Treehouse

Chapter 4-Aroace?

The next day, TJ and Marty were at the cash register, buying some records. TJ had always said playing music on the record player was a much better experience than just listening on your phone. Marty would always look at him like he was crazy because "why would anyone want to waste money on something you can easily find on your phone with no cost?"

They saw Jonah with Bowie, practicing some cords, and when they were done paying for everything they needed, they went over to them.

"Cool guitar," Marty said.

"Thanks. Bowie gave it to me. It was his dad's." He smiled

Every 'he' and 'his' was a stab to Bowie's heart. They'd only come out to Andi and Bex a few months ago, and it was a relief to get it all out in the open with the two most important people in their life.

"You play piano, right, TJ?" Jonah asked him.

"Yeah, why?" He asked.

"Open Mic is every Friday. You should sign up."

"Yeah, you should play Bohemian Rhapsody," Marty agreed. "I've heard you play it at least a thousand times since I've known you."

"It'd be pretty good to see a new face on Open Mic," Bowie said.

"I'll consider it," TJ said. "We have to meet up with Amber. She gets in a bad mood when she has to wait for us." He turned to face Jonah. "You know that better than anyone."

"Yeah."

When Amber was his girlfriend, he had to deal with her wrath when he was late and when was Jonah ever on time?

Jonah turned back to play his guitar when they were gone.

"They." Bowie suddenly said.

A confused Jonah asked, "They?"

Bowie cleared his throat and said, "I use they/them pronouns. I'm non-binary."

Jonah's face changed to a look of understanding and then to one of panic. "Oh, I'm so sorry. I've been misgendering-"

Bowie cut him off. "No, no, it's fine. It's not your fault."

"Still, I shouldn't just assume." He frowned.

"It's ok." They said. "Ready to continue with our lesson?"

"Actually, can I talk to you? I've just had a lot on my mind recently."

"Yeah, of course, what is it?"

"I've just been thinking a lot about Andi and Amber."

"Do you like them?" Bowie asked.

"No. The opposite, actually." He said. "Ever since I've been going to therapy, I've been more . . . emotionally connected with myself as my therapist would say, and I've been thinking of what I really felt for them. I don't think I ever liked them like that. Not even Libby. I just thought I did because I thought I was supposed to."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I realized I felt the same towards everybody a few days ago. Everybody's feeling things for other people, and I don't. Buffy and Marty. TJ and Cyrus. Even Andi and Amber. It's all so confusing."

"Well, some people don't like anybody, and that's ok. Have you heard of aromantic? It's when you don't feel attraction to anybody."

"Aromantic?"

"Yeah. There's also Asexual. Some people are both, and you can even call it aroace. Some are one or the other."

"Aroace?" Jonah repeated the words to himself. This was a lot to unpack.

"I heard you don't like labels, but some can help describe what you're feeling," Bowie told him.

"Thank you," Jonah said. "Can I leave this lesson a little early? I don't think I can focus on this.""Yeah, of course. Whatever you need. Just know that I'm here for you. Your friends are here for you."

"I know, just please don't tell anybody. I still don't really know if I really am aroace or not. It's all so new to me." He said. "And don't worry. I won't tell anyone that you're non-binary."

"That'd be great, thanks. And I won't. It's your thing to tell."

"Thanks, Bowie."

Usually, Jonah didn't like labels, though that was mainly relationship labels, which all made sense now that he had learned what aroace meant. He spent the rest of the day looking through YouTube videos and memes about the newfound sexualities.

The more he spent on the internet consuming information about aromantic asexuality, the more the label felt right to him.

"I'm aroace." He whispered into the night. "I'm aroace. I'm aroace."

Jonah Beck is aroace.