2

"I'm Ollie. I'm majoring in Dance, and I'm minoring in Drama," he said. I frowned a bit, his voice was cracked — not in a bad way. It sounded more like what every boy's voice was undergoing in fifth, or should I say sixth grade?

The introductions ended, and we got to go to our rooms after Halimat and her partner explained what the next week of base camp would be like. I went straight to my bed, sighing as I took out my phone to text Caleb.

"What was it again?"

"What?" I asked, looking up to find Ollie staring at me from his bed.

"Your name."

"Oh, it's Xander," I replied, watching as he smiled a bit before looking away from me. He was staring at the ceiling now.

"I've been thinking about something. I wasn't sure if I should tell you since it's really not your business, but..." he trailed, sighing before he turned to look at me again.

I sat up on my bed, raising a bow of confusion at him. "What do you want to tell me?" I asked, wondering why he'd suddenly gone silent.

I watched as Ollie sat up on his bed with a plain black bed sheet before smiling at me nervously.

"I'm transgender."

"Okay," I said, looking on at him. He frowned, before a look of confusion seemed to build up on his face.

"I'm still Pre-Operation. I still have boobs, and a vagina..."

"Okay," I said, staring at him with a small frown. "Why are you telling me though?"

He shrugged. holding on to his face with his hands. "I wasn't planning to before, but binders hurt and scar you if you wear them for too long..."

"Oh, then if you want to change or do anything go right ahead. If you even need me to leave for a few minutes I could do that," I said, watching as the let go of their face to smile at me.

"Thank goodness."

"Hmm?"

"Some people aren't okay with it. Some are in a way, but they might have problems sharing a room or a bathroom, that kind of stuff. I'm just kinda happy you don't mind," he said, smiling at me, and it was then I sort of realized why their voice was cracked.

I shrugged, laughing a bit. "I have mums, and they sort of loved to hang out with other LGBT+ folks so it's never really been an issue."

"Yes!" he laughed, picking up his phone.

"What?"

"Nah, ignore me. I'm just happy," he said, shrugging as he turned over on his bed and pulled the covers. I smiled at him, doing the same as my mind wandered to whether Maxwell was staying in the college's residence as well. He could very well just be on the floor below mine —

I got up from my bed in a haste, heading for my study desk before I pulled out my journal that was in one of the journals.

"What's gotten into you?" Ollie asked, sitting up on his bed as he gave me a quizzical look. I shook my head at him before turning back to go through my journal in search of a pen.

"It's nothing, I just thought of a scene to write," I chuckled when I finally found a pen to use. Ollie shook his head at me, resting on his bed before pulling his covers over himself. I ignored him, making to write the scene of me bumping into Maxwell in the hallway. I smiled as I penned it down, writing down all the dialogue I'd never say in real life due to shyness. I was a reserved person with little social skills, but in my stories, I could be the funny loud kid who knew how to talk to everyone.

Including Maxwell.