They’re my stepmom’s cats,I say.She had them before they started dating.
Ohhhhhhh that’s cool!he says.So your mom is dating a woman now?
Yeah, she’s bi.
That’s super cool. So was she chill when you came out?
I smile down at my phone, remembering.Yeah. Both times.
Oh you’re out to her as nonbinary too?
Yeah, my whole family knows. They’ve been fine with it. My extended family isn’t the best at pronouns, but they try. What about yours?
They were fine with it too. I kinda wasn’t expecting it... my parents voted conservative when I was little,he says.But things really changed the last few elections for them and... idk. They’ve been really good about it. My mom took me to the doctor to get on testosterone like a week after I told her.
That’s awesome.
I know. I feel lucky. Even if they’re being assholes to each other, at least they’re not assholes to me. Most of the time, lol.
The train stops and I look up. We’re at my station, and I stand, murmuring anexcuse meto the person next to me. The doors almost close on me, but I dart through and head to the elevator, composing a text back to Forrest. I don’t want to ask him more about his parents, in case it’s a touchy subject, so I ask him about Simba instead, and then suddenly we’re talking about how long they’ve had him, what his personality is like, and he asks me if I have any siblings, and I learn that he has an older brother in college and a little sister in elementary school, and then he sends me a song he’s really into, and I listen to it, and then I’m home, walking in the back door, English Breakfast running toward me.
I slide my headphones off and kneel to pet him. “Hi Brekky,” I whisper with a smile. The bad thoughts are a distant echo in my mind, muted by the conversation with Forrest. I never would have thought someone who annoyed me as much as he has could be this fun to talk to. It’s a little weird, how much I’m enjoying it. Maybe I was wrong about him. Or maybe he’s grown since freshman year. Either way, I don’t really care anymore. I’m tired of spending all my energy on hating him.
Forrest and I text back and forth throughout the evening, and the next morning, I have a video waiting for me when I wake up, a silly one of a cat. I laugh as I watch it, shaking my head, and send one back.
When I get to school, I look for him as I pass his locker, but I don’t see him. I round the corner and someone fills my vision, a split second before we collide.
“Ah, fuck!” a familiar voice says as I stumble back, something warm and wet soaking the front of my sweatshirt. It’s Jayden, mug clasped in his hand, the contents splashed down his clothes too.
“Sid, I’m so sorry,” he says, holding his arms out as they drip. “It’s just tea, don’t worry, it won’t stain.”
“I don’t care about that,” I say, looking him over. He’s got dark circles under his eyes, but he always does in the morning. He’s making a sheepish face at me, no hint of guardedness in his eyes. “Are you OK?”
He frowns. “Yeah, I’m fine, it’s just liquid. AreyouOK?”
“Yes! Yeah.” I look down at myself. “I needed to wash this hoodie anyway.” It’s my black one from the last time Billie Eilish played here.
“OK. Hey, you stay here. I’m just gonna grab some paper towels and I’ll be right back.”
I nod, and he beelines into the boys’ bathroom next to us, a small puddle on the floor where he was standing. I set my backpack on the ground and take off my hoodie. It’s not that wet, just damp on the front, and I’m wearing a long-sleeve shirt, so I won’t be cold while it dries.
Jayden reappears and kneels down to soak up the spilled tea with a handful of paper towels. He does it with his usual energy; no hint of lethargy, or a hangover of some kind. It doesn’t seem like he’s on drugs. And now that I see him, Irealize how silly that idea is. It’sJayden.Like the rest of us, he’s never even smoked weed, let alone done anything else.
“I heard we both ditched lunch yesterday,” he says as he stands up.
“Forrest and I had another meeting,” I say. “We were talking about the exhibit.”
“That makes sense.” He wads the paper towels together and chucks them into the nearest trash bin. “Whoosh! Nothing but net.”
I snort. “You’re such a jock.”
“Someone’s gotta balance the rest of you nerds out,” he says cheerfully. “You going to first period?” I nod. “Sweet, I’ll walk with you.”
We fall into step, the halls thinning out; the first bell must have rung. I was so caught up in our collision, I didn’t even notice. It feels good to be walking beside Jayden, beside one of my best friends.
“So what about you, what’s your excuse for missing lunch yesterday?” I ask as we arrive outside Ms. Lundahl’s room.
“Oh! Um. I was ...breakdancing.”
