Jubal: Another Beginning
Copyright  © 2011 Faeriemage
All Rights Reserved.
Griffin Academy High will never be the same

"Has anyone else had that Jubal kid in class already?" Mrs. Finks sounded tired and exasperated.

9^th grade honors English was supposed to be an easy course to teach. That is why she taught it every year. All those young, self conscious ,minds to fill with her folderol and whatnot.

Not Jubal. Never Jubal.

it felt as thought about the only thing he didn't cal her on was her name, which he assumed, rightly, that she knew.

It would have been ok if he'd been wrong, but no, he was right in every point, from pronunciation to grammar, that he'd called her on.

"He's a dear sweat boy. Very attentive in AP biology, and he seems to want to learn." Mr. Andrews was one of the more pleasant teachers in the science wing.

"He's taking AP Biology too? I figured he was smart, as he was a freshman in AP Chemistry, but dang." Mr. Nozawa commented.

"I worry about him in P.E. Some of the other boys noticed his physical peculiarity, so I'm having him change in my office for the rest of the year. Boy can sure run though." Mr. Brats was also the track coach.

"He questioned everything I had to say. . .and what physical peculiarity?"

"Oh, hadn't you heard? He's intersexed. What that means is he's a hermaphrodite apparently. Got both down there."

"What's he doing in a boys PE class then?!" Mrs. Finks was incensed.

"Would you want him in with the girls either?"

She considered it for a moment, and then shook her head. "It would be just as disruptive, but having a girl change in your office, even if it is Jubal. . ."

"Look, you know that the only place in my office that doesn't have a camera on it is my personal shower and changing area. I'm covered 24-7. I don't like it, but it's for my protection as well as the kids. I just make like a good little boy and stay in camera while he changes and there are no worries."

"You know, if he wasn't only seven years old, we'd be less likely to even be having this conversation. You would take less offense at a thirteen year old know it all than you are at an seven year old one."

Mrs. Finks got a strange look on her face, "How does that even work? I mean, how can he literally have both?"

"I haven't examined him, and I'm not his doctor so I would never do such a thing, but chances are, if he's not sterile, then he only has the gonads of one gender or the other. With a vaginal canal, likely that means he, or more likely she, has ovaries and no testes. Like I said, however, I don't know. There is so much about human sexual development that we still don't know." Mr. Andrews had been a GP before he retired to teach high school. A lot of his colleagues thought he was crazy and that he should have become a professor in a medical school. Then Dr. Andrews had said that he wanted to deal with people who were more mature.

Mrs. Finks was calming down, realizing that there was more to this child than she'd originally thought. Two AP classes and honors English. Maybe she should consider herself lucky to have him in her class.

***
Jubal collapsed at the table next to George and Katie. At least this semester they had the same lunch period. His book bag was dropped to the floor, and his food tray put on the table.

George quickly let go of Katie's hand.

"Guys, I wouldn't be bothered even if you were making out at the table, just as long as you keep your clothes on while I'm around."

Katie blushed, and George sheepishly picked her hand back up.

" I take it you not really listening to your parent's advice about dating any more, George?"

"Well. . ."

"George and I are just hanging out at school."

"Even if you never go on an official date, if you're focusing your attention on one another you are courting, which in the more current vernacular is dating."

George laughed at this. "Dude, you know the way to suck the mystery out of everything."

"You know me, dispelling myths and rumors at every turn. And causing some of my own."

"What are you talking about?"

"Apparently I was born a girl, and I'm on serious testosterone shots which gives me a chubby."

"What are you talking about?"

"I was in P.E. this morning."

"And?" George asked.

Katie blushed, "You took off your underwear and bent over at some point didn't you?"

It was Jubal's turn to blush. "I wasn't even thinking. I accidentally dropped my underwear I was changing into on the floor, and I bent over instead of crouching down."

"I'm so sorry, Jubal."

"It's ok. I get to change in coaches office, and I'm more comfortable with a private shower anyway."

Katie blushed bright red and looked away from Jubal.

"Katie, what's up?"

Katie just shook her head.

"Come on, Katie, we're friends here, right?"

"Well, they have a point. I mean does your," she got really quiet when she said it, "penis even work?"

"Yes, my urethra goes all the way to the end of my penis."

Katie went scarlet and hid her face in her hands.

"I shouldn't have said anything."

"No, it's alright, Jubal. It's been really bothering me since you came to school as Marie. You just seemed so. . .natural and I wondered if maybe. . ."

Jubal smiled at this. "Maybe I am more Marie than Jubal. Who really knows? I'm just glad I have more than four years to decide which one I want to be."

"Just promise me that you two will stay my friends no matter what, Okay?"

"Jubal, or Marie, I'm always your friend." Katie said.

"Me too. I owe you too much otherwise."

"He look everyone, it's the amazing boy-girl. And it's even got a girlfriend AND a boyfriend."

George was what some would call an early bloomer. He was already six foot tall at thirteen and he weighed just under two-hundred pound. He'd been working out a lot over the summer and very little of his weight was due to fat.

He was looking the other freshman in the eye while sitting down. He decided to stand.

"I believe that you owe Jubal an apology. He prefers to be called a boy. The proper gender pronoun is he."

George had a secret love for choir. He had private voice lessons every Thursday. His voice coach often told him that he'd never need a microphone if he chose to sing a solo.

He proved it now.

The entire cafeteria quieted down, and all eyes turned to him. Realizing that he was the center of attention, the freshman began to slink away.

"Stop, did I say you could leave?"

The freshman froze in fear. He slowly shook his head.

"I think you owe Jubal an apology."

"But I saw its pussy!"

Jubal and Katie turned bright red, and George glowered.

"I've told you what the proper form of address is."

The freshman gained courage from somewhere as he looked around. He knew the policy for fighting as well as anyone else here. He might have to take a few hits, but George would be suspended.

He got a smile on his face, "what, pansy-boy? Maybe c@#$ 'n d%$#?"

A couple of the girls gasped, and some of the older boys started to get to their feet. A lot of people might have agreed that Jubal was weird, but the kid was obviously taunting George and even they didn't approve of his language at the moment.

"I need a couple of witnesses to this boys language to come with me please."

George picked the kid up by the back of his shirt and began walking down the hall toward the teacher's lounge. The kid would be lucky if he weighed even ninety pounds soaking wet. George carried him as if he were nothing.

"Put me down you oaf."

George walked right into the sanctum-sanctorum followed by five or six other students.

Coach Hensen looked away from the discussion of Jubal at the other end of the room to see the students enter.

"George, what are you doing? You know if you get suspended for bullying you can't join the team."

"Actually, sir, I was bringing this fellow frosh because he has something to confess."

The teens behind George nodded.

Coach Hensen turned toward the terrified boy.

"Well, spit it out."

George began to prompt, "Say, I was."

"I was. . ."

"hazing."

"hazing. . ."

"You know the rest."

"Jubal."

The teachers at the other end of he room had noticed the students at this point and wandered over to see what was happening.

"You were bullying?" Mr. Nozawa asked. He recognized the face from his other morning AP chemistry class.

The freshman nodded, but Mr. Nozawa looked at George. "This isn't some sort of prank, is it. Bullying a kid into confessing he's bullying someone else?"

One of the other teens stepped forward.

"No, Mr. Nozawa. The other five of us witnessed most of what went on. The freshman used some crude epithets referring to Jubal, and then tried to taunt the tall freshman into hitting him."

"Does everyone know who Jubal is already?" Mrs. Finks asked.

"Just the student body council."

"Oh, that's right, Piers, you're the student body president this year."

Piers, the one who'd been speaking simply smiled and gave a nod of his head.

"We'll take care of this. Why don't the rest of you head on back to class, or lunch, or wherever you were before this happened."

"Thank you, Mr. Andrews."

The boy, whose name was Lance Goeing, looked around him in fear. He'd thought to make an impression on some of the other kids and maybe get in with the popular crowd, but somehow he misread the situation. Jubal was a freak, and the popular kids were supposed to pick on him, right?

Mr. Nozawa glanced at his class roster quickly and then turned toward the boy, "Lance, you're in my AP chemistry class. Why did you do this? You must be smarter than this."

"I don't know."

"Lance we've got no choice in the matter," Mrs. Finks said, "we have to suspend you for a week."

"What!?"

"During orientation yesterday, they explained the policy on hazing, didn't they?"

"Yes."

"What is the policy?"

"First offense: one week suspension and banning from all extracurricular activities for the rest of the school year. Second offense: expulsion."

"So, you see what we have to do. I'm sorry, Lance, but you know the policy."

"But it's so stupid. bullying happens in high schools. A silly policy can't stop it!"

Coach Hensen look over at the boy, his anger only slightly held in check.

"Two years ago, this school believed what you did. Two years ago, hazing and bullying happened on a regular basis. Sure, they would suspend kids, but nothing ever really came of it because the kids who got suspended blamed the person they'd been bullying and it would get worse.

"Two years ago, my own daughter started coming to school here. She was afraid how people would treat her because she wasn't born my daughter.

"People found out, as people always do. There was harassment and name calling. Then, something seemed to change. The captain of the football team asked her to prom.

"She was so happy, and her mom and I were so proud. She had the most beautiful dress."

Coach Hansen began to cry remembering what had happened

Mrs. Finks finished it for him.

"They striped her naked and dumped her in front of the hotel where the prom was taking place. It's grand ballroom. She was mortified and crying and trying to get away, find some refuge. Likely to call her parents. She was hit by a car and killed instantly."

Lance was white, and shaking a bit. "Why did you tell me this?"

"Because you have to know. Hazing can't be permitted. For two years, we have had almost no bullying. For two years, the students have policed themselves. In two more years it will begin to go back to the way it was unless people remember the cost of a little harmless hazing," Coach Hansen spit out the word harmless like it was filthy.

Mrs. Finks looked sadly at the boys, but there was no leeway here. There could not be. "You will sit in the security room until your parents arrive to take you home."

***
Jubal and Katie sat on the benches cheering George on. He was the only one with his own cheer section.

"Eades, you're up next!"

At hearing his name called, Jubal and Katie yelled, "Go, George!"

They were doing running drills, checking the speed of each person going out for wide receiver. George was going out for whatever they felt he could do. He'd never really played football before, but he really wanted to belong to a team, and this one seemed to be what he was best fitted for.

"Go!"

And he was off and running. They had them running half the length of the football field, about 50 yards.

George had already stopped and turned around before the person he'd been running against showed up. The other guy was breathing a bit hard, but it wasn't enough to even really get George's heart rate up.

"Samuels, get over here."

"Right away, Coach."

"Eades, back here at the start."

Samuels was the state all-star pick wide receiver from last year. He was on the varsity team already, of course. Tryouts for last year's team were almost a formality.

"No holding back, either of you. . .Go."

George took off. He ran full out, but Samuels was just a bit faster. His smile faded at being put against the varsity player, because he'd failed to beat him.

"Dagnabit, Samuels, I told you to run full out!"

"I did, Coach. Honest. Eades here is too damn fast for me."

"Wha. . ? But you beat me across the line!"

"And you're a freshman. I should have been able to smoke you."

A smile began to grow on Georges face.

"You'll find out for sure when I post the cut, Eades. I've seen what I want to see. You can take your cheering section and go home. Good job."

***
The first cut appeared outside the locker room the next day. All of the hopefuls looked over the list, most disappointed, a few ecstatic. George stood back a bit as the crowd thinned. He heard a 'congratulations' here or there, and got a few pats on the back, so his hope was trying to get away from him, but he kept a lid on it.

Finally, he was one of the last ones there, and he began looking over the list. He got through the fifty unassigned players, and his name wasn't there.

Then it was the Freshman team, his name wasn't there, and his hope ratcheted up a notch. He almost skipped over the Sophomore team, but he looked through it anyway. Nope not there.

JV, he had to have made the JV team! He scanned the list, but didn't see his name there. He began to panic a bit and looked through it again. He wasn't there. What had he done wrong?

In despair he began looking over the varsity list. First string, nope. He knew the names there though. Second string, a little more sparse than first string, but likely some of the unassigned players would end up there. His name wasn't among them.

Second name on the third string list: George Eades

His jaw dropped. Sure, it was third string, but he was on the varsity football team. As a freshman.

"So, I take it you made the team?" Jubal had walked up to go to his P.E. class George stood there dumbfounded.

"I made varsity. Sure, I might not get to play much this year, but I made varsity."

"That's great, George. I'm so happy for you."

"I blame you for this."

"Me? Why me?"

"Remember when we started running at the beginning of the summer?"

"Yeah, you were so slow. You had no endurance, and I had to slow down to let you keep up." Jubal laughed at the memory.

"I wasn't going to be out done by a shrimp like you, especially if I wanted to be on the football team. I never told you, but I started running morning and evening three days a week, in addition to our run Saturday mornings."

"Really?"

George chuckled, "Yep. I needed to beat you, and so I looked into the best way to do that online. Sprinting, running with weights, you name it, I tried it. By the time I was done, I could smoke you easily, so I was able to let you run at the speed you wanted to."

"Yeah, I wondered about that. You improved so quickly. I just thought it was being a teenager and going through puberty."

They both laughed at this, and Jubal went into the locker room to change out for P.E.

George went to his economics class at the other end of the building.

***
October had brought a chill with it, and the students and parents in the stands were bundled up against it. The air felt like snow, but none was falling yet.

Jubal and Katie sat next to each other under a blanket for warmth.

George had been moved to second string shortly after the begin of regular season play. One of their first string wide receivers had taken a brutal hit in the first game, and was down for the rest of the season if he ever wanted to play again. They'd moved the better of the two second string wide receivers to first, and George took the newly vacated spot.

He'd hadn't been put in, yet, though. Samuels was a machine, and Franklin was only slightly less.

He looked into the stands to where Jubal and his girlfriend sat huddled. If they thought the stands were cold. . .He was wearing two sweat shirts under his jersey which made him look bulkier than normal. Most of the other guys on the bench did too.

"Tell Helper than we're doing 46a this time. Let's add a little variety into the mix."

The 46s as the team called them were razzle-dazzle plays. Gimmicks. They were designed not so much to be effective, as to confuse the other team, and have them waiting for the other shoe to drop.

This one called for a lot of backfield movement, and a face to the left by both wide receivers. Then, just before the ball was passed, the left WR would pass behind the defenders and get into position of a pass that wasn't even thrown to him.

Yeah, it's one of those plays that only ever really work in the movies, but when you pull it off through sheer luck, the other team doesn't know what hit them.

Since it was first down, Coach Hansen thought it would be a good idea. Worst that could happen would be a fumble inside the defending twenty.

Best that could happen?

The audible was called, and the ball was into the quarterbacks hands. Samuels was off like a rocket and down field waiting for Franklin to catch up. The defenders converged on the two of them. Franklin shot forward as if going for the end zone, and Samuels stuck with him a couple of steps before doubling back and then running across to the other side of the field just as the ball left the quarter backs fingers.

Time seemed to slow down for George as he watched the ball seem to hover there in mid air for a moment or two before dropping right into Samuels hands.

No one saw the defender that crashed into Samuels like a freight train until it was too late. The sound of bone breaking could be heard across the field.

Coach Hensen was onto the field and racing after the ref.

The EMTs were close behind.

They strapped Samuels down to the back board and carried him off the field.

Coach Hensen ran over to where George was sitting.

"Kowalski is out sick. Eades, you're in for Samuels."

George wasn't responsible for a single touchdown the rest of the season, but he was responsible for three hundred yards worth of their passing statistic.

***
"But, I haven't asked anyone!" Jubal was a bit concerned. Everyone was ganging up on him about the Winter Dance.

Mama Joey looked at him, "I know you're only eight, Jubal, but this is part of the experience of high school, and like it or not, you are part of high school. I don't expect you to date, and I'm kind of glad you aren't But you really should at least go stag to these dances. See what they're about. Be a part of high school, not just attending."

"Yeah, Jubal. Officially George and I are just attending the dance in the same group. With you there we aren't lying to George's parents."

George blushed a bit at this.

"I want you there, Jubal, and Amanda Phillips is going stag, that I know for sure."

"Who's Amanda Phillips?"

"The cutest little freshman you ever saw."

"She is adorable," Katie said, "and also the second youngest person in our class. She turns twelve in march."

"And Jubal has the sweetest little crush on her that of course EVERYONE knows about."

"Shut up, Guys!" Jubal said as he blushed scarlet.

"Well, if Amanda is going to be there."

Mama Joey didn't figure it would really go anywhere, but at least it would be an experience for Jubal, and he needed all of those he could get. He was already more social than most of the truly genius children she'd met through the course of her work, and she intended to make sure he stayed ahead of the curve.

"So, are we getting you a suit, or a dress, Jubal."

George was a bit surprised that it took Jubal a moment or two to answer. "I don't think I'm ready to try going out as Marie again just yet, so I'll go in a suit."

Katie smiled at him, "you mean Marie might come back and visit us at school again?" She was almost bouncing with anticipation.

Jubal blushed, and nodded slightly. "Probably not this school year, but maybe."

"Well, we have a couple of weeks before the dance, so we might as well get you fitted for a suit. I can at least give you that much."

Jubal threw his arms around the big black woman, "thank you, Mama Joey."

"Any time, baby."

***
Lance was getting more and more angry by the day. Nothing that they did was strictly speaking hazing, or what was hazing, no one ever saw who did it.

Someone passing him in the hall would 'accidentally' bump his arm and send his books flying. Soap was put into his jock strap for gym. His locker was pried open.

He was so focused that he almost missed the foot thrown in front to trip him.

"That's enough! Leave him alone, guys. He deserves this about as much as I did at the beginning of the year."

Jubal's light piping voice cut through the hubbub of the students in the hall, and it quieted down a bit.

"You okay, Lance?"

Lance nodded mutely, seeing Jubal for the first time. Somehow he never noticed how refined the child's features were. He hadn't been lying earlier when he said that he saw it all, either.

In other words it wasn't hard for Lance to see Jubal as a girl, and he felt something in him click.

Jubal looked at the much older crowd who were staring at him.

"Guys, what you're doing is worse than what he did to me, because none of you will stand up for him. Stop it, please? He did something stupid at the beginning of the year. I forgave him even before George carted him off, don't you think you all can forgive him this long after?"

There were a few sheepish looks, and some ugly glances in Lance's direction, but all in all everything seemed to be moving on.

"Hey, Lance, I think it might be a good idea for you to eat lunch with us for the next couple of days."

Lance nodded mutely, still unsure where all of this was going.

***
What had started out at the beginning of the year as Katie, George and Jubal had grown to cover almost a quarter of the lunchroom. A few of the football players would rush to the lunchroom after their last class of the morning and would arrange the tables into a hollow circle. Seventy-five seats ran along that large circular table, both inside and out.

It sort of started being called King George's round table. Even Jubal wouldn't accept that honor.

At one end, an opening was left to allow easy access to the seating in the center of the circle. George's seat was opposite the opening.

Jubal, Katie, and George were already seated when Lance sheepishly walked up to them.

"Lance, you made it!" Katie said as she jumped up and gave him a hug. "Here, sit next to me."

He smiled and sat. Slowly they dragged him into their conversation, and he promised to come sit with them again tomorrow.

***
"You look so handsome," Mama Joey said, as she took yet another photograph of Katie, George, and Jubal.

"I think it's Katie who looks the best, Mama Joey."

"Yeah, I have to agree on that one," George added.

Katie blushed, and Mama Joey made sure to get a picture of her at that moment. She had a really pretty blush.

A car horn sounded from outside, and George glanced at his watch, "I think my dad is getting antsy."

"Have fun, kids."

Mama Joey took another couple of photographs as they walked out the door.

She headed up to the room they'd converted to a study to upload them to her computer.

***
The gym was decked out in streamers and fake plastic icicles. The lighting was white and blue, and it was a magical place to Jubal's eyes. They presented their tickets at the counter and the three of them were photographed together.

Then they were off into the gym with the rest of the students.

Jubal went to sit down, but Amanda cane up to him. "Jubal, hi!"

"Hi, Amanda. So, you came after all."

"Yes, I came."

She stood there, a little nervously, glancing toward the dance floor.

George walked up behind Jubal and whispered in his ear. "She wants you to ask her to dance."

"Oh. . .OH! Amanda, would you like to dance?"

"I'd love to!"

And Jubal was off and dancing. Sure, he lacked a little coordination, but no more than any of the other young boys.

As soon as he escorted Amanda to a seat, another girl came up and started talking to her. He recognized the signals this time, and took her out to the dance floor. After that was another girl, and then Katie, and then Amanda again, and then another new girl.

Every dace he seemed to be out with someone new. Even a few of the senior girls danced with him. It was just a good time for everyone until the DJ announced the last dance of the evening.

Lance walked up to him. "Hey, Jubal."

"Hey, Lance."

"So, um, would you like to dance?"

Jubal was floored, and didn't know what to say. His heart fluttered, and he flushed.

Katie came to his rescue this time, whispering, "It's considered polite to say yes."

Jubal blushed even harder and all he could do was nod.

Lance led him out onto the dance floor, and the entire song passed by in a flash.

This time it was Lance who led him back to the side where Katie was massaging her tired feet. She'd worn heels.

"Thank you for dancing with me."

"You're welcome, Lance."

Amanda walked up just as Lance was walking out of earshot.

"I think someone has a crush on Lance."

Jubal blushed furiously, and everyone around laughed.

Jubal was confused by what he was feeling, and needed some time with his therapist to work through it.