binded

zane ; bubblegum bitch

The weekend passes smoothly and it is Monday morning. I chose not to wear my binder on Saturday and Sunday due to the extensive wearing that I have undergone since I transferred schools. In reality, top surgery would make my life much simpler than the compressing and secrecy that I am forced to partake in.

I enter in first period astronomy, my notebook held close to my chest as I take my normal seat beside a girl with brown hair and a pixie cut to my right and Axel to my left. She introduced herself as 'Ava Gordon' and has a voice all too perky for my liking. However, she looks over me and chats with Axel about how him and her best friend would be a perfect couple together. I ignore it and surprise myself by staying focused on the lecture about meteor showers and comets. I'm relieved that I chose to take an easy science class as opposed to something more complicated like an additional AP class.

"Zane." Axel whispers, nudging my arm, "You down to come to Adrián's tonight? I was able to get some OG Kush from my plug."

Surprising him, I shake my head."I can't, I'm watching my little brother tonight."

"I'll fill in for him." Ava cuts in, smiling wide, "I have a friend too, she's always wanted to smoke but has been in a conservative family her entire life."

He shrugs, "I don't see why not, just bring some money with you. And more pot. That shit is expensive."

The rest of class proceeds as normal, between the slideshow of notes and our first project I am ready to leave by the time the bell rings. When the time comes to be in psychology, I am shocked to see that Grace is not in her norma seat. She hadn't texted me all weekend and even seemed distant on Friday despite her allowing me to see a very specific side of her that I assume few have seen.

Two minutes after the bell rings, she comes into the class with a can of diet mountain dew in her hand. She seems unaffected by arriving late which shocks me. Why wouldn't miss goodie two shoes care that she is going to be marked tardy.

Mrs. Murray instructs the class that we will be continuing our research on the assigned portions of the brain. Grace pulls out her laptop without another word and begins to type, her fingers moving frantically to each letter as if it is preplanned what she will type. However, I am shocked to see her type YouTube into the search bar and pull purple earbuds from her backpack.

"Hey, we have to work on our assignment." I tell her as she moves her mouse onto a specific thumbnail and pushes down on the touchpad to select it, "Hello, Earth to Grace."

My voice obviously cracks and I cover my mouth. It hasn't done that at school yet and although I hope my testosterone shots work a miracle, I know that it will still take time. Lucky for me, Grace is too preoccupied with whatever is on her laptop to pay any attention to me. I'm both perplexed and intrigued by her new behavior, left wondering what caused her personality to so drastically change.

The entire class period, she sits on her laptop and chews gum (gum! The bright pink bubble gum that would always get stuck in my braces freshman year!). Grace seems to not care that I have spent a majority of the class period trying to appear as if I could care less about this project. However, I was still doing some research but we were still further behind than every other group and it's due on Wednesday. Why isn't this girl freaking out? She passes out at the sight of blood and is the biggest perfectionist that I've ever met!

When the bell rings, I stop her while she is on her way to her locker. Grace simply turns around and blows a gigantic, rose colored bubble in my face and watches it implode. Pieces of the sticky substance scatter around the edges of her plump lips and she continues to chew it frantically.

"Why didn't you do any work today?" I ask, crossing my arms, "Isn't being the pesky goodie two shoes your job?"

Grace snickers, keeping her bag hoisted on her shoulder, "It's not my job, it's just something that I happen to find enjoyment in."

She walks past me, her hips swaying in a way that she would never do. Grace would make fun of girls that try to get guys to stare at their ass, but here she is...making me do just that.

When I leave my sixth hour, spanish, my instinct is to grab my belongings and get home as soon as I can. All of that changes when I see Grace leaning against my cerulean locker with her backpack slung over her shoulders and her glasses pushed up her face.

"What are you doing here?" I raise an eyebrow, moving past her to twist in my combination, "Don't you have a seventh period?"

"Yup, ditching." she says, sounding rather confident in the fact that she is purposely skipping a class, "And I assume that you would be willing to ditch with me."
I grab my bag and shut my locker."I don't even have seventh hour, I always go home. Or to the local coffee shop to relax."

"We should go together." she suggests, "Pulse Coffee Shop is right down the road. Everyone at Silver Valley goes there, it's pretty nice."

I can't believe that the person that I am talking to is Grace. She is a completely new

person, asking me to get coffee with her, ditching class, asking me to hang out with her.

I could get used to this Grace.