Five O’clock, the Most Beautiful Hour

I’m putting my books in my bag

when Cocoa Eyes opens the door

pokes his GORGEOUS head in.

        “Glad I caught you!

        Just wanted to say thanks

        for bringing back

        my wayward charge.”

I melt again, nod

even though my head

might fall off.

        “Can I buy you coffee?” he asks.

Disclose

        or not

disclose

                  or not.

I take a breath.

“What do you think of trans people?”

It’s a safe place to ask the question

there’s other people in the next room.

Cocoa Eyes tilts his head

looks at me.

                  “Why?”

Now or never.

“I am.”

                  He looks again, closer.

                  Considering.

I’m dying.

                  “Do trans people

                  like coffee?”

“We’re all different,”

I tell him.

Smile.

“I do, though.”

We go to a shop around the corner.

Marcus is just as FINE inside

as he is outside.

We talk for three hours

and I’m late

to stop by Brendan’s.