Revelations and Jazz

The celebration at the apartment was in full swing. Music played from the speakers, laughter filled the air, and the smell of pizza and snacks lingered as everyone toasted to Jess’s official confirmation as female. Olivia had even made a banner that read: 100% Certified Woman – Science Approved!

Kevin lifted his drink. "To Jess! Beating the system and proving the haters wrong."

"To Jess!" the group echoed, clinking glasses.

Jess smiled, warmth spreading through her chest—not just from the alcohol, but from the overwhelming support around her. For the first time in days, she felt light again, no longer suffocated by the investigation, the doubts, or the fear.

Leanna, already a few drinks deep, slung an arm around Jess. "You know," she slurred, "it’s a good thing they did that DNA test because someone was gonna figure it out eventually."

Jess frowned, setting her drink down. "What are you talking about?"

Leanna waved a hand. "Oh, come on, like you didn’t know. I’ve been working on cracking the flash drive."

The room went quiet.

Jess’s stomach dropped. "Wait… what?"

Leanna grinned, oblivious to the tension she’d just caused. "Yeah, I needed help, so I got Ryan to assist me. He’s good with computers and math. I figured, why not?"

Jess’s buzz faded almost instantly, replaced by a simmering anger. "And you didn’t think to tell me?"

Leanna’s grin faltered. "I was going to… eventually. But, you know, you were busy with Penn and all."

Jess clenched her jaw. She had chosen to ignore the cryptography books, the late-night studying—she had let Leanna keep her secret because she trusted her. But knowing that Ryan had been involved, especially after everything that had happened between them, made it feel like a deeper betrayal.

She took a breath. Calm down, Jess. She exhaled sharply, then—surprisingly—laughed. "You are the worst at keeping secrets."

Leanna blinked. "So… you’re not mad?"

Jess rolled her eyes. "I was, but I also know you. If you think this flash drive is important, I trust you. Just… tell me next time."

Leanna held up a hand. "Scout’s honor."

Jess narrowed her eyes. "You were never a scout."

"Details," Leanna mumbled, taking another sip of her drink.

The tension melted, and soon, the party resumed. But Jess’s mind wasn’t entirely on the celebration anymore. There was still something left unfinished. She needed to talk to Ryan.

****************************************

The knock on Ryan’s apartment door came just after midnight. Ryan opened the door to find Jess standing there, slightly flushed from alcohol but steady on her feet. She clutched the hem of her hoodie, looking unsure of herself.

"Can I come in?" she asked.

Ryan stepped aside. "Yeah, of course."

She walked in, glancing around. His apartment was neat, with shelves full of books and a record player sitting in the corner. It smelled like coffee and something vaguely nostalgic.

Ryan closed the door and leaned against the counter. "What’s up, Jess?"

Jess took a deep breath. "I need to tell you the truth. All of it."

Ryan said nothing, just nodded, waiting. And so she told him. She explained how she had once been Jason Carter, how one night at a party changed everything, how she had woken up in a body that wasn’t hers. She told him about Leanna, about the potion, about the desperate search for answers. She told him how terrified she had been, how angry she had been, and how—slowly, painfully—she had begun to accept who she was now.

Ryan listened in silence. No interruptions. No accusations. Just listening.

When she finished, she hesitated. "Say something."

Ryan exhaled. "I… don’t know what to say."

Jess nodded, expecting that. "I get it. It’s a lot."

Ryan looked at her carefully. "But… you’re happy now?"

Jess thought about it. "Most days. Some days, it’s still weird. But yeah… I think I am."

Ryan ran a hand through his hair. "Jesus. I thought I was dealing with some complicated stuff, but this is next-level."

Jess let out a breathy laugh. "Yeah. Welcome to my life."

A pause. Then Ryan smiled, soft and genuine. "You're still you, though. That hasn’t changed."

Jess felt something tight in her chest loosen. "Thank you."

Then she stepped closer, placing a hesitant hand on his chest. "I don’t want to think tonight. I just want to feel."

Ryan looked down at her, eyes searching hers. His hands gently brushed against her arms. "Jess… you’ve been drinking."

"I know," she murmured, tilting her head up.

Ryan hesitated for a long moment before exhaling and shaking his head. "Not like this."

Instead, he stepped back, walked over to the record player, and pulled out a vinyl. The needle dropped, and smooth, slow jazz filled the apartment. Miles Davis.

Jess blinked as Ryan grabbed a blanket and draped it over her shoulders. "Get some sleep, Jess."

She frowned, looking up at him. "You don’t—"

Ryan just smiled. "We’ll talk more in the morning."

Jess sighed, flopping onto the couch. "Fine. But you’re making breakfast."

"Deal."

As she closed her eyes, letting the soft music lull her to sleep, Ryan sat on the edge of the couch, staring at the ceiling. Everything she had told him ran through his head on repeat. The logic, the impossibility, the sheer insanity of it all. And yet… he still saw her. Just Jess.