Please enjoy this collection of short stories and poems I have written over time.

Michelle Rae.

Three years to the day after Dylan assumed his new identity, the lull, which had engulfed him, he could not shake. If asked, Dylan would say his current mood was melancholy. Whereas his friends might say he was anxious and his family might say depressed.

Dylan was neither of those two.

Simply, a feel of discontent he would be alone for the rest of his life, had settled over him.

As Dylan stood in line in the café to order coffee and cake during his lunch break, he experienced a pleasing change to his routine.

“Excuse me.”

Dylan turned to look at the young woman standing to one side behind him.

She gave Dylan a nervous smile, blushed, as she asked, “I’m sorry if this seems like a strange question but did you go to Marion High School?”

Dylan averted his eyes. The traumatic feelings remembered from high school and his transition were brief as her beauty outshone the moment. As he looked back at her, Dylan knew he would have remembered her face if he had known her. She appeared very much the type of girl he admired. “Yes, I did,” he told her.

“You graduated in 2007,” she asked.

“Yes,” Dylan replied.

“I graduated in 2008. Sometimes, I saw you around school and thought you were really cool and brave. I wanted to tell you while at school but I wasn’t as brave.”

Her blush deepened as Dylan’s smile broadened.

“Thank you. I’m glad we had this opportunity to meet again. I’m Dylan.”

“I’m Claire.”

Dylan held out his hand and Claire shook it. The pleasure from her touch and the gleam in her eyes fleetingly gave Dylan hope before the moment passed.

The line moved forwarded and Dylan turned away.

“Can we swapped phone numbers,” Claire asked awkwardly.

Dylan smiled before looking around and replying, “I’d like that.”

The exchange of numbers took place before Dylan turned to order. As he turned to leave, Claire, who looked somewhat determined, asked, “Can I call you this evening?”

Dylan’s replied before he could think.

“I’d love you too.”

Claire blushed again before turning away flustered and clumsily placed her order.

Dylan left the café, the smile on his face from ear to ear.

Melancholy replaced with jubilation.