The Old Abandoned Fire Station

Chapter 1 - Meet me after school.

The first thing I remember about the old abandoned fire station, which I call home, was that day, the 19th of February of in grade 8.

I was bullied as a kid. (Such a stereotypical beginning to a story I know, but it does get better.) I thought I was the only one, but I was wrong. I'm getting off track - It was a normal day. Lunchtime at school, hanging out with the popular girls - and their boyfriends. We started doing truth or dare, as bored - very bored people do, I think one of the boys had suggested it and his girlfriend simped enough to make us play. when it was my turn, I picked the 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 with my horrible balance, I started falling backward. Everyone faced away from me acting overly innocent and snobby like someone might do if they were walking away from where a bomb had been prepped to explode.

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." This person said, checking to see if anyone was overhearing our conversation. They were very straight to the point. no "hi, are you ok?" or anything, just a list of three things I was probably meant to give them.

"Uhh... Emma 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. Very confused. What were these questions?

"What about girls?"

I'd had really long crushes on girls, those with the sharp chin and glasses and freckles. the ones who wore white cowboy hats and had green eyes. The ones with the cute chuckles and the glowing smile and the upturned noses. I nodded to my new acquaintance, feeling ashamed at such a thing.

"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 would. "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 into space, before climbing on one of the school's wooden picnic tables and jumping straight back 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.