Romia and Juliette

I sat in my chair next to another girl. There were many people in my group. Boys, girls, all with the same problem. They were gay. Though, I still didn't understand why it was wrong.

"Okay, shall we begin?" said the short, stalky lady with the bible. She adjusted her wide-rimmed glasses which sat at the end of her long, pointy nose. "Mike." She said, motioning towards a guy who sat just to the right of me. He wore dark clothing and had thick-rimmed glasses and longish black hair. He looked miserable. I had seen his parents dragging him in here as he shouted to them to let him go. He grunted in response to the lady.

"Would you tell us why you're here?" she asked Mike just stared angrily at his feet. "You'll feel better if you say it." She said with false reassurance. He sighed and in a short leap of desperation he replied to her,

"I'm gay." He shuffled his feet nervously against the smooth, white tile.
"Have you tried to change?"
"Yes..." He answered, "... never worked." He said, shooting her a death glare.
"Ah, I guess you weren't praying hard enough. You see, if you were praying enou-"
"You just don't get it, do you?" He interrupted. "I was praying! Every time I ate, before bed, in the morning, at random times of the day. I used to be a bible thumper until then. So either I'm meant to be this way or there is no god!" He yelled
"Stop. Stop right there. See, you deny that he exists now, so obviously you didn't have strong enough faith. I suggest you read the bible." I guess he gave up there because he didn't say anything after that.

"Juliette?" She said, looking at me, her brown eyes burrowing into my skin.
"Y-yes?" I asked, hesitantly, my voice cracking a bit.
"Why are you here today?" She said.
"I think you already know that." I answered, being a smart-aleck.
"Now, don't get smart with me." she said.
"Don't get smart with me!" I mocked, others laughing.
"Stop it!" she shouted.
"Stop it!" I mocked, again.
"Juliette, I swear if you say one more thing... I'll"
"You'll what? Hmm? You can't do anything. I'm smarter than to let you manipulate me and tell me what to do. You've only proved to me that my mother was wrong." I said, angrily.
"What do you mean?" She asked.
"You're not here to help us. You're only forcing your beliefs onto us. Every time someone asks you something or cries out for help in this circle, you kick them again, telling them their not good enough. Well, you know what? You're not good enough. I bet you're gay, anyways." I argued. Her mouth fell open.
"W-what? I'm sorry, but I'm only proof that you can be ex-gay!" She said, trying to defend herself.
"But you're not happy, are you? I can see it in your eyes. You're still feeling alone and rejected from society, aren't you?" She looked down at her note pad, fidgeting a bit.
"C-class dismissed..." She said, not looking at anyone. She sniffed a bit and I realised she was crying. As everyone left I walked over to her. She looked up, tears streaking her face.
"I think you better rethink the morals of your religion." I said, plainly, before walking away,

I didn't know where that surge of confidence had come from, but as soon as I walked out of there, I remembered something.

Romia was my girlfriend.