Great story. Hiding my comments here rather than on the main page because SPOILERS. It was really interesting getting to learn about the different ways that all the friends connected with each other. It was super uncomfortable how the black woman (Jasmine) was constantly serving everyone else... based on this post, I'm sure you've noticed. Alayna is like the most relatable trans experience - sitting in classes and attempting a career path a decade later in life than most other people, wondering what it would have been like to have it all figured out on a "normal" timeline. I appreciate that Ordell didn't have a total sexual identity crisis over his attraction to her. Honestly the part that required the most processing was Evan. He seemed so self-sabotaging, almost projecting his own sexual confusion onto Ordell in a way that reminds me of the deep suspicion so many people have had for me as a bisexual nonbinary person. Every relationship, friendship, romance, in my life has been that mix of "how much of this is me fucking it up, how much of it is them, and how much can we still be there for each other because none of us are perfect?" and I think this story gets that feeling across rather well.