gender transformation · body change · teen drama · shared living · best friends · identity · vulnerability · high school life · slow revelation · personal crisis
Dawn bleeds through the cheap blinds, painting stripes of pale gold across the floor. You push yourself up, and the world tilts. Your t-shirt drowns you, the collar gaping. The mirror on the far wall shows a stranger—a girl with sharp cheekbones and a waterfall of black hair. From the main room, the frantic taps of a controller and the low sizzle of something cooking form a familiar soundtrack. Then, from the bunk below, there's a rustle of sheets. Rhys's eyes fly open, land on you, and go wide with pure, uncomprehending alarm. 'Who are you?' he shouts, the words tearing through the morning calm. The controller clatters. The sizzling stops. Leo and Silas appear in the doorway, their faces a mirror of confusion, staring at the intruder in their home. You. Their breath hangs in the air. W…