What Are The Chances

Freshmen Year

High school's end felt like its start. No nerves, no thrill, just a swift summer's goodbye.

Freshman year's dawn was a mixed bag. New faces, old foes, and the return of a nemesis. His expulsion from another school had him crawling back. Seeing him, I knew, trouble was brewing.

But my ride-or-die was by my side Max. Our other buddy Alex had opted for online school, despite our pleas.

Biology was our first battlefield. The moment we walked in, Derek had a snide remark ready.

"What are you wearing?" He sneered.

We met his gaze, shared a look, and found refuge in adjacent seats. Little did we know, we were bullseye for bullying once again.

I never got why we were targets. I'm a trans male, but I'm just like them. I game, fish, hunt, skate, live, and breathe just the same.

Our style was their ammo. My baggy jeans and tees were simple, while my friend rocked the e-boy look. Yet, they pounced on us, clad in their skinny jeans, white tees, cross necklaces, or head-to-toe Nike.

By the next month, we were in our bubble, tuning out the noise. Our schedules synced, except for electives. I got drama, he got mechanics. Drama had a surprise - my ex-girlfriend as my partner.

Don't judge - she was a piece of work. Controlling, manipulative, and always snooping through my phone. The final straw was when my friend Hailey revealed her infidelity. I dumped her at the park, unscathed, aware of her games.

She had been MIA last year, but this year, she was back. And Mya and I were partners in drama.