**ON HIATUS** The People We Are Supposed To Be (Boyxboy)

Part 4

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

TWs: deadnaming/misgendering, mention of transphobia

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I ran my fingers through my hair, leaning back in my chair.

I should probably be doing my homework but my brain didn't want to work. It's been a couple weeks since Alec showed up. I couldn't stop thinking about him. There was something about him that I couldn't place.

"RACHEL!" my mom called from downstairs.

"I'm coming," I called back, biting my lip. That was one problem with being at home, my parents deadnamed me and used the wrong pronouns. Not like they knew that though and it wasn't like i could tell them.

 My parents were transphobic. I hated it but there wasn't much i could do, trust me, i've tried. They weren't even homophobic which made me angrier. They would be perfectly fine if i was a lesbian but if they found out i was trans, they would hate me for it.

Well hey, at least they wouldn't hate me if they found out i liked guys.

I stood up, closing my notebook, tucking it into my backpack. I walked out to the stairs, closing the door behind me.

"What's up?" i asked, walking towards her.

"We're going to bring some cookies over to the new neighbors,"

Oh yeah, we had new neighbors that moved in a couple days ago. I forgot about that. I didn't bother to look when they moved in so i honestly had no idea who was living there now.

Great, now i had to go deal with more people.

"Alright, let me go put my shoes on," I nodded, walking towards the closet.

I slipped my shoes on, not even bothering to untie and retie the laces.

I don't know why, looking messy and unkempt made me look more masculine, at least to myself. I didn't really care what other people thought, it made me happy and that's all i cared about. Or tried to care about.

We walked to the new neighbors house, the cool October air blowing against my skin.

These new people moved in across from our house. It was a nice 2 story house with a garden off to the left side. I didn't really know much about this house. I didn't really know the last people who lived there so i never went in the house.

I rolled on the balls of my feet as my mom knocked. I don't know why but I hated knocking on people's doors. It makes me uncomfortable and i'm not sure why. I guess just being around people made me uncomfortable.

A teenage girl with brown hair and brown eyes opened the door. She smiled and her and my mom started conversing about who knows what.

"Hey, my parents aren't home but you can come in if you like," she smiled, stepping back, "my brother's upstairs, you might know him, he's about your age."

"Thanks," i smiled back, heading towards the stairs.

I didn't really want to go talk to some kid i didn't know but i honestly didn't really have a choice.

As i reached the top of the stairs, i heard the sound of an acoustic guitar.

I hesitantly walked towards the room in which i heard the sound of guitar coming from. I didn't want to interrupt this guy but i honestly didn't have much choice.

I hovered at the door frame, seeing a boy leaning over a guitar, looking at the strings. His messy sandy blonde hair hung in front of his eyes. He glanced up, his sage green staring into mine. Then I realized who i was looking at.

"Alec?"

He glanced up, smiling as he saw me.

"Hey Columbus," 

I rolled my eyes at the nickname. I'm not quite sure why, but Alec just decided it would be a good nickname for me. And the nickname stuck and he refused to call me anything else.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, tilting his head to the side.

"I live across the street, and you just moved in so.." i answered, gesturing behind me.

"I see," he stood up, putting his guitar in the case that was at his feet.

"You play i'm guessing?" I said, shifting my feet.

"A little bit," he shrugged.

"Oh, will that's cool,"

"You can come in if you want," he laughed, glancing up as he zippered the case to his guitar.

"oh yeah thanks sorry," I rushed, stepping into the room.

"No need to apologize," he smiled, standing up, "anyway, what's going on?"

"Not much, i'm just procrastinating doing my homework, you?"

"Same," he laughed, running his fingers through his hair, "do you have anything to do, you know other than homework?"

"Not really, why?"

"I was going to go check out the woods,"

"Oh? Is that so?"

"Yeah, is there a problem?"

"No, you just don't seem like the type of person who would go hang out in the woods," I explained, cracking my knuckles nervously.

"Well, looks can be deceiving," he pointed out.

"True," i nodded.

"So are you coming?"

"Oh hell yeah,"

(word count 791)