Bulletproof Love

Chapter 1- The Balcony Scene

Vicki clung to her boyfriend's shoulders, squealing in surprise when Alex picked her up. She felt herself being carried to her own bed. "Can we spoon?" Alex asked kindly. Vicki nodded, falling asleep as Alex crawled behind her and cuddled into her. Vicki fell asleep, having bad dreams like usual but feeling better when she woke up and saw Mike on the top of the bunk bed.

"Ugh. We have to go to school." Alex whined. Vicki nodded and got up, shaking her brother's shoulder. "Mikey." She said, poking the young boy's shoulder. Mike yawned and batted Vicki's hand away. "Fuck off, Vicki, I'm up."

"That's mean." Vicki said. "Now get the fuck out of bed so we aren't late."

Mike climbed out of his bunk bed, flipping Vicki off before grabbing his school uniform and wandering to the bathroom. Alex started making pancakes for the siblings as Vicki got dressed in their room. She pulled on her skirt and school polo, ignoring her DD chest and the hate she felt for it.

She walked out of the room, seeing Alex set down three plates and put two others in the fridge for Vicki and Mike's parents. She smiled at him and sat down, eating her food. He sat next to her and did the same. Mike came out of the bathroom and sat across from her, looking handsome.

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The three of them walked to school, Alex walking off to the freshman hall, Vicki walking to the senior hall, and Mike walking to the junior hall.

They met back up at the end of the day, Alex laughing and walking with his friends. "Yeah. Oh, Vicki! C'mere. Come meet my friends." Vicki shyly walked towards them, feeling a discomfort in herself she couldn't explain.

"Hi. I'm Jack Barakat, and Alex talks about you a lot so I know you're his girlfriend. Vicki, right?" Jack extended a hand, and Vicki took it.

"Yep. I am his girlfriend. And that's my name." His other friends introduced themselves to her, and she smiled, knowing they were good people for Alex.

"Vicki, me, Rian, Zack, and Jack are gonna have a sleepover." Alex said, and she ruffled Jack's hair.

"Alright, Al. I love you." She kissed his forehead, and watched him walk away. She and Mike walked home, and did their homework as their mother put away groceries.

"How was your day?" Their mom asked. Mike grinned and started rambling about a cute girl. Vicki finished her homework and went to her room, seeing Alex's pajamas on the floor and giggling. She put them in her backpack and texted Alex, knowing that he was probably practicing and didn't wanna bother him.

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The band finished their song and went to get some water. Alex checked his phone and saw the text from Vicki. He laughed and texted her back before putting his guitar away, and setting up makeshift beds for his friends.

"Let's play truth or dare." Zack suggested.

Rian grinned. "Can I go first?" He asked.

Alex sighed. "No nudity, and yeah, you can."

"Okay. Jack, truth or dare?" Rian asked.

Jack smirked. "Dare."

Rian thought for a minute. "Alrighty. I dare you to kiss Alex." Rian said.

Alex glared at him. "I have a girlfriend. I'm not doing it."

Jack shook his head. "Consent, man. If Al doesn't wanna, I won't. Pick another dare."

Rian nodded, and dared Jack to sing the national anthem as loud as he could off the balcony. Jack and the others ran to the balcony and listened as he sang it off key.

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Vicki wandered outside to investigate the singing. She saw a certain Jack Barakat singing his heart out, and started laughing. She noticed Alex behind him and grinned. "Alex!" She called. He waved to her, running to the balcony's edge.

Jack finished singing as Vicki leaned on the balcony edge, grinning. "Hey. Sorry to crash this little balcony scene, I was just in my house and heard Jack so I investigated." She smiled at Alex.

"It's cool. We're playing truth or dare if you want in. Mikey can come too."

She nodded, sliding over the balcony edge. "Mike is still doing homework. I finished mine."

Alex nodded, and they sat in a circle. "Okay. Vicki, truth or dare?" Jack asked.

"Dare." She said.

"Alright. I dare you to cut your hair up to here." He motioned to his shoulder. Her eyes suddenly flashed with sadness and her face fell- she desperately wanted to, but her mother would get so mad at her.

"I can't. My mama wouldn't like it..." She said. "Pick another dare?"

He thought for a minute. "Um, okay. Chug this. If you can do it in under a minute, you get ten bucks." He handed her a 24 ounce bottle of club soda.

"You're fucking on! Set a timer." She opened the bottle. Jack and the others started counting back, and she chugged every bit of it in 53 seconds before going to throw up.

Alex held her hair back as she did, rubbing her back. "My princess. Do you feel better?" He asked as she rinsed her mouth out.

She took a deep breath. "Alex, I need to talk to you. Without your friends around. Can you swear that you'll keep a secret?"

He nodded, getting serious. "Yeah, baby. What's up?"

She curled into a ball. "I- I don't feel like Vicki, or Victoria. Those both sound wrong, feel wrong. When people call me a girl, when I look at myself, I feel wrong, I hate myself. I'm a boy. My name is Victor, or Vic. And I hate she pronouns, I wanna be a he." Vic whispered. "I know that this is sudden but it's tearing me apart..."

Alex hugged him tight. "Well it's a good thing I'm bisexual. Victoria or Victor, I love you just the same." He said. "Does anyone else know?"

Vic shook his head. "No. I wanna tell Mike but I know he'll accidentally slip and tell my parents."

Alex nodded. "I won't tell a soul, Vic. I love you."

They went back to the circle, Vic feeling like a weight had been lifted slightly. He smiled. "Zack. Truth or dare?"

"Hmm. Truth." He said.

"What's your sexuality?" Vic asked.

Zack laughed. "I'm as gay as gay can get. Vicki, truth or dare?"

"Truth." Vic said, cringing at the name.

"What's your gender? You obviously hate she and her, and the name Vicki." Zack said.

"I- I'm a trans boy, my name's Victor. Call me Vic. And I use he and him, but you can't tell anyone. Please." Vic begged.

Zack nodded. "Alright, Vic."

They continued on with the game until Vic's phone went off, and he had to go home. The other boys waved goodbye to Vic, and he slid back over the balcony, walking home.