Just as Jon was beginning to lose himself in the mirror, a voice cut through his thoughts.
“Wow, Jon, you’re really getting into it, huh?”
Jon blinked, snapping out of his daze, and quickly looked over to see a group of girls from his class walking by. One of them, a girl named Emma, was smirking at him, her tone dripping with sarcasm.
“Look at him, girls,” Emma said, nudging her friends. “He’s practically preening in front of the mirror like a total girly-girl!”
The other girls giggled, clearly enjoying the sight of Jon caught in such an awkward moment. “Hey, Jon,” another girl chimed in, “you missed a spot—better make sure your lipstick is perfect before class!”
Jon’s face turned beet red as the girls’ laughter echoed in his ears. He hadn’t even noticed them approaching, and now they had caught him staring at himself in the mirror, lost in thought. He looked down at the floor, wishing he could disappear.
Karyn, sensing his discomfort, stepped forward, putting herself between Jon and the girls. “Alright, that’s enough,” she said firmly, her tone leaving no room for argument. “Move along, there’s nothing to see here.”
Emma rolled her eyes, clearly not intimidated. “Sure, Karyn, we’ll go. After all, you’re the one wearing the pants here, aren’t you?” she retorted with a smirk, her friends snickering in agreement.
Karyn’s eyes narrowed, but she kept her cool. “That’s right. So why don’t you take your cattiness somewhere else?”
Emma huffed, flipping her hair over her shoulder. “Whatever, Karyn. We were just having a little fun.” With that, she and her friends walked off, still snickering amongst themselves.
As soon as they were out of earshot, Karyn turned back to Jon, her expression softening. “You okay?”
But before he could even respond, he found himself being suddenly pulled into a warm embrace as Karyn gave him a reassuring hug. It was just as safe and comforting, as he'd imagined it.
“It’s going to be okay, Jon,” Karyn whispered softly, her voice filled with reassurance.
Karyn sighed, giving his shoulders a gentle squeeze. “Look, Jon, girls can be... complicated. Sometimes they’re nice, but other times they can be mean and judgmental. It’s like a test, and they’ll keep pushing you until they see how you react. The truth is, if you stand out too much, they’ll see you as an easy target. I've dealt with it for years. But if you can find a way to fit in, maybe they’ll leave you alone.”
Jon looked at her, trying to process what she was saying. “So, you’re saying I need to act like them? Like... like a girl?”
