Monday

Monday came too fast.

Glenn had barely slept the night before, replaying everything in his head—the store, the swimsuit, Jenny’s smirk, the mysterious gift bag. But in the morning, everything was oddly quiet.

He came down to find his gym bag already packed and sitting on the kitchen counter. His mother was sipping her coffee, scrolling through her phone as if it were any other Monday.

"Don’t forget your bag," she said without looking up.

Glenn’s heart skipped a beat as he unzipped it, bracing for the worst. But to his surprise—and relief—it was the violet bikini bottom. The lesser evil.

He nodded silently, zipped the bag back up, and slung it over his shoulder.

No teasing. No reminders. Nothing more was said.

At school, the day dragged until the moment Glenn dreaded most: swim class.

There was a twenty-minute break for students to change. The boys were assigned to Mr. Jacob, their PE teacher, a no-nonsense guy who looked like he bench-pressed vending machines. The girls went with Mrs. Cooper to the other side of the pool facility.

The changing room was lined with small cubicles—just enough privacy to avoid the worst of teenage cruelty. Glenn ducked into his and locked the door behind him.

He took a deep breath, opened the bag, and pulled out the violet bikini bottom.

It looked even smaller in the harsh fluorescent light. He stepped into it, tugging it up and adjusting the waistband.

There was nothing to adjust. It lay flat against him. No bulge, no form. Just smooth violet fabric across pale skin.

But then… something caught his eye.

Folded neatly at the bottom of the bag—underneath where his uniform had been—was a matching violet bikini top.

His heart stopped.

No. No way.

He quickly shoved it deeper into the bag and piled his school clothes on top of it. Had she packed it on purpose? Was it part of Jenny’s “gift”?

He didn’t have time to think it through.

He stepped out of the cubicle, his eyes scanning the room.

Nobody seemed to notice. There were guys in navy, red, black. A couple in green. No one else in violet. But at least it wasn’t neon pink. Maybe, just maybe, he’d blend in.

He walked over to the common lockers, stuffed his clothes and bag inside, locked it, and kept his back to the room for as long as possible.