The next morning, I didn't get ready.
I just sat on my bed.
I knew we were going out.
My mom had already said it.
But I didn't move.
A knock came on the door.
"Get dressed," she said.
"I am," I replied.
There was a pause.
Then the door opened.
She looked at me for a second.
"Good."
That was it.
Outside felt… different.
Or maybe it was just me.
The security guard looked up.
"Good morning, madam."
Then his eyes moved to me.
A pause.
"Good morning, sir."
Sir.
I nodded slightly.
Didn't trust my voice.
We got into the car.
I stared out the window.
Trying not to think too much.
My phone buzzed.
Sarah.
"Why are you acting weird today?"
I frowned.
Acting weird?
I stared at the message.
How would she even know that?
I hadn't posted anything.
I hadn't even talked to her.
"I'm not," I typed.
"You are," she replied.
"Something's off."
My grip tightened slightly.
That didn't make sense.
"How would you know?" I typed.
There was a pause.
Longer this time.
Then—
"I just do."
I stared at the screen.
That answer didn't sit right.
Not at all.
"I'm fine," I typed.
Three dots appeared.
Then disappeared.
Then
"Okay."
Just like that.
No teasing.
No questions.
Just… okay.
I frowned.
That wasn't like her.
We stopped at another store.
This one was bigger.
My mom walked in like she already knew where everything was.
I followed.
She started picking things immediately.
Shirts.
Jeans.
Then… other things.
Male products.
Deodorant.
Body wash.
Things I had never used before.
She didn't ask me.
She just added them to the basket.
"This will make things easier," she said.
Easier.
I stayed quiet.
Then we moved to another section.
She reached for something smaller.
She held it for a second… then dropped it into the basket.
I looked at it.
Tape.
Not normal tape.
The kind meant to flatten.
My chest tightened.
"You'll need it," she said calmly.
I finally spoke.
"For what?"
She looked at me.
"To help your clothes fit better."
Fit better.
I let out a small breath.
"That's not normal," I said.
"It will be," she replied.
We stood there for a moment.
People walked past us like nothing was happening.
Like this was normal.
"I don't understand," I said quietly.
She turned to face me.
"You will."
"No, I won't," I replied. "You're just changing everything and expecting me to be okay with it."
"I'm not expecting you to be okay," she said calmly.
"I'm expecting you to adapt."
Adapt.
Like I had no choice.
"It's just clothes," she continued.
"And your hair. That's all people see."
I shook my head slightly.
"No… it's not."
She looked at me.
"You heard them," she said.
"They already see you as a boy."
That made my chest feel tight.
I looked down at the basket again.
At everything inside it.
Then at myself.
Short hair.
Different clothes.
And the thought came back again
So that's it?
That's all it takes?
We walked to the counter.
The cashier didn't even look twice.
"Will that be all, sir?"
Sir again.
I nodded.
As we stepped outside, I caught my reflection in the glass.
I slowed down slightly.
Just enough to see.
I looked like…
I stopped myself.
Back in the car, I leaned my head against the window.
My phone buzzed again.
Sarah.
"You're still acting strange."
I stared at the message.
Then typed—
"I'm just tired."
There was a pause.
Then
"Okay."
Again.
Just… okay.
I frowned.
That wasn't like her.
Not at all.
I locked my phone..
And looked out the window.
Watching people walk past like everything was normal.
Because to them…
it was.
But to me…
nothing about this felt normal.
And no matter how many times people called me "sir"…
one question "wouldn't leave my head
Does looking like a boy really make me one?"...