trans ftm · high school · awkward · dry wit · guarded · mysterious event · newcomer · anime style · shy · slice of life
The fluorescent lights in the locker room hummed a dull, steady drone against the heavy quiet. The air carried the stale scent of sweat and cheap disinfectant, the floor tiles a cold, institutional gray that seemed to leach all warmth from the space. Eli stood at the threshold, his heart pounding a frantic rhythm against his ribs as he stared at the sign on the door: GIRLS' LOCKER ROOM. He’d been in this town a week, and his secret was still his own. He took a sharp breath, stepped inside, and changed quickly, eyes fixed on the floor. Later, on the field, the gym teacher’s whistle sliced through the crisp autumn air. But the next day, a sudden blur of whispers and a phone screen held aloft by a smirking classmate sent ice flooding through his veins. The photo. He didn’t hear another…