3AN: This is my entry for The Perfect Date Contest. Chrysalis tied for second place in the Judges Vote and is AushaPasha's favorite. Thank you to everyone who read, commented, and voted. This is part of a larger story that I will begin publishing later this month.
I was active in this community many years back, and quite frankly, it saved my life. I've gotten to know a new crop of community members who have been incredibly supportive. Thank you all!
Disclaimer: All things Twilight belong to Stephenie Meyer.
I'm just using her playground. No copyright infringement is intended.
Chrysalis
"What do you think?" Jasper asks, looking himself up and down. He stands straight and slightly stout with shaggy dark blond hair wearing jeans, a white button down, untucked, and black hi-top chucks. Running his fingers through his hair, he thinks he could use a haircut, though that is the least of his concerns tonight.
"Looks fine to me, but then I think jeans and a band t-shirt would do," replies Edward as he continues playing on his Switch .
"I want her to know she's important, but I don't wanna look like I'm trying too hard," Jasper sighs.
Edward briefly looks up from his game. "I don't understand why you're so worried. It's not like we haven't been hanging out for months."
Jasper and Edward have been roommates for the past three years. They met when they were both on a fantasy role playing panel at the Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo (C2E2). They were each discussing Live Action Role Play (LARP). Jasper invited Edward to join his regular gaming get together where he and his friend played games (board, card, role play) once a week.
A couple months in Jasper mentioned his lease was about up, but he wasn't sure if he wanted to stay in his apartment in West Town. The Chicago neighborhood was gentrifying and losing its artistic flair. Serendipitously, Edward's roommate was getting married and moving out the following month. He had a two bedroom in Boystown that was a bit too pricey for one person. Two months later they became roommates and were on the path toward best friends.
As soon as Edward came to a point where he could stop his game, he places the joycons down. "Do you really think she cares what you're wearing?"
"Probably not. I'm just nervous."
"She seemed excited when you asked her out, right?"
"Yeah, but you know what I need to tell her," Jasper frowns, thinking about the people he's already lost forever.
"There's nothing wrong with being a Dungeon Master," Edward sniggers. "Maybe she'll even think you mean 50 Shades style and beg to go home with you."
"If only," Jasper laughs.
***** Chrysalis *****
"I'm so excited for you!" Bella bounces on her toes, barely keeping herself still as she watches Alice get ready for her date.
Alice is very pixie-like in stature – petite and angular with short dark hair. She wears a green skater dress with gold toned sandals. "You don't think this will make things weird, do you?" Alice asks at she peers at Bella behind her through the reflection of the mirror.
"No, not at all. Plus, Jasper's a great guy. You two will make a great couple."
"But what about you and Edward? I know you really like him. I don't want to make it even harder for you."
"Ehh, it's no big deal."
Alice turns and looks her best friend in the eyes, raising an eyebrow.
"Okay," Bella exhales and tilts her head down slightly. "Sure, I'm a little jealous that you get to go out with the guy you've been crushing on practically since the day you met; but really, I'm so excited for you. This is going to be amazing!"
Alice pulls her into a hug. "I love you, Bella."
"Love you, too."
Bella giggles as she slaps Alice's ass, "now finish getting ready, and I'll walk with you."
Alice moves back to the mirror to finish her makeup while Bella heads into the kitchen. Bella's phone pings with a text as she begins pouring a glass of water. After returning the water jug to the refrigerator she pulls her phone out of her back pocket.
Edward: I can't believe how nervous J is!
Bella: So's Alice.
She begins to set her phone down then brings it back up to type.
B: Good nervous or bad nervous?
E: He's worried about how she'll react when he tells her.
Bella is typing when Alice walks into the room. "Ready to go?" Alice asks.
"Yup, in just a sec."
She guzzles her water and finishes her text.
B: I think it'll be fine. Heading out now.
Bella shoves her phone back into her pocket. "Alright, Alright, Alright! Let's get movin'!"
They both burst into laughter. Alice slings her purse onto her shoulder, Bella grabs her keys from the table next to the door, and they head out into the warm Lakeview summer air.
***** Chrysalis *****
Alice pauses outside of Frozen Kisses, her favorite ice cream shop. The storefront window has a giant set of red lips with the name of the shop surrounding it. The shop is decorated with a black and white chessboard tiled floor. There are red topped tables and red vinyl booths and chairs. Lips, hearts, kisses, and ice cream signs adorn the walls.
She peers through the window to see if Jasper has arrived yet.
"I don't see him," Alice says quietly.
"He'll be here," Bella counters.
Alice fidgets while looking toward her shoes and taking a deep breath. Watching her friend, Bella reaches into her pocket for her phone. As she looks up, she spies Edward and Jasper's reflection in the window, and smiles.
Jasper taps Alice on the shoulder. "Hey," he says with a broad smile.
"Hi," Alice replies almost shyly.
"Shall we?" Jasper asks, holding his hand out for her to take.
Alice places her hand in Jasper's and the walk to the door. Bella and Edward look on as Jasper opens the door and guides Alice in.
"They look like school kids on their very first date!" Edward chortles.
"I've known Alice for years, and I've never seen her nervous about anything," Bella responds.
"Wanna go in and watch?" Edward asks.
"Sure, but let's give them a few minutes to get settled."
They watch on as their best friends walk up to the counter and order ice cream. Edward takes a small step closer to Bella and wraps his arm around her shoulder. Bella startles then leans slightly into him. They surreptitiously peek at one another and watch until Alice and Jasper are seated at a table and are talking.
"Let's go," Bella says as she ducks out of Edwards arm and skips to the door. She pulls the door open then bows to Edward. "Age before Beauty," she laughs.
"Ha! Ha! You're so funny," Edward deadpans then tickles Bella's side.
They both look over at their friends and notice they are leaning toward each other, deep in conversation, seated below a rainbow-colored kissy lips sign. Bella snaps a photo and texts it to Edward.
Edward places his hand on Bella's back, directing her to the counter where they order ice cream then take a seat in a corner to watch their friends.
***** Chrysalis *****
"So, what's your favorite," Jasper askes as he leads Alice to the ice cream counter?
"My favorite, or what I'm gonna order?"
Jasper shrugs his shoulders, "either, both, whichever."
"My favorite ice cream is teaberry, but I haven't had it in ages. I've actually only ever had it when I've visited my grandparents. Hell, for all I know the memory could taste better than the actual ice cream itself," Alice smiles. "What I'll order today is," she pauses and reads the board, "Mexican chocolate!"
Jasper admires Alice while she's deciding on her ice cream flavor. He gazes at the plump pink lip pulled between her teeth. A shiver runs down his spine, and he rubs his sweaty hands on his jeans. They've known each other for a while now, and he's been interested in her since the day Bella introduced them. He just hopes that she'll still be willing to see him when he tells her all about himself.
"What are you getting?" Alice asks, tearing him from his thoughts. Perusing the menu, he opts for black cherry.
They take their ice cream and find a seat. Jasper places his cup of ice cream on the table then returns to the counter to get napkins. Walking back to the table he swallows deeply as he watches Alice lick around the edges of her cone.
"Got these, in case things start to get messy," Jasper says, as he places the napkins on the table.
"Thanks. I'm pretty sure I'm gonna need them," she replies then reaches her tongue out to get the drop that's just below her lips.
Alice looks into Jasper's eyes as they talk about work, life, and of course LARP.
". . . and then I tripped over a root, fell into the tree and broke a wing," Alice titters. Jasper's eyes are bright as he laughs along with her.
"It's funny now, but that was my favorite set of wings! I spent weeks perfecting them," Alice sighs and looks at Jasper.
They both take a deep breath and smile. Alice is still quietly giggling when Jasper's face dulls. She immediately stops reminiscing and turns her attention to him.
"Is something wrong?" she asks kindly.
"No, nothing's wrong." He runs his hand down his face. "I just need to tell you something, and I don't know how you'll react."
Alice touches Jasper's hand. "Take your time. I'm here. I'm listening."
He squeezes her hand then lets out a long breath.
"So, you know how I grew up in Texas," he begins.
Alice nods.
"Well, as you likely know, Texas is not the most accepting place for people who are different," he breathes out slowly.
"Not much LARPing going on there, I suppose," she replies with a tentative smile. Her light, airy visage is now tentative.
"Jeez, I don't mean to be a downer. I've just been burned in the past when I've talked about this."
Alice raises her hand to touch Jasper's face and softly utters, "you're my friend. There's nothing you can tell me that would change that."
"Okay, here goes." Jasper takes another deep breath, turns his head to put a gentle kiss on Alice's hand, then continues.
"My mom and dad have always been pretty conservative people. I don't just mean like politically. Sure, they're that, but they tend to be quiet, reserved, don't rock the boat kind of people. Ya know what I mean?"
Alice nods and smiles tenderly.
Jasper continues. "I've never been that kind of person. I've been told I have an interesting personality, that I'm odd, that I don't belong. I've heard those kinds of things my entire life. The thing is, I've always felt like I didn't quite fit – like I'm the proverbial square peg to the round hole.
"Mom and dad never suggested I should be anything other than who I am. They'd always been supportive of me in whatever I did. They bought me the clothes I wanted to wear, even if they thought them unusual. They never got on my case about my gaming. They even encouraged my involvement in theater and role play.
"But that wasn't the only thing about me that was different. You see, I never really felt comfortable in my own skin. There was always something about me that didn't feel right. I – I felt like my life was the real role play, not the games and theater. My everyday life was about me acting out who I was supposed to be."
Jasper takes a drink of his water. Alice nods, her eyes still on him and full of compassion. "Take your time."
"Alice . . . I'm trans. My parents identified me as a girl when I was born and raised me that way, but I only ever acted as one for everybody else. It was never me."
Jasper bows his head, prepared to have Alice stand up and leave. He takes several deep, long breaths. There is no movement.
Silence.
Silence.
Silence.
At the sound of a spoon falling to the floor in another area of the shop, Jasper looks up. Alice smiles sweetly and takes his hands in hers.
"Okay," she says with a kind smile and shrug of her shoulders.
He looks at her agape.
"That's it? Okay?"
He sits a fraction taller.
"Yeah. There were things I heard you, Edward, and Bella say that made me wonder."
"Really? And you're okay with being on a date with me?'
"Of course, I am. That's why I'm here."
"And you're not gonna ghost me?" He asks tentatively.
"I think Bella would kick my ass if I ever did that to you, but no. Absolutely not. I like you Jasper. I enjoy spending time with you. I love talking to you," she pauses, the adds, "I really, ya know, like you, like you."
Jasper gasps. His shoulders have lost the 1000-pound rock that was sitting on them.
"I was so worried you'd run screaming once I told you. It wouldn't have been the first time." Jasper rests his forehead on their joined hands. "Thank you for accepting me."
Alice removes one of her hands from his grasp and runs her fingers through his hair. "I adore who you are. I adore everything you've shown me about you. Thank you for sharing this with me. I can't imagine sharing this is easy."
Jasper places a light kiss on her hand, lifts his head, and smiles at her. "It's hardest when someone is important to me. I hate that I might lose them, and the fact is, I have lost people when I've come out to them. My parents being two of those people."
"That's awful!"
"Yeah, it is; but if you don't mind, I'd rather not talk about that right now."
"Sure," Alice says emotionally, "you can tell me what you want, whenever it's right for you."
They sit silently looking at each other and smiling for several minutes. It's a comfortable silence.
Alice tilts her head slightly and inquires, "Can I ask you a question?"
"Go ahead," Jasper replies with a slight gulp.
"When . . . or how did you know LARPing was your thing?"
Jasper exhales a small laugh. "Ya know, I heard if this Live Action Role Play thing in early high school. I couldn't imagine getting into something like that. Being involved in drama, I had some friends from drama camp who did it and kept telling me how fun and liberating it was. They likened it to when we get to play a character who really speaks to us, one who lets us be who we've imagined ourselves as but haven't expressed it. It made me think back to those times as a little kid where I'd be the dad when we played house.
"Did I ever tell you about how I always tried out for the boy parts when I was in my middle school productions? They let me," he pauses," until I got boobs. I even wore binders, but that wasn't enough for them. I had to be a girl character."
Jasper pauses in thought, then continues, "it was actually in college that I got involved with LARP. During freshman year a couple of my friends were part of a fantasy group and they were looking for one more person to play. They convinced me by telling me I could develop my own character. So, I was a male mage. I had never felt so free. It's actually what gave me the courage and the ability to transition."
"Wow," Alice says with wide eyes.
"Yeah, wow," Jasper simpers. He looks longingly into Alice's eyes.
"Wanna get out of here and walk around for a little bit," he asks.
"Sure. And while we're walking, we can decide when we'll be going out next," she says brightly.
Jasper bends down slightly and presses a kiss to her cheek. He takes her hand and leads her out of the shop.
***** Chrysalis *****
Bella and Edward watch their friends leave the ice cream shop hand in hand.
"Looks like that went well," Edward remarks.
"As if it was gonna go any other way," Bella replies wryly.
Edward looks at Bella with a small smile.
"This was fun," Bella exudes then stands from her chair.
"It was." Edward stands and grasps Bella's hand giving it a soft squeeze. "There's nothing quite like an unplanned non-date with one of your closest friends."
Bella's smile fades slightly as Edward leans in to kiss her cheek. Exiting the shop, they hug good-bye and walk in opposite directions with a similar thought running through their brains.
How the hell do I get out of this friendzone?
***** Chrysalis *****
AN: I spoke to several transgender friends as I began plotting my larger story and as I wrote this. I have made a few changes since submitting it to the contest when I received some input that didn't arrive before the contest deadline. This story is better for that input. I value any thoughts and comments you might have.