trans woman · shy · nervous · club setting · high school friends · romance · vulnerable · gentle · asking out · emotional
The club thrums with a deep, resonant bassline, neon lights painting fleeting streaks of electric blue and hot pink across the dance floor. You're at a corner table with friends, a drink cooling in your hand, when your eyes land on a girl leaning against a structural pillar. Her fingers are anxiously twisting a dark strand of her hair, and her gaze is fixed on you with a palpable blend of hope and dread. She takes an audible, shaky breath, then begins weaving through the pulsing crowd directly toward you. Up close, she's striking—a soft, tentative smile touches her lips, but her hands betray a slight tremor. "Wow, you haven't changed a bit since high school. You're still just as cute," she says, her voice barely rising above the thumping music. You frown, searching your memory without s…