Theo (Boyxboy)(Trans)

Chapter Six

He shakes his head stubbornly though, much to my chagrin, "No. I will make you see I'm serious. I'll earn back your trust, Theresa, I swear it."

That name. God, I'm getting so sick of it. I know he doesn't do it on purpose, he doesn't even know, but it still makes something inside me ache. It both hurts and angers me that I still have to keep up this charade. Why can't it be simple? Why is it so hard to be yourself? When, if anything, it should be the simplest thing in the world. It should be natural, but instead, your just get bashed and ridiculed until you fit the mold of whatever people want or expect you to be.

I ignore him, turning back around to block out all other attempts to speak to me until our hour is up and I can finally dash out the door. I'm hardly half way down the hall when I feel his hand grab my arm and turn me around to face him.

Tearing my arm from his grip, I step away angrily, "Don't touch me."

"Would you just give me a chance? Please? Why would I try so hard if you didn't mean something to me?" He tries, but I shake my head, trying not to show how much he's getting to me.

"Rick, I really could care less. If I meant anything to you at all, you'd never have done what you did. How am I supposed to be with you, when all I keep seeing in my head is what I walked in on? No. You disgust me, and I'm done. The sooner you accept that, the better," I snap, turning back around to see Reed standing by my locker with an expression I can't quite pin point.

"Who's he?" Rick asks, his tone rich with jealousy.

I open my mouth to reply, but suddenly Reed is there, placing a hand on my shoulder and smiling a little too cheerfully at us, "Name's Reed. Is everything okay here? I was just coming to ask Theresa if she was still planning on coming over tonight."

I can see the tick forming in Rick's jaw, and decide it's best that I diffuse this little situation quickly before his temper gets the better of him, "Uh-yes, yes I am. Rick, just go home, please."

I go to push Reed forward, but Rick grabs my arm and pulls me back, "Theresa, seriously? You're going to choose some random guy you don't even know over me?"

Reed looks ready to say something, but I'm faster as I rip my arm away from Rick for the second time and step back against Reed, "Yeah, Rick, I am. I'm really only going to say it once more. Leave me alone. If you're so bored and lonely, go screw another exchange student, or anyone else for all I care, but leave me off your list of sleizy conquests because you, Rick, are a pig and I really want nothing more to do with you."

With that, I grab Reed by the wrist and gently pull him away as I storm down the hallway. If this were a cartoon, I have no doubt there would be steam billowing out from my ears. That vile creep thinks he can win me over with a few sweet gestures? How is opening a door for me or giving me a few answers for a quiz supposed to restore my faith in him and make me believe he'll never cheat on me again? It doesn't, and he's an idiot to believe it would.

As soon as we're outside, Reed lets out a low whistle, hopping down the steps that I stomp down, "That was pretty intense. I'm guessing that's the ex?"

"Yeah," I grumble, sighing and turning back to reed sadly. "I'm sorry you had to see that and get dragged into it."

"I dragged myself into it. I didn't like the way he was grabbing you, I couldn't just walk away," He assures me with a slight smile. "I was serious though, about you coming over this weekend. I can't tonight, but Violet doesn't have dance on sunday. Care to spend the day with us? She's been talking about you ever since she met you."

"Oh," is the only thing that manages to leave my mouth, seeing as my excitement has managed to kill the last of my brain cells.

"You really don't have to! I just-- I like that she's willing to interact with anyone who isn't our family for once-- not that you should feel guilted into coming," Seeing him get all awkward makes it nearly impossible not to laugh, but I manage.