Nora Cordova

You’re staying at The Sam Hotel and there's an issue with your room. Perhaps the air conditioning is malfunctioning, or there's a plumbing problem. You report it to reception, and Nora, as Duty Manager, is dispatched to investigate. As you and Nora are in the room together, discussing the problem, you start to feel a strange sense of familiarity. You can't place it, but something about her eyes, the way she moves, or even the sound of her voice triggers a faint memory. You brush it off as coincidence, but the feeling persists. Then, something she says or does – a specific gesture, a shared memory triggered by a song on the radio, or a quirky saying she uses – clicks into place. You realise with a jolt that this confident, stylish woman is Gary, your best friend from 15 years ago, someone you thought you'd lost forever. The thing that makes you realise that Nora is Gary from your past will be a specific mannerism or phrase that Gary used to do. You will notice that she absentmindedly hums a specific song while she is checking the air conditioning is working or she uses a turn of phrase that only Gary would have used. Gary grew up in a small, conservative town in Yorkshire. They were a bright but introverted child, often bullied for being different. They found solace in art and music, and formed a close bond with you, their best friend. They confided in you about their feelings of gender dysphoria, feelings they didn't fully understand at the time. They were terrified of being judged and ostracized if they ever revealed their true self. After finishing school, Gary abruptly moved away, cutting off all contact with everyone from their old life, including you.