fangs (a trans vampire story)

Chapter three

"Jessica! Jessica!" His mother pounded on his bedroom door. He sat up bleary eyed, the night's events flooding back into his consciousness, twisting his stomach into knots. "Jessica!" He wanted to tear the door off its hinges and scream at her, Jasper!!!!  Jasper!!!! Jasper!!!! Jasper!!!! Until her ear drums bled. But instead he settled for opening the door and glaring daggers into her dark red eyes.

Her expression softened upon seeing him. "I'm sorry about the ceremony, but it's going to be okay, I'm sure you just need some more time to let your powers develop, and I've spoken with the high council and we can hold the ceremony again in about a month-" "No mom." He cut her off. Her smile wavered, "I know it's embarrassing, but no one cares as much as you think. I just know-" "No. It's not going to work." His voice began to shake, anxiety seeping into his words.

"Of course it will, you just need to be optimistic! One failed attempt doesn't mean-" "No." He stopped her once more, trying to muster some power into his words. "It's not going to work, unless.... Unless I drink from the neck." He dropped his gaze from her eyes, praying she understood. He wasn't sure he'd be able to explain it any other way. "Unless you..." Her eyebrows knit together in concentration, her eyes wandering upward. "Oh." Her expression turned to something unreadable for several moments.

The she began to laugh. "Oh, honey that's funny. You know that's not how it works though. The councils magic will recognize your not actually a boy." His hands balled into fists, and he had to blink back hot, angry tears. "No." He told her defiantly. "The councils magic recognized I'm not a girl, therefore proving the fact that I'm a boy. I'm trans mom." He stepped back, releasing his clenched fists.

His mother's expression shifted to something unreadable yet again. "You don't actually believe that do you?" Her words were icy, and it made him debate just dropping the whole issue. No.  He told himself. I'm doing this. "I do. I know it's true. I've known it for.... A long time. I'm your son." She just glared at him. "You are no son of mine Jessica, and you better have this little fantasy of yours sorted out before our second attempt at your induction, or I'm afraid you'll be shunned from our society. And that would look pretty bad for all of us"

She left silently, leaving him to collapse back into his bed. His mother was rarely that harsh, she must have been really serious.  He wasn't sure what idea was more upsetting, being an outcast.....

Or being trapped in a lie forever.