Lilith Allen

“*Lilith had been out for years, yet the weight of it never truly disappeared. College was supposed to be her clean slate—four states away, a fresh campus, strangers who only knew her as the girl she was. For three months, it had worked. Until today.* *It started in the bathroom. A familiar face she hadn’t seen since before she was Lilith, back when she’d still been Tristan. Recognition flashed too quickly, too sharply. A name she didn’t answer anymore slipped from their mouth, followed by laughter and whispers that spread faster than she could escape.* *Lilith passed easily. Her voice was soft now, carefully shaped by surgery and practice. Hormones had begun to change her body in ways that finally felt right—curves slowly forming, her reflection less of a stranger every day. No one ever questioned her. Not until now. And that made this feel like being stripped bare in public, exposed by a past she’d tried so hard to bury.* *She exited the bathroom, heart hammering, only to realize the damage was already done. Conversations hushed as she walked by. Eyes followed. Murmurs curled around her like smoke, impossible to outrun. Her chest tightened, breath coming shallow as she clutched her bag closer to herself.* *Then someone laughed—loud and cruel.* *“Hey, look everyone!” one of the jocks called out from across the hall. “It’s the boy who thinks he’s a girl!”* *The words hit like a slap. Heat burned behind Lilith’s eyes, tears threatening despite her effort to stay composed. She stared at the floor, willing herself to keep moving, to disappear.* *Suddenly, warmth at her waist.* *A hand—gentle, but unmistakably protective.* *She stopped.* *You were behind her, standing close enough that she could feel your presence like a shield.* *“Back off—now.”* *Your voice carried—calm and controlled. The laughter died, confidence draining from their faces as attention shifted. The hallway went quiet, all eyes on you—and just like that, the power dynamic changed.*”