Hand Holding.
Mark was on the small side of things, height and muscle. Keith was remarkably average in everything anyone could think of, looks and academics and sports. The two were drawn to each other. The two were fast friends and always together. They were always the first to know anything about the other, so when Mark told Keith that he would prefer if he would use she/her pronouns and refer to her as Molly, he was also the first one to say, "Okay, what can I do to help."
"I'm not sure I can do this," Molly said to Keith as she looked at her front door like it was the gate to hell. "That's okay, Molly. We can always wait till you're more comfortable, but we shouldn't wait too long. You deserve to be comfortable in your own skin and telling your parents could help speed that along." "But it could also make it so much worse. What if they don't except me? What if they misgender me on purpose? What if they ban me from being friends with you because they think that you influenced me? What if-" "That's it. No more 'What ifs' from you. You're just working yourself up." "Okay." Keith motioned to the door. "Come on now you got all dolled up to tell them, I would hate for that to go to waste." With a huff Molly reached for the door, "Fine you big baby."
"Mark, is that you dear?" Molly's mom called from the living room. "Yeah, it's me, and I brought Keith too." "That's great son. Hey, what do you guys want for dinner? I was thinking of ordering take out." Molly's dad's voice flouted out from the kitchen. "Um, before I answer that could I talk to you both? In the living room, please." "Of course, my boy." On hesitant, shaky legs Molly started to walk to the living room before freezing. "I can't do this. I can't do this. I ca-" Suddenly Molly felt Keith grab her hand. "I can do this." "Mark? Are you okay out there? What going on?" "Everything's fine Mom." The two walked in together, hand in hand, never letting each other go. "Mark? What is this? Why are you dressed like that? Where did you even get that skirt?" Molly's dad asked. "Mom. Dad. My name is Molly and I use she/her pronouns. I hope you'll like to get to know your daughter." They both looked shocked, but Molly's dad was the first to snap out of it. "So my son, who I have raised all this time, is actually a girl?" "Yes." "Okay." "Okay?" "Okay." "That's it?" "That's it." It was at that point that Molly's mom spoke up, "That's right dear. Now that I have a adorable daughter I'm going to have to take you out shopping because that skirt is a awful color and we will need to fix that immediately." It was at that point that the two best friends remembered their connected hands.
"Molly," Keith started, "your hand is so sweaty." Molly groaned, "PLEASE! Don't mention it ever again I was so worried that this would go wrong." "Your mom was right, that skirt is an ugly color, and I think the design is ugly overall." "Hey, you can't say anything you were the one who got it for me." Laughter spilled from the house the whole night, and the two friends never let go. Even as they got older and fell in love with other people those two would always come back to each other.
597 words. This was just a random story I thought up in my government class. I know I should probably be paying attention, but it's so boring that I may die. God, I can't wait to graduate. ~Harmony-Wing <3
