TW: Evan is so accepting that the fluff may rot your teeth, mentions of past abuse, panic attacks & slight transphobia

Evan's P.O.V

"I'm trans."

My eyes widened. Jared looked down in his lap. I put my finger under his chin and motioned him to look up at me. "Lets go for a ride, Jared. I'm taking you to get your hair cut." I smiled at him. He smiled wider, then broke down in tears again, which were obviously happy. He hugged me, and I greatly reciprocated. Quiet 'thank you's spilled from his mouth, tears streaming down his face. I let him change his outfit into jeans and a t-shirt. Once I re-entered the room, I pulled him up off the couch and together we walked up and out of the house, not bothering to say goodbye.

We took off down the street, Jared still smiling like an idiot. We lived pretty close to an area with a variety of stores, including a hair salon. We stopped at the lights, panting and laughing from the run. "I'm gonna have to get you a binder after this as well." I said. Jared looked at me, but his smile soon faded. "What will my parents say?" I laughed. "Who gives. They can say whatever they want, they can't change it." His smile grew back and the walk symbol appeared so we could start walking again.

Eventually, we made it to the store. Jared was basically jumping in excitement. I swung open the door to see not many people in there. Only two other people. Great. The woman at the front desk spoke up. "How can I help you two?"

-timeskip brought to you by rich's lisp-

The woman who was cutting Jared's hair turned him around so he could see himself in the mirror. He gasped. His masculine haircut made him look much more like a guy than he had anticipated. Though he maybe didn't see the same thing I and everyone else saw, he still obviously couldn't help but love it. I smiled at his eyes, which had a certain sparkle in them that made them irresistible. I could stare at them forever.

No. Stop thinking gay thoughts, Evan. Control yourself. He's your best friend.

We payed and left the building. Jared was skipping his way home, and I let out a laugh. I checked the time on my phone. 5:30 pm. "Dude, we're gonna be late for dinner." His smile faded a bit, but that stupid grin was still there. The one that melted my damn heart. "I'm just gonna hope that my dad doesn't beat my ass when I get back" he said with a laugh. I flinched, but he didn't seem to notice. I'm glad he didn't notice it, too, or he would've been worried. But I'm not ready to share information about me and my father yet.

Passing by the same intersection and crossing the same roads, we reached Jared's house. He fiddled with the keys, obviously stalling so he wouldn't have to go in. I put my hand on his shoulder and smiled at him reassuringly. "It'll be fine. Just say you wanted to surprise them or you wanted a change or something. Don't mention being trans until you're comfortable with it, you know how they are." Jared gave me a weak smile and opened the door.

Jeremy spoke up. "Oh thank god, I was worried you got- OH MY GOD!" He yelled, seeing Jared's hair. He smiled so wide, running up to hug his brother. Not more than a few seconds later, someone coughed. Jeremy immediately let go of Jared and we all looked at the person who made the noise- their father.

"Why did you cut your hair without your mother and I's permission?" He asked, staring at Jared's hair before glaring at me and looking right back at Jared. No one spoke. The mother walked in and gasped. "Jenna! What has gotten into you?" I tried my hardest to not lash out and correct her, and I could see that Jeremy was having the same issue. We all just stood there, Jeremy with crossed arms and Jared looking down at the floor, rubbing his neck.

"You can't just do- do that without our permission! I can't believe you would even-"

"Ja-Jenna's not an object."

Everyone turned to me. I gulped. Even Jared's father seemed to be in a bit of shock. I never talk back to people. Especially not adults. His father's face darkened. "Want to say that again?" His mother tried to stop him and calm him down, but I wasn't listening. At this point I felt the rage bubbling up inside me too difficult to keep in. So I lashed out, still having the common sense to use his dead name so I wouldn't out him.

"Jenna is not just an object that you keep in your possession, old man! She has feelings, and you know it!" I yelled, getting closer to him. Jared's mom and dad both tried to step in and stop the argument, but I wasn't even started. "You selfish, ignorant, disgusting-"

*WHAM*

I felt myself getting knocked to the floor, landing on my side with a crash. The father still had his arm extended. He slapped me. I felt my breath start to become uneasy. The only sound I heard was my rigid heartbeat and the fast-paced breaths I was taking. I watched as one blurry figure pulled another into a different room, assuming that was the mother and father, while Jeremy and Jared immediately sat down beside me and tried to comfort me.

Jared tried to grab my shoulder, but I winced and he pulled his hand away. I started panicking because of memories. Jared's father slapping me reminded me of my father; kicking and punching me, leaving bruises almost everywhere on my body. Back then, I'd just cover it up with makeup, but eventually he hurt me in ways that I couldn't just cover up with makeup. My mom only found out when I was taken to the hospital because a bone in my leg was out of place and I had to tell her the whole story.

Thinking about this just made me panic even more. I just hoped that same thing never happens to Jared. But with the way things are going, it'll not only happen to him, but to Jeremy as well, especially because of the rule of "a guy can't hit a girl" even though Jared isn't Jenna anymore.

"Can you try to copy my breathing?" Jeremy said. I tried. And tried. After a few minutes, my breathing was more normal, but still not right. I had stopped panicking and now resorted to crying in Jared's shirt. Eventually, the world around me had gone dark, and I drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

I only now just realized that when I'm focused on something I absentmindedly run my hand through my hair because it comforts me wtf why

I like hair (also 1144 words my vros)