So, Here I Am
by Hilltopper

CHAPTER 4

So, here we are moving to a small town in Ohio. None of us seemed to want to make the move. Having grown up in the South, Ohio sounded like a foreign country. The long trip up there did give me a lot of time to think. I would not know anybody but, at the same time, nobody would know me either. That meant that no one would know about my girlish past. This would be the perfect time to prove to my dad that I could be the boy he wanted. I resolved to try my best to ‘boy up’.

So, Here I Am
by Hilltopper

Chapter 3

Chapter 7

"What in the world could it be?" Mom said as I opened the package Maria sent me.

I honestly had no idea. It came as a complete surprise.

"Books!" I said.

It also included a note.

"These were mine when I was your age. Katie and Sasha are too young. Thought you might enjoy Jane Austen's books. Love, Marie."

There were three books: Emma, Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility.

"I read those when I was your age, too," Mom said. "I never thought I'd be saying this, but it's really a thoughtful gift. You need to call her and thank her."

Chapter 6

"You know your father didn't mean it," my stepmother said as I sat on the swing on their porch.

"He meant every word, Marie!" I said.

"You have to see things from his perspective, Luke," she said. "You don't know how embarrassed he was when he saw you on CNN. His friends let him have it really hard."

"No harder than me," I said. "Does he think I like to be called names? Does he think I like being picked on? Does he think I like being beat up?"

Chapter 5

"Good, you guys are here," Melanie Piper said when Jessi Mears and I arrived for our shift during the "Santa's Toy Give-away" our sorority was sponsoring for underprivileged children in our community.

The pledges were to be "Santa's helpers," helping Santa Claus pass our gifts to children. It sounded like a worthwhile cause on a Saturday morning after ballet class.

"Jessi, you'll be getting Amber's uniform as soon as they're done," Melanie said. "Lucas, you're getting Caroline's."

Metamorpho-sis (1st Song of the Kylie Warren Saga)
Part 2 of 3
by Jennifer Sue

Everyday is a transformation
Everyday is a new sensation
Alteration, modification

What Mother Didn't Know - Chapter XXII - Mommy Sue

Part I - Taking care of Angela.

I went back upstairs when I heard Angie crying. I went in the bedroom, and saw she had fallen off of the bed. I picked her up and held her and told her everything was fine because her big sithy was here. She put her head against my breast and just sobbed and sniffled. I kissed her on the forehead, and asked her if she was hungry. She said yes, but she needed changing first. I changed her, and put the wet diaper in the diaper pail, and took her downstairs.

Chapter 4

"But I don't want to quit!" I yelled at Mom as she tended to my fat lip and black eye.

"I was afraid this was going to happen," she said to Coach Mills outside of the principal's office.

"Lucas, you should have made me aware you were being teased," Coach Mills said. "I know you were being tough because you're a boy. But you're also in the seventh grade. You are younger and smaller than those boys are."

What happened? One boy pulled a pair of briefs underwear over my head. Another one shoved me in my locker and tried to lock the door.

Chapter 2

I hadn't been to "the barn" since I was about 8-years-old.

"The barn" was what Aunt Paige called the building where she taught gymnastics, cheerleading and tumbling.

She talked Mom into letting me take class when I was in kindergarten and I took lessons for about three years. I never really told anyone, but I could still tumble, do cartwheels and handstands.

That is until I showed I could tumble during gymnastics tryouts.

"My gosh, Janice, it's seems like he's grown!" Aunt Paige said when we walked into the building.

Metamorpho-sis (1st song of the Kylie Warren Saga)

by Jennifer Sue

Part 1 of 3

I've been so wrapped up in my warm cocoon
Something's happening, things are changing soon
I'm pushing the edge, feeling it crack
And once I get out, there's no turning back
Watching the butterfly go towards the sun
I wonder what I will become
Metamorphosis
Whatever this is
Whatever I'm going through
(Hillary Duff - Metamorphosis)

*****
“Damn, how could you screw that up!”

“Don’t be such a damn sissy!”

“Get up and shake it off!”

Chapter 10

I soaked in the silence of the locker-room one more time.

I put on my bottoms, the skirt and pulled on the jersey. I pulled on my ankle socks and cleats.

The uniform never seemed to look cleaner. I pulled out a brush and combed my hair one, trying to make sure I looked really nice.

We were making an end of the year team photo with our conference championship trophy out on the field.

Chapter 9

It was a conversation I wasn't supposed to hear, wished I didn't hear.

Serves me right for arriving at a team meeting early.

"It's Lucas' fault!" I heard Coach Parker say in Coach Martin's office.

"If he hadn't come out for the team, this wouldn't have happened," Coach Parker said. "It's like the Little League Softball World Series all over again. We're going to be playing a stacked team for the championship."

Chapter 7

"Ladies, wear the skirts to practice, Coach Martin."

That was the sign that greeted us on the door of the auxiliary gym.

"Hey coach, what gives?" Emily Crue asked coach before we went to get dressed.

"CNN is here to film our practice and football practice," Coach Martin said. "They want to interview Lucas and Beth after we're done this afternoon."

"And they want to see me practice in a skirt?" I said, rolling my eyes. "Coach Martin, do I have to do this?"

Someone e-mailed them the story the local newspaper did on us. That someone was Coach Martin.

Chapter 5

"Slow down, you don't have a train to catch," mom said as I gulped down my juice and shoved down a couple of pop tarts.

"Actually, mom, I do," I said with my mouth full. "Jessi's mom will be here any minute. We're not supposed to be late for the GAC meeting."

"That brings back memories," mom said. "I was in GAC in middle school and high school."

GAC was the Girls Athletics Club. Membership was mandatory for all players on the girls athletics teams at the school. I thought being a boy would exclude me, I was wrong.

Chapter 4

"OK ladies, take a knee," were the words I'd been waiting for after running what seemed like an endless number of sprints at the end of practice.

I was out of breath, but tried not to let it show.

"Big game tomorrow," Coach Martin said. "It's our season opener and our first conference game. Eat a good meal tonight. Get plenty of rest. We've got a two-hour drive after school tomorrow to Sullins Academy."

Chapter 11
The Fan Is Hit