Noa slid into the passenger seat of their mother’s car. Today was warm so they were wearing light capris leggings with a tunic length tank top, still with the friendship bracelets but they went light on the pride bracelets. “Hey mom,” Noa leaned and kissed the woman on the cheek. She was also dressed for a warm day, just more refined. High waisted loose shorts in khaki with a sleeveless blue blouse, and accented by minimal jewelry.

She smiled brightly, lifting her hand to Noa’s hair, and running her fingers through the fluffy softness. “My baby is growing up, too fast.” She pouted.

Noa batted her hand away and buckled up, “we gotta go, my hair appointment is right away.”

She obediently put the car into drive and pulled away from the school. “I spoke with Mr. Perry this week. He said you did well on the quiz?”

Noa beamed with pride, “I did! I don’t think I’ve ever been so happy over a B+ before.”

She reached out and took Noa’s hand, “The new tutor is working out then? I’d like to meet them.”

Noa rolled their eyes, “he’s not even a friend, mom. Just a classmate. Really I only know him because his sibling is in NBH with me.”

“Oh the new kid! Well I’d love to meet them too.” They pulled into the barber shop.

“Maybe next weekend? Their brother has a job on Saturdays, so maybe we could take Ciel out?” Noa thought about how nice it would be to get to know their hall-mate outside of school.

“Well first get me their mother’s number.” She locked up the car and followed her beloved child into the shop.

Kim immediately perked up from where he sat at the desk, his round face brightened with a big smile. “Oh my baby!” He swept Noa into a hug that the teen eagerly returned. “When I saw you on my schedule I knew I’d have a good day.”

Noa giggled and pulled away. “I’ve got some work for you. My friend bleached it,” Noa tugged on their floofy hair, “but we didn’t have any toner.” They made a face of regret.

“Oh would you look at that,” Kim mused. “Anything else?”

“I was thinking of trying to grow the top? to be able to pull it back in a ponytail?” Kim led Noa to the sinks and continued the conversation, while Noa’s mom got comfortable with a magazine.

Noa left the barber shop, blowing a kiss with a wink to Kim as they went out the door. The long top of their hair was now a pale ash blonde, with the sides and back remaining dark. In a bag they carried some products to help protect their hair and the color. They’d argued with their mom about paying, but she won, like usual. She’d insisted on spoiling Noa for not giving up on calculus.

They stopped for lunch at a little cafe and coffee shop on the main street. Their conversation came easily, discussing school, work, home, etc. “Your appointment, Noa, is next month. Have you been thinking about it?”

“God, mom. Of course I have. It’s my life, my body,” they looked down at their hands in their lap, watching as they fidgeted with the hem of their top. When did they start fidgeting like this?

“Transitioning is only going to get harder the older you get, hun. I’m not trying to push…”

“But you are, mom. You are pushing.” Noa looked up and out the cafe’s large bay window.

“I know it’s scary, it was hard watching Iris transition, right?”

“That’s not it, mom.” Noa saw someone out the window, walking down the street with a purpose.

“Then what is it, hunny?” She reached out and pulled on Noa’s hand to hold it, trying to bring them back to the conversation.

“Hey,” they took the distraction to their advantage, “you wanted to meet my tutor, right?” Noa got up tugging their mother with them and towards the door. She tugged back long enough to put their payment on the table before following them out.

Outside Noa called out to the figure they had recognized, “Marceau!” He stopped and looked across the street to Noa. A confused look passed over his features before he crossed the street to greet Noa.

“Hey, I didn’t think I’d see you,” Em wore a warm smile spying the woman with Noa. She had the same dark hair and hazel eyes as Noa, and while she was thin like them, she wasn’t as tall, coming only to their jaw line. She smiled brightly at him.

“Mom, this is Marceau,” Noa made an awkward introduction, “Em, this is my mom, Coral.”

Em reached out to Coral for a handshake, “It’s good to meet you.”

Coral grinned, “Oh no, it’s great to meet you! I’m glad Noa has someone to help, finally. You must be an outstanding tutor” Noa rolled their eyes and looked away, feeling a blush of embarrassment come over their cheeks.

“I don’t know about that,” this time Em blushed, “Noa’s the one doing all the work and refusing to give up. I just break it down differently than other people, I guess.” He shrugged, and glanced at his phone in his hand, “I gotta go though, I want to eat before I clock in to work.”

“Of course, have a good day, Marceau,” she nodded her head and waved him off. As he walked off she elbowed Noa, “You said you two weren’t friends.”

“We’re not, mom. He’s just patient.” Noa shrugged it off as they returned to the car to go shopping.

Shopping with Noa was always a work out for Coral. They bounced between sections of the store trying to fit and match outfits from all over. Today they settled for some black skinny jeans from the young men’s section, conveniently already worn with holes and obvious signs of distress. With that they chose an equally holey and distressed t-shirt, also black, but with some graphic, that could no longer be pieced together due to the fashionable damage, in bright colors. A gradient dyed tank top was chosen to go under the shirt, it faded from a pinkish orange to a bluish green. They finalized the outfit with black combat style boots and a belt with a car-style buckle. For a break from the running around they visited their favorite salon for the full treatment. While Coral chose sensible colors for her nails and makeup, Noa went all out again. They changed into the new outfit after, feeling like a new person.

Noa was walking the school grounds when Em came back from work. Not really looking for conversation, Noa had avoided going back to NBH, but now couldn’t seem to avoid Em as he made his way with a bag of sandwiches for Ciel. They fell in sync walking on the sidewalk silently. Noa had felt Em look them over, but they ignored it, looking down at their hands instead. Hands with wrists covered in friendship bracelets. Noa started to pull them off, letting each one hit the ground as they kept walking.

“We’re not friends, Noa.” Em spoke first, stopping at a lighted intersection of the walkway. Noa turned with a questioning look, one brow raised. Em spun and stepped to the side to sit on one of the park benches, placing the bag of sandwiches beside him as he leaned forward, an elbow on each knee. “That means you can tell me whatever has you upset and it’s not going to change what’s between us.”

“There’s nothing between us,” Noa turned, watching Em carefully.

“Exactly.” Em did his best to maintain a detached emotionless look on his face, even as he took in the tight jeans and flamboyant makeup. Thankful that he was too tired to really process how amazing Noa looked right now.

“What makes you think I’m upset?” Noa stepped a little closer to keep their voice down.

“There’s a trail of handmade bracelets that I watched you take off one by one looking at them as if they had personally insulted you.”

Noa sighed and sat on the other end of the bench, swinging one leg over the other, lacing their fingers together over the knee on top. They didn’t look at Em, but they spoke, “My best friend just confessed to me that she’s been in love with me for years.” Em turned to listen. “She just asked me to be her girlfriend.” A crack in Noa’s mask formed as their eyes watered. They looked up to the sky trying to keep control.

“You’re not a girl…” it wasn’t a whisper, but Em spoke softly.

“I’m not.” Noa took a deep breath and faced Em looking him in the eyes, their control back in place.

“Ouch, wow.” Em took a moment to consider, “That’s not ok.”

“No shit.” Noa took off the rest of the bracelets and left them on the bench. “I’m going to bed. Goodnight, Marceau.”