That guy walked by me again. I look at him. He acts feminine, like the stereotype of a gay guy. He also has bright pink hair. I decide that I'll ask about him.
My first day at this school and I've already been pestered with questions.
"Where are you from?" New York City.
"Are your eyes naturally that blue?" Yes.
"Why are you so quiet?" I don't know any of you.
"Why are you so pale?" I have mostly Irish heritage.
My turn to ask some questions. I turn to Melanie, the overexcited blonde sitting next to me.
"Why is everyone so preppy here?"
"I guess that's the way everyone is in California," She says.
"Who are the popular people here?"
"There's me, Leo and Mike (the twins) Max (Maxine), and you if you stick with us."
"No thanks. I would like to make my own friends. What's up with that pink haired kid?"
"That's Taylor. Taylor likes to pretend that she is a boy. She's a tranny."
That word makes my blood boil. No one should be called something like that just because they are different. I don't have much experience with transgender people, but I know they don't like being called things like that.
"If Taylor identities as a boy, then you really should use the correct pronouns," I tell Melanie. "Taylor is not going to change just because you bully him."
Melanie gives me a dirty look and goes to sit next to her friend. A few seconds later, they look at me and giggle. I know they are talking about me and making fun of me for what I said. I don't care. I know they are shallow bitches, who can't see the grey in their black and white world. I try to ignore them and get back to my work.
The bell rings and I get out of my seat
and make towards the door. Someone sticks their leg out to try to trip me. I step on their foot, and walk out the door. As I'm walking to my bus, I see Taylor coming the same way. I take my seat on the bus and listen to my music and read my book. I turn my music off and close the book when I feel a person sit next to me on the seat. I look over and see that it's Taylor.
"Hi," He says confidently. "I'm --"
"Taylor. I know who you are." I say quickly.
"Thank you. For ya know, what you said to Melanie last period. She's pissed off that you said it because she wanted to take you into her group of friends, but they don't want you because you don't think the same as them," He replied. He stumbled over his words a little bit.
"Are you nervous about something?" I ask him.
"People don't normally let me sit with them and talk to them." He replied. I look at him. He blushes and looks at his feet. I turn and look out the window so he will look up again.
He makes a noise, and I look up. He's more worried about the people messing with him. I stand up and turn around. Leo and Mike are messing with him.
"Leave him alone," I tell them. "He didn't do anything to you."
"I think you mean 'her'," one of them sneers.
"I mean what I said. If Taylor wants to be called by masculine pronouns, then that's what I will use for him." I retort. I notice one of them has a hold on Taylor's arm. I grab his arm, pull it off of Taylor's, and twist. He cries out in pain.
"You had better leave him alone. I could break your arm right now. Do you want me to?" I ask the boy. He quickly shakes his head. I release his arm.
"You can go tell your little buddies what will happen if you fuck with Taylor." They go back to their seats and leave us alone for the rest of the ride.
At my stop, Taylor stands up. I assume it's to let me off of the bus, but he gets off with me. I walk down the road to my house and he follows me. I go in my house and watch him. He walks up the driveway of the house next to mine.
That's just grand. He lives next to me. I go in my room and open my curtain to let some light in. I look at the window on the house across from mine, and see Taylor. His room must be right across from mine. I lay on my bed and listen to my music. Before I know it, I'm asleep.
I wake to my dad calling me from the living room. I look at the clock. 12:45. I groan and get out of bed. I walk down the stairs as quietly as I can, but that's not very quiet.
"Hey, Brendan." My dad says. "How was your first day of school?"
"It was fine, dad." I tell him. "The kids are nice I guess."
"What happened?" He asks me.
"The popular kids were making fun of Taylor." I respond.
"Who's Taylor?" Dad asks me.
"He's a guy that I met today. He's also our neighbor." I tell him.
"Do you like him? Is he cute?" My dad inquires. Dad has known my sexuality for years. Ever since I got with him.
"He's adorable, but no, I don't like him," I respond. "I'm not sure if he's my type."
"What do you mean?" Dad asks.
"I mean he is transgender." I answer.
"That doesn't make him any less of a man than you are," dad says. "If he believes that he is a man inside, then he is a man."
"Yes, I know. It's just a bit different. I'm going back to bed so I'm not tired as hell tomorrow." I say as I turn to walk up the stairs. Dad tries to call me back, but I ignore him as I walk back to my room and plop face down on my bed. Dad tends to let me have my space these days. I effortlessly slip back into sleep.
