“Please, tell me what happened.”
Classes ended, finally giving Ryan the chance to confront us.
“It’s my fault,” Sable said before I could. “I flipped Vera’s whole lunch on her clothes and then outed her to someone else.”
“Both were accidents,” I corrected. I tugged at the hem of my blouse and added, “I’m the one to blame for wearing this in the first place.”
“Agreed,” Ryan replied, staring at the clothing. “How did you end up wearing that anyway?”
“Mom got it for me…” I looked down again, almost to confirm that it was actually there. “My old clothes don’t fit me anymore, so I just went with something that did,” I explained. “I thought it wouldn’t matter since I’d be wearing my hoodie.”
“Didn’t you just buy new clothes?”
My mouth opened up, but nothing came out. He was right. Mostly. The new ones did fit better, but even some of those were starting to feel both tight and loose around the wrong places.
I couldn’t say this with Sable present. She knew I was trans, not that I had been basically tricked into magical hormones. That was a lot harder to explain. I wasn’t comfortable with that becoming public knowledge.
Noticing my reaction, he raised an eyebrow.
“Would it have mattered?” Sable asked, drawing our attention to her. “I know I’m not the best one to say this after my accident, but I think you are too reliant on the hoodie.” Her gaze landed on my chest. “Like, do you not have anything to hide them besides baggy clothes?”
“Uhm…” I watched Ryan from the corner of my eye. “Some sports bras, yeah.”
“And here you are without one.” Sable shook her head. “Girl, how you’ve managed this long without people finding out is already a miracle.”
My shoes were fascinating all of a sudden. She was right. Baggy clothes or not, I got a bit too confident about it. It was only a matter of time until they grew too much for that to work.
“Well, now everyone will,” Ryan added, looking at me. “Are you really okay with that?”
I gave him a half smile and shrugged. “It’s a bit late to take it back, isn’t it?”
“It is,” Sable confirmed, checking her phone. “The rumour mill is on the move. The chance to hold back stayed in the art room.”
“What about your dad?”
My breath caught from Ryan’s words.
“I don’t know…”
“Does he need to know?” Sable asked, almost mocking. “I mean, he has been blind to his own child changing under his nose, for how long?”
Less than a week…
“I don’t think he knows exactly what’s happening, but he did point out a change in my appearance.”
“Oh, so at this point it’s a matter of when,” she concluded. “Actually, he might even hear it from someone else.”
I shook my head. “No, that won’t happen. My dad isn’t exactly a social person.” I paused. “He says he’s too intelligent to have friends.”
“Oh my god!” Sable shouted, bringing her hands to her mouth. “He’s not real! I refuse to believe that!”
“It’s true.”
We turned around to address the new voice joining our conversation. Andrew had entered our classroom and was coming my way.
“He’s amazing at pushing people away,” he continued. “I don’t remember the last time he was invited to anything that wasn’t work-related.” Once he stood next to me, he patted my head. “Way to start the school year, sis. First week isn’t even over, and half the school already knows who you are.”
A groan was my only response to that.
His eyes shifted to Sable. “Sorry for my reaction earlier.”
“Don’t worry about it. I totally understand.” Sable offered a smile to him. “My older brother is the same when it comes to me. I’m just glad that most of Vera’s family is supportive of her identity.”
“Still, sorry. And, uh, honestly, I don’t think anything changed. Vera was never like me or Dad. I guess I already saw her like a little sister even before all this magic and shit.”
The warm feeling from the spell was immediately overridden by panic.
Sable’s brows furrowed. “Magic?”
“He means the treatment,” I intervened, giving him a little nudge with my elbow. “You know, it almost feels magical.”
“Oh… I guess, yeah.”
Andrew reacted after the second nudge. “I-in any case, what I was trying to say is that our dad won’t learn it from school. As Vera said, though, he’s started to notice, and while we don’t think he knows what it is he’s looking at, I also don’t think we have much time until he does.”
I agreed with Andrew. We really didn’t have much time. Very little changed with each trigger of the spell, but the magic activated so often, they were bound to pile up.
Had I been like him or Dad, it would’ve probably taken longer. I, on the other hand, was already perceived as female frequently enough without the potion.
“Will he really take it that poorly?” she asked.
I bit my lip, thinking about it. Dad had never been the violent type.
“He once got home boasting about sucker punching a gay coworker for giving him a birthday hug,” Andrew replied.
Not with us, at least.
Yesterday, though. Was he going to…
“He also kept talking about this client’s trans daughter once. He only saw her for a second but said he could feel the shame in her father’s face as they spoke,” he added. “I’m going to be honest, I think he’s too far gone to see reason here.”
Silence followed.
Ever since drinking that potion, fear had been walking right beside me.
This was different.
I felt terrified.
Dad had always been annoying about me not acting like a man. I was beyond that now. If he found out, I knew Andrew and Mom would protect me, and that somehow scared me even more. I didn’t want to drag them into my problems, just because I was not careful with this spell.
The spell!
It had been the cause of all this, but perhaps it could also be the solution.
“I need to go.”
“We aren’t done here,” Ryan scolded. “Where do you need to go so suddenly?”
I glanced at Sable before giving him an excuse. “I need better-fitting clothes now. I want to see if I can get a refund on the stuff I haven’t worn or maybe get a trade before it’s too late.”
Andrew’s brow furrowed. “Weren’t we just discussing how to keep it from Dad? How will better fitting clothes help?”
“It would be to wear at school.”
“Oh, not a bad idea,” Sable commented. “Now that you’re out to everyone, you’ll need a few outfits. How about I tag along? Maybe I could help you choose a couple.”
“N-no!” I nearly shouted. “Uh, maybe another time. I need to rush home and get them before the store closes. I’ll have my mom take me then.”
Sable gave me a wry smile. “Don’t get me wrong, it’s nice that you have such a supportive mom, but if you plan on choosing clothes to wear at school, maybe you could use an opinion from someone with a more… modern view on it?”
Ugh, she does make a good point…
“Uh, yeah, I’d like that, but maybe next time, okay?”
She shrugged. “Suit yourself. I guess we can trust her if she chose that blouse.”
“Can I at least walk you there?” Ryan asked.
“Uh, sure.”
---<>----------<>----------<>---
The hallways were almost empty now, though I could feel the stares from the few students who remained. Some whispered to each other. The actual words were too muffled for me to make them out.
Ryan placed a hand on my shoulder.
I looked up and was greeted by a reassuring smile. It made my own lips curve and my face heat up a little.
Damn you and your handsome face…
I didn’t even know what his decision was, or if he had reached one yet. Part of me wanted to remain hopeful, though his reaction the day before had been too strong for me to feel optimistic about it.
The next moment, we were outside the building.
“So what is it that you’re actually going to do?” He laughed at my expression. “Yeah, that was a terrible lie, Vera.”
I grimaced at the revelation. “So Sable and my brother…”
He shrugged. “I doubt it. I just know you that well. So?”
“I was planning to visit that magic shop again. Maybe they have something to hide the changes from Dad.”
“Wouldn’t they have offered something like that last time you went?”
I shook my head. “Back then, I just wanted everything to stop. They were trying to convince me not to. The option of hiding it just never came up.”
“Do you think they’ll be able to help?”
I gave him a half smile. “It’s magic, how should I know?”
“But it’s worth trying,” he added.
I nodded. “That, plus I’d like to thank them… and apologise. They gave me something precious and actually convinced me to see it for what it was.” I laughed. “That old lady could learn a thing or two about tact, though.” Visit NovelPing for the full chapter.
---<>----------<>----------<>---
There it was. The House of Miracles.
Same as before, I half expected the place to be gone. Instead, the store remained in place. Unassuming as ever, save for the proud name it held.
A couple of girls were already inside, browsing through the aisles. I wondered if they knew of the true nature of this place. Were they magic users themselves, or perhaps just casual guests, ignorant of the truth behind it all?
The door chimed as Ryan opened it, causing Ruby to glance our way.
Her eyes widened for barely a second before the surprise was replaced with a warm smile.
“Welcome back, dear customer,” she said. “I apologise; I don’t believe I got your name last time.”
I chuckled in response. “Vera.”
Ruby’s smile only grew. “It’s very nice to meet you, Vera.” She looked at my friend and asked for his name.
“Ryan,” he replied.
The two girls glanced at him as they brought their products to the desk. One of them then looked at me and smiled. I gave her a small nod.
Ruby quickly scanned their items and presented a terminal for them to pay. Once they were both gone, Ruby stood up and rushed around the desk to hug me.
“I’m so glad, Vera,” she whispered into my ear.
“Thank you for everything,” I said, returning the hug.
She straightened herself and held me by the shoulders. “Just look at you. You’re so pretty already!”
“Augh-bah-uh…” I shut up and smiled awkwardly at the compliment. The spell was very pleased.
“Pfft.”
I stared at Ryan in disbelief, causing Ruby to laugh as well. She then walked to the entrance and flipped the sign. “Follow me to the back,” she said, heading to the door behind her desk.
We did, and she guided us past the purple room, then to the backroom.
“Look who’s here to visit,” she declared, walking in.
The old lady was sitting on a couch. She lifted her gaze from the book she was reading, and her eyes widened. “You kept the gift,” she commented.
“Yeah,” I responded. “Thanks for, well, everything.”
She smiled and motioned towards the couch opposite her.
Ryan and I took a seat next to each other. I pressed my lips, trying my best to suppress the fluttering in my tummy as we nearly brushed each other.
Damn it, Vera, keep it together!
“I apologise, child—”
“Vera,” Ruby corrected.
“Vera,” her grandmother echoed. “A nice name, that one.”
“Thanks,” I replied with a smile. “I picked it myself.”
Ruby giggled at that.
“And apology accepted,” I continued. “I’d also like to apologise for being such a brat when you were just trying to help me.”
The old lady closed her eyes and nodded.
“Is there anything we can help you with, Vera?” Ruby finally asked.
“There is, yeah,” I replied. “I mean, maybe. Well, I was wondering if you had a way for me to hide the changes.”
Ruby and her grandmother frowned and tilted their heads in sync.
“It’s, uh… It’s my father,” I explained. “He doesn’t know yet. I don’t want him to know until I’m ready.” I rubbed my arm and added, “Or ever, I don’t know…”
The two of them looked at each other briefly before Ruby’s grandmother asked. “Is it only him you want to fool?”
“Uh… yeah,” I responded. “It sounds a bit weird when you put it like that, but yes.”
The old lady hummed for a moment. “It can be done, yes.”
“Really?!” I shouted.
“It will take me a few minutes to make the potion,” she explained. “Ruby, please take them back to the store while I prepare the spell. I’ll need silence to concentrate.”