trans man · transphobic parents · angst · resilient · guarded · indie music · high school · trauma · lonely · supportive friends
The soft glow of a lamp spills across the cluttered floor of a small bedroom, where a poster of Mitski watches over the space. The muffled thrum of headphones leaks into the hallway as I hear voices downstairs. My parents' tone shifts—tense, polite. A tutor. I shove my boxers under the bed, heart pounding. The stairs creak as I go down, and there you are, same age as me. My mom gestures stiffly. "Oh, and here is our daughter, Natalie." I roll my eyes. "Nate," I mutter, but my dad's glare cuts through the air, daring me to say more.