The Wonderful Queer Story of Racetrack Higgins

Figuring Things Out

I don't have much to say except I know that the beginning is going to be fun to read.

Enjoy! :)

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"I still don't believe it."

"What don't you believe, Race?"

As Spot brought Race back to the Brooklyn newsies' lodging house, he told him his full story. Now Race is in Spot's bed, bandages off, with Spot tending to Race's wounds.

That must have been the twentieth time that Race has declared I don't believe it. At least twenty.

"You haven't been able to believe a lot of things recently, Race. You're going to have to be more specific."

Why can't people just read my mind? Race groans internally. So I don't always have to explain where my mind goes and when.

Race waves his hands around. "This. Just all of this. I mean, seriously. It's blowing my mind."

"And all of this encompasses...?"

"How complicated it all is. I mean, look at it this way. We're both girls-"

"No, Race. We were girls. We ain't anymore."

"Yeah, that's what I meant. Anyway, we were both born girls, and now we're both guys."

"Right."

"And we both experience romantic attraction to boys."

"That would be correct."

"So we're both girls presenting themselves as guys, and we're two guys who lo-" he swallows. It's too soon to save love, right? "-who like each other."

"Yeah."

"Do you hear that? It's messing with my mind. We're two guys who like each other when in reality we were both born girls."

"How many times do we need to establish that?"

"This is making my head hurt."

"Or maybe your head began to hurt during that unfair fight?"

"Maybe. Maybe when my headache goes away I'll suddenly realize that this isn't extremely profound."

"Who said it wasn't profound?" Spot replies. "It's a very strange situation. I just don't get why it seems impossible."

Race shakes his head vigorously. "Not impossible. Just a 75 to 1 shot."

Spot laughs. "You and your gambling."

"Did you forget who you were talkin' to?"

"Good point," Spot chuckles.

Race smiles. He likes it when Spot laughs.

"Hey." Spot grabs Race's hand. "I'm glad that we're two guys who like each other. Extra focus on that like each other part."

If only Race feels more than like, Spot thinks sadly. Yeah, I'm glad he has feelings for me like I do for him. But how deep does it really go?

Race grins. He glows on the inside. "I'm glad about the like each other part as well."

They stay there together in comfortable silence.

"Well, the races are over, you sold your papers," Spot starts. "Is there anything else you want to do today?"

Race shrugs. "Not particularly."