We pull into the driveway, and I hop out and head inside. My dad is surprisingly home already, and sitting on the couch typing away on his ptop.

  “Hey, Dad.” I say as I come inside. “How was work?”

  “Alright.” He says, without looking up from his ptop. “Jenkins denied my request to hire a new associate, so I’m trying to py catch up with Elliot gone.”

  “What happened to Elliot?” I ask, while taking the seat next to him.

  “He got poached by Brooklyn Legal.” He expins.

  “Anything I can do to help?” I ask. “I can do some research for you tonight if you need.”

  He finally looks up from his work, his smile quickly fading into a frown. “Uh… What’s with the outfit?”

  I look down, and with a start remember what I’m wearing. “My clothes got soaked, so Holly let me borrow some of hers.” Before he can respond, I stand up. “I’m gonna go get changed.”

  He nods and returns to his ptop. As I’m walking out towards my bedroom, my mom calls out to me. “Dinner will be ready in about twenty minutes, so don’t get caught up in a game or anything.”

  “I won’t.” I promise, and head into my room, closing the door behind me.

  I pull out my phone, intending to turn on my lights, but remember what happened. I really hope it still works… I press the power button, and nothing happens. Crap. I hold the button to reset it, and decide to get dressed while I wait for it to turn on.

  “Hey, Calypso.” A soft ping comes from the device on my dresser. “Turn fairy lights on.”

  Another gentle ping comes from the device, followed by a bright feminine voice. “Okay, turning fairy lights on.”

  After a few moments my room goes from dim, to bathed in pinks and purples from the colorful string lights I have hanging on my walls. I smile gently, and look towards my closet. My door is already open, so I waste no time in pulling out an oversized t-shirt, stripping the white tank top, and throwing it on.

  I head towards my dresser to change pants, but stop myself. What’s really the difference between these and my sleep pants? I consider the options. These are softer, looser, and more comfortable, as well as looking cool. With my decision made, I leave Holly’s pants on.

  A soft chime comes from my bed, and I turn to see my phone screen shining bright white, before fading into my usual background. Oh thank god. I grab my phone and open it quickly, to see multiple missed messages from Caleb.

  ‘Hey dude’

  ‘What time did you want to come over today’

  ‘Yo you alive’

  ‘Brother’

  ‘Hope youre okay’

  I sigh softly. Right… I told him I’d hangout with him again today. We had spent the previous two evenings pying games and eating junk food, despite me texting Holly most of the night st night.

  ‘Im alive’

  ‘Fell into a pond and my phone got soaked’

  ‘Its fine tho’

  He responds nearly immediately.

  ‘Gd to hear it’

  ‘How did you fall into a pond’

  ‘Okay so’

  ‘You remember how I was on my phone most of the night yesterday’

  ‘Yea’

  ‘Not gonna lie’

  ‘That was a bit annoying’

  ‘Sorry’

  ‘I was texting this girl’

  ‘Anyway she invited me over today’

  ‘And I completely forgot I had told you id hangout with you today’

  ‘Sorry’

  ‘Tis fine’

  ‘I dont mind you going to hangout with a girl’

  ‘Just let me know if we already have pns’

  ‘I will’

  ‘Sorry again’

  ‘So who is this mystery girl’

  ‘You two a thing’

  ‘Were not dating’

  ‘Although im hopeful’

  ‘You remember May’

  ‘Its her sister Holly’

  ‘May has a sister’

  ‘Since when’

  ‘Since always’

  ‘Shes a year younger than us’

  ‘You wouldve seen her around school st year’

  ‘I dont really pay attention to people who arent my friends’

  ‘Fair enough’

  ‘But yeah’

  ‘I went to her house’

  ‘And we ended up going to a park’

  ‘And I got pushed into the pond by some dude who wasnt paying attention while he was running’

  ‘Oof’

  ‘That sucks bro’

  ‘Youve got that thing with water right’

  ‘You doing okay’

  ‘Im fine’

  ‘Holly pulled me out and helped me deal with it’

  ‘She was actually really cute about it’

  ‘I really like her’

  ‘Im gd brother’

  ‘Wanna hangout tomorrow then’

  ‘Theres something I wanna show you’

  ‘Sounds good’

  ‘What time’

  ‘Think you can swing 11’

  ‘I can do it’

  ‘Cool’

  ‘Wear boots’

  ‘And cargos or smth’

  ‘Stuff you dont mind walking in and getting dirty’

  ‘Will do’

  Stuff I don’t mind getting dirty… I shudder slightly at the thought. I hate getting dirty… I take a breath and steel myself. It’s worth it to make up for ditching him today. My thoughts drift back to Holly, and I decide to shoot her a text, and let her know my phone is working.

  ‘Hey Holly’

  ‘My phone is alive and well’

  ‘As am I’

  ‘Obviously’

  She doesn’t respond immediately, which is fine as I hear a soft ping from my dresser, announcing an incoming message. “Dinner’s ready.” My mom says through the device.

  “Coming.” I say back, and head out of my room, leaving my phone on the bed.

  I head out into the dining room, and see my parents sitting down at the table, ptes in front of them. In my spot, is a slightly different looking dish, put out on my favorite pte, with my favorite silverware next to it. I love you, Mom.

  I sit down, and my mom immediately gives me a smile. “Okay so,” She says, looking down at my pte. “I made stir fry, but I cooked the beef separately from everything else, so yours is just vegetables.” She expins.

  My dad looks over and gives me a look. “Decided you don’t like beef anymore?” He asks curiously.

  I blush slightly, but force myself to look at him. “I’m going vegetarian.” I expin. “No more meat at all.”

  “You know that means you’ll have to give up chicken nuggets.” He says with a joking grin.

  “That’s fine.” I say with a more real smile. “I’ll get over it.”

  He doesn’t respond, and we all start eating our food. The meal is absolutely delicious. I never knew vegetables could taste so good. I spend the first bit picking things out and trying them on their own, before combining things.

  I spear a small orange cube, that was very sweet when I tried it earlier, and hold it up for my mom. “What is this?”

  “Pineapple.” She says with a smile. “Do you like it?”

  “I like it a lot.” I say honestly, as I wrap some noodles around it, and skewer a pea pod.

  We continue eating in retive silence, before my dad finally speaks up. “Got any pns tonight?”

  “Well,” I say, thinking about what I want to do. “I was going to py some more Nightfall, and go to sleep a bit early. Caleb wants me over at eleven tomorrow for some hiking.”

  “I can drop you off.” My mom says.

  “Danny,” My dad starts, and I look over at him. “You offered to help me earlier, do you think you still can?”

  “Sure.” I say with a smile. “What do you need?”

  He sighs deeply. “I need you to see if there were any recent changes to property w in the state, specifically regarding property boundaries and zoning.”

  “Sure.” I agree. “I can do that.” I think for a moment before continuing. “How recent are we talking, and when do you need it by?”

  “Anything since the start of the year.” He says, and then continues. “And if you could look tonight, that would be great.”

  “You can count on me.” I say with a smile, before finishing off the st of my pte.

  My mom looks at me, slightly incredulously, before smirking at me. “Wow.”

  “Wow what?” I ask, very confused.

  “You cleaned your pte.” She says happily.

  “I guess I did.” I say, looking down at the mostly empty pte.

  “Who knew that all I had to do to get you to actually eat was to turn you vegetarian.” She says with a grin.

  “Yeah, yeah.” I say, as I get up and walk my pte to the dishwasher. “I’m gonna go get started on Dad’s research.”

  “Have fun.” My mom says with a smile, and I give her a grin.

  “Thanks for your help.” My Dad says genuinely as I walk back to my room.

  Once inside, I grab my phone, and turn on my computer. While I wait for it to load, I check out the missed texts from Holly.

  ‘I’m gd you’re okay.’

  ‘I was quite a bit worried earlier, if I’m being honest. I’ve never really had to help with a panic attack before, and I didn’t know what to do. It was scary.’

  ‘You did great’

  ‘Thank you for your help’

  ‘Genuinely’

  ‘You helped a lot’

  ‘I’m really gd to hear it.’

  ‘It was really nice getting to see you today. I want you back as soon as possible.’

  My heart flutters as I read her response. ‘I want you back as soon as possible.’ I try not to think too hard about the possible implications of that, and decide to respond in kind.

  ‘I want to see you again really soon too’

  ‘Im busy tomorrow’

  ‘But maybe friday’

  ‘I’m looking forward to it.’

  ‘There’s something I wanted to ask, by the way.’

  ‘Well, two things.’

  ‘Go for it’

  ‘Okay first, please don’t take this in a bad way, but why do you text like that?’

  ‘Like what’

  ‘Never using punctuation, or capitalization, or anything like that. Also sending one thought over multiple different texts.’

  Is the way I text weird…? I scroll up, and look at the difference between the way she texts, and the way I do. Hers do look more elegant… Maybe I should switch up the way I type.

  ‘I don’t know. You’re right though, it is a bit weird. I’ll work on it.’

  ‘I wasn’t trying to get you to change anything, I was just curious.’

  ‘No but, you’re right. The way I text isn’t as nice to read as how you text. I want to work on it.’

  ‘If you say so.’

  ‘Now for my next question. This is more of a request than a question. Can you send me a selfie? I want to see your face again.’

  My cheeks heat intensely at this. She… wants to see my face…? Why? My heart pounds in my chest as I consider this. Could she… actually like me too…? I lean back in my chair, and hold my phone high, trying to get an angle where I don’t look too bad, and snap a photo, before sending it immediately.

  ‘You’re really cute.’

  ‘Are you still wearing my pants?’

  Crap. I forgot about that.

  ‘Yeah… Sorry, They’re really comfortable. I’ll take them off.’

  ‘No.’

  ‘No, no, no!’

  ‘Leave them on. I like seeing you wear them.’

  ‘Actually, you can keep them. Keep the whole outfit I gave you.’

  ‘Are you sure?’

  ‘I’m sure.’

  ‘Thanks, Holly.’

  ‘By the way, can I get a photo of you too?’

  ‘Sure.’

  I blink in astonishment as the photo loads, and I see her bright beautiful smiling face. She is so perfect. Beneath the cascades of her golden hair, I can make out a red pid pattern. Is that…

  ‘Are you wearing my fnnel?’

  ‘I was cold, and it looks really cute. I hope you don’t mind.’

  ‘Not at all. It looks way better on you than it ever did on me. Keep it. Please.’

  ‘I’ll keep it, but I’m going to have to disagree with what you said. It looks better on you.’

  ‘I’m gonna read and then get some sleep. Goodnight, Danny.’

  ‘Goodnight, Holly.’

  ‘Text you tomorrow.’

  ‘I can’t wait.’

  ?????????????

  I smile as I continue to look at the photo she sent me. Hook, line, and sinker. This is going to be too easy. I save the photo, and then send it to my cousin.

  ‘I asked her for a photo. She’s so pretty, right?’

  ‘She is.’

  ‘I’m happy for you!’

  ‘I’m really happy too.’

  A strange thought hits me as I think about this exchange. She… I guess I may as well start thinking of Danny with that pronoun now. It won’t be too long before I convince her to start using it… Although it may cause some problems if I slip up and call her ‘her’ or ‘Emmy’ too soon.

  I look at the box of tarot cards sitting on my nightstand, and think about the potential outcome of my own pns. She falls for me, and starts dressing like a girl. I convince her to use she her pronouns, and change her name to Emmy… Then what?

  A devious idea pops into my head as I remember the look on her mom’s face when she saw Emmy in my clothes. I convince her to tell her parents that she’s a trans girl. That either drives a huge wedge in her support system, or makes it way harder for her to go back on things once I dump her. This is going to be so good.