Rose Is My Friend.

("Transphobia") [Trigger Warning]

Rose moved to our small town in the middle of her second year. He was shy and small for his age, so it didn't take long for people to tease him in a friendly way. He jumped whenever someone got too close or spoke too loudly near him, running away like a rabbit after a car fails.

Personally, I liked being alone and playing video games more than talking to other people. But when I saw Rose sitting alone in the cafeteria for the third day in a row, I felt sorry for him and offered to share his vacant seat. When I dropped my tray loudly on the plastic surface, he winced, but he quickly calmed down and introduced himself. "Yeah, I know who you are," I said with a wave of my hand and my name. When I told him about the video game I was playing, he got just as excited as I was. We got along well, and as we talked, I started to talk about the different social groups and strange things that happen at my school.

He asked, "Hey, man, tell me something," leaning across the table and whispering in the background noise of the canteen after I was done talking about our silly character. "Like, do they beat up the new kid here?""His blue eyes were wide, and he looked very serious."

I laughed and drank the rest of my chocolate milk while crumpling the carton in my hand. "Nope, buddy. By the end of the week, they'll be gone. "Aside from that, the jocks care more about hazing new recruits, so you're safe unless you go out for a team." I looked at his skinny body for a moment. His clothes…