Fragmented Confessions | Boyxboy

Chapter One

I held my arm closer to my side. This had become a habit of mine, I'd noticed. Mason, my cousin, was kicking a soccer ball with my younger sister, Aurora, while my dad and uncle talked on the porch over a bottle of beer. Between looking at my hands and back at my cousin and sister, I'd grown bored. Not that I was about to admit that. This marked a week Mason had been officially part of our family and everyone was here to celebrate it. It was also the day Mason started gender therapy, which to my knowledge he was more annoyed about.

"Why can't I just get the hormones instead of talking to some old dude about my genitals?" He complained when Eric told him. It was something like, to ensure he really did identify as a male.

I flinched when someone touched my arm. I looked up to see Ellie, Eric's mother. She was smiling down at me. "Are you okay, sweetie?" She asked me, taking a seat beside me on the wicker couch.

"I'm fine. Why?"

She handed me a can of soda. "You looked lonely. You and I never get a chance to talk anyway. What's new with Damien Somani, hmm?"

"N-nothing new." Other than a few times I met this woman, I knew very little about her. She was my uncle's mom. Also making her grandmother to Daniel, Rowan, and now Mason. She had some kind of debt back in the day, which is why uncle Eric moved in with his aunt. There was also something involving her husband, probably connected to that debt, but neither she nor uncle Eric talked about it much.

She leaned back on the couch. "Nothing new." She let out a sigh. "How's school going? Making any friends?"

This woman reminded me a lot of uncle Eric, though I guess that made a lot of sense. Just like him, she tried to help and give out advice. It wasn't like I didn't appreciate it, but I didn't exactly like talking about it. "I... meet a transfer student." And boy, was that a story.

"Well that's good. See, you're making friends."

"I think he only hangs out with us because of Simone, though." I answered honestly. It was more than obvious that Simone liked him. What, with the way she behaved.

She hummed, taking a drink from her wine glass. "Well, have you tried to get to know him? I think you should try to be just a little more social."

I nodded. It was just easier said than done. Ever since our game of truth or dare, things have been more than a little awkward. I glanced over at my dad and uncle. Eric was, from what I could tell, bisexual or something. My aunt always called it pan, I believe. I didn't understand the difference, but given uncle Eric's sexuality his mother was probably someone I could trust. Not that Eric didn't give me decent advice at the Cherry Festival.

"U-um..." Shit. I was beginning to stutter again. I hated this timid, reclusive side of me. If I could be more social, then I would. It's not as easy for me as it is with other people. "H-his name is... Scott." Now I dug to the point of no return, I thought hopelessly. Ellie would ask me all sorts of questions now.

"Oh, Scott." She paused and I looked at her puzzled. Did she know about Scott? But, wait, how could she have? Unless... did uncle Eric, maybe, tell her? - My mind was circling the possibilities. I didn't want anyone else knowing about this. I didn't care that people in my family didn't care about being gay, straight, trans, bi, and whatever else was out there.

I didn't want to be part of it.

I wanted to be normal.

Ellie looked over at my sister and cousin. Their game had ended and Rowan was yelling at them from the treehouse for some reason. She giggled. "Children really light up my day." She said, and looked back over at me. "Why don't you go play with them?"