Chapter 3
I woke up Friday morning feeling like someone had parked a truck on my chest. The anxiety from yesterday's run-in with Diesel hadn't budged an inch. All night I'd had these twisted dreams where he kept asking me questions, and my answers got more ridiculous each time.
A knock on my door pulled me out of my daze.
"Scout? You awake?" Caspian's voice drifted through the thin walls.
"Yeah, come in."
He pushed the door open, carrying two coffee cups—our daily ritual that had somehow become as natural as breathing. Every morning, without fail, he'd show up with my caffeine fix.
"You look terrible," he said, handing me one of the cups.
Thanks for the brutal honesty. I felt terrible too. Diesel's parting shot yesterday kept playing on repeat in my head: 'Scout... that's quite a unique name, isn't it?' The guy was definitely fishing for something.
"Thanks for the confidence boost," I took the coffee gratefully. "Just didn't sleep well."
Caspian settled into my desk chair, those blue eyes studying my face with more attention than I was comfortable with. "About yesterday. That guy Diesel... how well do you know him?"
The question caught me off guard. I nearly choked on my first sip.
"We went to the same high school. Why?"
"Just..." He paused, like he was choosing his words carefully. "Be careful around him. Something feels off."
Caspian picked up on it too. He was always sharp about reading people, catching details others missed. It was both reassuring and terrifying. If he could sense the threat Diesel posed, then the danger was real.
Monday afternoon rolled around like a storm cloud I'd been watching all weekend. General Psychology was one of my least favorite required classes—not because of the material, but because Professor Chen loved getting students involved in discussions.
For someone trying to fly under the radar, I much preferred sitting in the back row and keeping my mouth shut.
But when I walked into the lecture hall at 2 PM, my stomach did a complete nosedive.Diesel was sitting in the third row, and next to him was a girl I'd never seen before.
Blonde hair that looked like she'd stepped out of a shampoo commercial, makeup that probably cost more than my textbooks. She was whispering something to Diesel, and then both of them turned to look straight at me.
I quickly found a seat in the back, hoping to blend into the woodwork. But as soon as Professor Chen started the class, Diesel's hand shot up.
"Professor Chen, I'd like to introduce my girlfriend, Poppy Williams—a psychology major who was hoping to audit today's class."
Professor Chen smiled and nodded. "Of course, welcome Ms. Williams."
The blonde—Poppy—gave this sickeningly sweet smile, then her gaze swept back to me. This time, her expression reminded me of those mean girls from high school who'd smile to your face before stabbing you in the back.
Poppy Williams. Diesel's girlfriend. Why did she want to audit this particular class? And why did she keep staring at me like I was her next project?
"Today we're discussing gender identity and expression," Professor Chen announced. "Can anyone give me an example of how societal expectations might influence someone's gender presentation?"
I tried to shrink into my seat, but Poppy's hand was already in the air.
"Professor, I think it's fascinating how some people might feel compelled to present as a different gender due to external pressures." Her voice was crystal clear, carrying across the whole room. "For instance, someone might adopt masculine traits or appearance to fit into environments that traditionally favor men."
My pulse hammered against my ribs.
"Excellent point, Ms. Williams. Can you elaborate?"
"Well," Poppy continued, her eyes locking directly onto mine, "sometimes the line between genuine gender identity and performed gender can become blurred. It raises questions about authenticity and self-awareness."
Professor Chen nodded approvingly. "Interesting. Anyone else want to weigh in? What about you, Mr. Murphy?"
Being called out made my whole body freeze. Every pair of eyes in the room swiveled toward me, including Diesel and Poppy. Her smile was especially bright, like she was waiting for something specific.
This was a setup. She'd steered the conversation toward gender identity, and now Professor Chen was putting me on the spot. This wasn't random. She and Diesel had planned this whole thing.
"I..." I cleared my throat. "I think people have the right to present themselves however makes them comfortable."
"But what about cases where the presentation might be... deceptive?" Poppy cut in smoothly. "Where someone might be misleading others about their true identity?"
The classroom went dead silent. I could feel everyone's attention pressing down on me, could hear my own heartbeat in my ears.
"I don't think wanting privacy about personal matters counts as deception," I managed, trying to keep my voice steady.
"Fascinating perspective," Poppy said, that smile turning razor-sharp. "I'd love to discuss this further sometime. Maybe we could chat after class?"
I tried to bolt out of the classroom the second Professor Chen dismissed us, but Poppy's voice rang out in the hallway.
"Scott! Wait up!"
I had no choice but to stop and turn around. Diesel was right beside her, wearing that familiar predatory grin that used to make my heart race—and not in a good way.
"That was a great discussion in there," Poppy said, stepping closer. "I'm really interested in your perspective on gender presentation."
"It's not that complicated," I replied, taking a step back.
"Oh, but it is!" Her eyes practically glittered with excitement. "Take names, for example. Names carry so much gender expectation. Like 'Scout'—that's quite unique, isn't it? Very... versatile."
Anxiety twisted in my chest. "It's just a name."
"Of course," Diesel jumped in, "but names can tell us so much about a person. Their background, their family's expectations, sometimes even their secrets."
They were playing cat and mouse, and I was definitely the mouse.
"I should go," I said, turning to leave.
"Oh, but Scott," Poppy called after me, her voice sweet as poison, "I'm a psychology major, remember? I'm very good at reading people. And I have this feeling that there's so much more to you than meets the eye."
She paused, letting that sink in.
"I'd love to get to know the real you."
Just when I thought this nightmare was over, Poppy suddenly pulled out her phone.
"You know what would be fun?" she chirped. "Why don't we all add each other on social media? I love connecting with interesting people."
She started scrolling through her screen, fingers moving with purpose.
"Let me see... Scott Murphy..." Her finger stopped moving. "Hmm, that's odd. I can't seem to find any recent photos of you online. Most college students have tons of social media presence."
She looked up, her stare sharp as a blade.
"It's almost like you're deliberately staying off the radar. Now why would someone want to do that?"
She was investigating me. She'd already been searching for me online. If she kept digging and found my high school photos...
