(ed. note: apologies in advance. I promise I'll get back to the actual story)
Karyn didn't immediately change once she got back into the locker room. Next period was lunch, so she could take her time without worrying about being late, and she wanted to revel in her feeling of victory for a bit. So instead, she walked around the locker room like she owned it, like it was a castle and she was the king, stopping here and there to talk shop with someone who was actually trying to change back into their school clothes.
"Sorry if I hit you too hard."
"You almost had me with that jab step."
"You should join the game next week."
The other boys would respond, but it was clear that Karyn was holding up most of the conversation. Like a talk show host walking into the seats, holding up a microphone to one random audience member after another. They each gave their input, but it was Karyn's show.
One by one, the locker room began to empty out. And soon it was just a small handful of boys putting on socks and tying their shoes, getting ready to leave, and Karyn still completely suited up for gym. She sighed. Nothing lasted forever, she supposed as she finally turned to Biff's locker and began removing items.
Karyn was alone in the locker room as she stepped into a shower stall, the late bell having rung about a minute before. She'd never felt more in control of her world than she did in that moment, completely naked, under the water, still full of adrenaline from the game, full of confidence from how everyone else in the locker room was deferring to her. She ran a hand through her short-cropped hair, wringing water out as she went, and reveled in the feeling. Nothing, absolutely nothing in the world could control her. She was in charge, as long as she was in this body. As long as she was big and strong and dominant, there wasn't anyone in the world who could--
"Um, hey sexy?"
An unfamiliar voice echoed across the tile walls, and Karyn turned off the water to her shower in confusion. "Who's out there?" she called.
"Listen, I'm not entirely sure how I ended up here," the voice replied. "Usually I'm the one writing these."
"Writing these?" Karyn grabbed for a towel and was about to open the shower curtain to see who was there. "What the hell does that mean?"
"Don't!" the voice paused Karyn's hand just as it was gripping the curtain. "I'm not quite anonymous, but if you don't mind, I'd rather keep my face hidden."
"You sound old," Karyn wrinkled her eyebrows as she stepped back away from the curtain. "What are you, fifty-one?"
"No, no," the voice chuckled. "Anonymous51 is someone else. You can call me, The Guest."
"Why are you here, The Guest?"
Karyn could hear the mysterious person shuffling around the locker room. "I'm just-- hey, are there public computers in the school library?"
"Yes..." Karyn replied.
"Great, then I'll leave you, and you won't hear from me again."
Karyn heard the sound of the locker door closing, paused a moment, shrugged, then returned to her shower.
Meanwhile, The Guest made their way to the school library.
"Oh, do we have a visitor?" Ms. Finch had forgotten her glasses that morning and couldn't quite make out who it was that was entering her library.
"No, not a visitor." The Guest approached a computer and logged in. "You're thinking of Major Kira from Deep Space Nine."
Ms. Finch shrugged at that statement and turned back to her work. Meanwhile, The Guest opened a browser window and navigated to fictionbranches.net.
