Jess Stone had breasts. He had been like this his entire teen life not quite fitting in anywhere that he had lived and at the same time he hadn’t really had the chance to. His folks moved around a lot with his dad being a hydrological engineer but they were slightly afraid of what might happen to Jess if he attended school. Some people just didn’t get it or wanted too. Jess was now attending a new school when he decided to change things...

Only it was everyone else that was getting changed!

 

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Image Credit: anime couple

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Squires-18

*Johnny............

She met up at the bell for the last class with Lindsey and made their way to the Home Ec. Room to get Honey and saw her looking upset. More of a pissed look but with Honey mad was right next door to tears too. Honey was scraping the remains of a cake into the garbage can and had an angry frown on and almost sort of sniffling.

“You okay?”

Honey looked at them. “No…something happen and all my stuff got burned…all because of those two.”

She tilted her head at the two girls that were leaving and talking in twilightese with a bunch of other alpha wannabee ditzes.

Lindsey looked at them and frowned. “So what’d they do?”

“Oh nothing really just shooting off their mouths and being a bunch of B’s. I got mad and was kinda telling them off and…this happened.”

Johnny looked at the girls and they stopped talking and stared back at her before moving on in their little group. They could still sort of hear them though as they were leaving. In that cunty little whisper but not bullshit. Johnny didn’t like using the C word but in some cases it really did apply especially when bitch didn’t really come close.

“Eww…just like fucking eww the Tranny was like checking us out.”
And…
“Oh that’s so gross and you just gotta know that her and the dyke and the cow are doing it.”
And…
“They’re just like fucking evil perverts and like stuff.”
And…
“I like fucking hope the AIDS get them.”

Johnny took a few breaths and counted down, she knew that they were just saying it loud enough for them to try and get a rise out of her. They did it all the time, wishing she was dead or wishing she was going to die. They’d like nothing better than her to get upset and yell at them or worse start crying over their bullshit and hate.

Honey looked upset at the stuff she heard too and she was scraping harder now and her lower lip was doing the trying not to cry shiver.

Lindsey hunched a little herself with her hands in her pocket and glared at where those girls had been and stewed.

Johnny looked at her and put her hand on Lindsey’s shoulder. “Chill they’re not worth it.”

Lindsey nodded but sort of looked at Johnny shyly, more like the usual her that was that girl that hid out as a wallflower.

“Johnny?’

“Yeah Linds?”

“Do I come across as a dyke to you?”

“No…not really kinda tomboy chic now but not a dyke, dykes are a whole other kind of lesbian.”

“You think I’m a lesbian!?”

“No, do you?”

“I…I don’t know it’s not like I’ve ever really had the whole issue of being turned on by a girl or a guy before.”

“Okay…well you think I’m cute?” Johnny actually leaned against the counter arms back, chest out and was going for looking cute, it was a definite pose.

Lindsey looked at her, tilted her head and shrugged. “Better than me so yeah.”

Honey smiled at this sort of recovering from the nasty little wanna be girls. “Not gay.”

Lindsey actually frowned.

Johnny used her position to butt hop backwards onto the counter. “You seem disappointed?’

“I am…I’m being honest about it not really being something I’ve ever felt…I mean with guys or girls it’s all sort of the same It’s all just kind of…meh.”

“Well there are genderqueer people out there Linds that don’t sexually identify.”

“Great, I’m a neuter.”

“No…you still feel like you’re a girl right?’

“Yeah…”

“So…you’re not a neuter.”

“Great then what am I?”

“You’re Lindsey, does the rest matter?”

“Yes… but I’m letting it go because we have a party to get ready for and if I let this go too long I get all freaky OCD about it and I want to enjoy the first party that I’ve ever been too that my family wasn’t throwing.”

“Okay, Honey you ready.”

Honey nodded. “The cake’s ruined though.”

Johnny smiled. “We just bake one there.”

Honey looked at her. “Where?”

“At Kenyon’s house.”

“But…but we can’t do that…I mean it’s. It’s like we’d just be barging in and…”

Lindsey laughed. “Like we just barged in and made…oh my god baked good!”

All three of them laughed as they left and went down the halls and met up with the guys and there were hugs and some information exchanged with people that were coming and those that might come and then they drove home….well Jessie drove them home the ones that didn’t go with Kenyon.

She went inside the house and had the place to herself for awhile so she locked her doors and checked the windows…life had taught her that already and she went to her room and stripped down.

She kind of always dreaded this sometimes it was just.

It was just she looked so different with her make-up off and her breast forms removed and standing there in her panties and just knowing what she wasn’t.

It still took sometimes a lot of guts to not keep staring at everything that was wrong and to get away from the mirror.

And even though she was able to shrug away some of the hateful things that were said to her some of it stuck and some of it still stung.

Johnny did a big inhale and let her breath out slowly a few times. It felt odd to breathe even without that right weight on her chest and she wished like crazy her damned RLT was over and done with so she could start hormones and get on with her life.

“This, this isn’t solving anything girl.” She told herself and she went into her bathroom and put on a facial and then took a shower. It was a time saver for her usual routine and she washed her face clear last and then began the task of getting ready for the party.

This was at least not in school so she could dress a lot more her and not tone it down. Oh she wasn’t like a drag queen by any means but there were just things she wore home and outside of school that would just be way too tempting for those with a problem with her in school.

She picked out her fave mini skirt and paired it with a soft fuzzy sweater that worked really well with her bra and her breast forms and because she was expecting to dance she went a little heavier with the adhesive. There was nothing more embarrassing then having a wardrobe malfunction where you could actually lose a boob.

She was just finishing her make up when her mom came in and looked at her. “Hey mom.”

“Hey yourself…another date?”

“Party actually at a friends.”

“Party? Will it be safe?”

“Yeah it’s a coming out party for a friend.”

“Oh…so…”

“So…?”

“What’s this letter I had e-mailed to me about the parent teacher school board thing being moved?”

Johnny blinked. “Actually I don’t know…I mean I sort of know since Jessie had found out about it being moved and was going to send something out after stuff was all done for the day at school but what was actually said? I never read it.”

Her mom passed her the phone.

Johnny looked and read and smiled. “Well, that’ll certainly piss off the administration.”

“You think, just what’s going on over there honey?”

“Mom, it’s just that exactly….what it says right there. The assholes at school get away with murder because the staff either agrees with them and let them do whatever they want or they’re too apathetic to care and the ones that do give a shit well they’re not able to do anything because of the laws here that say that you can’t record people without their permission.”

“So the point of this is?”

“We want cameras in the school, we want there to be video and consequences when someone get’s caught being little asses.”

“Is it getting worse honey?”

“No but its not changing and we need it to change. Jessie’s right mom we need to not just go with the flow and let them slide these things past us and take the fight and our own rights in our own hands.”

“Sound’s like a rebellion.”

“It kinda is. Mom since when is it fair that some asshole that thinks he can get away with hurting someone get to actually do that and not get caught or even deterred. I know the freedom to have privacy is like important and stuff but when does that right have more value than my right to a safe education?

Her mom looked at her she could see she was worried and she hugged her and she smiled at her dad who was standing in the doorway. He smiled and was holding a sheet of paper. “It’s not right and it doesn’t honey and your mom and I will definitely be there and our lawyer too.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, there might be some stupid law that won’t let them do this but we get enough parents behind this to keep our kids safe they’ll have to listen.”

She went over and she hugged him. “Thanks Daddy you rock.”

“Of course I do and so does your mother besides we’ll have a war council tomorrow over at Jessie’s house.”

Johnny blinked. “Oops I was supposed to invite you guys over to that how’d you know?’

“Jessie’s folks called around and we’re going to all meet and get together and things, a sort of early parents meeting.”

She hugged him again and she heard the familiar sound of Jessie’s car pulling in. “That’s them Dad I have to go.”

“Okay pumpkin, have fun and call me if you need a ride.”

“I will thanks guys!”

She hugged them both and kissed them both before grabbing her boots and her purse and rushed down the stairs and met Jessie at the door where she grinned and hung onto him for support while she slid her knee tall boots with the killer three inch heels on.

Jessie smelled and looked really good.

*Jessie…………

He and Nick looked at each other after sending the e-mail letter off and they took a deep breath together and smiled at each other after that.

He looked at his watch. “We should get ready if we’re going to pick up everyone.”

Nick suddenly looked stricken. “I..I..I don’t kn..know what to wear.”

“Hey, I’m the one with the breast that’s supposed to be my line.”

Nick smiled but stared at Jessie’s chest until he caught himself and blushed. “S..Ss..sorry.”

“They’re boobs Nick; you’re a guy I kind of think that you’re supposed to stare at them. I mean it’s normal.”

“You don’t mind?”

“No, I know it’s going to happen so I go with it more. It’s just better off to accept what’s going to happen and see it in a light that’s better for me.”

“Huh…okay…st..still.”

“It’s okay Nick I’m taking it as a compliment.”

“O…okay…B..bu..but they’re really nice.’

“I know I got off lucky they’re symmetrical.”

Nick stared at him looking confused.

“Sometimes with this they don’t come in like regular boobs, some are different shapes and some people only have one.”

“Oh I didn’t kn..know that.”

“Now you do so let’s just see what you do have to wear.”

“Uhm…okay….”

In the end of it Jessie looked through Nick’s clothes and found some things that he could wear. He had an awful lot of these very geeky kind of nerdy clothes…well not nerdy but they were clothes that a mother would buy her son when she wanted him to look ready for picture day.

But in Jessie opinion there were a few treasures there too. Nice shoes.

“You should wear these instead of just sneakers all the time. Girls like dress shoes on a man and that’s what we should go for here.”

“I..I don’t get it.”

“Nick you’re a real geek, natural born and it’s just who you are, there’s a look like maybe the guys like you in college would wear.”

“L..Like?”

Jessie started going through things. “This, you have an IBM t-shirt and an Apple one and this one here this Atari shirt is perfect.”

The Atari shirt was a red t-shirt with the Atari logo on the breast pocket in that shiny logo stuff like on those old school band t-shirts used to have.

“Now that with a pair of these casual cotton dress pants, some sports socks instead of the business type and a nice pair of these shoes.”

“R..really?”

“Yes, there’s a definite look you can fit and you might as well work it.”

He went through some of Nick’s other things while Nick was in the shower and was sorting them into outfits that would look sot of in the similar way. Sometimes the asses picked on likely looking targets first. The way that Nick usually dressed it didn’t help.

He looked over at the door and Nick’s parents we’re there watching and sort of staring. Well Nick’s mother was staring in this odd way at Jessie and his breasts and everything else and the sets of outfits that Jessie had sent together out on the bed.

It might be the mom checking out the girl in her son’s room look. He just smiled and kept folding and setting things into piles. Nick’s dad coughed. “Uhm…do you kids want anything to drink?”

“No thank you Nick was already nice enough to get us a soda but thank you.”

Nick’s father nodded and left taking Nick’s mother with him with an oddly proudish look on his face.

Jessie heard. “Henry…I’m not sure that she’s a girl.”

“Nonsense she has breasts.”

“But they could be fake…like that poor transgendered girl at Nick’s school that gets bullied.”

“How can you tell?”

“She…”

“She…?”

“She has a thingy.”

“A what?”

“You know a…a… a penis.” Jess almost laughed she sounded actually very much like her son and he could almost see her blushing through the wall.

“Really and you could tell how?’

“Henry, women always check each other out and she wasn’t wearing girl pants and when I looked there it was.”

“Nell, that stuff’s never bothered you before?”

“But they were kissing in the kitchen.”

“And how many times have we worried that Nick’d be alone period. He‘s actually standing up now and doing stuff. I‘ve always said he needs to just…just get out and live. Goddamned therapists.”

“I know it’s just…”

“Nell…he has a friend over, he’s has friends dropping him off and he’s going to a party.”

“It’s a coming out party Henry.”

“It’s Nick out of the house with people. I don‘t care if they‘re purple it‘s something.”

He heard the mother sigh. “I know it’s just I worry…nothing against any of these kids but Nick’s got so much on his plate just being himself.”

Jessie went to the hallway door and saw them just about to head downstairs. “Mr. and Mrs. Page?”

They stopped and Nick’s mom looked at him. “Yes Dear?”

“He’s going to be okay…Nick’s a really strong person y’know even with everything going on he’s going to public school as scary as it is. He stands up for people too…you’ve raised a pretty good man there.”

They stared at Jessie and Jess just gave them both a small smile and a nod and went back inside to find Nick there staring at him looking shocked and blushing.

“J..Jessie..”

“No…Nick I meant what I said and they need to see you, the real you through someone else’s eyes other than their own….I meant it you’re going to be okay.”

Nick sniffled and nodded and actually went over and it was a little awkward and a little shy…well very shy but he hugged Jessie and just stayed there hugging him pretty tightly and whispered. “Thank you…” and he actually sort of shifted posture and there was this sigh like some part of him just decompressed.

*Nick…………

Jessie was like this force that seemed to radiated change…he’d never seen or heard his parents act like that before. But Jessie had come over and they had done this huge thing with the letter but also the stuff that Jessie had said and did.

From the things in the kitchen to the stuff with the clothes and what he’d said to his parents.

He didn’t know what to say other than just that “Thank you.” And it seemed so not good enough…so he screwed up his courage and he hugged them and…it was contact other than with the parents.

He hadn’t expected it to feel so good.

And Jessie hugged him back and he closed his eyes and he just…he felt like he was protected. But this like the hug was a different protected feeling than the home and parental kind this…this was someone else someone else that had shown that they cared and that he actually meant something and they’d already been through so much together.

He shivered along with the sigh as he felt this knot thing that was usually there all the time in his guts loosen. This burl of tension that sort of sat like by his stomach and sort of behind his diagram and tied to his spine half the time loosen and unravel itself.
He almost cried from the relief…it felt like that knot had been there for as long as he could remember and now it wasn’t there.

He broke the hug slowly and rubbed at his eyes and smiled shyly at Jessie and Jess smiled back and passed him the clothes. “Go get changed I need to do the same at my place before we go and get everyone.”

Nick nodded and bit his lip a little and changed right there in front of Jessie boxers and all and he blushed but at the same time…well he didn’t know exactly but… “Jess…?” he asked quietly.

“Yes Nick?”

“Y..you know if I ever g..get a gg..a girlfriend…she’s got a ll ..lot to compete with rr..right?’

“I don’t follow?”

He actually just stared at Jessie as he dressed until he saw it sort of start to sink and he saw Jessie blush a little and that…that was kind of perfect.

*Donnie…………

It was an interesting day with things in the morning with Kenyon’s coming out and Sam’s idea.

Kissing Kenyon had played on his lips and in his brain all day. And he really was trying to get a handle on it. On the fact that he liked it.

He knew just how different he was, he even knew that it might lead to…well Donnie had always sort of avoided the question of being gay…becoming gay…he wasn’t sure that it’d happen since he liked women, and he got turned on like every other guy but….

Unless she was gay…how many women/girls wanted to be with a girly looking black guy?

Especially black girls.

It wasn’t a stereotype it was the truth. Black girl that he knew wanted the big macho guys who needed to fit the ideals of what makes the ideal black boyfriend.

Big, tall, built, plays sports and then you gotta have the clothes and the brands and the bling plus cars and money helped.

Donnie had a paper route, two skateboards and skate clothes plus he looked like an immature girl mixed with a boy.

Girls weren’t generally an option.

And now he’d kissed a boy and he liked it? Or rather it wasn’t that he liked it but it was that he didn’t hate it? He hadn’t freaked out even in his head and that had his brain going back to it all day.

Donnie didn’t want to be a bigot but he thought that he should’ve had some kind of homophobic reaction right?

But it was just a kiss.

Actually it was a light kiss on the lips when he had never really been kissed.

It was nice actually.

Y’know just actually kissing someone.

All in all a good mood until he got home.

Saw the truck, his dad was home.

“Oh yay, just what I needed.”

He when inside and took off his boots and headed up the back stairs with his books and his board.

“Don! C’mere.” His dad shouted from the office. He sighed and walked back down the stairs and went down the hall.

“Yeah Dad?”

“It’s yes not yeah in this house and take the hood off and the hat too you’re indoors.”

He pulled off both and tried not to sigh, his dad would’ve taken that as commentary too. “Yes sir.”

His father stared at him with that Lawrence Fishbourne bearded professor with the glasses sort of look. “What’s this all about?” He gestured to the computer screen.

Donnie went over to look and read he really didn’t know but he could guess. He was smiling at the end of it. “It’s a student movement thing dad.”

“Really about what?”

“About what it said.”

“Don’t be smart, you go to school there tell me what’s going on. Not this or the school’s version of it.”

His dad brought up a recent e-mail informing the parents of the changed time for the meeting.

“It’s like this sir. There’s a bunch of bullies at school, more than a bunch it’s this whole almost class warfare thing sometimes where the kids that do the picking on are getting away with it because there’s no security cameras in the school.”

“There shouldn’t be, that leads to all kinds of big brother stuff.” His father looked pretty gruff.

“No dad there should be because as much as there was that stuff in your day and all the civil rights stuff now the same people that were putting your generation down with it is using the lack of it to do as they please to whoever they please.”

“That’s not the same thing. Just stay clear of this Don. It just sounds like whiny white bullshit on whiny white bullshit.”

“It’s not, it’s bullying and it’s racial and not just blacks and whites but everyone that doesn’t fit their idea of perfect or kiss the asses of. It’s blacks, hispanics, middle eastern, gay, lesbian, transgendered, kids with disabilities that are being targeted.”

“Not your business, besides some of them chose that life.”

“I didn’t.”

“You’re fine, you just….”

“I’m different too dad and we both know it hell you hate it.”

“You take after your mother.”

“And it just fucking kills you doesn’t it?”

“Don! You never take that tone here in this house you here me!?”

“Fine, you want me to move out? You won’t have to look at me that way!”

His father swung first.

Donnie had been put into boxing by his dad and you’d think it’d have helped but his father had boxed himself and had fought a lot too as a younger man. The first hit rocked Don’s head back and it went from there.

He fought back but this was…

“You won’t ever disrespect me in my house!”….. “You’ll stay away from those people!”…. “No son of mine’s going to be some fucking queer.”

It wasn’t a long beating it didn’t have to be…his dad was a big guy and he meant what he said.

You respect him and his house no matter you think he’s wrong…he’s not, not under his roof.

He’ll stand up and fight for the rights of others. As long as you’re a Person of color and not a queer that’s chosen to offend god. White folks and the others could take care of themselves just like the blacks always had to…unless you were Arabic or Middle Eastern…then you deserve what you got for nine eleven.

Asshole, Bigot.

Most of the middle eastern kids he knew where in pre-school when that happened. Way too many people thought that black people being so oppressed and so put down over the years would be good with other people, cultures, differences.

Not his dad. Not his family really or the church they went to either.

Us first, like us first…and then be mad at everyone else because y’know it’s their fault that things were this hard.

Donnie went to his room and fell on his bed and curled up gasping around the hits and bruises.

He wasn’t going to cry, he wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction.

But the tears came anyway.

He didn’t have really tight close friends…he had friends but to ask something like…

And going to any of his family would just be more of the same plus more because of the way he was.

He was trapped.

And that’s what brought on the tears.

Even though they made him feel ashamed for crying…like that somehow proved the whole fag-girl thing.

He could hear his dad banging around downstairs still angry. His brothers were lucky they both had after school part time jobs so they’d be spared the bullshit until someone said something that’d set him off on another “respect me.” tirade.

“Yeah dad way to keep the ‘dream’ alive. Respect a peaceful leader, run your house with your fists.”

He wiped his eyes and sat up.

Stopped and held his stomach for a few minutes tat really smarted he’d have to take it slowly. He went through his room and packed his clothes, well everything he really still wore and needed. His laptop and his tablet, his DS and things and set it in his closet. His dad worked tomorrow.

He needed a plan, he hated to do this but he was going to ask for help from the guys. He wasn’t going to…he just couldn’t take this anymore.

He went and showered and changed and locked is bedroom door and headed downstairs with his board.

His father looked at him from the kitchen. “Where are you going?”

“Out, to a party.”

“A party how come this is the first I heard about it?”

“Because dad it’s a coming out party.”

“A what? What’s?…..oh no, you’re not going to a place like that.”

“I’m going.”

“After the way you disrespected me you think you’ll be allowed to go anywhere?”

“After you assaulted me you think I won’t just go to the police?”

“Go ahead, you go ahead and see how much they’ll give a fuck about your black ass. It’ll be an education, now get your ass upstairs.”

“No.”

He left and walked out and he heard his father slamming the door open and coming after him. Donnie dropped his skateboard and put his arms up ready to fight this time. His father almost swung until he realized he was outside and even here in this block you didn’t go around beating on your kids.

“Get in the house.”

“No.’

“Get in the house you’re grounded.”

“No, I’m not putting up with your shit! You can’t ground me because I’m not a fucking bigot like you!”

“Get in the fucking house I’m not a fucking bigot!”

“You’re a bigot and a racist fucking homophobe!”

Donnie’s father looked ready to explode…his kid was dragging this out in public…in front of everyone that was out there just having a Friday evening and now where watching…watching them.

“That’s it!” He roared “Pack your shit and get the hell out of my house! You won’t disrespect me or the lord under my roof!”

“Fine!” Donnie started to lower his arms when his dad grabbed his wrist and started to haul him to their door.

There was the sound of a loud V-Eight muscle car engine being revved and Donnie’s dad looked up to see these two kids looking at him. One this dark haired tomboy dyke white girl and another one a white kid in glasses holding one of those small video recorders.

“What the hell do you want? Mind your business you little assholes.”

Jessie looked at Donnie, he didn’t look too good. He was already there partway out of the car with the door open when the man had looked up. They’d heard most of the shouting as they’d been pulling up to get Donnie for the party. Nick had his handi-cam out and was filming it before they had stopped.

Jess got out. “Donnie’s my friend; I am minding my business sir.”

“This doesn’t got anything to do with you, get out of here.”

Jess kept walking over to the pair. “Sorry, it’s not going to happen. Now let Donnie go or we’ll call the cops.”

“Go ahead what will the local cops do?”

“Charge you for assault on a minor for one.”

“Prove it.” Donnie’s dad sneered at Jess but pushed Donnie away towards Jessie.

“We have you grabbing him on camera, plus we saw it.”

“So what? One he’s my kid; two you two little assholes are white so my lawyer will tear the shit out of your statements. Three you can’t tape me without my permission…see you little turds I’ve been in the civil rights fighting before I know what you can and can’….”

Jessie cut him off. “Shut the fuck up.”

“What…”

“You’re a blow hard, a bully, if you were half the man you think you are this would never be an issue but you’re not and it is and I’ve kind of noticed none of the neighbors here seem to be coming to your aid here.”

“You can’t talk to me this way…and turn that fucking thing off!”

“No, see he’s not taping you he’s taping me, just like he was taping Donnie right Donnie?”

(Sniffle.) “Yeah…I gave you permission.”

Donnie’s father looked incensed and actually a bit afraid. He glared at them. “You think you’re the shit you little bitch?” He said to Jessie dangerously as he could and in a quiet growl.

Jessie actually stepped closer. “No sir, I’m Donnie’s friend that’s it. It’s all it needs to be.”

He was going to say something and Jess cut him off again. “And I’m not a girl.”

Donnie’s dads eyes widened, he looked at Jessie’s chest. “Fag! You’re a fag! You expect me to let you drag my son off to some fag party and condemn him to hell!?”

“You were kicking him out just a few minutes ago. Hit him before that, why didn’t he follow your lead?”

Donnie said. “No, it’s because I’m different and I never fit his standards, it’s because I don’t think that I deserve special treatment because I’m black and I have gay friends.”

His father yelled. “No it’s not special treatment it’s our civil rights!”

“What about others dad!? We’re not the only people that are up against it dad!” He yelled back.

“Gays made their beds when they made that choice!”

“Being gay’s not a choice dad! No more than being black!”

“It’s against the bible!”

“The bible is for slavery…don’t play that bullshit!”

“It’s not bullshit…you little fairy.”

Jessie saw a group heading over a mixed crowd now but with several old people in the lead and he smiled seeing a familiar old face come over to him and shake his hand.

*In Ndebele* ~ “Jessie it’s good to see you young one, I thought you were in South America?”~

~“We moved, Dad has a city position here now Davis, it was time to set down roots.”~

People were looking at them and the fact the young white girl/boy gay person shaking the hand of the man who ran the African market here in the neighborhood.

One of the old women looked at Donnie’s father with a squint behind her glasses. “Martin, enough boy…you’re bein an ass.”

“Mildred stay outta this.”

“I will not you little loud mouth. Now I knew you all since you moved in here and being for equal rights is a wonderful thing, trust me ah know. I was with Dr. King god bless him and I was in Detroit durin the riots. But Martin equal rights are equal rights it’s not equal if it ain’t all of us.”

There were nods and amen’s.

The African man nodded. “Yes Mildred there is no freedom without truth.”

Donnie’s father backed off and glared and sulked at all of them. “Fine you…you want him fine.”

Jessie nodded. “Thank your sir. Come on Donnie lets get your stuff.”

(Sniffle.) “’Kay thanks.”

The two boys headed back inside together.

Martin looked at Davis. “You know that one…?” He head jerked towards the car.

“Yes, Jessie an his fatha would come out to places when they lived in Cape Town and would help dig wells and give places water and irrigation.”

“Really…I’m sure that made them popular.” Martin said his voice full of bitterness.

“No…not in some places. Some places there were very bad men who did not want the people living there to have water. Jessie and Mr. Marc they come and do it anyway and nobody pay them.”

*Nick…………

He could see Donnie’s dad shut up but he wasn’t happy about it and at the same time. He knew about Jessie and him living in South Africa but at the same time hearing him speaking something actually African and knowing some one from there. It changed things and it changed them even more hearing what he did to help other people. But it fit Jessie at the same time…how he’d helped him and this with Donnie.

He never really thought that there’d be black people like Donnie’s dad though. You’d think that they would be a lot more like the old lady. He couldn’t help but admire her walker and sweater and squinting through her glasses and everything but some how still proud and strong.

That kind of strength that fought for equality and stood up to the bullshit.

And where were those voices these days? Drowned out by Starbucks and SUV’s and gotta have this and that and have to be politically correct and we can’t be upset…no can’t be upset don’t rock the boat people.

*Jessie…………

It was a good surprise seeing Davis things might have gotten worse here. He hadn’t expected the back up from the seniors from the block here but he welcomed it. He really wanted to learn more now especially about Dr. King who was spoken of still reverently in South Africa. No he hasn’t Nelson Mandela but the “I have A Dream.” speech was famous over there and had been translated a lot.

Was it karma that they can over right when he needed to help a friend? Maybe, he didn’t care he was getting Donnie out of here. They’d find a way later for some of the other questions.

Donnie had his back today when things happened at lunch, he had his now.

He was a little surprised but also not all that surprised when he saw Donnie had some things already packed to go. He looked at Donnie. “We’re taking all of it that we can because he might trash the rest of it once you’re gone.”

Donnie wiped at his eyes and nodded. “Thanks Jessie Thanks for you guys having my back and all.”

Jessie stopped and went over and hugged his friend and sat on the edge of the bed with him. “It’s what friends do…okay the timing was pretty lucky Donnie but we would’ve been here and we would’ve come looking for you especially if it smelled rotten…and we would’ve got your stuff even if we had to move the party to do it.”

“See that’s why I love you guys already…I’ve been weird like this my whole life and with you guys I just feel I can just be me. Whatever the fuck that is y’know?”

Jessie grinned and looked at him. “I own fourteen different bras and have to use hydrocortisone cream and stuff to keep the itching from driving me nuts because they’re still growing. I get being whatever the fuck Donnie. I just try to see it differently me and all of us.”

“I know, I try to too but it just gets to you y’know?”

“That’s why we change it Donnie, we take all of us otherwise odd people and we actually let reality be reality where the majority of us are odd and these haters and stuff like the alphas and stuff they’re really, really not.”

“Yeah they really kind of suck.”

“Suck? The whole thing is social lithium. Don’t be different, don’t be different…we’ll fix you…if we can’t fix you then we’ll sweep you away….” Jessie said it with his arms slightly out in this whole zombie kind of parody.

Donnie laughed. “Social lithium I like it.”

“Yeah well it’s true too just how many kids are there out on meds when just working with then, playing, paying attention and just taking the damn time would fix things…but instead they fall back on the crutch of let’s dope up the little fuckers because we can’t be arsed.”

Donnie nodded. “And they wonder why there people with issues huh.” He had gotten up and started packing.

Clothes, bedding, pillows, curtains, blinds, old toys, comics and magazines and trading cards and pretty much every thing and if there wasn’t boxes they used garbage bags until they had everything out of the house except for the mattress and box spring. Jessie had taken the bed frame apart with his multi tool from his jacket and Swiss army knife.

Donnie’s dad looked like he was going to try and say something a few times on those trips but the neighbors never left and stood watch like they were making sure he wasn’t going to be an asshole.

He made sure they were all in the car before going over to Davis. ~ “Thank you for helping us out here. I know you gathered some of them here to help.”~

~ “No Jessie they were coming here and I joined them. It is just very good to see that you are still the young man I knew so long back.”~

~ “My family is having a cook out tomorrow please come by with the family my parents will be thrilled to see you again.”~

~ “I will and you will tell me if there is anything I can do for this young man in the future. This country has been very good to us and it would be nice to return the favor.”~

~ “I will it even could be a good idea. You’d have room? ~

~”Room will be made, this is America.”~

Jessie raised an eyebrow at Davis. ~ “Oh?”~

~ “Give us your poor tired and huddled masses.”…. “That child there is poor, he is huddled and he looks tired.”~

Jessie smiled and clasped arms with him hard. ~ “You give me hope my friend you give me hope.”~

Davis laughed switching to English. “Then my young friend I am returning the favor.”

They shook again and Jessie walked over to the old black woman. He stopped and he took out his mini notebook from his jacket and wrote down his number and his home phone. “Ma’am…thank you for helping out my friend. If you need anything, anything you call those numbers and we’ll come alright.”

She took the paper and smiled at him. “Boy you’ve been raised right, I’ll expect I might just call this number a time or too. You never know I might just have the need of someone to help me finish a pecan pie off every now and then”

Jessie smiled at her. “I’d honestly love that Ma’am could I…?”

“Could you what child?”

“Could I give you a kiss before I leave ma’am.”

“You’d kiss an old weather woman like me?”

“Actually ma’am where I’ve lived being close to the elders in a community is an honor still.”

“Oh hell boy come here then and give me a kiss and call me Mildred.”

Jessie leaned over and gently kissed her cheek and then he slid from that and left a really light soft peck on her lips. “Thank you Millie, now please remember to call.”

Her eyes had widened and a smile danced in there and he could see the young girl in there still full of hope and fire facing down people that wanted to hurt her and hers…hands linked, marching, head high.

She didn’t say anything past the smile she had on and no one seemed to notice what passed between them and he slipped into his car and waved to them all as he backed out and headed for home to drop off Donnie’s stuff.

“Nick can you text around and tell everyone what’s going on and why we’ll be late picking them up?’

“O..okay..”

He looked in the rearview at Donnie who was sort of watching them and sort of sideways in the backseat staring off in space.

“We’ll get through this Donnie; you’re not alone in this.”

“I know, I’ll be okay…got any tunes?”

Jessie tuned on his player and turned up the volume as the drove the song started playing…

Mama told me when I was young
Come sit beside me, my only son
And listen closely to what I say.
And if you do this
It'll help you some sunny day. Oh Yah!
Oh, take your time... Don't live too fast,
Troubles will come and they will pass.
You'll find a woman, yea yea, you'll find love,
And don't forget son,
There is someone up above.

(Chorus)
And be a simple, kind of man.
Oh be something, you love and understand.
Baby be a simple, kind of man.
Oh, won't you do this for me son,
If you can?

Forget your lust, for the rich man's gold
All that you need, is in your soul,
And you can do this, oh baby, if you try.
All that I want for you my son,
Is to be satisfied.

(Chorus)

Boy, don't you worry... you'll find yourself.
Follow your heart, lord, and nothing else.
And you can do this, oh baby, if you try.
All that I want for you my son,
Is to be satisfied.

(Chorus)

Baby be a simple, be a simple man.
Oh be something, you love and understand.
Baby be a simple, kind of man. (Fade out)

Some people might call it red-neck music or red neck rock but those words…the cords it struck home with Jessie and he was the first one out of the boys to be singing along and Donnie followed and even Nick…who to his own surprise…even with friends he didn’t stutter when he sang along.

Bad stuff happened, good stuff too really and more would that’s life just like life’s three teenagers in an old car singing along to an old rock song.

Just like knights going off to the field of battle Jessie thought and smiled.