Zoe - Part 2
by Melanie Brown
Copyright  © 2023 Melanie Brown

Rob is taking the big step to start his life as a girl.
 
This is a continuation of the adventures of Zoe that started in the stand-alone story "A Summer Afternoon". It continued with Zoe - Part 1. It's recommended to read these two stories first. A reader requested a continuation of the story. It was sadly abandoned following a family tragedy -- Ed.
 

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“I didn’t mean to get a date with Zane,” I said to Toni over the phone.

Sounding incredulous, Toni said, “How can you not mean to get a date?”

“I told him no!” I protested. “About ten times at least!”

“But you have a date?” said Toni with a sigh.

“He was very persistent,” I said.

“Zoe!” Toni shouted. “You have to mean it or boys will walk all over you!”

“I know,” I said. “But he made it seem like I was already committed to going out with him.”

“How could he do that?” said Toni.

“Well, he didn’t exactly ask,” I said in a quiet voice. “He told me we were going out in front of his girlfriend.”

“Ugh! So now you have an enemy and a date with an asshole. Zoe, Zoe, Zoe. What are we going to do with you?” said Toni with disgust in her voice. “Having been a boy, I would have thought you’d known about them more.”

Frowning at the phone, I said, “Now that’s a low blow. Have I ever seemed like a boy to you?”

“Well, that’s true,” said Toni. “But still, girl! You need to learn to assert yourself!”

“I know,” I said quietly.

“So, what are you going to do about Zane?” demanded Toni.

“Go on the date?” I said.

“No! You tell him the date is off!” shouted Toni.

“You don’t think he’s cute?” I said.

“That doesn’t enter into it!” exclaimed Toni. “Don’t let him railroad you! Sorry… I need to run. We’ll talk about this more tomorrow at school.” And she disconnected.

From down the hall, I heard my mom shout, “Zoe! Can you come here? I need some help in the kitchen!”

I frowned and then thought I should be happy that Mom now wants to include me in more of her activities. Since officially becoming Zoe, Mom has been asking me to go with her to the grocery store more and help plan meals. Not to mention helping make dinner and stuff. It bugged me a bit when she said I needed to learn to cook for my future husband.

As I entered the kitchen after passing Dad sitting in his easy chair watching the news on TV, Mom said, “Can you make the salad for me? Thanks. Making dinner has gotten a lot easier with two more hands.”

“Dad’s not doing anything,” I said.

Ignoring me, Mom said, “So. Anything exciting happen at school today?”

“I’m going on a date Friday,” I said as I set out the salad bowls.

“You and Cameron make up?” asked Mom as she slid something into the oven.

I said, “No. This is a different boy. Zane Carlson.”

Looking at me curiously, Mom said, “I know his mother. I thought he was dating that cheerleader?”

“He doesn’t like her,” I commented. “In fact, he told me we had a date right in front of her.”

Mom frowned. “Well, that put you on the spot. He shouldn’t do that. Did his girlfriend say anything?”

“Yeah. She hates me now. Earlier in the day, she wanted to be friends with me,” I said with a sigh.

Mom shook her head. “You should be making friends, not enemies!”

I shrugged. “This girl is a snob anyway. So it’s no great loss.”

Mom said, “So this Zane is okay with you having been Rob?”

I looked to the kitchen floor and said, “No. He doesn’t know. He doesn’t even really know me. The date is no big deal, Mom. It’s just a date. Nothing wrong with dating is there?”

Mom stopped what she was doing and looked at me sternly. She said, “Zoe. We talked about this before. It’s not right for you to fool others. I’d be willing to bet Zane would feel like you fooled him and would be very upset.”

I frowned and said, “He’s not going to find out. I know Toni won’t say anything and I doubt Cameron would either.”

“Just be careful, honey,” said Mom. “There’s more than one way for someone to find out about you. I’m surprised he asked since as you said he doesn’t really know you.”

I frowned. “That’s one problem. He didn’t really ask me out. He told me we had a date. He wants to make his girlfriend jealous.”

Brushing some lose strands of hair from her eyes, Mom looked at me curiously. “Um, what? Time out, Zoe. He just told you to go out on a date with him? He didn’t ask? He said it was to make his girlfriend jealous. Am I understanding this correctly?”

I finished preparing the salad bowls. “That’s about the size of it.”

Mom stared at me. “Honey, that’s wrong. No boy can just order you to date him!”

Upset, I asked, “What am I supposed to do? I said I’d go!”

Mom waved her arms. “You just have to tell him no!”

Dad walked into the kitchen. “You guys are making it hard to hear the TV. What are you yelling about?”

Resting her hands on her hips, Mom said, “Some boy, who Zoe doesn’t even know just walked up to her and told her she had a date with him. Have you heard of such a thing? He didn’t ask. He told her!”

Dad folded his arms and looked over at me. “And what did you say?”

I exclaimed, “I said no!”

Dad shrugged. “Okay. Case closed. What’s for dinner?”

“But that didn’t end it, Dad,” I said getting upset again. “He said I was still going out with him.”

Arms still folded, Dad asked, “And how did you respond?”

Again I exclaimed, “I said no!”

Dad shook his head. “I’m not seeing a problem here. Dinner smells pretty good. What is it?”

Frustrated with Dad, I said, “That didn’t end it! He said in no uncertain terms, I was going out to dinner and a movie with him on Friday!”

Looking bored, Dad asked, “And your reply?”

I hesitated a moment and looked down at my feet. “I said, ‘okay.’”

His arms still folded, Dad straightened himself. “So you agreed to his terms?”

Mom said, “Honey, she didn’t agree. He forced her to agree.”

Dad pointed at me. “Did this boy twist your arm? Did he point a gun at your head? Did he make any threats?”

I folded my arms and glared at Dad. “No.”

Dad shrugged. “Okay. Case closed. You made a commitment. Honor it.”

Mom scowled at Dad. “No! She does not have to go!”

Dad leaned against the kitchen counter. “You know. For me, it’s always been that for a man, his word is his bond. Oh, but wait. You’re not a man anymore. I guess as a woman, you can just say whatever and just do whatever to get your way.”

Mom looked at me earnestly. “Honey, you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do.”

Dad grinned at me. “That’s right honey. You don’t want to do your homework or clean your room or help with dinner. Just don’t. You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to. Your word means nothing.”

“That’s not what I meant!” scolded Mom. “And you darn well know it!”

Dad looked puzzled. “I do?”

At the top of my lungs, I screamed, “Stop!” I looked from Mom to Dad. I took a deep breath and said, “You both are driving me crazy! So just stop. I’d rather go on a date with Frankenstein than listen to another second of this!”

Dad said, “You mean Frankenstein’s monster. Frankenstein’s the doctor.”

Scowling, I growled, “I’ll take either one… or both… at this point!”

Dinner was rather chilly that evening and Dad slept on the couch.

*          *          *

“Are you serious?” asked Toni incredulously as we talked just outside the school’s entrance. “Your date started a fight between your parents? That’s crazy!”

I nodded. “That and my dad saying Mom burned dinner.”

Toni started to walk towards the school. “So. What are you going to do?”

I shrugged. “The more I thought about it, the more I thought who cares really if I go out with Zane? Yeah, he’s an asshole, but I’m not marrying him and I get a free dinner and movie.”

Toni frowned. “I don’t think you should encourage him. He might just… oh… speak of the devil.”

Just before we reached the entrance to the school, Zane came running up to me with some goofy expression.

He touched my arm and said, “Oh, I’m really sorry Zoe about our date this Friday. I need to cancel. I know you’re really disappointed and all. But I got back with Nikki so I don’t need to make her jealous anymore. Try not to cry, but I’ll see you later.” He then turned and ran into the school.

I just stood there, stunned. I turned to Toni. “What the crud just happened? My parents almost got divorced over this stupid date and he just cancels?”

Nikki came running past us before Toni could say anything. “You stay away from my boyfriend, you bitch!” She then disappeared through the school entrance.

Toni laughed. “I don’t think that’ll be a problem. And you’re off the hook!”

Scowling as I re-adjusted my book bag on my shoulder, I snarled, “Well now I want to go out with Zane. Just on general principals.”

Toni shook her head at me. “I think it’s best to just leave sleeping bitches lie.”

I took a deep breath. “I haven’t even made it inside the school yet and I’m already exhausted.

“Hey girls!” shouted Johnny Mantooth as he ran past us with a wave.

Toni grinned. “I can try to set you up with him. He’s cute and funny.”

Frowning and laughing at the same time, I exclaimed, “Stop trying to fix me up with boys! Just let me get used to going to school as a girl first, okay?”

Toni shook her head. “Still carrying a torch for Cameron? Face it girl, I don’t think he’s coming back. What about Jonah? He likes you.”

I growled at Toni. “Don’t make me kill you, girl!” We both laughed.

Toni frowned. “Hey, if you don’t want my help, just say so.”

I sighed. “Yes. Please stop.”

As we walked through the school entrance, Toni said, “Not another word.” She pointed at a flyer taped to the wall. “Oh look. The last cheerleader try-outs are this Saturday. Remember? Jonah likes cheerleaders.”

I rolled my eyes at Toni.

*          *          *

Swallowing her bite of salad, Toni said, “You know, Zoe. You really should try out for cheerleader next Saturday. It’ll break you out of your shell and it’s a great way to meet guys.”

Patti, who’s a friend of Toni who never knew me as Rob and had joined us at the lunch table said, “Yeah, Zoe. Since you’re new to the school and all, it’d be a great way to make friends. I’m going to try out.”

“I hope you get a spot on the squad, Patti,” I said sincerely. “So I don’t want to risk taking your spot from you by trying out.”

Patti just looked at me. “They have three positions they’re trying to fill.”

Chuckling, I said, “Well, I really don’t think I’d do well as a cheerleader. They have to like, cheer and stuff.”

“Sorry to interrupt,” said a male voice from behind me. “But I couldn’t help but overhear your conversation.”

I saw Patti’s eyes go wide and Toni swallowed hard. I turned to look at who was speaking and my jaw must have fallen to the floor. How did I not know this guy. Even as Rob I’m sure I would have noticed the most gorgeous boy I’ve ever seen on planet earth.

He smiled. Was that a sparkle on his teeth? He continued, “Hi. I understand that you’re new to the school and I agree with your friends. You really should try out for cheerleader. If you’re shy, it helps you get past that and you make a lot of new friends.”

I just stared, transfixed by this gorgeous face before me. I mumbled, “Uh huh.”

He laughed. I never heard a more delightful laugh. “Oh, sorry. I know your name, but you probably don’t know me. My name’s Ethan. I’m on the basketball team with Johnny.” He held out his hand for a shake.

Mesmerized, I gave him a somewhat limp, girly handshake. “It’s very nice to meet you, Ethan.” I was smiling very wide and not taking my eyes from him.

“I’m Patti.”

“I’m Toni.”

Ethan grinned at us and said, “Nice to meet all of you. I gotta run. Hope you try out for cheerleader, Zoe.” He turned and left the cafeteria. I watched him leave.

Giggling, Toni snapped her fingers in front of my face. “Earth to Zoe! Come back down.”

Looking at Toni, I gasped. “Did you see him?”

Toni giggled. “I think we found Zoe’s boyfriend. I got my work cut out for me to convince Ethan.”

*          *          *

To be continued…