I tried to sneak into the house undetected but failed miserably.
"Vikram Barn, what do you think you're doing!"
I cringe and turn around to see my mother red faced with her hands on her hips.
"Nothing Mom, I was just going to go upstairs to do homework." I slid my hands into my purple jeans pockets and rocked back and forth on my heels.
"Nothing? You were late to class again, this is the sixth time Vik, you have got to get to class on time!"
I sighed and nodded. "I know Mother, I tried getting to class on time this time, but I ran into someone in the hall and I dropped my books all over the ground."
My Mom sighed, her hands falling from her waist. "Just go do your homework, dinner will be done soon."
I nodded and ran upstairs to my room and quickly shut the door, sliding down to sit against the door. I ran my hand through my hair and pulled out my phone checking the time before tossing my phone onto the bed.
I got up and walked over to my computer, logging on and opening google. Since I had already finished my homework at school, I pulled up YouTube and started watching random videos until my mom called me down for dinner. Grabbing my phone from my bed, I walked downstairs and sat across from my mom.
"So hunny, how was school?"
I knew was she was doing. She did this every time I got in trouble at school. She made it seem like nothing was wrong so that when dad came home everything seemed okay. And if it wasn't for her, we would be out on the streets because my father couldn't handle a bisexual son and a wife that supported him. "It was okay. I met a boy today, the one I ran into in the hall." Mom glanced at me before lifting her fork and knife to cut her chicken. "It was Lachlan Power." I looked down at my plate when I heard the clinking of her silverware dropping.
"You ran into the Power kid?"
I pushed my food around on my plate, not really hungry. "Yeah, he's not as bad as people say he is. Actually, he's gay." I glanced up at my mom, gauging her reaction. Her face seemed frozen, like she wasn't processing anything I was saying. "He's really sweet actually, once you get him away from his friends."
"Are you sure he's not just like Joshua?"
I sighed, dropping my fork and pushing my plate away from me. "I don't know Mother, I just met him personally today. The only other times I've seen him he was with his friends. But today... today he was different. He wasn't the stuck up douchebag that everyone deems him as."
My mom looked worried, but nodded her head. "Okay, I just don't want you getting hurt again. Especially with how your father is." She took a bite of her chicken before her face lit up for a few seconds. "Oh, and I bought you something today that looked like you. Just make sure your father doesn't find it. It's under your bed." She winked before going back to eating.
I tilted my head. "May I be excused?"
Mother nodded because her mouth was full. I picked up my plate, tossing the contents into the trash and I set the plate in the sink to be washed later. I pulled out my phone, checking the time. 5:46. Dad will be home in about an hour. I quickly walked up stairs to see what my mom was talking about. I quietly shut the door and locked it before walking over and looking under my bed. There was a hot pink box pushed toward the middle of the bed with a white ribbon wrapped around part of it.
Confused, I reached out and grabbed it, pulling it out from under the bed and setting it on top, sitting next to it. The top of the box had some fancy cursive label that I couldn't read. I pulled on the ribbon, untying the bow as the ribbon fell off. Setting the ribbon to the side I lifted the lid of the box off and set it next to the ribbon.
Inside the box was a bunch of different items. The first item I pulled out was a pair of black thigh highs with light blue bows at the top. I smiled, my mom was the only one I've ever told about me being non-binary. I set the thigh highs down and grabbed the next thing. It was a short black high waisted skirt. I set that aside and moved onto the next thing, which was a loose light blue tank-top that had three layers. I looked in the box and saw a few more things. I reached in and picked up a light blue and white flower crown, a black velvet choker, and a new pair of white doc martens. My grin widened, my mom was the best.
I heard a door slam down stairs and then some shouting. Father was home. The grin fell off my face as I quickly gathered the stuff on my bed and set it in the hidden compartment inside my closet before unlocking the door and getting under my covers and rolling over to face the wall.
I heard my door creak open and light from the hall shine through. Then I heard whispers that sounded like my Mother. "See, he's asleep. We can talk to him tomorrow." I heard a grunt then my door shut, blocking any light or sound from coming through.
