Despicable - 1. Somewhere, Nowhere

Mateo looked up from their phone, with a slightly annoyed sigh. "Okay, I've gone an hour without complaining and for me, that's a miracle," They said to their mom and dad in the front. "But are we sure we really want to move to a town that has zero cellphone coverage. I was literally in the middle of bitching to Connor about this trip and can't post. By the time I get signal, Ill literally not care."

Luisa Monroe turned her head partially to look at her child. Four miscarriages in, it was decided she and her husband Julien, would attempt surrogacy. Even though Mateo was not biologically her chlld, she loved them all the same. Thankfully, she was blessed with Mateo and a year later, their own biological son.

"First, watch your mouth," She chided. "We didn't raise you to speak as if you have no sense of class or formal education to utilize words to better describe your frustrations."

"But...you did encourage me to embrace my individuality and express myself," Mateo retorted teasingly. "Exhibit A."

Mateo, while genetically male, had an androgynous appearance about themselves. Wearing a see-through black lace dress that was quite short with a lace kimono(they always knew ways to hide a bulge while presenting female) and ankle black stiletto heels. Topping it with a long, flowing indigo-blue wig, Mateo realized they were soon going to have to make a choice. This wasn't Boston....this was the middle of nowhere. They hated the inkling of uncertainty about how to introduce themselves. It was simple....He was She who was better known as Mateo. They and their would do for pronouns.

"You do look radiant, if not a bit over the top with the hair, my dear," Luisa replied with a smile as she grabbed a lock. "Second, if you would have been with us while we were shopping in Colorado Springs, you'd be aware that there is nothing wrong with your service. We simply switched companies and I assume the switch has completed."

Luisa reached into the bag in front of her and handled Mateo a box with an iPhone. "You're welcome."

"Oh," Mateol said simply. "Yeah, thanks."

Julien looked in the rearview mirror silently as Mateo opened the phone. He loved his child. He embraced who Mateo was yet he longed for his son. The one who came out in rare spurts of laziness when Mateo was too lazy to shave or shop for new hair and clothes. The one who was not provocative. The conservative one. He loved and missed his first born son....while loving and trying to fully accept his other half. His daughter. For Julien and Luisa, it was never an issue growing up. Mateo was heavily into sports yet preferred playing with Barbies. He was an excellent boy scout yet was also a part of the local girl scouts. The fluidity and androgyny was never an issue as a child.

But Mateo was soon to be seventeen and into the teen years, he became forgotten while SHE became the dominant factor. Gone were the conservative natures of the male Mateo....She took over preferring to entice and devour. The scandals with the photos which got them kicked from the church due to Mateo selling them online;

Or even worse, the cam shows.....

Or probably the most recent and devastating, the affair with the teacher that cost Mateo their admission and ranking at the school they were set to be the top of Which also caused issues within the neighborhood. A 16 year old became the scapegoat, not the 34 year old man who succumbed to the child. So he found the chance and took it to start his own firm by buying a house in the middle of nowhere. To give his child a fresh start to try and be the son he wanted while being the daughter he presented as.

That was his deal...Julien would not ship Mateo off to boarding school and embrace his 'daughter' if that's what she preferred if...she remembered to tone down her bad girl reputation.

"Thanks dad," Mateo said softly, with a small smile. "You remembered the color."

"My daughter may have an affinity for blue hair but I'll always remember my son loves red," He said with a smile back.

Mateo cleared their throat and looked down at the newly activated device. They knew what this was.. A bargaining chip. A test. For now, Mateo would acquiesce. But they never liked anyone else being in control of them.