Her life! GxG! Intersex! (Book 1)

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The city was already alive by the time Abigail pulled out of the garage. Sunlight shimmered across the skyline, bouncing off the glass towers like ripples of gold. The roads were busy but calm, a rhythm she'd gotten used to — coffee cups in passing hands, music drifting from open car windows, students cutting across crosswalks with backpacks and earbuds.

Her smoothie sat in the cupholder beside her, and she reached for it at every red light, sipping as she mentally reviewed the day ahead. Music Theory I at nine, Contemporary Literature at one.

It wasn't lost on her that the first class meant seeing Professor Shields again. The awkward encounter at the grocery store still lingered in the back of her mind, but Abigail wasn't the type to dwell. She had promised Emma she'd stay calm and she meant it.

By the time she turned into the campus lot, the sun was higher, the air bright and cool. She parked near the music building, the same spot she always aimed for, grabbed her backpack and guitar case, and stepped out. The breeze carried a faint note of coffee and cut grass, a strangely comforting blend that made the morning feel steady again.

She took a moment before heading inside, glancing at her phone. A text from Emma waited on the screen:

Emma 💕: Good morning, baby. Hope class goes smooth. Be safe and don't forget your snack in the side pocket 😘

Abigail smiled, her heart softening instantly. She texted back, Already had my smoothie and my snack. Love you. I'll call you after class.

Then she slipped her phone into her pocket and pushed through the double doors of the music building.

Inside, the air buzzed with the familiar energy of instruments being tuned, conversations overlapping, laughter echoing down the hall. A group of students with violin cases passed by, nodding to her as they disappeared into one of the practice rooms.

Abigail reached her classroom a few minutes early, the faint sound of piano keys spilling through the open door. Professor Shields was already there, setting up her laptop at the front of the room. Her hair was tied back neatly, her usual air of control wrapped around her like a tailored coat.

Abigail hesitated for half a second before walking in.

"Morning, Professor," she said evenly as she made her way to her usual seat near the middle.

Professor Shields looked up briefly, her expression unreadable. "Good morning, Abigail."

That was it. No awkward small talk, no shift in tone just polite professionalism. Abigail nodded once and sat down, quietly relieved.

Other students trickled in one by one, filling the room with chatter and the sound of notebook pages flipping open.

At exactly nine o'clock, Shields clapped her hands once. "Alright, everyone. Let's settle down."

The room quieted immediately. She turned to the board and began writing.

Topic: The Power of Rhythm and Space in Musical Expression.

Abigail leaned forward, already flipping to a clean page in her notebook.

"Today," Professor Shields began, "we're focusing on rhythm not just as a beat or a pattern, but as a conversation between sound and silence. Music is more than notes; it's about the spaces in between. The pauses, the restraint, the anticipation."

Her tone softened, carrying that slow, confident cadence that filled the room. "When you understand rhythm deeply, you control emotion. A single rest can speak louder than a symphony when used right."