Rose woke up in the morning early; Robert wanted to sleep longer, but Rose won out. She hoped if Sandra was ready early that she could show Rose how to become more like her. I was up showered, had on my gaff and was preparing my makeup when Shannon kicked me out of the bathroom. I welcomed the excuse to raid some of Shannon’s makeup; chiefly the nail polish which was better quality. I had three fingers done as Shannon too had showered.

I finished my fingernails as there was a knock on the door and Coach Alexis House wanted to talk with me. Once Alexis was in the room, she wanted to talk as I was to limit Rose to being Dort with only one cheer per half. It was obvious that Coach was asked to limit my active participation.

She stated some people were concerned with Dort appearing to play on her being transgender. I finally asked straight out: “Is this because I visited with the younger ones dressed as girls. We only talked a few short times. Neither they nor I flaunted ourselves in any way.”

Coach Alexis said, “They’re concerned about some saying you misbehaved. They were more concerned about the boys who were getting worked up and maybe getting themselves in deep trouble. People say they’re generally nice boys and it would be a mark on them and their families.”

“Coach!” I reached a low scream, “What you’re saying, is that all the talk about bullies is just that! I suspect the good families are well to do and influential. That’s just not fair.”

Coach half-apologizes, “I’m sorry, but others are citing your discipline to indicate that it is you who are known to have problems. …I think it’s unfair, but I don’t want you cited for anything. Especially since we’re away from our home area.”

I asked, “Can you cite anything that I did was wrong? I will try not to do those things.”

She said, “I guess it was some of the gymnastic moves and the final thing of you doing a split. That was said to be unmanly. I know it was I who asked you to do it, and I’m sorry it has caused you some trouble.”

Something moved me and I gave Coach House a hug, “Don’t be sorry for me. I didn’t really care about others until I came on the Spirit Team. You nor I have done anything wrong. I was thankful when that Navy recruiter spoke up. They respected her and knew that the boys were wrong. …I’ll try not to get in trouble, I’m not going to stop doing the right thing. I hope you won’t ask me to.”

Alexi smiled, “Good, you continue to do that. You as Dort has made us proud to have you on our team. Remember we’re here for the basketball team.”

It was good to get together at the basketball tournament. We went around hugging each of the basketball players. We had a gift sack for each of them, which surprised them. It wasn’t like I’d put together as a guy, filled with treats. There were nice perfumes, hand creams, simple mints even different books they could read to pass time and pass onto another player if they got done.

Trisha asked, “I’m stiff could you give me a back rub?” Sure enough her muscles were tight and knotted and we had a good fifteen minutes before she had to go and change.

I was able to rub her shoulders and back getting the knots out and to work the muscles to relax. Someone passed behind me and snapped my bra strap. That caused me to think, that used to be me. I hadn’t known how to relate to people, so I did goofy things like that.

It felt better to be one of the girls and to do something for Trisha as a friend just because I care about her.”

Sharon asked, “What’s with your smile?” Trisha had turned and looked at me; her facial expression kind of asked the same thing.

I said, “I’ve learned to enjoy the simple things, like giving Trisha a rub down. It seems like I’m becoming another one of the cheer team.”

Sharon patted me up on the back, “You’re finally believing us, huh?”

Our team played a very competitive game and barely eked out a victory. The evening game to vie for the tournament championship. We would play against another northern Jersey team. It was not the highest rated team from northern Jersey, but it was seen as the best invited to this tournament. The Warren High team of girls were all seniors and juniors, tall where needed as well as quick and good ball handlers.

Our Cheer Team was back making new signs as well as making runs of energy drinks and bars as well as cases of water. I was also to learn that teams of girls often experience their periods synchronized close together. Many on the team had participated in different sports beginning in fifth grade. Trish handed me a list of things like tampons, shields, pads and more. I tried to say something, but Trish just said, “You can do it, please don’t make a big deal about it. Those needing them feel bad enough. You should be able to find everything you need across the street from the south entrance at Walgreens. Here is some money, I hope that covers it. You’ll look like just another girl getting what is needed.”

I was leaving the building, when my mother called over to me, “Rose, we’re here. We saw the first game. I thought you were good, but you didn’t do as much as I heard you did yesterday?

“I can explain Mom, but I need to run across the street to get some things for the other girls.” Mom took the sheet from my hand, it’s a Mom thing that no one has been able to stop.

She said, “They must really see you as one of the girls. They’d be embarrassed to ask most boys to get those things.” Dad asked, what and mom told him to never mind. She handed me some extra money in case I needed it.

The most embarrassing part was bringing it back into the tournament building and security deciding they needed to check it and ask questions. A male guard tried to make a joke and a woman security person stopped him. “You don’t want to go there.”

There was a buffet we could eat at a discounted price. It was for all the basketball players and cheer teams. It was an opportunity to bump into others from other schools. One girl, Debbie, came and asked me a question. She has a brother, she thought of as a sissy. “He gets into my makeup and clothes. It seems creepy to me, what can I do to stop him?”

Debbie’s a junior in high school at Paul’s in eighth grade. “My mother knows about what he does and she disciplines him, kind of. But it is not talked about at other times even though she knows he still does it.”

I said, “If your mother is not going to stop him. Maybe you can suggest that he gets some of his own clothes and makeup.” She agreed, he really was kind of strong for all the teasing he had to take. Most of the physical bullying had been stopped, but she still hears him cry when he’s alone.

I said, “I know it might not be easy for you, but you are his big sister. There comes a time you need to accept him and to speak up for him. Your high school counselor should be able to help him and you.”

When she was ready to leave, she asked, “If he’s here after your game, would it be okay for him to ask you some questions.”

I said, “It’s hard to promise anything after a game, win or lose, but I’d try. I don’t really think I’m a good person for him to talk with, but I wouldn’t turn him away because of that.”

Anne said after she left, “I’m sure you never saw yourself as a role model for kids like that, did you?”

Anne’s expression changed with my answer. “No, and until I got here. I was denying that I might be one of them.” Anne paused and wasn’t sure what to say so I asked, “I know you didn’t ask to be in this position either. But I hope you and I can talk about this more privately sometime.”

She gave me a hug, “Does it get hard for you? I thought you were handling this quite well and that it hadn’t phased you”

I confessed, “When I dressed this morning, I thought about those I saw yesterday. I wondered if I might meet some others today. And the more I am with you and the others; I’m feeling more like another girl. …After I stop dressing after the season is over, part of me would like, as Dort to meet the ship when it comes back. I’ve even told my sister, I might like to go to the Prom as Rose if Brad Thomas asked me.”

Anne said, “Do you think your sister would mind if I came to your room tonight?”

None of us ate much more than an energy bar or two before the game. We were more excited than worried. Coach House said, “We’re are going back to rotating all of you to do some of the cheers. Dort, I want to encourage you not to do any splits, but I also want you to do your best.”

The Warren team took our team seriously from the opening tip. For the first few minutes, both teams only managed to make one basket. Then it was a matter of better offense and tough defense by both teams. They were in the lead come halftime 26-25.

A boy named Paul came to say hello to me at halftime but we were staying in our group as cheerleaders. Paul said, at a distance, “My name is Paul and my sister said, I might be able to talk to you after the game. I just wanted you to know I am here. I’m sorry for bothering you.”

I could tell by his complexion and the way he carried himself, he wasn’t overtly effeminate but had taken very good care of his skin and hair. Coach House said, “Rose, please go tell him it was okay that he talked to you.”

I went to talk with Paul, I heard the beginning of Sharon saying something in support of me. I said to Paul, “Paul, I and my team want to make sure we don’t come off as rude to you. It is a difficult time to visit with you, and it may not be easier after the game. But as I told your sister, I will try my best.”

Paul said, “If we can’t talk, I just want you to know. My sister said you asked her to be supportive of me. She said it changed her thinking.” We hugged and said goodbye for then. Paul said, “You know you make a pretty girl too.” I thanked him and went back to my group.

The arena was not full for our game, but we had a lot of fans, including some from other schools. Warren High had a larger team and at least ten would play a part of the game trying to wear us out. Of our nine players, we usually played six. But tonight eight made it into the game. Come the last period of the game we were usually tied or leading by as much as three points.

The game was within one point when Adriana of the Warren Wolves chased a ball going out of bound that she tossed back and they made a score. Adriana had hit the seats in the stands and I knew she was hurt. I tried to help her and signal she was hurt, but she pushed me down and went running back on the court, where she fell again.

I joined the cheer team in our stance of going to one knee and bowed heads out of respect for a player being hurt. Anne told me, not to take it personally that she pushed me back and said something. A couple of their cheer team looked to us and we're glad we were respectful. We even corrected some fans who were rude. But we knew there was no talking to one another right now.

Adriana, I was told was their sixth player, and not as big of a loss as it could have been. Somehow an interference foul was called against me. The penalty shot was made and gave them a three-point lead.

Fortunately, Kaylea, Kristin, and Thyme Daley, the Coach’s daughter all made timely three-point shots down the stretch and we won by four points, 60-56. Adriana from the Warren Wolves called me over to the sidelines after the two teams greeted one another at the end of the game. She said, “I hope you understood, there was no way I was going to thank you during the game. I wished I had taken your help, as my injury might now be less than it is.”

She gave me a slip of paper with her phone number on, saying, “You know we don’t live that far from each other. I don’t like most boys, but you’re different.” I turned red, blushing over what she was implying. I said thanks and walked away.

Our team would celebrate an hour or two then it would be to prepare for the championship game.

I cheered and celebrated with our team, but then noticed, Paul, standing to the side. He had changed into a wraparound skirt, changed to a more feminine top. We sat on the bottom seats near the court and talked. Paul’s voice as a girl was fairly good, so I knew this was not new.

Paul’s girl name was Delphine, she was quick and short in telling part of her story. “I know you don’t have much time nor a reason to talk with me. But I felt a need to see if you would.”

“Delphine, it’s me who needs to apologize for giving you that feeling,” I said. “I’ve been denying how much I’m like you. From the little I know, you truly seem to be a girl inside and out. I hope your sister, Debbie is it? That she follows through and is supportive of you?”

We talked and Delphine said. “Thanks, I’m more hopeful having talked to you. I’m less likely to consider suicide?”

I was surprised by what she said and quickly reacted saying, “Suicide! …You don’t really mean you’d consider it, did you?”

She said, “There was a high school boy, Scotty; who died. Some said he saw himself as a girl. When others joked that is was not much of a loss. I became depressed and thought about it. I tried not to think about it or dress like a girl, but I got worse, not better.” We hugged and talked until the court was ready for the next game.=^_^=
Back to the team, Coach House commented, “I saw you took time with her. Somethings she said seemed to speak to you. …Should we talk about ending what we’re doing?”

“That’s not needed, if you and Audrene Trullo are supportive of me that should be enough. Ms. Trullo has indicated that she knew I was experiencing more than I was admitting to. I don’t want to scare either of you, but you being supportive, means more than you know.”

Our Coach said, “I’ve spoken to the Principal. She too is supportive and doesn’t want us to be afraid of any accusations or threats by others. She said the School will back you 100%.”

Anne and Therese had come over and asked, “Aren’t you going to be part of the celebration? We hope you realize the victory means we have a lot of preparations to do tonight for tomorrow.”

My smartphone rang and it was Deb Triens from the USS Cook. It was 5:00 a.m. where they were. “We heard you won a crucial game. We’ll wire flowers in the morning your time to the basketball players. We hope you have the ship’s rope with you for good luck.”

Principal Amanda Evans was there and said, “We could get it here if someone was willing to go back with me to get it. You wouldn’t get much sleep.”

I spoke without thinking, “I could do it. It won’t take as much to bring it down.”

Shannon volunteered to go with us, as she suggested, I change to jeans for climbing the other rope. It was an hour before midnight when Principal Evans opened the school and turned on the lights to the gymnasium.

I shimmied up the rope and got the ship’s rope. I was tired enough that I had trouble lifting it off the hook that held it. Shannon and Dr. Evans convinced me to drop the huge rope down. When I got down, Dr. Evans apologized, “I think I was wrong in suggesting we do this.” The bigger problem was; we needed to leave her comfortable car and take a school van to fit all of us as well as the ship’s rope.

We stopped at an all-night diner to get something to eat. Two people recognized me and Principal Evans. “What has you two back here? We thought you’d be at the game.” I knew Riley and was embarrassed when he said how nice I filled out my designer jeans.

He and Harris paid for our meals, in support of the team. With the empty roads, we made good time and we're back to our hotel by 3:30 a.m.

We were only an hour behind Anne and others from the Cheer Team in getting to sleep. We had seen part of their work on the doors of the basketball team members. Come morning we would each wear one of the game jerseys for each player during the day. I once again had the stuff for Trisha. I slept well with the exception at 8:00 o’clock came way too quickly.

I don’t know why, but I’m having a girlish joy when the basketball players find their doors decorated. There are bags of goodies on their door handles. We made a few extra and they were needed as two bags were taken by others. I caught one boy trying to leave something more repulsive behind at one door. He was too big for me alone. Anne, my sister and Mary Errands were quickly there and instead of trying to fight his way past us, Brad instead gave up.

His sister played on the Hackenfield team, we were to play for the championship. Seemingly his sister, Hadley, was not a partner of what he did. We gave him the choice of staying with us until his parents came to get him or for us to request security to be responsible for him. He was supposedly in the school’s Honor Society.

It wasn’t until Ma and Pa Miller arrived that Mr. Miller made his son name the two other students in on the scheme. His parents were thankful that we were being constructive and asked them to handle it. While they did not want it to get out to the general public. They wanted Hadley to know and Marshal and Devon to accept responsibility as well.

Marshal had some bruises that showed; Mr. Miller informed us that Marshal came out of an abusive environment. Part of their punishment was Anne, Sharon and I gave up a pair of Bobbi-socks they had to wear all day. Their feet were too big and they would be uncomfortable wearing them. But they would be out of sight unless they paid attention to them. Shannon was fairly sure that would be impossible and she was right. Come 5:00 o’clock they each received a corsage they had to wear with their team colors on for the game.

Marshal said he was lucky that his parents weren’t there, and he introduced us to his younger sister Peggy. She too had signs of neglect, if not, abuse. Sharon gave Peggy a satin top, and by Peg’s warm smile we were sure she wasn’t used to getting good things.

Once the game was ready to get underway, Hackenfield seemed upset they were playing us. We had decided that Sandra, Sharon and I would do our running tumbles as each girl was introduced. I was ready to do my second jump, this one for Trisha, when one of their petite cheerleaders stepped in my path, trying to stop me. I did one cartwheel and then flipped over her. The crowd roared with applause. We did stop at that point as Coach House didn’t want to chance any accidents. But it had done the job of exciting our fans.

I had only put down the ship’s docking rope to do my jumps. You could hear many people ask what was special about it and our fans cheer about it being present.

This game was very different from yesterday as both teams played extremely well from the very beginning. Despite each playing good defensively, the score was 32-30 in our favor come half-time.

It was then, we were approached by the Naval Officer Megan Hart and a shore patrolman. There had been a report of a US naval ship and a Russian ship that intruded especially close to it. The only report was that the US ship had not backed down, even when two other Russian boats and air presence made itself known.

Officer Megan addressed our Coach, “Do you know what US ship is there? We need to know what other American ships are responding?”

Our Coach said, “They knew we won our games yesterday and would be playing for the championship today.”

Megan said, “We know they sent something to you, what was it? This could be a serious breach of information!”

Coach House smiled, “They wired flowers for flowers to be sent for our players. We’re like a mascot to their ship. The large docking rope we have was a gift from them earlier this month.”

“We’re sorry to trouble you, but we will check out your information.”

Come the beginning the second half, Coach House had a new cheer for us. I was to take the rope and throw it down on the floor. Sandra and Sharon picked up the rope and they began to stomp their feet, the rest of us moved around and in front of our fans. Yelling as we clapped in rhythm, “DON’T! BACK! DOWN!! It was repeated over and again as our fans stood and joined in the chant. Our team responded with a full-court press and began with a 9-3 run. Hackenfield never got closer than six points.

Kaylea made a steal and ran down the court but shied away at the basket at the last second. She then dribbled outside and shot a three-point basket that ‘swooshed, nothing but net’. That was with three minutes to go and gave us an eleven point lead, not to be threatened again. It was neat to see the basketball girls take charge of the ship’s docking rope and with it received their trophy.

There were four undefeated teams that began the tournament and the Destroyers were now the only undefeated team there.

My Dad, who had been a ship’s doctor, showed me some sympathy in his own way. “I hear you are justified to be anxious. Your ship might be the one in a precarious way. I’m suspecting it and a submarine directly below it, are chaperoning a supply ship to make sure it is not boarded and relieved of its cargo.”

I was near tears with what he said. My Dad stepped forward and hugged me, saying, “I respect what you’re doing. Usually, you didn’t care about others like that.”

“Thanks, Dad.” The media took a picture of us, but I was sure they didn’t understand. The sports media did come to know the reason for the rope and our tie with the USS Cook. Each time someone asked if we knew if our ship was safe? It hurt some more, especially since we didn’t know and couldn’t have said anything if we did. It was ten o’clock and we were on our way back home that Naval Officer Megan called the Coach. It would be over a week before we were likely to hear from the ship and it could be even longer. “They may never be free to tell you if they were the ship involved or one of the ships called to the eastern Mediterranean Sea.”

My saving grace was I had Shannon and my Cheer team with me. Shannon saw that I had a call from Adrianna from Warren. She asked, “Do you have someone asking you for a date?”

I said, “No, she’s loving up to me and wanting me to invite her. She said, ‘I’m the one who is the boy…”