Melanie E.

A pair of short pieces I thought up last night. They could go many places- or nowhere at all. It's all up to your imagination to fill in the details I've left out.

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-Parenting-

A large, balding man wearing a shabby suit and gold rimmed glasses greeted Angela as she stepped forwards through the open door of the stuffy office, the smell of cheap air freshener almost, but not quite, covering up the odor of stale cigar smoke. "Good afternoon, Mrs. Wood. You are Alex's mother, correct?"

She took the old principal's offered hand and shook it before carefully taking the available seat opposite his desk with a frown. "Yes sir. I'm sorry, but why did you call me in today? Is Alex in some sort of trouble?"

"Well... not exactly, Mrs. Wood." The principal lowered himself into his office chair, a worried look on his face. "Mrs. Wood- Angela, if you don't mind me asking, have you talked to your son at all about the differences between boys and girls?"

Angela nodded. "Sir, with all due respect, Alex is eleven years old. Yes, we have talked about it a few times. Why do you ask?"

The principal sighed, rubbing his forehead. "Perhaps it would be easiest just to show you, Ma'am." Reaching into a folder sitting upon his cluttered desk, the principal withdrew a single sheet of paper and handed it to Angela. Slightly confused, she took the sheet of loose leaf and began to read.

-MR. GRIFFINS:

I MUST INFORM YOU THAT I WILL BE WITHDRAWING MY CHILD FROM YOUR SCHOOL. I REFUSE TO PLACE MY CHILD UNDER THE CARE OF A FACILITY THAT WOULD ALLOW HIM TO BE EXPOSED TO INDIVIDUALS SUCH AS THIS ALEX WOOD. THAT YOUR SCHOOL WOULD ALLOW A BOY TO ATTEND CLASSES IN DRESSES AND SKIRTS IS BAD ENOUGH, BUT TO THEN PUNISH MY CHILD FOR SAYING HIS BEHAVIOR IS WRONG IS UNACCEPTABLE. I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY PARENT OF A CHILD AT THIS SCHOOL WHO FEELS THAT ALLOWING SUCH A THING IS INEXCUSABLE, AND UNTIL YOU HAVE REMOVED THIS ALEX WOOD FROM YOUR FACILITIES MY CHILD WILL NOT SET FOOT ON YOUR SCHOOL'S GROUNDS AGAIN.

The signature at the bottom of the letter had been edited out of the photocopy she held, but Angela was sure she knew who had written it. Without a word she handed the sheet back to the principal.

"Mrs. Wood, while under state law I cannot legally deny your child his right to attend our school, this is not the first letter like this we have received. It has become somewhat of a problem as well for our teachers to watch out and prevent your son from being bullied by the other children."

"Sir, I hope you aren't suggesting that I try and find another school. We have discussed it before, and Alex wants to remain with her friends here."

Picking up a pen from his desk, the principal began tapping out a nervous rhythm. "I understand, ma'am, but there is an excellent school just on the other side of the city-"

"An hour's bus ride from our home, sir, and it is well known that Franklin's curriculum is the better of the two. Do you want me to sacrifice my child's education because some parents are uncomfortable with who she is?"

"Ma'am, I simply think that your son could-"

Angela had had enough, and stood up angrily. "My DAUGHTER, Sir. I do believe we have already had this discussion with the school board about how the teachers and staff here were supposed to refer to her."

"Be that as it may, Ma'am, Alex is still a boy under his clothes, and the parents of our other students have objected to his crossdressing on campus."

"Very well, then, Sir. I see the issue."

The principal sighed in relief. "I'm glad you see what I've been dealing with, Ma'am."

Angela grinned unpleasantly. "Quite. I'll be calling the school board tonight to lodge an official complaint."

"What?" The principal screeched, but Angela's back was already disappearing through the office door.

---

-Without a Doubt-

"...Man and Wife. You may kiss the bride."

I clapped along with the rest of the crowd as I watched my two best friends in the whole world embrace one another and kiss passionately. My mind has always loved to wander, and as I watched from my place as best man I mused on how, if things had only been a little different, I might have been the one wearing the wedding dress.

Greg was the first person I ever told about myself, back when we were still in high school. Like the great friend he was, he accepted me without a problem when I told him about how who I was on the outside didn't match the me on the inside. We even tried dating a few times, but it didn't work out in the end. There was always that knowledge that things weren't what they seemed, and it made both of us uncomfortable.

In college, we met Mary. It didn't take long for the three of us to form an inseparable team, and within weeks I was 'out' to her as well, the two of them giving me every opportunity they could to be myself, never laughing at how rediculous I would look at first when I tried to dress up, and both supporting me fully when I started low doses of hormones. I gave the dating thing a shot with Mary, too, but we had the same problems I had with Greg, and called it quits good naturedly after not too long.

The two of them hooking up wasn't really a surprise, and they set the wedding for the week after graduation. Greg wanted me to be best man, and Mary wanted me to be her maid of honor, both of which I had at first refused, but let myself be talked into it when Arnold got sick and couldn't make it. So, here I am, standing around with my breasts strapped down wearing an ill fitting suit and uncomfortable shoes, witnessing what's one of the happiest days of my life.

At the reception afterwards, Greg's mom came up to me and smiling took my arm, leading me out to the dance floor. It was a slower number, and she always said I was one of the best dance partners she ever had. While we were swaying slowly to the music, she leaned in close to me and began to whisper.

"You know, I expected for the longest time it would be you and Greg getting married, especially with how close you two were in high school. If you two had not told me what was going on, well, the rumor mill was pretty entertaining your senior year."

I just grinned, as I was sure it was. "They make a great couple, though."

She nodded. "That they do." Then she smiled. "It's too bad I didn't get a chance to see you in a bridesmaid dress, though."

I just cringed. I've never been one for dresses, and lime green just made it worse. "But then I wouldn't be able to dance with you, Ma'am."

I could feel her laugh as she hugged me. "I wouldn't have cared either way. You're like my own kid, Sam, you know that."

I hugged her back. Later that night, I danced with Mary, the Maid of Honor, and even Greg, which brought laughs from the crowd around us. It was great to be around the people who mattered the most in my life- no matter who I was.

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Well, there ya go, people, two new mini-stories, low on details but hopefully they can entertain you for a little bit :)