Her life! GxG! Intersex! (Book 1)

134

The drive to campus was calm, the sky painted in soft streaks of gold and rose. Abigail had her smoothie tucked in the cup holder and the radio playing low, her thoughts wandering between chords for a new song and the memory of Emma's sleepy smile that morning.

Traffic was light, and by the time she turned into the campus lot, students were already filing in from every direction—coffee cups in hand, backpacks slung over their shoulders. Abigail parked in her usual spot near the music building and grabbed her guitar case along with her backpack before locking up. The crisp air hit her skin as she stepped out, the faint hum of chatter echoing across the quad.

She slipped her phone out of her pocket and hit call, smiling when Emma answered on the second ring.

"Hey, baby," Emma's voice came through, warm and familiar. "You make it there okay?"

Abigail smiled as she adjusted the strap of her bag and started walking toward the building. "Yeah, just pulled in a few minutes ago. I'm heading to class now."

"Good," Emma said softly. "How's the campus this morning?"

"Peaceful," Abigail said. "It's one of those days where everything feels calm. The kind of morning that makes you want to sit outside and play guitar instead of going to class."

Emma chuckled. "You'd better not skip. Especially with you-know-who teaching that class today."

Abigail smirked. "Trust me, I'm not giving her any reason to talk to me. I'm just going to sit in the back, take notes, and get out."

"That's my girl," Emma said, her tone teasing but proud.

Abigail smiled to herself as she climbed the short set of stairs to the music hall. The closer she got to the door, the more she could hear other students talking and tuning their instruments. She pushed the door open with her shoulder, still balancing the phone against her ear.

Inside, the classroom smelled faintly of coffee and sheet music. A few students were already seated, unpacking notebooks and chatting quietly. Professor Shields stood near the front of the room, straightening her papers and adjusting the projector.

As soon as Abigail stepped through the door, Shields looked up. For a split second, their eyes met. Then, just as quickly, the professor looked away, her jaw tightening, her attention snapping back to the desk like nothing had happened.

Abigail caught the movement, but she didn't react. She walked calmly down the aisle and took a seat near the back, setting her guitar case beside her chair. Her heart stayed steady, her focus only half on the woman at the front of the room.

Emma's voice brought her back. "You there, babe?"

"Yeah, I'm here," Abigail said softly, pulling her notebook out. "Just got to class. She's already setting up."

Emma's tone softened. "Alright. I'll let you go. Just remember what you said—call me after, okay?"

"Of course," Abigail said, smiling faintly. She didn't care if anyone heard. "I love you."

"I love you too," Emma replied instantly.

A few students nearby glanced up at the sound, but Abigail didn't mind. Professor Shields' jaw visibly clenched at the front of the room, though she said nothing. She simply turned to the whiteboard and began writing the day's topic in neat, deliberate strokes: Chord Progressions and Harmonic Structure in Modern Music.

Abigail tucked her phone away, her expression calm as ever. She pulled her pencil from her bag and opened her notebook, ready to focus.

The clock struck nine.