Harmonious Hearts 2017 - Stories from the Young Author Challenge

By Arbour Ames, Kat Blake, Amy Carothers and 12 more

Harmony Ink Press is proud to present the winners of the fourth annual Young Author Challenge. This book contains the best of the best in short LGBTQ+ fiction by authors from age fourteen to twenty-one. They represent the future of both our literature and our community, and the future looks as bright as these voices are strong, inventive, and unique. These fifteen stories range from the realistic to the fantastical, and they are populated with characters from all across the rainbow. They explore love, friendship, being different, finding one’s purpose and place, and what it means to grow up—in the modern world or one of pure imagination.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Harmony Ink Press
• Release date: Oct 24, 2017
• ISBN: 9781640801608

Book preview

Table of Contents

Blurb

Introduction

First, Second, Third

From the Red Field

Bubblegum

Honor Among Thieves

Applesauce and Oatmeal

It’s the Journey

Entrances and Exits

Lovers in the Great Collapse

Ramen and Unrequited Crushes

Definition

I Know This Is Bad But I Have a Good Reason

Hoodies and Glasses

Mortuus Feles

The Fall

The Dating Simulator

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Copyright

Harmonious Hearts 2017

Edited by Anne Regan

Harmony Ink Press is proud to present the winners of the fourth annual Young Author Challenge. This book contains the best of the best in short LGBTQ+ fiction by authors from age fourteen to twenty-one. They represent the future of both our literature and our community, and the future looks as bright as these voices are strong, inventive, and unique. These fifteen stories range from the realistic to the fantastical, and they are populated with characters from all across the rainbow. They explore love, friendship, being different, finding one’s purpose and place, and what it means to grow up—in the modern world or one of pure imagination.

Introduction

WELCOME TO the fourth annual Harmony Ink Press Young Author Challenge anthology, Harmonious Hearts 2017. Our short-story challenge aimed at young authors writing LGBTQ+ themes once again generated submissions from teens and young adults around the world.

The authors in this volume range in age from fifteen to twenty-one, and live across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Whether the characters they write about are gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, asexual, gender-neutral, or still searching for their identity, they communicate the authentic voices and emotions of teens and new adults. It’s always a thrill to discover so much talent and imagine where it may take them next.

If you’re a young writer yourself, or know someone who is, you can find information about our ongoing Young Author Challenge at www.harmonyinkpress.com/submissions. We’d love to receive your stories.

In the meantime, it’s my privilege to introduce you to our next group of young writers.

Anne Regan

Executive Editor, Harmony Ink Press

First, Second, Third

By Elliot Joyce

It was animosity at first sight, but Derek slowly warms up to Thomas, a quiet boy who shares Derek’s love for science fiction, video games, and snarky comments. When Derek attempts to ask Thomas out, though, Thomas confesses that he likes Derek, but they’ll never be able to date. With help from his friends, Derek’s eyes are opened to more than a few secrets Thomas is keeping—now he just needs to decide what to do about the things he’s learned.

DEREK MET his first boyfriend in zero hour, a class titled Law and Order, and three things came to mind as the teacher seated them next to each other.

First, Thomas Hernandez looked like he had listened to punk rock all through junior high and never left that phase. He had ruffled black hair, wore a faded My Chemical Romance shirt, and his jeans had seen better days. It made Derek roll his eyes because seriously, this isn’t 2001.

Second, there was tension and paranoia behind Thomas’s movements. Even as he got his notebook out, he eyed Derek like he expected the other to pull out a knife and demand Thomas hand over his wallet. Derek had only ever been at the receiving end of a punch, and he didn’t appreciate being looked at as if he were a lion waiting to pounce. Hell, Derek had been socially shunned because he was gay. Of course he wasn’t going to pick on someone, even if they did need an introduction to a wonderful concept called the color wheel.

Third—and this was coming from a five-foot-five Asian who had as much muscle as a McNugget—Thomas was small. Everything Thomas wore draped over him, making Derek think he was either the recipient of sibling hand-me-downs or was dressing this way on purpose. He had a thick, oversized leather jacket swallowing his shoulders, and his pants were baggy around his hips and thighs. Even sitting, Derek could tell he was taller than Thomas.

Can you move over? Thomas asked, voice soft as if he was sharing a life-changing secret. Derek stared at him. They were at the end of the table, and even though Thomas was up against the side, there was still plenty of room. I’m left-handed. If you sit this close, we’re going to bump into each other all period. Irritation seeped into Thomas’s tone. Derek swallowed back several replies and shifted over a few inches. It wasn’t a big deal.

Considering the entire high school was only three hundred kids, Derek should have expected to see Thomas in more classes. He was still surprised when, two hours later, he walked into AP Biology and saw Thomas taking out a notebook. He flipped a pencil through his fingers and Derek half-expected to see chipped black polish, but all he saw were telltale signs that someone chewed his nails.

Derek was only a little grossed out. There were worse habits to have.

Still, he wouldn’t have sat next to Thomas except one of his friends was already sliding up to him and introducing herself. Alexa, with new wide-framed glasses and a Marvel T-shirt, grinned at the new kid.

Hey, Derek! she called over, waving like he could have missed her voice echoing in the room. He held back a sigh and sat next to her, looking at Thomas as if he could have changed for the better within the last two hours. This is Thomas. Have you two met yet?

We have zero hour together, Derek replied. Alexa hummed and launched into a story about how Cynthia had already told her about the class and that there was nothing to worry about. She would have kept talking, except the teacher called for their attention and proceeded to tell them the exact opposite.

Thomas didn’t make a single noise for the entire period, barely mumbling here when the teacher called his name. He didn’t even acknowledge Alexa when she tried to get his attention, leaving her rather put out.

Derek didn’t really care. He had written off the new student as hopeless.

He showed up at lunch and saw his friends sitting at their usual table, just like they had for the last three years. They had stayed in touch over summer, so it was as if no time had passed. Cynthia was discussing morals and ethics with Allie, who was holding Alexa’s hand. John cut in to make a point that had nothing to do with the argument at all, but he delivered it with such conviction that it took Allie a moment realize and call him on his crap.

Derek smiled. Even if John was a bit of a prick with his better-than-thou attitude and Cynthia’s compliments were always delivered with a hint of sarcasm, Derek wouldn’t trade his friends for the world. Seeing them all in one place gave him the sense that all was right in the world.

Well, his friends plus one.

Thomas looked uncomfortable with all the questions Alexa was pestering him with, ranging from asking what his favorite MCR song was—of course it’s I’m Not Okay, Derek thought—to what school he had transferred from and why.

I had a disagreement with some people, Thomas said in a tone so final and avoidant that even Alexa, who couldn’t sense the mood in a room if it dressed up in hot pink and did the Macarena in front of her, didn’t ask. But the floodgates had been opened for John to complain about certain people, all of whom Allie liked, and soon the attention shifted away from interrogating Thomas.

What’s your afternoon schedule look like? Alexa asked Thomas as lunch ended. Derek couldn’t help but hear as he packed up and felt a weird knot in his stomach when he realized he had history and English with Thomas. Both were AP classes, and the teachers were notorious hardasses.

So he’s going to fail out of them and drop down to honors, Derek thought as he shoved his lunch bag into his locker and pulled out the right notebooks. He knew it was mean to think that, but it would happen. Thomas wasn’t the first to transfer, though it was strange that he was a senior, and he wasn’t the first to think he could handle a tough workload. Derek struggled with it and was constantly in awe that he hadn’t dropped out of AP English yet. His parents credited his hard work and good attitude. He knew it was really just because he’d never hear the end of it if he did. I’ll still have him in my zero hour. Ugh.

Yo, Derek mumbled as he slid into the seat next to John. The blond already had the math book open and was starting that night’s homework. As far as John was concerned, the entire premise of school was stupid, and teachers had to prove it was worth his time before he would pay attention. The math teacher was one John actually respected, so he tended to behave. At least, as much as someone with an eccentric personality like John could behave.

Derek, on the other hand, defied all Asian stereotypes and managed to squeak by for the last three years only by the graces of divine intervention and a heavy amount of tutoring from his concerned and much smarter friends.

He at least tried to focus and follow the lesson, so he was quiet for most of the period. About halfway through, John asked Derek what he thought of Thomas.

I dunno, Derek lied, shrugging. He didn’t want to admit that he thought Thomas was just a wannabe punk rocker who would rather listen to angry music than be in school. Thomas hadn’t been open to any of Alexa’s attempts at involving him, and that just screamed leave me alone. Plus it was rude. Derek wasn’t perfect, but he valued politeness right up there with honesty and sarcasm.

He had experience making snap judgments about people, for his safety, and everything Thomas was giving off told Derek to drop him faster than a hot potato. But Derek didn’t want to say that and have John tell Alexa, who would then tell Derek that he needed to give Thomas a chance or something. Alexa was big on second, third, and fourth chances.

She also had a supportive single mother who probably wouldn’t care if Alexa quit school and decided to sell homemade soap in an underground fight club, so Derek didn’t think Alexa was allowed to claim authority on judging others.

Cynthia thinks he’s cute, John said after a moment. Derek raised an eyebrow. I’m not worried about her dumping me or anything—we talked a lot over summer, and I think we’re good—but, like…. There was a pause as John made a face. It was similar to the expression one adopted when eating something unexpectedly sour. She thinks Thomas needs guidance or whatever.

Cynthia is The Mom, Derek pointed out. A terrifying but loving mom.

John rolled his eyes. But why cute? he asked. Thomas is like Alexa back in seventh grade. He’s awkward and a mess, not cute.

Derek had known Alexa longer than John, and he thought Alexa had been plenty cute back then, but he didn’t mention that.

Do you not want us to hang out with him? Derek cut to the chase. The group had its issues but, at the end of the day, they made the decision of whom to include together. That didn’t stop Alexa from having theater friends or John from nerding out about space in astronomy club, but when the five of them were together, then that was it.

We’ll see, John said with a shrug. It wasn’t the answer Derek wanted, but he took it. He could voice his concerns later if things did go south.

Derek was well aware he was the only one who didn’t have other friends, but he didn’t let it bother him. He didn’t need a big group to feel important, and he wasn’t lonely on weekends when everyone else was busy. Nope, Derek was fine.

At least, he was fine enough to be picky when it came to group admittance, and Thomas was not meeting the standard Derek liked to think he held. There was something off about Thomas, something Derek started to think was less first-day nerves and more Thomas as the days rolled on. Still, he said nothing. There was no time constraint on disliking a person, after all.

You can’t break up with me—you love me was the last thing Derek ever said to his first and only girlfriend. Selene had given him a sad smile, kissed him, and left. The next day, there was a rumor at school that Derek was gay. All his new friends abandoned him, leaving him a scared freshman two weeks into the school year.

The relationship had been a whirlwind romance, but Derek had spent every night wondering why his first kiss hadn’t ignited something in him, why he hadn’t seen the fireworks that were supposed to happen. But they had been thirteen and in love, or so they thought, and that was all that mattered.

Even after four years, Derek was still bitter about what Selene had done to him.

His social outcasting had allowed him to meet Alexa and the others, and he was happy with who he was, but there was still something that caught in his throat whenever he thought about Selene or saw her in the halls.

Are they dating? Thomas asked one day, nodding toward where Alexa was chattering about some new superhero movie while Allie pretend to be interested in what she was saying and not the fact that it was Alexa talking. Derek looked up from where he was trying to do last-minute history homework, struggling to remember which King George had fought against the colonies.

It was three weeks into senior year, and Derek had learned a few new things about Thomas.

First, he had the worst sense of humor. He was more sarcastic than Cynthia and delivered every line in a horrible deadpan that was the exact way Derek imagined accountants talked about tax returns with clients.

Like John, Thomas seemed to find great joy in telling people just what was wrong with them, but it was impossible to tell if he was joking. Derek still didn’t know if Thomas liked the white tie with fake blood splatter that Derek had worn for his yearbook photo, because Thomas had called it cool in the same tone he used when he told Allie that her dress looked like a browned lemon.

Second, Thomas was awful at conversation. He didn’t look at who he was talking to and sometimes he ignored people altogether or just didn’t understand what they were saying. He’s like Alexa, Derek thought. She had hearing problems, and the cafeteria was hell for her, with too much noise. But while Alexa was loud, almost obnoxious, in volume, Thomas never raised his voice and seemed to speak as if he had a certain number of words per day.

Thomas and Derek had maybe had eight full conversations together, and that was being generous.

Third, Thomas had a routine, and if anyone changed it, he acted like he was going to die. He showed up at the same time to zero hour, he ate the same thing for lunch, and he had to use the same notebook and pencil for notes or he’d just sit there and sulk. Every English class he’d go to the bathroom at 2:33 p.m., and there had to be a previous agreement, because the teacher didn’t even blink when Thomas just stood and left.

Derek didn’t know how someone ate a ham-and-cheese sandwich every day for a week, let alone three, with the same brand of chips and the same type of apple juice, but it made perfect sense that Thomas did just that. John thought it would be funny to steal the chips and eat them, planning on giving Thomas a different bag once he found out.

It didn’t just backfire. It resulted in Thomas bursting into tears and being escorted to the front office to calm down.

Sorry, Thomas said the next day in his low, sharing-a-secret voice.

It’s okay, Alexa reassured him. John gave him five identical bags of chips. No one mentioned the incident again, and Derek figured it was something they’d all laugh about in a few years.

Because Thomas wasn’t going away. And if his meltdown over chips was normal, then it was understandable why he was so cautious. Derek did his best to cut him some slack, but there were some things that remained mind-boggling about Thomas.

Like the fact that Thomas couldn’t tell Alexa and Allie were dating. Seriously, they practically have a neon sign following them that blinks We’re young, we’re gay, and we’re in love! How can he not see it? But Derek was trying not to be a jerk to the person he shared four classes with, so he nodded.

They got together last year. Alexa flirted with Allie for six months, except Alexa can’t actually flirt, so it was more like something out of a comedy. Thomas made a noncommittal noise and took another bite of his sandwich. He was humming something the way he did every day, and Derek tried to figure out what it was before remembering he should focus on his homework so he could pass AP US History with something better than a D.

Alexa was rambling, voice rising. Allie reached out and squeezed her hand. Derek pretended it didn’t make his chest ache and took out some of his frustration by flipping the page of his textbook with extra vigor.

He ripped the page. Thomas looked at him, a blank expression managing to appear judgmental and indifferent at the same time.

Do you not like gay people? Thomas asked. Derek couldn’t help but laugh, not even offended because of how ridiculous that idea was. He had long passed the self-loathing phase and was now well into the self-pitying phase.

Because he had great friends, and they were the most supportive people he knew, but they were all taken, girls, or both. Besides, Derek’s type tended to be tall, muscular men who could bench-press three of him without breaking a sweat. Unfortunately people who fit that category also tended to be homophobic football players, but Derek was banking on there being some in college who wanted to experiment.

I’m gay, Derek replied with a rueful smile. Zero issues with anyone who flies the rainbow flag. Thomas nodded and seemed about to say something but instead stuffed the rest of his sandwich in his mouth. But Derek could tell that it, whatever it happened to be, was still on Thomas’s mind, so he stayed quiet. If Thomas wanted to share, he could. If not, then whatever. Derek didn’t care.

The pulse of the lunchroom swept over them, a medley of laughter and chatter, the clatter of books and pencil scratches blending with the clinking of silverware and plastic containers. Allie laughed. John and Cynthia were either in a club meeting or making out behind the school. Thomas opened a bag of chips and ate them one at a time, swaying back and forth. His humming continued. Derek didn’t recognize the song.

I’m. Thomas stopped, setting the bag down and staring at the table. I’m. Me too. Derek waited. His heart thumped just like it had when Alexa had come out. Allie followed suit not one month later. Cynthia told everyone she was bisexual over Facebook. John never really came out, but he made it clear over the years that he’d hit on anything with legs. Of course, once he had started dating Cynthia, he emphasized he had eyes only for her. Mostly.

Are you going to say anything? Derek realized Thomas was waiting for him to reply. The ever-present tension coiled in Thomas’s shoulders was ready to snap, a snake waiting to strike. Derek wondered if Thomas had left his old school because things had gotten too bad, but it wasn’t his place to ask.

Derek shrugged. Like I said, it’s cool with me. We’re all pretty gay here anyway. Thomas nodded once and went back to eating his chips. Derek went back to slogging through his textbook, the names and dates swirling together in his head because dyslexia was a bitch.

King George the Third, Thomas said. Derek blinked in confusion. He’s the one you’re looking for.

Oh. Thanks. Derek wrote it down and moved on. Thomas didn’t say anything else for the rest of lunch.

It was the first time Thomas had spoken without prompting. Derek didn’t want to call it a success, but it was definitely progress. He didn’t tell anyone else, though. There was no point. It wasn’t like Derek was keeping track. He just had a good memory for firsts.

The first boy Derek ever kissed was John. They were at Derek’s house, two fifteen-year-old boys playing video games in the living room. John was pressed up against Derek, distracting him from the game by throwing elbows and snark.

It had been sudden. One moment they were laughing, Derek thinking about how warm John was next to him, and the next there was a hand wrapped around his head and a pair of chapped lips up against his. Everything froze, but all Derek had to do was blink and it was over. They had stared at each other before laughing and agreeing never to try that again.

We’re better off as friends, John had said. Derek agreed.

HE SAID we’re better off as friends, Cynthia sobbed to them, green eyes rimmed red from tears. Derek agreed, but he was smart enough not to say. Allie glared daggers into the back of John’s head, but he had already done this three other times, and Derek was pretty sure John was immune to whatever ill will Allie was trying to inflict.

John’s an idiot. He’ll realize he screwed up and ask for your forgiveness in a week, Alexa reassured Cynthia, which she had said the last few times. Derek wondered if some people were just doomed to live in perpetual déjà vu, never breaking out of patterns because they were too scared of what the unknown held.

He knew that half his hesitation to ask anyone out came from what had happened last time. The other half was that no one else was available.

Does this happen a lot? Thomas whispered, lingering a few feet away from the girls. Derek nodded, too busy pacing back and forth on the cheap lunchroom tile to explain the full history behind how JohnandCynthia often became John and Cynthia.

Derek thought it would save everyone a whole lot of tears, heartache, and headaches if John and Cynthia remained separate. Not everyone could have the whirlwind, forever-in-love romance Alexa and Allie had stumbled upon. And that was fine. Derek knew most high school couples didn’t marry. John and Cynthia, however, seemed to be determined to get a happy ending, no matter how many redos it took.

Derek was a realist, thank you very much, and he had three very real goals that he held onto.

First, he had to graduate high school with everyone else. It meant he had to not succumb to the temptation to throw Pride and Prejudice across the room whenever he opened it, and he wasn’t allowed to stay up all night playing Overwatch. But it would be worth it.

He had to walk across the stage with the others, had to be in all those cheesy grad photos, had to be able to complain about how his cap didn’t fit and how he kept tripping over his robe. Not only would his parents kill him if he got held back, he wouldn’t be happy if that happened. I’ve gotten this far, dammit. I just have a little more to go, Derek told himself whenever he wanted to quit.

Which, junior year, had been often.

Second, he was going to marry a tall, roguishly handsome man who was a lawyer or an author or something cool. They’d meet in college, and Derek would make a total fool of himself at first, but he’d impress his future husband with his excessive knowledge of Netflix TV shows and sci-fi lore. Derek was hedging his bets by learning about criminal law, hoping it would surprise his future husband enough to get him an invitation to talk about their mutual love of Sense8, Star Wars, and Young Avengers over a cup of coffee.

Third, Derek would not be jealous of Allie and Alexa, and he would definitely not be jealous of John and Cynthia. Derek was going to graduate high school single. He had no interest in anyone, so unless a new student showed up a quarter of the way through senior year, that wouldn’t change. And that, he told himself, was fine.

Sure, sometimes he wanted to smash his head against the nearest hard surface because Alexa and Allie were always in their own little bubble and when John and Cynthia were together they were together, but he was fine.

Totally, undeniably, fine.

FMK—Chris Pratt, Tom Hiddleston, and young Harrison Ford, Alexa said one day at lunch, counting off on her fingers.

John rolled his eyes. Fuck Ford, kiss Pratt, marry Hiddleston, he replied without hesitation. Derek snorted. What?

Pratt is more husband material, he argued. But I definitely would screw Ford. John seemed to accept that and, for once, didn’t seek an argument. Instead he turned to Thomas, who was crunching on a familiar bag of chips.

Oi, Fall Out Boy, your turn. FMK—

What did you call me? Thomas asked, a look of amused confusion present. He had been opening up more, and his involvement with the group had solidified him as part of the gang, as Derek had dubbed them. Now that Thomas was one of them, John had given him a nickname.

Derek’s was Solo, not only because of his lackluster romantic ventures but also because of his refusal to change his Halloween costume from Han Solo. It was a better nickname than Allie’s, which was Ice Queen when John was feeling generous.

Fall Out Boy, John explained, because you like the band and it’s clever. Thomas frowned, and Derek saw him flip through a gambit of emotions.

Can you call me something else? he asked. John shrugged, which was his nod. You should. Uh. Call me ‘Teenage Anarchist’. Derek wracked his brain for the reference, and he could sense the others doing the same. It’s by a good band, Against Me! I’ll send you some of their stuff. None of the others really liked Thomas’s music, but he would send links in the group chat and they’d listen anyway. Friends suffered for one another, after all.

John raised three fingers. Okay, Teenage Anarchist. FMK—Scarlett Johansson, Jennifer Lawrence—

I don’t like girls. It came out with no preamble and no hesitation. John’s mouth hung open while Alexa and Allie exchanged a look. Cynthia had an innocent expression on her face, even as she nudged John until he handed her a ten-dollar bill.

Thomas shifted, not meeting anyone’s gaze. If that’s okay, he mumbled in his secret-sharing voice. Derek, who had gotten into the habit of sitting next to Thomas, squeezed his shoulder. Before Derek could reassure Thomas, John nodded.

So, FMK….

When lunch was over, Thomas lingered behind. Derek had been volunteered to clean the table,