Skyler was rushing through hir morning routine. Shi really didn't want to be late for school. Shi was super excited to share hir new name, hair, and pronouns with more of the pack than just Selena. Who knows? Shi might come out to a select few other kids shi knew were trustworthy as well.
Skyler had attempted to dress in a fairly neutral manner, which wasn't easy given what shi was and wasn't allowed to put in her wardrobe. Shi finally settled on some sandals, one of hir few pairs of pants (lavender bell-bottom jeans with some artful ripping), and a baby blue tank top. Skyler tried to overlook the rose made of little embedded diamonds on the tank top.
Just as Skyler was about to head out the door, shi heard the most terrifying sound in the world: hir mother's voice.
"Stella," said a very displeased Suzanne York Bentley, "we need to talk."
Skyler reluctantly turned around. "Yes, Mom?"
Suzanne was immaculately dressed in a white and black pantsuit, with perfectly coiffed blonde hair and a meticulous makeup job. Her wrinkles had all been botoxed away. She tapped her high-heeled foot impatiently. "You have a lot of explaining to do, young lady."
Skyler winced at being referred to as a lady. Shi tried to bury the hurt, as shi had for years. "About what?"
Suzanne scoffed. "Ugh! 'About what,' she says! Oh, where to begin? How about what you've done to your hair overnight?! Why the HELL would you cut off all your beautiful hair?! Do you have any freaking idea how unfeminine you look right now, Stella Isabelle Bentley? You look like a boy!"
"I.. I'm wearing makeup," Skyler feebly retorted. Shi was indeed wearing purple lipstick and pale blue eyeshadow. Makeup had always been one of Skyler's favorite "girl" things, along with hir tits. Warren, Skyler's father, just hid behind the newspaper like he always did when his "daughter" and wife were feuding.
"That doesn't change the fact that you seem to have sheared off all your hair last night," Suzanne said sternly. "Damn! That'll take months to grow back!"
"Do we... have to?" asked Skyler. "I... I really like my hair like this, and I'm not the only girl at school with short hair."
Suzanne waved a manicured hand dismissively at Skyler. "Sure, if you count the dykes and those anti-gender weirdos! You think I want my daughter associated with those malcontents, those subversives, those... freaks?! Not a chance! I have promised my voters that if I'm elected I'll keep woke, Gen-Z nutcases from using the wrong bathroom like perverts! You are growing your hair back, and that's final, Stella! Ugh, I suppose I'll have to discreetly by you a wig until it's done growing. Can't have journalists or my idiot of a press agent photographing you like that."
"But Mom..." Skyler tried to say.
"And that's not all!" Suzanne spat. "What on earth did you do to build up all that muscle so quickly? I know I haven't ever let you play sports. Well, whatever you're doing, cut it out! There's being in shape, but this is going waaaaay too far! All those rippling muscles make you look much to masculine."
Skyler sighed. "Anything else?"
"Your behavior," Suzanne said, crossing her arms. "I've noticed the company you've been keeping lately. For the past few days, I've been seeing you an awful lot with Selena Lyall. I don't trust her. Her family seem like a bunch of survivalist recluses. They live on some kind of ranch just outside of town, they don't socialize beyond sending their kids to school, and they live maybe eighty percent off the grid. What if they're a cult, or criminals?! You could get seriously hurt, Stella!"
"Selena is NOT a—" Skyler tried to say.
"And then there's Beck Hamilton!" Suzanne went on. "Remember what I was saying about anti-gender weirdos and Gen-Z nutcases? Well, guess what? You're friends with one! That stupid girl refuses to admit she's female! I forbid you to speak to her ever again! Especially considering how late you've been coming home lately! Just what are you doing with them that has to be done so late at night?!"
Skyler bit hir lip. "I... I can't explain."
Suzanne sneered at Skyler. "You USED to be such a wonderful daughter, Stella."
Skyler felt hir eyes starting to well up with tears. Shi'd never heard hir mother get so hateful towards hir before.