Being Elle

Chapter 4: When Hearts Are High

Jordan sat on the edge of Emily's couch, still feeling the aftershocks of his transformation. The comfort of his familiar surroundings, coupled with Emily's unwavering support, began to ease the tension in his chest. His heartbeat, which had raced with panic not long ago, was finally slowing. The soft hum of Emily's laptop filled the room as they both leaned over it, searching for answers. The glow of the screen lit up their faces in the dimly lit living room, casting a soft, warm light that made the setting feel strangely intimate.

Emily clicked through page after page of questionable websites. "Okay, so we have... curses, hexes, and transformations... this is like straight out of some fantasy novel," she muttered, half to herself.

Jordan gave a dry chuckle, the sound humorless. "Yeah, well, I wish it stayed in fiction. This is my life now." He ran his hands through his hair, still not quite able to believe it himself. "Why did this have to happen to me?"

Emily's eyes softened as she glanced over at him, placing a reassuring hand on his knee. "We're going to figure this out, Jordan. There's gotta be something—some way to reverse it."

Her touch sent a shiver up her leg, it was his new body's natural instinct. Emily's words brought a flicker of hope to him though, and for the first time since the transformation, he felt a bit less alone. There was something about the way Emily believed in him, in his situation, that made him think they could figure this out together.

For a moment, they worked in silence. Emily scrolled through another page on curses, while Jordan lost himself in thought. The rhythmic clicking of her mouse was oddly soothing, but deep down, he couldn't help but worry. What if there was no way to undo it? What if he was stuck like this, forever teetering between two identities? As if sensing his unease, Emily spoke again, her tone lighter this time.

"Hey, you know what I've been thinking?" She didn't wait for him to answer. "You need an identity for when you, uh... switch forms. Just in case, you know?"

Jordan frowned, immediately feeling a lump of resistance in his throat. "I don't want to think about that, Em. I'm not trying to be this... woman. I'm trying to get rid of her."

Emily raised her eyebrows and gave him a knowing look. "I get that. But if something happens and you change in public, you'll need a backup plan. People can't know it's you. Think of it as a disguise, just to protect yourself until we can reverse this. We should start by figuring out a name for yourself while I'm still looking for answers."

He sighed, knowing she was right but hating the idea all the same. "I guess..." he muttered, running a hand through his hair again. "But can't I just go by Jordan? I mean, it's gender-neutral, right?"

Emily tapped her chin thoughtfully, then shook her head. "It's neutral, sure. But it's still your name. If someone saw you change or noticed something weird, having the same name could raise questions. I think you need something completely different. Something... that fits the woman you become."

Jordan's shoulders slumped in reluctant agreement. As much as he hated to admit it, Emily had a point. He didn't want to risk his secret slipping out. "Fine," he said with a sigh, the weight of the situation pressing down on him again. "But I'm not going to like this."

A small smile tugged at the corner of Emily's lips. "That's okay, I'll do the liking for both of us," she teased lightly, typing something into the search bar. "Alright, let's brainstorm some names. You're gonna need something that sounds... elegant but strong, kind of like how you look when you transform."

Jordan groaned. "I'm really not in the mood to talk about how I look as a woman, Em."

"Hey," she said, her smile fading as she met his eyes, "I know this sucks, but just try to work with me here, okay? The sooner we come up with something, the better prepared we'll be."