My Name Is...?

░Chapter 8░

(transphobia warning sorry)

I open the door to the familiar pink and blue room. Ironic huh. Darla sits on her bed while I take the fluffy chair in the corner.

She adjusts her jacket before asking,"Well Ani you said that you had something to say didn't you?" I tried to read her expression but it just seemed numb.

After a moment I find my words," Uh yeah. I um... I'm trans." Saying it out loud lifts a weight off my shoulders. It felt freeing although it wouldn't last.

"Excuse me? You mean to tell me that I'm friends with some gay bitch?" Darla practically yells.

I want to cry," I didn't say that. I don't know if I'm gay I just know I'm trans."

"And that's any better?!"

Now I'm crying," It-it shouldn't be bad either way it shouldn't matter. I just wanted to be honest with my closest friend and you managed to ruin it," I balled up on the ground and covered my face," Why couldn't you just be nice about it."

"Because I don't want to be friends with someone who is confused. You're not a boy you're just confused," Darla whispers the words piercing through my skull.

I don't know what to do, I'm just sitting on the floor my knees to my chest quietly crying. I try to stop crying while Darla just sits on her bed and picks up her phone. Acting like nothing happened.

So I silently get up and leave.

-----

I walked all the way home for an hour and a half. Passing the 7/11, the school, Warren's house and almost my own before I actually pay attention to my surroundings.

The door clicks behind me as I take off my shoes (wet due to the melting snow). I head straight to my room, where my cousins wait.

It's just Marco today, I expected both of them but I guess not. I throw myself on to my bed next to him. He isn't fazed when I lay my head on his shoulder. Something I did a lot since he never cares to be mad at me for it.

After a few minutes of silence that I can't tell if it was comfortable or not, I needed to tell him what happened.

"Hey Marco, can I tell you something?" I manage to speak.

He sets the book down to respond,"Yeah what's wrong?"

I take a deep breath preparing myself just in case I cry,"I told Darla today. That I'm trans." I stare at the ground for a moment," She um, she yelled at me. Saying she didn't want to be friends with a gay bitch. In her words."

I did start to cry, it hurt so bad. My friend of years now at this point telling me we can't be friends because I'm not the girl she thought I was.

Marco held me in his arms as I cried into his chest. He whispered softly to me,"Sometimes people aren't as good as we paint them to be. We can't control it and it sucks. I know that but we can cut ourselves off from these people," He paused for a moment,"Maybe that's what you have to do with Darla. And it might take a while to do and it might hurt but it's for the best."

His voice was so comforting. I thought about what he said. I probably should cut her off. She isn't doing me any good.
But three people in specific might be better friends than she could ever dream of amounting to.