Petey

Wow. So we can’t even go to a freak show at a carnival without being observed now?

Like seriously, what is going on. Are you all just stationed around town taking notes or do you rotate shifts or something?

We were just hanging out. At the freak show. Doing what people do at freak shows, which is look at things and laugh and make comments. That’s kind of the whole point of them, I think.

And yeah, we were probably being kind of mean, whatever, but so was literally everyone else in line. We were not uniquely evil here!

Name 3 girls who’ve asked you out

Wow. So we can’t even go to a freak show at a carnival without being observed now?

Like seriously, what is going on. Are you all just stationed around town taking notes or do you rotate shifts or something?

We were just hanging out. At the freak show. Doing what people do at freak shows, which is look at things and laugh and make comments. That’s kind of the whole point of them, I think.

And yeah, we were probably being kind of mean, whatever, but so was literally everyone else in line. We were not uniquely evil here!

Wow. So we can’t even go to a freak show at a carnival without being observed now?

Like seriously, what is going on. Are you all just stationed around town taking notes or do you rotate shifts or something?

We were just hanging out. At the freak show. Doing what people do at freak shows, which is look at things and laugh and make comments. That’s kind of the whole point of them, I think.

And yeah, we were probably being kind of mean, whatever, but so was literally everyone else in line. We were not uniquely evil here!

Wow. So we can’t even go to a freak show at a carnival without being observed now?

Like seriously, what is going on. Are you all just stationed around town taking notes or do you rotate shifts or something?

We were just hanging out. At the freak show. Doing what people do at freak shows, which is look at things and laugh and make comments. That’s kind of the whole point of them, I think.

And yeah, we were probably being kind of mean, whatever, but so was literally everyone else in line. We were not uniquely evil here!

Wow. So we can’t even go to a freak show at a carnival without being observed now?

Like seriously, what is going on. Are you all just stationed around town taking notes or do you rotate shifts or something?

We were just hanging out. At the freak show. Doing what people do at freak shows, which is look at things and laugh and make comments. That’s kind of the whole point of them, I think.

And yeah, we were probably being kind of mean, whatever, but so was literally everyone else in line. We were not uniquely evil here!

Double it.

Hey, Gary.

Yeah, I’m doing… okay. It’s a lot, but I think it’ll die down eventually. People really ran with it.

you won’t make a big deal out of it and you also gotta promise me you won’t tell a soul.

— she coughed, slightly out of breath as she made it into the room, glaring daggers into pete

“…Okay. I promise.” He hesitated for a second before adding, “I won’t tell anybody.”

The glare didn’t intimidate him nearly as much as the fact that Gary looked… nervous.

That wasn’t normal.

Pete shifted awkwardly where he was standing, rubbing the back of his neck.

opening with a lump in her throat, revealing the wig and dress, everything in the photo that had been recently exposed.

“you were right, that photo going around is me, i am.. ugh how do i even say it without sounding weird.”

— she looked at him expecting him to just understand everything of what she tried saying in body language, pete wasn’t stupid she knew this.

“you can’t tell a soul, pete. in the privacy of our own, i want you to.. ugh you know? Just accept me.. for this.”

— she cringed at her own words, swallowing down on nothing, lips in an embarrassed scowl, she hadn’t known why

For a long moment, he didn’t say anything. He wanted to make sure he understood.

“…Okay,” he said quietly. “So… the picture was real.”

Gary’s expression made it obvious that was the least important part.

Pete let out a small breath. “…Are you… a girl?”

The question came out gently, without any disbelief behind it.

closing the box like a sacred secret of hers, worried anyone could be watching

“Yeah that’s what im trying to say. Look.. i don’t want you to treat me differently or feel like you have to go an extra mile- i am still me.”

— she stared at him, gaze softening by the second even if it weren’t intended. She took a deep breath before speaking up

“I.. trust you to not tell anyone, and to keep this between us and only us. You’re a good friend.”

“Okay.” It came out quiet. “I hear you.”

He glanced at the closed box, then back at her.

“And I’m not going to treat you differently… not in the way you’re probably worried about, anyway.”

His fingers fidgeted slightly at his side.

“I don’t think you’re… suddenly a different person or anything.” That part sounded obvious to him, but he said it anyway. Because it felt like it needed saying.

“And… thank you.”

He looked down at the floor, suddenly finding the pattern in the wood a lot more interesting than eye contact.

“I know trusting people isn’t exactly your favorite thing. So… it means a lot that you trusted me.”

He looked back up.

“I won’t tell a soul. If you want me to call you ‘she’, I will. If there’s another name you’d rather use when it’s just us…” He shrugged awkwardly. “I can do that, too.” He hesitated. “You don’t have to figure everything out today. You don’t have to explain everything to me, either. When you’re ready… I’ll listen.”

He looked at her for a moment, then quickly added, like he was worried it sounded too intense,

or call her out, but he was kind, accepting and everything gary was jealous of and at the same time grateful for.

“I’ve been— using the name lily in the outfit.. it felt more fitting. I haven’t decided yet on what i wanna be called.. you can keep calling me gary and all.”

— she said with a slight stutter and her cheeks rosening up by the seconds ticking by, as she looked at the wall for a mere second and back at pete.

“Thank you.. um- anyway i got jimmy to deal with dan, he should be either roughening him up or talking some sense into him, i forgot to mention that.”

Before she could tense up again, he added, “But if you want me to keep calling you Gary for now, I will.” He gave a small shrug. “You can tell me if that changes.”

There wasn’t any pressure in his voice. Only certainty that whenever she figured it out, if she did figure it out, he’d adjust with her.

As Gary hurried the box back into the closet and abruptly changed the subject, Pete couldn’t help but smile to himself. She was deflecting. He knew that trick.

“Jimmy’s probably trying to talk sense into him first,” he said, playing along. “If that doesn’t work…” He shrugged. “…Well. It’s Jimmy. I’m sure he can handle it for us no problem. And…” He glanced at the floor before looking back at her. “You don’t have to thank me. That’s just what friends are supposed to do.”

After a second, he couldn’t resist adding with the tiniest hint of a grin, “…Besides, now I know your biggest secret.”

He held up both hands in surrender almost immediately.

Hey, Gary.

Yeah, I’m doing… okay. It’s a lot, but I think it’ll die down eventually. People really ran with it.

you won’t make a big deal out of it and you also gotta promise me you won’t tell a soul.

— she coughed, slightly out of breath as she made it into the room, glaring daggers into pete

“…Okay. I promise.” He hesitated for a second before adding, “I won’t tell anybody.”

The glare didn’t intimidate him nearly as much as the fact that Gary looked… nervous.

That wasn’t normal.

Pete shifted awkwardly where he was standing, rubbing the back of his neck.

opening with a lump in her throat, revealing the wig and dress, everything in the photo that had been recently exposed.

“you were right, that photo going around is me, i am.. ugh how do i even say it without sounding weird.”

— she looked at him expecting him to just understand everything of what she tried saying in body language, pete wasn’t stupid she knew this.

“you can’t tell a soul, pete. in the privacy of our own, i want you to.. ugh you know? Just accept me.. for this.”

— she cringed at her own words, swallowing down on nothing, lips in an embarrassed scowl, she hadn’t known why

For a long moment, he didn’t say anything. He wanted to make sure he understood.

“…Okay,” he said quietly. “So… the picture was real.”

Gary’s expression made it obvious that was the least important part.

Pete let out a small breath. “…Are you… a girl?”

The question came out gently, without any disbelief behind it.

closing the box like a sacred secret of hers, worried anyone could be watching

“Yeah that’s what im trying to say. Look.. i don’t want you to treat me differently or feel like you have to go an extra mile- i am still me.”

— she stared at him, gaze softening by the second even if it weren’t intended. She took a deep breath before speaking up

“I.. trust you to not tell anyone, and to keep this between us and only us. You’re a good friend.”

“Okay.” It came out quiet. “I hear you.”

He glanced at the closed box, then back at her.

“And I’m not going to treat you differently… not in the way you’re probably worried about, anyway.”

His fingers fidgeted slightly at his side.

“I don’t think you’re… suddenly a different person or anything.” That part sounded obvious to him, but he said it anyway. Because it felt like it needed saying.

“And… thank you.”

He looked down at the floor, suddenly finding the pattern in the wood a lot more interesting than eye contact.

“I know trusting people isn’t exactly your favorite thing. So… it means a lot that you trusted me.”

He looked back up.

“I won’t tell a soul. If you want me to call you ‘she’, I will. If there’s another name you’d rather use when it’s just us…” He shrugged awkwardly. “I can do that, too.” He hesitated. “You don’t have to figure everything out today. You don’t have to explain everything to me, either. When you’re ready… I’ll listen.”

He looked at her for a moment, then quickly added, like he was worried it sounded too intense,

Hey, Gary.

Yeah, I’m doing… okay. It’s a lot, but I think it’ll die down eventually. People really ran with it.

you won’t make a big deal out of it and you also gotta promise me you won’t tell a soul.

— she coughed, slightly out of breath as she made it into the room, glaring daggers into pete

“…Okay. I promise.” He hesitated for a second before adding, “I won’t tell anybody.”

The glare didn’t intimidate him nearly as much as the fact that Gary looked… nervous.

That wasn’t normal.

Pete shifted awkwardly where he was standing, rubbing the back of his neck.

opening with a lump in her throat, revealing the wig and dress, everything in the photo that had been recently exposed.

“you were right, that photo going around is me, i am.. ugh how do i even say it without sounding weird.”

— she looked at him expecting him to just understand everything of what she tried saying in body language, pete wasn’t stupid she knew this.

“you can’t tell a soul, pete. in the privacy of our own, i want you to.. ugh you know? Just accept me.. for this.”

— she cringed at her own words, swallowing down on nothing, lips in an embarrassed scowl, she hadn’t known why

For a long moment, he didn’t say anything. He wanted to make sure he understood.

“…Okay,” he said quietly. “So… the picture was real.”

Gary’s expression made it obvious that was the least important part.

Pete let out a small breath. “…Are you… a girl?”

The question came out gently, without any disbelief behind it.

Hey, Gary.

Yeah, I’m doing… okay. It’s a lot, but I think it’ll die down eventually. People really ran with it.

you won’t make a big deal out of it and you also gotta promise me you won’t tell a soul.

— she coughed, slightly out of breath as she made it into the room, glaring daggers into pete

“…Okay. I promise.” He hesitated for a second before adding, “I won’t tell anybody.”

The glare didn’t intimidate him nearly as much as the fact that Gary looked… nervous.

That wasn’t normal.

Pete shifted awkwardly where he was standing, rubbing the back of his neck.