This is a direct continuation to What It Takes To Survive. If you haven't, please read that story first!

=^_^=

"... And that's the weather you can expect today. Now back to Alan in the studio who has updates on the story that has gripped our nation and the world"

I didn't remember when the radio had come on. Maybe it was back when the car did. I hadn't been listening then due to Mikey making small talk but it now had my attention.

"Thank you Lisa. News out of the Capital this morning is that our government has been aware of the island for quite some time now. It had originally been chosen as the site for an as of yet undisclosed project which had to be cut short and moved due to unforeseen challenges the crew experienced on the island. We're told there had been multiple casualties"

I wondered whether Mikey was listening too but he didn't show it.

"It is currently unclear what had caused those casualties and information about the island's true nature is still being guarded very tightly but as always we'll relay the information as we get it"

It felt strange knowing government secrets. I felt like I was in a movie. And of course people had asked. Lots of people had asked. But I'd only told them the lie that the government agents had told us to say. "We actually hadn't experience anything extraordinary. We had all been under a lot of stress"

"You think the government is going to silence us?" I joked

He laughed "we've got snipers trained on us as we speak".

He looked good in the driver's seat. It was hot. I must have been staring because he asked if everything was alright.

I shook myself out of it and nodded.

=^_^=

The drive to school was only a few minutes and soon, he was making a final turn into school premises and heading for the parking area.

The main building was a ancient structure first built in the early 20th century but had been remodeled too many times for you to tell. The entire property was massive and featured a separate gym building, not quite standard soccer field and a full size 120 yard football field. Like many schools in our region, football was THE sport although our soccer team was technically more successful. Most would argue soccer had weaker competition and so less interest. I'd argue the opposite and say it had less interest and so weaker competition.

Didn't matter, we were all looking forward to dominating in our final year.

When he'd found a spot and parked, I waited for him to do what he'd insisted on doing many times the summer before. He went around and opened and held the door open for me.

I'd resisted the first time he'd tried that but he wouldn't hear it.

"Dad said to always be a proper gentleman when with a lady" he'd said.

I took his hand and he guided me out the door. It was already a very cold morning. Colder than it should be this time of year. It made me think about how lucky we were to be stranded in the heat of summer. With how poorly geared we were, the cold could have been a real problem.

He never let go of my hand as we walked towards the main block.

=^_^=

We got a lot of stares with each group of kids that we passed and it made me really self conscious.

I thought back to what Mikey had said to me in my bizarre island dream, "you care too much what people think".

Maybe dream Mikey was right. I clutched his hand tighter and looked over at him. He seemed calm. Not bothered one bit.

"Well maybe you don't care enough" I'd replied. Maybe dream me was right too.

As we got through the main doors, the stares only increased. Everyone in the halls as far as the eye could see was looking at us and whispering.

Were they staring because we were the famous island survivors? Were they staring because I had come out as transgender and was now a girl? Were they staring because Mikey and I were now a couple?

Do they think we all went crazy on that island like the rumours suggested? Who knows, maybe we did.

I looked over at Mikey, he still didn't care.

=^_^=

As time got closer to 7:30, we'd all funnelled into the auditorium like we did every Monday morning. The only thing different however was that we headed for the rows of seats reserved for seniors where I finally found familiar faces.

Doug was dead center of the row as usual and was chatting away loudly with a group. I'm sure he was telling some made-up story about how he saved everyone. Savannah clung tightly to him as she usually did. I unconsciously rolled my eyes. Mick, Clinton, Clarissa and Lindsey were there too.

I liked Clarissa and Lindsey. We barely talked but they'd always been nice to me.

Doug acknowledged our presence with a nod before continuing his conversation.

Gabe, Tate and Ollie sat together with another group. They looked to be having a good time.

Ben and Tommy sat in the back. It had been nearly two months but they still showed signs, physical and otherwise of what we-- of what they went through. We could only guess because they definitely never talked about it.

Chloe waved ecstatically at me and pointed to two empty seats beside her which we took. Chloe and I had gotten close over the summer. We'd lived near eachother a long time and our families knew eachother but she was the shy quiet type and so was I so we'd never really talked much.

"I knew he was your 'ride'!" She gave me a knowing look.

Her mum usually dropped her off at school and she had asked me to join them but I told her I already had a ride.

I shrugged.

"You look pretty by the way" she said "love the skirt" she added smiling.

"Of course you do. You picked it out!"

"Did I?" She joked "no wonder it looks so good on you"

She wasn't shy or quiet around me anymore.

"Hey, Mikeey" she stressed his name as she turned her attention to him.

"Yes, Chloee" he stressed hers trying and failing to match her energy. They'd gotten close too.

"Come on bro, hook me up! I'm so horny" her voice dragged.

"Chloe!" I yelled incredulously

"What?? Don't be greedy, Jo. You've got that fine piece of ass, let a girl get some too, you know what I'm saying?"

I couldn't believe her.

"Oh my God, you're impossible" I replied simply.

"Attention" we were interrupted the enhanced voice over microphone followed by a piercing feedback.

The entire student body groaned.

"Can I have your attention?" The voice echoed throughout the auditorium.

Slowly but surely, all conversations died down.

"Thank you" the voice belonged to Principal Felicity David. I didn't really know how old she was but she looked to be around 40. She was usually calm and kind but also very no nonsense. I didn't mind her as a principal and I'd never gotten into trouble with her.

"I'd like to welcome you all back after the long holiday. I know we as a community had a very eventful summer and at times, it was easy to lose hope but I'm sure I speak for everyone when I say, while we're sad over the lives lost, we can remain thankful because it could have been much worse"

"We want to remember the life of Mr. Ken Baldwin. Ken was a dear friend and a valued member of our staff and his loss will be felt for a long time to come. Ken's heroic actions cost his life but he saved the lives of 8 students and another staff"

"We'd like to recognise 18 of our very own who not only survived a fatal crash, but the unimaginable moments up till rescue. For 9 of them, rescue wouldn't happen until a month later. As I call your name, please make your way to the stage."

The names blended together and I only listened for my own name. I was tired of the attention. I got messages everywhere from people I didn't know. I got fan-mail. I had thousands of followers on Twitter and I could barely even remember the password. I hated people camping outside my house trying to get a picture.

I was glad that the frenzy had finally died down. When I'd just first come out to my family and close friends, it had somehow gotten to the news and with everything else going on, I couldn't go anywhere for a week.

I was snapped back into reality when Chloe poked me in the rib. I realised they'd called my name multiple times so I got up and headed for the stage. Mikey was next and followed closely behind me.

I was glad when it was over and the assembly moved on to other things. They eventually talked about how the school had a zero tolerance policy towards bullying and all students no matter how different, were to be treated with respect. I'm sure they were talking about me.

After assembly, we had homeroom which lasted 30 minutes before classes began at 8:30

=^_^=

First period of the day was English which was fine by me. The excitement I felt early this morning had long since died and I'd fallen back into the old habit of zoning out during classes especially easy ones like English and doing just the bare minimum.

Really, it was worse than usual. This felt very dull and mundane. I couldn't get myself to focus on what the teacher was saying. How could I find any of this interesting after all we'd gone through. Mikey made it bearable but I'd felt this way since getting home.

"Miss Fahey, are you with us?" Mrs Dorsey our English teacher had to yell to get my attention. I had zoned out again. "Actually, your experience may offer some unique perspective and insight to one of the books on last years reading list. What is your main takeaway from Lord of the Flies?"

She genuinely seemed interested in my response so I tried to give it some thought. I'd read the book last year because we were required to but I ended up actually enjoying it. Our experience did offer unique perspective.

"Uh.. don't put teenage boys on an island?" My answer was phrased more like a question because I was drawing a blank on anything meaningful.

The class laughed. Mrs Dorsey did too. "Anything else come to mind?"

I thought hard "--Adult presence, rationale and impulse control are necessary for a civilization to not, you know, implode"

She seemed to accept my point "Does that stance hold based on your own experience?" She asked "would your own little civilization have 'imploded' without the presence of an adult?"

I then realised I'd been selling coach short. Not any adult could have done what he did and got us through and out alive. In fact, if it had been anybody else with us, I'd probably still be on that dumb rock out in the ocean. Most likely dead.

I nodded.

"Excellent input Joanna" Mrs Dorsey seemed satisfied "Let's proceed".

=^_^=

Sometime during the next period, History, I'd needed to pee and asked to be excused.

I walked the halls slowly on my way to the bathroom. Even though I usually liked history, I was in no hurry to get back to class.

Eventually reaching the bathroom area, I went in the ladies like I'd done throughout summer when out with Gaby, Chloe or Mikey.

I headed straight for the mirrors. I actually looked great, way better than I felt. It may have just been my imagination but I felt I looked different already.

I'd been on HRT for 22 days already. I probably didn't look a lot different but I felt like a different person. The mood swings weren't great like today for example but a necessary evil. The highs were high and the lows were low. But there definitely were highs especially when I was with Mikey.

I always smiled when I thought about it. About him.

The click and creaking of the door as it opened pulled me out of my thoughts. I turned and saw the janitor lady who I thought gave me a weird look but it might have just been in my head.

I quickly washed my hand, then hurried awkwardly passed her and out the door. It dawned on me that I never did pee.

=^_^=

I hadn't been back in class 15 minutes when there was a knock on the door and Principal David was asking to see me for a moment.

She offered me a seat when we got to her office and she began as soon as I was seated. Classic Principal David. No time to waste.

"How are you, Joanna?" She asked me.

"Fine" I answered awkwardly. I thought about how I had only been in her office the one time and forgot what it looked like. Or maybe she redecorated.

"I know you have to get back to the French Revolution so I'll make this quick. It has come to my attention that you're using the girl's bathroom"

She paused but I sensed it wasn't yet my turn to speak so I didn't say anything.

"Now I know it's a special situation and we understand you can't use the boy's bathroom as you are and you certainly can't use the girl's bathroom--"

She flipped through some notes on her desk but I suspected it was only for show.

"--so we've decided that you are to use the Staff bathroom on each floor until special provisions can be made. Is that clear?"

I don't think she was looking for an answer but I gave her one anyway "why can't I use the girl's bathroom?"

"--Because not all students would be comfortable sharing the bathroom with you sweetie, and at this school this school, we make sure to take into account the feelings of ALL our students"

That sounded rehearsed.

"Did someone say they weren't comfortable sharing the bathroom with me?" I asked.

"The students of this school are too polite to bring up complaints such as that but we must protect them nonetheless. And there are parents-- this administration believes this to be the right decision. You may return to class"

In my head I let her have it, but in reality, I simply said "Yes ma'am".

=^_^=

Jo is back home but she'll find that things are a lot more complicated than she left it. I hope you enjoy WITTS Senior Year. Leave your comments below and let me know what you think. Leave a kudo if you're enjoying this new story so far.