Sound of My Dreams
In development, queer coming-of-age romantic fantasy, 105 pages
A closeted trans girl shares telepathic dreams with her girl crush. Upon discovering her crush likes boys, she decides to overcome her femininity and become the boy her crush will fall in love with.
Song is a Chinese piano prodigy who moves to the United States with his mother for his senior year at a prestigious music high school, hoping to gain admission to Juilliard. Though feeling like an outsider, his piano prowess impresses the teachers and upsets the star student, Krystian. Outwardly, Song appears to be a mama's boy, but he has a secret -- he is a closeted trans girl who lives as Sophie in her dreams, pouring all her lonely emotions into a piano in the forest.
One night, Sophie encounters Sky, a girl with flaming hair who blames Sophie's music for making her dreams sad. Sky teaches her how to have a happy dream: dressing up, breaking rules, and experiencing the freedom of adulthood. By the end of the dream, Sophie is in love.
The next day, Song meets Skylar, who bears a striking resemblance to Sky. After investigating, he concludes that Skylar is the real-life version of Sky and they are sharing telepathic dreams. However, Skylar is a cool girl who makes hyperpop music. She is way out of his league for the classical nerd Song.
Determined to impress Skylar, Song joins a band with three boys, hoping to make cool music to get laid, living a typical boy coming of age. Meanwhile, in the dreams, Sophie gets to know Sky, going on adventures and experiencing a girl's coming of age. After impressing Skylar with his debut with the band, Song plans to meet Sky in real life on Halloween. He dresses as Sophie but faces ridicule from Skylar and her friends. Humiliated, Song runs home. At the meeting place, Sky is the only one who shows up, but she isn't Skylar. She's Krystian, Skylar's twin brother, Song's rival, who is also a closeted trans girl.
In the dreams, Sophie and Sky stop seeing each other, while in real life, the rivalry between Song and Krystian escalates. They attempt to sabotage each other with emotional manipulation, emasculating each other to the brink of suspension. After Krystian is humiliated for stealing his sister’s underwear and Song gets caught crossdressing by his mom, the two bond over their shared experience of feeling trapped in someone else’s life.
On the night of prom, after nearly recognizing each other, they encourage one another to be with their true love. In the dream, Sophie meets Sky, and they confess their love for each other. They realize their dream selves are their true selves and resolve to never meet in real life.
After high school, their dream encounters cease. Reuniting eight years later, when Song plays a composition Sophie once performed for Sky, they discover they were the lovers of their dreams.
