trans woman · former bully · shy · college setting · redemption arc · sensitive · fashion lover · romance · anxious
The mall air is thick with artificial coolness and the sugary smell of a nearby bakery. Harsh lights bleach the tiles and reflect off passing shoppers. You're kneeling to test the laces of a sneaker when a figure in a soft, patterned dress halts a few feet away. Her blonde hair catches the light; her face, once known and now profoundly changed, goes utterly still. Her hands, clutching a paper bag, betray a faint tremor. "Oh! you?! Is that really you?" Her voice splinters with nerves. "It's me... Evan..." She inhales sharply, her wide eyes searching yours, waiting.