What if all transgender people were imprisoned, deported, and slaughtered by the government? What would you do?
Finley Grayson carries on after an ex-boyfriend brings so much shame and regret he loses the will to live, that is until a rude young man...
Mari screams through our small apartment style dorm and I try to ignore him as I sort through my emails and assignments at the kitchen counter.
"Do you ever just shut up?" I ask my cousin, even though I already knew the answer just by looking at him in his knee-length pink sweater and slippers. His light blonde hair puffed just right to make him look like some perfect angel that descended from the sky. A little twinkle in his green and gray eyes died down just a little when I said this.
"I was worried that I would walk in one day and just find a pile of bones or something. Here, eat something," He moves to the fridge but I collapse my laptop into a tablet and grab my bag to head out the door.
"I'm good, besides I like Jamie's cooking better," I smirk and offended, he pouts and throws oranges at me with supreme accuracy until I can dodge out the door.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
I thank the waiter before taking a small sip of my warm cappuccino, letting out a gentle cough and feeling like shit after a few days of holding myself up in a deep depression, I was ready to flip the switch.
I say flip the switch because there has been so much chaos in the past twenty years of my life, that after a brief period of reflection, I'm usually able to move forward like it never happened.
Sitting at the window of the tabletop bar area feeling the warm cup in my hands gave me feeling. I'm human after all.
As I take another sip, I stare at the dim reflection coming back to me. My wavy long black hair was pulled back except for a single awkward strand that refused to conform with the rest. Instead, it takes center stage on my forehead for emphasis.
The gross patches of stubble I had been growing over the past week or so had been freshly shaved and my hazel-gray eyes looked a little less dead. I still looked tired but not as drained with the tan color just starting to return to my skin.
"First I find you alone on your balcony like you own the place and the next I catch you alone in the corner of a coffee shop. What? Were you recently dethroned or something?"
I choke mid-sip from the shock and try to keep myself spitting out coffee on the windows. A small chuckle follows as Kaeden sits down next to me and takes off his winter jacket, without even bothering to ask.
"Why can't you just leave a guy alone, I'm trying to think about life," I grumble in despair over my ruined solitude.
"Well you smell nice, did you finally take a shower?" he continues on and I finally put down my small cup and turn to him.
"Did you come all the way out here just to insult me?" I ask and he takes off his hat, uncovering his short faded brown hair. He pushes up his black plastic framed glasses which only highlight his large brown eyes. He blinks a little with long wispy eyelashes brushing against the lenses.
"Huh? I'm only messing with you. I saw you sitting here all alone and thought I could keep you company before practice eh. Figured you would need it after...well the other day," he smirks in response and the same waiter brings him a black coffee. I guess he must come here often.
It was only my second semester studying in England but after everything that happened in my first semester, I feel like I've been here for years. His accent sounds different so I don't think he's from around here.
"Where are you from?" I ask out of curiosity.
"Canada," He says which was so unexpected I can't help but laugh a little.
"Canada? Like maple leaf Canada?" I wheeze and he punched my shoulder.
"You're not allowed to make fun of me since I know you're a foreigner too. Where the fuck are you from? Asia?" He asks and I gasp with fake offense.
"Ugh how dare you, I'll have you know I am originally from The United States of America!" I confess and he laughs.
"America? That explains everything." he laughs and it was my turn to lightly hit his shoulder.
"Well I grew up in New York City, then we moved to a small island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean when I was six," I sigh. Wishing I had just spent all my years in New York.
"Oh, I guess your rudeness was just embedded in you when you were young huh?" He continues.
"Guess I wasn't meant for the politeness and chivalry Brits and Canadians share," I roll my eyes and try to look away from that warm smile spread across his beautiful lips.
"Eh, I've seen worse in people. You haven't hit the tip of the iceberg when it comes to being a genuine spawn of the devil." he shrugs and pulls back a little bit.
"You said you had practice right? What are you practicing for?" I take another sip and he goes back to that warm smile as if he was coming out of a painful memory I had accidentally triggered.
"Practice for the play. I mean you're joining, right? You can come with me." he offers and I instantly start thinking of ways to get out of it.
"You won't have to do any acting if you don't want to, but it's just me working lights and sound for this production and I could teach you the mechanics. It's all very technical but I'm sure you could pick it up." He adds with so much excitement, I thought he was going to fall out of his seat.
"Um...I dunno if I'm cut out for it," I say as I stir the rest of my cappuccino with a spoon.
"Well it's not like you have anything better to do," Kaeden hints as if he's a stalker or something.
How does he know I currently have no life and just want to be left alone?
He leans against the counter with elbows and looks out the window as if he was thinking of something completely different.
"That guy...Leitus, who was he? If you don't mind me asking," He tries to put it as gently as possible, but just hearing his name caused the anger and rage to flood my broken heart once more.
"He's nobody now. Someone who I used to know if anything," I answer.
"Well practice starts in ten. We're going to be a little late since the theatre is on the other side of the school but I'm sure they won't mind as long as I bring you," He says as he starts to zip up his jacket and I do the same.
"What's that supposed to mean? Was this a planned kidnapping or something?" I laugh as I go to pay but he stops me and puts his chip against the steel plate on the check before I could get to it.
"It's not a kidnapping if I'm taking you with your consent,"
