Tear down the walls... (PRUDENCE!)

[cynthia]

Cynthia was absolutely livid. An abomination? The GSA was a group about tolerance, about peace, and joining together as one. All of those were things that good Christians tried to do. Turning fellow humans into lepers because of a lifestyle choice was not the way to live, and that was exactly what Prudence was trying to do. In Desmond's absence, Cynthia took it upon herself as the Vice President of the GSA to take action.

She had been following Prudence around the hallways for the past five minutes, taking down every flier she put up and ripping it in half. She hoped to God that no one showed up at her protest meeting... if she wanted a war, then she was going to get one.

[Prudence Roberts]

Prudence was innocently continuing her flier hanging spree when she heard the sound of ripping paper behind her. This time it was one of the little heathens herself, Cynthia, VP of GSA. Prudence knew for a fact that Cynthia herself wasn't gay, but in a way that made it worse. It seemed as though the little prat had been following Prudence around and tearing down every flier she'd hung up. After a good half an hour of work Prudence was not about to take this lightly.

The girl had no back up. Desmond, the head heathen, was had been out of school for over a week now. The rumor was that the boy had tried to kill himself which made him the perfect marter for Prudences cause. Desmond was also a great threat; the boy had been persistent and troublesome in the past, but it seemed like he was beginning to lose his flare. Just one more rival Prudence no longer had to worry about. With a smug grin Prudence walked over Cynthia.

"My, my aren't we persistent." she said, "Taking charge in Desmond's absence I see? Tell me, is the boy still breathing? Or has he been sent to Hell where he belongs?"

[cynthia]

Cynthia had been trying to keep quiet, but as the time passed by she grew more and more angry with what she saw happening. People were already reading the fliers, and a few students had taken them off the wall to keep, or written down the date and time of the meeting. People were honestly going to try and ban the GSA from meeting? No way. Not on her watch, at least.

In her growing frustration she must have lost her cool and allowed herself to be heard. Prudence doubled back and confronted her about it, smirking the whole time. Cynthia returned her smirk with an innocent smile, trying her best to keep her cool.

"My, my aren't we persistent. Taking charge in Desmond's absence I see? Tell me, is the boy still breathing? Or has he been sent to Hell where he belongs?"

"You have no right to even speak his name," she said flatly. "Desmond's twice the human being you'll ever be." In truth, Cynthia was worried for Desmond as well, but more for him and not so much for his eternal soul. He was a good friend of hers. She heard he was better, returning to school any day now. "And from what I've heard he'll have to wait a little longer before taking your place in heaven," she added. "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. Matthew 22:39. You fail." There was nothing better than throwing religious quotations in the face of a devout Christian using religion to prove their own point.

Cynthia held up one of the posters she had just ripped in half. "Since when is tolerance illegal?" she demanded.

[Prudence Roberts]

"You have no right to even speak his name, Desmond's twice the human being you'll ever be. And from what I've heard he'll have to wait a little longer before taking your place in heaven."

Prudence kept the smug smirk on her face. Cynthia's words hadn't phased her one bit. "Desmond is not only homosexual, but also attempted suicide. According to the bible the boy is doomed to hell, twice over now. The best you can do for the boy now is come to my meeting and pray for his eternal soul in hopes of saving it. In fact, bring him along. I'm sure he'd be the perfect example of what not to do with your life."

"Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. Matthew 22:39. You fail."

Prudence let out an over dramatic yawn. "Foolish girl. Did you spend all day searching the bible for that quote just to one up more? Or did you just see it on a key chain?" Prudence smugged. ""If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death. Their blood shall be upon them. Leviticus 20:13. Fool."

"Since when is tolerance illegal?"

Prudence let out a laugh. "This is a private school; you have no rights here. Just school rules." said Prudence with amusement. "This being a private school funded mostly by the parents to the students who go here, I'm afraid what's 'legal' is what ever the funders say is. And I'm afraid to say that my father is one of the chief funders of the school." Prudence pause to smile and let her words sink in. "Anything else?"

[nathan]

Nathan had been walking down the corridor when he noticed two girls who seemed to be at odds. He recognised one of the girls as being the vp of the GSA. He caught the end of their conversation. Man lying with Mankind was an abomination. . .oh this girl was a real bitch.

"What's goin' on here?" he asked, his mingled Irish and English accent showing through. "What's all thes about parents funding and aabominations."

[cynthia]

"Desmond is not only homosexual, but also attempted suicide. According to the bible the boy is doomed to hell, twice over now. The best you can do for the boy now is come to my meeting and pray for his eternal soul in hopes of saving it. In fact, bring him along. I'm sure he'd be the perfect example of what not to do with your life."

Cynthia just shook her head. “All will be forgiven in the eyes of the lord,” she replied calmly. “After all, God made each of us in his own vision, so surely he has a plan for Desmond. He’s suffering for a reason, and he’ll be rewarded for it.” The words felt empty and hollow coming out of her mouth. She wasn’t nearly as devout a Christian as half of the students here, and spouting all this crap about God seemed pointless. Desmond was a human being, he was born gay, and he’s living his life. Everyone has issues!

"Foolish girl. Did you spend all day searching the bible for that quote just to one up more? Or did you just see it on a key chain? If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death. Their blood shall be upon them. Leviticus 20:13. Fool."

Cynthia only knew a few direct bible passages, it was true. Mainly the ones they force-fed you during Sunday school and other various bible classes. But, as VP of the GSA, she was also familiar with the one Prudence spat back at her. This whole conversation was pointless.

“The bible says a lot of things. Lying, sex before marriage, even looking at a guy who has a girlfriend, according to the bible, are all sins. If that was the case, then the vast majority of this school is going to hell, so Desmond and I will have plenty of company,” she said, ignoring direct quotations. It was impossible to interpret everything literally, and it was equally impossible to abide by every single rule set forth in it. And even though Cynthia wasn’t gay herself, she knew that by associating with them and standing up for the GSA that Prudence thought she too was condemned to hell.

"This is a private school; you have no rights here. Just school rules." said Prudence with amusement. "This being a private school funded mostly by the parents to the students who go here, I'm afraid what's 'legal' is what ever the funders say is. And I'm afraid to say that my father is one of the chief funders of the school."

Cynthia realized that it didn’t matter how long she would stand there, talking to Prudence; the girl would never accept the fact that she wasn’t faultless.

“We all have rights here. Rules, yes, but rights as well. Inalienable rights… such as freedom of speech. Just because this is a private school doesn’t mean it doesn’t have to follow the Constitution.” Ah, the good old government. That was something Cynthia knew plenty more about than the bible. And as far as she knew, it wasn’t illegal to be gay… yet.

"Anything else?"

So she needed to get on the good side of the funders? That was never going to happen… so she realized she needed to find some funding of her own. Cynthia had an idea. Just then, Nathan came up to them.

"What's goin' on here? What's all thes about parents funding and aabominations."

“Prudence here is trying to disband the Gay-Straight Alliance,” Cynthia explained. “I was just explaining to her that it won’t be quite so easy. Where they have money, we have heart, and that counts far much more. I’m sure that God will be on the side of the person with the best intentions. The martyrs for the helpless and the downtrodden, just as he was,” she added, and even though she was talking to Nathan it was obvious her words were meant for Prudence.

[Prudence Roberts]

Prudence only rolled her eyes and yawned as the girl continued to speak. This was really a waste of her time. Cynthia wasn't about to one up her or make her feel bad about what she was doing so what was the point? This had gone on for far too long. Then some random blonde English kid showed up out of no where. He seemed to be on Cynthia's side and Prudence really didn't feel like dealing anymore of this crap.

“Prudence here is trying to disband the Gay-Straight Alliance. I was just explaining to her that it won’t be quite so easy. Where they have money, we have heart, and that counts far much more. I’m sure that God will be on the side of the person with the best intentions. The martyrs for the helpless and the downtrodden, just as he was.”

"I'd hate to tell you this, but it this day and age money is everything. Oh and defending homosexuals and suicidals is hardly being a 'martyrs for the helpless and downtrodden'." said Prudence patronizingly, "If you want to do that, help the blind, donate some money to the poor, work at a soup kitchen, but to say that helping a bunch of fags is doing the Lord's work is just plain blasphemy." Prudence pause for a moment to let her words sink in. "Now, if you'll both excuse me I've got some fliers to hang and meetings to organize. Tata." Prudence turned her back on the two and began to walk away.

[cynthia]

Cynthia had begun to ignore Prudence as well, and she knew that their little confrontation was about to come to an end. It was unfortunate that it had to end as a stalemate, for neither of them had relented on their beliefs in the slightest, but now it was known that from here on out the two of them would never be able to see eye to eye on this. Cynthia liked to know who she was dealing with, and now she did. Prudence was ready to do everything and anything within her power to prove her point, which she believed was the true religious path.

"If you want to do that, help the blind, donate some money to the poor, work at a soup kitchen, but to say that helping a bunch of fags is doing the Lord's work is just plain blasphemy."

"I've worked at a soup kitchen. I sponsor a child in Africa. I help all sorts of people, when I have the time. But just because you don't like someone doesn't mean they don't need help either. It's intolerance like that which is what we're trying to stop." Her last statement was aimed at the phrase 'a bunch of fags', which had obviously been demeaning.

"Now, if you'll both excuse me I've got some fliers to hang and meetings to organize. Tata."

"Toodles," Cynthia responded, only slightly sarcastic. She wasn't going to tear down any more fliers, but she wasn't going to let this go either. With Desmond on a temporary leave of absence, she had to make sure that the good name of the GSA was protected and upheld.

[nathan]

Nathan glared at the girl's retreating form.

"And that is why I fuck men," he said pointing at her. "I'd like to see her on the receiving end of a bitch slap. Tell me yer workin' on a plan or somethin'"

[cynthia]

"And that is why I fuck men,"

That caused Cynthia to laugh. "Ditto that," she agreed, glaring at Prudence's retreating form. She couldn't believe girls sometimes, and had often wished that she'd been born a guy. She would've been a gay guy, obviously. That would've been fun. Unfortunately, she was a straight female, and would have to live with that.

"I'd like to see her on the receiving end of a bitch slap. Tell me yer workin' on a plan or somethin'"

"I'm trying," Cynthia admitted. "I wish my plan could just be a bitch slap, but something tells me that wouldn't do much... I'm coming up with something, don't worry." Cynthia hoped that she could come up with something to counter Prudence's meeting, but she didn't know what yet. There were so many things to consider, and she'd have to think this one through.

[nathan]

"Well good," he said with a helpless sort of shrug. "Because I'd hate it ef that girl got rid of the GSA. . .I've only jus' joined."

He frowned slightly and shrugged again. "Well I guess I'll jus' be gong then,"" he said, waving and turning to walk down the hall.

[cynthia]

"Because I'd hate it ef that girl got rid of the GSA. . .I've only jus' joined."

Cynthia smiled at that. She was glad that the group was already making so many people's lives better, or at least giving them another opportunity to socialize. "Well, I can guarentee you there'll be a few more meetings before all this is over," she said. "We won't give up without a fight."

"Well I guess I'll jus' be gong then,"

Cynthia nodded. "Okay! See you around, Nathan!" she was glad for the support.