The school corridors grow quiet after school ends. Students flee the building whilst teachers yearn to do the same. The quiet of one particular hallway is broken by the sound of a boy being slammed into the door of a locker. Derek has Theo by the collar, and Theo's wincing in pain.

"The fuck was that about, four eyes?!" Derek snaps.

"I'm sorry, okay?!" Theo barks back.

Derek almost loses his temper again, but Jamison grabs his arm. The boy lets Theo down with a disgruntled huff. Theo pushes up his glasses.

"I don't think this truce thing is going to work." Jamison states the obvious.

"Yeah no shit, sherlock." Derek gripes.

The sound of Theo's phone dinging draws the boys' attention. Theo pulls out his phone with an irritated frown. That frowns melts away when he sees the message. Jamison and Derek watch his face curiously.

Zoe: Did you mean what you said at lunch..?

Theo turns as if to flee. Two firm hands stop him. Jamison has one shoulder. Derek has the other.

"Who was it?" Jamison asks icily.

Theo clutches his phone to his chest. He tries to put on his best poker face, but neither Derek nor Jamison are buying it. Derek snatches Theo's phone out of his hands. He and Jamison read the message.

"You son of a..." Derek starts.

Theo flinches, but Derek doesn't blow up. Derek's shoulders slump. He lets out a frustrated sigh.

"I guess you win. Maybe I should have just come clean when I had the chance." Derek admits begrudgingly.

The sight of Derek admitting his mistakes shakes Theo up. Jamison isn't sure what to say, but he wears the same bitter frown as Derek. The gears in Theo's head starts to turn. He thinks back to these past few days.

Zoe made it clear she cares deeply for all of us over and over again...

Perhaps we should all shoot our shot?

Theo clears his throat. Derek and Jamison look up at him bitterly.

"I have a proposition for you both." Theo starts.

"Go on?" Jamison acknowledges.

"Well it's obvious Zoe cares for us deeply. To what extent she... feels about us... I don't know, but that hardly matters if we don't tell her how we feel." Theo continues.

Jamison and Derek nod to Theo in understanding.

"So I propose we each get a shot at confessing... and dating." Theo finishes.

Derek snorts at Theo's outlandish idea, but Jamison seems to be seriously considering it. Derek turns to gawk at Jamison's serious expression.

"Dude, there's no way that works!" Derek refutes.

"It might not, but we won't know until we try." Jamison replies with a grin.

"How the fuck do three dudes take turns confessing fairly? She could just select the first." Derek gripes, glaring at Theo.

Theo's confidence falters under Derek's scrutiny. He sucks in a deep breath before offering his reasoning.

"I think we just need to consider the order of operations. If we allow the least conventionally attractive guy to go before the most conventionally attractive guy, statistically Zoe will be less likely to immediately choose one of us." Theo explains.

Derek shakes his head in exasperation.

"You're fuckin' crazy, Theodore." Derek sighs.

"I like it." Jamison comments.

Derek throws his hands up in frustration.

"Fine. If we're doing this we need to agree on the order. Who's the last one?" Derek relents.

Theo and Jamison both turn to look at Derek. He glances between them before realizing what they're getting at.

"Dude, what? I'm last?" Derek protests.

"You're the most conventionally attractive." Theo remarks.

"Ew. Not into you, Theodore." Derek replies sarcastically.

"I could have sworn you said differently back in elementary..." Jamison mutters under his breath.

"Shut the fuck up." Derek snaps.

Theo chooses to ignore what he just heard in favor of focusing on the task at hand.

"So is the order decided, then?" Theo asks.

Derek and Jamison nod in agreement.

"Then I vote we each get one date, and that we don't confess our feelings until the day after the previous person's date." Theo proposes.

This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

"Is there a limit on how far we can go?" Derek asks with a cheeky smile.

Jamison gives him a light punch to the arm.

"Don't hurt Zoe. Only do what she's comfortable with, you perv." Jamison says threateningly.

"Agreed." Theo adds.

Derek's expression goes from irritated to embarrassed. He nods quickly.

"I-I know. I don't want to upset her any more than you do, dude." Derek replies guiltily.

Theo holds up his fist as if offering to fist bump his friends. The two of them look at him in confusion.

"It's for ceremony. I want us to all show we agree to these terms. Humor me?" Theo explains.

Derek and Jamison both grin at Theo's explanation. He's always done this sort of thing, and frankly it's what they like about the guy. Derek puts his fist against Theo's first. Jamison quickly follows suit. A new pact is formed.

~

Reading stories about girls falling in love with cute love interests is one thing. Experiencing it yourself shortly after becoming a girl is something else entirely. Zoe stares up at her bedroom ceiling with a shy smile. Her cheeks are bright pink. She checks her phone for what must be the tenth time.

Zoe: Did you mean what you said at lunch..?

Theo is finally typing a message back! Zoe sits up in her bed in excitement.

Theo: Yes I did

Zoe feels like steam could burst from her ears at this rate. She grabs her blanket and pulls it up over her body in an attempt to hide from the feelings bouncing around inside her.

Zoe: So you like me? Like-like me? :o

Theo: Yes I like you

Theo: Like-like you

Theo: Could we talk about this in person?

Hearing it from him sends a little jolt of excitement through Zoe's body. She pictures Theo and her talking, alone. Maybe he would hug her, or maybe even... kiss her?! Zoe squeals like a little girl as she worms her body beneath the covers.

Zoe realizes she hasn't replied to Theo. She quickly types up a response. Her face is bright red as she fumbles her way through her emotions.

Zoe: YES!

Zoe: I mean, yeah sure!

Theo: Great. We can talk after school, at my place

The sound of Zoe's door opening startles her into worming around like a scared caterpillar. She rolls over to face the door with wide eyes. Zoe's mother stands there with a worried look on her face. As soon as she spots Zoe's flushed face she relaxes.

"Hm. Sorry, I heard someone squealing and got worried." Zoe's mother explains.

"O-Oh it's fine, Mom! Sorry!" Zoe stammers.

Zoe's mother smiles ominously as she looks at her daughter's state. The way she's got her bedding wrapped around her says a lot. The bright shade of Zoe's blush says even more. Zoe's mother shakes her head softly.

"Who's the lucky boy?" Zoe's mother asks cheekily.

"W-Wh-" Zoe short circuits.

Another squirming fest ensues as Zoe tries to pull her small self completely beneath her covers. Her mother laughs at her antics.

"I'm just teasing, honey." Zoe's mother says softly.

Zoe stops her squirming. She slowly peeks out from beneath her cocoon.

"Oh, phew." Zoe replies.

Zoe's mother turns to leave, but Zoe stops her by sitting up out of her cocoon. She has an unsure look on her flushed face. She gathers the courage to speak.

"M-Mom, I know you want to know where I'll be... so I figure I should mention I'll be at Theo's tomorrow evening." Zoe explains sheepishly.

"Oh, so he's the lucky one." Zoe's mother says in realization.

"What? N-No!" Zoe whines in embarrassment.

"Hehe. I'll see you tomorrow, honey." Zoe's mother giggles.

Zoe lets out a frustrated whine whilst slipping beneath her covers. Her mother quietly shuts the door on her way out. The buzz of Zoe's phone catches her attention. She quickly checks her messages. Her enthusiasm vanishes when she sees it's from Tracy.

Tracy: Sorry. I shouldn't have been so harsh today...

Zoe: It's not okay to talk that way about my friends. :(

Tracy: I know

Tracy: Sorry...

~

Zoe: I forgive you, just don't do it again

Tracy: Got it! :)

Tracy sighs as she puts her phone aside. She's lying on her bed with a stuffed zebra in her hands. She rolls over to stare up at the ceiling. Thoughts of Zoe and her adorable little mannerisms keep haunting Tracy.

What am I supposed to do?

Zoe was sitting on this very bed, yet Tracy couldn't bring herself to make the last step. She was so close. Just a few more inches forward and the kiss she so desperately wanted would have been hers.

She looked so... nervous.

Tracy recalls the wide eyed look Zoe gave her as they laid together. It's clear to Tracy that Zoe has little to no experience with romance. It's truly a shame.

For such a cute girl to be so inexperienced...

It's an injustice!

Tracy snatches her phone back off her nightstand. She quickly opens her gallery, and navigates to the picture of her and Zoe together after Zoe's makeover. The way her eyes sparkle. The soft pouty shape of her lips. The adorable way she talks and moves.

Tracy brings her hand up to cover her reddening face. She feels a heat rising in her body as she thinks of Zoe. Her other hand wanders to her inner thighs slowly. She stops herself.

I shouldn't.

~

Theo stares intently at himself in the mirror. His glasses are perfectly clean. His hair is combed just so. His polo isn't too formal, nor are his jeans. He takes a few deep breaths, and tries to picture how Zoe will react to him today.

"Ew! What a nerd..."

Theo quickly shakes his head at that image. Zoe cares about him. She would never say that. He tries to picture the situation once more.

"Oh wow... You look so handsome!"

That just sounds weird coming out of Zoe's mouth. She might be a girl now, but she's still the very same awkward friend he's known for years. Zoe doesn't know much about dating boys or girls, so Theo doubts she'd call him handsome.

"Theo! Time to go!" Theo's mother calls out.

Theo quickly grabs his backpack and rushes downstairs. His mother is dressed in her casual work clothes. She twirls the car keys around her finger with a smile. Theo looks slightly neater than usual.

"You got a date today, or something?" She teases.

The way Theo's cheeks redden reveals her joke may not be too far off. Theo quickly heads for the car. She follows with a smile. Theo scoots into the passenger seat of his mother's minivan. He pulls on his seatbelt without a word.

Theo's mother gives him the side eye as she pulls out of their garage. The drive to school is usually silent, but today Theo's mother has questions.

"Is it Ryker?" She asks.

"H-Her name is Zoe, now." Theo corrects.

"Ah, then is it Zoe?" She presses.

Theo can't hide his emotions from his mother. She chuckles as Theo turns as red as a tomato. Normally Theo is a stoic boy, but clearly Zoe has an effect on him.

"Should I expect her to be over when I get home?" Theo's mother questions.

"...yes, I invited her to come over after school." Theo replies stiffly.

The minivan slows down as they approach Witchburrow High. Butterflies start to flutter in Theo's stomach as he looks out at his peers in the courtyard. Theo's mother clears her throat.

"I will be at work later than usual today, so I'll have to trust you two kids not to do anything rash. Can I trust you?" Theo's mother asks sternly.

Theo's mind reels at the implications. His mother's words bring up a concern that never crossed his mind. If Zoe is transforming to look more feminine on the outside, does she also have functioning female reproductive organs? He never considered this.

"I-I didn't- uh-" Theo stammers in his embarrassment.

"Just use protection." She sighs.

Of all the things he's heard his mother say, that was the most outlandish. Theo doesn't recall when he got out of the car. He's just standing there in the courtyard. Dumbfounded.