James awakened again in the all-white room with his dad on one side and who he now saw was Zoey on the other

“You know in you’re heart what you want, who you are!” Zoey shouted

“Shut up! James is a boy and a damn good athlete theirs no way he is a girl!” his dad yelled over at Zoey.

James looked between the two and took three steps towards Zoey before his dad raised his voice.

“You know my stance on this shit, you do this you are fucking done!” his dad said angrily causing James to turn back around to his father and return to him.

“That's good now tell her to leave” his dad commanded

“Zoey, please leave! I can’t afford to lose what I have.” James said pleadingly.

“You can’t remove feelings I’m going nowhere,” Zoey said before fading away.

James shot up in his bed breathing heavy and not knowing how to deal with these feelings he can’t seem to shake or push away he checked his phone and saw he would have only ten more minutes of sleep so he just started to get ready he sent a text to his aunt 

James: Hey Aunt Jessie I was wondering if you had any news about talking to someone about my feelings 

James set his phone down and continued to get ready as he got his shirt on his phone vibrated 

Aunt Jessie: I was just thinking about you, my friend has an opening on Friday, do you have a game or anything that day? 

James: I am free that day so if you can take me over after school that would be great

Aunt Jessie: Okay kiddo see you then

James locked the phone’s screen and put it into his pocket and left for school like normal. As he walked up the stairs to the school he noticed hi ex Becky bullying Jessica

“Why would I even consider you for a spot of the dance team, it's for girls and last I checked you were a boy,” Becky said 

“But I am a girl! I just want to be normal, please!” Jessica pleaded

“Come on Becky stop being a bitch to her,” James said as he approached 

“Why should I?” Becky said.

“Because she is just trying to live her life and be the real her,” James said 

“Why do you even care, is he your boyfriend or something? I didn’t peg you as a queer” Becky said with venom in her voice.

“I’m not but even if I did like her that way it wouldn’t make me gay now fuck off!” James said 

“Jesus fine bye boys,” Becky said walking away.

“Thanks a lot for that James, I appreciate that,” Jessica said 

“No problem glad to help, id want someone to do-” James said before realizing that he could talk to Jessica and get support from her. “Hey um do you think I could chat with you at lunch later today.” 

“ what would you need to talk about with me?” Jessica said.

“I have been feeling strange lately and can’t talk to anyone else about it,” James said 

“I would love to be there for you but I’m a TA and get my work done then soI can’t talk until after school and I know the football team has practice every day except Fridays so would you be able to wait till then?” Jessica said.

“No, I have an appointment after school that day,” James said 

“Hmmm, what time are you done with football practice?” Jessica asked.

“Around 5:45 and I should be out by 6:00,” James said.

“Okay I drove today so I can stick around a bit and drive you home, we can talk then,” Jessica said before the bell rang signaling that class was starting, the day came and went as usual and before long practice came around. As James entered the locker room he was approached by John 

“Hey what's your deal, Becky says you are defending that freak Tyler,” John said

“Jessica and yeah it’s not right to make her life hell,” James said

“Why the fuck do you care, you never have before, in fact, you always kept your head down because you are barely on of us,” John said 

“I’ve just had enough of your shit and I bet Jessica has too” James replied

“Five minutes boys!” the coach yelled into the locker room causing the players to finish getting ready and poor out of the locker room, after practice ended James walked out front and saw Jessica waiting and with her was another girl who James hadn’t spoken to in years, Alice 

“Hey sorry I have to give a friend a ride home, we can talk after, this is Alice by the way” Jessica explained.

“Yeah, we go back a bit” James shyly.

“Yeah, I guess,” Alice said coldly.

“Oh okay well come on I’m parked over here,” Jessica said escorting them to the car. They drove in silence but there was a tension in the air that could be cut with a knife, Alice was dropped off and that left James and Jessica alone

“So what did you want to talk about?” Jessica said.

“Well, you see the thing is that I have lately I have been having dreams,” James said shyly.

“What kind of dreams are you okay?” Jessica asked concerningly 

“I-I don’t know, I’m scared and confused and I don’t know what to do,” James said with an anxious expression taking over his face

“Hey it's okay, just relax, breath,” she said calmly

“I have had dreams where I am a child with my mom and I'm a girl named Zoey, then I’m with my dad and he’s shaving my head and sighing me up for sports,” James said wincing before being wrapped in a hug 

“I really don’t know how to say this but to me, it sounds like you are, were, or have desires to be a girl,” Jessica explained calmly 

“But that doesn’t make sense! I’m a boy everyone has only ever known me as a boy, I just can’t be a girl” James said pleadingly

“I know it's scary but if you were or are one it doesn’t change who you are because at the end of the day you’re still you,” Jessica said caringly 

“But I-I-I don’t think my dad would never accept me I’m his son, after all, maybe I should come clean about these feelings,” James said 

“Hey no, don’t do that, because it sounds like he is part of the problem and part of that cult painted as religion the Order of the Sun,” Jessica said.

“Maybe they can help! ” James said

“Zoey no!” Jessica shouted getting James attention “ Look those guys don’t care about you I don’t know what they did but you are normal and they don’t like people who aren’t cis or even have feelings of curiosity I have known and lost a lot of trans friends to their conversion therapy and if you tell them, we'll I don’t wanna lose you.” 

“Jess I-I’ll keep that in mind but please don’t tell anyone I still don’t know and I honestly am scared,” James said 

“Secrets safe with me,” Jessica said with a smile “now let's get you home” 

James was dropped off by Jessica and when he entered the house his dad was waiting for him “You got something to tell me” he said sternly

“N-no sir why did I do something wrong?” James said worriedly 

“You’ve been defending Pete's freakshow of a son, you gay boy?” his father said before standing 

“No sir, just that she doesn’t deserve the hate she gets is all” James explained

“He deserves everything he gets and if you keep defending him I’ll send you to private school” His dad replied 

“Yes sir, sorry sir,” James said before walking upstairs, he didn’t have any homework for the night so he just decided to crash in bed.

The rest of the week dragged on and before long it was Friday, as James entered the school he felt guilty for ignoring Jessica when he saw she was in trouble but didn’t wanna anger his dad so he kept his head down, the school day ended and James waited for his aunt outside the school 

“James, why have you been avoiding me?” A voice from behind asked

“I can’t talk to you, dad said so,” James said paying her no mind

“But I thought we were friends,” Jessica said sadly

“Well you were wrong now fuck off my aunts her,” James said as he climbed into his aunt's car

“you okay kiddo?” Aunt Jessie asked 

“Yeah, can we go? I wanna get this settled and get answers” James said.

“Okay,” Anunt Jessie said not wanting to push anything further.

They drove in silence until they got to the psychologist and checked in.

“James Peterson?” the doctor said.

James got up and followed the doctor to their office 

“Hello James, my name is Allison how are you?” 

“I’m good” James replied.

“That's good, wanna tell me about why you’re here today?” Allison replied 

“Well I have been remembering things from my past and having dreams where I’m a little girl and then I'm with my dad and I'm a boy, I don’t know what to believe. I think it could just be caused by War of the Realms but my aunt said it's not really possible so I don’t really know” James explained.

“I see we'll okay, in these dreams where you are a girl are you happy? Comfortable?” Allison asked.

“That's the thing it feels like it actually happened and I feel happy in these dreams” James said 

“Okay and tell me about your dad, how does he feel about people who feel this way?” Allison questioned 

“He hates them and while I was brought up in his church I don’t hold that same view, never really felt right so I stayed out of conflicts involving them,” James explained 

“I see and tell me when did these feelings start, is it safe to assume they didn’t start until after playing the game?” Allison questioned

“Yeah, I played as a girl and didn’t feel the discomfort that my aunt said I should and then all the other stuff sprang from that,” James explained.

“Well I don’t wanna guide your answer but to me, it sounds like you have some feeling of being a girl, tell me are you happy with your body?” Allison asked 

“I can’t be a girl though, I am a boy. I mean my body feels uncomfortable compared to my avatar's body but it's not possible” James said.

“You can though and it's perfectly normal if you could be your avatar or your male self which would you chose?” Allison said.

“Zoey!” James felt himself blurt out and covered his mouth “I mean James, it's all I could ever be” 

“Why do you feel that?” Alison asked.

“My dad would kick me out if that happened,” James said 

“I see, we'll, you have your aunt so maybe confide in her?” Allison said

“I guess that could help but Still” James said

“I don’t wanna guide your decision but I think that you having these feelings isn’t a coincidence and that you really are Zoey, especially if you say that memories you forgot surfaced again,” Allison said 

“But how?” James said 

“My guess your dad had something to do with it, but I can’t say what,” Allison replied.

“I need to think more on this can I go?” James said looking down at the floor not knowing how to continue.

“If you don’t have anything left to say then, I would like to reschedule an appointment for next week, same day if you are free,” Alison said

“I’ll have to get back to you thank you though,” James said getting up out o the seat and is escorted out. 

Not much more happened or needed to be said so Aunt Jessie drove James home and he immediately logged into the game excited to see Avalia again.