I Wish... (Inspired From A True Story)

Love is What Matters

"Where are you?" I asked Jom. I had called him immediately after coming back to my room once Nanon was asleep.

"Below your building, coming right up." he said.

I opened the door so that he won't ring the door bell and Nanon won't get disturbed. Jom came in and hugged me.

"Thank you for arranging this." He said.

"Hello formality! How was your ride?" I asked closing the door.

We walked towards the kitchen. I took out water bottle from refrigerator and gave it to him while taking out frozen pizza for him.

"Ride was great. But Mom and Dad are upset." He informed.

"They'll come around. And by the way, you'll have to face the wrath of someone else too." He looked at me confused. I smirked and kept the pizza slices in microwave for heating.

"Nanon is here." He looked shocked now.

"What is he doing here in Dubrovnik? And is he staying with you?" he asked.

"Yeah, he is sleeping in the other room." He still looked confused.

"Nanon and I are together." I tried to make him understand the obvious.

"Really!" He hugged me tight, "I always knew you guys were a thing, but never thought you both will ever understand."

I chuckled and flipped his hair. "Tell me, when did you realize?"

"Oh well since school. You guys used to keep fighting and teasing each other..."

"No no! I am asking about you." he looked confused again. We sat at the table with pizza and beer.

"What about me?" he asked and I gave him a blank look when he realized what I was asking. "Don't know Bro, I did not feel right with anyone I dated before. I used to love spending time with Josey. I- I think... I used to admire him since he used to come for practice at home with you. But I did not understand it till I started spending more time with him." He finished having his pizza and got up with beer in his hands and walked till the balcony, I followed him with my can. "After you left for air force base training, Josey used to still come home and practice. He was upset about not getting a job while all his friends were busy. His issue was because companies rejected him after knowing he was a transgender. I used to accompany him. Soon, we started hanging out together. And alongside I realized I was losing interest in everything else around me. I used to wait anxiously for him to come home or call me. And then one day, while we were at his place, we started drinking and drank till we lost control over everything. We made love like crazy that day." He stopped and turned to me to read my expressions.

I tried to keep calm for him to not feel uncomfortable. My brother is in love with my school friend. And they definitely not a normal couple. Because Josey is in transition. He is basically a transgender. And his surgery for complete transition is still due. A fact that Josey doesn't try and hide but won't announce either. It wasn't new for me to hear about such relationships after living abroad for so long, but it was difficult to digest for once, when it comes to my own brother. When he had called me almost on the verge of crying, I had told him I would help him with this. And now I cannot make him feel uncomfortable. My parents are obviously never going to understand him, but there has to be someone on his side or else, we may lose him forever. I was glad Nanon was asleep or else it would have been difficult to make him understand this as well.

In the society we live in, being gay is still acceptable, but being in love with a transgender... Even if I forget about the society I remember, the first time my mom got to know about Josey, she asked me if I am sure I wish to be his friend.