It was quite an early start on Tuesday morning. I’d committed to myself that I was going to follow a normal school day routine, even though I’d be studying on my own. I’d not be doing myself any favours, if I allowed myself long lie ins or spent all morning watching You Tube.

After getting punished for a fight he didn't start, Taylor's life has taken a turn for the weird. First it was strange dreams then it was a bizarre feeling that something isn't right. Now he's constantly cold and can't figure out why.
But these things are just the beginning of his problems.

Link: The Road to Hell Title Page and Description

--

Joss was happier than he'd ever thought possible. In the days that followed Thanksgiving, he'd started staying over at Judy's house more and more often. While he cared for the Edwards family and knew they loved him for himself, he loved Judy far more than his own mother. Once she became a licensed foster home in mid-December, Judy took over care of Joss officially, moving him from one house to the other with Joyce and Hank's blessings.

“Okay,” I whisper to myself, before taking a deep breath and focusing on the words on the page in front of me. “Doctor, what should I do with this liver?”

“Well, fry it with some onions and some beans!” Comes the reply from George, one of my fellow students.

“…It’s a transplant liver, doctor, for humans,” I say in a deadpan voice, before grimacing. “Ah, shit, sorry, that should be ‘it’s a human liver for transplant’.”

“Oh, how privileged I must be! Princess Sam finally deemed me worthy of having my phone calls returned. I am so honoured!” my Sister teased, as I called her back.

“I’m sure you’ve been sat, twiddling your thumbs, waiting for me?” I replied.

“Well, after a couple of hours of that, my thumbs got tired! So, I decided to head home from Manchester. I’ve taken the scenic route, over the Snake Pass. It was fun.”

“Oh, that’s funny. We were out for a drive in the countryside today, too. How long have you been back? I asked

I think I must have fainted. What I remember is that I opened my eyes and saw three faces looming over me. I was lying on the hotel room bed and made some squeaking noises when I tried to speak.

“Hey honey. How was your day?” my Mum called back.

I headed straight into the lounge, where my Mum was sat in the middle of the sofa, with her laptop open on her lap, and a series of papers spread on the two empty seats beside her. I took a seat in one of the adjacent armchairs.

“Great, thanks. James took us out for a drive to Broadsbury; it was really pretty.” I smiled across to my Mum.

“His car got you all the way there? Didn’t you say his door was falling off, or something?” my Mum asked, with some concern.

“Mmm. That feels good.”

We continued for at least another hour, just like we had been before we went to sleep last night. Kissing, cuddling, holding and continuing to explore each other’s bodies.

Time to think...

Link: The Road to Hell Title Page and Description

CAUTION - Highly Emotional Content

--

Living with Joss turned out to be more difficult than the pastor and his wife had believed it could be. Even though he was a boy, they realized he might find it difficult to adjust to living as a boy given his physical development. Even as Daniel drove them home, Susan noticed one major problem.

I was ready, and had been for about ten minutes. I heard the door bell, followed by muffled voices. Looking out of my bedroom window over our driveway and towards the road, I couldn’t see James’s car. Perhaps it was someone else, just dropping by at this time by coincidence.

“Sam! James is here, when you’re ready,” my Mum called up the stairs, the cue to start the two minute countdown to my first date as a girl. My nervous excitement was actually causing my body to tremble, ever so slightly. “What am I doing? What’s happened to me?” I thought.

I woke early on Saturday morning, after again struggling to get to sleep the previous night. Too many excited thoughts running though my head, from the experiences of the last few days and the anticipation for the coming evening. I got up much earlier than I would normally have on a Saturday, and very early considering how tired I had felt.

I made zero progress in putting any of my new clothes away. I had just chilled out, curled up in the single corner of my king size bed that had been kept clear of clothes. For what was probably an hour, I played on my phone. I don’t use social media, but I do watch YouTube. Lots lately. The last hour had been makeup tutorials and clothing haul reviews. I couldn’t get enough of it.

I went downstairs to get a drink, and found my Mum and Sister both in the kitchen.

Reluctant Diva 34
Inspired by Lipstick Discipline
Chapter 34 – Epilogue
That weekend was the start of a train of events that a few short months later, one week after my sixteenth birthday, led to my finding myself on the eve of the most momentous day of my life. That’s right! My wedding day!

“Mum’s home?” I said in surprise, as Claire pulled onto the driveway.

Seeing my Mum back from work before 7pm at the earliest was unusual. She was a bit of a workaholic, albeit a very successful one. As the divisional CEO of a large segment within a FTSE100 consumer goods business, the financial rewards almost matched how hard she worked. My Dad, before he died, had been the Group CFO of the same business, him and my mother having met each other at work many years ago.

“Oh, so is that another robe I’ve lost? Have you still got the black pyjamas, too?” asked my sister, across the breakfast bar in the kitchen. “I assumed you’d slept in the pink ones from last night.”

“Good morning!” I said, much more brightly than I felt. “I got into bed with them on last night, and they were far too warm. And yeah, I slept in the black set, I’ve got them on underneath now.” I loosened the robe slightly, to display the strap of the black silk pyjamas underneath. I’d not returned them after trying them on last night. You don’t mind, do you?”

“Excuse me. Sarah. Have you seen that key you gave me earlier?” I asked

Sarah looked confused, “Not since I gave it to you earlier. Why? Have you lost it?”

“I don’t think so. I left it in the keyhole, after locking it from the inside, to stop, erm…” I paused.

“Yes, to stop anyone else bursting in. Sorry again about that,” said Sarah, picking up my pause.

“Well, the room is now locked. With my other costumes in there,” I went on.

“Oh,” said Sarah, “just your costumes? Your change of clothes is still in the gymnasium?”

“Yes, Sarah.”

Instead of heading to the holding area, it was a shorter route for me to head first to the gymnasium changing rooms, and pick up my two other costumes. I therefore went in a different direction to the boys that were now likely already in the holding room, and I returned down the route I had just walked.

I took a deep breath as I peered into the full length mirror, the reflection in the mirror showed a young woman with golden blonde hair and the prettiest blue eyes I'd ever seen. That young woman was dressed in a pretty pink gown that seemed tailored to fit every curve of her body. She had a modest chest and a very curvy figure. The kind of body that reminded me of a teenage model. Her hair had been straightened a few hours before and now had a pretty pink bow on top. As I released my breath, it really dawned on me. I was that woman who's reflection I was peering at in the mirror.

It felt like Ms Greenwood and Adam had been staring at me for ages. Time had stopped moving forwards, and I was stuck in this incredibly embarrassing and uncomfortable moment. I knew this whole arrangement was going to be awkward, but I had not expected it to hit me like a brick wall.

“Right then,” said Ms Greenwood. “Sam, I can see you’re not quite ready, but Adam, are you done?”

“I was ready ages ago, Miss”, replied Adam. “Don’t understand why we had to come down here so early. I was going to pop into town after school, with the rest of the lads.”