Book: Adopted by Heathers (this is focused on Red!)
Catlynn and Red's Age: 13

Red's POV

"Why so quiet there, Red? Anything you need to tell us?" Cesca said teasingly. I smiled sheepishly and looked down at my grilled cheese, not wanting to say anything.

"You're blushing. Elizabeth Marie Ashley, sit up." Axel said. I looked up at my friends and said, "Okay, yeah, fine, you got me. I was blushing."

"You like someone." Cesca said. "You like someone! Tell. Us. Everything!"

I smiled and said, "Cesca...there's something I need to tell you before I get any further. Axel knows this already, since we've been best friends since we were babies, but...I'm a lesbian. My crush is on a girl."

"Oh- I could tell. I'm pansexual, babe. I can tell when someone has the sign of the gay. Anyway, who do you like?" Cesca said.

I blushed and said, "She's one of my friends."

"Is it me?" Axel said jokingly. I rolled my eyes and said, "Axel, I'm gay, sit the hell down or so help me."

"Give us a hint, Red. You have a lot of friends. You're like- one of the most popular kids in this school. I don't know if that's because Violet Gardner's your cousin or if it's just because you're incredibly extroverted." Cesca said. I blushed and said, "Who isn't at this table that usually sits with us?"

I could see the realization form on Cesca and Axel's faces as they turned to each other, grinning. Cesca gasped and said, "Wait- you like-"

"Catlynn. I like Catlynn. She's so pretty, and amazing, and nice, and awesome, and I could go on and on about how much I love her but lunch ends in 10 minutes and we really don't have all day..."

"AWWWWWWWWW!" Cesca said. "Don't be shy, tell her how you feel!"

"Cesca, it's not that easy. I can't tell her just yet. With all the trauma that girl has been through, I'm gonna wait a little bit to say anything. Plus, she's straight." I said.

"That's what you think, Ashley." Axel said with a mouthful of peanut butter. I groaned and said, "She's had two boyfriends already."

"And those two boyfriends have treated her like dirt, and one of them is literally dead. Plus, she could be bi or pan! The world doesn't revolve around lesbians." Cesca said.

"Oh God, you guys aren't gonna leave me alone about this, aren't you?" I said. My friends shook their heads and I groaned. "I'm not gonna tell her, can we just drop the subject?"

"You're still blushing, Red. You just want to drop the subject because you're embarrassed and gay. I can see right through you." Axel said.

I rolled my eyes and sighed. I frankly didn't care that my friends were teasing me about my crush on Cat, but I loved her. She was beautiful, talented, smart, everything I could've ever wanted and more. But she's been through so much in such a short amount of time...I didn't want to hurt her. She's too precious for anyone to ever do that to her.

But...I couldn't keep the secret for much longer. To me, it was either tell her formally or have it slip out one of these days. And I'd much rather tell Catlynn formally than anything else.

"Hey guys? Do you think I can reserve the auditorium after school one of these nights? There's something I need to say to Cat."