The Witch’s Ichor

Ryker's eye follows the second hand of the clock. He's smiling to himself as he waits for lunch to arrive. Mrs. Johnson clears her throat, and calls upon him to answer a question. Ryker only notices that he's being addressed when his seat partner, Tracy, taps his leg beneath the desk.

"Mr. Kim, could you please tell me what this chapter tells us about the setting of the story?" Mrs. Johnson asks.

Ryker winces, feeling pained by the word 'mister'. The current chapter is a mystery to Ryker, so he glances at the board for the answer. Unfortunately, the chapter number isn't listed anywhere.

"Chapter ten..." Tracy whispers.

Tracy's hint helps Ryker come up with an answer. He actually read that chapter earlier today, so he quickly formulates an answer.

"That chapter reveals the name of the city the story is set in, something that hasn't been detailed anywhere in the story prior to this chapter. It also mentions a new area in the town, adding depth to the setting." Ryker explains.

"Good to see you're paying attention." Mrs. Johnson replies.

Thankfully Mrs. Johnson's lecture is coming to an end. She claps to get everyone's full attention before smiling warmly at the class.

"You all did a great job today, so the last few minutes are free." Mrs. Johnson announces.

The classroom erupts into chatter. Ryker takes the opportunity to turn to Tracy. The sporty looking girl is putting away her notebook, and turns to smile at him.

"Thanks for helping me, I was totally out of it." Ryker thanks her with a grin.

"No problem! That's what friends are for, right?" Tracy replies.

Ryker packs away his things while listening to Tracy. Her choice of words catches his attention. Being in class with Tracy is one thing, but they have hardly spoken. Are they really friends?

"Are we friends..? Not that I don't want to be- I just mean I wasn't sure since we only talk in class, and-" Ryker rambles awkwardly.

"Haha, yes. We are totally friends!" Tracy affirms.

Tracy pulls out her phone, and taps at it for a second. She slides it over to Ryker.

"You said we never talk out of class, so I figure, why not fix that?" Tracy explains.

Ryker nods slowly, and picks up her phone. He goes on autopilot as he types out his phone number and name. His thumb taps the save button as he finishes typing, and he hands it back to Tracy with a dopey grin.

"Thanks. I just didn't think I was friend material, you know?" Ryker says sheepishly.

"Aw, no way! You're a great guy." Tracy replies.

Ryker flinches at her unintentionally biting words. He forces a smile and shrugs.

"What can I say, I try?" Ryker forces a laugh.

The bell rings before Tracy has a chance to say anything more. Ryker slings his bag over his shoulder. Tracy opens her mouth to speak, but Ryker is walking out in a hurry. She frowns, glancing down at her phone. She tilts her head curiously.

Who's Zoe?

~

Ryker can barely contain his excitement as he ducks into the one unisex bathroom the school has. It's a little out of the way, but the privacy is worth it. Ryker quickly pulls out his girl clothes, and begins to undress. Once fully bare he sings the magic words.

"Make me a girl."

Zoe's bright smile is reflected back at her in the bathroom mirror. She giggles to herself and makes a few silly faces in the mirror before remembering she's on a time limit. The old boy clothes go back into her backpack, and she gets dressed.

There's a skip in Zoe's step she can't explain. Usually the school looks downright dreary to her, but in this body she feels on top of the world!

I'm so awesome!

Zoe enters the familiar cafeteria with a newfound appreciation. Sure, the food is still kind of crappy, but now she can eat it as a girl! Zoe makes her way over to the end of the lunch line. She pulls out her phone out of habit.

Derek: Yo where r u

Ryker: UH

Derek: ???

Ryker: Secret :)

Zoe could tell her friends she has this magic power at her disposal, but wouldn't messing with them be way more fun? Zoe puts back away her phone before looking at the person in line ahead of her. He's a tall boy, and he looks nice enough.

I've never tried this, but I feel invincible in this body... so why not?

Zoe taps the tall boy on the shoulder. He turns around, but his line of sight is way high up. He's probably as tall as Jamison. He realizes the culprit is short, and looks down at Zoe with a questioning look on his face.

"Hello!" Zoe greets him.

"Uh... Hi?" The boy replies.

Zoe offers her small hand as if to shake hands. Normally Zoe would die of embarrassment in this situation, but as a girl she feels confident she can make friends with someone approachable.

"I'm Zoe. Nice to meet you!" Zoe says, hand still offered.

"Ah... I'm Matthew." Matthew replies, taking her hand.

Matthew's hand is much larger than Zoe's, but his grip is plenty gentle as he shakes her hand. The lanky boy gives her a sheepish smile before they separate their hands.

"I hope I'm not bothering you, I just thought you looked kind and wanted to say hello." Zoe explains.

"That is uh... wow. Thanks. You seem pretty chill, too." Matthew replies.

Zoe looks past the tall boy, noticing the lunch line moving forward.

"Line's moving!" Zoe chirps.

Matthew nods and turns to move with the line. The two of them get their food, and Zoe is feeling rather proud of her newfound social skills. Matthew glances at her once or twice. His expression makes it clear he isn't sure what to think.

"See you around?" Matthew says as they part ways.

"Sure!" Zoe nods.

Zoe gives him a heart stopping smile, but it doesn't phase Matthew. He just shakes his head at the strangeness of the situation, and goes his own way. Zoe doesn't even notice as she is already walking toward her usual table.

Zoe could use some sort of elaborate scheme to prank her friends, but she doesn't need to. Her face looks quite different today than it did on Sunday. She walks right up to their usual table, and speaks freely.

"Can I sit here?" Zoe asks casually.

Jamison turns to look at the source of the vaguely familiar voice. He nods quickly after seeing a chipper girl he doesn't recognize. Derek smirks a little and nudges Theo, but Theo is too busy gawking at Zoe like she's a real life dinosaur.

Hehehe. I knew I looked different enough!
Theo looks so dumb right now, haha.

"Is there something on my face?" Zoe teases.

Theo quickly shakes his head, and stuffs some macaroni and cheese into his face. The three boys get over their surprise and go back to their conversation shortly after. Meanwhile, Zoe enjoys the pleasure of sitting by her friends as a regular girl.

"So what did he say? That it was a secret?" Derek asks.

"Yeah, he seemed real happy about it though." Jamison replies.

Jamison takes a big bite of macaroni and cheese. Derek rubs his chin as if deep in thought. Theo frowns, looking to Jamison with an unreadable expression.

"Do you think Ryker is upset about what happened Sunday?" Theo asks.

Jamison is quick to shake his head, and offer a rebuttal to that theory.

"Nope. If anything I think Ryker forgot about it with all the magic stuff he was doing?" Jamison explains.

Derek finally comes to a conclusion, and snaps his fingers.

"I bet he got a girlfriend!" Derek exclaims.

"Ryker? A girlfriend?" Theo echoes dryly.

"I think Ryker prefers guys, honestly. He doesn't like talking about it, though." Jamison explains.

Zoe tries not to show it on her face, but their conversation is making her want to scream. She settles by putting her phone in her lap, and texting the group chat. The three boys sitting across from her all feel the buzz of their phones simultaneously.

Ryker: I am NOT gay! I do not like boys, or men, or anything like that! I'm a perfectly straight normal guy. CAPICHE??

Theo immediately starts chuckling. He sets down his phone before doing a full scan of the cafeteria. He frowns after not finding any sign of Ryker.

"He's here, and he can hear us." Theo mutters.

Jamison taps away at his phone. None of the boys notice the girl across from them is also texting in the very same group chat. Theo keeps glancing around anxiously.

Jamison: Ryker where are you?

Jamison: Can't you just come sit with us like normal?

Ryker: NO. It's a secret. :)

Derek scoffs as he reads the group chat. Theo and Jamison look over at him, and he smirks.

"Ryker may not want to admit it, but I mean... The way he texts? Very fruity." Derek comments.

Jamison and Theo both roll their eyes at Derek's generalization. Zoe can't help but vibrate angrily as she listens to Derek calling her fruity.

I'm not gay!

"I don't think Ryker is gay, to be honest." Jamison says awkwardly.

Ryker nearly fist pumps upon hearing Jamison coming to his defense. Not that there is any issue with being gay. It's just that Ryker is totally not gay in any way at all.

"What do you mean? He seems attracted to men exclusively." Theo replies curiously.

"I think Ryker is actually trans." Jamison says quietly.

Zoe's stomach feels a little strange as she hears her friends bring up her gender identity. It reminds her she's an imposter. Underneath this disguise, she is just a boy.

"That would make a lot of sense." Theo agrees.

"Should we call Ryker a she, then?" Derek questions.

Jamison quietly shakes his head. Theo and Derek look to him for an explanation, and he quietly provides one.

"Ryker is the one to decide that. For now we stick to he/him, unless Ryker says otherwise." Jamison explains.

Zoe feels a little nauseous. She is definitely not transgender, nor homosexual. She is just a normal boy who isn't weird or strange in any way. Zoe can't stomach anymore of this conversation, so she gets up and dumps her tray. None of the boys pay her any mind.

I'm not trans or gay or anything like that.
Can't they just let me be normal?

The dark and close minded train of thought continues as she walks out of the cafeteria. That same nasty feeling she got when she had to look like a boy is back, and it isn't leaving. She enters the unisex bathroom.

I wish I was born a girl.

Zoe starts to cry as she slumps to the floor. Her soft cries fill the bathroom as the bell signaling the end of lunch rings. She softly parts her lips, and sings.

"Make me a boy."

Ryker grimaces at the boy in the mirror. He quickly strips off the girl clothes from his body, and thanks his lucky stars the clothing isn't ruined. Sounds of students moving about outside urge him to hurry his packing.

The faint sound of Ryker's phone buzzing fills him with dread. He doesn't want to talk to his friends right now. He quickly slings his bag over his shoulder, and exits the unisex bathroom.

Students are moving like tides throughout the hallways. Ryker weaves in and out of the crowd as he makes his way to 5th period. His phone buzzes again, but he ignores it.

Finally Ryker enters his 5th period class, and takes a seat where he usually does. The chatter of his peers quietly fades as he finally looks at his phone. He unlocks it, and notices two new messages from someone he doesn't have in his contacts. Ryker opens the messages, and his heart drops.

Tracy: So I know you probably didn't mean to, but you put your name in my phone as 'Zoe' and I was just wondering if you wanted me to use that name or what that was about?

Tracy: I'm totally cool with trans people and stuff I am just not sure since you never mentioned your pronouns or anything before!

The bell rings, but Ryker doesn't hear it. He numbly stares at his phone's screen for several minutes. Eventually the teacher taps him on the shoulder, and Ryker looks up.

"Are you alright?" Mrs. Linen asks.

Ryker shakes his head.

"Go ahead to the nurse's office, Mr. Kim." Mrs. Linen suggests.

Ryker stands up from his seat, and pulls his backpack along with him. The looks he gets from his peers are fleeting. Ryker leaves the classroom. The hallways are dead quiet. Ryker glances back at his phone, and starts typing.