"So, we call you Leon now, right?" I asked him. When Julia had come out to us, it was easy to throw anything about her old self in my mental trash can. We have a few classes together, but she never stood out to me before. This would definitely be more difficult with Leon, seeing as Tanisha and I have known him far longer than Julia. I would have to make sure I carefully filter what was coming out of my mouth from now on.

Leon and Julia share a strange look between each other, then he turns back towards me.

"Uh, actually... No."

"No?!" Both Tanisha and I asked, bewildered.

"Yeah, I'm not out yet. I don't want anyone but you guys to know." He told us.

"So, we'd appreciate it," Julia said, peeking over his shoulder, "If Someone didn't go shouting it out for everyone to hear, hm?"

Ah...

I felt disgust and embarrassment build in myself, remembering yelling JJ's business out loud a few moments earlier.

"Sorry about that. I won't let that happen again. I swear."

"You're just lucky we were the only ones-"

HEY!!!

Before she could continue admonishing me further, a shout from the door to the cafeteria grabbed our attention, our eyes landing on the security guard standing in the open doorway.

"Get a move on! Break times over!"

Without having to be told twice, we all jogged over to the door, slipped past the guard and made our way over to the stairs on the first floor. 

"And y'all better go straight to class!" She yelled after us. When we lost sight of her, we stopped in the stairwell on the way between the first and second floors. We waited there for a bit, keeping a look out for anyone else, when Tanisha asked a question I also had on my mind.

"Going back to what we were talking about before we were interrupted," she started, "If we can't call you Leon, and we're not using your old name anymore, then what are we supposed to call you?"

We looked to Leon for an answer. He shrugged.

"Anywhere but the club room, refer to me as you always have. Nothing much is going to change; you just know what I prefer to be called by now.

That's...

I felt a bit weird about that. Before either of us could say anything about this, Leon began to explain.

"Listen, I already tried coming out to my parents," He started. "It... didn't go well. I practically had to beg them on my hands and knees not to send me to some private school with uniforms." He started moving up the stairs, with the rest of us following closely behind him.

"It doesn't always work out if your parents aren't open-minded..." Julia said.

We made it to the second floor, with Leon peeking down the hallway at the last of the students heading to class.

"So far, they haven't tried anything else. I guess their satisfied with me wearing skirts and dresses to school. It's like Julia said, gotta prioritize your own safety and all." He said, walking down the now empty hallway.

Yeah, I guess she did say that. Wait... Skirt? Dress?

Leon was wearing an oversized, black long-sleeved shirt, a pair of ripped jeans too long for his legs and some white, worn-out sneakers.

"I have never seen you wear anything like that as long as I've known you. Have you?" She said, turning to me. I shook my head 'No'. We've known Leon ever since we started hanging out some time in our freshman year. I racked my brain, trying to remember a time where he wasn't wearing something similar to what he has on now.

Leon slid his backpack from off of his shoulders and unzipped it, turning to face us as he did so. he moved some things around as he reached down to the very bottom of the bag. He then pulled out a plastic bag and handed it over to me. He gave me the go-ahead, so I opened it, revealing a neatly folded white blouse, a pink pleated skirt and thin, white stockings.

"Uh, wow..." Was all I had to say. I could never, in a million years, picture Leon wearing anything like this.

"You wear this every day?" Tanisha asked. "How come we've never seen you with clothes like these before?"

"That would be thanks to me~" Julia wiggled her fingers playfully. "Those are my hand-me-downs. Which reminds me, I might have a lot more clothes for you soon! Going shopping with my mom afterschool."

A small smile crept onto Leon's face. "Thanks. I appreciate it."

I noticed that Leon's mood seemed a lot more, uh... Vibrant? Since our talk at lunch. He was never much of a big talker whenever he was around us, preferring to hang back and listen to Tanisha and I talk between ourselves. Seeing him talking and smiling with us now, it felt like I was meeting the real him for the first time. I guess that's why I was feeling a bit disturbed that his life is being controlled by people who refuse to try and understand him.

"So, all this is because of your parents?" I asked him. "They are deciding this for you?"

Leon nodded. "This never felt right to me, y'know? The fluttering skirts and the makeup and all... Then I met Julia and Mr. Roberts and I finally realized why."

"I... don't 'feel right' in my clothes."

What JJ said to me reverberated in my mind.

"I don't get it. What kind of person forces you to wear something you don't want to?" Tanisha asked.

I stopped in my tracks, Tanisha bumping into me from behind.

"What the- why'd you stop?"

Vivid memories from this morning flashed in my mind. The look of unease JJ had on his face as I told him I would choose something for him to wear to school today. The uncomfortable smile he gave me as he went to the bathroom to prepare for the day. My friends jumped in surprise when I suddenly facepalmed at the obvious signs JJ was giving out.

"Oooooh my god..." I sighed deeply.

"What!? Want to let us in on why your being so weird right now?"

I let my hand slide down my face as I turned to my friends.

"Can I hold off on going to the club meeting this time?" I said.

"Everything okay?" Leon asks me. Julia raised a finger to her lips, warning everyone to keep quiet in the now empty hallway. We stayed still until we saw a shadow passing over the window on the door of a nearby classroom. As we heard the door opening, we turned on our heels and high-tailed it back to the stairwell, going up to the third floor. When we reached the top, Tanisha looked back to keep watch as the rest of us tried to catch our breath.

"Did something come up?" Julia asked. Leon turned to me as Tanisha rejoined the group, seeing that we weren't followed. I scratched the back of my neck nervously as I tried to find the right words to explain the situation.

"So, remember when my brother told me how he felt about his clothes this morning?" They nodded, waiting for me to continue. "Well, after he told me that, he asked me to choose something for him to wear. I chose an outfit from all of the clothes he has and had him wear it to school today..." I said. My friends started to piece together the dilemma I was going through.

"Oh. Okay, yeah. I see the problem." Julia responded.

"I don't think I was too forceful, but I really thought that all he needed was something that he would look nice in. I honestly didn't think it was that big of a deal. And now I'm kinda worried about him. The look he gave me..." I trailed off towards the end, taking my phone out of my pocket and shooting JJ a quick text. I hoped that he wasn't having too bad of a time at school.

 

---

 

"Before you all head home for the day, I'm going to return your tests from last week. When I call your name, come up to the front of the class and get it." Ms. Wilson announced.

Our elderly teacher stood in front of the whiteboard with a stack of graded test papers in her hands. She adjusted the wire-framed glasses on her face before she began calling out names. 

"La-Lashawna?"

"I'm right in front of you Ms. Wilson."

"Oh. Right..."

Ms. Wilson tucked the other tests under her arm and carefully, meticulously, folded the girls' paper in half. Then, with a smile, she handed it to her.

"Very well done. With a little more effort, I'm sure you'd be at the top of the class."

Lashawna took the test and carelessly shoved it in between the pages of her notebook. Ms. Wilson called for the next person.

"Um... Malik?"

My friend stood up from his desk in front of me and walked up to the whiteboard. Again, she carefully folded his test in half with a smile and handed it to him.

"Very well done as always, young man! I'm very proud of you."

"Thanks."

Malik turned back around and lazily tossed his test paper on his desk as he sat down.

"What did you get?" I asked him. He unfolded the paper slightly and took a peek up at the corner of the paper.

"95."

"Oh! That's awesome man!" I replied cheerily.

I don't mean to brag, but my friend Malik is pretty smart. And he's strong and fast too. Actually, he's all the things I'm not.

"Eh, J-Jerron... Mr. Jerron Edwards?"

Oh... I think that's me?

"Right here." I say, standing up from my desk. Malik gives me an annoyed look as I walk past him. Ms. Wilson wasn't giving me the same smile she had given the others as I reached her. With pursed lips, she handed the test to me. She didn't let go when I grabbed it, holding on to it tightly.

"You can definitely do better than this. I'm going to have to get in contact your parents later.” She whispers.

There was some laughter from the back of the class. I'm pretty sure they didn't hear what Ms. Wilson said, but her different reaction to my test compared to the others before me was obvious. Embarrassed, I took my test and walked back to my seat, taking a nervous peek at my score.

65...

I avoided Malik's furrowed brow following me as I sat down, him twisting in his seat to face me directly.

"She's still getting your name wrong. After all this time. And your just letting her do it?" He questioned me.

I shrugged. "Meh... she was close enough."

Malik didn't like my answer.

"Uhm, it's your name? People should respect that. She's had so many chances to get it right, man."

Again, I shrugged my shoulders indifferently. "Yeah, well... She's old, y'know?"

To be honest, I really didn't care when anyone got my name wrong. As long as I could tell that someone was trying to get my attention, I rarely ever corrected them.

Malik stared into my eyes, searching for something. It kinda made me nervous.

Did he know something I didn't?

I felt my face begin to involuntarily heat up while we maintained eye contact for an uncomfortably long time. A paper ball bounced off the side of my head. Looking for where it came from, we saw the usual suspects, Derrick and his friends, snickering away in a corner of the classroom.

Great. Another reason why this was a bad idea.

For some strange reason, Derrick found it funny that I decided to look nice for once. And from that small amount of ridicule alone, I nearly gave up on getting on the bus and going to school today. Malik was also surprised by my outfit when we got to his stop and he even gave me a compliment too! that made me so happy I almost forgot that I still felt like a freak.

The usual suspects would pester me throughout the day when we had class together. But whenever they tried anything with Malik around...

My friend snatched the paper ball from the top of my desk and made a grand show of tossing it up in the air a few times. When he had the full attention of classroom, he pelted Derrick in the face with it.

"Malik!" Ms. Wilson gasped. "Why would you do that! And right in front of me." 

"Hey. He started it. You didn't see him throw it the first time?"

Ms. Wilson was about to reprimand him, when the bell signaling the end of the school day rang out. Our class immediately jumped to their feet and began putting their things away.

"A-Ah, well, if you haven't gotten your test back yet, line up in front of me and I'll hand them out." She stuttered. Malik tossed his bag over his shoulder and ushered me out of the room.

I hurried after him as we zig-zagged our way through the halls crowded with kids scrambling to get to the good seats first. When we got on the bus, we rushed to our usual seats. Like always, Malik moved to the side and let me have the window seat. I almost want to let the stress from today melt away, but I know better than to let my guard down now.

I take my phone out of my pocket and stare at the messages I had ignored from almost an hour ago.

 

Maya: hey kid

Maya: hows classes going?

Maya: u ok?

Maya: hello ?.?

Maya: just want 2 kno if ur ok

Maya: say sumthin

Maya: plz

 

I jam the phone back into my pocket, then lean forward and rest my forehead on the seat in front of me. I want to blame my sister for how I'm feeling right now, even though I know it's not really her fault. She tried to help me in her own way, but I still feel... off. I...

"JJ? You good, man?"

I twist my head to the side to see Malik watching me with a slightly worried look. Lifting my head up over the seat before me, I realize that we are pulling up to his stop.

"I'mma be real, you haven't been looking to good all day." He added on.

I sat up and fixed my posture before turning to my friend and putting on my fakest 'I'm okay' smile.

"Nah, I'm good. Just a bit tired is all." I reassured him.

Malik stares into my eyes as the bus grinds to a stop. Before my smile could falter, he raised a balled up fist up to me.

"Alright man," he finally said. "Like I said, I like the new look. Keep it up."

I bumped fists with him. "Thanks. I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Yeah, as usual," he said, slinging his bag over his shoulder as he stood up. "See you tomorrow."

And he was off.

By the time we started moving again, I was back in my familiar position, forehead pressed against the back of the seat.

Before I could settle back into my thoughts, someone plopped down in the seat next to me with a loud, obnoxious sigh. Then they reached over and rested an arm across my back. I already knew who it was without having to look up.

This day just won't end...

"So..." Derrick asked. "You come to school, lookin' halfway decent for once, and now you think that you're hot shit, huh?"

Without looking at him, I shrug his arm off of me. "Can't you just leave me alone..."

"What?! I was only asking a question!" He said, raising his hands defensively. "Just want to know who you tryin' to look nice for... Your boyfriend, maybe?"

Before he could say anything else, I reached into my backpack and pulled out my hoodie. "You can't be serious..." He said, as I pulled it over my head and shfted back into position. I covered my ears and tried to block out the jeering that was going on around me. I drowned out Derrick's muffled voice until he decided he had enough, and I felt the seat next to me lighten up.

A few moments of silence went by, when something bounced off the top of my hood. A paper ball landed by my feet. Then there was another. And another. Then a pencil. The hollow sound of a plastic bottle ringing out had everyone laughing. 

That's enough!

I stood up from my seat and glared at them. When they saw me stand up, those around me that were laughing immediately shut up and looked the other way and ignored me.

"Alright! Who's throwing shit back there!?" Mr. Collie, our bus driver, yells. His eyes fall on me. "Ah, jeez... Everybody calm down back there or I'm pulling over and we can wait for your parents to come pick you up!"

I sat back down, entirely down for the day. I try to blink away the tears beginning to form at the edges of my eyes.

Not now. Please...

With a screeching halt, we finally reach the last bus stop and the others start piling off into the street. I try my best to ignore Derrick and his jeering friends as they pass me on their way down the aisle. Grabbing my backpack, I stand up after there's a good amount of distance between me and the last person on the bus. I can see them waiting for me to get off the bus. Resigning myself to the rest of their teasing, I walk down the steps to the bus until it's just me left.

"Hey."

Mr. Collie gently grabs my shoulder as he calls out to me on my way out. "Ah... Listen," he starts saying. "I noticed that you've been putting up with a lot of crap from the other kids lately."

I looked up to him expectantly.

Was he going to help me?

"Just wanted to let you know, that all you gotta do is man up and put them in their place. They only pick on you because you let them. As soon as you show some sort of spine, they'll leave you alone and everything is going to get better for you." He smiled as he pat me on the shoulder. "Go on home and give what I said some thought, okay?"

Before I could fully digest Mr. Collie's words, he lead me down the steps of the bus and closed the doors. Derrick was still huddled around the door where we were dropped off, but something was off. One of his friends was pointing to the left down the street. Then all three of them took off in the opposite direction.

Right at the corner of the street, Maya was standing there, arms crossed, and sending a deadly glare after them as they ran away. She watched them disappear around the corner, then her sight fell onto me. Her scowl slowly changed to worry, then quickly jumped to a strained smile. In that moment, I looked down at myself. I was still wearing the hoodie.

I forgot to take it off!

It was too late to change out of it now. She already saw me. I started to slowly make my way over to her, preparing to take any punishment she was about to hand out to me. But I really didn't want to. Today was already rough as is.

I held my head down and tried to quickly brush past her instead. I didn't want her to yell at me for wearing my hoodie in the heat again. I didn't want her to call me a moron again.

I wasn't looking where I was going, so I was surprised when I walked into Maya's outstretched arms and she pulled me into a hug. She held me like that for an embarrassingly long time, then she spun me around so I was facing her.

"Let’s go home.”