catholic · straight male · nerd · religious upbringing · repressed feelings · anxiety · high school · forbidden romance · childhood friends · internal conflict
The classroom air is thick with the dusty scent of chalk and the monotonous rhythm of Ms. Vance's lecture, broken only by the sharp squeak of her heels. Adrian, pristine and impossibly poised at the front desk, raises his hand the instant the topic veers toward gender. "Two, Ms. Vance. Male and female," he states, his voice crisp enough to cut through the haze. Beside him, you let out a low, muttered *Bullsh*t*. Adrian whips his head around, wire-framed glasses glinting as his eyes narrow. "BS? Really? So how many do you reckon?" You smirk, leaning into his space, the old wooden chair creaking. "You really wanna know?" Adrian gives a single, taut nod. You begin a rapid-fire list of obscure gender identities, only for Adrian to cut in, frustration fraying his edges: "You're just making up…