Silver River by Purple Dragon Jensen is a 12 y.o. kid that goes on a trip with the school. During this trip, and with the support of his friends and family, he'll discover things about himself that he didn't know, and grow up to become a more complete person. Feedback is welcomed and encouraged.

Chapter 13

I finally managed to talk to our parents again through the phone the next day. I was a bit nervous about them knowing that I liked to be a girl sometimes. Or maybe most of the time, I just didn't know. But as I knew that both Erika and Miss Cooper had also been talking to them about it, and they were okay with it, it didn't make any sense to keep avoiding the topic.

"Dad", I said, after been talking to him for some minutes, "you know that sometimes I'm a girl, don't you?", I probed him to see his reaction.
"Yeah, champ, I know. I'm sure you're a cute girl, aren't you?", he answered smiling. "I'm really looking forward to see you. How are your sister and you behaving? I heard that you were involved in a fight some days ago?"
"Well, yes, dad. There were those kids teasing and insulting me all the time and, well, I just couldn't let them bully me all the time", I replied, a bit ashamed.
"I understand, sport. Just don't let it become a habit", he said. "Your mom is a bit worried about her little one being hurt you know?"
"Dad! Tell mom I'm not a baby anymore!", I replied with mock anger.
"Are you sure? Well, tell her yourself if you dare!", he replied laughingly, giving the phone to my mother.

"Hi, baby" Are you okay?", asked mom as she picked up the phone. "Are you having fun?". I could hear some concern in mom's voice, but I just didn't felt like getting too deep into that. I wondered what she might be thinking.

"Yes mom, I'm having lots of fun!". Dad was right, I wasn't going to say anything to mom about not being called a baby. I kind of liked it coming from her. Am I weird or what?

I wasn't bothered by anyone those days, and Lucas, Brit, Samantha and the rest just seemed to be leaving me alone. Of course, there was no way they could have done nothing, because Erika took care that I was never left alone.

The end of the second week of our trip was coming, and we would soon be visiting Castle Rock. I was really looking forward to see Emily and Keith again. I liked being with Erika and her friends, and with my friends too, but I missed Emily a lot.

The day before traveling there, Miss Cooper called Erika and me. She said we needed to talk.

"We have been talking to Emily's parents and they would be delighted to have you with them in their home for the days we're going to stay there. How does that sound?", asked Miss Cooper.
"Really?", I replied, amazed. "Can I?"
"Yes, baby, you can", she added. "Do you want to?", she asked again.
"Of course I want!", I exclaimed happily.

"Sis", said Erika afterwards, "we need to go and get you some more clothes if you're going to stay with Emily's family. Just a couple of skirts and tops, some underwear and a new pajamas. It won't take long, may I tell Ash to come with us? She said she really wanted to!"
"Ash already knows that we are going to go shopping?", I replied, surprised.
"Well, not yet, really. But she's been telling me for some days that we really need to go shopping with you, and I think she's right. You need some more clothes if you're going to be a girl, mine are too big for you, and you can't just keep borrowing Emily's all the time"
"Yeah, I guess you're right", I agreed. "Lets go then!", I added, bouncing happily.

Erika was right, it didn't take us too long, and we didn't really spent a whole lot of money. Just the essentials that she mentioned in the conversation. Enough for being able to survive some days at Emily's. I didn't wait too much to try my new girl clothes on, though. As soon as I was back in our room, I was back in skirts for the afternoon. Ash had insisted in me getting a couple of padded bras too, and Erika was delighted by the idea. I kind of liked it too, so it was said and done.

I had decided to go all girl when I met Erika. I put on a pleaded skirt, a tank top, and one of my padded bras, and had asked Erika to braid my hair. Ash and Sarah said I was so adorable that they could eat me. I wasn't so sure about that, but it was nice to hear.

Lucas and friends were murmuring and sometimes pointing at me discreetly. They didn't dare to say or do anything, but I could tell that they were not happy. I was glad to get away from them for some days. I hoped to be able to avoid meeting them in Castle Rock, as it wasn't really such a big town.

Emily and her parents were there to pick me up when we arrived to Castle Rock. I couldn't believe how happy I was to be with her again. I mean we hadn't been friends for that long and it was only some days that we had been apart, but I was so happy to see her, and I could tell that she was delighted too. Jay wasn't there, nor was Keith, but I was sure that I would see them quite soon.

"Wow, honey", said Emily's mom, looking at me. "You have really blossomed! Wow, look at you! You're lovely". I could only smile at that.

As soon as we left my stuff in Emily's house, we were off to the park. Emily was in such a hurry to introduce me to her friends that all I could do was trying to match her pace.

When we finally got to the park, there were three other girls there. They were about Emily's age, 10 years old, but despite me being two years older than them, I didn't really appeared it.

"So you're Emily's boyfriend?", said one of them after the introductions, while smiling at me. "She hasn't stopped talking about you since she came back from that lake!". Dawn, that was her name, was a tall sporty shameless girl with a darker skin and very expressive black eyes. I liked her from the first sight. I just went quite red with embarrassment and shrugged.

"He's not my boyfriend!", replied Emily, chuckling. "He's just one of my best girlfriends, like you three!"

"Are you really a boy?", asked Angie, another of the girls, unsure. I just nodded.

"Yes, he is!", answered Emily, hugging me. "He's a bit too shy, but he'll probably start talking some more when he knows you better". Looking at me, she added, "You'd better!"

The third of the girls seemed to be quite shy too. She just kept looking cautiously at me from behind her glasses, as if I was some strange alien from the space. She managed to talk, though.

"Shouldn't we be saying her, if she's going to be a girl? This is quite confusing for me, sorry", she said, as if she was apologizing for something. I just smiled at her. From her eyes and the way she spoke, you could tell that she was definitely a very smart girl. Probably smarter than I, despite me being a bit older.

Emily definitely had a good taste in friends.