A Detour in Style

Jess stood with her arms crossed outside the campus café, waiting for Leanna. The plan was simple: head straight to the genetics building, check out the lab again, and figure out if the “ghost” was real or not. But before they could even get started, Hannah had thrown a wrench in the plan.

“You are not doing this dressed like that,” Hannah had said, dragging Jess toward the student center.

And that was how Jess now found herself standing in the middle of a trendy boutique, arms full of clothes she had no intention of wearing.

“This is a waste of time,” Jess muttered, watching as Hannah flipped through racks of skirts and blouses.

“Not a waste,” Hannah corrected. “You keep dressing like you’re borrowing clothes from your cousin. You need stuff that actually fits your body.”

Jess sighed. “I don’t want clothes that fit my body.”

Hannah gave her a look. “Jess, whether you like it or not, you’re living as a woman now. You can’t just wear oversized hoodies forever.”

Leanna, standing nearby with her arms crossed, smirked. “To be fair, it is kinda funny seeing you try to hide in baggy jeans and sweatshirts all the time.”

Jess shot her a glare. “Whose side are you on?”

Leanna shrugged. “The side that doesn’t want to be seen in public with someone who looks like they got lost on their way to a 2005 skatepark.”

Hannah tossed a pair of leggings at Jess. “Try these on.”

Jess groaned but took them. Fighting would only make this take longer. She disappeared into the dressing room, staring at her reflection in the mirror. Even after all this time, it still didn’t feel real. The woman in the mirror wasn’t him, wasn’t Jason—the confident, untouchable athlete. She was someone else.But who?

“Jess, hurry up!” Hannah called.

Rolling her eyes, Jess pulled on the leggings and a fitted top Hannah had picked out. The outfit clung to her body, emphasizing every curve in a way that made her deeply uncomfortable. But when she stepped out, Hannah and Leanna exchanged satisfied glances.

“Damn,” Leanna said. “You actually look kinda cute.”

Jess groaned. “Great. That’s exactly what I wanted.”

“Relax, you’ll get used to it,” Hannah said, grinning. “Now, let’s get some accessories.”

Jess groaned again. This was going to be a long day, and they still hadn’t even gotten to the ghost hunting part yet.