Time - Bomb (Adopted By Jack Barakat)

Ryan Kenneth

Ryan's POV

You know what really makes me want to drink bleach?  It's not my family, grades, or classmates.  Although all of those add to the hell; there is one thing that really pushes me over the edge.

My boobs

It's not that I don't have any, I do and that's the problem.  I don't want them.  I want to have a chest as flat as Brendon Urie's forehead.  Breasts are the trademark of femininity.  Well it just so happens that I don't want to be a girl.  I would chop them off with a hatchet, but that's not medically safe and I would probably bleed to death.

"Riley!  You're going to miss the bus!" My mother called from downstairs, jolting me from my typical early morning body dysphoria session.

I quickly pulled on a twenty one pilots shirt and some converses.  My parents do let me have some merch, as long at it follows their rules.  No screamo bands, no My Chemical Romance, and no band members on the front.  It sucks but it's better than nothing.

"Coming!" I hopped down the stairs and went into the kitchen where my mother was waiting by the door.  I quickly ate a piece of toast and some orange juice, grabbed my backpack, and started to head out the door.

"Riley, stay here for a second."

I paused and closed the door.  A knot formed in the bottom of my stomach.  What does she want?

"Don't you want to change into something more ladylike?"  She looked me up and down, "You already insisted on getting that awful short haircut and I don't want people mistaking you for a boy."

"Nah, I'm good." I quickly said and started out the door again.

"Riley.  Upstairs.  Change."

"But I'm going to miss the bus!" I protested.

"I'll drive you." Mom insisted, "No go change into that nice V neck I bought you last week."

I sighed and trudged back upstairs.  Every once in a while she makes me do this.  Mom doesn't like that I dress in band merch.  She wants me to be a prim and proper lady.  She wants me to have perfect grades and popular friends.  I do have friends, but they aren't popular.  They're the weirdos of the school.  But that doesn't bother me at all.

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"I'm never going to use the bathroom at school ever again!"  The girl in the seat behind me loudly proclaimed. 

Usually I would just put my earbuds in and ignore them, but when there's conversation about transgender rights I will listen no matter how wrong or bigoted their morals are.  Actually it's a pretty bad habit considering that I usually get pissed off and then even more depressed.

"It's gross." Another guy agreed with her, "I don't want girls in my bathroom.  It's wrong.  They should keep the parts they were born with."

"Excuse me." I stood up and faced them, "Male to female transgenders are not pedophiles.  You are more likely to be sexually assaulted by a straight cisgender boy than a trans person.  So if you could please take that into consideration and maybe try to open your mind things would be a little better for all of us.  Thank you."

"It's still wrong." The girl argued, "I don't want a guy in my bathroom.  A guy can't be a girl anyway.  He'll still have male private parts.  He's still a guy."

"There are hormones that trans people can take." I patiently explained, "There are also surgeries that can remove the male genitalia."

She rolled her eyes, "Whatever.  I don't care.  Go back to your gay club."