This is a paraquel to “Pawn …” as told by Dawn (Bill). (Since it isn’t prequel or a sequel it must be a paraquel)

At the beginning of my sophomore year I finally was ready to act. Perphaps not really ready but I had to do it this year. I had carefully researched the possibilities. This was the year to come out. Next year the conditions would be much worse.

Everything depended on that first day. I was relieved when I saw Peter drive past me on my way to school. One of the things that could have destroyed my plans was that Peter would have better ethics than I had given him credit for. I was afraid that he would stop and drive me home to change out of my very becoming dress. That would have destroyed everything. I was relieved when he drove on, even if I was certain he had seen me.

In school Bob and the troglodytes acted as I expected. Phase 1 according to plan. Head cheerleader Mary intervened as expected. I had taken that for a given based on her relationship with her transgendered cousin. Phase 2 according to plan. Phase 3 was the most uncertain one. Yes, Peter stopped Bob and called me his date. I had read Peter right. He wouldn’t let an opportunity like this slip through his fingers. Phase 3 successfully completed. Now I was certain my plan would work out splendidly.

As expected Peter “forced” me to come out as transgendered. As expected I’d be his “girlfriend”. As expected Mary took me under her wing. I had not expected to be so fully integrated into the cheerleading crowd. Not that I complain. This was more than I had hoped for. To be honest, the girls taught me so much about how to be a better girl. And I even became a cheerleader!

I was not so happy that Peter wanted me to be known as Dawn. That was the only minor hitch. Oh, I could live with that.

I had only intended for Peter and Mary to smooth my transition to a girl. What Mary didn’t know was that I had given the Principal all the necessary documentation for a gender change. The Principal is a peach. He never let on to Mary of Peter.

I made myself indispensable for Peter. Just to make sure he wouldn’t drop me. It was I that persuaded Mary to let him come back to the school newspaper. It was I who really organized his “political machine”. He had only imagined he had one before. During that work I also realized that this could be a vehicle for my continued survival in school. As long as you’re on the top you can’t be crushed. Peter’s two closest minions were sooo easy to manipulate. I pride myself on the way I also made Peter a better person. At the end of the year the more ethical Peter would never have driven past me. At the end of the year Peter was a much more focused person. I had taken a rather selfish and self-satisfied boy and out of that made something that resembled a man.

Of course I had to distance myself from Peter when he went away to university. Being in a long distance relationship with the absent Peter would have cramped my style awfully. Step one was to come on as I was in love with him. That would ensure that he pushed me away. Step two was to ensure that he got into the university he wanted. A university far, far away. I never knew if my unsolicited letter of recommendation had any effect but it couldn’t hurt. I lauded his progressive credentials and in particular the way he had treated me, a transgender girl.

I was there as he and his family packed the big family car with his stuff. We had a big romantic farewell. As they drove off I cried. I had expected to fake that but to my horror I really cried. Damn our school system. If I had read Pygmalion earlier I would have been aware of the trap I had fallen into. I had fallen in love with my own creation.