===Best Friends, and then some.===
This is a completely fictional story about coming of age and awareness for a teen and his best friend intended for mature audiences only. If you are not of legal age or it is illegal in your country to read content containing GLBTI issues, sexual deeds between consenting underage or of age people, please close this page now. Otherwise, please enjoy. Chapter 1 contains no sexual material, but sets the story for following chapters.
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Chapter 1. Jaclyn becomes Jac.
So, my best friend Jaclyn and I have been inseparable since her family moved in across the street when we were both 5. We went to school together, had the same classes, exercised together, played the same games, wore each others' clothes, did pretty much all same things and we both even broke our arms at the same time falling out of the same tree. So yeah, we're close. Our birthdays were only fifteen days apart too. Some people looked us strange when we were younger, cause our friendship seemed different to everyone else's in the community.
I guess I should tell you about me. My name's Mark. I'm 18 years old, 170cm , weigh 72kg with a toned body from hours of bike riding and swimming. And then there's my stand out feature. My red hair, it's from my Dad's side, so red a Scotsman would be jealous. The more secretive part of me, the one thing it took me ages to even tell Jac, I think I am gay, or at least bi leaning very much towards guys. I have a love/hate relationship with locker/change rooms.
And then there's Jac, other than the mousy blonde hair, we could be siblings. Jac was always more of a tomboy, short hair of a similar cut to mine but with a longer fringe, so standing side by side until the bumps started developing, we looked pretty similar. Jac is just shorter than me at 167cm and weighs 67kg with a b-cup chest.
But, I'm skipping ahead, the start of this story takes place when we were both 14, and 2 weeks after we fell out of the tree.
I was sitting in front of my game console, just staring at it, bored, cause I couldn't play with just one hand when I heard a knock on my door and Mum telling me Jaclyn was here. This surprised me cause she always texted me before coming over. I got up to greet her and she looked upset. I told her to come in, closed my door and asked what's wrong?
"I can't do anything... I feel hopeless..."
"Yeah, I feel ya" I replied. "Dad even had to cut my steak up for me last night, he said it felt like I was a little kid again and he loved it."
"But it's not just that. I can't game, ride, have a proper shower or anything." Jaclyn groaned.
I tried smiling to lift her spirits, "We can stink up together, hahaha. A sponge bath isn't that bad and it gets rid of most of the smell and sweat."
"But a sponge bath is still hard with only one hand." Jaclyn lamented.
"Yeah, I know, I tried earlier. There's just parts ya can't reach."
"True, but I don't want my `rents or brother to do it, that's just icky'"
I thought for a couple of seconds, then before I knew it was coming out of my mouth said "Well, we can wash each oth...."
"What!? You and me?" Jaclyn looked at me rather startled. I thought this was where she was going with it.
I hesitated, stumbled and continued, "Well, yeah. It's been a few years, but we used to shower together after swimming or stuffing around in the pool."
"But, but, that was, like, before...." and Jaclyn trailed off looking away from me.
"Before what?" I asked.
"Before, you know, before before."
"Before, I joined the swim squad?" I was lost here. We used to swim naked a lot in our pool when she came over. My parents didn't care, they swam naked in it too, our whole family did, it was a common sight for me, but not for Jaclyn's family. They were more prudish and reserved. So, Mum said that we just don't tell her parents as long as it's just us kids (including my little brother who is 2 years younger than me). Jaclyn used to toy with my little dicklet every now and then the last couple of years before puberty started all the changes. Nothing sexual, just grabbing it every now and then and flicking it side to side, or holding it for me when I peed on the lemon tree, stuff like that. Occasionally she would say stuff like, I wish I had one of these, makes peeing so much easier. I didn't take much notice of it really, I was a kid. But as soon as things started changing, she stopped swimming, I never saw her naked again, and she would always be wearing at least long shorts and a t-shirt with a popular rock band, game logo or car logo on it. I thought it was her prudish family finally setting boundaries and didn't think more of it.
"No dummy, before your thingie grew." as she looked at my crotch.
"Oh, um." As I tilted my head sideways a little as I always did when I was trying to understand something I wasn't quite grasping. "But, it's the same dick, it's just bigger. That happens you know."
"Yeah." she paused "I do." and she looked away from me again.
"So, what's wrong with that."
"It's just, it's. It just IS!" she almost yelled.
I knew something was wrong now, Jaclyn never yelled, especially at me. I walked straight over to her, put my good arm around her shoulder and neck, pulling her in close "Ok, what's wrong? No lies, no judgement, this is me, the door is shut."
"I can't." she tried to pull away but I held tighter.
"Why can't you?"
"Cause I don't want to ruin everything. You are my best friend..." She was crying now. "I, I, I just can't."
"Hey, what's all this about ruining anything? You are my best friend too. I tell you everything, we do everything, matching broken arms and all. Look at the matching slings. Yeah, ok, mine is blue and white, yours is pink and white" which I thought odd at the time, cause Jaclyn does not wear pink for anything, but, you know, girls change their minds "but they are still matching..."
"I just, I dunno, it's hard you know. You probably won't understand anyway." she sobbed into my shoulder.
I pulled Jaclyn away from me so I could look her right in the eyes "Well, I definitely won't understand if you don't tell me. I can see you are hurting right now, and I know it's not just the arm thing." I stopped for a few seconds, "Is it that you love me as more than Best Friends?"
"What? No. Well, yes. But, no. But, yeah. Oh I dunno. But it's not that. But hang on. Why? Do you love me too?"
I stood there like a dear in headlights... "Um, well, yeah, a bit I guess." Right now I was figgeting, looking at the ground instead of her. "But, I dunno either. It's just that, we're mates. Better mates than most boys and girls are usually. And, well, we're different. You're different, to all the other girls at school. And, well, I think that's why I like you sooo much. We get each other, or at least I think we did."
"Well, I like you sooo much too. I do love you as a best friend." She paused, why did she pause? The pause felt like time just stopped. "Probably more. But, there's just something you don't know, yet."
"Yet? Ok, so you are planning on telling me?"
"Yes silly, but, I never found the right time. It's hard, I don't want to lose you." Tears started welling in her eyes again. "But, Ok. Promise me you won't freak out or tell everybody."
"You know I don't tell secrets. I am here for you, no matter what."
"Truly?"
"Truly, pinky swear." I smiled, holding up my good arm with my little finger poking out and slightly curled.
"Ok, help me with this?" She held her broken arm out a little "Take this sling off please."
"You want me to give you the sponge bath now?" I was lost again.
Jaclyn smiled, "Well, that too, but I want to show you something first, one of the reasons that I am different from the other, girls." She said girls making the little quotation signs with her fingers on her good hand. So I undid the sling, and dropped it on my bed. "Take my t-shirt off, please." As I started lifting her t-shirt, which was cumbersome with only one hand, I noticed a bit of clothing I had never seen before. It was skin toned and went across her chest, like a bra, more like a sports bra than a lacy one, but went further up and down. Up until now I had never thought Jaclyn needed a bra, cause the bumps weren't that big.
"What sort of bra is that?"
"It's not a bra. It's called a binder."
"A binder? What does it bind?"
"My boobs."
"But, you don't really have boobs." I was more than lost now, I was totally confused.
"Well, I do silly. But, this flattens them out unlike a bra that pushes them up to look bigger." I tilted my head again. "Ok, sit down, this is what I need to tell you about." I sat on the edge of my bed, Jaclyn pulled my desk chair over and sat on that so we could see each other easily.
I have a feeling I looked really puzzled, cause Jaclyn just smiled at me, "Ok, so, only one other person knows about this, and for now, that is how I want it to stay."
"Ok."
"Binders are a garment mostly worn by people that have a dysphoria with their gender assigned at birth, as you know, I was assigned female, but as you have already said, I'm different from all the other, girls" there were the quotation signs again.
I was starting to very quickly put two and two together and was suddenly mentally kicking myself to being blind to my Best Friends' struggles. In the few seconds pause, so many thoughts and memories came flooding in like someone had flicked a switch. "Are you saying you are a TransBoy?"
Tears instantly started rolling, "Yes Marky, that is exactly what I am saying. I have been struggling emotionally and physically for a few years, especially since you started filling out."
I instantly jumped up off the bed, went over and grabbed my Best Friend in a tight embrace. "I am so sorry I have been blind for so long, but, so many things make sense now."
"Ow! Careful of the arm dude."
"Crap, um, let me get your sling." As I picked it up, I laid it briefly over mine to straighten it out and a lightning bolt hit me. "Oh. My. God! The trans flag! You have been trying to tell me this for ages, hey?" I started getting the sling sorted out.
"Yes Marky, I wasn't sure if you would work it out. I was really scared of losing you."
"OMG Jackie, oh crap, um, what do I call you now?" I could feel my eyes go wide with a whole new rush of thoughts and emotions.
"Oh, that's sweet, you are taking this sooo much better than I thought. Jac, Jay Ay Cee, Jac. For now, whilst it is only you that knows, it's easier for me to work things through and those that don't know, will just think you are shortening my birth name."
"Jac, I can handle this. You are my Best Friend, that won't change, I love you too much." I smiled that dumb teen smile that teens do when trying to look loving and comforting without looking dumb doing it. "Whilst we are opening up to each other, and I am not trying to take anything away from you. I must confess that I think I am gay, or at least bi."
"Oh Marky, I have known that for years. I see the way you check boys out at school, when we ride and at all your swimming carnivals. It's also the way I sometimes catch you checking out my butt, but not the girls at school."
"You see that? I mean, you see me checking out other boys?"
"You don't hide it Marky, even when you think you do." Jac gave a little laugh. I stood there, my world blown, but in a good way. My Best Friend of nine years has just opened up to me in the hugest way I can possibly think, and has known about my secret all along. How blind was I with my own issues, when his was staring me in the face too. That changes now!
"So, may I ask, who is the other person that knows? One of your Parents?"
"No, my parents are prudes. Too set in Prudes-ville to see past their own prejudices and preconceptions of what a person should do with their life. No, it is, your Mum."
"My Mum?" I was standing wide eyed and open mouthed now.
" Yes. She saw me struggling and came to me just as the hormones of puberty started setting in and I was going to a dark place fast. I owe a lot to her. Without her help, I wouldn't have these binders, or lots of other things I needed."
I was stunned again, all I could mutter was "Wooow."
Jac just smiled that knowing smile, the one that he always did when I was only just starting to come to realisations. "Ok, is that offer of a sponge bath still available? Cause I really need to get rid of some of this sweat and smell." Jac looked at me, "Marky?"
I rushed back to earth, "Um, oh, yeah. Sure! What parts need cleaning most?"
"Everything...."
End of Chapter 1
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