Chapter 1: The Mouse and the Secret

I gave the cold, aloof roommate I secretly liked a mouse.

My hands shook. This was just a birthday gift, but to me, it felt like stepping off a ledge. My heart pounded as I handed over the box—just a Bluetooth mouse, but the weight of my crush made everything feel heavier. Maybe it was the way Jason's slate-gray eyes flicked over it, or maybe it was the echo of my own nerves. Then, out of nowhere, translucent chat bubbles popped up at the edge of my vision, like they’d been waiting in the wings for their cue.

[He just handed himself over—what a little fool.]

[This clueless kid still doesn't know the mouse is now linked to his most sensitive spot.]

[Wait, isn’t this kid intersex? That’s gotta make things even wilder.]

[From now on, whenever his roommate spins the mouse wheel with his middle finger, won’t this silly baby get so worked up he’ll grab the sheets and stick out his tongue?]

My stomach dropped. It was like someone had hacked my brain’s group chat and started spamming my secrets. At first, I tried to brush them off—maybe it was just stress, or too many all-nighters and caffeine jitters. The room buzzed with the low hum of conversation and the distant rattle of someone microwaving a late-night snack. I tried to shake it off, telling myself none of this was real. But the truth was, the chat bubbles had already wormed their way into my head, leaving me feeling exposed in a way that had nothing to do with the crowded dorm common room.

At least, not until my roommate touched the mouse—and I let out a muffled moan.