What’s up with that?”
“Stalk much?” he asks.
“Maybe.”
“That was my parents’ rule,” he admits.
“They sound strict.”
“Yeah. Dad can be controlling. Probably from his years in the military. My mom is great, but she can’t always stop him.”
Can’t always stop him? That’s ominous. I take my feet off the golf cart dashboard and scoot a little closer to him.
“That must be awful,” I say.
He scoots a little closer to me. “I deal. Why were you upset that I met your mom?”
“Pony, oh god, I wasn’t upset that you met her. I was surprised that she was at the game.” I look down and kick my heels. “My parents divorced. Two years ago. Mom ran off with some rich guy. So I don’t talk to her much anymore. And she didn’t come to a single game last year.”
“That’s rough,” he says. And scoots closer to me. We’re almost touching. This honesty thing is kind of fun. I haven’t told many people about that stuff. There’s just something about this guy. My turn.
“What’s your real name?”
“I told you, it’s Pony. Are you and Jake dating?”
“What?” I ask, pretending to be offended.
“I saw you dancing earlier. You look like more than friends.”
OK, whatever, he saw that. I scoot away, just a little. “Didn’t take you for the jealous kind, Pony.”
“I just want to know what’s up,” he says without looking at me.
“What’s up is I was born without a heart.” Pony shoots me a look. Ugh, truth. “I just went through a crazy breakup. My ex cheated on me at a party this summer and betrayed me in a terrible way. I’m not ready to date. I’m not ready to get lied to again.”
He bites his lip. I watch his face soften as he thinks about what I said. He grabs my hand and holds it. “I’m sorry, that’s awful. I won’t lie to you, Georgia.”
I know I said I wasn’t dating this year. And I know I shouldn’t be dating the new kid with no friends. But something comes over me. I lean in and press my lips against his. He hesitates, then kisses me back, and it’s everything. His lips are soft. He takes it slow. Doesn’t overdo it. My body warms up as my heart does flip-flops against my chest. This is more than a kiss—this is a beginning.
After a few blissful seconds, we stop and separate just a little, our faces still close. I nudge the tip of his nose with the tip of my nose, and we smile. Then we both get shy and look away. That was a little too real.
“Georgia?”
I look at him, ready to do that all over again. “Yes?”
“There’s something you should know. I was going to tell you, but . . .”
And nothing. He lost his words again. I bet he’s about to lay down another lame pickup line. I beat him to the punch. “Should I feel your shirt, Pony? Is it made of boyfriend material?”
“I’m transgender,” he says.
“You’re what?”
“Transgender.”
Transgender? I’m gobsmacked. My jaw is on the floor. I had no idea. Or I hadn’t thought about it. Why would I think about it?
I pull away from him completely. “What does that mean?” I ask, even though I understand perfectly what it means. I need to hear him unpack it for me.
Pony clears his throat. “I was born in a girl body, but I’m not a girl. I’ve never felt like a girl. I’m a boy. Every part of me is a boy, except my body.”
I have no words. And that doesn’t happen often. A sudden wave of frustration overtakes me. I hop out of the golf cart, feeling the need to stand. I look around, very aware of my surroundings. Is anyone watching? Does everyone know he’s transgender? Lauren and Matt saw me leave the party with a trans person? Mia is going to pissed. Are people hiding in the woods laughing at me?
“Georgia,” Pony says, pulling me back to reality.
“Why didn’t you tell me before we kissed?”
He gets out of the cart and stands directly in front of me. “’Cause . . .” He stalls out, pissing me off more.
“Because why?” I demand. I’m so caught up in my tantrum that I don’t notice Pony lean in for another kiss. His lips touch mine and I pull away, lose my balance, and fall backward, right on my butt.
“That’s why,” he says, lowering his head. “I just wanted you to like me.”
“I did like you, Pony.”
“Did?” he asks.
“I do. Like you.”
But that’s probably