Joey has always known he was different. He loved having his hair long and hated short hair. He loved playing with Barbie dolls and having tea parties. He also loved jump rope and hopscotch. He was always the quietest boy when he was over at his grandmother’s house.

He loved lacey and pretty things. He loved when his mother would paint his fingernails and toenails. He loved bright colors and pretty things. He wasn’t your typical little boy. He got along with girls a lot and liked hanging with them.

He even took ballet lessons, so he and his best friend, who happened to be a girl. The two of them were always together and got into much mischief. As they got older, he still spent time with her and tried to do some of the same activities she did but couldn’t.

The first time it happened was when she joined a cheerleading team. He wanted to join, but the person who was the coach said it was strictly for girls. She recommends that he should look into joining the junior football league.

He hated football and didn’t want to join the team. He wanted to be with his friend. He joined the school band when he entered sixth grade. He liked music a lot and could play the piano and violin. He inherited his love of music from his mother. She would always have music playing in the house when cleaning or doing laundry.

He would help her with the chores around the house. His father was always gone or working late. Sometimes, his father wouldn’t come home until late at night and disappear first thing in the morning.

Sometimes he wanted to spend time with his father, but his father never had time to spend with him. The only people he spent time with were his mother when she wasn’t working. His best friend, whom he has known since elementary school. Some of the kids from the school band and the drama club.

He loved pretending to be people he had never known. Sometimes he would play male parts, and other times, he played female roles. He loved playing female roles because it allowed him to see what the other gender was all about and wear female clothes.

He watches Yu-Gi-Oh! While rearranging his deck. He loved playing card games. He especially liked playing Yu-Gi-Oh at the comic book store on Saturdays. The comic book store owner has a hologram playing system similar to how the cartoon did things. It not only allowed you to play Yu-Gi-Oh but Magic the Gathering, Pokémon, and a few other different card games.

Joey gets up and walks into the kitchen to fix himself some lunch. He was still wearing the t-shirt his mother gave him. It was one she had since she was in college. She said it belonged to an old boyfriend of hers before she married his father. He also had on a pair of lacey panties as well. His mother knew he liked wearing girl panties. Ever since he was little, he has always worn girl panties. He fell in love with them when he went shopping with his mother.

At first, it had started with him just wearing them around the house. However, as he got older, he would wear them and other girl undergarments to school. A few times, he has gotten caught wearing them by some of the boys in his gym class. His mother bought him some cotton ones that were girl panties; that way, he could enjoy them without being teased about wearing girl panties.

He fixes himself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. He wishes his mother didn’t have to work as much as she did, but with his father’s pay cut back. She didn’t have much choice. He pours himself a glass of milk and goes back into the living room to finish watching his favorite cartoons.

After eating and watching television, he goes into his bedroom and puts his dirty dishes in the dishwasher. He puts on a pair of daisy duke shorts and a cami tank top that exposes his stomach. He brushes out his long reddish-brown hair and puts his pink tennis shoes on while wearing pink ankles shoes.

He went out the back door to the backyard and over to the shed to grab the push mower. He grabs his mother’s straw wide brim hat she keeps hanging in the shed and puts it on his head. It would protect his shoulders from getting burned. He had fair skin like his mother.

He checks the gas and the oil before starting it. Neither one needed to be added. So, he pulls on the string, and afterward, it starts running. He cuts a path in the grass as he heads towards the front yard and starts cutting the grass. He knew a few of the men in the neighborhood was watching him. The way he was dressed, they couldn’t tell if he was a boy or a girl.

Even his school teachers had a hard time identifying him. He looked so much like a girl. Most people forget his true gender, which was okay because he would rather be a girl full-time. It takes him twenty minutes to cut all the grass and another fifteen minutes to edge everything. It was his responsibility to keep the yard looking good.

He puts the weed whacker away and grabs the mat his mother uses to kneel on to pluck weeds out of the flower garden. He spends a good twenty minutes plucking the weeds out. Afterward, he heads inside the house and changes out of his yard clothes, and puts on a bikini he had bought at Walmart on clearance. He had already used Near and shaved what pubic hair he had, so he was hairless down between his legs. He grabs a towel and his mother’s suntan lotion and lays down on one of the loungers in the backyard.

His mother wouldn’t be home until late, and his father was gone for the next three days. He closes his eyes and enjoys some music from his cell phone. He slowly falls asleep while lying on his belly. He had loosened the strings holding his top on before falling asleep. That way, there wouldn’t be any tan lines.

“Joey, are you inside the house?” Richie presses the button on the ring device.

Joey’s cell phone beeps, letting him know someone was at the front door. He reaches over to the small plastic table and picks it up. He looks at it
and notices Richie is at the front door. He presses the talk button on his phone. “I’m in the backyard, Richie.”

“Okay, I’m coming around.” Richie walks around the house and spots Joey wearing a light blue bikini with white clouds printed on it.

He walks over to where Joey is lying and stops. He couldn’t believe his best friend was wearing a girl’s bikini and looked cute.

“Why are you wearing a bikini?” Richie was confused.

Joey turned over, so he was lying on his back. He made sure to tie the strings before he turned. He looks up at Richie and notices he is wearing clam diggers shorts and a tank top with an image of Green Lantern on the front of it.

‘Because it’s nice out, and I wanted to get some sun.” Joey shields his eyes when he looks at Richie.

“You know the guys at school think you are weird and gay.” Richie knew most school guys thought Joey was gay and weird.

“What else is new? At least I’m not a neanderthal like Blake and his crew is. I don’t know how he even passed eight grades.”

“You know how he did it. The school isn’t making anyone repeat a grade more than twice.” Richie’s mother worked in the office at their school.

“I should have known. What brings you over here today?” Joey watches Richie as he looks down at him.

“I’m heading up to comic and things. Do you want to bike with me?”

“Sure, they are holding some comic books for me. We can go to Pop’s afterward for dinner.” Joey starts getting up.

“You’re going to have to buy. I don’t have much money.” Richie didn’t do some of his chores, so his parents cut his allowance.

“No, problem. I have extra. Besides, Pop has several specials going on. Let me go and put some clothes on.”

“Okay, I’ll meet you around front.” Richie watches as Joey walks into his house through the back door.

He walks around the front of the house and waits for Joey to come out. Richie leans on his bicycle and wonders what is taking Joey so long. After about ten minutes, Joey wears shorts and a girly tank top. Richie could tell the shorts were made for a girl. He also had on some make-up as well.

“What’s with the make-up and outfit?” Richie looks at his friend with a puzzled look on his face.

“I’m feeling girly today. Besides, don’t you want everyone who sees you see you with a beautiful girl by your side?” Joey smiles sweetly at Richie.

“Does your mother know you dress like this?” Richie didn’t know if Mrs. Collins knew if Joey was dressing like a girl.

“She knows I sometimes do. It all depends on how I’m feeling and if there is a role I am practicing for drama.” Joey pulls his mother’s bicycle out of the garage instead of his own.

“Being your friend sometimes is difficult.”

“But you still love me.” Joey walks over and places a kiss on Richie’s cheek.

“Yuck! Stop that.” Richie wipes the kiss away.

Joey smirks as he mounts his mother’s bicycle. He presses the button on the remote for the garage door. Joey and Richie wait until the garage door is entirely closed before peddling away.

The two of them start peddling their bikes to Comics and Things. It is located at the intersection of Folks Dr. and Rosemary Ave. The boys knew the place had been situated for at least twenty years.

After twenty minutes of peddling, Joey and Richie park their bicycles against a column and secure their bikes. Joey tucks the key into the bra he is wearing. The two of them walk inside the store and over to the new comics first before they pay for their comics.

Steve was up at the counter watching the new Voltron cartoon. The little bell above the door rings as two young people walk in. one is a young girl with reddish-brown shoulder-length hair. The other person was male and had short black hair. He was wearing a Green Lantern muscle shirt and clam digger shorts. There was something familiar about the male but not the girl. He watches as they walk over to the board where all the new comics are located.

“Hey, Steve’s got the new Korra, the Avatar graphic novel.” Richie picks it up and flips through it.

“I asked Steve to put a copy in my bag.” Joey likes Korra the Avatar.

Richie and Joey continue looking at the new comics before heading up to the counter. When they reach the counter, “hey Steve, what’s the
damage?” Richie looks at Steve.

“Who’s your friend?” Steve looked at Joey as he stood next to Richie.

A smile appears on Joey’s angelic face. In the sweetest Southern voice, he could manage, “why, thank you, kind sir.”

Steve looks hard at Joey’s face. “I know you, don’t I?”

Still staying in character, “you should; I’ve been coming here since I was six years old.”

“Joey Collins, is that you?” Steve couldn’t believe how cute Joey looked dressed like he was.

Joey curtsy as a playful smile appears on his face. He looks at Steve. “Bingo!”

“You look cute as hell. What are you doing hanging with this loser? You could spend the day with me.” Steve had a goofy look on his face.

“I can’t abandon my partner in crime. Besides, think of all the gossip in school on Monday.” Joey puts his arm around Richie’s shoulder.

“Oh, well. You are missing out.” Steve grabs Richie’s bag first. He looks at the receipt on the bag.

“Your purchases come to twenty-five dollars and fifty cents. Richie.”

Richie hands thirty dollars to Steve.

Steve accepts the money and rings Richie’s purchase up on the cash register. He pulls out four dollars and fifty cents change and hands it to
Richie.

“What’s my damage, Steve?” Joey pulls out his Chime card to pay for his purchases.

“Forty dollars and seventy-five cents.”

“Here you go.” Joey hands his Chime card to Steven.

Steven hands Joey his bag and accepts the card. He rings Joey’s purchases up and slides his card through the card reader. A few seconds later, a receipt prints out. He prints out a second one and grabs an ink pen for Joey to sign the first receipt.

“Here, sign this for me, Joey.” Steven lays the receipt down on the counter in front of him.

Joey signs the receipts in his best cursive handwriting. He returned the receipt to Steven and kept the second receipt for himself.

“Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.” Steven still couldn’t get over how cute Joey looked.

“Well, better be off. See you in two weeks, Steven.”

“All right, you two. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.” A playful smile appears on Steven’s face.

“Trust me, Steven. That will never happen.” Richie follows behind Joey.

“Hey, let’s go to Pop’s.” Joey pulls the key to his bike lock out from his bra.

“You remind me of my cousin Nova when you do that. She likes keeping her driver’s license and car keys in her bra.” Richie was sometimes embarrassed when Nova did that.

“My mom does it sometimes as well. I picked the habit up from her.” Joey unlocks the bike lock and puts the chain in the front basket on the bicycle.

Richie ad Joey peddles over to Pop’s soda fountain. The place had a retro look to it with the outside looking like it did the day it was built. They lock their bicycles up on the bike stand. Richie holds the door open for Joey.

“Thank you, kind, sir.” Joey smiles at Richie as he walks by him.

Richie follows Joey as they walk inside the place. They stop and look around the place. The place had an old fashion jukebox and several pinball machines. The pinball machines dated back to when the place was built. There were even some antique video games from the 80s.

They walk over to their favorite booth and sit down. After a few minutes of waiting, a young woman by the name of Betty comes over to them.

“How can I help you two, today?” Betty smiles at the young girl and the young man sitting across from her.

“Do you still have the specials going on?” Joey looks at Betty when he asks the question.

“Yes, we still have several of the specials going on this month.” Betty knew most of the teenagers in the area knew about them.

“Cool, this all on one check. I would like the BBQ special, with onion rings please and a limeade to drink.” Joey loved the old fashion limeade Pop’s made.

Betty writes the young lady's order on her pad. She looks at the young man.

“What would you like, sir?”

“I would like the cheeseburger special, with everything on it. I would also like French fries with it, please.” Richie liked the way pop made the cheeseburgers.

Betty was writing down the order. She looks at Richie “what would you like to drink?”

“Vanilla Coke, please.” Richie puts his and Joey’s menus back on the stand.

Betty smiles as she turns and walks away. She heads towards the window to place the order. Afterward, she starts making the drinks.

Richie looks at Joey “thanks.”

“You’re welcome.” Joey liked his friend a lot.

Richie looks at Joey and had to ask “why do you like wearing girl clothes?”

“It feels right to me. I think when I was inside my mother’s womb, mother nature made a mistake.” Joey knew he never felt right as a boy.

“Have you told your mother yet?”

“No, not yet. I should tell her. It’s not like she would throw me to the curb or anything.” Joey knew how understanding his mother was.

“How about your father? Do you think he’ll understand?” Richie didn’t know much about Joey’s father except he was barely ever home.

“I don’t know. My dad has supported me in my choice of being in the drama club and playing parts for girls. He has also supported me when I wanted to play softball as well.” Joey got teased a lot for playing softball because a lot of guys consider the game strictly for girls.

“Well, you did do good last year on the girls’ softball team. The school won the regionals, because of those three home runs you made.” Richie knew the girl's softball team did extremely well with Joey on the team.

“I wish I could play this year.” Joey liked playing softball.

“How come you can’t?” Richie was curious why Joey couldn’t play.

“Because of the new state law banning any trans girl from playing on any girl team. They say that trans girls have an unfair advantage over a genetically born girl. Yet, a genetically born girl can play on any boy team. Where’s the fairness in that?”

“Do you consider yourself a trans girl?”

“You know, I don’t know. I want to say yes, but I don’t know if I’ll ever get the money to have my plumbing changed.” Joey has been doing research into what is required for him to begin taking puberty blockers and start on hormones.

“I think you need to speak to your mother. She should be able to help you.”

“I think your right, Richie.” Joey figures it was about time he told his mother that he wants to start dressing and being treated like a girl all the time.

After a while, Betty places their order on the table, before them. Richie and Joey thank her when she leaves. They start eating.
Joey’s Place, Around Eleven at Night:

Mary comes home and finds her son still awake. She notices he was wearing the t-shirt she gave him and his favorite pair of panties.

“What’s wrong, sweetie?” Mary sets her work tote by the sofa and hangs her purse on the closet door. She takes her lunch box into the kitchen.
Joey follows his mother into the kitchen. He was feeling a little nervous as he looks at her “mom, I have something I want to tell you and I don’t know how you might feel?”

Mary turns around to look at her son “what is that, sweetie?”

“I want to be a girl and dress like one all the time.” Joey watches his mother’s expression to see how she felt.

“Sweetie, I figured that was how you felt. I just wanted to hear you say how you felt.” Mary opens her arms to hug Joey.

Joey runs over to his mother and buries his face against her chest. He feels her wrap her arms around him and holds him against her body.

Mary just holds her baby against her body. She has been expecting this from Joey. She has been letting him wear girl clothes and knew sooner
or later he was going to let her know how he felt.

Joey just holds onto his mother and lets the tears leak out. He felt better, now that he confessed how he felt to his mother.

“Do you think dad will be mad?” Joey looks up at his mother.

“Your dad and I have already talked about this matter, sweetie. He doesn’t like it, but he will support you.” Mary knew how her husband felt about Joey wearing girl clothes and acting girlish.

They spoke about it and he finally agreed that if Joey wants to become a girl. He would stand by his son. Now, that Joey has confessed how he felt, she could contact Dr. Lumberman and set up an appointment with her for Joey to talk.

So far, Dr. Lumberman has helped advise her on how to handle how Joey feels. She was the one that advised me to let Joey wear girl panties and play softball. She was also the one that advised her on what to look for in Joey’s mannerisms.

“All right, off to bed with you. You have school tomorrow.”

Joey lets go of his mother “alright, mom.” He hugs her one more time.

Mary kisses Joey on his cheek “off to bed, sweetie.”

Joey lets go of his mother and head toward his bedroom. Richie and he were right when they agreed that his mother would be more accepting of him becoming a girl. He climbs into bed and snuggles up with his favorite plushy.

Several Weeks Later:
Shepherdstown, W.VA.:
Oakleaf Theater:

Production Director Shawn Mills watches as Joey plays the part of Marian Paroo. Her piano playing was really good and the way she brings the character to life was amazing. Joey was the right choice for the part.

Joey looks out toward the audience as she performed her part. She still couldn’t get over the fact that Director Mills had chosen her over all the other women that had applied for the part. The one thing she had going for her, was her piano playing. The character she was playing was the town librarian and part-time piano teacher. They were performing the Music Man.

She performs for another hour or so before Mr. Mills goes it a day. Joey wipes the sweat from her forehead as she goes into the back to change out of her costume.

“Joey, you did well out there during practice.”

“Thanks. You did well as well.” Joey was ready to get out of the clothes she was wearing.

“Thanks. So, are you ready for your first performance this weekend?” Keith walks with Joey as they head back to the dressing rooms.

“Yep, I can’t wait.” Joey was feeling more confident since she started seeing Dr. Lumberman.

She was feeling more comfortable in her skin and being accepted at school. Blake and his goons harassed her at school. However, Jacob, Scott, Jessie, and Wayne came to her rescue. They were the school’s top wrestlers and built like linebackers.

They have always liked her because of her musical talent. She taught Jessie how to play a song for his mother for her birthday. He wanted to do something special for his mother and she liked a song from Jerry Lewis. So, she taught him how to play it.

“Well, I’m going to head home, Keith.” Joey looks at Keith.

“Alright, see you tomorrow during practice.” Keith walks into his dressing room to change.

Joey walks into hers and changes out of her costume, carefully. Her mother showed her some tricks to remove the makeup she has been wearing a lot lately. She shared a dressing room with several other women. They didn’t care she wasn’t a full fledge woman.

After cleaning up and getting dressed in her street clothes. Joey walks out of the theater and unlocks her scooter. Her mother bought it for her at a yard sale. It had about 2300 miles on it, but she didn’t care.

She mounts it and starts it. She liked that her mother bought it for her. This way she didn’t need to ask anyone for a ride and could be a little
independent. She puts her silver helmet on and drives toward her house.

When she arrives home, she notices her father’s car was in the driveway. She gets excited because he has been gone the past few days. She parks her scooter in the garage and closes it. She goes into the house and heads back towards her parents’ bedroom. She hears some noises coming from the bedroom. She quietly opens the bedroom door slightly and spots the woman her father brought home a few ago naked and straddling his waist.

Joey takes her cell phone out and records them having sex. She knew her mother was going to be upset when she sees this video. She makes sure she gets enough video of the woman and her dad having sex.

She quietly shuts the bedroom door and leaves the house. She sends a message to her mother letting her know she was spending the night over at Richie’s house. She takes her bicycle over to Richie’s house.

When she arrives, Richie’s mother Rebecca answers the door. Joey looks at Mrs. Jones “I’m sorry for bothering you Mrs. Jones, but would it be okay if I stay the night, please?”

“What’s wrong, Joey?’ as she motions for Joey to come into the house.

“Thanks.” Joey walks into the house.

“I think dad is in trouble?” Joey didn’t know how she should explain what was going on.

“Why would you say that, Joey?” Carol was confused.

“Because of this.” She shows her the video she recorded.

Carol covers her mouth when she starts watching it. She has known Joey’s parents since they first moved in. Sometimes she and Mary would go shopping together. She was okay with Joey becoming a girl and didn’t mind her and Richie hanging with each other.

After the video stopped. Carol looks at Joey “you can stay here sweetie. I’ll call your mother and have her come here as well. Did you bring any clothes with you?”

“Yes ma’am.” Joey packed a gym bag with her night clothes and clothes to wear tomorrow to school and rehearsal afterward.

“Okay, you can sleep in Richie’s bedroom. I don’t want the two of you staying up late.”

“Yes ma’am.” Joey heads towards Richie’s bedroom.

Over the next few weeks, things around Joey’s house go from bad to worst. Joey finds out from her mother that her father had another family in another city from the one they lived in. On top of that, he was having affairs with two other women. One of them had been the woman she had recorded that night at the house.

The second woman was a waitress that worked at a bar called Keith’s. The police found out that the place was owned by a Proud Boy member. Her father was a member of their group and was transporting material and weapons for them.

As for the play she was involved in, the first few nights were rough for her. She tried to give her best performance with everything going on at home. Her mother couldn’t be there and she understood why.

Her grandmother and grandfather came to comfort her mother, along with her two aunts and uncle. When they found out what she was going through, her aunts and grandparents accepted her. However, her uncle felt uncomfortable around her.

Her oldest aunt, her aunt Bobbie loved how she looked. She said that Joey looked like her mother when she was her age. Joey, aunt Bobbie, and her other aunt takes her to the nail salon and have her nails professionally done. Then they take her to have her hair styled.

After a few months, the divorce between her parents is settled. Her mother ends up with the house and several hundreds of dollars that he had stashed away in a bank account. The money had been what he was paid by the high-ranking members of the Proud Boys for the jobs he did for them.

As for herself, she has been picked to play another leading part in another play. The play was called Moulin Rouge and it was a musical. She was playing one of the scantily clad women in the play. Her Aunt Bobbie helps her pick out the type of lingerie they were going to wear, so she could get used to it. She also takes singing lessons as well. Because there was going to be a lot of singing in the play.