Wheels and wings 27

Chapter 27

As he approached across the yard with his team mates, Billy called to the girls.

“Hi Marje hi Ellie, are you two coming to the track practices tonight?” Billy asked with a seeming innocence that belied his swift assessment of the situation.

Marjorie replied with equal guile.

“Yeah. I’ve got my name down for the eight hundred, dunno about Ellie.”

“I’m down for the hundred and the two hundred.” Ellie added, swiftly recognising the ploy.

Billy continued.

“You’d best go to the gym then, Weston and Miss Williams are taking names of volunteers.”

“I’ve already seen Weston, but I suppose I’ll have to sign the sheet.” Ellie replied as she casually stepped towards the ‘hippo herd’ seemingly bent on more important matters.

Marjorie seized the opportunity and shrugged as she followed her. The ‘hippo herd’ opened up without a whimper. They could hardly make an issue with three of the rugby team standing right behind them. As they walked away Billy talked ‘sport’ for the first few yards then, once out of earshot, asked about the alarm call.

“D’you think they would have got physical with you?” Billy asked.

“Doubt it,” Marjorie shrugged, “but it’s hard to say, they were really pissed when I mentioned the looks thing.”

“What did you say?” Billy asked.

Ellie choked back a laugh as she explained.

“She called them a herd of hippos.”

Marjorie smirked as the three boys grinned and snorted with delight One of them observed.

“Well Marge is justt about right. I’d think twice if some of those were in the opposite front row.”

Ellie kept her council. She had been really frightened and she thought Marjorie had been risking a real slapping by raising the looks issue. Ellie was still not sure of girly responses to contention and strife; all she knew was that if a similarly offensive remark had been used in boy’s company, there would have been blood all over the yard by now.

When they entered the gym Ellie received some strange looks as she joined the boy’s line to register but she spoke to nobody and averted any dissent. With both gym teachers taking names of volunteers, nobody was prepared to speak out of turn. Ellie was not surprised to see Charlotte putting her name down but she said nothing and even avoided exchanging any looks. As far as Ellie could discern, all feelings in that quarter were done with. By ignoring Ellie all day, Ellie concluded that Charlotte wanted nothing to do with some creature masquerading as a girl and yet signing up for the boy’s track team.

She glared at Ellie and sneered with disgust. It saddened Ellie for she had not thought that Charlotte had a cruel streak. Ellie bit her lip and swallowed her pride as she faced rigidly ahead to avoid further animosity.

Their friendship was obviously over and Ellie felt numb.

'Life moves on', she concluded as she continued staring out of the window to avoid any eye contact and potential for more strife.

When Ellie reached the front of the boy's queue, Mr Weston looked up and nodded with satisfaction as he recognised her.

“Ah good. So you are going to join us, I'm so pleased. What is it, the one and two, hundred?”

Ellie nodded then added.

“You might as well put me down for the four by one hundred as well sir.”

“Uuuhm, we won’t be practicing that yet, well not tonight. It’s just assessing speeds and who’s eligible. By the way, I’ve checked with the county athletics officer and you’re eligible for the boys. Sorry to say, you’re not eligible for the girls.”

Tom Weston smiled sympathetically. Ellie shrugged and smiled, it was nice to feel that Tom Weston was truly sympathetic. Though she already knew she would never be eligible for lady’s competition, even if she had the op. She had no long-term plans to continue sprinting after school anyway, leastways not unless there was some way around her anticipated female puberty. After signing on to Mr Weston’s list she was mildly surprised to be called over by Miss Flanagan.

“Hello Ellie, have you got your kit for tonight?”

“Uuuhm, yes Miss. I usually use my cycling shorts and compression vest just for practicing.”

“Well that’s as maybe young lady but I think it’s a foregone conclusion you’re going to make the grade. Here take these.”

She handed Ellie some cellophane bags in which Ellie recognised the school athletics colours. She also recognised that they had the girl’s motif and design and she grinned gratefully as she took them from the wrapping. The kit comprised a sports halter bra in the school colours, a girl’s jacket to stop getting chilled when waiting around and a pair of skimpy girl’s running knickers.

Ellie’s fingers tightened ecstatically as she smiled thankfully at Miss Flanagan; the gym mistress reciprocated the smile and whispered.

“Welcome to girlhood Ellie, perhaps I shouldn’t tell you this but Miss Postlethwaite invited me also to read your essay. After reading it I became convinced of your femininity. Tom Weston and I agreed about your school colours. Enjoy those garments, indulge your femininity and show those boys what you can do!”

“Will I be allowed to wear these to inter-school meets miss?” Ellie asked hopefully.

“Don’t see why not girl. If you race against men then it’s technically described as an ‘all-comers’ race and nobody can object. They can only object in the lady’s races. Come and see me after school before you go out from my changing room.”

Miss Williams said this loudly for the benefit of all ears and Ellie turned to see Mr Weston nodding agreement. Thus reassured she almost skipped out of the gym. The school had come up trumps. Back in her class she sat fondling the skimpy athletics kit before the majority of classmates returned from lunch break. Billy joined her as he returned later from the gym to see Ellie’s gym kit being checked out by the girls.

He stared at them and frowned thoughtfully.

“Jeeze Ellie, those knickers are skimpy! Won’t your bits fall out of them?”

Ellie giggled as she held them up.

“Naah. There’s enough material in the crotch and besides, I’ve got nothing much to fall out anyway. D'you think I'll look sexy?”

Billy nodded his head and grinned while a couple of the other girls who also signed on sniggered knowingly.

“Can’t wait to see you in those Elle,” Marjorie grinned, “you’ll know just what it feels like to be ogled by the boys.”

Ellie grinned hugely as she riposted.

“Go on Marge, you know you like it.”

Marjorie smirked with amusement as Ellie repacked her kit and took out the books for the history lesson. Eventually the class filled up and the afternoon lesson began. Once again, Charlotte totally ignored Ellie.

After the finishing bell, Ellie changed in Miss William’s office and emerged to an eruption of howls and wolf whistles. Even Billy succumbed to the temptation and for a few minutes the noise continued unabated until Tom Weston brought order.

“Alright, alright! All you gay boys be quiet. Anybody would think you’ve never seen a girl before.” He continued without pausing to prevent anybody slipping in some tasteless piece of supposed wit. “Now, here are the first rounds. First two from each heat go forward and the six fastest losers from all the heats. Quickly, step to it. You can sort out your heats.”

Suddenly Ellie found herself to be seemingly the least popular girl on the track as the boys grouped themselves separately as though avoiding her. She felt like a pariah as she turned to Mr Weston and asked.

“Which heat shall I enter sir?”

Mr Weston grinned as he took her aside and spoke quietly.

“It’s all right girl, you’re not unpopular it’s just that I posted all track times from last year in the boy’s changing rooms. You didn’t see them but I’m sure you’re aware that you were the fastest runner in year ten; you were also the second fastest in the whole school. Well the fact is Ellie, now the last year have left, your times make you the fastest in the school even though you’re still only in year ten. That’s why the boys are avoiding you, they’re afraid of losing to you and not getting on the team. None of them realise it yet but I’ve seeded you. You won’t even enter the heats until the semi-finals. I want to give all the boys a fair chance in the early rounds. The only thing I have to ask is if you’ve started any hormone treatment yet and are you still up to speed?”

Ellie wagged her head a little too despondently Mr Weston thought.

“I’m well up to speed on the track sir. Doctor Williams says she wants to monitor my puberty for a year at least before she considers hormones, she thinks it’s naturally delayed.”

“Yes Ellie, well I think you’ll be forced to agree you’re certainly not as advanced as the other boys; the other girls perhaps but I’m sure you’ll be more than happy with that.”

He grinned widely as Ellie blushed slightly but felt a warm glow suffusing her at the unexpected and welcome compliment. Mr Weston continued.

“There does seem to be some sort of delay in your development but thankfully it doesn’t seem to have slowed you down.”

Ellie smiled gratefully, she was secretly amazed at the turn-around in old Weston’s treatment of her and her breast swelled with newfound pride..

“You’ll see just how fast I am, and thanks Mr Weston. You’re brilliant.”

As Ellie went to wait with her allotted semi-final heat Mr Weston smiled and almost teared up. He felt a lump in his throat as he remembered what a bastard he’d been to the poor kid. He also realised that this kid was truly a girl. Shouting, bullying and hectoring just did not work, sympathy, kindness and smiles did. He grinned to himself as he watched the expressions of the other boys in that particular group turn from despair to relief. Even though one of them was guaranteed to lose a certain place in the semi finals at least every boy had a fair chance progressing through the early heats..

When the early heats were completed he met with Miss Flanagan to check the finishing times. The gym mistress was grinning all over her face.

“None of these times compare with Ellie’s time for last year Tom. She’s just too damned good. Even her last year’s time is nearly half a second faster than any kid in the school. That’s just under a second short of Olympic qualifying time for the ladies and that’s on grass! I just can’t wait to see what she does tonight. D’you know, I’d love to see her on a proper track with all the gizmos to measure her. It’s such a pity she can’t run for my girls.”

Tom Weston sighed and gently grasped the gym mistress’s arm as he became almost human for once and addressed her by her first name.

“Jacquie, I’m just happy that she’s running at all. To think I nearly destroyed a brilliant talent through my sheer stupidity.”

“Aye. A lesson to us all Tom,” she replied as she let the hand rest for a brief pleasurable moment.

Only Ellie spotted the interplay and she flashed a knowing smile as the two teachers separated with an embarrassed smile. Before she lined up for the semi-finals in the senior races Ellie approached the gym master.

“D’you like Miss Flanagan sir, she’s a very pretty woman and she’s nice.”

Without thinking Tom Weston inadvertently opened up.

“Yes Ellie, she is; very.”

Then he scolded himself.

“Damn! I shouldn’t have said that, but yes Ellie, I am fond of her so don’t you go spreading it around. Anyway, we’re two single adults.”

He read the thoughts flashing through Ellie’s mind but said nothing. He’d heard several times that the boys thought Jacquie Flanagan was lesbian but Tom knew for certain she wasn’t. Or at worst, she was bi. He and she had certainly gone out several times and thoroughly enjoyed themselves though he had never pressed his suit.

Ellie won the final easily and went on to win the two hundred metres as well with times that left Tom Weston drooling with anticipation. He just couldn’t wait to meet his associates at the forthcoming interschool competitions. To have such a prospect under his tutelage was tantamount to nirvana. He had also checked the rule book thoroughly and secretly hugged himself as he contemplated their expressions when he entered an individual who to all appearances was a girl and a very pretty one at that.

The following Sunday Tom Weston made it his business to meet Bob the cycling club captain to discuss the girl’s prospects. He was mildly surprised to learn that Ellie still had issues with the club.

Outside of the school activities, there had been other developments in Ellie’s life; the cycle club had sent her a letter inviting her to resume riding with the club ahead of the expiration date of the drugs ban. At first, Ellie had ignored the invitation but then she decided to do one ride just to see if she was still ‘up there’ with the best of the adult riders. Her decision to go on a single club ride had come to the notice of Tom Weston because he was now taking an interest in Ellie’s cycling activities. It was that same Sunday when Tom Weston decided to speak to Bob that Ellie had decided to ride out..

While the club rode out Bob and Tom had a long chat where Bob explained that the kid would be just perfect for hill climbs and road racing until puberty reared its head.

“Frankly, the club will miss her if she goes through a female puberty and falls behind her male contemporaries.”

“What about her prospects if she stays off hormones?” Tom asked.

“Bit like a long distance runner,” Bob replied, “her weight will be in her favour for cycling provided her stamina continues. At the moment, she’s got shed-loads of that.”

The mention of stamina set Tom Weston to thinking.

“I wonder what she’d be like at the five thousand metres.” Tom opined.

Bob frowned.

“I’d check with her first. I don’t think it’s fair to ask the kid to do a five thousand metre run on a Saturday then expect her to win a twenty-five mile time trial on the Sunday, or worse a hundred mile club ride.”

“Good God, does she do that now? I mean she’s not yet sixteen for another month.” Tom gasped.

Bob smiled and nodded.

“Yes Tom. She’s one tough little cookie. Don’t think I haven’t noticed the kid when she thinks nobody’s looking. I’ve seen her over fifty miles from home on some Saturdays when she thinks nobody’s about. That means she’s training hard. Come December and she’ll be back in harness with the club. That pain-killer thing was a stupid thing to do but she’s learned her lesson — and we in the club have learned ours. She’s got every right to feel hurt about the way we treated her.”

Tom frowned guiltily.

“Yes, I feel really bad about my part in that. The kid was trying to please everybody.”

Bob nodded thoughtfully.

“Yeah, this is one precious flower we’ve got here; we’re going to have to nurture her at least as long as she remains competitive.”

“It’ll be such a loss if or when she starts transitioning.” Tom lamented.

“The kid’s happiness is the all important factor.” Bob continued. “Pity there isn’t some sort of Transsexual Olympics like the Paralympics. Her condition has given me much food for thought about the gender rules and sport. She loves her cycling but she’ll never be allowed to compete in the lady’s sections.”

Tom Weston frowned.

“Now I understand why the gays organised their own games. It must be cruel for kids like Ellie. All that potential and no prospects.”

Thus they chatted at length until the club members rolled in hot, flushed and exhilarated by the long summer ride. Tom Weston was both pleased and mildly surprised to see Ellie arrive first after a wild sprint with an older male club-member. The muscular man followed Ellie into the leisure club carpark wagging his head as he congratulated her.

“My God you’re brilliant kid. Did you see that Bob.”

“Tell me about it Frank. This is Mr Tom Weston, Ellie’s sports teacher at school.”

“Hello, name’s Frank Speakman, pleased to meet you. That kid’s got prospects you know.”

“Yes, I know, don’t we all. Where did she go?” Tom Weston asked.

Frank Speakman grinned knowingly.

“She’ll be around the back guzzling all the best cakes and cookies. Shirley, my wife, usually cooks a large batch of cakes and scones for the Sunday riders and it’s winner take all if they don’t hurry up. Ellie must burn a huge amount of energy to drive that little engine of hers.”

As they spoke Tom saw Charlotte come belting down the road as she raced one of the senior ladies. She beat the lady and also disappeared around the back. There was a squeal of protest that Ellie had taken the best cakes and a smirking Ellie re-emerged with her paper plate overflowing with a huge pile of calories. Bob admonished her affectionately.

“Leave some for the others girl; I know it’s winner take all but that’s just naughty.”

Like the mischievous girl that she was becoming, Ellie just grinned and sucked the cream out of the only chocolate éclair from the table. Previously, as a boy, she had always left the éclair for Charlotte but today she was establishing her girly rights to chocolate and cream. She was also demonstrating that Charlotte counted for nothing anymore and she strolled accross to the carpark wall to finish her cakes.

Charlotte then emerged with a scowl as she displayed her plate without its usual tasty prize.

“The bastard has pinched the éclair!”

Bob made the peace by explaining.

“Mrs Speakman cooks the cakes and makes the rules Charlotte. She says, first come, first served. Ellie was only being kind to you when she was a boy. She’s a girl now so she was only exercising her rights.”

Charlotte turned and glared at Ellie as she stuffed the last mouthful of éclair into her face. Ellie’s malicious smirk was not made any prettier by the ring of cream around her lips and stuck to her nose.
'F--k you bitch' she thought then without a word, Ellie went to wash her face. Suddenly, Ellie faced a conundrum. She was dressed in gender neutral Lycra and there was no obvious factor in her appearance that would enable her use the ladies. She hesitated for the briefest moment then threw caution to the wind. Boldly she entered the lady’s door and breathed a sigh of relief when nobody challenged her. At least the older lady members were sympathetic and their tolerance precluded Charlotte from making a fuss when she followed Ellie in. Several of the older ladies were showering and changing but none raised a protest. Ellie hurriedly cleaned her face up then returned to face Bob.

“I’ve got to get home now Bob. Mum’s taking Aimee and me to Auntie Olwen’s for dinner.”

“I can give you a lift if you want Ellie.” Tom Weston offered.

“Nah, that’s okay Mr Weston Sir, I’ll cycle home, I need to warm down and I need the exercise. I’ll be taking my time.”

Tom Weston blinked disbelievingly.

“Haven’t you just done enough exercise?”

“Yeah but this is gentle exercise, my body eases off and I get time to think as well.”

Bob responded as he explained to Tom Weston.

“The girl’s right Tom, it’s good to have a gentle warm down after a long hard ride, less chance of cramp and stuff.” He then turned and continued speaking to Ellie.

"Aye lass, and you’ve got a lot to think about. Good luck, see you next Sunday.”

“Yeah maybe,” Ellie replied non-commitedly.

Tom Weston recognised Bob’s ploy to give Ellie a break so he also nodded and bid her farewell as Ellie sped through the gates and took her lonely way home. After watching her briefly he turned to the cycle club captain.

“That kid’s certainly got some stuff going on in her life.”

“Yes but I’m afraid she’s lost to sport if she does transition into a girl. Come on; let’s get to those cakes before they all go.”

They approached the table just as Doctor Dawson, Charlotte’s dad was loading their bikes. They chatted briefly.

“Where’s Charlotte.”

“In the ladies,” he replied.

As he spoke, Charlotte emerged red eyed and silent. The men immediately recognised her distress. Her father asked.

“What’s wrong darling.”

She sobbed slightly then asked.

“Is Ellie definitely going to become a girl then?”

The three men exchanged looks before Tom Weston answered.

“We’re not sure yet. She told me she isn’t sure where she’s going with any bodily changes but she’s going to live as a woman even if they tell her she can’t transition.”

Doctor Dawson looked slightly surprised.

“Oh. So it’s not a foregone conclusion then.”

“Full transition? No. Not as far as I can make out.” Tom Replied. “I thought you’d know more about it, being the doctor and all.”

“I’m not her doctor. Doctor Williams is her GP. I only attend her if she has any accidents with the club.”

“But you’ve spoken to her, haven’t you?” Bob interjected.

“Well, yes, but not to that extent. That degree of information is a matter between her and her doctors. However I must confess, I did think she was going all the way.”

Tom Weston wagged his head before adding.

“Not necessarily. She told me she’s not entirely certain yet. As I read it, she wants to continue in sport even through her university years. It seems odd, but her sport seems more important than her gender or sexuality, in the short term that is. That’s the way I read it anyway, and believe me I’ve done some reading about it since she came out.”

Charlotte’s eyes brightened ever so slightly.

“You mean she might want to stay a man?”

Tom Weston frowned uncertainly.

“That’s not what I said Charlotte, I said she thinks she might want to live as a woman. What that entails exactly, I’m not sure. She certainly passes as a woman, even though she’s still technically a biological boy; well for now at least.”

Charlotte fell silent. Since falling out with Ellie she had not had a single intimate chat and she privately cursed her lack of information.

‘Maybe Ellie could still be a father,’ she mused. ‘At least until she’d finished college or something.’

Charlotte was beginning to realise she still had feelings for Ellie... girl or boy!

She hustled her dad away as she tried to make sense of her feelings and thoughts.

“Come on Dad, we’re having Sunday tea with Uncle Mike and Auntie Sophie at three. We’ll be late unless you fancy arriving in our cycling gear.”

On this note the group separated. Cycling was over for that Sunday

~~oo000oo~~