Adam quietly ruminated on a bench near the bathroom.

  Now that he was here, he wasn’t sure anymore why he’d felt the need to walk away from the booth earlier, when Evan had shown him the tickets. He supposed it was more over embarrassment rather than anything else, though. Realizing he’d caught himself getting excited for something, only to remember that, duh, even the stalls needed tickets. Tickets that he definitely wasn’t gonna waste on just a chance to get a dumb plush. He didn’t need it.

  Part of Adam was just disappointed Evan hadn’t followed behind. Maybe he wasn’t as invested in hanging out as he thought? Either way, it made Adam feel a bit lonely now. He’d wandered a bit more around, but he’d just felt intimidated. All these people around, enjoying themselves, and then the awkward and mute him. Even if he could talk, he wasn’t sure how well his voice could get past the noise of the carnival-goers.

  “-Adam.”

  He felt a jolt, swearing as if someone had just said his name. But that couldn’t be, no one had caught him so far, surely no one would recognize him as-

  “Adam!”

  Then he turned to find a familiar face staring back at him behind the bench. He let out an inaudible yelp at the shock to his heart, and then mouthed out, ‘Sully?’

  His tutor turned around the bench and sat down, “Thought that was you. Though, not as if I expected you to magically transform a second time.”

  Adam grew unsure, and asked what he was doing here.

  “If you’re wondering why I’m here, it’s actually pretty important, sorry for the fuss. We were lucky I’d noticed you leaving in time, but it may as well be easier to talk outside the academy.”

  ‘We?’ Adam internally wondered. Was Flynn here, too?

  “I’ll get to the point.” Sully sighed. “We’re worried. There’s weird things going on at Hanssen’s, a doppelganger among them, but quite frankly that’s grown to become the least of my worries.”

  A doppelganger? What?

  “Adam,” Sully kneeled down, looking Adam in the eye. “I need you to tell me what you can about how you got yourself into this mess.”

  Adam didn’t answer, naturally. But for more reason than one, as half his mind was preoccupied managing the odd dissonance from his name being used. His actual name. After a few days of ‘Aria,’ ‘Adam’ was like getting hit with a blunt object for some reason. Why did that distract him?

  “I know there’s some limitation you’ve mentioned. But please.”

  Adam shirked his gaze.

  “...One thing I’ve learned is that this transformation of yours should have a trigger to reverse it. Would you be able to tell us that part?”

  He looked back up, asking himself several questions. How did he know about that? A-And beyond that, why was that important to know? He wouldn’t just admit to the whole ‘kiss’ thing!

  “Adam?”

  Slowly, Adam reached for his notepad and pen, and began writing a small message. Despite its short length, it felt like it took five times longer than it should. Hand shaking, he offered the completed message to Sully.

  ‘Could you use ‘Aria’ instead?’

  Sully blinked. “I’m sorry?”

  Adam took the note back and wrote on the other side a reply. ‘It’s my new name here.’ He figured it’d at least look less suspicious. After all, Sully was clearly visibly talking to a girl, whose name would definitely not be something like Adam.

  “O-Oh, I see. Sorry, I just wasn’t expecting that.”

  Not meeting his eyes, Adam shrugged.

  “But to get onto the topic, I want to know what condition you’ve been given. If… that’s something you’re willing to allow.”

  Adam took another note to write on, feeling the need to ask a question back. ‘What would you do with that?’ He earnestly looked back at Sully, awaiting his answer, as if he was worriedly asking another question along the way. ‘Do you want me to turn back?’

  “Well… I suppose for insurance. Your position is more delicate than I believe you’ve been told.”

  What?

  “To be safe, I think it would be wise if you postpone any return.” Sully expined with a serious expression. “You’ve been tricked. You’re... never getting your voice back.”

  Adam’s blood went cold. How could he ever know that? Rosalynn didn’t mention anything like that! But then, the payment…

  “I can tell by your expression that this is new information, but believe me. From what I can gather, you're not the only one who wasn't told. No one was. It’s a scam, your benefactor cannot be trusted. But there’s other things that don’t sit right with me, there’s something else at py here, I just don’t know what.”

  Adam was still reeling and trying to process the sledgehammer of a reveal Sully had pulled. His voice… is never coming back? Even if he reverted back to himself? What would it even have all been for, in that case? It only made him less willing to go back to being a boy, but… Adam wasn’t sure if that had been much of a consideration. With how much he’s been getting lost in his new schooldays.

  But not going back also meant there really were things gone for good. His record, his handful of friends, his grandfather… The option had still sounded nice for comfort’s sake, but if he weighed it together, how much of a point was there?

  “I need you to think back, for any clues, any signs.” Sully continued, then ying a hand on Adam’s shoulder. “I worry this doesn’t just concern you anymore. We're talking about a whole conspiracy, at this point, one that might touch far more people than you think.”

  Adam looked back with half-fearful eyes. What did that even mean?! How could something like that be put on his shoulders? He was just some boy! Some dumb boy who wanted to indulge in his sick fantasies for just a little while!

  “We’ll talk more ter, maybe in a few days. I just needed to tell you. I meant it when I told you back then that I wanted to try to help, I owe you.”

  But how could he even say that? As if enough worth wasn't already being pced on his pathetic life!

  But Adam’s shaking hands couldn’t bring themselves to reach out to another note, and so unable to speak, no response came.

  “I’ll see you ter, Ad-... Aria.”

  He made a quick leave, dispersing into a crowd.

  What now? What did all of that mean?

  As he tried to think, another surprising voice called out.

  “Aria!”

  But this one wasn't any as shocking. As Adam narrowed his eyes at the approaching person, he mouthed, ‘Evan?’

  He was practically running to him, stopping for a second to catch his breath, before handing him something. It was red, made of felt, and its shape reminded Adam of a-

  It was the lobster.

  The plush from the carnie booth!

  Adam grabbed it in amazement. Its little beedy eyes, the scuttering crawly legs, the hard shell that defended the critter to the best of its abilities. It was the cutest thing in the world! It’d been Adam’s favourite animal for ages!

  But another thought waged in his mind while he held it. How did Evan get this?! Why would he do it?! He already knew it’d cost tickets!

  He looked at the earnest boy for answers, who just looked back bashfully.

  Keeping the plush under one arm, Adam reached for another note and hastily scribbled down his main question. ‘Why did you get this?’

  “Huh? Because you wanted it, obviously.” Evan answered, his grin falling to something more awkward. “You don’t like it? You were all ‘wahh i love lobster’ earlier, right?”

  Adam did, but…

  He scribbled and delivered another message, ‘But you said it cost tickets!’

  To which he nodded, “Yeah!” He then put out his palm, in which there now were… four tickets. “It took a few tries,” he then let out an awkward chuckle.

  Their tickets! He’d used so many?! Just for this?!

  “H-Hey, what’s with that face? You got the one you wanted.”

  Adam frowned. He wasn’t sure how to get his issue across, but eventually decided to write another message. ‘You wasted them all on me. Isn’t it better to use them on something else?’

  Evan blinked, “What are you talking about? Isn’t using them for something like this the point?”

  Clearly he wasn’t getting anywhere with the boy, but didn’t he see how unfair it was? More than half of the tickets used on just one plush for him, it didn’t make sense!

  “Are… Are you mad at me?”

  Adam was surprised at the question, looking up at the boy with confusion. Why would he be? Evan appeared like he was trying to do his best, he just didn’t seem to get it. How much of a hassle it really was just to get him the plush. If anything Adam felt bad, because now it was almost as if he’d made Evan do that by revealing how much he wanted that lobster. He clutched it tightly to his chest.

  He ultimately shook his head, firmly. Even if he was mad about it, it’d be at himself for making his desires public in the first pce.

  “You still like it though, right?” Evan asked, unsure.

  Adam nodded this time with the same firmness.

  “Good!” Evan smiled, that dumb awkward smile of his like he barely had a care. “Cuz I dunno about you, but I think that’s all the reason I needed, really.”

  It sounded silly, but at this point Adam didn’t want to keep arguing. He just shrugged, finding himself mouthing, ‘Fair enough.’

  “...Well, we still have tickets, though. So not like the night’s over.”

  Adam thought for a second, then wrote another short message for Evan. ‘You pick.’

  “Oh, hm…” Evan put a hand to his chin, and looked around while Adam turned his eyes back to the lobster in his arms. It was really cute… He pyed at having one of its pincers pinch his finger,like it was trying to attack him. He moved its two cws like it was waving at him, and then he lifted one of his hands to wave back. Heh. He supposed it was still nice to have it, now that he didn’t have a choice in the matter.

  “You know,” Evan spoke up, “I’ve always wanted to try the ferris wheel by the pier. I’m pretty sure that one’s two tickets each, too. You down?”

  Solomon had still been watching the conversation closely when Flynn had come back, popcorn bucket and half eaten cotton candy in hand. He’d initially wanted to leave quickly, but something about Adam- or rather, Aria, coming out to the carnival had gotten him curious.

  “Want some?” Flynn offered the popcorn bucket.

  “I’m not particurly hungry,” Solomon answered, with his eyes still fixed on the young pair in the distance.

  Flynn shrugged, “More for me.” He took a handful to eat for himself, before coming back to the topic and reason why they were here. “So how’s Adam doing?”

  “He has a new name, for one.” Solomon noted. “He… even preferred for me to use that when talking to him, earlier.” Was 'he' even appropriate? It was a private enough conversation, but even so...

  “Huh. Weird. Did he say anything important?”

  “It’s difficult with his impediment. But not much, he is indeed unaware of the 'catch.' He didn’t want to mention what the condition for reversal was, though.”

  Flynn grimaced, “Damn. So much for that.”

  “I’d probe for more, but it’s clear there isn’t much chance to talk with that friend of his around.”

  At this point, Flynn nudged closer to Sully, following his gaze to get a good look at the pair. “Wait, it’s that guy!”

  “You know him?” Solomon questioned, finally looking away in response to Flynn’s comment. Also, ‘guy?’ Solomon was fairly certain that Adam’s friend was wearing the uniform at Marie’s, making her a girl, which made sense given that’s where Adam would be making friends right now.

  “Yeah, we chatted earlier near the food booth. His name’s Evan. He’s a Franco Cruz fan, really chill.”

  “Did he say anything about Ad- her?” He nudged to their friend in the distance.

  “Nooo, not really. But guess they must’ve met at Marie’s.”

  “This boy is attending a girl’s school?”

  “Yeah, I forgot to mention, he’s like, one of those transsexuals or whatever you call it. Boy on the inside.”

  The word ‘trans’ reverberated in Solomon’s head. As if a ringing bell finally answering the questions he’s been having the past few weeks, and particurly since his recent conversation with ‘Adam.’

  “Sounds like kind of a sucky scenario, honestly. Can’t imagine being a guy who’s stuck only being around a bunch of girls all the time.”

  “...Or the reverse, a lone girl among boys.” Solomon added, deep in thought. It made too much sense, now that the idea had been pnted in his head. He wasn’t that familiar, but he’d heard of the concept. Born in the wrong body, that type of thing. He assumed someone like that always knew about their identity though, while Adam had always been confused and lost as to his issue.

  …But continuing that thought, he knew the headmaster of a religious school likewise had to have a religious family. In such an environment, was it possible that a transgender girl would repress her identity out of fear and trauma? That it would lead to... the person Sully now knew as Aria.

  “...Damn it all, of course.” Solomon cursed out. “Why hadn’t the idea been there sooner? Seeking feminine clothing could have been a trauma response all along. Her disposition too, at school. It’s natural for women to feel uncomfortable surrounded by men, does that also affect her experiences subconsciously?”

  “Uhh, what are you talking about?” Flynn looked at Solomon with pure innocent confusion.

  “You’ve been handed the answer on a literal fucking ptter, Flynn!” Sully called out. “Pardon my nguage. I’m saying that the answer to all of your roommate’s life’s problems is the exact thing you just learned from that boy.”

  Flynn narrowed his eyes. “So wait, you mean that Adam’s like… a girl? On the inside?”

  “Yes, that would be the short of it.”

  The boy’s gaze shifted down, all the clockwork in his brain processing this idea and all the implications that arose. “Well, shit.”

  “Indeed.”

  “Does that mean…?” Flynn looked back at Sully with a worried expression. “So I’ve been rooming with a girl this whole time?”

  “Is that your problem?!”

  “I dunno, man! It feels weird! Does that make me a creep?! Like, we’ve seen each other in underwear before!”

  “You didn’t know, Flynn.” Sully sighed, “And I doubt Aria knew either.”

  “That, like, his girl name?”

  “I believe the appropriate pronoun would be ‘her’ at this point.”

  “Right, right.”

  They both looked back to find the pair, but both had disappeared. “Shit, where’d they-?”

  “Over there, by the pier.”

  Sully directed Flynn’s gaze to the ferris wheel, where the two were now walking in the direction to.

  “I just realized,” Flynn added. “Just seeing them like this. If Evan’s a boy on the inside, and Ad- Aria is like, a girl on the inside. Does that mean the two of them hanging out here is like…?”

  Solomon thought so too, it was hard not to get the idea from just looking at it. It was impressive how well Evan’s appearance could pass off as that of a boy’s. He was androgynous at worst. Combined with the transformed Aria, wearing some new girl-appropriate outfit she’d acquired, the two looked like a young couple going out on a date. “It would definitely appear that way. Frankly I’m astounded by the coincidence, I wonder if Evan’s even aware of her circumstances…”

  “Shit’s crazy.”

  After a while, Sully sighed. “In that case, maybe we should leave them to it. I’ve told Aria what I could, but it’s not as if I could get another word in today.”

  “I’m ready to hit the hay, sure.” Flynn threw the now empty popcorn bucket in the trash. How he’d finished it within the conversation without Solomon noticing was a mystery.

  The two started to make their leave, pnning to get back to their respective dorms before curfew. Solomon had been anxious ever since finding his transformed friend back then, but right now, something about getting a look at her current life put him at ease. Maybe that dream of hers really was coming true.

  “Just hope things turn out okay for hi- her, I mean. It can’t be easy being in this spot.” Flynn eventually said, as they crossed the street.

  “It definitely isn’t,” Solomon replied. That type of lifelong struggle, followed by some cryptic deal with a devil, secret infiltrations, growing accustomed to a new body, and whatever else is in store. “But something tells me she’ll be fine.”

  “Huh?” Flynn looked back at the tutor curiously.

  “If strength comes from overcoming hardship, then I believe she may be tougher than any of us have given her credit for.” He expined. “Her included.”

  From the moment Adam entered the car of the ferris wheel, his eyes were glued to the window. They hadn’t even lifted up from the ground, but just the surface level view of the sea was breathtaking. So vast, so distant. The setting sun in the distance.

  “I’ve never tried it before, hopefully it isn’t too scary being high up.” Evan chuckled.

  The same applied for Adam, though he wasn’t really worried about heights. The ferris wheel was supposed to protect them. Thinking about it, it was as if the two had walked in a little bubble, frozen in time and separated from the outside.

  It wasn’t long after Evan sat down that the car moved, slowly lifting into the air. Adam got closer to the window, looking down at the ground with anxious curiosity. Okay, so maybe it did worry him a bit. But in a weird, uncanny way.

  “I wonder how high we’ll get. Think we’ll see the school from here?”

  Adam looked over to Evan’s side of the car, facing the carnival. The people shrunk as the view began to expand over a part of the town. “Oh, actually, there it is, nevermind. Didn’t take too long.”

  The comment cracked a smile on Adam’s lips. Both academy buildings were pretty tall, they were often easy to at least notice if you were in the neighbourhood.

  “Pretty good view, though.” Evan said, and Adam found himself nodding and nudged closer. They picked a good time to enter. The evening glow covered the town like a bnket, with nooks of shadow hiding from the setting sun. It was pretty to look at.

  “O-Oh, um, sorry,” Evan suddenly said, turning back to look at Adam. “F-Forgot that you’re silent- I mean, that since you’re not really talking I should probably- I mean, are you too close? I mean not that I’d mind just-! H-Hey, are you okay? Just checking, in case you’re afraid of heights!” He expined in a flustered manner.

  Adam wasn’t sure why he was acting like this, but figured that maybe he might just be a bit scared and needed some assurance. So Adam shrugged, ‘I’m okay,’ he mouthed, nudging slightly closer. Maybe Evan needed a friend’s comfort, right now.

  He stretched out his hands, offering the lobster. Adam didn’t use any words, but was hoping Evan would be able to interpret this as ‘want to hug him?’ Plushes were good for emotional support.

  “Huh? Oh, h-hi, uhh lobster!” Evan waved with a half-smile.

  Adam’s face fell to a small pout. Evan hadn’t gotten what he’d meant with that. He turned the lobster back to face himself again, and he imagined the plushie’s face sharing in his disappointed expression.

  “Do you… want to talk? Is that it?” Evan asked. “I mean, what else is there to do while we wait to get to the top?”

  Adam blinked. He shuffled back a bit awkwardly, clutching his plushie tighter. Always with that, the way Evan talked to him.

  “I-It’s okay if you don’t want to, I mean.”

  There it was again. His attitude towards him. It felt like for the entire evening, Evan kept asking him about his thoughts, or what he wanted. He kept putting the onus on him, for whatever reason.

  Adam sighed, and pulled out his notepad. ‘Why do you keep asking me?’ he asked.

  Evan looked puzzled, “What do you mean?”

  ‘It’s not like you need to.’ Adam added, shrugging.

  “Well, I-” Evan stopped himself. It looked like he had something to say, with a hint of confusion having given him pause. “I mean, I’m just trying to look out for your comfort.” he finished.

  His comfort? Like… just his general feelings?

  “Though I guess it could feel patronizing, with your whole thing…” Evan rubbed the back of his neck bashfully. “S-Sorry, if that’s the case.”

  No, it wasn’t that. Adam didn’t feel condescended to or demeaned by the act. If anything, it was closer to… the opposite. Being overly uplifted, treated like something more important than he was. The exact feeling he got from it was hard to pce, but a part of him figured it was something close to guilt.

  “I… can tell from how you’re looking that maybe I went overboard. You can still speak for yourself, of course,” Evan continued. “I just want to be able to know how you’re feeling.”

  Adam’s eyes perked up suddenly. As if asking why.

  “Y-You know,” Evan shrugged. “We’re friends, aren’t we?”

  Oh. Friends. Naturally, that made sense. Adam thought back, because that had been the trend with those he considered himself close to. Flynn acted like he didn’t care about most things, but he still bothered to watch Adam’s back, like keeping his secret and when he hid his favourite skirt. Sully had been doing a lot of that too ever since he’d learned the secret. The feeling was simir in that case, as opposed to feeling demeaned, it was like he felt guilty for being a problem that needed solving. Same with Tori. Within a day of meeting her, she’d helped him find more clothes for his stay at his new schools.

  It’s something Adam hadn't consciously thought too deeply about before, but it was true. With all of his friends, they’ve helped without even being asked. Almost every time, they’d expected nothing in return. Was that why they felt the need to? Just because he was their friend? Despite the… lies? Secrets? Did he really deserve that kind of treatment? It made him feel happy though, like when Tori did his makeup. Why-?

  It was at that moment that Adam realized he had a tear welling up. Well, more than one. Why was this happening now?! Sully did mention that hormonal stuff a while back, but of all times? He almost made a move to wipe his eyes but stopped himself, remembering the makeup on his face.

  “Ah, crap- Hey, are you-?” Evan was quick to jump from his seat, a worried panic on his face as he rushed to Adam. “Okay, hold on, I still know a thing or two, I think? Maybe this’ll-” He tried to use his dress shirt’s sleeve to dab under Adam’s eyes, which he found puzzling. “Nope, nevermind. Bad idea. You wanna go the nuclear option instead?”

  For some reason, the exchange caused a short inaudible ugh to escape Adam’s lips, at which point he nodded.

  Evan then spent a good minute wiping the eyeliner from Adam’s eyes. Or at least trying to, the boy turned girl wasn’t sure how effective it’d be without actual makeup remover. Adam supposed he was a fool for not being prepared enough, but it made sense, as he was hardly that much of a girl in the first pce.

  “-There we go. You, uh, look good! If someone asks, just tell them you’re going for a smoky look. Tried my best, hehe.”

  Adam got a quick look at himself in the reflection of the car’s gss. Like Evan implied, it wasn’t totally gone, his eyes just looked a bit smudged now. But still, better than actual runny eyeliner, he had to imagine.

  …Yet again, Evan had helped in the blink of an eye. Because as he said, they were friends. He looked back at him, noting the big stain occupying his sleeve. He didn’t seem to let it bother him, though. He came across as awkward sometimes, sure, but come to think of it, that felt like it undersold Evan. It wasn’t just the shirt, it was his… everything. He was stepping out and doing funky gender stuff, being a center of attention all the time, while Adam kept feeling weird just from being acknowledged half the time. It never felt like he let these things bother him.

  Carefully, Adam wrote another message on his notepad. ‘How do you do it?’ It was an honest question.

  “Hm?” It took Evan a moment to read and register the words in front of him. “What do you mean? Do what?”

  ‘Being you.Being different.’

  Silence held in the car for several seconds, even as Evan finished reading. “Well,” he began. “I dunno. It’s hard.” He shrugged. “If you’re talking about… the whole ‘guy’ thing, I mean.”

  Adam nodded. He was paying attention, intently.

  “It can be uncomfortable for a while, even,” He scratched his neck, “half the time it feels like everyone in the room is looking at me. You could imagine how weird that feels.”

  Adam could imagine it. He’d never had to experience it from his time at St. Hanssen’s, but he knew what it was like to feel scared of it. There was that time his dorm was being raided, where even though no one was looking at him, he felt terrified. Heck, he got a taste of uncomfortable attention the day he started attending Marie’s, too, but it wasn't as bad as he feared. Tori helped him through it.

  “I try to build up some confidence, but you’ve seen how that can turn out with a guy like me, heh.” He smirked and gave Adam a knowing look. “At this point, I just keep pushing. Because yeah it’s hard, but I also know it’s still worth it, you know?”

  Adam considered those words himself for another moment, before writing another note. ‘How do you know?’

  Evan shrugged, “It makes me happy, doesn’t it? And I want to be happy. Being a guy makes me happy.”

  The answer surprised Adam, in a way. He made it sound so simple, so straightforward. ‘And that’s it?’ He went through all that at school, the attention and fear of being called out, just because of that alone?

  In response, Evan nodded, “Yeah.”

  Adam furiously scribbled more questions. ‘Even when you first decided to do it? You weren’t afraid?’

  A small chuckle escaped Evan’s lips. “Afraid of what?”

  Adam shrugged. Bullies, teachers, authority. God?

  “I mean, it was scary, don’t get me wrong.” Evan crified. “Believe me, coming out of the closet is freaky, even when it’s to the people who know and care about you. It’s like, WHAM, this thing you thought of me is bullshit and it’s the other way, and then you gotta hope they believe you, too. And that's all assuming they don't already think you're a freak for even having those feelings.”

  The description twinged a bit into Adam’s heart. The exposure, the vulnerability…

  “But, you know,” Evan began. “There’s definitely a part of me that did wonder about any bad parts that could happen. Like if any of the girls hazed me, or a teacher would punish me or call my parents back home. But the morning I decided to come out, I managed to get myself through it. Know why?”

  Adam perked his eyes up. What?

  Evan grinned, “I told myself I’d just hit ‘em in the gut!”

  What?! Adam’s eyes went wide.

  “N-Not actually, though! …Probably. I dunno, some people need a good smack in the face. Haven’t had to run into that, though. But still, it made me feel… prepared, I guess. More confident. Like, yeah, it's me who decides, and no one else gets to have an opinion.”

  Adam tried to process those words.

  “So in the end, that’s kinda all I needed.” Evan shrugged again, appearing a bit bashful again having gone through early memories again. “When you got down to it, I wanted to be a guy, so I just went and did it.”

  All it needed was a want?

  “I just decided I’d be ‘Evan,’ and that’s it.”

  Adam’s heartbeat quickened. That was just… allowed? The confusion on his face must have been evident by Evan’s easygoing smile.

  “I don’t think I really need a reason beyond that. You just… want what you want, then do whatever you can to have it. Isn’t that normal?”

  But if it was, then… Adam’s thoughts about wanting to be a girl. They were supposed to be weird, but… maybe they weren’t that different from Evan’s. Or was it? If no one else's opinion mattered, if it was just about what Adam wanted... Whichever the case, he already had the body of a girl anyway, so…

  It wouldn’t be wrong for Aria to also want to see herself as one.

  “Oh hey,” Evan turned back to the window, “Looks like we’re already going down. Ah, crap, we missed it.”

  Aria moved slightly closer, sitting next to Evan as they looked over the darkened town. She wasn’t so sure if she agreed. It still felt as if she experienced her own type of magic on this trip.

  They’d enjoyed the rest of the ride down in mostly silence, Evan occasionally pointing out a building while still high enough up. Aria for her part was as silent of a conversation partner as ever, but she made more of an effort to let go of her worries, for once. No need to make a fuss over Evan’s behaviour or feeling like he gives her too much attention. It was a show of kindness from him, she was aware of that. As a friend. Maybe it was about time she’d stop feeling guilty for those types of things.

  They walked slowly together, silence filling the air while Aria clutched her lobster and Evan had an absentminded look on his face.

  She thought back to what Tori had said about Evan. The ‘crush’ angle, that he might have been operating as more than just a simple friend. How did she feel about that? Aria wasn’t quite sure. If anything, it only reminded her of the bombshell Sully had dropped earlier that evening, that she hadn't even had time to process.

  Rosalynn said a kiss would turn her back. Into a guy. Now, Sully was ciming that this didn't mean returning her voice. So initiating anything with Evan like that was out of the question. Not only would she lose everything, but she wouldn't even gain back the very thing she threw away to get there.

  It was a lot to think about. It honestly tired Aria out. She figured it'd probably be better to leave it for-

  Suddenly, a small pain could be felt in her chest. Around… her heart?

  As she stopped, Evan stepped in front of her. “Woah, you okay?”

  Aria’s breathing slowed back to normal, the pain slowly subsiding. Though hesitant, she nodded. She felt fine, now. Hopefully she wasn’t coming down with something. Either way, all the more reason to get back.

  But before they went on, she smiled up at Evan and mouthed, ‘Thank you.’

  Victoria almost had a heart attack when she saw Aria almost keel over like that. She appeared fine, but… was that a sign of something?

  She’d made sure to keep a low profile throughout the night, even catching her roommate's conversation with that Hanssen’s boy from earlier. Whom she could swear seemed to act really familiar with her. But she hadn’t been able to be here for the start of the date, nor the pair’s trip to the ferris wheel. She could only anxiously wonder if any steps had been made without her knowing. But surely, if what Rosalynn had asked her to watch out for had happened, they’d probably be holding hands by now, right?

  They were still just friends, it had to be. In which case, her watch tonight hadn’t been needed. Pathetically and awkwardly excusing herself from Grace and Maddie’s room ciming not wanting to catch their flu and hurrying on over here had been for naught.

  Well, not quite. Rosalynn had to have been watching at some point. Tori could swear, she almost always was, so that had to get her somewhere with their deal. She knew she was holding up her end by being here.

  So theoretically, tonight was a success. But then why couldn’t she shake that sinking feeling? This wasn’t done yet. Aria still barely even knew of what was going on. The more she got to know her, the more innocent she seemed. Did she really deserve to go through the same thing she did? But would it even be worth it to avoid something that sounded inevitable? Especially when Tori's dreams had been put on the line?

  Victoria sighed. She might have a choice to make soon.