Tranny

one. new beginnings

Daniel hated silences like this. His mum sat in the front seat keeping to herself, rarely even responding to the radio whenever they said something she didn't like. It felt like Maddison and Avery had gotten the memo to keep quiet too, neither of them speaking to Daniel or each other as they looked out the windows. It was almost eary, almost creepy. It had been over six months of this, of the small grunts in place of verbal responses and small 'yes's or 'no's. He felt like he wasn't even human anymore, like he'd been replaced with an alien. 

Maddison pulled her phone out, putting in her earbuds while she pretended not to notice their mum's glares. She had told her to keep her phone away, or even just to keep it at the house, but Maddison was a seventeen year old girl and she definitely wasn't going to follow her rules. Daniel forgot how much he missed his phone, and he honestly wondered how he'd ever owned one. Maddison had given him hers one night when she was grounded and knew her parents would go through it, and he felt like he hadn't touched one in years. In reality it had been maybe four months since he'd had his taken, and he was restricted to an old, early 2000s desktop his parents had for his school work now. Maddison's phone looked like alien technology. 

"Are you listening to me, Jessie?" 

Daniel looked away from the rain outside, hoping that maybe this camp he was headed to was somehow indoors and he wouldn't be stuck out in this. He had a raincoat, which was actually just a ski jacket, but his backpack would be soaked in minutes if he had to stand outside in that. It was pouring buckets, smacking against the car loudly. He loved it from inside the car, or from inside a building, but that was about it. 

"Sorry?" He asked. He had stopped paying attention a while back, wondering if they were getting close and deciding he didn't want to listen anymore. 

She smiled as if she wasn't sending him away for the summer, dumping him in the mountains with some strangers their church suggested. She waved her hand dismissively and looked back at the road. "I shouldn't be bickering. You're going to be gone all summer!" He hated how she sounded like she would miss him, like she didn't do this willingly. "We should be making the best of the next few minutes." 

"How?" Avery piped up hopefully. 

Their mum smiled and ignored her question. Maddison's phone had died so she was more involved now, but not enough to matter. Daniel caught a look from her, barely there, and he wondered how on-board with this she was. She hadn't said anything about his coming out or the decisions their parents made, but she stood up for him at school and a couple times at church. Otherwise, though, Daniel was completely in the dark about what her thoughts were on this. 

"I think we should celebrate when you get back," Mum decided. Daniel rolled his eyes and looked back out the window, his breath fogging the window. He didn't see how that was making the most of their time before he was ditched, but he didn't argue. He figured it would be easier if he kept his mouth shut instead. 

"Yeah, it'll be great," he said dryly. 

Maddison pitched in, trying to soften the blow his words had made. "Make sure and get numbers and emails. Anything you can to keep in touch with these guys," she said, looking at him in the rearview mirror. Daniel nodded. "I think it'll be a good opportunity for you, at least." 

And just like that, he knew he had her support. Or some of her support. She smiled with the corner of her mouth, just where he could see it. He nodded in agreeance and their mum smiled like she was glad he didn't seem more upset about it. Daniel had definitely not taken the word well when he found out he was going away for the summer, but it didn't help when his father had continued to tell him he would be going to boot camp for the summer if he kept this up. He'd really thought he was getting sent to a boarding school far away from his home with nothing but rumours following, and he wasn't sure if this was better or worse.