My heart beat rapidly and I walked with shaky steps as I made my way to the concession stand. I repeatedly clenched my fist in an effort to get rid of the tingly feeling where we'd touched.

"We need more popcorn" I'd said to him shortly after our hands parted and we looked away. While that was true, it was mostly meant as a way to put some much needed distance between us.

I couldn't believe I was missing the movie I'd waited so long for. At this rate, I would have to make another trip here to rewatch it.

"Two large popcorns please" I spoke to the young lady at the stand. "Actually make one of those extra large" I smiled at the thought of Jordan finishing his large tub in record time.

The lady gave me her confirmation before leaving me to my thoughts. I inspected my fingers once more and tried to make sense of the whole thing.

His hands had lingered a bit too long after making contact. Was he gay? I atleast had the excuse that he looked like a woman so my brain was just confused. What was his excuse? Why did Jordan, the sloppy guy I'd known for four years suddenly look like that?

The thought of last night flashed through my mind but I quickly shook it off. I needed answers.

I hurried through my phone's contact list, found what I was looking for and quickly dialed. A few rings later, a familiar voice came through on the other side.

"Yello" Logan said.

"Dude, what's good?" I spoke "Been a while"

"And who's fault is that?"

Yeah sorry, just been busy"

"Nah it's all good. How's the missus?"

"Who?" I asked.

"Vicky, who else is there, playboy?"

"Oh right, Vicky and I broke up. I'm riding solo right now"

"Sorry about that"

"It's cool" I shrugged even though he couldn't see "We weren't right for each other. You and Anna still together?"

"Yeah unfortunately. I can't get rid of her " he laughed then yelped in pain immediately after "She's here if you wanna say 'hi'"

"Yeah just say hi for me"

"Hunter says hi" I heard him say then after a pause he added, "She says hi"

"We're not on speaker, are we?" I whispered.

"Nah"

"Okay, hang on a minute" I said before acknowledging the young lady in front of me by pulling out my wallet and paying for the popcorn.

"Still there?" I asked into the phone.

"Yep"

"Listen, uh, remember Jordan?"

"Yeah why?"

"Yeah he showed up yesterday, he's crashing with me for a few days"

"Right, so I gave.. him your number. He really needed a place to stay."

"Yeah that's cool, it's just..." I paused trying to put together my words "He's very feminine now, did you know?"

"He's always been feminine" Logan answered.

"Yeah but I mean..." It dawned on me that I was missing a lot of the movie but at that point, I was over it. I'd have to rewatch it anyway, "He looks like a woman now, like an actual woman"

"I don't know what to tell you man, is it an issue?" he asked.

"Nah, nah, it's not..." I hesitated. Logan had always been kind of liberal so I didn't want to say the wrong thing and piss him off or have it get back to Jordan "It's like having a woman living in my house that isn't my girlfriend. It's weird."

"If you've got an issue with him there, just tell him"

That's the thing, I didn't have an issue with him there. Being around him was just doing my head in.

"I don't, I don't" I replied "Just wanted to see if you knew something I should"

"You want my advice? Just be cool. From what he said, he only needed a place for a few days. He'll be out of there soon"

"Yeah... yeah" I repeated "Thanks"

"Alright then, I gotta go. Anna's starting to give me looks"

"Alright man, talk to you later"

"Peace"

After Logan hung up, I thanked the lady and picked up both tubs of popcorn. If I was gone any longer, Jordan might have started to think I was avoiding him.

=^..^=

Rest of the movie was awkward. Rest of the day too intact. Jordan barely spoke after he thanked me for the popcorn. Sometimes, our eyes would meet and one or both of us would blush and turn away.

The only semblance of normalcy we had was when I caught his gaze lingering on an ice cream stand and I'd insisted on buying it for him.

When he'd reluctantly accepted and started happily chipping away, I realised this whole thing was starting to feel like a date and a really exciting one at that.

Thankfully, after an uneventful car ride, it was finally over. Jordan thanked me again for inviting him and went into the bedroom. My bedroom.

After the day's events, I didn't dare follow not willing to risk any more unfortunate encounters. Something about him was irresistible and I had to avoid it.

I stayed in the living room scrolling on my phone with the TV playing in the background. I stayed there as long as I could until it started to feel ridiculous.

I was hiding from him, keeping out of my own bedroom, unable to get any real work done. All because of some guy.

I knew I had to get over all I was feeling. It was wrong.

With renewed determination, I walked briskly towards the bedroom door and pushed it open.

I thought I'd managed to work up the strength to resist whatever would be thrown at me, but I was wrong.

Right as I swung the door open, I realised my hubris thinking I was ready for anything. There he was, turned away from me, naked. That perfect butt in full, unobstructed view. My heart skipped several beats. He was too busy drying his hair with a towel to notice my presence.

Just like I had last night, I focused on removing myself from the situation. I tiptoed backwards out the open door and prayed it wouldn't creak as I pulled it closed.

It took me another half an hour to work up the courage to approach that door. Knowing fully well that he must have finished getting dressed by now, my mind still fixated on everything else that could go wrong after I walked in.

Still, I needed sleep as it was getting late so I made my way through. I spotted Jordan lying on the bed fast asleep encased in a fresh set of pyjamas.

I was careful not to make a second as I walked to my side of the bed and crawled in. Jordan who had settled in the middle of the bed was uncomfortably close to where I now lay which brought back memories of the night before. This time he slept facing me which allowed me the chance to study his face.

Like every other part of him, it was unnecessarily perfect. We were close enough that I could hear his soft rhythmic breaths.

I closed my eyes. I had to try to sleep. I had to get my mind off him. I opened my eyes once more and focused on his lips.

I closed my eyes again.

'Stop it' I tried to tell myself.

I opened them and noticed a stray collection of hair was draped over his face. My hand moved before I could tell it to stop. It made its way over to his face and gently moved the hair out of his face and tugged it behind his ears.

I involuntarily smiled at the picture of perfection. I was deeply consumed by the thought of my utter helplessness around him when his eyes open and met mine.

I froze again like I always did with him. Our gazes lingered as we stared deep in each other's eyes. I was totally helpless and couldn't move to diffuse the situation nor did I want to. Jordan suffered no such affliction. He slowly but surely inched his head closer to mine, leaned forward and kissed me on the lips.

Euphoria.

My next actions were entirely beyond my control. I leaned in and pressed my lips against his. He drew me in, just like he'd done every single moment we'd been together since he walked through my door yesterday.

When our lips were well enough accustomed, we took to exploring each other's bodies. My fingers traced his face, his neck, even his chest that would have been flat on any girl suddenly felt full with infinite possibilities.

The whole thing was so very wrong but nothing in my life had ever felt more right as we pressed our bodies together kissing with rabid passion. My fingers explored his waist, hips, his butt that had teased me since the get go. I never wanted to let go.

Still, my reservations and inhibitions overpowered all I was feeling in the moment and I pulled myself away from him.

"This is wrong" I said. It took all my strength to rise and put some distance between myself and the bed where Jordan lay looking disappointed. My goodness, he looked so sexy lying there. It had to have been a cruel joke for him to look that good.

"It's not" he replied sitting up in the bed.

"It is" I argued "I'm not gay. You're a man" I added almost accusingly as if it had been his fault.

"I'm not, I'm a woman " he said rising to his feet "I should have told you a long time ago"

"What?" I asked confused. "You're not, I know you're not, what are you talking about?"

"I'm a woman, well a trans woman if you want to get hung on specifics. I've been transitioning for like two years now so..." he took a step forward "What I'm trying to say is... "

He took another step which caused me to take one backwards.

He took a deep breath, "What I'm saying is, this, me and you, it's okay. It doesn't make you gay"

"But it would though, come on" I replied "What's between your legs right now?"

This stopped him in his tracks. His mouth opened slightly but no words escaped his lips. He just stood there frozen.

"See, right there. I can't do this. The way you look is fucking with my head but the truth is..."

"Choose your next words carefully" I heard him say.

If I was being honest, I may have been lashing out a bit desperately trying to hang on to my sexuality but I didn't know it at the time nor would I have cared. I wasn't gay and everything that had happened up till that point had challenged everything I thought I knew about myself.

"... you're a man still" I finished my sentence.

From my position, I could just make out the tears welling in his eyes. I watched as the disappointment on his face was replaced with sadness and then with anger.

In a swift motion, he picked up his phone from the bedside table and walked quickly out of the room leaving me standing there, alone. Regardless of what had happened, I was still worried about him so I followed.

"What are you doing?" I asked when I walked into the living room and saw him pressing and swiping away at his phone.

He ignored me. He walked toward and past me and back into the bedroom. I sighed and followed.

I met him shoving clothes haphazardly into one of his two boxes.

"What are you doing? Stop." I said again.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" he asked without even looking at me.

"It's almost 11 o'clock and you have nowhere to go"

"'Nowhere' is better than here" he said as he walked into the bathroom. A moment later he emerged with his damp towel which he shoved into the box.

I walked towards him and took his phone from where he'd kept it on my work table.

"Give me my fucking phone, Hunter" he said angrily.

"No" I refused "I'm not letting you leave this late at night"

"Oh, don't pretend like you care now. Give me my phone"

"No" I repeated "You can hate me, fine, but you can atleast stay till morning"

"I don't want to be anywhere near you" he protested "I'd rather sleep in the street than get in that bed with you"

"Fine, whatever, I'll sleep on the couch. It wouldn't be the first time"

I watched as numerous emotions flashed across his face until he settled on a look of resignation.

"Give me the phone" he said with a calmer voice.

"I just said..."

"I need to cancel the fucking ride, oh my God" he said with a raised voice.

Reluctantly, I handed him the phone and watched him press and swipe until the ride was canceled.

"Happy? Now get the fuck out"

=^..^=

I spent the hours before I'd finally managed to fall asleep replaying the events in my head. It's not like I thought I was wrong but I wondered whether I could have handled it any differently.

Jordan was always very sensitive and emotional so I knew my words must have hurt him. He'd always been very much like a woman in that way.

I had thought I should atleast apologize so I'd made my way to the bedroom door only to find it locked shut. He must have meant it when he made it clear I was to keep my distance.

Waking up this morning, I couldn't smell any pancakes or coffee so it was clear he was still angry. I'd made my way towards the bedroom door and thankfully found it open, but was greeted by an empty room.

The bed was made and everything was tidy but Jordan was nowhere to be seen. I checked the bathroom, searched for his boxes but every trace of him was gone.

I checked the time, 7:27am. He must have left in a hurry. And there I was, alone once again. It was fine, I could finally get back to work and put the whole thing behind me.

For the next six hours, that's what I did. I immersed myself in my latest commission, a 3d model of a gas plant valve and a complimenting animation that showed its inner workings and mechanisms. It was a lucrative commission that was due in a week.

My new found quiet was great for as long as I worked on that project. Every other waking moment that I was left to my thoughts, I was reminded of him. Every last square inch of my house, the kitchen, living room, bathroom, and worst of all the bed where we'd kissed, everything reminded me of him.

When I'd turn on the TV, I would think of one of his dumb statements while we watched a movie. When I opened the fridge and found eggs missing, I thought of the pancakes. He'd only been here two days, how had he left such an overwhelming presence?

Was I just feeling guilty about how I'd left things or was there something more? I decided I had to atleast call to apologize if nothing else.

I picked up my phone and dialed his number. As it rang, I was faced with a new surprise when my heart beat in anticipation of hearing his voice on the other end and disappointment when I went to voicemail.

It took me another hour to call again. This time, I prepared myself to speak at the beep.

"Hi Jordan, did you get a place to stay? Call me"

Thirty minutes later, I called again.

"Listen, uh, I'm really sorry about last night. I need to talk to you"

I spent the next hour pacing around my apartment. Work no longer held any solace for me as I could no longer stop thinking about him no matter how stimulated my mind was.

I called again.

"I know I messed up and I'm sorry. I just..."

I pressed the big red button and tossed the phone on the bed, head in hand. What the hell was happening to me?

I retrieved the phone again and dialed, this time the call went through.

"Hey bud" Logan said over the phone.

"Did you know?" I asked.

"Did I.. know what?" he asked.

"That he's transgender"

There was a long pause on the line.

"First of all, it's 'she' and second, she was my roommate throughout college, of course I knew" Logan said.

"Well, why didnt you tell me?" I asked incredulously.

"It's not my place to tell you. I figured if she wanted you to know, you'd know. And let's be honest, you're kind of an asshole about these things"

"Yeah.." I said softly. That was proving true "Hey listen, I need your help. I kinda messed up"

"What the hell did you do?"

"I may have said some things I shouldn't have"

"I specifically told you to be cool. She's in a vulnerable place. What did you say?"

"That's not important. I want to apologize but he... but she's not answering my calls"

"I'm sorry man but I can't help you. If she doesn't want to talk to you, what can I do?"

"Just call her and tell her I'm sorry" I pleaded.

"Yeah see I don't want to do that. You're my friend and I love you but if she hadn't asked about you, I'd have kept her far away from you"

What could I say? I knew he was right. I thought back to last night and regretted everything.

"I think I fell in love with her" I blurted out. As shocking as it was, I really did believe that. Nothing else made sense.

Another long pause on the line. I waited with bated breath for his response.

"Really?" he asked.

"Yeah, I think so"

"Damn" he said simply. "You know this is the first time I've ever heard you say that word"

"Come on, surely not. I've dated tons of babes"

"Yeah but you've never once told me you loved any one of them" he reiterated.

"Probably.. just never came up" I reasoned.

"Maybe"

"So will you help me?" I asked again.

"I think you just need to tell her that. If you're serious about this, I could maybe tell her to hear you out"

"Yes, yes, please"

"But you can't screw me here. If I go to bat for you, she'll blame me if you fuck it up."

"I won't, I promise"

Another long pause.

"I'll let you know" he said before he hung up.

And so I waited. I watched the minutes of the clock tick away. 3:42pm. 3:43pm. 3:44pm. It took 17 ticks before I got a text from Logan saying, "Call her"

So I did. Everytime the dial tone rang, I desperately hoped this would be the one where she'd answer but it just never came. When it went to voicemail once again, I decided to put it all on the line.

"Hey, I understand if you never want to talk to me again. I get it. I probably wouldn't want to talk to me either. I just..."

"I was an idiot, okay? I know. I was so scared about what everything I felt for you meant for me, if that makes any sense. It probably doesn't."

I paused trying to figure out what else to say. When nothing else came to mind, I decided to go with the one thing I now knew to be true.

"I love you, Jordan. You're an amazing woman, and I hope you can one day forgive me"

After the call, I just kind of went off about my day. I knew I had to get comfortable with the possibility that I might never hear from her again. I was overjoyed when I got a text from her that read, "I'm at Little Kings Cafe".

Without so much as a comb through my hair, I rushed out the door, into my car and into the city. Google Maps had estimated 18 minutes for the journey but I must have completed it in less than 10.

I found the closest parking spot and jogged the rest of the way. I must have looked so disheveled as I rushed through the Cafe doors inspecting every table.

And then I saw her. If you thought she was beautiful before, you should have seen her wearing that green dress and makeup. Absolutely radiant.

It was absurd to see her and see anything other than the woman of my dreams. I kicked myself for being so blind for so long.

I waved to her and she waved back. I made my way to her corner table not caring one bit about the audience we had.

"I got your message" she started.

"Which one?" I asked.

"All of them" she said. There was still sadness in her eyes even if she was trying to hide it with a smile.

"I'm sorry, Jordan"

"My name's Faith" she corrected "It's what I would have been named if was born a girl"

"Faith" I repeated. It suited her. "It's pretty"

"You really hurt me, Hunter"

"I know and I'm sorry. I want to make it up to you"

"I can't be involved with someone that doesn't see me as the woman that I am. I've worked way too h-hard" her voice cracked at the end.

"I do now" I assured her as I reached across the table and took her hand in mine.

"How can I trust that after everything?"

"All I'm asking for is another chance. Let me show you" I spoke softly.

"How?"

"I don't know yet. Right now all I know is how I feel about you. That I'm in love with you. But I'll figure something out, okay?" She looked in my eyes and must have seen that I meant it.

"Okay"

"Okay?" I smiled

"Okay" she smiled.

"Does this mean you're coming back?"

"Oh no" she blushed "We're taking it slow this time. Maybe after a couple dates, we'll see if you can invite me back to your place. Or maybe I'll invite you back to mine"

"In that case, can we go on one of those dates now? If you're not too busy"

"I guess I could make time for you"

I helped her to her feet never once letting go of her hand. I never wanted to let go of it ever again.

"So where would like to go?" I asked her after paying the bill and making our way to the door.

"It's your city. Surprise me"

=^..^=

The End.

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And scene. I'd love to hear your thoughts about this story. Hope you enjoyed it.