The Other Side

The young lady sitting next to him on the sidewalk smiled at him, and his heart stuttered at this sign of approval. Feeling bolder, he let himself get louder, and her blue eyes shone with pride. "One, two, three, four, we don't want your f*cking war!"

Something warm and wet hit his face, and he stopped chanting, looking up into the glowering face of young Adeline, daughter of the town's mayor.
"Animals," she snarled, spitting again at the young woman sitting next to him. "My Robert is proud to fight for his country. You're nothing but cowards."
"For your sake, I hope he comes home," the girl with blue eyes said quietly. "So many don't."