Nancy Boy (Frerard)

Chapter 6: Jareth, The Self-Proclaimed Emo Punk Vampire

I stand up, pounding my fists against the desk in enraged state, "Her name is Gee."

I barely had any control over my body when it happened, but I don't regret it, not at all. Although my body acted on its own, it acted in favour of my thoughts.

Silence fell upon my peers, stifled laughter mixed in with shock, and there may've even been an ounce or so of confusion tangled into the concoction. I wasn't sure if it was because of what I said, or simply that I had actually decided to speak.

There aren't many times I speak up in class, usually because I never really care at all. Now though, in standing up for Gee. Her name is not 'Gerard'.

Despite the fact I most certainly care about her, I'm unsure as to why I feel so strongly about my actions. Fuck, any other time and I probably would've just allowed my fury to corrode my thoughts in silence, but not this time. I don't just want to suffer, I don't want them to suffer. Something was simply urging me to speak, so I did. That's all there is to it, really.

My heart is pounding erratically against my chest, my breathing heavier than before as if it suddenly weighed something, or maybe it was just the tonne of bricks that has been emptied onto my heart.

"Mr Iero, seat yourself now or leave the room. I will not tolerate your disruptions."

"And I won't tolerate your blatant transphobia. Her name is Gee," the anger continued to boil inside of me, almost as if steam were truly about to pour from my ears at any given second. My general body temperature rose, blood rising to my cheeks.

I'm pissed.

"It quite clearly states on the register that his name is Gerard." And perhaps that was the comment that angered me most of all.

My voice becomes higher in my desperation, and I'm practically screaming at him, "The register is bullshit. What makes you think a fucking list can define a person? Gee identifies as female, and her name isn't Gerard, so why the fuck can't you just respect that?" Nothing seems to be getting through his thick skull, and Gee is quaking in response to the roaring diatribes.

I want to hold her, protect her, but I have to do so from afar. She doesn't need to hear this, not at all, but I can't simply take her hand and run. Well, in actuality I suppose it would indeed be possible, however I don't suppose it's something I'd be pardoned from quite so easily.

From the other side of the room, a voice erupted, "Well maybe we should ask them what they want to identify as. You kinda outed them, Frank, I just- they might not've been ready or something," the voice fluctuated in volume before ending dully, fading into nothingness once again.

Not recognising the source of our interruption, I turned my head to face another kid that's normally quiet: his name's Jareth, or something. He's some kind of self-proclaimed emo punk vampire or whatever, has a pretty good taste in music but doesn't talk much.

I didn't really think about what my words could've done to affect Gee until I said them, but Jareth definitely has a point, and I realise that maybe I should apologise to Gee over our break.

"Both of you, sit yourselves down. This isn't an appropriate time or place to discuss your illusions. I have a lesson to teach, Gerard sit down. Sadly the only spare seat is beside Frank, so it'll have to do."

"It's not an illusion, she's a person too, and she deserves your respect," I stare blankly into his heartless eyes, the ones that are indeed windows to the soul. They're blank, almost dead due to his utter carelessness and lack of decency.

I hear a chair being pushed back and a set of footsteps stalking their way to the front of the classroom, and it's him in all his penniless glory, strutting by our ignorant teacher and grabbing a marker from his desk before scrawling, 'genitals ≠ gender' on the whiteboard.

The noise drowned out back into silence, the few conversations that had arose as painfully loud "whispers" ceasing completely.

"Jareth, remove your nonsense from the board this instant, or you'll be joining Frank in detention, and Gerard, I told you to sit down."

Gee makes her way to her seat, converse scuffing against the ground as she moves. I feel so much better now we're side-by-side, even though people are staring at us in an extremely uncomfortable manner.

"Can't, sorry, permanent," Jareth shrugs nonchalantly, he too now seated.

"Both of you go to the principal, I have to teach, even if you're adamant not to learn," he gestures towards the door, completely giving up and taking the cowardly route out of the situation.

Picking up his bag, Jareth swings it over his shoulder before practically sashaying out of the room, flipping off the teacher in the process, earning a brief cheer from other members of the class, a few misplaced claps slipped in between.

I, however, don't oblige quite yet, "Why are we getting sent out though: for standing up for something that we believe in? For helping someone? Do enlighten me, Sir, because I for one am unable to see exactly what I've done wrong here."

Gee discretely tugs at my shirt as a warning, urging me to stop. I assume they've had enough, the rest of the class probably has too. The bell will sound in 7 minutes, so this pointless discussion wasted the vast majority of the lesson. I doubt anyone is too bothered, if anything, they'll probably be considerably pleased that it is indeed almost over, because I, for one, can't fucking stand it here.

So, doing as I was told prior, I take my bag, whispering a brief 'sorry' to Gee and slipping out the door behind Jareth.