Human

chapter one

It always starts out the same.

"How are things at home?" Dr. Sandra always asks at the beginning of the sessions. She has her clipboard and pen ready to write down anything that is said.

George sits crossed legged on the old vintage sofa across from her, looking around at the tacky room. There are children painted badly on the walls, much like something you would see at a childrens hospital.

He meets her eyes, scrunching up his nose in disgust. "Why are we in this room today?"

"My office is being renovated," She answers. "Now, George, things at home?"

Oh, home? How are things there?

He ponders for a moment. His eyes go back to the awful wall and wonders how honest he should be. If hes too honest, it can earn him a trip to grippy sock vacation. George doesnt want that.

Things at home are the same. He knows she knows this. Shes witnessed how his parents can be. So he sits, growing irritated by the second.

"Its okay," he decides to say with a shrug. Short, simple. It definitely wont get him to talk about it.

"Have you told them you want top surgery?"

Shit.

He lets out an uncomfortable chuckle because hell no he hasnt told mom and dad he wants that. He likes living, thank you very much.

Dr. Sandra sighs, "George, youre twenty years old and going into college. Legally, they cant stop you."

George decides Dr. Sandra is insane. Hes already had this conversation with her. They have it almost every time he vists.

He loves his parents more than anything. Theyre a bit vexatious, but nevertheless, they raised him.

And Dr. Sandra was wrong in certains ways. Yes, he was enrolled in college and would be going in a week, but he would still be at home. His college was quite literally only a train ride away, nothing drastic.

"She'll make it about her," He forces himself to say. Its quite obvious he didnt want to by how he forces out the last word.

Dr. Sandra sits up in her seat, happy to make progress. "Who will?"

George starts picking at one of the holes in his jeans. "Mom. She'll make it about her or my younger sister."

"How does your sister feel about it all?" She asks, writing something down.

He frowns at that.

How has she been?

"She's the only one who doesnt hesitate when saying my name."

Dr. Sandra writes that down. Is it bad George wants to grab the pen and throw it across the room?

He hates how it stratches on the paper shes using. The noise makes him rub his finger along the edge of his worn down Vans. The texture would help. Its nice. Safe.

"She said one time you almost burned down the house."

George rolled his eyes. "That was an accident, and it wasnt me. My friend is a bit of a pyro who likes the smell of burning paper."

Dr. Sandra lets out a small laugh, and the room feels light again.

Thats how it always starts out. They always discuss his mom. They always go into detail about how his parents are with his sexuality and his gender identity. His sexuality and his gender.

They get an hour together, George likes her. Hes been seeing her since he was a child, since his parents first adopted him.

Mom and dad were scared that George would have been traumatized by moving from foster home to foster home. The stories they heard, it terrified them. So, they bought him the most expensive therapist they could find, and since the age of seven, he made his first friend; the psychiatrist.