Chapter 5

Andrew practically skipped into the hallway. When he rejoined the crowd he didn’t even notice the crowd or the noise. In fact, he seemed to float above the mass, drifting hazily toward class with a wide grin. He started to notice his peers were weirded out by it, quickly glancing away or staring just a little too long. He didn’t care. He floated through the morning with that grin plastered on his face.

A teacher called him on it, and Andrew replied that he was just having a good day.

Hunger brought Andrew back to earth. He had been to excited to get to school to eat breakfast and an hour before lunch that came back to bite him. His stomach grumbled so intensely that Andrew forgot he had the device in his pocket at all. He didn’t remember it after he ate, distracted by the afternoon and swept up in the fatigue of sitting in class for hours after a full meal. The device had been reduced to a block in his pocket like his phone or car keys.

By chance he saw Katie again after the dismissal bell rang and the general crowd began the stampede to go home. It was just a glance from across a hallway, Katie pushing through the hall while Andrew was packing up, but it was enough to remind him of their quick tryst that morning. He grinned, embracing the memory, but his pleasure turned to panic. He couldn’t recall when he last had the device, but he found it had not moved when he shoved his hand back into his pocket.

Andrew looked for Katie again but she was gone in the crowd. He riddled with the device, thumb sliding across the carved text while he scanned for someone he could change. He wanted to go all the way, for the first time, and thought he could likely change any part of a girl he still wanted to be attracted to her in the first place. That way if the voice returned to rebuke him he wouldn’t be left with someone he didn’t like at all.

Well, if he wanted someone he was attracted to… why not Stephanie?

The more Andrew thought about it, it made the most sense. She was the only other girl he’d done anything with (sure it was all over clothing, but it was something!), and she had been his first test subject. It would also eliminate most of the risk of getting caught. His mom would be working late, and he knew Stephanie’s parents just let her do her own thing for the most part.

It was decided. Andrew made a beeline for home, though he knew he’d likely be waiting for a while, but it was better than trying to wait around here. If he had been nervous this morning standing over Katie he was feeling insane now. Even with hours to go his heart was beating hard in his chest and if didn’t focus his breathing became shallow and excited. And, as the hours passed, it only got worse. Andrew hoped the device would do the heavy lifting for him, because he could barely speak, and there was no way he’d be able to spit any game.

The late afternoon was pleasantly cool, though the breeze heralded a very cold night. Andrew sat out on his steps to wait for Stephanie, fiddling with the device in his pocket and pretending to scroll on his phone. He averted his gaze from the walkers and kids on bicycles as if they could see his intentions and judge him. The hours crawled by, minutes ticking slowly like they do just before a highly anticipated activity. And Andrew was certainly anticipating tonight. When Stephanie finally appeared coming down the sidewalk, bouncing along with inaudible music and backpack slung over one shoulder, Andrew froze. He wasn't able to move until Stephanie was only a few feet away. He jumped awkwardly into her path and Stephanie stepped back startled.

"You good?" she said, taking one airpod from her ear.

"Uh, yeah," Andrew replied. "Are you... good?"

She nodded, irritated, and made to push past him.

"Wait!" he shouted, stepping in front of her again.

"Yeah?" she said, eyebrows raised. A strand of her hair hung across her forehead, escaping from the tight ponytail she had pulled the rest of it into.

Andrew was too paralyzed to speak. As the window to speak closed, he took the coward's path and pressed the button. The low click buzzed in his pocket and at that moment Stephanie's eyes softened, her eyebrows lowering almost imperceptibly from irritated to neutral, even sultry. She took her airpods out and dumped them in her pocket.

"What were you saying?" she asked sweetly, leaning toward Andrew.

"I just wanted to see if you wanted to hang out for a bit?" he asked, voice turned up too high so that his question sounded ****.

"Sure. We can hang out in my room, I don't think my parents are home. And they probably wouldn't mind anyway."

She led the way, hips swaying back and forth with each step, too pronounced to be an accident. Her slender legs were tight in black leggings, contrasted with a baggie gray hoodie up top. Her ponytail swayed over the hood, bouncing with each step. She brought Andrew into her empty house and up to her room, dumping her bookbag and falling backwards onto her bed. Andrew sat on the edge of her bed nearby but not next to her.

"It's been a while," he finally offered.

"Yeah," she said, "you remember what we were doing last time."

He did remember, and the memory made him blush. The room had changed quite a bit, new paint, tons of new photos on the wall, but it still felt like her room. The smell, the atmosphere, the _vibe _was just like it had been a few years ago. Andrew, though, got caught looking around, and let the opportune moment Stephanie had just soft-balled to him pass.

They chatted idly for a few minutes. Stephanie was leaned back, propped up on her elbows with her legs just spread apart, a position of offering if Andrew would ever turn around and notice.

"Andrew..." she said after a long moment of silence.

He turned around, finally, and met her gaze. Her soft brown eyes looked earnestly into his and he got the hint.

"Oh..." he said, blushing.

He turned and leaned down toward her, but before their lips met he realized that it wouldn't be long before he lost access to the device. If he wanted to use it, it was now or never...