Chapter 7
AARON A. GOYLE:
Aaron skipped to the bus stop with his older brother Vincent in tow. Aaron had finally been given a binder from his Mum, and he could not be happier about it. Sure his Father wasn’t all too pleased that she was “encouraging his delusions”, but honestly, fuck that guy. If he and his brother had never questioned their Dad’s opinions, Vincent would know he was omnisexual and diabetic (apparently he didn’t want his son to feel self-conscious), and Aaron wouldn’t know he was a gay trans guy with bipolar disorder.
Sometimes his father could just be insufferable. The guy didn’t want to get Vincent checked for type one diabetes because it would impact Vincent’s mental health, when in actual fact it just meant he’d have to use an insulin pump. Kids had always been rude about his body, now he at least had a reason, no thanks to their Dad. Aaron had to self-diagnose with bipolar disorder when it become abundantly clear his Dad wouldn’t get him checked. His family didn’t have a history of it, and whether their Mum’s family had a history of it didn’t matter apparently. He seemed to just not like the idea of his kids not being mainstream. Shocking, right? Since they were pretty far away from mainstream.
When they got to their stop, they hopped off the bus and walked up to the Youth Centre.
”Let’s hope the Eddyville kids aren’t there tonight,” Vincent said, throwing a container of sorts into the air. Aaron wasn’t a hundred percent sure what was in it. Could be harmless, could be drugs. You never knew with Vincent.
”Here’s to hoping,” Aaron mumbled. He really didn’t like those Eddyville kids. It was somewhat unusual to question your gender at twelve, Aaron was aware of that, but he didn’t expect people to act the way they did. Derogatory behaviour was always more shocking coming from kids his age.
”Do you think Bee has forced Loki to come?” Vincent asked, smirking.
Aaron shook his head. “Those two have been dating for three days and they’re already insufferable,” he sighed. “No, I’m not sure if Loki would really appreciate being forced to spend hours late at night outside in the cold.”
”That person cannot handle the cold at all,” Vincent said. “Don’t worry Aaron, I’m sure you’ll find yourself a boyfriend, I’ll get a partner, and then we can be insufferable to Bee and Loki.”
”And Neptune and Wisp,” Aaron added.
”Doesn’t Neptune have a goyfriend?” Vincent asked. “I think she said their name was Red?”
Aaron shrugged. “Someone Neptune met at some mental health thing.”
”Right, that’ll leave Wisp as the only single one, but I’m sure we can find them a partner too.”
”Yeah,” Aaron nodded. “God, remember back when I thought I was a straight girl?”
Vincent snorted. “My guy, you are the exact opposite of a straight girl.”
The Youth Centre came into view and started on their way to the entrance. They were around ten minutes late, but that probably wasn’t a big deal.
”Hi,” an Indian woman with the lesbian pride flag pinned to her lanyard smiled. “Name?”
”Aaron Goyle,” Aaron started.
”Male, female, other?”
”Male.”
”Is this your first time here?”
”No,” Aaron shook his head.
The woman smiled. “Have a good time.”
Vincent finished talking to Neville and walked inside with Aaron trailing behind him. The main area was very loud and full, with a group of kids in the corner on a bunch of beanbags, a few kids in the kitchen area, and a bunch of other groups sprinkled around. Aaron was glad when he couldn’t spot the Eddyville kids anywhere, but he didn’t like the loud atmosphere of the main area. He also couldn’t find Bee, and suspected they were outside or in the hallway.
Aaron dragged Vincent into the hallway, where it was much quieter, but not completely empty. There didn’t appear to be any sign of Bee though. Vincent excused himself to the bathroom as Aaron pulled out his phone to find out where Bee was. He turned around and started to walk further down the hallway as he typed, and had just sent the message when he bumped into someone.
”Oh, sorry,” they apologised. “Wasn’t looking where I was going.”
Aaron blinked a few times and looked at the person he’d bumped into, feeling his face heat up. Why did he have to bump into an attractive person? They were maybe two inches taller than Aaron, if you care about that sort of thing, with messy dark brown hair. They had hazel eyes, with long lashes, and a very attractive smile. Aaron also noted that they were definitely queer, multiple ear piercings, black cropped shirt over fishnets, with black tipped jeans. All Aaron could do was stand there and try not to look like an idiot.
“I’m Nik,” they held out their hand and smiled politely.
”Aaron,” Aaron cautiously took their hand and shook it. “What are your um, pronouns?”
”Oh, he/him, yours?”
”Same,” Aaron nodded, trying to not blush like a moron.
Nik nodded, moving his hands behind his back as he picked up on the very thick tension. God, why did Aaron have to be so fucking gay?
“Alright Aaron, oh hey,” Vincent interrupted. “I’m Vincent. Your name?”
”Nik,” Nik nodded. “Well, my friends are waiting for me, it was nice meeting you two.”
Nik started walking backwards and stumbled on some chairs, turning red with embarrassment. Aaron hadn’t seen him there last time, although to be fair he’d been at the shops with Bee and Vincent last time. But Nik didn’t seem so bad, and Aaron knew he was definitely no straight with the way he dressed.
“Stop drooling would you?” Vincent teased.
Aaron shoved his brother in response. “Shut up.”
”Okay, but just letting you know, if he hurts you he’s dead,” Vincent smiled.
”Seriously?” Aaron hissed. “We met five minutes ago.”
”Hey, a lot can happen in five minutes.”
Aaron rolled his eyes at Vincent’s inane desire to keep him safe. They hadn’t particularly got along throughout their childhood, not until the bullying started. So Vincent seemed to be making up for all those years of distance by being a fucking thorn in his side.
“As I live and breath, it’s Lyra the liar,” Aaron froze and felt himself begin to panic. Of course they’d find him at some point, he’d been stupid to think he’d actually never see the stupid Eddyville kids again.
”Bradley,” Vincent scowled, “how’s Anita?”
Bradley’s nostrils flared at the mention of his ex-girlfriend.
“Least I‘ve had a girlfriend,” Bradley sneered. “Perhaps the girls disgust in someone as fat as you was what turned you into a faggot?”
Vincent’s scowl turned even more bitter, but he didn’t utter a word. His body was the one thing he’d never been able to bite back about. Aaron wanted to say something, defend his brother, but he was afraid if he spoke he might not be able to form a coherent sentence. His skin was tingling, his heart was pounding, and he recognised the early signs of a panic attack.
”Honestly, it’s such a shame,” Bradley continued. “Such nice pairs of tits wasted on you two.”
Aaron felt himself trembling, and his airway tighten. Were his breasts showing? He didn’t have a binder yet, but had several layers of sports bras and fabric to flatten his chest. He was wearing baggy clothes constantly to hide his figure. Was it not enough? Was his hair too long? Was his face too soft?
“Hey!” Aaron was vaguely aware that someone now stood in between him and Bradley. “Leave them alone dickface.”
Aaron couldn’t hear the rest of their argument as someone gently pulled him away from the two. He quickly dropped to the floor and hid his face in his hands. He couldn’t breathe, his heart was beating out of his chest, his skin was numb, his face was streaked with tears.
”Hey,” he could hear his brothers voice. “Aaron hey, it’s okay, nothings gonna happen.”
”Are you alright with being touched?” A voice Aaron didn’t recognise spoke.
Aaron nodded quickly, rocking slightly.
They had small dainty hands, and they gently held Aaron’s own.
”Can you tell me your name?”
”A-Aaron.”
”Nice to meet you Aaron,” they said in a gentle voice. “My name is Mauve.”
”That’s,” Aaron took in a deep breath. “That’s a pretty name.”
”Thank you,” Mauve responded. “That’s why I chose it. Is your name chosen?”
Aaron nodded.
”Welcome to the transgender club then,” they said. “I think we have some of the prettier flags in the trans community. Mines gray, pink, and white. Although my favourite colour is purple. You?”
”I’m not under the non-binary umbrella,” Aaron said. “But I agree. Um… my favourite colour is, green.”
”Greens a nice colour,” Mauve replied.
Their company was surprisingly comforting, and Aaron could feel himself calming down significantly.
”I’m fourteen,” Mauve said. “How old are you?”
”I’m also fourteen.”
”Oh really, what school do you go to?” Mauve asked.
Aaron took a deep breath before answering. “Danewood Senior High School.”
”Danewood? That’s pretty close to where I live. I could walk there in twenty minutes.”
”I don’t think I’ve ever heard of a Mauve at school?”
”I go to Tritonvale Secondary College,” Mauve explained. “So do my friends, Nora and Finn. Finn’s in the year above us.”
Aaron nodded, and started to lean into Vincent’s touch, resulting in Vincent holding him.
”Are you feeling better?” Vincent asked, gently rubbing Aaron’s shoulder.
Aaron nodded. “I think it was just a shock, because Mum put me in the school system as Aaron Goyle, and no one there apart from my friends know I’m trans.”
”Hey, you don’t need to explain yourself,” Mauve said. “A trigger is a trigger, and we will respect your triggers.”
Aaron smiled and nodded, finally meeting the brown enby’s gaze. They were pretty, and probably the first person Aaron had seen wearing pastel punk. It was cool though.
”Thanks,” Aaron mumbled. “I didn’t mean to be a bother.”
”Don’t say that, you can’t control whether you have a panic attack or not,” Mauve scolded gently. “Besides, it wasn’t a bother. You’re cool, and I’d like to be friends.”
Aaron smiled brighter. “I think I’d like that.”
”Hey Aaron,” Aaron turned when he heard Bee. “I saw Bradley arguing with a red headed girl, and you panicking on the ground. Are you okay?”
”Yeah,” Vincent gently squeezed his little brother as Aaron spoke.
“Do you want to go to the shops again?” Bee asked. “We can come back afterwards, or go to the park again?”
”I vote shops,” Vincent said.
Aaron nodded. “Yeah. Do you and your friends want to come with?”
Mauve smiled. “That sounds fun! I’ll get everyone.”
Mauve got up and went up to the redhead — or more accurately ruby haired — girl Bee mentioned. They then went to get their other friend, Finn, Aaron guessed.
“Will there be enough seats?” Bee asked. “How many friends do they have?”
Soon Mauve returned with the ring haired girl, a dark skinned boy, and Nik. Fuck, Aaron hadn’t realised Nik was part of their group. But, he supposed this meant he’d have an excuse to get to know the guy? Shit he was gay.
”Let me count,” Bee said. “Seven, we have exactly enough seats.”
”Should we all introduce ourselves and our pronouns?” Vincent asked.
”I’m Bee, any pronouns, with a preference for they/them.”
”Aaron, he/him.”
”Vincent, he/him.”
”I’m Mauve, I use she/they/vi.”
”Neopronoun user! I don’t tell people this much, but I also like it/that pronouns!” Bee exclaimed excitedly. “In my bio it literally says they/he/she/it.”
”I’m sorry, when you said she/it, it sounded like shit for a moment,” Nik laughed. “I was going to respect it until I realised.”
”Ah yes,” Bee nodded, “I use shit/shite pronouns.”
”There’s probably someone who does,” Vincent said.
”Anyway, I’m Finn, he/him.”
”Nora, she/her.”
”Nik, he/him.”
“I still can’t get over the shit/shite pronouns,” Aaron said.
”I mean you can use them, I don’t care,” Bee said. “It’s accurate too, because I am in fact, a pile of shit in a trench coat.”
The group of seven started walking out talking and admittedly screaming over each other until they reached Bee’s car. Bee opened the boot and pulled the two seats in the boot up in order to have people sitting there.
“I call shotgun!” Nora said, getting in the car before anyone else could.
Bee then closed the boot and went to the middle seats to push them down.
“Alright, two people gotta get in now.”
Aaron climbed in and sat down, taking out the seatbelt with a little struggle to strap himself in. Once he was in he noticed Nik was sitting next to him also struggling with the seatbelt. God, Aaron was sitting next to Nik in a small area. He wasn’t sure he’d make it to the end of the night at this rate.
Bee then pulled the middle seats back up, and Vincent, Mauve and Finn clambered in throwing their bags around. The car was already quite loud and full, and then Bee got in and put the car into ignition.
“Is everyone strapped in!?” He called out over the six other teenagers.
”Not yet!” Finn said, as his seatbelt clicked into place. “Ready!”
”Alright.”
Bee pulled out of the car park, and started driving towards the shops. Vincent probably wouldn’t be able to get away with stealing vodka this time, so they’d probably all stay sober. Unless one of the others decided to get some.
Aaron turned to Nik and saw him going through his phone, ignoring the loud yelling of the other five people in the car. Aaron wanted to start a conversation but he wasn’t sure how. He didn’t want to say something weird, or come on too strong, or anything like that. Fuck, why couldn’t he have been straight or something?
“So, how come I didn’t see you around the last two times?” Nik asked.
”Oh, I didn’t go the first time, and last time we went to the shops, then a park, and then came back and broke into the equipment shed.”
Nik nodded. “Sounds eventful. First time I just sat in a corner reading, second time I got hate crimes by that Bradley guy and his friends.”
Aaron sighed. “Sorry about them. They go to school with Bee and Vincent, and some of our other friends Neptune, Loki, and Wisp.”
”What school do you guys go to?”
”Oh, they go to Eddyville, I go to a different school. Danewood?”
”Oh, I’ve heard of that one,” Nik nodded. “I go to Kingsington.”
”Didn’t you guys have a rave in one of the girls bathrooms?”
”We did. Or, I wasn’t a part of it, but I had a friend who partook in the partying. The teachers were so mad.”
“I would imagine so,” Aaron nodded. “Dang, my schools boring. Nothing fun ever happens.”
”Yeah, well, there was also a stabbing once, so maybe count yourself lucky.”
”A stabbing!?”
”Yeah, happened when I was a year seven, so around five years ago. It was pretty bad, the kid had to get stitches.”
”Okay, maybe I don’t want to go to Kingsington.”
”Maybe?”
”Well you never know, maybe I have a death wish.”
Nik breathed out a slight laugh at that, with a smile that Aaron swore made his heart momentarily stop.
”Hang on, you’re a year twelve!?” Aaron exclaimed once he realised.
”Yeah,” Nik frowned. “I know, I look thirteen, but I’m actually sixteen. I turn seventeen in November. You?”
”Fourteen,” Aaron said, surprised by that two year age gap. “I turn fifteen in February.”
Nik nodded. “Two years and two months, how did we get double twos?”
”Oh, I was waiting for you to say two-twos.”
”Who’s wearing a tutu?”
”Ha-ha,” Aaron glared. “Your sense of humour is very mature.”
”Hey, you were going to make the same joke.”
”That’s different, I am a child.”
”I’m also a child.”
”A child that can legally have sex.”
”Wha—“ Nik snorted. “Really, playing that card?”
Aaron then flipped Nik off, getting the same gesture in return.
Soon enough the car pulled into the shops, and everyone climbed out of the car. Aaron smoothed out his jeans and sweater. It was a weird feeling to not have the breasts so obvious, but not one he was opposed to. Just one he’s have to get used to. Nora was on her phone, on some sort of app.
”Yo, I get a free meal from McDonald’s!” She seemed surprised. “Anyone want to come with me so I can use this to my advantage?”
”Yeah, I’ll come,” Aaron said, pulling out his own phone to open GooglePay. “I kinda want some chips anyway.”
Nora nodded and Aaron followed her to the fast food restaurant. Vincent was probably off doing less than legal things, and making a poor Bee his accomplice. Finn, Nik, And Mauve were tailing behind, not joining in on the crimes.
Aaron and Nora walked into the McDonald’s and he was surprised when it was relatively empty apart from on couple sitting at a table. Nora ordered her meal, and stood back to let Aaron get his chips.
“Hey, I’m sorry about Bradley,” Aaron said.
”Don’t worry, we figure we’re gonna have to make him more afraid of us,” Nora shrugged, putting her phone away. “He tried bothering us last week, but I smashed his nose in,” the glint of mischief in Nora’s eyes and her smirk was enough to convince Aaron she was not to be messed with.
”Oh, wow,” Aaron said. “Was it fun?”
”Hell yeah,” Nora grinned even wider. “Sometimes the only way to get things through people’s thick skulls is through brute force.”
”I mean, sure I guess,” Aaron shrugged. He’d admit he was much more of a pushover than her. “That’s my order.”
Aaron got his chips while they still prepared Nora’s meal. Guess they weren’t expecting to be super busy at this time of night. A little weird, since this was a Friday night but hey, people eating home made food is probably a good thing.
”So, you seem pretty into Nik?” Nora raised an eyebrow with a sly smile on her lips.
Aaron felt his face go red. “Wha — no. I mean yeah he’s attractive, but I can think a guys attractive without wanting to date him.”
”Mhmm,” Nora shook her head. “If it helps, I think he’s also into you.”
”Really?” Aaron turned red after saying that. “I mean, cool. Doubtful but cool. That’s a cool piece of information.”
”Oh my God, you are so awkward,” Nora shook her head. “Don’t worry, I’m sure everything will turn out fine — and cool — in the end.”
After Nora’s food was ready, they joined the rest of the group at the car. They all spent a decent amount of time at the park before going back to the Youth Centre, but it was fine. They were probably not going to be in nearly as much trouble as the people they saw on the roof. Honestly, that looked kinda cool, but whatever. Everyone went their separate ways, Nora and Mauve were having a sleep over, Finn and Bee were making plans to meet on the Sunday, Vincent was checking bus times. That left Aaron with Nik for a moment.
”See you next Friday?” Nik asked.
”Yes,” Aaron nodded. “You will see this face again next Friday.”
”Good,” Nik nodded and left with a wave.
God, maybe Nora was right? No, Aaron shouldn’t get his hopes up. Nik probably just thought he was a fun friend.