I rolled over on Monday morning and swatted at my alarm clock. After I swung a few times, I finally connected with the button to make it stop it's obscene racket. I sat up and looked around. The only light in the room came from the pulsating light on the MacBook that was indicating that it was asleep and the red LED's from the clock. I was not looking forward to going to school. Normally I enjoyed school, but after spending the previous two days as Zoe, I was not looking forward to putting on the clothing that was not as soft and gentle on the skin as I would have liked. I had even picked an outfit out for Zoe's first day of school, and knowing mom, she would probably be ok with her new daughters choice. I slipped on a pair of black slacks and a maroon polo. The school didn't have a uniform, but every year someone on the school board tried to implement a uniform policy., and every year the idea was shot down by the rest of the board. I was, before saturday, hoping that they never adopted uniforms, now I was kind of hoping they did, it would eventually save me the hassle of getting dressed in the morning. As I looked at the mirror and brushed my hair out, I longed for the day when I'd be able to wear a skirt to school... I left my hair down and walked out of my room, and headed for the kitchen. Heather walked out of her room, saw Allen standing there and pouted.

"I was hoping to see Zoe..." Heather said.

"Not until I get all the papers from this Dr. Francis person." I said, following Heather down the stairs. "Then the fun will really begin. I wish that I could quit being a double agent already... Maybe I should have said something before school started in September..."

"Said something about what?" Mom asked. She had been sitting living room on her laptop sipping coffee as we came down the stairs.

"About Zoe. Although she didn't have a name until Friday night." I said, pulling two bowls out of the cupboard for us to make some oatmeal.

"She didn't?" Heather asked.

"Nope. The name came to me as I looked at my self in the mirror wearing the top and skirt." I said, placing the bowls of oat meal in the microwave. I pushed a few buttons and let the microwave nuke our oatmeal. Mom looked at the two of us.

"Zoe, if you had been a girl at birth your name would have been Courtney Anne. Your dad and I selected the names ahead of time and had told everyone. Lets just say that we didn't need the second set of names..." Mom poured some more coffee into her cup.

"Courtney... That's pretty." Heather said. I pulled the bowls of oatmeal out of the microwave and handed one to Heather, who sat it on the island and we ate standing at the island. This was normal for us as we both often finished eating with a few minutes to spare on catching our bus.

"I'll take you guys to school today. I told Bob that I'd be late today and I will be leaving early on Wednesday to come pick you up, Zoe. How do you want to go to the appointment? Chelsea, her assistant said for you to come dressed the most comfortable way for you to present, so that choice is yours." I must have given mom a look that said 'How do you think I'm the most comfortable?' Mom chuckled. "Thought so. We'll come up with a way to get you changed..." I nodded, and finished the last few bites of my oatmeal, and placed the bowl in the sink, filling it with water.

"I have the perfect outfit picked out for Zoe's first day of school." Heather gave me a look, and mom's mouth dropped. "What?"

"Zoe isn't allowed to go to school yet, and you are already picking out her clothes for her first day of school?" Heather asked. I nodded.

"Um, as your mother I get to pick out what you wear on the first day of school until you graduate as I didn't have that option for the first seven years, and you only have five left..." Mom said, causing Heather to chuckle. "Alright girls, lets get going. I have to drop you both off at school. I'm glad that the schools are close to each other." Heather and I went out and got into mom's car. Heather, by right of being the older child rode up front, and I slid into the seat behind her. What my mother nor sister knew was that I had on panties under my slacks. I could feel the satin sliding against my bottom.

#
Mom pulled up outside of Tinapple High School and looked at Heather, who smiled.

"Are you picking us up or or are we taking the bus home?" She asked. Mom looked at her.

"I will be working late, so take the bus." Mom's phone showed a text message saying that Heather was at school. I chuckled. "And Heather, remember, we're keeping Zoe under the radar, so don't tell anyone about her." Heather nodded.

"I won't." Heather said. In some ways, I had a feeling that before school was out today, someone, probably Carly, would know about my alter ego...

"Learn something today." Mom said as Heather shut the door. Mom turned to look at me. "I bet Carly knows by the end of the day..."

"Probably." I said as Mom put the car in gear and started to head toward the middle school. "Carly will keep her mouth shut though." I said. Mom glanced at me in the review mirror.

"How do you know?'

"Because I've seen her do it." I paused. "She will however, want to meet Zoe as soon as possible. There won't be any way around that with me being Zoe full time at home." Mom nodded.

"Are you ready for that?" She turned the corner back on the main street.

"As ready as I'll ever be. I've been out in public around people that I don't know, I'm not sure why being around someone I know would be any different." Mom slowed for a traffic light.

"It would be different because someone who has known you for some time might say some things that could really hurt you. Who knows what Carly will say when she meets Zoe. She might be perfectly ok with it, or she could say some really hurtful things and be downright mean to you. Which do you think will happen?"

"I predict that she will be ok with Zoe." I said confidently. I knew that some of her closet friends were lesbians, and that told me that she would be accepting of my issues. Mom pulled up in front of the middle school and turned to look at me.

"You seem happier than you have been in a while, even if you are dressed as Allen..." Mom said. "I just hope you stay that way today. Just remember that no matter what happens at school, Zoe is here, probably to stay. She can come out and play after school."

"I know." I replied grabbing the handle on the door.

"Have fun at school, and learn something today." Mom and dad both insisted that we learn something every day no matter how trivial it seemed.

"I will, Mommy. See you tonight." I said as I exited the car as gracefully as I could. I shut the door and walked into the school, happier than I had been for a while.

---

Meanwhile...

---

Heather sat in her english class, itching to tell someone about Zoe. She wouldn't see Carly for another hour or so when the pair met for lunch. She knew that there was no way she'd be able to sit on this secret for long. She was really hoping to tell Carly about her new sister. It wasn't every day that your brother ended up being your sister...

#
Heather sat next to Carly in the lunch room and Carly knew instantly that something was up.

"You're excited about something." Heather nodded. One of their other friends sat across from them. "What is it?" Heather leaned over and started whispering in Carly's ear.

"Remember on Saturday when we went to Tanglewood and I thought that I saw mom's car there?" Carly nodded, remembering. "Well mom and Allen were there, but Allen wasn't presenting as Allen." Heather paused, letting her words sink in. Carly turned to look at Heather, her green eyes wide with realization...

"Who was he presenting as?" Carly whispered in Heather's ear. Heather smiled.

"Zoe." Heather watched as a large smile spread across Carly's face. "Mom said not to tell anyone, no one really knows yet, and I'm not supposed to be telling you, so don't tell anyone..." Carly shook her head.

"I won't. I promise." Carly said. "When did you find out about him, her, whatever?'

"Saturday when I went home after we had gone to the mall. She was in the living room setting up a new iMac. There is another story to that, but not here."

"When do I get to meet Zoe?" Carly asked.

"I'm not sure. You are the only person outside of the immediate family that knows, but I would imagine that a random visit might reveal Zoe to you. She has a doctors appointment Wednesday."

#
I walked out of my last period class and I had never been happier to leave the school. The day had dragged by, and I was looking forward to getting home and out of these scratchy clothes. I swung by my locker and grabbed the books that I needed to do my homework that evening and slipped them into my backpack.I walked out of the building and into the sunshine. I got on the bus and wondered how many people Heather had told about Zoe as I waited for the bus to fill up and head toward home.

#
I was the first one home so I unlocked the door and went in the house. I went to my room and took off the clothes I had on. I hung the slacks back in my closet and pulled out a turquoise long sleeved tunic, then walking over to my dresser, I pulled out the bra that matched the panties I had on and a pair of black leggings. I changed the clothes and then opened my door. I sat at my desk and started working on my homework. Ten minutes later, I heard the front door open and then slam. I knew that Heather was home.

"Zoe! I'm home." Heather shouted.

"I heard!" I hollered back. "I'm in my room, working on homework." I heard Heather coming up the stairs. She sounded like she was being chased by a head of elephants, and it was then that I realized that my sister did not move very gracefully. She poked her head into my room.

"Changed already I see?" Heather asked. "Stand up so I can get a look at you." I stood and Heather watched me spin in a circle. "Looks good, sis." Heather grinned.

"Who did you tell?" I asked her, knowing that she had told someone. She bit her lip.

"Carly." I pursed my lips. I had told mom that Heather would tell Carly, and now I just hoped that she could keep her mouth shut.

"Mom said not to tell anyone. The majority of the world doesn't need to know Zoe yet." I said, collapsing into the chair. I had expected this so it didn't really come as a surprise, rather as a confirmation that I had been right that morning.

"Zoe, we can trust Carly." I also knew this to be true. "She wants to meet you."

"She's going to meet me eventually as she's over here almost daily and Zoe is here to stay. I can't wait to be able to go to school as Zoe and not have to worry about changing clothes when I get home to be comfortable. I don't like the way that my shirts and pants feel." Heather looked sympathetic.

"I never had any clue how hard it was for you to just get up and go to school. You've always had an interest in music and the arts, and none of the 'traditional' boy stuff. You could give a hoot less about sports, I wonder how we didn't see this coming out of left field." Heather said, sitting on my bed. "You have always gotten good grades, and your handwriting is pretty, unlike most boys handwriting..." She let the thought trail off. "I'm gonna go work on my homework. Shout if you need anything."

I smiled at Heather. It was really nice to have a sister and family that was so accepting of the struggles I was going through. There were so many people that didn't get it; that didn't understand that being gay, lesbian or transgender was not a threat to anyone. I think that everyone knew that there would be struggles ahead, but as long as we kept the secret, the struggles were minimal. Once the secret was out, I was going to need all of the allies I could get. I didn't know who they would be outside of my immediate family, but I would learn that not everyone was out to get those that were different.