Author:
Audience Rating:
Publication:
Genre:
Character Age:
TG Elements:
TG Themes:
Permission:
 |
I quickened my walk and within seconds was lost in her soft embrace. “Don’t worry now, sweetie, everything’s going to be fine,” she said, as she gently caressed my face and brushed her fingers through my hair. |
Vol. 5.01
“Bloody stupid newspaper!” I said as a threw the latest copy of the ‘Western Mail’1 across the breakfast table.
“Now, Celyn, don’t over react; it says some nice things about you,” my Mum responded, as she sipped her coffee and retrieved the page with the article ‘Gender Confusion in Welsh Football’.
“Listen to this,” she continued, “‘The executive committee of the Football Association of Wales was yesterday in emergency session to resolve the gender confusion after the school football match which preceded the Welsh Cup Final last month. The controversial award of the ‘man of the match’ trophy to Celyn Morus, the stunningly attractive girl who played centre forward for Ysgol Cwm Wysg2, had already led to a number of protests from the officials of the losing Ysgol Uwchradd Casnewydd3 team about a girl playing in a schoolboys’ team. However the scandal deepened when it emerged that the ‘girl’ was actually a boy who had––’”
“–Mum, that’s enough!” I interrupted crossly. “I’ve read the stupid article.”
“Yes, dear, I know it’s not a very interesting story but what do you think about this; ‘Mr Jones, the coach of the losing team further commented that in his opinion Celyn Morus would be better off pursuing a career as a model than being in a football team since she definitely has the figure’–” she paused before continuing a little dreamily, “I bet a lot of your friends will be jealous when they read that.”
“Mum, I don’t care if it says I’m the sexiest girl in the universe, which by the way is a sexist comment in a football report,” I retorted, beginning to lose patience with her, “but anyway don’t you see what they’re really saying?”
“What’s that, Celyn?” she asked.
“Read the first paragraph again. What do you think ‘resolve’ means?” I sasked angrily.
“Celyn, I’m not stupid, I know the meaning of the word. There were schools when I was young, you know,” she responded with a trace of sarcasm.
“Sorry,” I replied, a little chastened by the rebuke, “what I meant was how do you think they might resolve this with only the slightest possibility of them being criticised?”
“I’m not sure if I do, Celyn. Oh, look at the time; I have to get to work. See you later, have a good day in school and don’t worry, dear, it’s just a local issue for the press, it must be a slow news day.”
She gulped down the rest of her coffee, picked up her handbag and with a final wave made her way out of the house, got in her car and drove off.
I looked at the headline on the sports page one more time, hoping my Mother was right about it being a local issue and a slow news day, before making my way upstairs, with a sense of foreboding, to get ready for school.
Some twenty minutes later I reached the bus-stop after a brisk walk in the damp, cold November early morning darkness. A familiar car went past among the busy traffic. I raised my hand in response to Seren’s smile and greeting. Despite my break up with Sion and my preference for catching the bus in the morning I was glad that at least he had continued to give a lift to our twelve-year-old transgendered friend.
A sudden gust of cold air carried rust brown autumn leaves past where I was standing. The chill on my legs made me regret not choosing a warm pair of trousers instead of the skirt and tights I was wearing.
I looked around at my fellow pupils waiting for the bus and nodded a greeting at a few. There was an assortment of younger ones and a few of the upper years in the school. I was conscious of being at least a year or more older and being unusual in not having a lift to school. I also knew that everyone there knew about my former male identity.
I noticed a group of three 14-15 year-old boys sharing a copy of the Western Mail and I guessed, from the occasional glances in my direction, that they were engrossed in the article.
“Damn,” I muttered to myself, “everyone in school will have heard about it.”
I pulled my fleece tighter around my body and took out my iPod. I thought I might as well find some place to escape to for the rest of the journey to school.
‘Beep, beep,’
I was so engrossed in trying to decipher the lyrics of Rammstein’s ‘Ohne Dich’, using my limited knowledge of German, that I failed to notice a familiar car pulling up.
I felt a tug on my arm. I looked up to see one of the boys who had been reading the article about me trying to get my attention.
I pulled one of the ear buds out, “What’s up?”
“It’s your friends,” he replied pointing at Sion’s car parked in the bus bay about five metres away from where I was standing.
“Hey, Celyn,” said Seren through the open passenger window, “Sion wondered if you’d like a lift, you know with the stuff in the paper and everything.”
I hesitated before replying. The prospect of being in the car with its memories of the happy times I had had with my former boyfriend was quite a barrier. I glanced around and noticed I was the centre of every-one’s attention.
I decided that Sion’s car was a much better option than a potentially unsettling journey on the school bus.
“Okay,” I replied before climbing into the front seat vacated by Seren who had generously moved to the back.
“Thanks, Sion,” I said as I sat down and plugged in my seat belt, “I wasn’t looking forward to the bus at all.”
He engaged gear and slowly pulled out into the rush hour traffic, “I had the same thought. Shit article.”
“Yes, let’s not talk about it. How was your weekend, then?”
The rest of the journey to school was a pleasant escape from my worry about the consequences of the piece in the paper as Sion amused me and Seren with his account of him and his mates on a pub crawl in Cardiff. While I gave them a heavily edited report of my weekend with Amarjit, who had stayed over after our LGBT awareness day.
“See you later, Seren,” said Sion, as our young friend jumped out of the car and went off to registration4 as we pulled into the student car park some twenty minutes later.
“Yes, thanks for the lift, good luck today, Celyn,” Seren replied before disappearing into the throng of younger school children moving through the main entrance.
I felt a little strange waiting for Sion to fetch his school bag before locking the car. Only a few weeks before we would have walked into school hand in hand, our declaration of our relationship clear to everyone. Now with the changed situation between us I had to suppress my strong urge to avoid the embarrassment of making our way together into the building.
“Did you get to finish your stats assignment,” I asked trying to distract myself from my unease, as we waited a few moments for the crush of pupils to clear.
“I got stuck on question three, what about you?” Sion replied.
“I was okay with that one but the second part of question four was a bit tricky, did you get it?” I asked.
“Yes, you had to integrate and then……….”
We forgot the awkwardness as we walked into school and lost ourselves in analysing our assignment.
An hour later, I was sitting outside the headteacher’s office after being summoned from my first lesson.
After a few minutes of waiting looking around the very familiar pictures on the wall Mr Jones, the head of games, walked past. He gave me a strange smile before going in to see the Mrs Williams.
After a little while longer, during which time there were the sounds of an argument going on between the headteacher and the games teacher, I was given the nod by Mrs Nyree Thomas, the school secretary, to enter.
“I’m sorry for keeping you waiting, Celyn, please sit down,” said the headteacher with a strange expression on her face.
I lowered myself into the indicated chair in front of her desk next to Mr Jones.
“Is there a problem, Mrs Williams?” I asked, expecting the worse while hoping against hope that this meeting was unrelated to the newspaper article.
There was a pause as she looked through some papers on her desk obviously searching for the right words to begin. Eventually she looked up and I noticed what seemed to be a tear forming in her left eye.
“Yes, I’m afraid there is and I’m so sorry that this has come up, especially after the success of our LGBT event,” said Mrs Williams, “ I’m sure you’ve seen the Western Mail today.”
I nodded as my heart sank.
“Well unfortunately the bigots of the Welsh FA saw it too and it seems on some issues they are able to make decisions ultra quick. The school received a fax this morning,” she replied, “While I don’t know how many phone calls myself and Mr Jones have made to them over the last two months to get them to make a decision about letting you play for the school team in the first place”
“What did it say?”
“I’m so sorry, Celyn,” said Mr Jones, “but their fax says you can’t play either boy’s or girl’s football until they decide on your gender status.”
“That’s crazy, you and I know I am legally female, so where’s the uncertainty,” I responded angrily.
“Yes, of course, Celyn,” said Mrs Williams, “and you may have heard myself and Mr Jones disagreeing earlier about the proper course of action.”
“There’s no choice, I’m sorry, Celyn,” added Mr Jones, “If we don’t agree then they have the powers to stop us competing in any competitions for as long as they want.”
We were interrupted by the Mrs Thomas, “Excuse me, we’ve just had a fax from the Welsh Netball Association.”
Mr Jones took the piece of paper and quickly scanned it before announcing, “It’s almost word for word of the one from the FA. I’m sorry, Celyn it looks like you’re excused from games completely for a while.”
Some twenty minutes later I was walking aimlessly in the general direction of the sixth form common room. The meeting had lasted another ten minutes of fruitless discussions and argument and in the end I had left feeling despondent. The prospect of weeks or months without any sport in school was a depressing one.
I recognised two familiar voices around the corner of the corridor and quickened my pace to greet my friends. Suddenly I was stopped in my tracks by a completely unexpected comment.
“–I think I realise now that I wanted a real girl,” said the voice I recognised as being that of Sion, my former lover and best friend.
I stood still and a second later Sion and Meryl had turned the corner and were facing me.
I felt a terrible pain through my whole being, worse than the one of being rejected emotionally only a few short weeks before.
I turned and ran.
I ran along the corridor, away from the hurt, but even as I tried to escape it I could feel it burning hotter and hotter inside, consuming me with its horrific intensity.
I ran, oblivious to the startled looks on the faces I passed.
I ran, ignoring the sound of the voices shouting after me.
I ran, almost blinded by the tears welling up uncontrollably.
I ran, unaware of the heavy rain quickly thoroughly soaking me, until I couldn’t run any longer, until all the energy I had for the day and all the feelings I had for anything were completely dissipated. I ran until I didn’t care if I lived or died.
I reached the town park and threw myself down on a wet bench and let the floodgates open.
“Are you alright, Miss?” asked an unfamiliar female voice.
I looked up and recognised one of the community policewomen who patrolled the town during the day.
I felt too drained to reply.
“Come on, dear, you look like you’re soaked through. What’s your name?” she asked.
“Celyn…Celyn Morus,” I replied in almost a whisper.
“Celyn Morus–are you Haf’s daughter?” she responded.
“Yes, do you know her?”
“We went to Cwm Wysg together, although she was always in top sets,” she replied, “Come on Celyn, I think I know where you live, let me give you life home before you catch the flu. I’ve probably got a blanket in my car. I’m Pauline by the way.”
Half an hour later I was getting out of the car of the community policewoman, who to my relief had been the first person I’d met that day who hadn’t read the moronic newspaper article.
I had concocted a story about splitting with my boyfriend, in response to her questioning, as a reason for being so upset and in a way I felt I was telling the truth.
“Remember me to your Mum,” Pauline as she prepared to drive away.
“Of course and thanks again,” I replied, raising my hand in acknowledgement.
I quickly opened the door and made my way up to my bedroom.
I felt completely numb as I almost robot-like removed my sodden clothes. I dried myself and then wrapped myself in my dressing gown. I sat down in my bedroom chair and stared at the wall.
My mobile rang.
I ignored it.
The was a buzz and the opening phrase of a Rammstein song ‘We’re all living in America, America ist wunderbar. We’re all living in America, Amerika–’ to indicate a new text message.
I looked at it. It was from Amarjit,
‘You OK? Meryl told me, please phone me’
I thought about phoning and then before I could decide my own mobile rang again.
“Hey, Amarjit.”
“How are you, Celyn?”
I told her about the football and netball exclusions.
“Oh, Meryl didn’t know about that, you’ve had a baaaad day,” she replied.
“I haven’t had many worse,” I said tonelessly.
There was a pause for a few seconds.
“Listen, Celyn, I’ve got a great idea why don’t you come to London, you need time away after all these disappointments. You know my parents would love to see you again,” urged Amarjit on the phone.
“I’m not sure, I’ve got exams and––”
Ten minutes later she had persuaded me and I quickly phoned my Mum to see if she could give me lift to the station.
Three and a half hours later the train came to a halt in Paddington station in West London. I waited in my seat until the majority of the passengers on the crowded Inter City train had flowed out onto the platform and swept towards the crush of humanity waiting on the concourse.
A couple of minutes later I was walking with the last of the stragglers towards the platform exit.
I surveyed the line of waiting friends and relatives. A familiar face beamed back at me as she caught my attention.
“Hey, Celyn!” Amarjit yelled.
I quickened my walk and within seconds was lost in her soft embrace.
“Don’t worry now, sweetie, everything’s going to be fine,” she said as she gently caressed my face and brushed her fingers through my hair.
_______________________
1 Western Mail– A daily newspaper in Wales
2 Ysgol Cwm Wysg = Usk Valley School
3 Ysgol Uwchradd Casnewydd = Newport High School
4 Registration = roughly equivalent to Homeroom
End of Vol. 5.01
If you liked this post, you can leave a comment and/or a kudos!
Click the Thumbs Up! button below to leave the author a kudos:
And please, remember to comment, too! Thanks.
Comments
Welcome back Celyn!
Of course, she gets dropped right into the middle of a bunch of morons and their bigoted idiocy.
Erm, sorry, I tend to go off like that sometimes. Shows how well you write your stories Alys. :)
Thanks for continuing this tale, and I look forward to Celyn's story continuing.
Welcome Back Celyn
Hi
Thanks for your comment, I'm glad you enjoyed this little chapter :-)
Hugs
Alys
I was glad to see your opening, and closing sentences
as they framed this "I ran until I didn't care if I lived or died...I reached the town park and threw myself down on a wet bench and let the floodgates open." Amarjit of course is right when she says, "Don't worry now, sweetie, everything's going to be fine," but Celyn sadly will have to walk through all this to find that out. Thank you for a wonderful and happily continuing tale.
She was born for all the wrong reasons but grew up for all the right ones.
Tutto il mio apprezzamento, cari, Andrea
Love, Andrea Lena
Opening and closing sentences
Thanks Andrea for your lovely comment.
Getting these sentences right are so important for the impact of a story I think. Sometimes I've even decided on the last sentence before writing the actual chapter.
Hugs
Alys
Celyn
Alys; I'm glad to see your continuing this story, It's a great story. Will be waiting for the next chapter. Richard
Richard
Celyn
Hi Richard
Thanks for your comment, I'm glad you liked it, hopefully the wait until the next chapter will be a lot less.
Hugs
Alys
Talk About A Triple Whammy!
Celyn is in need of some tender loving care. Me, from the image shown, she is a very sweet young lady who I'd love to meet. She needs to meet those who don't care if she was a boy before. And she needs a friend who accepts like Amarjit does, but also needs a boy that des too. That way she has a choice in lovers.
May Your Light Forever Shine
May Your Light Forever Shine
Very rare, but in this case
I feel that I must disagree only somewhat with you, my good man. Celyn needs acceptance by new and even old acquaintances and friends for who she is, as you said. But even though she is a growing girl, I believe that last thing she needs is a lover. Time enough for romance and relationship soon, perhaps, but not now, since she has her whole life ahead of her. She might prefer a boy...or a girl, but I believe she has already the beginning of what she truly needs for the moment in Amarjit...a friend. And hopefully she will gain more friends as well.
She was born for all the wrong reasons but grew up for all the right ones.
Tutto il mio apprezzamento, cari, Andrea
Love, Andrea Lena
Friendship and support
Hi Andrea
Thanks so much for the comment. Hopefully Celyn will find help and support with Amarjit and her family and away from the complications of her old school environment and the small town where she lives.
Hugs
Alys
Glad Celyn has
Amarjit as a friend. Have to agree that a sympathic friend is what she needs the most right now. (Also looks like she needs a determined lawyer.) Glad to see another story in this series.
Triple Whammy
Hi Stanman
Thanks for the comment. You're right, Celyn has had a very rough day and does need some tlc from Amarjit. Hopefully she'll get that and more :-)
Hugs
Alys
delete
please delete
Love, Andrea Lena
I Can't Believe
That Celyn heard EVERYTHING that Sion said. He's just not like that. There must be a context that gives a different meaning. I hope so, anyway.
Mum is as maddeningly dense as ever, although it's hard to get mad at her.
You haven't lost your touch Alys. A gripping start to a new cycle.
What a shame this is posted next door to a "Changes" episode,
Joanne
Neighboring Story
I don't think it's any shame at all that this is posted next to a "Changes" episode. All it proves, at least for the moment, is that the cream rises to the top! Discerning readers will gobble up both stories with great gusto. I couldn't decide which to read first, but I wouldn't have missed this for the world.
___________________
If a picture is worth 1000 words, this is at least part of my story.
Neighbouring Story
Hi Pippa
Thanks for the comment, I'm glad you enjoyed this little chapter.
Hugs
Alys
I can't believe
Hi Joanne
Thanks for the comment I'm glad you enjoyed this chapter. As regards the posting location, as a very occasional author, these days, I am pleased to be located anywhere on the site :-) Hopefully a little more frequent postings in the future.
Hugs
Alys
Seems like these two UK
Seems like these two UK associations are just like the American NCAA. Too much power and control over student athletics lives. I foresee a very large and messy court battle regarding Celyn and her status. I especially foresee lots of rapid "back peddling" from the netball association (after a court battle) as Celyn is a female and they know it, but are refusing her to play. Wonderful story, and I still think Celyn's Mum is "way out there" in her mind and IS NOT taking care of her child. Am waiting to see what Dad does when he gets home. Jan
Two UK associations
Hi Janice
Thanks for the comment, I'm glad you enjoyed this story. I agree it is very bad how bureaucratic sports bodies make ill-judged decisions cause pain and hardship to ordinary people. It's a bit like an adult version of 'it's my ball and you can't play'.
Hugs
Alys
Welcome Back, Alys!
I've missed you and your stories. I just devoured this chapter while I ate. Mmmm. Double goodness.
You started this being very cruel to Celyn. Dang. But I look forward to seeing you make it up to her. You're good about that.
I like how you describe the awkwardness of being around Sion. It seems very real. Sion was a jerk but that's too. Unfortunately, it happens. Dang again.
Thanks very much for the new story. Please keep up the good work.
- Terry
Welcome Back
Hi Terry
Thanks for the comment, I'm glad you enjoyed this chapter. Hopefully things will improve soon for Celyn.
Hugs
Alys
Diolch
It's great to see Celyn back among us. Maybe she should get together with Susan Hurst of Melchester United.
Thanks, Alys.
Cofleidiau,
Gabi.
Gabi.
Diolch
Hi Gabi
Thanks for the comment, I hope you enjoyed this chapter.
Cofleidiau
Alys
Annwyl Alys
I ALWAYS enjoy your stories, particularly Celyn’s wonderful saga.
I have really missed your regular postings, and hope to see more TPTP very soon.
Cofleidiau,
Gabi.
Gabi.
Lovely to see
the return of Celyn, Even with all the problems she is having with certain sporting bodies, You still get the feeling that in the end the sprit which has brought her so far already, Will once again see her win through,
Top quality writing as always Alys, it's good to see you back again.
Hugs Kirri
Lovely to see
Hi Kirri
Thanks for the comment. I'm glad you enjoyed this episode. With luck things will improve for Celyn in the next few chapters.
Hugs
Alys
Yay!! Welcome Back Alys!!!
A very nice start to one of my all time favorite's on here :) I've always liked Amarjit so I'm glad to see that is where Celyn went for reassurance and comforting.
{{hugs}}
Frank
Yay!!
Hi Frank
Thanks for the comment. I'm glad you enjoyed this start to a new chapter in Celyn's (mis)adventures :-) There should be a lot more of her and Amarjit in the next few chapters.
Hugs
Alys
Thanks So MUCH!!
I'm very happy to see you have continued the story of Celyn and her journey. The others are correct her mom is sure a blockhead.
I was afraid there might not be a continuation after the success of the LGBT day.
The only problem I'm having now, is that I need to go back and reread it so the characters and events are fresh in my poor limited memory -- not that I'm complaining :-)
If there were something I could offer to encourage your muse, I'd give you two of 'em!
Hugs
Carla Ann
Thanks so much
Hi Carla
Thanks for the comment. I'm glad you enjoyed this chapter, apologies for the delay in continuing. Thanks for the offer of encouragement, it would be great if there were 25+ hours in a day so I could fit some more writing in.:-)
Hugs
Alys
Can't add much but glad to see another chapter begin
RAMI
Since I am rather late in reading this chapter of Celyn's adventures, most of what I would have said has already been said by other very capable readers.
Sion needs a swift kick and someone to teach him sensitivity.
Welcome back Alys.
RAMI
RAMI
Another chapter
Hi Rami
Thanks for your comment and the welcome back :-)
Who knows, maybe Sion will get that kick in one of the forthcoming chapters :-)
Hugs
Alys
Woohoo! Celyn is back!!!!
I can sigh with relief. One of my favorite authors is back to posting a story that I love. I was pleasently suprised to see a new edition to the Price to Pay saga.
Thanks Alys.
A.A.
Woohoo!
Hi Anistasia
Thanks for the comment. I'm glad you enjoyed this chapter. I'll have to get down to finish the next one now :-)
Hugs
Alys
Soooo Pleased To See Celyn Back
The Price To Pay has been one of my fave stories ever since you started writing it, so I was sooo happy to see a new volume has started. Please, please, pul-eeeeeease, keep up the good work on your ‘Wonderland’, Alys.
Hugs,
N.S.
Me too!
So many have said it that I neglected to add my voice to the chorus until now. I love THE PRICE TO PAY. I hope that after VOL. 5 is concluded we'll see EPISODE 10.1 appearing---Celyn as an adult---which'd mean Alys would have to fill in all the intermediate parts of this story and keep us fans happy for a long time to come. I think the gaps are good, a little time off between volumes doesn't hurt this story at all, and the discontinuous chronology adds to the fun...
~~~hugs, Laika
What borders on pure insanity?
Canada and Mexico.
.
Bailey Summers I've recently
Bailey Summers
I've recently just started reading and rereading the stories I like and this is one of the better ones out there and I love the welsh and having things translated makes it even better. I learn neat things reading these. Keep up the excellent work okay.
Bailey Summers
the price to pay vol. 5.01
I love the series although you jump around a bit between chapters it makes it hard to follow in the earlear chapters. Look foward to reading more of this story. Keep up the good work.
Love Samantha Renee Heart