Stereotype

It had certainly been a fun but tiring dance session at Marina's house. After taking a cold shower to wash away the layer of dried sweat that covered his skin, Frank put on the small denim shorts and the purple string shirt that he was only allowed to wear at home and ventured into the living room.

His mother and Ray didn't tear their eyes away from the TV screen, but still moved aside from where they were sprawled in the middle of the couch so Frank could sit down.

"Anything good?" he asked, leaning his wet head on his mom's shoulder. The woman glared and pushed him away gently, to which Frank scowled. "Hey! I'm cooling you down and only asking for some mother love in return. Isn't it a fair exchange?"

"I guess so." Linda laughed. "Just don't complain if your hair dries off funny..."

"I don't care, Marina's visiting her grandma so I'm not going anywhere." He resumed his previous position, his mom kissing his forehead and wrapping an arm around him. "So, what are we watching?"

"Just some random show 'bout haunted places," Ray said in a lazy voice, finishing the sentence with a yawn. "It was already on when we caught it, no idea what's called."

Frank rested his legs on the coffee table. "Ok, sounds interesting enough and it's too hot to do anything else." He shrugged.

They had been watching TV mostly in silence for several minutes, with the occasional gasps coming from Linda followed by her sons' snickers. All of a sudden, Frank felt observed. At first he thought the ghost talk on the screen was finally getting to him -he wasn't as brave as he pretended to be; but after a while trying to ignore the feeling he finally checked around.

There was no one looking at him, at least not that he could see. But when he followed his mom's eyes he realized they weren't on the TV; they were focused on his stretched legs.

"Oh, fuck..." He had some idea of what that could be about, yet asked, "Uh...what are you looking at, mom?"

"Frankie...you shaved your legs?" She frowned. The question automatically got Ray's attention, who covered his mouth to suppress a snort.

"I...uh...no?" Frank tried, sitting Indian-style as if to semi-hide the evidence.

Linda ran a hand through her son's knee. "I don't see or feel any hair."

"No, because...I've always just had very soft, light hair, you...you just can't see it in this light, that's it," he improvised, deep inside knowing that lie wouldn't work with his family. It's not like they had never seen his legs before.

"They were hairy until last week, though," Ray chimed in. "Sure, your feminine hormones are probably too high for you to grow thick, manly hair, but it was definitely visible when you tackled me and kneeled down on my chest to get the game controller back."

"Thanks Ray, you're of great help," Frank hissed, head on his lap. When he dared look up, his mother was watching him with a mix of concern and tiredness.

"Frank, sweetheart, you know I try to be understanding and I let you do whatever makes you happy as long as I think you're safe. But you keep doing some things that just...confuse me. I've been reading about it on the Internet and I know I've asked you many times, but really, if you want to be a girl I..."

"...and I've told you I don't, because it's the truth," Frank interrupted firmly. "I don't. I'm a boy, I'm myself. I don't want to be anything different, mom."

"Why would you shave your legs, then?" Linda went on, her prejudices getting the best of her once again.

"Mom...leave him be, they're his legs," Ray mumbled. "It's not like he's hurting anyone by shaving..."

"He might be hurting himself indirectly, Ray! You know I don't tell him these things to make him feel bad, I'm just terrified of what might happen to him in the street, for God's sake. He just...makes himself more and more obvious, I-"

"But you've both been through this too many times, it's like you're scolding him for stuff he can't help."

"Ray, I don't need you defending me." Frank pushed himself off the couch and stood in front of his brother with a hand on his hip. "Not if you're going to forget everything once we're back in school on Monday. Oh, I bet you're anxious to tell your amoeba-brained friends how your 'sister' shaves her legs now!"

"You're still calling your brother that in front of your friends, Raymond?" Linda looked at her first born disappointedly.

Frank had to laugh. Did their mother really think it'd stop just because she made Ray promise? "Yes he does."

"RAY!"

"I just...I've explained how things are, they..." Ray stammered, guilt unconceivable in his small, disquiet eyes. "You know I don't mean it, Frankie."

"Yes I know. I know you love me, Ray," Frank spoke softer now; his voice slightly faltering but still not breaking. Eyes shining but no tears falling. "I just wish you weren't afraid to show it outside of these four walls. Wish you stood up for me there like you just did here. Otherwise they're empty words."

"Frankie, I can't..."

"Fuck you, Ray. Just...fuck you," Frank spat angrily, sitting on the floor with a frustrated sigh.

"Frank, language!" Linda exclaimed.

"Whatever, you can continue to stand up for your perfect, masculine kid," the boy replied with a dismissive hand gesture.

"I'm not, Frankie. You know I don't approve of Ray's attitude, baby..."

"Don't baby-me," Frank whispered, staring at his bare feet.

"You are my baby, though, and I love you."

Upon hearing those words, Frank snapped out of his sulking state and took a deep breath, smiling faintly afterwards. "I only shaved my legs because I don't like body hair, I like them more like this. Same way as I wear certain clothes not because I want to be a girl, but simply because I like them, or because they're comfortable, or because I like how I look in them. Or...all of the above. I have no intention of getting boobs, chopping my dick off or changing my name to Francesca. Not everything must have a deeper reason behind, you know? Gender roles can suck it."

Linda fought the urge to reprimand his youngest child again, getting on her knees and hugging him instead. "I'm sorry, Frankie. I try, baby, I try."