Ryan felt good about how his day at school went and was full of energy as he met Christina at her locker to walk home.

"Hey babe", he said as he gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Oh hi Ryan. How was your class?"

"It was alright...", Ryan began replying when he was interrupted by a couple of his buddies.

"Whoah dude, Ryan is that you?"

"Yeah, what's up Paul?"

"You're like a miniature version of yourself. Damn, sorry about that bro. You must be like totally bummed.", Paul rudely stated.

"I'm ok I guess. I'm just taking one day at a time.", Ryan replied attemptint to stay positive.

"Well dude, if you need anything just let us know. My cousin had the virus and she is totally happy with herself now. It's wierd though cause we are not close like we used to be. She's like...well, she's like a girl now.", Paul joked as the others laughed.

"Well I'm still one of you so don't worry about us not being buds anymore. We will always be friends.", Ryan replied defensively.

"I'm sure we will but it will be different bro. We're a bunch of dudes and, well...when you become a chick it will be harder to keep that same relationship. You'll be all into makeup and dresses and stuff while we remain...men.", Paul stated point blank.

Ryan shrugged his shoulders acting like it was no big thing. His heart sunk though. He was being ostersized by his buddies.

"Ok, well let's get out of here babe", Ryan stated as he grabbed his girl's hand.

As Ryan pulled Christina away, she glared hatefully at his buddies. How could they be so cruel?

"Are you ok Ryan?", Christina asked as they walked home. He seemed so silent.

"You know something? I'm really pissed off that this is happening. Things were going so well ya know? Now everyone is looking at me different and acting all strange around me. I feel like I'm an outcast. I was one of the most popular guys in school and now look at me.", he griped.

"Look, don't kid yourself Ryan. This is going to be tough for a while, but I will be with you the whole way. There will come a time when you are happy with life again. It may just take a while. You are going through so many things right now, but I know you Ryan. You will come out of this the best way possible.", Christina said in an encouraging tone. She had to stay upbeat even though his change was killing her. He was her love & her life, but it would all be over soon. The boy she was adored was becomming female.

"I guess.", Ryan replied, "So I met a kid in the class today who has had the first fever like me. I told him that I was going to beat this thing and even got him buy into what I was saying. Am I being unrealistic here Christina?", he asked.

"Ryan, look at yourself. You have already changed. You can't deny that sweety. I don't want to be a downer, but I feel like you need a dose of reality here. You are becomming a woman and that's that. It has always been your destiny babe, you just didn't realize it until now. Just try and relax a little and let it happen.", She tried to suggest.

"Yeah, that kind of makes sense I guess.Maybe I'm just panicking.", Ryan replied.

What?!? That makes sense??? No it doesn't! But it kind of did. Ryan grew concerned with how he could suddenly become "ok" with these things happening to him. He was well aware of how adamantly opposed to the changes he was just minutes ago, but how he didn't seem so to mind them so much. Damn. He had to snap out of it.

"Look, can we not talk about this anymore?", Ryan pleaded. Christina changed the subject and they finished their walk home.

The rest of the day actually went ok. Ryan's brother and sister seemed a little awkward around him, but all in all it was life as usual. They didn't run away or anything when he entered the room. His mom spent hours looking up everything there was to know about the virus and she seemed to be very ok and knowledgable with his condition now. She had decided to approach his condition with optimism and open arms.

"Ryan, did you know that the actress Ashley Tysdale had the virus? There are so many women out there that I had no idea have the condition. I saved the link if you wanted to look.", she stated.

"Mom, first of all, I hate those movies that she is in. Did the virus make her a bad actress as well?", he joked. "I may look it up some day, but I'm really not that curious."

"Ok. Well it is there for you when you want it.", She explained.

"How's dad doing?", Ryan asked. He knew his dad was taking this hard, but he wasn't used to getting the cold shoulder.

"He just needs some time Ryan. He loves you very much, but he is having a very hard time dealing with all of this. He will come around sweety.", his mother said with sadness in her voice. She knew how close Ryan was with his father and his sudden absence in Ryan's life could not have come at a worse time. He needed all the support he could right now.

"Where is he?", Ryan asked.

His mother began crying.

"You father has moved out for the time being. I'm so sorry sweety...", she sobbed as she gave Ryan a huge hug.

Ryan was speechless. His dad abandoned not only him, but his entire family?

"He left? Where did he go?", Ryan asked in a stunned manner.

"He has moved in with his cousin Paul. He left this morning. I haven't told your brother and sister yet. Listen though, we are going to be ok. We will be fine baby.", she said in her most convincing voice. She was livid at her husband for how he was behaving, but her main focus right now was her soon to be daughter. She had to make this transition as stress free as possible.

The two hugged and shared a moment, then broke the news to the others.