I met up with Lucy for our run the next morning. As the sun rose, casting a golden hue across the park.
I was clad in Alicia’s workout gear—a fitted tank top and breathable leggings that hugged her curves just right.
When Lucy appeared, her hair pulled back into a practical ponytail and a bright smile on her face, the tension in my chest eased. She wore a fitted tank top and running shorts that accentuated her toned physique.
“Ready to go?” she asked, bouncing on her toes.
“Absolutely,” I replied, forcing confidence into my voice that felt foreign yet exhilarating.
We took off at a steady pace, falling into an easy conversation as our feet pounded the pavement. The rhythm of our breaths synced naturally as we talked about everything from favorite movies to running goals.
As we rounded a bend in the path, I couldn’t help but notice how it felt to exercise in Alicia’s body.
The way her muscles flexed as she ran, the way her hips swayed just slightly with each stride, the way her chest bounced slightly with every step—it was exhilarating. I found myself appreciating the strength and grace that came with being a grown woman.
“Wow, you’re really fast!” Lucy said, glancing over at me with an impressed smile as we picked up our pace.
“Thanks! I guess I’ve been keeping fit,” I guessed.
As we reached the halfway point of our run, Lucy suggested we take a break and do some stretches. We found a grassy spot under a tree and settled down, our bodies still warm from the exercise.
“Want to grab some smoothies after?” Lucy suggested, wiping sweat from her forehead, “I know this little place nearby that makes the best ones.”
“Sounds great!” I replied, eager to continue this budding friendship.
At the smoothie shop, Lucy elbowed me lightly, “Hey, he’s kinda cute, isn't he?”
She nodded toward a guy behind the counter, his hair tousled and his smile bright as he took orders from the customers. I glanced over. He had an easy charm about him.
“Totally,” I agreed, surprising myself with how genuine my enthusiasm felt.
As we ordered our smoothies—mango and passionfruit for me, green kale and apple for her—I found myself watching as Lucy chatted light-heartedly with the counter guy. The flirtation between them was palpable, and oddly enough, a wave of jealousy washed over me.
After we grabbed our drinks and found a place to sit outside, she leaned in, “So, do you date much?”
“Well,” I sipped my smoothie, “There’s this guy I’ve been seeing on-and-off.”
“His name’s Ethan,” I finally said, feeling a strange flutter in my stomach at the mention of his name.
“Great, huh? You like him then?” she probed, leaning closer with evident intrigue.
I blinked, trying to gauge the depth of my feelings. In a way, I had fallen into his charm and this life as Alicia so easily that it felt like a dream.
“Yeah, I guess so,” I admitted cautiously.
I placed my empty smoothie cup down on the table, a bit dazed as I tried to reconcile my feelings for Ethan with this new life as Alicia.
“Hey, if you like him, you should definitely go for it,” she encouraged, her smile warm and sincere. “Life’s too short to hold back on things like that.”
I nodded, feeling a swell of gratitude towards her. “You’re right. I’ve just… never really been good at this sort of thing,” I confessed, my cheeks flushing with embarrassment.
Lucy laughed lightly. “You’re a catch! Trust me. Just be yourself—whoever that is for you right now.”
Her words resonated deep within me. I had been so focused on trying to figure out who I was in this new body that maybe I needed to stop overthinking every little interaction and just enjoy being Alicia.
“Thanks, Lucy. I really appreciate that,” I said, taking a deep breath as I absorbed her encouragement.
It felt good to connect with someone in this way—someone who saw me for who I was becoming, not just as Alicia or as Tim.
As we finished our smoothies and parted ways, something shifted within me. Each interaction, each smile shared with Ethan and Lucy was pulling me deeper into Alicia's life –a life that might just bring me joy if I only let it.
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