Millie Swanson sat at her desk, scribbling furiously in her notebook. Her Medical Science class had just given a major project, and Millie was giddy with excitement. So she sat down in her stool the second she got home and wrote down everything she could think of for the project, ideas spilling out of her brain faster than she could write.
She heard a door open and smiled as she continued to write. “Hey, Harley.”
“Hey, Mills,” Harley’s voice said. “Whatcha doing?”
“Project. Huge grade.”
He laughed. “Medical Science is torturing you. That on top of, like, 3 others in our actual classes? Damn.
“At least I might get somewhere in life. 5555 doesn’t need any astronomers, you know.”
Ever since she met Harley, he’d been obsessed with outer space. It was a concept very few people knew, yet Harley somehow knew everything about it. She remembered how he’d nearly cried with joy when she asked him to tell her about it. He was almost bullied out of his fixation multiple times, but he kept going. She would have gotten him some astronomy books for his birthday, except…well, Harley had never told her his birthday, for reasons she didn’t know.
“Hey, doctors make big bucks.” Harley walked toward her and wrapped his arms around her waist, his head resting on her shoulder. “The second you become a doctor, we’ll get out of here. We’ll never have to see this apartment complex again.”
Millie smiled, relaxing as she turned her head to see Harley. “You do realize it’s not that easy, right?” She asked. “After college, I go to medical school, then I have to do a residency, which could probably last up to eight years. So during that time,” She kissed him on the cheek. “You’ll have to keep us going, Space Boy.”
“Don’t call me that.” He mumbled, trying to keep his expression neutral. But Millie could see his face flush red. She smiled even wider. He looked adorable.
She was about to kiss him again when both of their phones chimed. Harley jumped off of her, taking his phone out of his pocket. She could see his face falling into sadness as soon as he read it. “What?” She asked, frantically taking out her phone. “What happened?”
The text answered her before he could.
199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8ZHGZwOLbA
Dear Senior Students of 5555 High School,
We are sorry to inform you all that Chloe Blackwell has been confirmed for Exile due to unlawful actions.
As you all know, any form of same-sex non-platonic relationships are banned here at 5555, punished with Exile. Recently, a student has reported Ms. Blackwell participating in such actions. She was immediately arrested, and has just been fully registered for Exile.
We were informed that she was the student body Vice President, and a re-election for that position will occur in a matter of time.
Let this be a warning to all of you.
Respectfully, the 5555 Criminal Protection Organization.
199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzeCSntU5bR
Millie couldn’t find her voice. The phone shook in her hand. She looked at Harley, and she could tell that he was just as shocked. The room was overwhelmed with silence.
“All she did,” Harley said after a while. He was on the verge of tears. “Was tell someone she was bisexual. I was there when it happened. It was at a party.”
She winced. Of course it was at a party. She never went to parties, since they were always loud and chaotic and messy.
“That was all she did.” He continued. “And she was with Blake, her fiancé. They were happy together, Millie. I remember hearing loud noises after she left, but I didn’t know it was the police…” He looked at Millie, his face ashen white. “Do you know what this means?”
She shook her head. She didn’t want to know.
“It means…” He sat on her bed, his head in his hands. “It means that you can be in a straight relationship and also like the same gender, and they’ll Exile you for it. Millie…” He looked up at her, tears streaming down his face. “That could be me.”
It felt as if the air was 10 tons heavier. How hadn’t she realized that? Harley was bisexual. He was in a relationship with her. If he even mentioned liking guys…
“Harley, please tell me you’ve never told anyone.”
“I…” He hesitated. “I mean, there was this one time—“
“You’re joking.”
“I’m dead serious, Millie. I was talking with Blake at a party. I’d known about Chloe beforehand, so I made the mistake of slipping up in front of him. I made a comment about some guy. He asked, and I told him. Obviously, he was fine with it, but I’d be surprised if no one overheard us. Somebody at that party overheard Chloe and reported it. I could be next. Millie, I’m scared.”
She didn’t want to picture the police dragging Harley away from her, throwing him into the town square. She didn’t want to picture him screaming and sobbing, trying desperately to somehow run back into Millie’s arms. Or maybe she was the one screaming. She couldn’t be sure. She didn’t want to picture any of it. So naturally, that’s exactly what she did.
Harley chuckled, tears brimming his eyes. “I guess it runs in the family, huh? Getting Exiled. The great Venus family tradition.”
Millie had a sudden realization. Of course, she thought to herself, internally facepalming. Harley’s mom was Exiled. He was probably having flashbacks of it at that very moment.
“Don’t say that.” She sat beside Harley on the bed. “We’ll find a way out of this.”
Harley ignored her. “Well, not just the Venuses, actually. Him too… jeez, I better get ready for a hell of a family reunion up there.”
“Harley, you’re not gonna get Exiled. There has to be a way.”
“What way, Millie?” He said, frustration in his voice. “What could possibly get me out of this? I can’t just ask them not to expose me. So what’s it gonna be? I’ll probably be dead by next week, so by all means, enthrall me with your ideas, so that I can at least spend my last days alive pretending to have hope!”
An idea suddenly hit her. It was stupid, but it could work. “We could run away.”199Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ccMlC6pl6
“Oh please-“ He paused, realizing what she’d just said. His expression turned serious. “Where to?”
“As of now, I don’t know.” Was she seriously considering this? “We could get Estelle, Dio, and the others. Research, make a plan, and boom.” She paused. “Wow, that came out of nowhere. I know you were being sarcastic, but for some reason—“
“No, no, no.” Harley quickly got up and picked up a pencil and notepad from Millie’s desk. He looked up at her, urgency in her eyes. “Tell me. I think it could work.”
“Harley, I only said that to—“
“Trust me. I have an idea. Now tell me exactly what you were thinking.”
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