The week was finally coming to an end and Andrew was looking forward to getting some recreation time in. There were no climbing walls in the area (a sad lack he thought) but he could spend a little time running in the pleasant weather and perhaps see if there were any areas for bouldering practice. “No Hassle” Castle was going away for the weekend with the Football Team for a training camp and away game with a rival school.

At home, his mother commented on how nice his skin was looking and how glad she was that he was taking steps to look good. He probably had the Prankster to thank for that, each time he took special care to bring a masculine scented shower gel or shampoo it would be replaced with a more florally scented style. If Andrew was honest with himself, he enjoyed the compliments he got from his mother and Jack seemed to like it too.

This Friday morning however, the Prankster changed targets. Andrew realised that he could not afford to keep getting new gel and shampoo. He smiled a little as he thought they must own a supermarket or something to keep changing them. He decided whatever, just face the Prankster they would lose interest if he simply went with the flow and ignored the embarrassment.

No, today after gym, the target was not his shower kit. Oh no, his stationery set had been changed! Gone were his blue and black pens, ordinary plain pencils and stuff. In their place gleamed purple and pink gel pens, electric pink pencils and a ruler, all far more feminine than the ordinary stationery they replaced. I don’t believe it! Pink! Who normally and rationally choses pink pens and pencils? They are just soooo girly! Suddenly Andrew imagined dotting his I’s with an occasional heart or just leaving a heart next to "No Hassle” Castle’s name. Despite thinking everybody in his class would notice, Andrew just pressed on and used the pens. Such lovely shades of pink and purple and my handwriting is looking better too… Nobody even mentioned the colours of the pens and fortunately one proved to have black ink to use in classes although it was bright pink with a diamante heart design on it. He thought his cheeks must be bright red or at least matching the colour of the pens. Despite his misgivings his Office Skills tutor did look closely but simply smiled and complimented Andrew on his neatness. In fact Andrew was surprised that just like the scent, nobody appeared to bat an eyelid. He wondered if everybody was in on the prank like some huge “Gotcha” but these sorts of things never lasted a whole week did they? Rejecting the thought, Andrew considered that his limited viewing of this sort of thing on TV tended to involve fairly obvious pranks and they were either edited or actually quite short anyway. No it was just a High School Prankster, play along, keep a straight face and they’ll lose interest and find somebody else.

Interesting the School thought, it had come across these things through its internet connections but was that the reason Andrew was starting to just play along? Yet there was something about Andrew’s spirit that called out to the School. It knew that observing Andrew and patience was the best way forward, no need to force anything. It HAD learnt from Danny and Bree that simply changing without thought for the person was wrong. Teresa and Patty McMahon on the other hand their change had redirected them from crass unfeeling boys into gentler and caring young ladies. Right now, the School felt their pain upon the death of Coach McMahon but they would need to come to terms with his passing and reach out to life again. Students were hurting and the School would help them. Across the School, students, teachers and staff felt unaccountably pleased with the way the week had gone.

Monday came and after his weekend running and for some reason wanting to meet with Jack again. In his bag he’d kept the pink diamante pen but replaced the rest with cheap pens etc. He couldn’t think why the pink pen called to him but somehow he simply could not imagine getting rid of it.

To his surprise, Jack was actually waiting at the changing room for him. A huge smile appeared on his face as Andrew approached. Andrew found himself looking at his friend and suddenly imagined what it would be like to rush into his arms. What? Where did that come from? Whatever… Andrew brushed the thought aside thinking such strange thoughts were just a natural part of growing up maybe everybody occasionally wondered so why worry he thought.

Interesting, perhaps Andrew is developing after all into the person she could be. But still best to let things develop slowly and in their own time. Let Andrew choose her own pace…

“Hey Andrew, good weekend?” Jack grinned.

“Sure, got a bit of running done but I couldn’t see anywhere reasonable for climbing.” Andrew replied still wondering how Jack’s lips would feel against his.

“Well I can ask around but perhaps we could run together sometime?” Jack looked pensive.

“Sure, unless you think it may look strange, the Sports Hero and the Bookworm?” There, I finally admitted to myself about the books Andrew thought. Was being a self-confessed book addict likely to cause problems? No, Andrew reasoned, they have a great library here but I’ve not taken a good look at the place yet. Somehow I’m not sure Jack would go with me though. Like garlic to a vampire a library probably has the same effect on Jocks! The thought made Andrew think of a bemused Jack and his friends running out of the library in fear. Andrew pushed the thought out of his mind as beneath him, all the sporty types here at Hill Street High seemed to be studious too. A gentle smile broke through and flittered across his lips…

“Hey, what’s the joke? Something wrong?” Jack looked shocked but privately thought the smile was nice.

“No, sorry a train of thought that broke in a funny place.” He grinned back.

“Come on, spill…”

“OK, probably too much TV, I had this odd idea of the Jocks reacting to a Library like vampires to garlic. You know, running away in terror out of the Library? Silly I know conforming to stereotypes.”

“Well we all do it I suppose. Fact is that to stay on the team you need to keep your grades up so perhaps we work twice as hard but being a bookworm isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Anyway best let you get into your changing room. Catch you in a few?”

“Sure, I’ll try to be quick.” Andrew flashed another smile as he swerved around Jack and into the changing room where he instantly froze in shock.

“Oh I’m sorry!” he blurted closing his eyes and turning back to the door.

Two girls were at their lockers, one just pulling down her sweater. The younger a blonde turned at the noise.

“Hey, you must be the new roommate? Calm down! You’re causing a scene and Tere doesn’t bite! I’m Patty McMahon by the way.” She looked amused at Andrew as he tried to overcome the natural reaction of finding two girls in his room despite being aware that at some point they were going to meet.

“Oh I’m sorry it was just the surprise of meeting you and seeing Tere, was it? adjusting her dress I thought I should… Oh sorry, I’m Andrew Stevens pleased to meet you.” Calming down, Andrew walked across and offered a hand only to find Patty giving him a chaste sisterly kiss on the cheek rapidly followed by the older girl Tere was it? Feeling a little surprised Andrew returned the gesture thinking it was just one of those customs you get used to.

“Nice to meet you, it wasn’t a dress but my jumper.” The older girl looked at Andrew, there was something about that look that Andrew found familiar and not in a nice way. Pain and loss, the look in the eyes that Andrew had carried since that awful night the Police called with the news. “I’m Teresa but Patty always calls me that and I think you can too.” There was the hint of a smile there and an acceptance.

Andrew had never forgotten that night and the terrible days that followed. He remembered that he had not cried or anything, just a few suppressed tears on the day of the funeral. He had become the “man” of the house and had to be strong for mom and hold things together while she dealt with her loss. Somehow he had failed and there was something missing between them ever since. He didn’t just know that look, it was the one he saw in the mirror every day.

“Oh, that it was just a figure of speech not an observation on your clothes. But that sweater looks lovely” Andrew wondered how he’d look in that…

“Thanks I just got it last week, my boyfriend Dave came by and I bought it specially for him. Well me of course but he loved me wearing it.” She gave a dreamy smile at the memory but the pain in her eyes remained.

“OK, I’ve just got to put a few things in my locker. Oh, by the way did you ever hear of a “Prankster” person here?”

Patty looked blank but Tere smiled, “I think that there must be somebody, we had a few pranks played on us I think it’s just a sort of tradition but after the first term we got left alone and whoever it was lost interest. Why, anything happen while we were away?”

“Not really anything bad but my shower gel and shampoo got changed for something floral and last Friday all my pens were pink! Sounds silly really, I thought it was a huge “Gotcha” type of thing but nobody really seems to notice anything and they’ve been really awesome to me as the new bod.” Thinking on it, Andrew realised nothing actually harmful or painful had happened and, of course, I know the McMahons cannot be the Prankster and perhaps they can look out for me?

Meetings, the School thought, there WAS something about the McMahons and Andrew. Bereavement, the loss of a loved one. The School had helped before but it felt the gulf that Andrew admitted to between himself and his mother also needed to be addressed. Andrew needed his friends and the School wondered if a friendship may blossom between the students in the room. Again it decided not to rush things, the next changes would be subtle… Interesting that Andrew brought the pink pen back too?

“Got to go Andy,” Patty interrupted , “Meeting Luke and making sure he makes up for lost time. Later!” She took her books and swung gracefully out of the room.

“Luke’s a gymnast and Patty’s been taking the same classes. She should take dance I think,” Tere gave a parting wave as she left and entered the corridor with its growing student population.

Heck, better get a move on, don’t want to keep Jack waiting! An image of a tuxedo clad Jack waiting for him to get ready sprang to mind, I wonder what I’ll wear? Grabbing his books, Andrew walked out to find Jack still waiting.

“Hey, did I keep you waiting? Sorry, I met the McMahon sisters aren’t they lovely.”

“They sure are, Luke’s a great guy and while not a footballer is very fit. Shall we get off to class the warning bell is about to go.”

“Sure, I’ve got Home Ec after that, meet you for lunch?”

“Shouldn’t I be asking?” Jack smiled down at Andrew as they walked down the corridor together.

Andrew looked at other students, some in pairs, holding hands as they went off to their classes. Not like back home where you’d never hear the last of it he thought and I’d love to hold his hand… Or to be held close to him… Whatever…

Monday also contained two other little surprises for Andrew…

The first was on returning from PE, Andrew showered using the floral scented gel and shampoo that had replaced his without even thinking. Returning to his locker to collect his books and watch he noticed after putting it on that it was smaller and more delicate looking than the one he wore to school. A small silver watch with a rose pink face was now adorning his wrist, a ladies watch! It looks simply divine a thought came to the front of Andrew’s mind even as he was wondering what had happened to his own watch. It does suit my wrist though and makes my fingers look even prettier… Leaving the watch on his wrist Andrew made his way to Home Ec and, he thought, another cookery session. He was wrong…

The class began with the usual collection of aprons to protect their clothes while cooking. Andrew loved to cook having been taught by his late grandmother although he was having a little difficulty with US measurements. He compensated by remembering gran’s advice that “weights and measures are just a guideline and most of the time it’s a handful of this, a splash of that” and spending time cooking at home allowed mom a needed rest. Today, the only free apron happened to be pink. Just peachy he thought but that pink matches my watch and look at that reflection! He saw himself reflected in a window his brown hair framing his face. For a moment he saw a girl but the fleeting moment passed and Andrew returned to the class baking cookies. For Andrew, this was a simple task and he helped Connie and her partner with the mixing and preparation.

“Class, pay attention please I need to remind you of the change in our programme to allow us to prepare for the Fashion Show at the End of Term Ball.” Mrs Hartford announced as they were cleaning up. “So from next week we will start work on our designs. Please remember this is part of the assessment but I don’t want you to worry too much as I am confident you will do well.”

“Fashion Show?” Andrew asked Connie, “I didn’t notice anything about a fashion show.”

“It’s a bit of a tradition, we hold a sort of “Easter Parade” fashion show as part of the Easter Ball. I bet you’ve got some great ideas what with the London Fashion scene Andrew?”

“So we just design something for a student to model?”

“You could say that Andrew.” Connie gave a knowing smile.

“Connie, you’ve got that look you know. What is it you’ve accidentally forgotten to tell me?”

“Well it’s like this,” she looked straight at Andrew, “you model your own outfit.”

“Well that’s no great hardship is it?” Andrew commented while thinking of what he would design. He could sew anyway having learnt when at Primary School and buttons and stuff came off regularly and being able to make repairs was a skill that always came in handy.

Good, the School thought, Andrew is coping well. He was not fighting the suggestions as strongly, even beginning to think like the young lady she will become…

Thinking about his fingernails, Andrew found a manicure set waiting in his locker after Dance class. A pretty pink case holding files, clippers and the other tools needed to keep nails in tip-top condition. Holding the case in trembling hands, Andrew did not see Patty enter the Changing Room.

“Hey cool looking set, I thought you were one of those “leave them alone and cut when they dig in” people Andy” Patty looked down at his nails.

“No, I really hate bad nails! I simply cannot let them get too long or dirty. Even climbing I like to keep my nails looking good and these are so much nicer than those really short or chewed nails you see about.”

“So you’ve a bit of practice in manicures?”

Andrew glanced down and looked at Patty through lowered eyes in an almost feminine gesture as she raised her hands and wiggled her fingers. “Pretty nails! I did get a proper manicure once, that was fun. Mom and I were at a Beauty Salon and one of the specialists gave me some lessons.”

“Mind if I practice a little on you?”

“Do we have time? I’m meeting No Hassle Castle for lunch that’s in about..”

“Oh we’ve about 10 minutes, I’m just going to shape them a little. Tere lets me loose on occasion and I promise not to paint them.” Patty gave a shy smile as though she was remembering something. “How about you tell me about where you came from I gather you are the English Kid?”

A few minutes later and Andrew was proudly sporting beautifully shaped nails having spent time describing some of the differences between Britain and his new home. Andrew also wondered how his nails would look with a nice coral pink or red polish…