Chapter Twelve

 

 

 

They dropped Blaine off at his grandmother’s house not long after that, and he and Seth were told to take their things up to their rooms. Adam got the spare bedroom, right next to Seth’s, and he dumped everything onto the plain blue bedspread. His phone beeped and he realized he would probably need a new one soon. It was something his parents paid for, and another reminder he wasn’t theirs anymore.

The beeping was a text from his friend Heidi.

 

Want to go to a movie with my sis and I next weekend? It’ll be fun!

 

He really wasn’t sure what to say to her. Heidi was a friend, but he was pretty certain she’d have no idea how to react to the very big changes he had made in his life over the past few days. He sat down on the floor in front of his new bed, since there was no space on it with all of his stuff strewn across it, and he frowned down at his phone.

 

Hey, lots going on with me here. Not living with my parents anymore. With my aunt and uncle now. And I’m trans. I’m a boy. Name’s Adam.

 

The sad fact of the matter was that Adam didn’t expect to hear from her again. She was one of the cheerleaders. She moved in certain circles that Adam didn’t expect to be accepting of anyone different. He expected to be rejected now, because the most important people of his life had already turned their backs on him. But against the odds, a few seconds later he got a text back.

 

No way! I bet you’re super hot as a guy. Take me to the winter formal? First dibs!

 

You’re crazy.

 

Had it really been that easy? Adam’s hands were shaking as he called her up to see what the hell was really going on.

“Hey, Adam,” Heidi said, not stumbling over his new name at all.

“Hi. So… You being medicated or anything right now? ‘Cause you’re being way cool about this.”

She gasped. “Shit! You thought I was going to freak out? Hell no. I’m fine. Anyone who isn’t can go jump off a cliff. Into a pool of alligators. You ever coming back or do I have to get my parents or brother to drive up to where you’re staying now to be able to see you?”

Shaking his head, Adam tried to catch up to her. She was okay with this. And still wanted to hang out with him for some reason he couldn’t really understand. “Uh. I dunno what’s going on. But if you want to be friends still, I’d like that.”

Heidi was quiet for a few seconds. “You thought I was going to leave you? But you’re my best friend. I’d never do that to you.”

Adam figured she was going to be so surprised when she found out what his parents had done to him then. And he was pretty shocked he was her best friend. He had known they were friends, but he hadn’t thought they were that close. Apparently he had been wrong. But with as shallow as some of the other girls on the squad could be, maybe Heidi perceived his easy-going and honest manner to be important. He had been the only one who had dared tell her that her fall-semester boyfriend had been cheating on her and wasn’t worth her time.

“Thanks. That means…” Telling her it meant a lot to him for her saying she still wanted to be his friend seemed so small. “Just thank you.”

“Of course. And work on your voice. It’s too high for a boy. Gotta swagger too. Like the hot guys in the music videos. God. I bet you’d be so sexy when you get all muscly. So are you up for a movie? I wonder if people will think we’re on a date. That would be so trippy.”

She was the trippy one. Adam felt like he was in some alternate reality. “Sure. Movie good.” And he had lost all sense of his words too.

“Great! See you next weekend!” She hung up on him and Adam stared at the wall. What the hell?

Aunt Amy came up the stairs a few seconds later to find him still sitting on the floor and staring at the light blue wall. “Anything fun happening up here?”

Adam slowly turned his head to look at her. “My friend Heidi called. Is it okay if I go to a movie with her next weekend?”

She shrugged. “Sure. Let me know when you need a ride.”

Adam thought that was going to be the end of it as Aunt Amy turned away. But then she looked back at him and put her hand on the door frame. “And take Seth with you. I’m thinking your friends are probably a lot better for him to be around than his usual run of girlfriends. I bet they’re smarter too. Those girls could use a little more self-respect and a lot less television, if you know what I mean.”

Adam smiled and thought Heidi could probably fit that bill. “And she said I needed to drop my voice and learn how to swagger. How do I walk like a guy?” So many new things and he had no idea where to even start. He was a boy, but now he got to look and act like one too. His head was swimming.

Aunt Amy laughed. “Let’s work on dressing like yourself first. Then we can worry about how you walk. Besides, I don’t really buy into that idea of how guys are supposed to do certain things. When Seth was a kid, I was really hoping he’d take up ballet. I’ve always wanted to go see a performance, but John isn’t into ballet and I thought it would change his mind. Didn’t work out that way, though.”

“I’d go with you,” Adam softly offered.

She smiled at him and leaned against the doorframe to his room. “Really? I’d like that. Maybe we can even convince Seth and Blaine to come with us.” Adam blushed instantly at Blaine’s name. “First boyfriend?” she guessed. Adam quickly nodded. “That’s so adorable. Seriously, hang on to that for as long as you can. And if anyone tells you that you’re too young to date, too young to be in love, too young to be serious about someone, you come tell them to talk to me. I fell in love with John when I was thirteen. Some jerk was pushing him around after school and I went up and kicked him in the crotch. Been with John ever since.”

Adam laughed and grinned up at her. Aunt Amy was freaking awesome. “Thanks. For everything.”

She gave him a nod. “Sure thing. Get changed and come downstairs. And don’t forget, Blaine’s less than a two-minute walk away in case you ever want to run over to see him. I’ve already called and given his grandmother a full report of the situation with your parents. She wants you to come over so she can meet the young man her grandson is smitten with.”

Adam kept laughing until she’d gone down the hallway. Then he got changed and looked at himself in the big mirror attached to the back of the bedroom door. His chest was flat, his pants were baggy. His sneakers were boring and black. And his T-shirt had a soccer ball on it. He was certain this was going to be amazing.