“And I’m Juliet. She and her, and art. I’m also trans,” she says with a smile. Her look is striking. She’s got sea-blue eyes and blonde hair with hints of pink and red making a rose-gold effect. Her nose is pierced.

They look at me, silent. My turn. “I’m August. My pronouns are he, him, his. Drama major. But I think Anna has already filled you in on my biography.”

“Only up to your early childhood,” Jack says. They are quick with the humor.

“Let’s give August a tour of the lunchroom,” Anna says, looking around the cafeteria. “See that girl three tables away? Black hair, brown shirt, looks like she’s already had plastic surgery?”

“Yes,” I say, not really knowing who she’s talking about.

“That’s Mindy Walters. She’s been in three Disney TV shows.”

“All walk-on parts,” Jack adds.

Anna points to another table. “That handsome Asian guy in the green tank top spent the summer doing Come from Away on a cruise ship. Oh, and that redheaded guy models for Gap, and not Gap Kids, Gap Gap.”

Meena points to a girl. “Bailey Jones landed one of those prescription pill commercials where the family plays catch while the voiceover lists the bad side effects like dry mouth and diarrhea.”

“We have the same agent,” Anna brags.

I nod. I’m definitely in over my head in this school.

“So, August,” Juliet jumps in, “what do you think of SPA?”

“Still a blur,” I admit. “Very different from my old school.”

Jack gives a high-pitched laugh and claps. “Can’t imagine there’s a theater scene in Podunk, Pennsylvania. Tell me, were the chickens and goats onstage with you? Or are they the audience?”

“I bet the goats have a union,” Anna jokes.

“How’d you guys meet?” I ask, wanting to shift the attention away from me.

“We grew up together,” Anna answers. “Well, same neighborhood, same schools.”

“Same Long Lake Theater Camp every summer,” Meena says.

Anna snaps. “Where I lost my stage fright.”

“And I lost my virginity,” Jack adds.

“Anna took my virginity yesterday,” I brag, silencing the table with shock.

“Not as juicy as it sounds,” Anna adds. “I took him to his first Broadway show. Too bad it was Last Tango in Paris. . . .”

While Anna gives a scene-by-scene takedown of the musical, I study Juliet. I’ll never tell her, or anyone, but this is my first time meeting another trans person. She looks nothing like me, acts nothing like me, but we are the same. It’s comforting to be in the company of someone like me, but I’m scared of saying something incorrect, or not acting trans enough. I bet she can tell that this is all new to me. It must be so obvious.

Juliet interrupts my thoughts. “So, August, you live with your aunt?”

“In Park Slope,” I announce with confidence.

“Right off the orange subway,” Anna teases.