what we're doing next week leading up to the event."

"Well, that's simple, all we need to do is-"

Someone burst through the door and made their way to me, throwing a paper at me. I took one good look at them and realized it was Mia, a 9th grader.

"Mia?"

"I want to join the club!" She said excitedly. "My friends have been urging me for weeks, but I think I'm finally ready!"

"Um, Alexis, mind talking to Mia? I just want to sort a few things out with Roseanne." I asked her, and she nodded, taking Mia into a corner.

Rose cleared her throat. "It's good people are joining the club, we have more of a reason to continue it."

"Exactly, I thought it was just going to be us and then just disappear when we leave." I looked at Mia and Alexis talking. "Hopefully more keep coming."

"Anyways, let's discuss the activities for this week," Rose said, and I looked at her, "I was thinking we could have a day where we are just kind to one another and that could be Monday. Then, Tuesday can be a day we all go to the fields for activities. Wednesday is a day of showering compliments to one another, and Thursday can be a day where we can have a function in the afternoon. Friday can be a day where we have the fundraiser in the afternoon after your speech. What do you think?"

"Did you run this down with the principal and the interact club?" She nodded. "I guess we can do it. So Monday is be kind day?"

"Yup, rule 6 girl." She winked. "We good to go?"

I looked at her with a hopeful gaze, and then around the decorated gymnasium. "We are."