Jailbird Tango

Part 14 - House Arrest

'Hello? Who's there?'

The sobbing stopped.

'Hello?' I asked again.

'Who are you? Why are you here?' They asked in return, standing up slightly from the toilet bowl so that they were visible over the divider. It was a girl who looked familiar. I wasn't sure why. 'You! You're from the coffee shop! What are you doing here?' She asked, eyes squinted as she stood up. That's who it was, Yan the girl who ordered the iced coffee.

'Uh, I'm Evan. I've kinda been kept here by Dark, through a deal I guess. Are you alright?' I asked, concerned about her red rimmed eyes and quivering bottom lip.

'No. I'm not, but, please don't tell Dad or Papa about it if I tell you?'

'Okay, before I ask who you're referring to, why not?'

Her gaze got a dangerous glint to it and I took a half step back.

'Please?' I nodded, she looked around the bathroom, before continuing, 'I'll tell you in my room, if that's okay?' Her voice got so shaky and small that I let her lead me out of the bathroom and down to the last room in the hall.

Her room was brightly lit, with a small cabinet on the bedside table and photos hung up on twine just above the bed. There were some anime posters on the wall and a couple bags next to the wardrobe. There was even a small desk in the corner, covered in more photos. It was almost like a typical teenager's room. Almost. I noticed, after a double take, the katana handle sticking out of one of the bags and all of the candid photos of the same person.

She sat down on the bed, which had a floral bedspread and shrunk back in a ball against the wall. I closed the door behind her and sat down on the opposite edge. If only to give her a little space.

'Well, it's happened a lot at school. These boys, they, call me all sorts of horrible things and they say that I'll never be a real girl and that my Senpai doesn't love me and that he'll leave me for an actual girl and that just because I wear a skirt doesn't mean I'm a girl. They constantly taunt me. Even in sport when the class is split, they call out to me to come over to their side because I'll apparently always be a boy. But I'm not! I don't think, truly that I ever was! I don't want to hurt them because they're friends with my Senpai. And, and' She started sobbing into her knees.

I knew from the fact that she was in this house, that from the photos on the wall and weapons in her bag she might be a little unsettling, but she was still a crying teenage girl. I moved a little closer on the bed and put my hand on her shoulder.

'Hey, it's not okay that they called you those things. It's not okay that they taunt you. You're really strong you know. But, I think maybe you should tell someone, just in case. It doesn't have to be your Dads, but I think that they might appreciate the strength that it took to let them know.'

'But I can't!' She looked up, 'You've seen my Dad and Papa. Sorry. Wilford and Dark. You know what they're like. They're strong. I know how they would retaliate. Don't you?' She buried her face again. I nodded, Dark was scary. But, they also gave me the whole speech about protecting the others and Wilford, even though he went insane and threatened me, he was protecting Dark.

'Yes, they're both strong and a little insane. Maybe even a bit vengeful. But, all they want is to protect you and the others.' She looked up with a smile, tears still streaming down her face.

'So you see it too? They're not that bad, right?' She asked in a small voice.

'No Yan. They're not that bad.' It was the first time I had admitted it outloud. It's true. Though Dark threatened me, and would probably go through with it, they didn't seem to mind whenever I helped out around the house, or helped the Host. They had a purpose to threaten me, scaring me away from the house. It was to keep the others secret. If they and Wilford were helping raise a trans teenage girl, they couldn't be too bad.