Cabin Nine [[Revised Edition] Under FURTHER Revision]

Bonus - Jack

Tyler stays the night again. I think it's getting worse at home. He barely talks about it anymore. I used to hear every detail and now, I don't even know if his parents are talking to him. They're inviting everyone over to their house for Thanksgiving and Tyler is terrified. I've met too many of his grandparents to let him go through that alone, so I stay home while my parents go visit family in California. They understand the situation with Ty's family, but they also understand that we're teenagers, so they give me a bunch of Planned Parenthood pamphlets on STDs and safe sex before they leave.

That's not what this week is about. It's about Tyler not being murdered by his own family. I know that they know that but I can't help but be a little offended.

Tyler brings his bags with him when I pick him up for school on Monday. Apparently, he doesn't plan on being home at all for the rest of the week.

"You moving out?" I ask as he shoves his backpack into the trunk of my car.

"Don't jinx it," he mutters.

School is bittersweet. It's got that excited buzz of a Friday night but I can't stop thinking about Tyler. I'm pretty sure I failed my Trig quiz because I thought I saw him walk past the classroom door.

When we meet each other for lunch, I pull him into a bathroom and lock the door behind us. It's the only unisex one, so naturally, everyone stays away from it. No one wants to be seen as the kid who can't figure out their gender. It's social suicide here. I don't have enough popularity to change anything. All I can do is be seen using this one and hope people stop associating it with transphobia. 

"Are you okay?" I ask too quickly, and realize how much of an ambush this must be.

"...yes?" Tyler replies unsurely. "Why?"

"Because I'm worried. I know it's stupid. I just want to make sure that you're actually okay, not the kind of okay where you say you're okay and you're secretly trying not to implode."

Tyler gives me a soft smile and says, "Thank you. Seriously. Yeah, I'm a little implosive but I can handle it. If it gets to be too much, I'll let you know."

"You're sure?"

He kisses me on the forehead, making me feel short. "I'm sure."

It's quiet for a moment. He's still close enough that I can feel his breath on my hair.

"Are you hungry?" I ask.

He doesn't even bother with a reply, he just kisses me. To my surprise, there are some wandering hands. I'd noticed that he was getting a little more comfortable with it lately, but I didn't think anything of it until now.

"Tyler," I breathe, and he pulls away. "Are you sure you're okay with this? I thought-"

"I'm okay," he says, cutting me off. He leans back in for a kiss and just when I've closed my eyes, he whispers, "don't worry, I got the safe sex pamphlets, too," and we both start laughing.

We hang out there until the lunch period is over. We talk a little about where his new boundary lines are, because they've clearly shifted. I'm glad that we can talk about it. It's awkward, yeah, but why wouldn't it be? Everything about Tyler is awkward.

That night, he hops right into my bed and falls asleep. I get in after him and try to memorize the way he breathes, the soft smile on his lips, the way his eyes flutter when I say goodnight.

We wake up to my alarm and Tyler very poorly pretends that he's still asleep. I let him think I believe it and I take a minute to myself in the bathroom. Having dreams about him is very different when he's right there next to me.