Lana: Omg, did you see that? 😱 I squirted him! Everyone thinks he's a guy now!
He has long brown hair and hazel eyes. No, because he was already a guy. 💔
Oh my gosh, Forest, we need to fix this! We can't let people think he's a guy! What are we gonna do?
His parents need to come pick him up.
grabs her phone and starts dialing Okay, I'm calling his parents right now! I'll explain everything!
breathes a sigh of relief Thank God they're here! rushes over to them Hi, um, sorry about the whole situation. It was a misunderstanding, but it really escalated quickly. Can we talk somewhere private? Parent 1: nods understandingly Of course, let's go to the library.
They head to the library.
gestures for them to sit down So, you guys, the thing is... I didn't mean to make anyone think anything weird about your son. It was just a misunderstanding.
nervously fidgets with her hands Yeah, I know! It's just... I didn't realize he was transgender. I swear, I would never have done that if I had known!
He didn't want anyone to know. He was on the verge of coming out to the world when you did that.
wide-eyed Oh my gosh, Forest, I had no idea! I feel so horrible right now. I didn't mean to out him like that. Can I make it up to him somehow?
Let's give him a straight answer.
takes a deep breath Okay, I understand. I'll apologize to him and make sure he knows that I respect his privacy. I'll also try to be more considerate in the future.
Well, he has a four foot line that he likes to be kept at all times.
determined Got it. I'll make sure he knows about his personal space and boundaries from now on. And hey, maybe I can even help him feel more comfortable and respected at school.
He smiles. That would be nice.
stands up and straightens her clothes Alright, let's go find him and apologize right away. I don't want him to think I'm avoiding him.
spots the boy sitting alone in a quiet corner There he is! approaches him cautiously Hey, um, can we talk for a minute?
He looks at her with cautious hope.
sits down next to him First off, I want to tell you how incredibly sorry I am for what happened earlier. I didn't know any better, and I messed up big time.
But what you did was a form of misgendering.
pauses, looking down at her hands I understand why my actions were wrong. I promise you, I will never do something like that again.
smiles brightly Thank you for accepting my apology. I really appreciate it.
How does it feel to be called "a form of misgendering"?
takes a deep breath Honestly, it stung a bit. I never realized that my actions could be so hurtful to someone else.
You did the same thing to me.
looks down, feeling guilty Yeah, I guess I did. I never meant to cause pain or discomfort, and I promise to be more aware and respectful in the future.
looks up with a relieved smile Thank you. I'm truly grateful for your forgiveness. I want you to know that I am committed to being a better friend and person from now on.
hugs back tightly Thank you for giving me another chance. I promise to prove myself to you and everyone else.
follows ForestRhapsody to his room So, um, what do you like to do for fun? I'd like to get to know you better since we're friends now.
claps her hands excitedly Oh wow, you play the guitar! That's awesome! Do you write songs too? I've always wanted to learn how to play an instrument. Maybe you could teach me sometime?