I DO NOT OWN STARGIRL. SHOUTOUT TO ANIMALCRUNCH12 FOR BEING MY BETA FOR THIS STORY.

Bogumill Family Home. 2 days later.

Courtney Whitmore was a Godsent for Zach. She'd given him her phone number, and that has led to them continually texting during the day and into the night. Her friends have also started helping out by using Zach's real name and preferred gender pronouns as often as they could. They even went out of their way to correct students and teachers who called him Isabella or misgendered him. Maybe in their eyes, it wasn't a big deal, but it meant so much to Zach.

Courtney, on the other hand, went above and beyond. She's tried to make Zach feel better about his home life. A few days after their spontaneous shopping spree, Courtney suggested hanging out at Zach's. Seeing as he'd already seen her humble abode, Courtney argued it would only be fair to balance the scales. Luckily, on the day she came over, uncle Bob was already at work. Otherwise, Zach would have vetoed the visit vehemently. He'd prayed Aunt Tonya and Jacob would be less trans phobic with a guest around.

"Hey Court, it's good to see you," Zach greeted when opening the door, grinning from ear to ear when receiving a big hug from his newly discovered best friend.

"I'm glad I could come," Courtney smiled. "I got you a surprise for you, actually."

Zach opened his mouth to ask, only for Jacob came down the stairs and give Zach the first indication his prayers would be going unanswered.

"Yo, Bella, who's the chick?" Jacob asked, eyeing Courtney up and down. The corner of his lip twitched into an oily smirk that only made Zach's stomach bottom out.

"She's my friend," Zach gritted through his teeth. "And once again, my name is Zach, ass-lick."

Jacob let out a wry laugh. "So, what? Are you, like, going to become lesbian lovers or something? Huh, Isabella?" Zach's face felt like mottled lava, burning up from his neck to his ears. He can't pinpoint if it was from his outrage or mortification or just both. Nor could Zach stutter out anything intelligent to say back.

But Courtney did.

"First, like he'd said, his name is Zach. He's a boy. And second of all, if we were lovers, we would be straight be, cause once again, he is a boy!" Courtney asserted, trying to set Jacob straight, but she'd failed to remove that irksome smirk off his face. A clear sign she didn't make a budge at moving his ignorant mind any forward.

"What's going on here?" Tonya asked, walking into the foyer and sending Zach's stomach through a series of flips.

"Jacob is misgendering Zach," Courtney replied, looking to Tonya with earnest but entirely naive hope.

Tonya scoffed. "I should've expected as much from a California liberal." She darted her seething gaze between Courtney and Zach. "You better take those clothes off or your uncle will give you another thrashing. And I can't blame him at all if he does." Courtney pressed her lips firmly, the dots connecting with her fuming mind.

"Another thrashing? You mean this has happened already?" She accused scathing.

Zach didn't want her to strap on a cape for him. He didn't need for her to because it'll only bring both of them trouble. So he'd started to drag her up to his room before she made things worse.

"Courtney, it's no use trying to reason with these bigots," Zach muttered to her.

Courtney shook her head, rooting her feet in place at the top of the stairs. "This is crap! They can't get away with beating you. That's child abuse!"

"I know, but I have nowhere else to go. If I wasn't here, I'd have to be in foster care until I turn eighteen." Courtney grew quiet for a moment. Her gaze so delicate, tangling together with a form of misery she felt for Zach.

"Did they really beat you just because of the clothes?" She murmured.

Zach hesitated, letting out a ponderous breath. "Yeah, my uncle...he'd tried to get me to say who'd bought them, but I didn't tell him anything."

This touched Courtney's heart. This brave and handsome boy had taken a beating just to protect her. She may be Stargirl, but in that moment, he'd been every bit of a hero she was.

"Look, if they start to get violent with you again, just come over to my place," Courtney pleaded. "I'm sure my mom and Pat wouldn't mind you if you had to stay over a night or two."

Zach smiled faintly. "That... That means a lot, Courtney. Thank you."

His small smile had faded the second he'd open the door to his room, cringing habitually at how girly and frilly it was. That he still had to be forced to this room call his own.

"You're very welcome," Courtney said, reaching into her backpack. "Anyway, here's the surprise I had for you!" She pulled out a roll of medical tape, and all Zach could do was smile brightly. "It's for breast binding."

Zach nodded, showing no hesitation when pulling Courtney into a tight embrace.

"Thank you so much, Courtney. I can't thank you enough," Zach murmured, indulging in the feel of her arms wrapped around him.

After an hour of googling the proper way to bind one's breasts, Courtney left the Bogumill home, and Zach couldn't help feeling better about himself.

It didn't get to last when Jacob had to put his two cents in as Zach set the table for dinner.

"Look, Bella. You just have to realize Courtney isn't going to screw you, okay?" He noted blithely, watching his cousin put out their ceramic dinner plates. "Girls like Courtney want a real man, and that isn't. You're basically, like, a gay best friend." Jacob let out a hearty laugh at the acknowledgment, leaving Zach to his own.

Zach had tried to ignore what Jacob said, but a part of him couldn't stop relaying the douche may be right. Courtney Whitmore would never be his. They were friends, and that was all Zach could ever hope for.

NEXT TIME, SOMETHING FROM OUTER SPACE LANDS IN BLUE VALLEY. REVIEWS NEEDED AND APPRECIATED.