The Out-of-Placers Club

Azriel

"Azriel! Up, up, up, you sleepyhead!"

Azriel didn't shout back that they were already up. Then their mom would want to know why they hadn't come downstairs. And then Azriel would have to explain they'd been up reading all morning, and didn't want to come downstairs and get in trouble for something.

Instead, Azriel just put down their book and let out a long sigh as they got changed and did their teeth.

They completely ignored their hair. It was a hopeless cause. They couldn't tell their mom that, though. They'd get a very lengthy "I told you so!" from her.

Azriel had een the one to cut theit hair. They were particularly angry with their mom and had sliced off a good nine inches. 

They had been grounded for three weeks, of course, but it was so  worth it. 

Unfortunately, their hair had not come out as well as hoped. It was jagged and stood up in all directions. Even a month later, Azriel couldn't figure out what to do with it.

Now they stood in front of the bathroom mirror and stared at it. Maybe just a hat.

They rummaged through their drawers for their favorite gold knitted beanie. They pulled their hair up as best as they could with a ponytail and slipped the beanie overtop. 

A bit of a lump was visible though the beanie, but Azriel just pushed the yarn around and it disappeared.

"Come on, Azriel! You'll be late for school!"

"Coming mom!" Azriel yelled down the stairs.

They grabbed their sneakres and yanked them on as they half tripped-half ran down the steps. 

Two minutes later they stood outside, the cold air turning their cheeks bright pink. They shoved down a piece of marmalade toast while they waited for the bus. 

It was there a second later, and Azriel hopped on, tucking loose strands of hair under their beanie.

No one looked at them as they boarded. No one waved, or asked if they wanted to sit with them. Azriel was unfazed. It was always like this. when they were new here, a few people would introduce themselves. They would have a nice chat, but then use the wrong pronouns. 

"Are you the only girl in your family?" A girl had asked them. 

Azriel had said they were gender-neutral and it was like magic. Suddenly everyone they knew no longer wanted to talk to them. Friends cancelled events, and people whispered in the halls, pointing when they thought they weren't looking.

Azriel just clenched their fists and pretended they didn't notice anything. 

But they did. And it stung.

They remembered some new kid that had approached them in the hall at the beginning of the school year. 

Azriel had just said: "You don't want to be friend with me."

"Why?" The kid had asked.

"I'm gender-neutral, they/them pronouns."

The kid had recoiled like they'd said they were a dragon.

Azriel prayed each week at church for someone to accept them. No one did. They all acted as if it was toxic to be different. 

"Oh, God, why? You accept everyone, right? We are supposed to come as we are. No matter who we are, you accept us. But does that mean you accept gender-neutral people? God, why can nobody accept me? Is it wrong to be different?"

These were the words Azriel muttered on the bus, over and over again till it came to a shaking stop.

Azriel got off the bus and head to class, their heart throbbing.

***

At the end of the day, Azriel was walking to their locker when they collided with a girl. Her books went flying and she let out a squeak.

"Sorry!" Azriel said and bent to help pick up her books.

The girl's friend came over. "Are you okay?" She asked the two of them. 

Azriel nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine." They turned to the other girl. "Are you?"

"Yeah, I'm good, thanks."

"Sorry about that," Azriel apologized again. 

The girl shrugged it's okay. "Hey, is that beanie from Spinners?"

"Um, no, I made it."

The girl's mouth hung open. "Wow, cool."

Azriel self consciously pushed up their beanie. "What's Spinners?"

The other girl replied. "It's a clothing store. They have some skirts that would be cute on you."

"Oh, yeah, I'm not female. I'm gender-neutral, you know," they swallowed, "they/them pronouns."

The girls looked at each other. "Oh, you're one of them."

Azriel stood taller. "I'm sorry?"

She rolled her eyes. "Those people that do all that sort of stuff for attention." 

The other girl looked back and forth between Azriel and the other girl.

"I'm not doing it for attention, I'm just being true to myself."

The girl scoffed. "Sure. You're just-"

"Hey!" A voice from behind her made the girl spin.

A boy with blond hair and freckles was standing there, arms crossed. "You knock it off! There's nothing wrong with being different. They're just being true to themselves." He glared at the girls.

The girl quirked an eyebrow, but took a step back. "You're being ridiculous, you can't-"

"Look," the boy said, "you leave them alone, all right? If I ever see you attacking them again I'll tell the principle."

The girl's eyes widened and she fled, her friend close behind.

Azriel and the boy stood in silence for a second. 

"Um, thanks," Azriel said.

"You're welcome." The boy smiled at them. "I'm Alex, what's your name?"

"Azriel."