US

+ p a r t o n e: 4 +

Holly and Rob were excellent psychologists but 2013 wasn't a time when they were actually given the attention they deserved so I didn't see the need to stay there and be a burden to them.

They told me I wasn't but I already knew those would be their words so I decided to work as Holly's assistant at the hospital, helping her with patients if they got too out of hand.

She used to say that I didn't have the body frame for a scary person. I just had really dark eyes that made people think I was scary.

Maybe that was shrink her talking but I always ignored it.

I also did other part-time jobs, though they didn't pay much but it didn't matter. I kept saving them. Besides, Jamie was totally cool with letting me wear his clothes and I only wore dresses when Holly felt like having girl time.

They said I was non binary because I didn't conform to any gender. I used to say that was because I was just me, not Skye that was a girl, or Skye that was a boy. They wondered if I'd like to have a different pronoun, I shrugged when it was said. I didn't mind.

Holly and Rob referred to me as They or Them, and so did Jamie. His parents used to say he was the first to notice I was non-binary. That he just knew somehow.

I wasn't surprised. Jamie had a way of knowing things he shouldn't.

Maybe that was why he was his high school's golden boy. I stopped going to school because I didn't really see the need, I was never cut out for college anyway, plus, I didn't need the Cullen's trying to pay for that too.

But Jamie was always coming back home with something he thought I might be interested in.

Especially when he was taught something new he didn't think I knew. He was in his senior year and they were getting into some pretty rad stuff, I was supposed to be in the same year with him and he really used that to his advantage.

Everyday when he could, he'd come back home and try to drone into my head whatever he was taught. I wouldn't say it was pointless but I barely ever listened.

He only stopped when I began working late hours in the hospital and dated one of the patients there. Her name was Alyssa. Turns out she was a lesbian and her parents brought her to be cured by Mrs Cullen.

I at first just wanted to make her feel comfortable about it because there wasn't really anything she could do but I never really understood how she felt. I could date anyone I wanted without caring about their genders anyway, I just did.

Yet, somehow Alyssa and I began to go out.

Holly didn't think it was okay, us dating. She said Alyssa wasn't really sure about it and I was probably more of a test subject than an actual person to her.

I only shrugged it off.

"One day, you'd have to be learn how to stop detaching yourself from emotions" She said "It'd be the only way to help make decisions"

I always used to ignore her then, but if I ever really thought about it, I'd know Holly wasn't just a shrink, but a psychic and I really should have paid more attention to her.

It had been six days after Valentine when Alyssa and I had split up. She said she wasn't gay and she liked a boy, and that it was a phase. I only said that it was cool and she could do whatever she wanted. She slapped me, called me some name about me being emotionless and broke up with me.

I was sad about it I think and Rob knew what would help me get better.

His therapy was relatively simple.

We got to tinker on Holly's old car if we promised to put everything back in place.

That was also the same day I got into the house and found Holly and Jamie cooking. We always joked about it, how I was so attached to cars and trucks while Jamie had a thing for stoves.

Didn't matter anyway. If we switched, it would have been disastrous.

"Honey, you look like you rolled in grease" Holly kissed me on the forehead. She liked doing those things. Giving me slight physical contact. I wasn't used to it at first but it was totally cool now.

"I came for a glass of water" I said. Jamie handed it over to me while Holly went to see whatever damage we had done to her car.

"Sorry about Alyssa" He said.

I shrugged. I didn't want to talk about it so I brought something up instead "I heard some teenagers at the hospital say tonight was a Valentine party for  kids. Aren't you going?"

"I didn't exactly have a date to go with before and I don't have one now" He said as he took the glass from me.

I used to think he looked cute in an apron. I still thought so "Are you gay?"

He froze "What?"

"I don't know. You don't talk about girls, or boys, and you definitely don't even try flirting with ne"

"Do you want me flirting with you?"

I flicked my fingers on his forehead at those words "No"

I didn't, then, but that was because I didn't understand what sort of boy Jamie was. I couldn't classify him anywhere and  I hated it.

"Keep cooking, I have to go make sure your Mom doesn't try killing Rob before we find a way to fix what he broke"

I didn't wait for an answer. I never did.

I was always scared about what he'd say.

And thankfully, he never called me back.