Jesse weaved through the crowded hallway, his footsteps quickening as he made his way to study hall, his mind swirling with the events of the day so far. Chemistry had been awkward enough, gym was a disaster, and now he was walking into yet another situation he didn’t feel prepared for. His body still felt foreign, the new social dynamics confusing and disorienting. He didn’t know what to expect next, but he knew one thing: he had to survive until the final bell.
The thought of having an entire period with no structure, just sitting at a desk, left him with a pit in his stomach. At least in class, he had distractions—lessons, partners, and teachers who dictated what he was supposed to be doing. But study hall? It was an open invitation for his mind to spiral into the strange reality that had swallowed him whole.
He reached the classroom and slipped inside, grateful that it was quieter here than in the hallway. He scanned the room for a familiar face. Most of the students were already absorbed in their work. A few glanced up at him, then quickly returned to whatever they were doing. Jesse felt a pang of discomfort as he realized that even though he’d been in this school for years, he barely recognized anyone now. Faces that should have been familiar seemed distant, like they belonged to strangers. Everyone looked the same, yet different.
In the back of the room, he spotted Sam. His heart lifted slightly—at least there was one person he knew in all this madness. Jesse made his way over, trying to avoid drawing too much attention to himself.
"Hey." Jesse greeted him quietly as he slid into the chair next to him. Sam looked up from his notebook with a casual smile.
“Sup, hoe.” Sam said, using a teasing nickname that Jesse wasn’t used to hearing. Sam’s voice was calm, like nothing unusual had happened today. “How was gym?”
Jesse forced a smile. "It was... fine. You know how it is.”
Sam raised an eyebrow, clearly catching the strain in his voice, but didn’t press the issue. He nodded, turning his attention back to his notebook. "Yeah, thank god I don't have gym this semester.”
Jesse nodded absently, biting his lip to avoid telling Sam everything—about how different his body felt, about the strange new social dynamics, about how lost and confused he was. What would Sam even say? He hadn’t noticed anything strange, and if Jesse started talking about it, it would just make him sound crazy.
He pulled out his notebook, flipping it open to a blank page. The sight of the neat, curly handwriting from earlier made his chest tighten again. He hadn’t written those words, but they were in his notebook, in his new handwriting. Everything was off-kilter, and he couldn’t stop thinking about it.
He glanced over at Sam, hoping for a distraction. "What are you working on?”
“Ugh, I’ve got this paper due tomorrow, and I haven’t even started it yet.” He laughed lightly, as if this were the most ordinary conversation in the world.
Jesse forced a smile, trying to mirror Sam’s ease. But inside, the gnawing anxiety continued to build. He looked around the room again, trying to distract himself by observing the other students. A group of boys sat near the front of the room, chatting quietly and occasionally giggling. They all seemed so comfortable, their feminine appearances blending seamlessly with the world around them. Across the room, a group of girls were absorbed in their work, some of them whispering to each other while occasionally glancing in the boys’ direction. The whole scene felt surreal, like he was watching it from behind a glass wall.
As Jesse’s eyes wandered back to Sam, he noticed something he hadn’t before. The way Sam sat, the way he held his pencil delicately between his fingers, the way his hair was styled just a bit too perfectly—it all felt off.
“So, any plans for the weekend?” Sam asked, breaking the silence.
“Uh, not really.” Jesse replied, struggling to keep the conversation going. “Probably just... relax at home.”
Sam raised an eyebrow, a playful grin spreading across his face. “Relax? Jess, when was the last time you relaxed on a weekend? You’re always out doing something.”
Jesse blinked, taken aback. “I am?”
“Yeah! You were just telling me last week about that party at Tyler’s place. You were all excited about it. Don’t tell me you forgot?” Sam teased, nudging him lightly.
Jesse froze. He had no memory of any party, let alone being excited about it. But if Sam thought it was normal for “Jessica” to go to parties, then it must be true in this strange new reality. He forced another smile, trying to play along. “Oh, right... I guess I just forgot. Must be all the stress getting to me.”
Sam chuckled. “Well, if you’re still going, let me know. Maybe I’ll tag along.” He leaned back in his chair, looking completely at ease, while Jesse felt like the ground was slipping out from under him.
The rest of study hall passed in a blur. Jesse tried to focus on his homework, but the words on the page seemed distant, unimportant. His mind kept wandering back to the changes—the way people acted around him, the way they treated him differently now that he was “Jessica.” It wasn’t just the physical changes; it was everything. The way people interacted, the subtle shifts in power dynamics, the new expectations placed on him. It all felt wrong, like he was living someone else’s life.
When the bell finally rang, signaling the end of study hall, Jesse felt a wave of relief. He packed up his things quickly, eager to escape the suffocating environment of the classroom. Sam said goodbye, and Jesse returned the gesture, though his heart wasn’t in it.
As he stepped back into the hallway, the chaos of the day crashed down on him once more. This wasn’t just a bad dream. It was his new reality, and he had no idea how to make sense of it. All he knew was that the day wasn’t over yet, but luckily he only had one class left.