by Alice Mura
“Jet, this is my sister Lisa. Lisa, this is Jet. He’s the one I told you about at school.”
Lisa glanced at Jet but kept her eyes on the road.
“You told her what happened?” Jet whispered loudly.
“Only you helped get a bully kicked out of school. I respect victims’ confidentiality.”
“Where’s this bookstore at?” asked Jet, changing the subject quickly.
“It’s just downtown. You haven’t been there before?” said Amy, smooshed against Jet on the bench seat in the small truck. Jet could feel himself get sweaty as her arm rubbed against his. He had never felt anxiety around a girl in his life, but for some reason he wanted Amy to have a good impression of him.
“I just moved here four days ago from Redondo Beach.”
“Rendondo Beach? That’s like a ten-hour drive. We had to rent an entire block of motel rooms for a job out there about a month ago,” said Lisa.
“Lisa works in construction. She’s the only woman on her crew.”
“That’s cool.”
“So what do you have to get for school?” said Amy.
“I don’t really know. I’m just going to buy a bunch of notebooks and a book bag, maybe. I think I need a calculator for Algebra Two. They have that stuff right?”
“Uh huh,” said Amy who seemed way too excited to be driving someone to the store. Downtown Ponderosa was an upper-middle-class stretch of businesses and restaurants which ran for about two miles. To Jet’s surprise, there was a mall, and outside that mall in the sprawling parking lot was a Barnes and Noble. Jet had never been in a bookstore before and had to trust Amy to know they would actually sell school supplies.
Once they parked, Amy grabbed Jet’s hand and ran for the entrance. The architecture was sleek and modern but also cozy with incandescent lighting inside. Jet felt like he was starting a fresh chapter in his life as his new friend led him into his first bookstore. The first shock was finding books on display in the foyer where anyone could just walk off with them. This must be a really nice neighborhood if they could get away with that. Inside the store proper, Jet was overwhelmed by the art of a hundred different covers hitting him at once. Most books were propped up on tables with giant, bright font superimposed over a generic background. The aroma of coffee and cookies wafted through the store, and indie folk music played on the speakers overhead.
“This place seems nice,” said Jet, taking the experience in.
“I love coming here,” said Amy.
“Make it quick. I don’t want to be here all night,” said Lisa, coming up behind them.
“Let me show you where the school supplies are,” said Amy, grabbing Jet’s arm and dragging him deeper into the forest of books. Another shock came when he saw how many games and toys were in a store selling books. Unlike the books at the entrance, these games had bright and colorful art on their covers which were pleasing to the eyes. As they walked, Jet’s elbow kept poking into Amy’s breast, but she didn’t seem to notice or care. Knowing he was touching such an intimate part of Amy made Jet’s mouth go dry.
“Look at the choices you have,” said Amy, gesturing to a rack of school supplies. She wasn’t wrong. Unlike the bland, utilitarian fare at Wal-Mart, this store had incredible and appealing designs on all its notebooks. There was cover art from the likes of Harry-Potter and Lord of the Rings, and another section had dazzling, colorful art that appeared to be from Japan. There were tiny, chubby unicorns riding a wave of cartoon food and rainbows. The backpack selection was small, but the designs were eccentric and eye-catching.
Jet ended up picking a black bookbag covered in rainbows and chibi unicorns, then stuffing it with an array of notebooks and a pencil/pen set. There was even a designer calculator with fun drawings of anthropomorphic food on it.
“That’s probably all I need,” said Jet, putting the supplies in the book bag, “where’s your sister at?”
Amy gaped. “Don’t you want to look around first?”
“I mean, I’m not really a big reader...I mostly just sketch.”
“Oh! I know the perfect book for you. Come on.” Amy looped her arm through Jet’s and led him to another section of the library filled with small, fat comic books.
“They better have it,” Amy grumbled as she scanned the books, jerking Jet along the entire time. “Here!”
Amy pulled a book off the shelf and handed it to Jet. “That’s Bakuman. It’s about two best friends trying to be successful mangaka. It’s like the best shonen manga ever.”
Jet turned the book over a number of time,s trying to figure out which side was the front. “I don’t know what you just said.”
“It’s a comic book about two guys creating a comic book. The main character is an illustrator. You’re going to love it.” Amy’s eyes seemed to sparkle as she watched Jet examine the book.
“I think this is a defect. The front and the back cover are swapped.”
“Nooo! It’s printed in the traditional right-to-left Japanese style. Trust me, it’s much better this way.”
“Oh, well, if you think I should get it.” Jet placed the book in his new bag and smiled politely at Amy. It was nice to see someone so passionate after many years of being jaded towards everything but drawing.
“Do you have a favorite book?” said Jet.
“Here!” said Amy, reaching across him to grab a book called Coyote. “It’s about this werewolf and werewolf hunter who fall in love.”
“That sounds cool. You want me to buy it for you?”
Amy stared at Jet open-mouthed. “You’d do that for me?”
“Yeah, why not? You guys drove me here. It’s the least I could do.”
“You don’t have to. I mean, I already read the first two volumes in the store. I would like to own it though…”
“Then just put it in the bag. It’s fine.” Jet held the bag open for Amy, who hesitated as if a monster might grab her hand if she tried to drop the book in.
“There’s so many people in our house; we never have money for anything. Lisa lives at home to support my mom at dad. I never bought a book that wasn’t from the thrift store. Are you sure you want to spend your money on me?” Jet’s heart thumped as Amy looked at him. She looked so pretty and needy with her glasses, clutching the comic book like it was her bible. He had to do this for her, if only for saving him earlier.
“I’m positive. It’s my dad’s money. I don’t even have a job.”
“Is your dad rich?”
“I have no idea. I…he just regained custody of me two days ago. That’s why I moved to Ponderosa.”
“Oh! Okay. I won’t ask what happened. It’s none of my business.” Amy hesitated with the book.
“You want me to buy that for you?”
“No…I’ve already read it twice. I’m just going to put it back. Don’t waste your money.” Amy slunk back to the shelf and returned the book to the exact place she found it.
“Are you kids ready to go or what?” said Lisa, coming up the aisle to find them.
“Yeah, I’m ready,” said Jet.
“What book did you get?” said Amy.
“None of your business,” snapped Lisa. Amy dove for the book in Lisa’s hand and snatched it away.
“It’s a yuri manga! I knew it!” Amy declared triumphantly in the quiet book store. Lisa blushed with anger.
“So! Every time I take you here, you’re reading that gay werewolf manga,” Lisa raised her voice. Amy froze, petrified, her face turning redder by the second. Lisa yanked her book back and marched off with Amy following her, unable to make eye-contact with Jet. Was she only being friends with him because she wanted a gay best friend too? That would be awful if she did. Jet really did want to be friends with her, but if she only thought of him as her gay friend, it felt kind of awful. If it was true, it would be like he was just another book to collect. But she had helped him, more than once even, getting him a ride to the store. He would give her the benefit of the doubt. Jet grabbed the book sh
e wanted off the shelf and made his way to the front of the store.
When Jet got to the cashier, Lisa had already checked out and was waiting with Amy at the front door. Jet dumped his bag on the counter and watched as the cashier rang him up.
“Alright, that will be a hundred and twenty-one dollars and sixty-eight cents.” Jet’s heart thumped. He checked the notebooks again. Each one was four or five dollars and the backpack was sixty. Not to mention the manga cost twenty-five dollars combined. His dad was going to freak, probably. Maybe he didn’t know how much stuff cost.
Jet handed over his two hundred dollar bills and received his change. At the entrance, Lisa waited with her arms cross, and Amy held her hands behind her back nervously.
“We ready to go?” said Lisa. After they piled in the truck and were on the road, Jet handed Lisa a twenty-dollar bill, making her eyes light up.
“You call me for a ride anytime, sweet cheeks.” Lisa clicked her tongue and winked at Jet from across the bench seat.
“Stop flirting with my friend! Oh my god, you’re like nineteen!” Amy yelped.
“And how old is she?” Lisa snapped back.
“Oh my god, don’t assume Jet’s gender. I’m so sorry, Jet,” said Lisa, turning to face him with a sympathetic look.
“It’s okay. I like being girly. I’m a boy though, sorry.”
“Of all the rotten luck...” said Lisa, “Anyone tell you you’d make a really cute girl?”
“Just because he wears a skirt, doesn’t mean he wants to be a girl! That’s so heteronormative!” Amy shouted.
“Shhhh, shh, shh, shh, shh,” said Lisa, covering Amy’s face with her hand. “Stop telling your lesbian sister how to address other queer people. You’re at least gay, right? No straight guy wears makeup that cute.”
“Lisa! Jet, you don’t have to answer that. Your sexuality is your own business and not ours.”
“Lighten up, Ames! Bloody hell, how do your teachers put up with this?” Lisa shook her head.
“It’s okay,” said Jet, “I’m actually still figuring things out.”
“Uh huh. That’s what every queer person says in high school. Don’t worry, you’ll get there, kid. If you ever transition, tell Amy to give you my number.”
“Lisa! I can’t believe how rude you’re being! Jet isn’t some sexual object for you to ogle. Don’t listen to her, Jet.”
“If you don’t calm down, you’re not getting Taco Bell,” said Lisa. Amy huffed and crossed her arms, making Jet want to laugh. He had never been around someone who was so hyper-considerate. His old friends in Redondo Beach had casually tossed around the word fag without any care how it made him feel. They knew he was gay, but they had been saying it long before he moved there. They never even asked him how he felt about it, and he didn’t feel right telling people what they could and could not say even if it made him feel uncomfortable.
“What do you want?” said Lisa, pulling in the drive-thru.
“I only eat vegetarian, so probably just chips and cheese,” said Jet.
“No, you can ask them to make it vegetarian with beans and rice substitutes. I’ll even eat vegetarian with you so you won’t be tempted by the meat.”
Lisa snorted a laugh. “Tempted by the meat.”
Jet giggled, and Amy blushed again which Jet found adorable. She was so cute and sexy when she blushed and got flustered. A sudden urge to kiss her overwhelmed him, but he was able to control himself, mostly thanks to the presence of Lisa in the truck.
“Oh, before I forget,” said Jet, going through his book bag and pulling out Amy’s book.
“Oh my god! I told you not to buy it for me!” Amy gasped as Jet handed her the gift.
“Ha! It’s the gay werewolf book. I knew it,” said Lisa, “Jet, if you were a werewolf, you would be perfect for Amy.”
Amy was too smitten to care as she stared at the book in her hands. “You really shouldn’t have.”
“I wanted to. You really helped me out today…and the other day.”
“I don’t do nice things to be rewarded,” said Amy who was already reading. Lisa looked over Jet’s head and nodded in acknowledgment of his kind gesture. Once they had their food, they were back on the road.
“So where we going? Am I dropping you off at Jet’s house, or what?”
“I still have homework to do. Is it alright if I come to your home?” Amy asked, flashing him pleading eyes.
“Yeah, that’s fine. My dad works really late.”
“Ouuuuu,” Lisa sang playfully.
“Stop sexualizing my friend, ya’ big perv!” snapped Amy.
“Hey, as long as you use protection.”
“Graahh!” grumbled Amy.
CHAPTER NINE
Lisa dropped them off at the apartment, and Amy got her books and notebooks out of a crate attached to the bed of the truck before her sister pulled away, tapping her horn.
“Your sister seems nice. She’s really funny.”
“She’s always embarrassing me and being crass. I’m sorry if she offended you.”
“It’s fine. I’m guessing she’s lesbian?”
“Yeah. I wish she wouldn’t rub her sexuality in everyone’s face though.”
“I think it’s great she’s so comfortable in her own body,” said Jet as he held the front door of the building for her.
“Are you not comfortable in your body?” said Amy as they waited for the elevator.
“No...I’m pretty happy with the way I look. Would like to grow my hair a little longer, but that’s about it.” He eyed Amy sideways. “I guess…it would be nice if some things were less confusing.”
“Well, however you choose to live, I support you,” said Amy as they stepped into the elevator.
“I...support you too,” said Jet, a little put off.
“I’m not trans or anything! I tried being genderqueer for two weeks, but it wasn’t for me. I’m just a boring, cishet white girl.”
“I was just teasing.”
“Oh.” She looked down and tucked curls behind one ear.
Jet led Amy to his apartment and locked the door behind them before setting his food on the table.
“So, no one’s home?” Amy asked, setting her things down next to the food.
“No, my dad gets home after midnight. It’s just—”
Amy cut Jet off by lunging at him with a kiss. Her hands circled his waist and grabbed his butt. Jet, overwhelmed, kissed her back and held her waist, unsure what to do with his hands.
“I wanted to do that all evening,” said Amy after breaking the kiss.
“I…I’ve never been attracted to a girl before. You’re the first.”
“Really?” Her voice squeaked with hope.
“I don’t know why. I’m really attracted to you.”
“Most guys think I’m too fat...” Amy pouted, pushing her beautiful lips out.
“Most guys are idiots in my experience.” Jet squeezed her thick thighs to reassure her. She kissed him hard, eagerness building in her exploration. Something twinged inside of Jet’s conscience. “Amy, do you think we should slow…” She covered his words with a kiss and clutched at him with her need. The two of them scampered to his bedroom, where Amy grabbed him by his hoodie and pushed him onto the bed. Amy pinned his hands to the bed as they continued to kiss.
“I’ve never been with a boy before,” said Amy, pausing again to look Jet in the eye. She held her bottom lip between her teeth and her eyes were wide. Jet pulled one hand free to stroke her pink cheek, wanting to smooth away her fear.
“Me neither,” he lied, wanting to forget that hopeless night with Liam.
“Really? I didn’t want to assume, I just, you know. You’re so classically feminine. I know that doesn’t mean anything, but…”
Jet stopped Amy with a kiss as they fought to undress each other. Any idea of going slow or not being sexual with Amy was tossed out the window amid the rush of discovery. Amy had Jet’s shirt off in a second. She kissed and licked
his little pink nipples. Jet sucked his teeth from how sensitive he was. Amy’s top was off, and her chubby breasts were secured in a black bra. Jet tentatively reached up to touch one and found it soft and pleasant. Amy sat up to undo her bra, allowing her breasts to bounce free. Jet was hypnotized by the sight. This was the beauty his friends had harped on about when they talked about porn. The only times he had ever seen breasts was his friend Katie’s back at Redondo Beach while they were skinny dipping in a stranger’s pool, and once when he accidentally walked in on a foster sister in the bathroom. Amy had beautiful, rounded breasts with cute, dark-pink nipples.
Jet reached up to touch her beautiful chest and cradle two handfuls of Amy’s boobs. Amy smiled as she stroked his hair.
“No one’s ever seen my boobs before,” she whispered with a seductive smile.
“They’re beautiful.” Jet sat up to suckle one as he fondled the other. As Jet nursed, Amy ran her hands through Jet’s hair. She gasped. Ripples of heat ran through him as he suckled her nipple. Amy’s hand’s felt lovely rubbing his scalp. Everything was amazing, except for his erection pressed into her butt which hurt. Jet sat all the way up and slithered out of his skirt and panties to reveal his erection. Amy could only stare. Then she took one warm hand and gripped it firmly, massaging him.
“Wow,” said Amy, barely above a whisper. Jet watched as she got on her elbows and took him in her mouth. The sensation was ecstasy. Jet fell backward on the bed, overwhelmed by the pleasantness of her warm mouth. His body pulsed with the heat of the earth. He couldn’t remember ever feeling warm all over.
“Oh shit,” gasped Jet, so excited and sensitive. Overwhelmed, he climaxed almost immediately. Afterward, Amy curled up beside him.
“This is my first time. I like it,” whispered Amy, stroking his hairless chest.
Jet stroked her back, trying to ignore the prickle in his conscience. Amy’s body beneath his forearm was gorgeous. Her curves were so seductive, with her soft stomach and thick thighs complemented by her chubby breasts and pleasant face. She was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. Curious, he propped himself up on one elbow and ran his hand down her body. His fingers traced the line of her hip, sliding under her pant line. He hesitated, But Amy lifted her butt off the bed and slid her pants and underwear down. Jet gulped. She’d obviously trimmed, which brought a sliver of amusement to his thoughts.