Jess barely had time to process the warmth spreading through her chest when she felt Ryan's arm wrap casually around her shoulders. It was natural—smooth, confident. He didn’t even look down at her as he did it, just kept sipping his smoothie and steering her gently along as they walked.
Her heart jumped in her chest.
She glanced up at him, eyes wide for just a moment, then quickly looked forward again. Don’t make it weird… don’t make it weird…
But it was weird.
Or at least it should have been.
Twenty-four hours ago, she was a guy. And now? She was walking through the mall as a short, cute brunette in casual girl clothes, a tall football jock’s arm around her, giggling at his dumb jokes, and not even minding the way it made her feel safe. Even her body language had shifted. She leaned in slightly, tilting her head toward him with a bashful smile she didn’t even know she could make.
“Everything okay?” Ryan asked with a smirk, clearly enjoying her flustered energy.
Jess swallowed. “Y-Yeah. Totally fine.” Her voice was light, higher-pitched—like she was trying to brush it off but couldn’t help how her tone wavered at the end.
Macy glanced over from where she was walking with Billy, a soft giggle escaping her lips. “Aww, you two look so cute like that.”
Ryan pulled Jess a little closer with a playful squeeze. “Told you casual would be better. I think she likes me more this way.”
“I do not,” Jess said, turning red and batting at his chest in protest—but she didn’t pull away.
Not even a little.
In fact, as they kept walking, she realized her head had found its way to rest against his shoulder. Her arm had slid around his waist too, almost instinctively. And her mind, which should’ve been screaming I’m a boy! I’m a boy!... just sort of wasn’t anymore.
The logic was still there, buried deep down—but muffled. Like a distant dream she was forgetting more and more with every laugh, every flirtatious glance, every step further into this strange new normal.
Ryan’s arm stayed draped over Jess’s shoulder as they continued strolling through the mall, the sounds and sights around them blending into a comfortable hum. Jess felt a strange lightness in her chest, a flutter she wasn’t used to but didn’t fight anymore.
They passed by a colorful photo booth — the kind with goofy props and silly backgrounds. Ryan gave Jess a nudge.
“Come on, let’s get some pictures. You know you want to.”
Jess hesitated for a split second, then found herself smiling wider than she thought possible. “Okay, sure.”
Inside the booth, they piled on feather boas, oversized sunglasses, and glittery hats. Macy and Billy squeezed in on either side, laughter bouncing off the walls. Flash after flash captured moments of goofy joy and genuine smiles.
When the strip of photos slid out, Jess held it up and examined their silly faces. Somehow, the image of herself — radiant, laughing, and happy — didn’t feel like a mask. It felt like her. The girl in the picture was the real deal, not the boy she had been yesterday.
Ryan leaned close and whispered, “See? You’re killing it.”
Jess’s cheeks warmed. She looked up at him, eyes softening. Maybe this isn’t a punishment anymore.
Maybe this was who she was supposed to be.
Her hand found Ryan’s, lacing their fingers together without a second thought. It felt right. Natural.
The old resistance was fading, replaced by a gentle curiosity, a tentative hope — that this life, this new identity, might just be something she could embrace.
As they stepped out of the booth, Jess grinned. “I think… I think I could get used to this.”
Macy gave her a teasing wink. “Told you. Welcome to the club, Jess.”
Jess’s heart pounded like a drum in her ears as they stepped out of the photo booth, the little strip of images clutched warmly in her hand. The fluorescent mall lights felt softer now, the noise of shoppers fading into a gentle background buzz. Ryan’s hand was still entwined with hers, his thumb brushing across her knuckles in a slow, reassuring rhythm.
In that moment, Jess realized she didn’t just feel different—she was different. She wasn’t fighting invisible barriers or haunted by half-remembered memories anymore. All that mattered was the warmth flooding her chest, the way her lips tingled whenever Ryan looked at her with that easy, confident smile.
She stopped walking, turning to face him fully. He raised an inquisitive eyebrow, his arm sliding around her waist, drawing her closer. Jess’s pulse swelled so big it felt like it might burst; her breath caught in her throat.
Without thinking, she climbed onto her tiptoes, her other hand coming up to cradle his jaw. “Ryan,” she whispered, voice trembling with exhilaration, “I… I want this.”
And then she leaned in.
Her lips met his in a soft, warm press—the world around them dissolving. It wasn’t a stolen moment or a reckless whim; it was entirely hers. The fluttering in her stomach settled into a calm certainty as she deepened the kiss, her arms wrapping around his neck. Ryan’s hold around her waist tightened, his answer clear in his gentle embrace.
When they finally pulled back, the air between them thrummed with something new and exhilarating. Jess’s cheeks were flushed, and for the first time in as long as she could remember, she felt completely — and joyfully — herself.
She glanced down at her reflection in the glass of a nearby storefront: a girl laughing, eyes shining with hope and contentment. She’d lost a life that never fit—and in its place had found one that did.
“Thank you,” she murmured, resting her forehead against his. “For everything.”
Ryan pressed a soft kiss to her temple. “Always,” he said.
As they turned back toward Macy and Billy—both waving excitedly—the future stretched out before Jess like an open road. She no longer remembered what it was to doubt. Instead, she felt ready to embrace every moment of this new life she was building—one laugh, one kiss, one perfect day at a time.