Page 51 of Book Boyfriend
We ate dinner and went to a bar nearby for drinks. Chloe said she needed more than punch to get through the seedy details of her life.
“I think Fish knew I was different from the minute I transferred into his grade school. I was always hanging out with the girls rather than the boys. One day, I came to school with nail polish and this boy named Todd was making fun of me. Fish stepped in and stood up for me. He told them he liked the polish and might even wear it to school tomorrow. I remember him puffing out his chest and saying, ‘What are you gonna do about that?’ He was the biggest kid in class and that outweighed his awkwardness, so they backed off.”
I gaze over at him lovingly. I didn’t know it was possible to like him more.
“We became fast friends. I played kick ball terribly and he got hooked on a soap opera I watched with my mom after school. He was always there when I needed him. To be honest, I wouldn’t be here today without him. I went through a really dark period when I didn’t want to live anymore.”
I swallow hard. I feel so bad for her.
“But you made it,” Fisher says, smiling.
“Yes, I did. After we’d spent some time living in New York, I sat Fisher down to tell him I’d decided to start cross-dressing. I was so afraid he’d be shocked to find out I was gay. I’ll never forget his reaction.”
Fisher smirks as he takes a sip of his beer.
“He was like, ‘Um, yeah?’ I almost fell over. He said he’d known that for years. He asked if I just figured it out.”
I place my hand on his knee under the table and squeeze it gently. He glances over at me and winks.
“You were always my friend. That wasn’t going to change. I didn’t and don’t care what your name is or how you dress. You’re still the same person where it counts. Inside.”
Chloe fans her face to hold back the tears and I feel them gather in my eyes as well. Fisher shakes his head at us and takes a long swig from his beer.
“Anyway, long story short, I modeled as Joey during the day and hung out as Chloe at night until one day I decided I liked being Chloe more than Joey. I saved up the money to get these bodacious tatas and the rest is history.”
“So did you do the surgery and everything?” I ask.
She points downward and I nod.
“No. I looked into it, but I just couldn’t bring myself to go under the knife. So basically I have boobs and a package.”
I stare down at my drink for a moment and try to plan what I want to say. “I want to apologize for the way I behaved when we met. I felt a little threatened by you.”
“Doll, that’s the biggest compliment you could ever give me. I’d feel threatened by me too,” she says with a laugh. “Fisher is like a brother to me. Even though he turned out to be a fine piece of ass, I can’t look at him without seeing a sibling. It’s gross.”
Fisher laughs. “It’s true. I disgust her.”
“Do you feel better?” Chloe asks.
“Yes. So much. Thank you for being brave enough to tell me your story. I’m glad you have Fisher in your life. He’s a good man.”
Fisher’s hand settles on top of mine.
“Yes, he is. Now how about a shot? We need to get this party started.”
Fisher had too much to drink. Chloe, on the other hand, can handle her liquor like no one I’ve ever seen. She wasn’t even tipsy. I’m glad I stopped after the second shot. I insisted I could handle him when she helped me get him to my car. I hugged her before I left. I’m glad she’s understanding. She really is special. I can see why Fisher cares about her.
As I drive him back to his place, I can’t help but stare at his face while he sleeps.
He’s just as beautiful on the inside as he is on the outside. I don’t know what’s happening to me, but my heart wants to leap out of my chest. I check his GPS and follow the directions on his phone to get him “home.” We pull into a motel lot and I feel bad when I see where he’s living. It’s a nice place, but it certainly doesn’t feel like a home. I guess he’s used to living here and there all the time when he’s working. I almost wish I’d brought him back to my place to sleep it off.
“Fisher, we’re here,” I say, shaking his arm.
He jumps a bit when I nudge him but smiles when he sees my face. He leans across his seat and attempts to place his head in my lap.
“Oh, boy.”
I reposition him so I can slide out of the car. Opening the passenger side, he tries to reach his arms out to me. He laughs when the seatbelt prevents him from moving and he touches it like he isn’t sure how it works.
