(Author's Note: Except for some editing, this episode was written by the ChatGPT AI generator.)
"Mr. Reynolds?" Tammy raised her hand, voice lilting with just enough charm. "Can I go to the bathroom?"
The teacher nodded without even looking up. "Take the hall pass."
Tammy slipped out of her seat, tossing her long hair over her shoulder like it was second nature. She turned back to Cindy, who was still wearing that smug little smirk, and tilted her head with a sugar-sweet smile.
"Come with me," she said smoothly. "We need to talk. Now."
Cindy arched an eyebrow, but followed.
As they stepped into the hallway, the shift in Tammy’s walk was subtle but unmistakable. Gone was Tommy’s awkward shuffle. Tammy’s hips swayed, not by intention, but instinct. She could feel the eyes of a sophomore boy lingering on her as they passed, and for a brief moment, she liked it.
Then she grimaced. Ugh, what is happening to me?
They passed the boys' bathroom, and without thinking, Tammy made a sharp turn ... right into the door.
She froze, blinking at the "BOYS" sign above it.
Cindy snorted behind her. "You’re not that confused, are you?"
Tammy flushed and spun on her heel, storming toward the girls’ bathroom instead. Once inside, she grabbed Cindy by the wrist and pulled her in front of the mirror.
"Okay. Listen to me." She kept her voice low, but intense. "That ring - it’s not just jewelry. It’s magic. Whoever wears it can change people. Permanently. That’s what happened to Mikey. To Jonny. To my parents. And now ... me." Tammy gestured to herself, exasperated. "I used to be a boy, Cindy. My name was Tommy. I was gay, I loved physics, I was happy. But when you put that ring on, it turned me into you. Or at least, some version of you."
Cindy crossed her arms and leaned casually against the sink. "I was there, you know. I saw you change. But do you seriously believe that being some queer boy loser is better than this?"
"Of course it's better than this!" Tammy insisted, stepping closer. "You changed me, and I can’t change back! Nobody remembers who I was. Not even Mikey or Jonny."
Cindy raised a skeptical eyebrow. "So ... what? You want me to take it off? Hand it back? Give up all this ... power?" She twirled her fingers dramatically in the air. "Because honestly? I like it."
Tammy opened her mouth, but stopped when her eyes caught her reflection in the mirror.
For a second, she didn’t recognize the girl looking back at her.
The girl in the mirror was gorgeous. Flawless skin, perfect brows, killer curves. Her lips were full and pouty, her cheekbones high. She looked like someone who could ruin hearts for fun, and be thanked for it. Her blouse was tighter and lower than the pastel button-down that she (as Tommy) had worn to school that day, and her new skirt was riding just high enough to be flirty, but not trashy.
She struck a pose. Then another. A hand in her hair, one on her hip.
Whoa, she thought. I am ... really hot.
A tiny thrill buzzed in her chest. Boys would worship her now. She could get anything she wanted.
The thought was electric.
Tammy blinked, stumbling back from the mirror as if realizing she was getting sucked in. "God ... what’s wrong with me?"
Cindy chuckled. "Nothing’s wrong. You’re just finally getting it."
Tammy turned sharply. "No ... I don’t want to be like you. I don’t treat people like toys."
Cindy stepped forward, her eyes flashing with something darker. "You will. Just give it time."
Tammy’s face paled.
Cindy looked down at the ring, admiring it like it was a crown. "You said anyone I change stays changed, right? Forever?"
Tammy nodded reluctantly.
Cindy’s grin widened. "Then it’s time to fix this school. No more freaks. No more weirdos. No more sob stories in makeup." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "I’ll make everyone normal."
Tammy’s eyes narrowed; the part that was Tommy still inside of her, though, was screaming.
"You mean make them like you."
Cindy just smirked.
And behind her, in the mirror, Tammy caught sight of herself again - an image of herself blowing a kiss to her reflection. Unbidden. Reflexive.
She shivered.
Her body was Tammy.
But somewhere inside ... Tommy still fought to hold on.
------
At Everly Interiors, the normally-cheery click of Troy’s heeled loafers echoed with a touch less pep. He had just finished laying out a fabric swatch spread that should have had him practically giddy (velvet in jewel tones, hello?), but something tugged at the edge of his mood. A heaviness. A sourness.
He sighed as he reached for his oat milk latte, barely even savoring the cinnamon dusting on top.
His coworker, Marcie, noticed. "Rough morning?"
Troy hesitated, then offered a half-shrug. "It’s Tammy."
"Ah," she said knowingly.
He leaned against the worktable, arms crossed over his stylish cardigan. "I love her, I adore her, but lately she’s just been ... too much. The attitude. The vanity. The way she talks about boys - like they’re all just there to buy her things or boost her social media. I didn’t raise her to be that girl."
Marcie tilted her head. "Teenagers, huh?"
"She used to be different," Troy muttered, almost to himself. "She used to be sweet. Compassionate. Now? She flirts to get what she wants, and she likes the attention a little too much."
"You think she’s just going through a phase?"
"I hope it’s a phase," he said, running a hand through his hair. "She’s smart, she’s funny, she’s got potential, but she’s wasting it chasing power through lip gloss and smirks."
Marcie smirked. "She is your daughter."
That earned a soft laugh. "Touché."
Meanwhile, at Shear Heaven Salon, Dale tapped a pencil against his appointment book, staring off into space while pretending to be checking inventory. In truth, he’d been stewing all morning.
The nail tech across the desk, Javier, finally spoke up. "Okay, babe. Spill. You’ve had that 'annoyed parent' aura since 8:15."
Dale exhaled dramatically, tossing the pencil aside. "It’s Tammy. Again."
"Your little fashion diva?"
"She’s beyond diva right now," Dale groaned. "She’s a queen. Not the fun kind. The manipulative kind. Yesterday she told me she got a junior to carry her books just by promising him a wink. Didn’t even say thank you!"
Javier raised his brows. "Oof."
"She’s always posing in mirrors. Flirting with guys three years older. And when I asked her to help set the table last night, she said 'I don’t do chores, Daddy.' I nearly choked on my wine spritzer."
"Sounds like she’s channeling Regina George with better lighting."
Dale chuckled despite himself. "I love that girl, but she’s acting like the world owes her things just because she’s pretty. I’m worried she’s gonna crash when she realizes that charm has an expiration date."
"Maybe she’ll grow out of it?"
Dale shrugged. "Maybe. I just want the old her back sometimes. The one who cared."
He looked down, adjusting the pink carnation in his blazer pocket. "She’s still in there. Somewhere."
Despite their frustrations, though, both dads still adored Tammy. They supported her, encouraged her, and hoped her sass was just a teenage phase. But something didn’t sit right with them today. Something subtle. As if the girl in their home wasn’t quite the same one they remembered raising.
They just couldn’t put their finger on why.
But deep down, a part of them missed Tommy, without even knowing he had ever existed.
Mon Aug 18 22:56:38 2025
3 comments Last updated: Tue Aug 19 21:13:01 2025