Unfamiliar Territory [Book One]

Chapter Four | Date Proposal

I woke up to gentle shaking.

"Hey, sleeping beauty, rise and shine. We're at your house." Stallion was nudging me with his elbow, a playful grin on his face.

I rose from against the window and rubbed my eyes that were refusing to remain open. "Wha...huh...?"

I was back in Mr. Mallard's car after having fallen asleep on the way home. As this thought came to me, I chanced a look to the front of the car. Mr. Mallard had his hands folded in his lap and his chair was reclined. He wasn't moving much, so I assumed he was asleep. Kat was still in the driver's seat-- face forward with hands firmly on the wheel. It was more than likely that she hadn't--but I was suddenly awash with the fear that she had seen my horrible sleeping face.

"You need help getting inside?" Stallion offered. Mutt was being unusually quiet as he stared out his own window.

"No...thanks. I can make it," I said this as I fumbled with the door handle. I stumbled a bit as I got out, but quickly waved a hand when Stallion made to assist me. "Really, I'm good. Thanks. And, uh, thanks for letting me come today."

"Sure thing, man. We will definitely be doing it again soon," Stallion said before closing the car door for me. He quickly rolled down the window as Kat started to speed off. "See you tomorrow!"

I waved after him, barely acknowledging how very heavy my arm was.

The sun was long gone as I walked through my house and into my room in a bleary haze. After collapsing in my bed, I tried to think back. I assumed I had just fallen asleep in the car, but I couldn't remember anything after drinking their tea. Like a big splotch of black paint in my mind that only got darker the harder I looked into it.

With a groan of defeat, I buried myself in pillows and blankets and fell asleep almost immediately.

When I woke up the next morning, I was sweating--my mind racing with a feeling similar to having a dream which felt too real. Though, I could not remember the dream. Everything from that day was a blur. I never again thought to ask what was in the tea, or how they knew where I lived.

It all turned out fine in the end, I told myself. That's all that mattered.

...

A few months passed. Once a week, I would meet up with Kat and the others and we would visit a local cemetery and have tea. I talked pretty frequently with the guys. They didn't have phones, but we would meet up sometimes on the weekends. Mutt even took me to see some crazy violent action movie once. He cheered after almost every explosion. I never passed out again.

...

One morning, I tried to cut my hair. It was only getting longer, and I knew it was one of the reasons why I kept getting gender confused. Maybe it was also why Kat still showed little interest in me. She went out of her way to avoid me everywhere but at our club meetings, and even then she wouldn't even say hello. Just a cold glare.

I found I was giving myself a similar look as I stood in front of the mirror-- a pair scissors in my hand. My red hair fell all around me-- hiding my forehead, my eyes, my face.

Maybe if she could see me.

I rubbed a free hand over my cheeks. Soft and smooth. Stallion liked to brag about how he already had to shave. Even Mutt had stronger features. More angled jawbone, shorter eyelashes. I bit my lip, but stopped when I saw how it made me look in the mirror. Vulernable. Weak.

"...and you wouldn't make much of a meal..."

That's what she said to me. One of the first things she said to me. And now she hardly even looks at me.