How Could She? (Book 2.0) - INTERSEX

Chapter Two

The light from the window shines in my eyes, and I stir awake to find Chelsea lying next to me. I stare at her for a minute, remembering the first time we met four years ago. I was training to become a firefighter and she was training to be an EMT. We were both dripping in sweat, and she came over and asked me out for lunch. I declined though, not sure if I was ready to commit to someone new after my last relationship ended so abruptly. She continued to ask me out for two years until I eventually gave in. I told her upfront that I would be a difficult person to be in a relationship with, and that I couldn't give it my all. But she insisted that that would change the longer we were together. I truly wish it did. Some part of me continues to hold out hope that she'll be right.

When my phone starts ringing on the nightstand, I turn over to answer it before it wakes her. I stare at the screen getting annoyed because it says no caller ID again. I'm so sick of these scammers calling me. I want to slam my phone against the wall because I'm so frustrated from getting all these text messages and the phone calls from unknown numbers. It's not always constant though, but it's always at the same time.

Sometimes a call doesn't come for months, and other times it comes every week without fail. However, no matter how many times I try to block the number, the text messages with the dots and lines continue to appear on my phone. When I called my phone company, they stated they couldn't figure out where the messages were coming from. It's been five years. I even got a new number in an attempt to stop them once, but it just started happening all over again.

I answer the call, ready to give them a piece of my mind. "Hello?" I say, annoyed.  Nothing is uttered on the other end. I don't always answer the call but today I'm just a bit on edge for some reason. My anger grows from the lack of a response. "I'm sick and tired of these fucking calls," I grumble. I hear breathing through the phone just before the person hangs up. I put my phone back on the dresser and returned my gaze to Chelsea, my eyes lingering on her features for a moment. Her lips are narrow, and she has a long nose with little orange freckles. Her hair is fire red and bone straight.

I brush the hair out of her face, and she smiles to my touch. "Good morning," she says, her voice hoarse.

"Good morning," I say back. "We should get up and get ready; we are meeting the family at the beach house today."

"Right. Who all will be there again? I don't think I've met all of your family. Have I?" She hasn't met all my family because even though we've been dating for the last two years I'm not sure this will last that much longer. The only thing keeping me here is the fear of hurting her by telling her I don't think I could ever love her properly.

"My Mom, Dad, Adelaide, and Macy, their two kids, Camden and Miguel and their daughter, Paw and Maw, Aunt Jayda, Uncle Benjamin, Layla, her wife and 2 kids Mia, her husband and son, Uncle Roger and Aunt Tracy, Oliver and his daughter, Olly, Mrs. Lewis and Jessie, and Gina with her wife and 4 kids." I take a deep breath and stop counting on my fingers.

"I have no idea who most of those people are..."

"You'll get to meet them there, Chels," I nonchalantly say.

She ignores my tone and grabs things for the shower. "Wait didn't you say Roger wasn't your real uncle?" Out of everyone I listed, she had to bring him up.

"No, he's not my uncle; his family is just close friends with mine. He and Dad work for some company together."

"Right, and he has three children, right?" I get up and walk out of the room, avoiding the entire conversation. "Wait?" I turned back to her. "Aren't you going to join me in the shower?"

"No, go ahead. I'm going to go eat first." I turn on my heel, walk to the kitchen, and pop some toast in the toaster. My phone rings, and it's my sister, Adelaide. "Hey, Sissy!" I hear her scream from the other side of the phone as I put her on speaker

"Hi, Addy! Where's my sister-in-law?"

"Wow, I call you, and you'd rather talk to my wife?"

"Yes, Yes I do."

"Hey Ray, I'm right here holding your badass nephew. We can't wait to see you in a few hours." Macy yells through the phone.

"Can't wait to see you too, Mays."

"Are you bringing Chelsea?" Macy asks

"Mhmm," I tried to feel a little enthusiastic about it. Pulling my toast out and put butter and jam on it.

"Uhm, okay, you sure?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't I....?" I ask.

"No reason..." Addy tries to cut her wife off.

"Um. Do you guys know something I don't?"

"No! we have to go, Ray. Mandy just stuck a crayon up her nose... Bye!" and with that, the phone call ended.

I look at the screen, skeptical of what they are up to. I bite into my toast and see Chelsea in my peripheral vision. "I don't have to go, you know?"

"No, it's fine, Chelsea, I want you too," trying to convince myself more than her. She nods her head and grabs the milk out of the fridge. Once I finish my toast, I dust my hands off and walk back to the bathroom to shower.

I relax as I let the water trickle down my body. My curly honey blonde hair is dripping with suds. My father's build and height were passed down to me, as were my mother's fair skin, green eyes with brown speckles, and curly hair. While my father and mother both have dark hair, I'm the only one with platinum blond locks. I'm pretty sure I inherited the color from my mother's side of genes.

I inherited other things from my father as well. Alexandria Reed is the first person in our family to ever be diagnosed as intersex. She was born with a penis and ovarian tissue. My father was raised as a male and learned that she produces both male and female hormones. At the age of 12, she changed her pronouns and legal sex to female. My pronouns were not given to me until I made the decision to use them. At the age of 5, I decided to go by she/her in addition to Rayden, Ray, Sissy for sister, and any other nickname my family could come up with.

I thought I had a good idea of who I was back then. My clothing sense was not something I entrusted to my father. I take more after my mother Elliot in that department. My dad has a very androgynous style whereas I dress very feminine.

I finish rinsing off and get out of the shower to get ready. Drying off, I hear a knock at the door. It opens, and Chelsea walks in. "Are you almost ready?" She looks my bare skin up and down. Licking her lips, usually, this would turn me on, but it's not. "Do you think we have a few minutes to spare?" She asks, walking up to me and running her hands over my abs. I push her hands off and wrap the towel over my body.

"No, we don't. I texted my mom we'd be there around noon." She rolls her eyes to my sour mood and walks out of the bathroom for me to finish getting ready. I look back to the mirror and start applying my makeup and curling my hair. I might have an extra tool between my legs, but I still dress to impress. I wear makeup when I want, and I look damn fine when I do.

I took my earrings on my ears and put my legs into my dark blue skinny jeans, pulling them to my waist. I pack my package in, knowing there will be a bulge for people to see. I flaunt how big I am, and I'm not ashamed. My father taught me that growing up. She was the biggest influence when raising me to be proud of who I was. I button my red and white striped shirt and pin my hair back in a loose bun. I take one last look at myself in the mirror.