In the back room she was everybody's darling

 "Fancy meeting you here?" It was almost a drunk smile or maybe Cleo was just on new meds.

Honestly, Elvis hadn't missed them. He couldn't say if he'd ever get the pronouns right, but the peeps at school still said Cleo was his twin. Yet here Cleo was chatting up Allie at the pizza counter just at closing time. 

It was a thaw out, but Elvis hadn't wanted to wait in the car for Rox.

"I haven't seen you at school," Cleo tilted her head as if maybe Elvis was being truant.

"I've been around," he thought it best not to give Cleo too much information. Of course, when Cleopatra was Leo, he'd been Elvis' first friend at school. Back then they were perhaps protecting each other, which usually meant, "Let's just get out of here." It felt so old now. It was hard being Cleo's friend, especially, when they were always mistaken for each other. Elvis couldn't remember the last time he saw Cleo. 

Naturally, the transitions had their ups and downs, and as far as Elvis knew Cleo still had all his parts so was he truly a trans woman? Not that he'd ask. It was just to accept what was, yet Elvis didn't think his personality changed much. Still a smoker, a toker maybe even a midnight joker.

Elvis sighed. 

"Well, I'm good, and you?" Elvis looked Cleo over and hoped this discussion didn't last long. 

"You know, I'm the same old story," Cleo's smile opened wide. Cleo was model thin and from another world. One whereas the existence of the Velvet Underground. Perhaps, Cleo was Rock Star Royalty only there was no place for it in their neck of the woods.

"Later, bro," Cleo said making his exit and blowing Allie a kiss.

"You know him?" Allie looked at Elvis in a bit of amazement. 

"Aw, I guess we go a ways back," Elvis nodded.

"Cleo, I don't know about her," Allie shook her head. "I did my best to help in the beginning, but I don't think they like the support groups at school."

"That figures," Elvis nodded.

"I'm not that big on them either," Allie told him. "I never know what to say." She said Diago was all she'd ever need.

Elvis nodded. He had no idea who she was talking about.

About then, Rox showed up with the keys to lock the doors. "Have you been nice?" Rox smiled. It only made Elvis laugh. "Of course, I have."

He met Allie's boyfriend then who was coming back from his last pizza run for the night. Elvis guessed he and Rox should hang out more with her work friends.