Troublemakers!Benchtrio AU

Chapter Four

  Eyy, I'm back. Here's chapter four, since I probably won't be posting tomorrow and I didn't want to just give you a lame little thank you note for today. Song is Yellow, by Coldplay. Art of Karlnapity/the husbands by Vita.

  Annnnnd the angst is back. This chapter is rather long... : /. I didn't intend it that way, sorry. 

  Trigger warning(s): strong language/swearing, transphobia, panic attacks, mentions of drinking

  Rylan's POV: 

  I shifted nervously in my seat. I had a job application today, and school had just finished. It ended up being a fast food worker at Wendy's, from hours 6 P.M. to 10 P.M. The days I would work would be Monday, Tuesday, Friday. 

  If it ended up going right. I had back-ups I hoped not to use. 

  Not too bad, considering all things. Hopefully, it would still allow me time to get my schoolwork done, and not interfere too much with track. 

  I guess you could say I was a special case. Despite my... um... different body build, I was tall, I had long legs, I was fast, and I was durable. I might not be the fastest guy on the team, but I could keep up. 

  Coach Luke knew that I was transgender. He was one of the first people to know, not long after Tommy and Toby. He checked up on me everyday to renew my promise that if things got to be too hard, I'd come get him and we'd figure something out together. 

  None of the other guys asked why I never took my shirt off when we ran and I always changed in private. They were respectful of me, and I was really grateful. I think they attributed it to my shyness. 

  I fiddled with my shirt. It was a nervous habit. I liked to wear button up shirts. Sometimes I'd wear a t-shirt underneath and leave it unbuttoned, other times I just wore the button up. Today was one of those button up only days. 

  My shirt was ironed by Kirstin this morning, and was white with a couple black stripes on the breast pocket. 

  I swallowed hard again and made sure that my top buttons were done so that my binder wasn't visible. It seemed like the bus ride took a million years and a million miles, but eventually we hit the stop that I needed. 

  Clay was the driver again, and he wasn't wearing his sunglasses this time. He nodded to me as he always did when I got off the bus. He didn't seem to like Toby much, and Tommy even less, but he didn't seem to mind me. His smiley face mask was pulled down to his chin for once while he took a sip from his Dr. Pepper.

  G*d, I was being hyper aware. 

  I forced myself to calm down and slow my breathing. I was glad that Kirstin had helped me find a new binder. I'd been in pain for so long, I'd almost forgotten how much I was really hurting. Hopefully, things would go well and smoothly. No outside problems, besides school, and no personal problems, beside my addiction. 

  I walked up a few blocks, then turned and entered the Wendy's building quietly. It was a cool Wednesday evening, and they had just closed. The guy at the counter jumped when I entered. 

  "Oh my goodness!" 

  "Sorry!" I stuttered. 

  He placed a hand on his chest. "It's alright. You scared me sir! You do know we are after hours?" 

  "Um, yes. I'm-I'm actually here to apply for the job offer..." I trailed off awkwardly. 

  "Oh! Are you Rylan? Umm... Rylan Ender?"

  "Y-yeah." 

  "Oh, lovely!" he smiled at me, and I involuntarily relaxed. It was a genuine, wholehearted smile, one that reminded me of Kirstin's. "I'll go tell boss that you're here! You wait, I'll be right back."