THE PRICE OF inHERitance

**A Day Out: Fun and Reality Check**

**A Day Out: Fun and Reality Check**

After surviving the lingerie shop, Lizzie could tell that Elliot—now Ellie—needed a break from the overwhelming experience of shopping for bras and panties. Seeing how tense he was, adjusting the straps of his new bra for what felt like the hundredth time, she decided to offer him an escape.

"Alright, we're done with the embarrassing part," Lizzie declared with a grin, tucking her purse under her arm. "Let's go grab something to eat. You need some comfort food after all of this."

Ellie shot her a doubtful glance as they exited the shop. "Liz, I still look like a guy with—" He gestured toward his chest, his new breasts straining against his top. "—these things. I feel like people are going to stare at me, or worse, ask questions."

Lizzie chuckled and ruffled his longer hair. "Ellie, trust me, no one cares. Besides, you've already got the 'confused teenage girl' look down perfectly. Just own it. And stop fidgeting with your boobs, it makes you look suspicious!"

Ellie groaned but followed her toward a nearby café. "I swear, this is the weirdest day of my life."

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**At the Café: Ellie's Big Confession**

The café Lizzie chose was small and cozy, with colorful cushions and the comforting smell of fresh pastries. Lizzie ordered them both milkshakes and a plate of fries to share, while Ellie tried to sit down without feeling like his hips were too wide for the chair.

"Ugh," Ellie muttered as he adjusted in his seat for the tenth time. "I don't know how girls deal with these hips. It's like they're in the way of everything."

Lizzie couldn't resist laughing as she slid into the chair across from him. "Yeah, well, you're going to have to get used to it. Besides, from what I've seen today, you're rocking the curvy look."

Ellie blushed, grabbing his milkshake as a distraction. "I'm not trying to 'rock' anything. I just want to survive this without constantly feeling like I'm in a stranger's body."

As they waited for the food to arrive, Ellie finally let out a deep sigh, glancing at Lizzie with a mixture of embarrassment and vulnerability. "Liz... can I be real with you for a second?"

Lizzie raised an eyebrow, sensing that her brother had more on his mind than just bra straps and panty sizes. "Of course, you can. What's up?"

Ellie fidgeted with the straw in his milkshake, staring at the whipped cream swirl before blurting out, "This whole thing—it's messing with my head. I look in the mirror, and I don't recognize myself anymore. And yeah, sure, we joke about my huge ass or whatever, but it's not funny. I feel... I don't know... like I'm losing myself."

Lizzie softened, her teasing demeanor fading as she realized how much Ellie was struggling. "Hey, Ellie... I didn't know you felt that way. I mean, I knew it was weird for you, but I didn't realize how deep it went."

Ellie slouched in his seat, running a hand through his longer hair. "Yeah, well, imagine waking up every morning and seeing boobs where your flat chest used to be. Or having guys stare at you because your hips suddenly don't fit into your jeans anymore. It's like... I'm not me. I'm just this weird version of me."

Lizzie nodded, leaning forward. "I get that. Well, I don't *get* it, get it, but I understand how it could feel that way. It's like you're stuck between two worlds, and neither one feels like home."

Ellie glanced around the café nervously, then lowered his voice. "And then there's... you know, the other stuff."

Lizzie raised an eyebrow, clearly confused. "Other stuff?"