The Old Abandoned Fire Station

Draft one

The first thing I remeber about the old abandoned fire station which i call home, was that day in late February of grade 8. 

I was bullied as a kid. I thought I was the only one, but I was wrong. I'm getting off track - It was a normal day. Lunch time at school, hanging out with the popular girls - and their boyfriends. Anyway, we started doing truth or dare, as bored young teenagers do, and I picked truth. I think her name was Katie, she asked me who in that circle I would date. I blurted out a female name. Now, I'm a female... and I said i'd date a female... and in that circle were some boys - some even single... 

Someone slapped me across the face and me with my horrible balance started falling backwards. Everyone faced away from me acting overly innocent and snobby.

Someone else caught me mid fall. She - were they a she? It was hard to tell. They caught me from under the arms, and quite literally dragged me onto my feet, turned me around, and held my shoulders tight before whipping their head to get their dyed navy hair out of their eyes.. 

"Name, age, pronouns please" This person said, checking to see if anyone was overhearing our conversation.

"Uhh... Emily Brooks, 14, grade 8, and what do you mean by pronou-"

They interrupted me with a hush, their left hand coming off my shoulder. "N-nevermind that now. Have you ever had a crush or anything on a guy?"

"Uh, no I guess?" My confused self responded

"What about girls?"

I'd had really long crushes on girls, those ones with the sharp chin and glasses and freckles.I nodded to my new acquaintance

"We will have to teach you a lot, but you will learn. Come, name's Eli by the way." They sighed, In the way someone ashamed about something but can't do anything about it. "I'm a boy, contrary to popular belief." 

He had a very evil death stare. He didn't stare at anyone in particular, just stared, before climbing on one of the school's wooden picnic tables and jumping off of it. "Meet me at the bus stop after school. Tell your parents you're staying behind to study."

"O-ok then..." I replied.

But he was already gone.

***** 

You probably want to know something about me, don't you? Or, everything about me. Well, You already know my name, Emma Brooks. I'm a cis-gender fem lesbian, Long dark brown hair - well - It was long, olive green eyes, the usual adolescent acne, freckles, I burn I don't tan, ears that were onced pierced but have closed over because I never wore earrings in them, often wearing a short skirt - well, short for me because I'm quite tall for a fourteen year old. I used to live with my dad - we will get to that later, I'm getting distracted, again. Where were we?

After school I shot a quick text to my dad saying I was going to stay behind at school to study. He responded with the 'thumb-up' emoji, and "see you at home," which was more than I usually got out of him, even in person.

I went over to the bus stop, making sure to steer clear of Katie and her crew, and sure enough, there was Eli, pointing his head left and beginning to walk in that direction. I obediently followed, having to run to catch up to him.

He raised his eyebrows and looked at me, before continuing to walk. He didn't say anything.

So I said something.

"Where are we going?"

"You'll see." was his reply.

Eli was a very reserved man. Straight to the point. But he was also very confident.