It is finally Saturday and I should be sleeping in. The problem is, it’s six a.m. and I’m wide awake. I feel…different. I can’t put my finger on it, but something is…off.

I lay in bed, dreading Dad coming home tomorrow. Not that I am not really happy that he is coming home after his three-week trip. But, how am I going explain the events of the past week? I don’t even know if Mom has told him anything…

I shake my head and decide I may as well get up and work on my project. I go into the bathroom…and discover what is ‘off’ with me. I let out a little scream, “I am a girl! A REAL girl!” I sit down to pee and discover that not only am I real girl; I am a real girl on her period. I almost panic, but without really thinking, I reach under the vanity next to me and pull out a box of tampons… Using them comes just as naturally.

I go downstairs and find Mom already up. She asks, “What was that scream, Hon? Are you alright?”

I am still overwhelmed by the way I handled the tampon issue. I say, “I…started my period and found tampons under the sink…and used one.”

Mom gives me a funny look and asks, “Are you sure you’re alright, Hon? You were with me last week when I bought those for you. You knew your period was going to start today…just like it has this time every month, since you were twelve.”

I sit down in a chair and don’t know what to say. I numbly nod and mumble something about being fine. My head is reeling, though. Thoughts float through my head, like, “Periods since I was twelve? Bought these last week? It is like…”

I look at Mom and ask, “Dad is still coming home tomorrow, right? How are we going to tell him…?”

She looks at me with a confused look and asks, “Tell him what, Sweetie? That you are on your period? I that may be a bit TMI for him, don’t you think? You know he’s a bit…in denial about such things when it comes to you. He still sees you as his little daughter…”

I slowly nod and say, “I guess so… I just thought he should get used to it…”

Mom giggles and says, “Oh, Right! He is not used to it with ME and we have been married for nearly twenty-five years! Now, go get ready, silly. If we are going to the flea market again, today, we need to go before the crowds get bad!”

I go upstairs, wondering just how much of the world has changed. Obviously, I still know who I am… Obviously, Mom…and Dad…don’t…

As we are driving to the flea market, I text Bethany.

Hey Girl. I just started my period…

It takes about a nanosecond to get a response.

You WHAT?!?!?!? How? REALLY? OMG!!!

I smile, obviously SHE still knows the truth… So…you still know the real truth? My mom and dad are in some alternate reality… No, really…

It takes a bit to get a response, this time. WOW! My Mom thinks we have been BFFs ever since we moved here…we met at the yoga studio, it seems. As far as she is concerned, you have always been a girl! This is WEIRD!!! Well, EVEN weirder than it has been!

We pull into the flea market and I send a final text. Uh huh! Gotta run. Later!

Mom parks and we get out. I split off from her after a bit and go to see if I can find the woman that I got the necklace from. I finger it and notice that it has changed, once again. It is very dainty and has a small diamond pendant on it.

It takes me a few minutes, but I finally find the stand and the beautiful woman running it is standing behind her table smiling at me. She says, “Well, hello. You are looking much better than last week. How do you feel?”

I give her a strange look, then say, “I feel fine… Great, actually. So, you know who I am?”

She says, “Of course! The necklace has done well—and you have chosen really nicely. Not everyone does, you know. The jewelry tries to tell them. Some ignore the warnings, though. So, what can I do for you, today?”

I give her a surprised look. I ask, “So, you are a witch? A sorceress? What? You do this often? How…?”

She actually laughs and says, “So many questions for such a pretty little girl! As for who—or what—I am… Well, those are only labels… The results are what matters! Are you happy? You were so desperately in need of enlightenment. That is what my jewelry does, you know. It shows people the proper path. You needed to be shown that keeping your secret was bad for you…the rest, what happened to convince you of that, well, let’s say those were just fringe benefits.”

I give her a confused look and ask, “So, the necklace was trying to tell me that I needed to admit to the world that I was a girl? That was really all it was?”

She nods and I ask, “And the…fringe benefits…are permanent?”

She giggles and says, “If you want them to be. Yes.”

I ask, “But my parents don’t seem to know anymore… Bethany, my friend does, though.”

She nods and says, “Yes, your best friend, the one that REALLY stood by you, still knows. She is the ONLY one, though. That is the price of staying this way. Is that too much?”

I think about it a minute and say, “No.” I smile and say with more conviction, “Not at all. So…how does one normally acquire your services? I mean, I am not sure how you picked me…”

She gives me an inquisitive stare and asks, “Why do you ask? Do you have someone in need of enlightenment?”

I finish explaining what I found out to Bethany. She truly HAS become my best friend, now. She shakes her head and says, “It is really bizarre! But…it makes sense in a creepy-comfy sort of way. You DID need something to pound it into that thick skull of yours that you were a girl. No one but us knowing, though…now, THAT gives me the shivers… Why me?”

I finger the transformed necklace as I shrug and say, “It has something to do with you TOTALLY standing by me through it all… I mean others did, too, but you were the ringleader, so to say…”

She hugs me and says, “But your Mom…she stood by you, too.”

I nod and say, “I think the magic is protecting her from having to lie to Dad… It is easier this way… For them, anyway. With time, it will be much easier for me…well, US, too. It will be completely natural…”

The next day, Daddy comes home. It is really strange being called ‘Princess’ by him and being treated like I have always been his ‘little girl’. The fact that in this reality, he has never known me as anything but his daughter is disconcerting at first—but I QUICKLY settle into it. I have him wrapped around my little finger, it seems… (*GIGGLE*)

We all go out to eat to celebrate his return home from his extended trip. Then they take me to the piercing parlor after that and allow me to get the nose and naval piercings that I have been wanting for so long. Though this is news to me, I guess I have been begging them to let me do it for ‘ages’…

After we get back home, I change my tampon and get ready for bed. I look at my new piercings and shake my head. They look GOOD; sort of like a certain singer’s that I love so much…

I settle into bed and wonder what school will be like tomorrow. What I DO know is that I will be Layla; and as far as everyone there is concerned, I will ALWAYS have been her. What I don’t know is what THEY know of Layla… Like with my parents and the piercings; what is my background? It should be an interesting day. I smile…in more ways than one…

“Layla! Babe! Wait up!”

I am giggling with Bethany, telling her about ‘wanting’ to get my nose and belly button pierced ‘for ages’. I screw up my face and roll my eyes as I hear that voice. I sigh to Bethany and turn around to say, “What do YOU want Edward? I am sure that WE don’t conspire in the same circles. Me being a supporter of LBGT rights and all…”

He looks at me in a completely lecherous way and says, “Now, now, LAYLA, I am sure we can find some common ground! I mean you may be in THEIR support group, but you are not a lezzie, right? I mean, you have needs that I can satisfy. Just because you think that drag fags have rights doesn’t mean that I can’t convince you that they are ALMOST as bad as a lezzie!”

I roll my eyes and pull Bethany over to me and plant a very sexual and passionate kiss full on her lips. Of course, she is completely taken off guard and ALMOST fights me on it. I surprise myself, when I find I enjoy it WAY more than I expected. I reluctantly break the kiss and steel my resolve. I pull Edward over to me and give him a half-hearted kiss…

I push him away and say, “Well… Round one DEFINITELY goes to Bethany here…”

He turns bright red and says, “We will see about THAT!” He pulls me into him and kisses me with as much passion as he can muster. I am left unimpressed. I smile at him, though, and say, “Well, that was a worthy attempt, Edward. I might reconsider my winner, if you are willing to do something for me…” I wink at him.

He is near drooling when he says, “Do something for you? Of COURSE I will do something for you! That is what I have been saying!”

I smile and say, “Back boy! Will you wear my ring?” I pull a very feminine-looking ring off of my thumb. I am sure it will fit his ring finger perfectly. I say, “It would mean SO much to me!” I bat my eyelashes.

He stutters and says, “Well, it is a bit girly…b…b…but…”

I giggle and push it onto his right ring finger. I say, “I am sure we will be GREAT friends, Emily.”

He looks at me confused and asks, “Emily? What are you talking about?”

I look at him with my best confused look, “What are YOU talking about? I think you maybe need to clean your ears! Anyway, I need to get to class.” I kiss him, to Bethany’s utter surprise, and say, “I will see you at lunch, Emily…”

I grab Bethany and pull her towards class before he can say anything else—still in a befuddled state of mind from the mind-blowing kiss that I just gave him.

As we walk away, Bethany asks, “WHAT IN THE WORLD WAS THAT ALL ABOUT? And that kiss…I mean with ME…” She blushes…

I giggle and say, “You will be the only one that knows what is going on…well, besides Emily… Just play along…” And I kiss her passionately again… I say then, “I don’t want to confuse you… I know you are with Lewis… I don’t think I am a lesbian, either. I think we are simply both bi…”

She gives me a shocked look and we go into class just as the bell rings…

I look up from my lunch tray. I am, of course, sitting at the ‘popular girls’ table. I giggle. Bethany follows my stare and gives me a confused look. All I can think of is ‘Grease’ and the ‘Pink Ladies’…

A group of girls in pink satin jackets stroll into the cafeteria, led by none other than a very pretty ‘Emily’.

Bethany chokes and asks, “Is that…”

I nod and say, “Edward and his cronies…being led to the path of enlightenment…”