I'm Not A Girl, I Swear [Discontinued]

XV

"Hey... Can I talk to you for a minute?" Nick asked apprehensively.

Thad shrugged. "I mean, sure. What's up?"

Nick couldn't stop himself from glancing around nervously, but they were alone. "I'm sorry if this is personal and I really don't want to offend you, but how'd you know you're a guy?"

He bit his tongue before he said anything else and made it worse, but Thad just chuckled.

"God, how did I know... A lot of small stuff, I guess. I never really fit in the other girls and I couldn't hang out with the guys. I hated dresses and skirts and that stuff. I also found myself constantly thinking, 'you know, if I were a guy, then...' First I thought I was gender-fluid, then I realized I was in denial that I was a guy. Why?"

Nick was thinking through what he was saying so deeply that he almost missed the question. "Oh, um, just curious."

"You are too deep in thought for it to be curiosity."

"Just... They can't know I said this, but I have a friend who's having a hard time with it. I'm actually rather worried, if they don't figure it out soon... I don't even want to know."

Thad nodded, and at first Nick was glad he convinced him. Then he felt awful for lying.

"Yeah... I didn't really come out to my parents. I, um, put it in my suicide note. Failed, of course. But... Let me know if I can do anything to help, alright?"

Nick felt even worse. Thad didn't have to tell him that. "I definitely will. Thank you."

Nick left and Thad looked after him, biting his lip.

He knew Nick didn't have a friend.