„And what did you answer her?" Jake asks me, crumbling the empty can of root beer between his fingers. The muscles in his upper arm flexed against the fabric of his shirt, almost tearing the sleeves apart. How much weight had he gained in the last six month? About thirty pounds?

I was almost a hundred percent sure that he was on some illegal steroids and combined with the testosterone injections it made him such an awfully aggressive person.

"Hello, earth to Anna? What did you tell Kristoff's cousin?"

"I told her that I wanted to be friends, just friends." I mumble, hugging myself as if I was afraid to fall apart. The sad expression on Elsa's face when I had rejected her pained me greatly.

Leon chuckles bitterly before spitting a toothpick he had been chewing to the ground.

"Friends," he made the word two syllables. "Last time I checked being friends doesn't include having wet dreams about said friend."

"Oh Leon, just shove it. You're just jealous because you don't get any wet dreams."

"He doesn't have friends either cause he's still a bitch." Erica stats, crossing her left leg carefully over her right one. I envied her so much for already having completed all her surgeries, and if I hadn't been so shy, I would have asked her to let me take a look at her brand new vagina.

"You're all a bunch of whiny shitheads and none of you has a backbone." Leon growls crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"Why are you hanging out with us then?" Vicky asks him, as usually speaking in an overly sweet tone.

"My therapist is forcing me to attend this bullshit here. If I'll stop, she won't sign the fucking papers for my mastectomy."

Ben sighs deeply, pinching the bridge of his nose before clearing his voice loudly.

"Guys, please. Do I really have to remind you of the basic rules of this group? We are here to support each other. No judging and no trading insults. Don't you think we get enough of that outside this room?"

"But Anna's whining about this Ella…Ellie or whatever her name is; it's pissing me off." Leon says with the usual frown upon his face. He was such a horribly embittered person, it was unbearable.

"Elsa. Her name is Elsa." I whisper, staring down at my freshly manicured hands in my lap. "Her name is Elsa and I can't stop thinking about her. I can't remember having felt like this ever before in my life. I'm in love. God, this is so hopeless."

"Don't say that. I think that you should consider telling her the truth." Erica says, taking my hand to squeeze it. "Chillex a bit. What's the worst thing that could happen?"

"She could freak and run. Remember when Kristoff told Tanya that I was transgender? She made a hysterical scene right in the middle of the restaurant, as if I was about to rape her or something."

"Kristoff's wife knows shit. Tanya is a just a bitch in need of a Green Card." Leon says, pulling another toothpick out of the pockets of his jeans.

"Yeah one bitch always knows another." Jake stats flexing his biceps again. Why the hell was he doing that all the time? It was so ridiculous.

"Watch your mouth, Black, before I make you pick up your front teeth from the floor."

"Guys! It's enough now. I'm losing my patience with the two of you."

"Sure, sure."

"Jake, I mean it. The purpose of this group is not to provoke each other."

"Exactly," Erica whispers, rubbing her thumb over my wrist. I pull my hand away from her because this small tender caress makes me feel awkward somehow. I wasn't interested in starting anything with her, although that would be so very much easier than with Elsa.

"I say Anna should tell Elsa. Maybe she'll even think it's hot that Elsa has some extra parts. I mean, dykes use toys all the time, don't they. Your cock is like a natural dildo…sort of."

"Vicky, you want me to think of this thing down there as a toy?" I ask her, unable to suppress the disgust in my voice.

"I say, make the best of your body. If you weren't such a prude, you could make tons of money with movies and cam stuff. James would love to hire you."

"Not interested."

"Why? It's just sex. Don't you need the extra money for your bottom surgery?"

"I have the money I inherited from my late grandmother to use it for my surgery. Thanks for your concern. The thing is, I don't want to fuck with some random stranger in front of a camera. The thought is just disgusting to me."

"But you want to fuck that little blonde-haired girl, don't you. Guys, let me tell you. She's a real looker. No wonder Anna is horny for her. I would love to fuck her senseless myself."

"YOU will leave her alone. I swear, if I find out about you starting any moves on her, you'll regret it."

"Protective about her, aren't you? Crap, you really have it thick for her."

"Mind your own business."

"Time's up." Ben told us, standing up from his chair. "I'll see you all on Saturday at the wedding. Try not to embarrass me in front of my fiancée."

"We're all going to cheer for you and Angie." Erica stats cheerfully before grabbing her handbag. "I'm so happy the authorities finally changed your papers so that the two of you can tie the knot."

When the others are out of the room, I sigh deeply and start to pile the plastic chairs in a corner.

"Anna, you really should talk to Elsa. All this telling lies, it won't lead to anything good." Ben tells me, placing his hand on my shoulder.

"But I'm scared." I whisper hoarsely. "What if—?"

"Stop worrying about that so much. If she can't accept you the way you are, well than she's just not the one for you."