As Jesse stood at his locker, staring blankly at the books inside, a voice startled him from behind.
"Hey, Jess." came an unfamiliar voice.
He froze for a second before turning to see Tyler—the girl he’d apparently been flirting with in this bizarre new reality. She stood there, tall and athletic, with a confident smirk that instantly made Jesse’s stomach twist with anxiety. Her short blonde hair was styled up with gel, and she wore a pair of ripped jeans with a school football t-shirt, the kind that emphasized her strong, athletic build. She looked effortlessly cool, the kind of girl who knew exactly how to own the room, and her presence felt overwhelming to Jesse.
He hadn't expected to see her so soon, and now that she was here, he felt an immediate wave of awkwardness. He was unsure of what to say or how to act around her. His mind raced, trying to figure out what version of "Jess" he was supposed to be in this moment.
"You were kinda quiet yesterday." Tyler said, her voice laced with concern as she leaned casually against the locker next to his. "I texted you a bunch. Everything okay?"
Jesse’s heart raced. He hadn’t prepared for this—certainly not for Tyler. A wave of panic surged through him as he searched for words, but he forced himself to focus. He needed to act normal, to blend in. His mind flashed back to his old life, to the way girls used to interact with boys they liked. He remembered the playful banter, the shy smiles, the way they made every interaction seem lighthearted and fun. He didn’t know Tyler like that, but in this new reality, it seemed this version of him did.
"Oh, sorry!" Jesse said, letting out a soft, nervous laugh, hoping it sounded natural. "I’ve just been super busy with, you know... family stuff." He forced a smile, trying to make it flirtatious in the way he remembered girls from his old life doing. It felt incredibly forced and unnatural, but Tyler didn’t seem to notice.
Tyler’s expression softened, her concern melting into a more relaxed smile. "I was worried for a sec. Thought maybe I’d done something."
Jesse shook his head quickly, laughing again to play it off. "No, no, of course not! You’re all good." His heart pounded in his chest, and the whole interaction felt like he was teetering on the edge of a cliff. He wasn’t sure how much longer he could keep this up.
Tyler smiled, clearly relieved. She took a step closer, her eyes studying him with a playful glint. "Good, 'cause I was starting to think you were avoiding me or something."
Jesse forced out another laugh, though it came out louder than he intended. He covered it quickly with a grin. "Nah, just... super distracted." He could feel himself slipping into the role, mimicking every flirty interaction he’d ever seen in an attempt to match the energy, but it all felt wrong.
Tyler, however, seemed completely at ease, taking another step closer. "You look really cute today, by the way." Her eyes flicked down to his leggings and oversized shirt, and Jesse felt his face flush with embarrassment. Her gaze lingered a bit too long for his comfort.
"Thanks." he mumbled, his voice barely audible. His stomach twisted as he tried to ignore the heat rising to his cheeks. The scent of Tyler’s cologne—a spicy, musky fragrance—hit him hard, making him feel even more out of place. "I-uh, like your cologne." he added awkwardly, desperate to shift the focus.
Tyler grinned, clearly amused by the compliment. She leaned in a little closer, lowering her voice like they were sharing some inside joke. "Let me walk you to class?" she offered, her tone casual but insistent.
Jesse blinked, caught off guard by the offer. The idea of spending more time with Tyler, making small talk and pretending to be this version of himself, made him nervous. He didn’t know how much longer he could keep up the act. "Oh, um, it’s okay. You don’t have to." he said quickly, trying to wave her off. "I’ll be fine."
But Tyler wouldn’t take no for an answer. "Come on, it’s no trouble." she said with a grin, her hand brushing lightly against his arm as she spoke. Jesse felt a jolt of surprise at the touch, unsure how to respond. In his old life, he would’ve made an excuse and bailed, but here, things were different. Here, he had to play along.
Feeling trapped, Jesse nodded reluctantly. "Alright, sure." he said with a forced laugh, his heart pounding in his chest. "I, uh, appreciate it."
As they walked down the hallway together, Jesse felt more out of place than ever. Tyler’s presence beside him was unnerving, and he could feel the eyes of other students on them as they made their way through the crowded hallways. Every step felt heavier than the last, the weight of pretending to be someone he wasn’t pressing down on him. He kept smiling, giving the occasional giggle when Tyler cracked a joke or made a comment, but inside, his mind was racing.
Tyler kept talking about the bonfire and the upcoming game, her excitement evident in every word. She mentioned how much she was looking forward to them hanging out on Friday, but Jesse could barely keep up, nodding and laughing when necessary, trying his best to seem engaged.
By the time they reached his classroom, Jesse was mentally exhausted from the effort of keeping up appearances. Tyler stopped at the door, turning to him with a lingering smile. "See you later?" she asked, her voice soft but expectant.
"Yeah, definitely." Jesse replied, forcing enthusiasm into his voice even though his nerves were on edge.
As Tyler walked away, Jesse let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. He ducked into the classroom, quickly finding his seat, his hands shaking slightly. The conversation had felt like walking through a minefield—one wrong step, and everything could have blown up in his face.
He sat down, staring blankly at the desk in front of him, wondering how much longer he could keep up this exhausting charade. His thoughts swirled with doubt, uncertainty, and a deep sense of displacement, making him feel more disconnected from this version of his life with every passing moment. The weight of pretending to be someone he wasn’t, someone he couldn’t fully understand, pressed down on him like an invisible burden. The sound of students shuffling into the classroom barely registered in his mind as he mulled over how he was going to get through the rest of the day.
Suddenly, a boy slid into the desk in front of him, breaking through the haze of his thoughts. The boy had brown hair, perfectly styled in curls that looked like they had taken a lot of effort. The precision of the hairstyle made Jesse realize just how much this world was different from his old one. Boys here didn’t just let their hair fall into place—they styled it, cared for it, made it a centerpiece of their appearance.
Jesse knew he couldn’t sit silently, lost in his thoughts. He needed to act like "Jess," the version of himself that was supposed to belong here. The pressure to conform pushed him to speak, though he had no idea what to say. He stared at the boy’s hair, the effort evident in the smooth, bouncy curls, and decided to blurt out the first thing that came to mind.
“Hey! I really like your hair! It’s so cute.” Jesse said, putting on his best imitation of what he assumed Jess would sound like.
The boy turned around, his face lighting up with genuine excitement. “Aw, thanks, Jess!” he gleamed, his smile wide and bright.
Jesse felt a strange jolt of surprise at how easily the boy accepted the compliment, as if it were the most normal thing in the world for guys to praise each other like that.
Before Jesse could fully process the exchange, another boy, who had been listening from a nearby desk, chimed in. “Yeah, for real, it’s so pretty. How long did it take to curl?” The boy had a soft, casual tone.
“Ugh, too long,” the curly-haired boy joked, rolling his eyes dramatically. The other boy chuckled, and Jesse found himself caught in the middle of a conversation that felt completely alien. He remained silent, nodding along while trying to wrap his head around the whole situation.
“And Jess, yours looks adorable today too!” the other boy added with a smile, his tone genuine and friendly.
“Yeah, the bun looks so perfect on you!” the curly-haired boy agreed, nodding enthusiastically.
Jesse’s stomach flipped at the unexpected attention. His hair? Adorable? Perfect? “Thanks…” he muttered, trying to force a smile, but the awkwardness crept into his voice. It was strange—unnerving, even—how natural these compliments flowed between the boys, how easy it seemed for them to give each other support and encouragement over something as simple as hair. In his old life, none of his friends or classmates had ever complimented his hair, let alone openly praised each other’s appearances.
The boys returned their focus to their desks as more students filed into the classroom, leaving Jesse alone with his thoughts once again. He stared blankly at the clock on the wall, watching the seconds tick by, each one feeling like an eternity. The idea of getting through seven hours of school, surrounded by people who saw him as someone else, made his chest tighten with anxiety.
How much longer could he keep this up?