But no voice could be heard on the other end, just heavy breathing. She listened for a moment, in case they had a mouth full of food or something, then hung the phone up. “Weird.” She stated and went back to her book. A few moments later, the phone rang again. She looked at it as she considered if she really wanted to pick it up. There was a good chance that her mother could be calling, she picked it up once more. “Hello? Patterson's residence.”

The person on the other end breathed heavily again. “Okay, this isn't funny.” Tracy said into the phone. "Either say something or don't call. So what do you want?”

It was quiet for a moment or two, then a voice spoke. It seemed to be a teen's voice, possibly older, one she didn't know. “I know.” Was all it said.

Thanks to Djkauf who did the editing

Back with more Tracy.

January 15th 1983

Tracy was glad the first two weeks of school was over. She had counted the days on the calender to see how long till Easter break. It would be her first big chance to get rid of Troy, for at least a week straight. She was moving faster, but was still waiting for the doctor's approval to go back to her Tai chi class.

She sat on the couch, wearing her nicest skirt as she read one of the books she got at Christmas, while she waited for Mary Beth and Emily May to show up. They had wanted to come the week before, but family obligations had gotten in the way, so they were making up for it. She had begged for her grandmother to let her put off her chores for a day, just so she could hang out with girls her age. She knew there would be more work the next day, but she didn't care. Sage and her other friends were set to call later in the afternoon, so she'd have all her friends to talk to.

She was halfway though a chapter when there was a knock at the door. Her brother was off helping her grandfather with Jerry Rivers and her father. Her mother was in the kitchen working on a jigsaw puzzle. So Tracy got up and went to the door and she opened it a crack. When she saw it was the two sisters, she opened the door wider and stepped out and hugged Emily May, then Mary Beth.

“Come on in!” Tracy said as she gestured to the door. “Can you stay long?”

“We got a couple hours.” Emily replied. “We couldn't tell Dad where we were going, so he thinks we're at the park.”

“Oh cool.” Tracy replied.

Maggie had got up from the kitchen table and went to the doorway. “Oh girls, I'm not sure if I feel comfortable with you lying to your parents to be here.”

“But if we told our Dad where we are, he'd ask questions. He won't like Tracy, I know that for sure.” Emily May said as she walked over to Maggie. “We want to hang out, but we can't tell him about Troy, or Tracy.”

“Please, Mom.” Tracy pleaded.

Maggie sighed. “Okay. For today I'll allow it. Next time we'll have to figure something else out, okay? If he finds out you've been lying, you could get in big trouble and I don't need any of that trouble.”

“Okay, Ma’am.” Emily May and Mary Beth both replied.

“Let me know when you need to take off and I can help get you home, if you want.” Maggie said as she went back to her puzzle.

“We will. Thank you, Ma'am.”

“Mrs. Patterson will be fine, girls.” Maggie said as she sat down. “Let me know if you get hungry, too.”

“We will, Mom.” Tracy smiled at her, then led the girls to her bedroom.

~o~O~o~

Clark had waited patiently. He didn't want to, but Bruce insisted that he needed proof of Troy in girls clothes at the Patterson house. So he had spent a couple days in the rain, walking over to Troy's house, till his determination had paid off. He was shocked to see Mary Beth and Emily May at the house. His mother knew the girl's father. And Clark knew, that their father would throw a fit with who they were hanging out with. Clark watched her closely, hands gripping the camera.

He managed to snap a couple of pictures before he decided that it was time to go home. He had fought the urge to just run over and beat Troy senseless. But he knew Troy's time was coming. The more he thought about Bruce's plan, the better it sounded. He needed the proof before the school would turn against him.

~o~O~o~

January 19h 1983

Tracy was enjoying the peace and quiet of an empty house. Her mother was working, which she normally didn't do on Friday, but she was offered the overtime and she took it. Her father was off at work and wouldn't be home for a little bit more. Vance was at a Basketball game for the school and Tracy had decided to just lie about the house and relax.

Dinner was already in the oven and she had the timers set so she didn't burn it. Now was just the waiting. She was halfway though a chapter when the phone rang, causing her to jump. She glared at the phone for scaring her, but it only rang again. She reached over and picked it up. “Patterson's.”

But no voice could be heard on the other end, just heavy breathing. She listened for a moment, in case they had a mouth full of food or something, then hung the phone up. “Weird.” She stated and went back to her book. A few moments later, the phone rang again. She looked at it as she considered if she really wanted to pick it up. There was a good chance that her mother could be calling, she picked it up once more. “Hello? Patterson's residence.”

The person on the other end breathed heavily again. “Okay, this isn't funny.” Tracy said into the phone. "Either say something or don't call. So what do you want?”

It was quiet for a moment or two, then a voice spoke. It seemed to be a teen's voice, possibly older, one she didn't know. “I know.” Was all it said.

“Um...” Tracy raised an eyebrow, wondering if it were just a prank. “That's nice.” Then she hung up. She watched the phone for a moment or two, but it didn't ring again. She sat back in the couch and just looked at the phone, wondering what it had been about.

Her contemplation was interrupted by two things. The sound of her mother pulling into the driveway and the sound of one of her timers going off in the kitchen.

As she was setting a pot on the stove to cook some vegetables, her mother came in. “Hello sweetie. How was school?”

“It was bad.” Tracy replied. She looked at her mother for a moment and sighed. “Why can't I just be me there?”

“Baby, I'd love to show off my daughter, but you know how people can be. Look at how Bruce acted. We don't need you getting attacked over being you.”

“I know. It just su...” she paused as she almost swore, her mother was looking straight at her with an eyebrow raised. “...stupid.” She continued. “It's all stupid.”

“Nice save.” Maggie replied. “I know it's not what you want, but sometimes we have to do things we hate to get the things we want.”

“Yeah.” Tracy agreed.

“Anything else happen today?” Maggie asked.

“Test for math and English.” Tracy looked up at her mother for a moment. “Plus got a weird call a few minutes ago. All they said was 'I know' and breathed really heavy.”

“Weird.” Maggie thought about what someone could know. "No other calls?”

“No.” Tracy replied.

In typical mother fashion, something gnawed at the back of her mind about the phone call. She wasn't sure what, but it seemed like something that could be unsafe for her child. “Tell you what, keep an eye out, if something seems fishy, don't hesitate to call your grandfather.”

“I will.”

“Good. Let me change and I'll help with dinner. Your father should be getting your brother anytime now.”

“Cool. Thanks, Mom.”

~o~O~o~

January 21st 1983

It was just after one in the afternoon, so the doctor's office was only partly busy, but once again, Maggie had parked behind the building and they used the back door to come in. Troy had been pulled from school early for his final check up from the doctor who oversaw his surgery. After that they had a three hour drive to Livermore to see the therapist.

Maggie had suggested that he do the same maneuver as last time. So a few moments earlier, after getting a clean bill of health, Troy had entered the public women's restroom in the office complex. But it was Tracy's heart that was pounding for the walk to the car. The fear of someone coming over to them and being someone who knew them was driving her crazy with fear.

Her mother unlocked the car and Tracy slid in and scrunched down so no one could see her. As Maggie started the car, she glanced at her daughter before putting the car in gear. “Three choices, kiddo. Burger King, Or McDonald’s. Or we eat somewhere in Marysville?”

“Marysville.” Tracy replied.

“Hey, they have that Ma and Pa place you like. Let's give that a try.” Maggie suggested.

Tracy's eyes lit up. “Please?” She quickly hopped into the backseat and switched out of her pants and into a skirt, then jumped into the passenger seat.

“Okay.” Maggie pulled out of the lot and onto the main road that lead to the highway. “I got you a change of clothes in the back. It's with my overnight bag too. I also pulled your diary. Hope that's okay.”

“Oh, I forgot about that.” Tracy sat up a bit as they passed through town. “So, are we just staying tonight down there?”

“For now, yeah. I know the girls are expecting you at Persephone's for the night.” Maggie replied.

“Cool.” Tracy reached behind her mothers seat and pulled open her backpack and grabbed one of her school books.

“Doing homework?” Maggie asked.

“Yep. I wanna spend all the time with my friends that I can.” Tracy answered.

“Sounds like a plan.” Maggie stated as she turned on the radio. “I'll warn you when we're near Paulie's burgers.”

“Cool, thanks Mom.”

~o~O~o~

Tracy was nose deep in her English book, waiting for her turn to see the doctor. She had torn through most of her homework on the drive down. There was just a few more pages to go and then she'd be finished. She needed to be finished, that way she didn't have to do it on the way home.

She was only partly away that someone had sat down on her other side. They had been sitting there for a few minutes now, but Tracy wanted to get the school work finished, so she ignored them. As the minutes passed, the person began to be more annoying. She knew this from the loud smacking they made as they chewed their gum and the heavy breathing they made through their nose.

Tracy still ignored it. She brought the schoolbook closer to her face and ground her teeth. But the smacking of gum got louder as the person next to her leaned over. Then a hand holding a piece of paper began moving across her line of site as she tried to read. Tracy whipped her head up and glared at the person next to her. “Please, can you leave me alone! I need to finish this!” She snapped.

Sage gave her a huge smile and she leaned closer and smacked her gum once more. “Sorry. Rachel dared me to do it.”

Tracy let out a squeal, then shoved her book out of her lap and jumped into Sage's arms. Rachel leaned around Sage and shook her head. “No, I didn't. I only said it would be funny if she did it.”

Tracy scrambled out of Sage's arms and to her feet, then she went and gave Rachel a hug. “What are you both doing here?” She looked around to see Rachel and Sage's mothers just coming into the office. Her own mother was in the process of picking up her daughter’s notebook before it got stepped on.

“Well, Mom figured we could be here for emotional support. Plus we talk to you on the weekends so we may help out, or something like that.” Sage said.

“Persephone called me yesterday.” Maggie said with a smile as she got up to trade hugs with the other mothers. “We're all banding together to help you out.”

Doctor Ivan, as the girls called him, walked over to them. “Mrs. Patterson.” He held out a hand to Maggie, who accepted it. Then he looked at Tracy. “Young Miss Patterson.” He held his hand out to her and she shook it as well.

Then he looked at Sage and raised an eyebrow. “Miss Miller? Or should I call you trouble today?”

“Just a little fun.” Sage said as she stood up. “Is it Tracy's turn?”

“It is, but I want to talk to her mother first, if that's okay.”

Maggie nodded. “Sure.”

“Could we come in?” Persephone asked. “We've been keeping tabs on the girls and their talks. We may have knowledge Maggie doesn't.”

“I'll call you in a few, okay?”

“That's fine.” Persephone said as she took the seat Maggie had vacated.

“Plus that gives someone the chance to finish her homework.” He said, smiling at Tracy. “And you can make sure they don't bug her too much.”

“Thanks.” Tracy replied as her mother handed her the notebook she had dropped.

~o~O~o~

Maggie followed the doctor back to his office and took the seat across from his. He sat down and smiled at her. “So, how have you been?”

The question took her by surprise. She was expecting to talk about her daughter and the past month, not herself. “I'm okay, I guess.”

“Just okay?” He reached over and picked up a notebook from his table and leaned forward and gave her his best disarming smile. “Bad holidays?”

“Been doing a lot of catching up on billing at work.” Maggie explained. “The holidays were okay. Both of the kids were really good.” Maggie replied.

“Trouble with the relations?”

Maggie chuckled. “Well there are a couple of them. Alex and Johnny. My eldest niece's kids. Man are they pains in the butt. Gave Troy a hard time. Good thing they never heard about Tracy.”

“How did she handle being Troy for the day?”

Maggie smiled. “That kinda fell apart. My other niece had her daughter there and she just blurted out about the clothes she found at Thanksgiving. So some of them know, not all of them.”

“I see.” Ivan scribbled another note down. “How did they take it?”

“Good. They hung out with Tracy a couple times before they left.”

“Very good. Any other difficulties from the holidays?”

“Other than money issues, not really.” Maggie replied. “Well, We had to give Tracy the talk because her friend and her shared a kiss on New Years Eve.”

“I see and how did that go?”

“Well, we actually gave her the talk twice in a week. We talked to the doctor and she brought up hormones, which Tracy wants to ask you about when she sees you. But I felt it was time for the big talk when we went to Sacramento.” Maggie cracked a little smile. “As for how it went, it was uncomfortable. I don't know how much to explain about one side of the fence or the other. I can tell her all about PMS, but it's pointless. And she needs to learn about certain body parts getting excited, before she's found out.”

“True. But how is your daughter acting around the friend she kissed? Are they close?” Ivan asked.

“Too close. Peter was the one who was there when she got attacked. I'm just afraid she's clinging to him because he shows interest in her as Tracy.” Maggie explained.

“Not an uncommon thing to do. What did you and your husband do about it?”

Maggie sighed. “We put down rules. Peter can't be there unless an adult is with her. But in the same aspect, Vance can't have girls there.”

“Fair. A little hard on Tracy if you’re gone and her friends all show up.” The Doctor replied.

“Well, that's something we got to work on, but we'll cross that bridge when we get there.” Maggie looked up at him and debated on what all he should know, finally she decided on full disclosure. “She's also admitted to watching one of her girl friends change when she was here. She played it off at first and she's not sure what to think, but she may be trying to find herself, sexually.”

“Did she say if she liked it?” He asked.

Maggie nodded. “Yeah. She said she did, but nothing happened.”

He made a mental note this time to ask the young girl her thoughts on the matter, then he moved on. “Are there still problems going on with her wanting to be Tracy all the time?” He asked.

Maggie sighed and nodded. “Every morning is a fight now. I have to make sure she's dressing as Troy and it hurts. She wants to be herself at school and I have to look in those eyes of hers and tell her she has to go as something she hates. I have to almost shove her to those door and push Troy off to school. I heard from his teacher that his attention is all over the place. When he gets home he changes and Tracy comes back out and the moody child is gone.” She sighed and shook her head. “Is it wrong that I've almost just let Tracy go to school. I hate fighting with her. I just want her happy.”

“But you need her safe.” The doctor replied. “I can sympathize with her pain, but what you told me last time, letting her go as Tracy could open her up to trouble. People can be mean, but kids are worse.”

“I know, but I just want my baby happy.” Maggie stated. “I've done everything I can think of. New clothes, music, anything that makes my baby happy.”

He wrote down another note, then decided to revisit something she had said about money problems. “I understand. Maggie, is your daughter causing problems between you and your husband?”

“Like forcing us to fight? No, she hasn't done anything like that.”

“You mentioned money problems. The holidays are a time that everyone overextends themselves. I'm guessing that happened?” He asked, Maggie looked to the floor and nodded slowly. “Did you spend more on Tracy then you agreed on?”

Maggie knew it was pointless to lie or fight, so she came clean. “I spent equally on both kids. But after a doctor's appointment, I took Tracy to the Arden Fair mall and bought her some stuff that was on sale. William got mad because I spent more money. But she needed a purse. It's easier to hide her with things like that.”

“Is this the first time you two have argued about money?”

Maggie shook her head. “No, we've fought before. This is the first time the kids walked in while we fought.”

“How did they take it?” He asked.

“Tracy tired to stop us. Vance was hiding in the living room.”

Ivan wrote down another note, then looked up. “Fighting affects kids differently. Some hide, some confront it, and the rest ignore it. Tell me, has your husband hit you or the kids out of anger?”

Maggie shook her head, while keeping eye contact. “Never. In fact the only times he's spanked the kids, was when they were younger and did something wrong. But he hasn't lifted a hand or belt to them in years. And he's never hit me. If he did, I'd leave his ass in a heartbeat.”

“That's a good sign. A lot of women stay in abusive relationships and it just breeds hatred. Right now, Tracy needs love and so does Vance. I understand that you want to get all the nicest things for your daughter. I can see how happy you are that she's comfortable being out, but sometimes women forget their sons.”

Maggie nodded and looked up at him “I try not to. It's just so hard.” She let out a big sigh. “When I was pregnant with Tracy I had hoped for a girl. I prayed for a little girl. I begged God to let it be a girl. We had a boy, someone to learn about life from William. I wanted someone to teach all about being a woman. Then Troy came out and my hopes were dashed. Don't get me wrong, I loved Troy with all my heart, I had just wanted a girl so bad.”

Ivan nodded slowly and filled in the gaps. “Then Tracy came about?”

“Yeah.” Maggie agreed. “At first I was worried it was a phase, but the more she wants to be herself, the more I love it. She's that daughter I always wanted and I never knew it till just a few months ago.”

“Well it is good that you've accepted her as your daughter. Do you know how many people in her situation never look for help? Many of them hide who they are and try their best to conform. Others end their own lives. Tracy has the unique situation of having a very large support group. That's almost unheard of.”

Maggie smiled and shrugged. “I can't speak for the others, but she's hard to hate.”

~o~O~o~

Tracy was trying to read and talk to her friends when Ivan and her mother both came out. The older therapist came over and smiled at her. “Your turn, kiddo.” Tracy shut her book and slipped it into her bag as the doctor hooked a thumb to her friends. “They let you get any work done?”

“Some.” Tracy replied.

“Good. But I doubt you'll get much more done.” He smiled at the other two girls. “Isn't that right, Trouble?” He said to Sage.

“Hey, just because we got plans for an all night slumber party doesn't mean we can't help her with homework.”

“Right.” He replied, not at all convinced. “Good to see you got a plan.”

As Tracy stood up, Rachel spoke up. “Can we go in with her?”

“I'd like a few minutes with Tracy, then I'll bring in everyone.”

Tracy followed him into the room and she took the seat that she had taken the last time. He sat across from her and picked up his notepad. “Well young lady, have a good holiday?”

“It was good.” She nodded. “Except for the whole Troy thing.”

“Having to be Troy for the holiday?”

Tracy nodded again. “That and getting a lot of boy presents. Angie, that's my cousin's daughter, she had a bunch of stuff and I got jealous that I didn't get to have the pretty stuff.”

Ivan looked up from his notebook and smiled at her. “It does happen, but did you make a fuss?”

“No. Mom saw me and she helped pick out more stuff a couple days later. But Grandma and Grandpa brought me a dress,. They brought it over in the morning, before anyone went to their house.” Tracy's smile brightened and she sat up straight.

Ivan smiled and gave a slight nod. “That's good. Tell me about the New Years? Any thing good happen?”

“Well, The Go-Go's played on the television?” Tracy replied.

“I see. And you like them?”

“Yeah!” Tracy beamed again.

Ivan decided to cut to the point. “I heard from your mother that she had to give you the talk?”

Tracy slumped in her seat and stared at the floor. . “Yeah.” She grumbled. Once after the Doctor told me about hormones.....” Her head whipped up. “That reminds me. I need to ask you about getting me permission for hormones. The doctor says I need them.”

“We'll discuss that when your mother is here.” Ivan wrote a note to remind himself and he leaned back in his seat. “So about that talk you had? Pretty embarrassing stuff?”

Tracy nodded. “Yep.”

“It can be bad, but in your situation, you need to have it.” Ivan replied. “So why did your mother give you that talk? I hear it wasn't just about hormones.”

Tracy blushed and looked to the floor once more. “I....” Her voice became a whisper. “I kinda kissed a friend on new years day and I watched Brooke changing when I was up here.” A smile crossed her lips as she though back to the two occasions.

He raised an eyebrow. “I see. And how did kissing your friend at home feel?”

“It felt great.” Tracy let out a contented sigh, then she slumped in the chair. “But Mom and Dad said he can't be at the house when they aren't there.”

“They're your parents. It sucks when they make rules, but they make them to keep you safe.” Ivan replied.

“I know, it just sucks.”

“Tell me about the other friend.”

“Brooke?” She asked and he nodded. “She's a friend of Sage and Rachel. She's in a wheelchair, but a lot of fun. She plays basketball and was totally nice to me.”

“How did it feel to see her changing?”

Her cheeks went a shade darker. “Weird. I have always been interested in boys, but when I saw her naked, I couldn't look away.”

“Well, you may be finding yourself. You're young and there's a whole world out there that will surprise you. You may think you don't like something, but when you try it, you may love it.” Ivan stated. “That goes for every aspect of life.”

“You sound like my Dad when I was younger and hated green beans.”

“Universal truths are funny that way.”

~o~O~o~

Tracy walked out of the office next to her mother, her pack slung over her shoulder. She hadn't said much since to either of her friends as they walked towards Maggie's car. Maggie could tell that her daughter was annoyed and she knew why, but she figured she'd get her daughter talking to her, just in case she was wrong. “Penny for your thoughts?”

“It's just...” Tracy stopped and looked to her mother. “Is this guy going to work?”

“What do you mean?” Maggie asked.

“We have to see another therapist? Wasn't one good enough?”

Sage turned around and went to her friend. “If it makes you feel better, so do I.” She gave Tracy a small smile. “They have to do it.”

Persephone put her hand on the young girl. “It's like when a doctor gets a second one in for his opinion on a tricky surgery., They need to make sure that this is the best thing for you, or if it can cause more harm then good.”

“And Dad has to be here? He's working so much, what if he can't make it?” Tracy asked her mother.

“Ivan said he wants to talk to your father, but you weren't listening when he said it's not vital to you getting hormones. He also wants to talk to Vance. He's trying to see what type of people you have around you.” Maggie replied. “That's all. It's not some plan to make you be miserable.”

“Oh.” Tracy replied.

“Come on. Let's get your stuff so Persephone and Lynn can get you out of here.” Maggie led her to the car. She opened the backdoor then let her daughter remove her stuff. Maggie chuckled and held out a hand.

“What?” Tracy asked.

“Leave your pack with me. That way you won't forget it. Plus I doubt you'll be working hard tonight.”

“Thanks, Mom.” Tracy said as she handed over her backpack.”

“Be good, kiddo.”

Tracy hugged her mother and smiled. “I will, Mom.”

~o~O~o~

January 26th 1983

Wednesday morning had started off about the same as the prior two weeks had been. Troy was still wishing he could go as his real self. Every morning it was the same. From him being forced into boys clothes and shoved out the door to meet his school bus, to him shuffling his feet the entire way there and then the quiet ride to the school. In class, his eyes were once again wandering around the classroom. He struggled to keep his eyes on his own desk during a pop quiz, and he managed to do it, just barely.

He kept thinking about his visit to the therapist, and the appointment that was set in a week and a half with his full family and a second doctor. He was hesitant about talking to a second person, but everyone insisted it had to be done. Then there had been the night over with Tracy's friends. It wasn't like at Christmas. All the girls managed to fit into Rachel's bedroom. It had been a late night of watching TV and playing games. But after her long day, Tracy had fallen asleep before midnight. Now she had to wait another week and a half to see her friends again.

When the bell for lunch rang he grabbed the lunch sack he carried and followed Peter to a new spot, one near the play ground. “So how you holding up?” Peter asked as he pulled out his lunch.

Troy shrugged. “It sucks.” He replied. “I'd rather be in my nice clothes.”

“I bet.” He replied.

“I hate this, Peter.” Troy shook his head. “I found me and now I have to hide that because people are stupid.”

“Yep.” Peter nodded.

“You know how bad I want to just walk in here, in a skirt and a blouse?”

“Bad?” Peter asked.

“Bad.” Troy replied with a nod. “I have to hide at the house. If I go to my Grandma's place, I got to move quickly, or someone may see me. It just sucks.”

“Yep.” Peter agreed again.

Troy glanced at him for a moment and held back a chuckle. “Then there's my friend who can't say more then two words at a time.”

Peter smiled at him and nodded as he said. “Yep.”

“Oh you're funny.” Came Troy's sarcastic reply

“Yep.” He chuckled. “I am.”

He shook his head and started on his lunch. They watched as more of their classmates came out to the playground and the two passed the hour they had for lunch, just talking and enjoying each others company.

When lunch was almost over, they both stood up and began walking towards the classrooms. Troy stopped long enough to throw away his trash, then continued on to his classroom. As Peter walked on to his class, Troy went into his class, glad to see he was the first one there. As he went to his desk he saw a piece of paper sticking out of the edge of his backpack. He raised an eyebrow, knowing that he had closed it when he pulled his notebook out earlier.

He grabbed and pulled two pieces of paper. Each was a photo. His heart stopped as his eyes focused on a picture of him, dressed as Tracy in the clothes he wore at the Mall in Sacramento. The other clearly showed him at the door to his parent's house, hugging Emily May. He stared at the picture for a moment, his heart pounding in his chest. In the bottom of the one of him at the mall, in block letter was the words. “Nice dress, fag”

He stood there, mortified that someone knew. His breath began to pick up and he jumped when a hand touched his shoulder. He spun and begun to drop into a defensive posture, despite the fact he wasn't supposed to be fighting. He had to blink a couple of times when he saw that it was just Mary Beth.

“Troy?” She asked, stepping back from him. “What's wrong?”

“Did you do this?” He asked, voice wavering as he stood, holding out the picture.

She took it, frowned and shook her head. “No, I didn't.” She looked up at his face. “Where did you get it?”

“Someone put it in my pack.”

Mary Beth's eyebrows went up and she was stunned. “Your pack?”

“It wasn't you then?” Troy asked once more.

“No, it wasn't.” She answered back. As someone came in to the room, she shoved the picture back in his hands. “Put it away.” She whispered. He went to open up his desk and saw a few more of the same pictures in there.

“Oh Crap.” He said.

“Quick.” Mary Beth reached in and grabbed at them, then wadded them up. “Just sit down.” She shoved the pictures into his pack.

Troy did as she instructed. He just sat there, shaking. Each time someone would come into the room, he knew they were staring right at him. At least he swore that they were. As they sat down, he could feel each of them watching him. It was all over and he knew it. He wanted to run away, but his father had been working with him on how to not give it away. So he forced his fear down and tried to act like nothing was wrong.

~o~O~o~

The recess bell rang and Troy just sat in his seat, too scared to move. Mary Beth had held back and watched her friends leave the room. Mr. McCoy had noticed something had been going on since they all came back from lunch. So he decided to check up on his student. "What's wrong?"

Troy was too scared to tell him the truth. He knew someone knew, but he wasn't sure who. Th phone call he had received earlier in the week now made sense. He tried to think if it could have been the teacher, but decided that the voice sounded younger then that. He looked up and shook his head. "Not feeling well." Troy replied.

"Do you need to go to the nurse?" The teacher asked.

"No. I don't think she can do anything." Troy replied.

"Well...." He had left Troy in the room alone before, just after his first return to school. He would have stayed, but nature was dancing upon his bladder. "Tell you what, just sit here and put your head on the desk or something. If you feel worse when I get back, we'll send you to the nurses office."

"Okay." Troy answered.

Mr. McCoy's gaze switched to Mary Beth. "You going to stay with him?"

She took a seat next to Troy. "Sure, I'll hang out with him."

"Thank you." Mr. McCoy smiled at them and left the room.

After a few moments, Peter walked in and looked at him. “Hey, you wanna hang out by the swings?”

“No.” Troy replied, his voice almost a whisper.

“What's wrong?” Peter stopped by his desk and watched his friend who was busy staring at his hands.

“Can I show him?” Mary Beth asked Troy. The young boy nodded. Mary Beth dug into his pack and pulled out one of the pictures. "This was in his backpack and his desk."

Peter looked at it and then at Troy. “Did you tell anyone? Like the teacher or the Principal?”

“No. We found it after lunch.” Troy replied.

“So no idea who left it?”

“No.” Troy sat there, just staring at the desk. “I don't know if I should tell anyone. Mr. McCoy doesn't know. And I don't know what Mr. Harper can do.”

“At least tell your parents.” Peter stated. “Please tell them.”

“I will.” Troy replied.

Next up, the hits keep coming