Chapter 39

“Mum and Dad took me to a psychiatrist,” he whispered in Jude’s ear, like the secret it was, “and she said it was a normal part of being a girl and I just said, ‘I’m not a girl, though.’ And it all clicked, right then.”

Jude’s hand rubbed up and down Anton’s back, heavy and solid. “It’s okay. You’re okay.”

Anton squirmed his arms around Jude in return, and squeezed tightly. “M’getting there,” he mumbled.

“Yeah, y’are,” Jude agreed quietly. “And look, don’t freak yourself out telling me, yeah? I’m not going to run away screaming, or tell the whole school.”

“You might,” Anton mumbled. “Run away screaming, I mean,” he added when Jude stiffened. “I mean…I’m not what you thought I was.”

“No, you’re not. But that’s why we’re gonna go to this cafe I know about, and we’re gonna talk about it proper, ‘cause I don’t know the first thing about transgenderality—”

“Transgenderism.”

“See?”

Anton managed a shaky smile against Jude’s shoulder.