Next memory.

We're in the middle of year eight. My hair's gone back to being plain old brown. Iro's is still a crazy watery colour.

Mr. Lynx kicked up a fuss about it, and called Iro's mum into school. She'd dodged a bullet. If her dad had come in...

"Look." He said to Iro's mum, Kate. "I know Iro is a independent young woman. But she needs to obey school rules."

"How come?" Her mum asked. "Hair dye is damaging. If you put too much on at once, it can damage your hair."

"Then take that dye out and leave it!" He argued.

They spoke politely, but I could see Kate had a hostile look in her eye. Finally, it was agreed. By next year - Year nine - Iro would have black hair again.

The uniform was enforced too. We now went around wearing stupid jumpers and smart trousers or a skirt. And a tie. Most of us were wearing the tie dealers ties. Now we were in one class together - Biology. We were learning about... Well, the worst topic.

"Now when a girl and boy like each other, they'll have sex - you've already learnt about that. We'll cover it more next lesson. For now I just want to answer any questions that anyone has.

Silence. Then a question about twins. A dirty questions.

A question popped in my mind. I raised my hand.

"Can guys only like girls and girls only like guys?" I asked. The teacher was taken back, and looked a little shocked - but shook their head.

"No, it is possible for guys to like guys, and the same for girls." She answered.

I raised my hand again. The teacher motioned for me to continue. "What's it called?"

"It's called being 'homosexual'." She answered. I nodded. "But those people are devil spawn."

I felt the world crash from under me. Devil spawn? What?

Everyone in the class was staring at me. I swallowed and lowered my head again. The teacher continued to answer questions.

Iro nudged me. "Why the weird question?" She asked me, smiling.

How do I answer that? We had promised to always be truthful. Oh, I think I might like you.

No. I just shrugged. "I was curious." It was a half-truth. I was curious to find out if it was normal or not.

And now I knew I was devil spawn. But saying that, Mr. Lynx thought that Iro was devil spawn. Maybe we were a match made in hell rather then heaven.

Suddenly, I heard Iro's voice. "What evidence is there that homosexuals are devil spawn?" She asked.

I looked up. The teacher looked shocked again. "Well, in the Bible, the Lord forbids it."

Iro narrowed her eyes. "Well then he forbids your shirt."

"Which..?"

"Thou shall not mix two threads in one outfit. Or something. I can't remember. If you can over look that one, why not the one about homosexuals?"

"Well..."

"And why aren't we taught about this? We should have a right to know. How many people in the world are homosexual?"

"Um..."

"I'm guessing around half. Maybe less. Or even more. But imagine going through high school and not knowing what you are?"

The teacher shook their head. "Okay, I'll ask about it. Calm down, Iro."

Iro nodded in success and smiled at me. I smiled back, my heart fluttering like a blanket in the wind. But she wouldn't know. She didn't even notice the sniggers she was getting. Or maybe she did.

After the class we returned home. My house today. My mum smiled as we walked in, and offered us a drink. Iro agreed. We went up to my room.

She examined my walls, and nodded. "I didn't do too bad, did I?" I smiled weakly. Then she looked down at the floor, and shook her head. "I need to do that bit now."

"Right now?"

"Yes." She insisted. I sighed, but smiled and took a book downstairs.

My mum was coming up the stairs as I went down. "What's up?" She asked me.

"Iro's going to paint in my room a little more." I answered. She smiled, but sighed.

"She's such a bright child. Are you going downstairs..? To read? Why not try writing your own book?"

I blinked, and shrugged, slipping past her. I heard her give Iro her drink, heard Iro thank her, then come back downstairs. She went briefly into the kitchen then came through to the living room with my drink and a pad of lined paper.

"I'll get you something better later." She promised. "Just try making your own book."

I shuffled the pen between my hands, and nodded. She smiled and handed me the hot mug. Perching them both on the arm of the chair, then changing my mind and moving to the table, I poised the pen over the page.

What to write? Did I need to plan it like they taught in school? Or could I just write? I needed a plan. I needed a story.

Then it hit me. I smiled and opened my book to read. My mum came in and shook her head at me, but I ignored her.

The light faded outside when Iro finally came downstairs. She was covered in paint, full to the brim with colour again, and beaming. She announced she was done. I presented my idea to her.

She blinked. "I suppose we could..." She said faintly. Then she nodded. "Okay then!"

I smiled as wide as she was. "Great. We'll plan it later. Shall we do the homework now?" She nodded, and returned upstairs to retrieve our bags. Her face was sheepish as she came down. "What?" I asked. She shook her head. "What?!"

"I had paint on my foot." She laughed. "And now there's a trail of footprints in your room."

I laughed too. "Oh well." I said. "We can use my room as a base for the... Um, thing."

She nodded, then bent her head to do the homework.

I looked at her. The darker roots in her hair had showed for a while, but it made the blue at the end look even better, like darkness turning into brightness. Like she had turned me from a dark little girl into... Well, me. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she did the maths questions. They gleamed a slight green as she worked. Her fingers were gently holding the pen up, then twiddling it over the page.

I smiled and set to work as well.

Good news - it's over 1,000 for this chapter.

I'm so curious about other people's lives. Have you guys ever had a crush on a friend? Had a friend stand up to a teacher for you? Been taught about homosexuality before - in school. How'd you first discover the word 'gay'?

Until next time,

~Glitch