January 03, 2014

Private: 5032 – Rosita Herrera

My name is Rosita Herrera, I'm 18 years old and I was born and raised in Oakland, California. I lived there my whole life until last year, when I decided to move to Tulsa, Oklahoma to live with my mother and sister. A nice fresh start, a new school and new people. I could be anyone I wanted to be because no one knew me. I always knew I was gay, but I never wanted to accept it because of my Catholic background. So to my family and even my friends, I was straight.

After a few weeks in my new school I met my best friend, Brittany. Brittany and I played on the soccer team together. I remember us talking about the softball team and how most of the girls on it were gay. Of course, I was still saying I was straight. Brittany eventually helped me get a job at the movie theater she worked at, and that's where it all began.

It was my first day of training. I was told I would be trained in concessions with seven other people and had to wait upstairs for everyone else to arrive. I was the second person to get there so I got to check out everyone else that showed up. Our trainer took us down to the back storage area we called the Cage. We stood in a circle as she showed us some things, and I accidentally bumped into the girl next to me. I told her I was sorry and this big smile went across her face and she told me not to worry about it. I developed a crush on her right then and there.

The rest of the night I noticed that she was always either right next to me or nearby. I missed most of what the trainer was talking about thinking about her. Finally we had some downtime and we got to talk to our new co-workers to get to know them. I learned that her name was Darian Storms. As the day came to an end, management asked for all of our numbers so they could send them out in an email – "for work related things only." Yeah right. Darian's number was the first that went in my phone.

After learning Darian was a lesbian, I knew I had to do something. I texted her with a fake question about work and that's how we started texting. After a while it became flirting, then many dates at the movies since we worked there and could get in for free! Eventually Brittany asked me if I liked her, and I had to tell her yes. It was time for her to know. That day Brittany found out I was gay, and incidentally I found out she was too. We declared ourselves bros. I knew I had to tell my mom after Darian and I had our first kiss because I was really starting to like her and wanted her to be my girl.

On May 27th, 2012, three months after meeting Darian, I came into work as Brittany was leaving. Brittany caught me on her way out and told me that Darian really wanted to be my girlfriend and that I should just go for it. Darian was working mid-shift that day so I was going to be working with her the rest of the night. When it was almost time for us to leave we hugged in a theater and it was the first time we said we loved each other. She knew I wasn't out and was completely okay with it, but I wasn't. I had been thinking for days about how I would go about telling my mom.

That night when I got home, I was already texting Darian. I went into my mom's room to watch TV with her and she said, "Who are you texting, huh? You have a boyfriend?" I knew then that was my chance, so I told her everything. I told her I was gay but I was just scared to tell her. I also told her everything about Darian. Her response was "Oh, I knew. I'm your mother, I have always known. So is she your girlfriend?" With relief I told her I'd like to think so and awkwardly went into my room to text Darian about it. When I told Darian about my mom asking if she was my girlfriend, she asked me what I said and her response was "I'd like to think so, too." We made it official that night.

All in all, it was the easiest, yet hardest thing I had to do in my life. My mother is completely okay with it as well as the rest of my family who later found out. I cannot tell you how much happier I have been, to know I'm not only being truthful to myself but my family and friends. My life has been much more exciting since that day.