Her life! GxG! Intersex! (Book 1)

189

A week after the hearing, Abigail found herself standing outside the music building.

Just standing there.

Not moving.

Not going in.

Not leaving.

Just staring.

The building looked exactly the same.

That was the strange part.

After everything that had happened, she had almost expected it to look different somehow.

Darker.

Smaller.

Less welcoming.

But it didn't.

The brick walls were the same.

The glass doors were the same.

Students moved in and out carrying instrument cases and backpacks.

Someone laughed as they walked down the sidewalk.

A pianist somewhere inside was practicing scales.

A trumpet played a few notes before abruptly stopping.

Normal.

Everything looked normal.

Yet Abigail's stomach still twisted.

Because this building used to be her favorite place on campus.

The place where she lost track of time.

The place where songs came to life.

The place where she dreamed about stages and recording studios and audiences singing her lyrics back to her.

Then slowly—

Without her even realizing it—

It became something else.

A place she rushed through.

A place she avoided.

A place where she felt watched.

A place where she stopped feeling comfortable.

A place connected to fear instead of music.

And now she was trying to take it back.

"You planning on going in?"

Emma's voice broke through her thoughts.

Abigail looked over.

Emma stood beside her holding two coffees.

One already extended toward her.

Abigail accepted it automatically.

The cup was warm against her hands.

Grounding.

Comforting.

Normal.

"Maybe."

Emma raised an eyebrow.

"Maybe?"

Abigail sighed.

"I don't know."

That was the truth.

The closer she got to the building, the harder it became to move.

She had driven here willingly.

Walked across campus willingly.