Pavane for a Lost Boy (Or Rather, How to Survive Loss after Rejection)

Chapter Twenty-Nine

FLASHBACK: When Ryan met Artem

The day I met Artem Hillman was one day that I would never forget.

It was two days after I officially broke things off with Jillian (I had just came out of the closet after dealing with her hardcore partying ways one too many times) and canceled our engagement and she didn't take it too well. Of course, her family and mine knew that she was starting to regress back into her "queen-bee-of-the-school" mode where she could ruin anyone she deemed as a threat. But she was also getting too possessive over me when I would make new friends that she didn't like or thought would steal me away from her.  "You're mine and mine only, Ryan," she had insisted after I decided to end the engagement. "I thought you and I could be the ultimate couple and become Fort Worth's future young royals."

"And I thought you could be more understanding and not demanding of wanting me to spend every second with you," I had replied. "And if it weren't for the fact that I'm gay and I was doing this for the sake of our families, things might've ended before they began. I can't be someone that I'm not and deal with any more drama, Jill. I have to let you go and embrace my true self."

Needless to say, that conversation did not end well because Jillian was livid while our parents were more accepting (for me being gay and canceling our engagement) since they had an inkling of what was to come (ditto).

And now, I was finally coming into my own man. It was getting close to the end of summer vacation before I would begin tenth grade, and I knew that either Epiphany or Serenity would be making plans for one final summer party before it was time to hit the books.

I had finished the last day of football camp with Antonio and Evan and was currently walking home when I came across the former Waltrip residence (the elderly couple had moved to Florida a month ago) and saw two moving vans parked outside with the workers getting furniture and boxes inside the two-story ranch house.

"Hi, there. You must be one of the residents here."

I turned to see a young man with a slightly-athletic build yet feminine facial features stand in the front doorway. "Yeah," I coughed, feeling flustered as I took in his dancer-esque features that could place him in the middle of a gender-swapped version of "Swan Lake." He was around my age, if not by a year younger as he wore a loose-fitting T-shirt and blue gym shorts while his ear-length black hair was tousled as if he woke up with bed-hair.

He strolled down the walkway and approached me at the mailbox, the sun illuminating his slightly-tanned skin as his almond eyes danced. "Well then, I guess this means that Mom was right when she said that I'd make a new friend," he replied cheekily, giving me a wide grin. "Name's Artem. Artem Hillman. He/him and transgender."

My eyes went wide as tea saucers.

This guy was born a girl?! Then again, I should've seen it coming. Still, I wasn't raised to be a transphobic and homophobic bigot. Pop had a few coworkers from the bank who had relatives that belonged in the LGBTQ community and I was now a part of it. "Nice to meet you, Artem," I said, snapping out of my thoughts. "Ryan. Ryan Peavey. He/him, and I just came out as gay, though I knew that I was since I began middle school. Had to keep it under wraps for a while since I was dating someone for the sake of my family, but I came out not too long ago."

Artem smirked. "I could tell," he drawled. "Well, Ryan, I hope we'll see more of each other soon. Right now, I gotta help my parents get things organized and also unpack in my new room. But I'd like for us to talk more in the future. You live around here?"

I nodded, pointing to the direction of my home, which was at my right and Artem's left. "I'm three houses down on Chester Lane," I replied. "My dad's car is the big Silverado. If you want to come by, you're free to do so."

"Artem? Where are you?" an older woman's voice rang from inside. "I need your help with organizing the kitchen!"

"Coming, Mom!" Artem hollered. To me, "Gotta go. Duty calls." With that, he walked back inside the house as the movers went out and continued to bring in more furniture and boxes.

And just like that, I was bewitched by the boy who ignited a fire that not even Jillian herself could create. "Artem Hillman," I said to myself as I headed to my house, which actually wasn't far away as I told him. "I think that I found someone who could...I don't know, but this could be the start of something magical. And I think that he could cause quite a stir when school starts in two weeks."

Finally home, I greeted my parents before trudging to my room with plans for a shower, my mind still lost in the glory of the transgender boy with the almond eyes and sun-kissed skin. I knew he and I could be friends, but I was hoping for something...more.

Then again, with Jillian's jealous streak, I knew that I had to be careful. She was still livid at me for dumping her and coming out as gay, and I knew that a scorned Texan woman with a jealous streak as long as the Rio Bravo could spell disaster for anyone who caught her rage. And Jillian Kendricks was the epitome of a Texan woman scorned.

And just like that, folks...Ryan Peavey and Artem Hillman meet for the first time! There's going to be more flashbacks as this story rolls along, and we'll hear from Artem himself as he learns about Demario in the next several chapters. I will tell y'all that there's going to be some game-changing moments when it comes to Artem and the events leading to what happened that fateful night, so be prepared for what's ahead.

Coming up in the next chapter, we head back to the present-day and check in with Demario as Oliver stops by and talk about not only what had happened but also where things stand between them. I know that y'all are going to dig this!

This particular chapter goes out to none other than goncalobooks for not only being a fellow member of the "Pretty in Punk Book Club (PrettyInPunkBC is still looking for new members, but they mean business. So if you're over 30 and have a great story to share, check them out and tell them that Jay sent ya)" but also critiquing the first three chapters of the story. I'm also dedicating this out Suspicious_Minds for being a badass writer despite what critics are saying right now (Please DM me, lovey! Let me talk to you for a spell and give you my opinion about what's going down).

Song: "Summer Madness" by Kool and the Gang (fitting for this particular chapter).

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