A young surfer goes through a painful transformation that leaves him battered, bruised and changed. As he attempts to cope with those changes and the new life he must now live he also stumbles on a conspiracy that threatens his family, his friends and the township he lives in. As a young girl can she deal not only with a new body and new feelings but also overcome the evil that could destroy her.

CHAPTER 4 – Wrong Turn
For me Sunday should easily have been the coolest day since my change of gender. Tim and Jeff were going to take me down to the beach after breakfast to surf and there was nothing I wanted to do more. I also wanted to drop in and see my boss Dave. Tim and Jeff had gone over there and explained to him what I had been through and I was desperate to return to my old job. At first Dave had been a little taciturn with my brothers but finally caved in while mumbling something about dang girls working in his shop.

That was Dave but I really hoped he would come round and see that underneath it all I was still the same person.

I stood on the beach that morning looking out to sea. A lone seagull squawked over me and I ducked my head. The Imperial Beach gulls were notorious for dive bombing unsuspecting humans and pooping on their heads. The splat next to me when it came was no surprise therefore and I peered into the sky squinting with one eye as it sailed off obviously very pleased with itself.

The surf wasn’t much today maybe only three foot and choppy. We stood watching it and decided finally that today wasn’t our day. I had worn the green bikini and had put a simple muslin top over it. My long legs poked out of the bikini bottoms and the outline of the bikini top was easily seen through it. I looked down at my cleavage and sighed. Boobs were cool and all but also kind of just there when you were a girl, attached to you, jiggly and all jelly like. I had explored them a couple of times in the shower and the sensations across my nipples were pleasurable to say the least but I still wasn’t sure about having them. Having to wear a bra or bikini top certainly got in the way sometimes and boy did boobs get sweaty and itchy after a day sitting in a bra.

As we turned and started to walk back toward the bikes, surfboards under our arms I noticed what looked like a pile of clothes sitting half buried in one of the sand dunes. As I watched I noticed a movement and a small brown foot appeared, wiggled a bit then disappeared back into the pile. I grabbed Jeff’s arm and pointed.

“Hey I think there’s someone over there in the dunes, hope they’re okay?”

Jeff looked over where I was pointing and veered toward it as Tim and I followed.

When he got to the clothes Jeff peered down and gave them a kick waiting for a response.

The dull thud produced a squeak and a head with long black hair and dark brown eyes blinked back looking up at Jeff trying to make sense of what they were seeing. Finally the human sat up and we all realised that it was a girl probably about the same age as Jeff and very obviously of Mexican descent. She was dishevelled and her hair was a mess falling into her eyes full of knots and tangles. She held her hand to her eyes and we noticed the bruises that ran up her arms along with the needle tracks that matched the bruises.

“She’s just a junkie” said Tim in disgust “should have known”

Like most American cities ours had its fair share of drug addicts but this girl seemed different to me. She looked cultured different to the usual addicts we saw begging down town or lying in the streets. Sure her clothes were nothing special, the blouse was too low and the skirt was too high and she smelled pretty bad but there was a fierceness in her eyes and she held herself straight like she used to be someone.

“What’s your name Miss” asked Jeff

“Jacinta, please can you help me?” was all she could get out her throat closing up as her body was wracked with a coughing fit.

“We can’t just leave her here guys, look she’s sick we need to help her” I said

“You’re kidding mom will kill us if we bring a stray like her home” said Tim but Jeff bent over gently lifting under her arm.

“Come with us” is all he said and helped her toward the bikes. Tim let out a big sigh and picked up two of the boards while I took up the rear. If there was something my family had learned through all of the hardships we had endured it was that helping others who needed it was really important. I knew mom wouldn’t mind helping Jacinta out and we were all really good at making a meal stretch out to include one more. Jeff put Jacinta in front of him on his bike and held her with his body his arms around her holding the handlebars. Somehow Tim and I juggled three surfboards on his bike and we made our way slowly home.

The house we rented wasn’t much to look at, it’s faded blue weatherboards stared blankly out onto the road and weeds grew up around the driveway. The grass was mowed but the old bushes and fruit trees were unkempt and uncared for their autumn leaves giving off a golden hue as the sunlight passed through them. The landlord didn’t do much of any maintenance and we rarely saw him. All he cared about was that we paid the rent on time.

The inside was another story however. My mom kept it clean and neat as a pin and you could eat off the floor it was so shiny. Every surface was carefully dusted and wiped clean, every bed was always made up and the dishes were always washed and put away. Of course all three of us were roped in to help and despite our protests we all appreciated the effort our mom made to bring us up right while holding down her job.

There was a note on the kitchen table when we got in, mom had been called in to work an extra shift, it was something she rarely turned down for the extra money it brought us. Jeff helped Jacinta and sat her at one of the chairs at the kitchen table. She groaned as he helped her sit and one of the sides of her blouse flipped open exposing her bra. Jeff looked at me and I quickly pulled the blouse together for her and did up a button. ‘Hmmm’ I thought ‘wouldn’t have done that as a boy.’

Tim walked over and sat in front of Jacinta while Jeff went and got her a glass of water.

“How are you feeling?” he asked as he placed the tumbler in front of her.

Greedily she drank the water, spilling some down her front and then wiped her mouth. Her face was stained with dirt and her fingernails were black with the grime under them.

“Thank you” she said “you are very kind, I didn’t know what I was going to do.” Her voice was thick with her accent.

“So what happened to you” asked Tim “how did you end up lying in a sand dune with all those bruises and track marks?”

“I was abducted, taken from my home about two months ago by some men. They told me they were going to give me a better life in America that I would be rich. They lied to me; instead I was sold to a terrible man. He made me do things too despicable to mention especially in front of your sister.” She looked at me giving me a wan smile. I smiled back thinking two months. Two months ago I was beginning my transformation into a girl something I could neither control or stop, two months ago this beautiful girl was going through a transformation as well, from someone’s daughter, sister, girlfriend, into what a slave? It was something she couldn’t control or stop either.

“Go on” said Tim fascinated

“Well they gave me drugs got me hooked on heroin then forced me to sell myself and give them the money. But all the time I kept thinking I would get away that maybe they owned my body but they weren’t going to own me. I kept that part from them even when I was high and they were raping me I kept the important part of me inside, secret, unbroken.”

Jeff gave a low whistle, “so I guess there are some guys out there who are looking for you since you probably didn’t show up and all”

“No not yet, quite often the girls don’t come back sometimes for a day or two if their clients want to keep them but they know that eventually we will come back to them, that the withdrawal is too much that we will need their poison.”

Tim, Jeff and I looked at each other, what had we gotten ourselves into? We had brought a sex slave and heroin addict into our home, someone who had been kidnapped, someone who would eventually be hunted by powerful men who probably had guns and very little conscience.

And that was the problem, our mom had brought us up with a conscience, she had taught us not only to look after each other but also the people around us who needed it, but this, this was completely out of our league.

“I’ll fix you some food and Jade can you find Jacinta some better clothes to wear maybe, I don’t know you’re a girl can you figure something out?” said Jeff “and she needs a shower too.”

“So what you just ran away? What are you going to do when the withdrawal starts do you think you can deal with it?” asked Tim.

“I don’t know I guess it’s going to hurt, lots, but I don’t want to go back to them, I don’t want to sell myself anymore.”

I had dealt with pain recently and more than my brothers I had an inkling of what this beautiful girl with the long dark hair and soft brown eyes was going to go through.

“You’ll get through it” I said “we’ll help you, stay here our moms a nurse and we can hide you till you come through the worst of it. Nobody knows where you are you’ll be safe here.”

“Yeah” said Jeff looking over his shoulder as he made a sandwich for her, “stay here.”

Tim just sat there saying nothing which was very uncharacteristic of him but his eyes were soft and his jaw was set. I looked at my brothers and felt a pride welling up inside of me for their compassion and the decision that we had just made.

Surfers often take huge risks with their lives in big surf especially they are used to taking their own lives into their own hands. Today we had made a decision to take someone else’s life into our hands. For my part I knew it was the right decision to make.

I turned and went off to my room to see if I could hunt down some clothes for Jacinta. Considering her state I figured I’d probably be the one who had to help her take a shower too. This whole girl thing was really getting interesting and I still had school to start tomorrow.
I was right about the shower and as I helped her with her clothes I felt a little self-conscious looking at another naked girl. She was all curves with full breasts and a waspish waist her hips flaring out to beautiful long legs. Her skin had that golden glow most Mexican women had while her dark hair fell almost down to her waist. She seemed completely comfortable with my presence as she stepped into the hot water the vapour rising around her in waves of steam. I looked at her toes painted a delicate shade of blue and how totally feminine she was. I felt a little jealous at her beauty but also worried at how frail she seemed, her very life essence seemingly drained by the drugs she had taken.
I wondered what mom would say when she got home; boy was she in for a surprise.

CHAPTER 5 - Talk of the Town

When mom got home I stayed right out of it just sitting curled up in a chair in our living room while she discussed things with the boys.

“How are we going to help her, what are we going to do if we are all out at work or school while she is here going through withdrawal? Have you ever seen someone go through heroin withdrawal, I have and it’s not pretty, who’s going to clean up after her because I’m not?”

Mom was on a roll but I knew she had lost before she even began. She had that hard exterior of a nurse but the golden liquid interior too. She would help we all knew that and she would make sure Jacinta got through this.

It was Jeff who pleaded her case which didn’t surprise me because he had been the first to help her. I had noticed him looking at Jacinta and seen how she responded to him. Bit of a spark there I wondered.

“And what about your sister and all she has been through and is going to go through have you thought about her?” demanded Mom but I had the answer for that, it made Jacinta’s case.

“Don’t worry about me mom, I’m the one who suggested she stay in the first place. We’re just doing what you taught us and besides considering what I’ve just been through I’d be more than happy to help out, we can all take turns being with her. You were there for me when I needed you most, you still are, how can we turn her away after what we’ve been through?”

Mom sighed and we all looked at her.
“Alright, but we take turns okay, it’s going to be a rough week for all of us, especially you” she said turning to Jacinta “this is not going to be a walk in the park, you’re going to feel like someone’s ripping your insides out then shoved them back in again, backwards.”

“I know Mrs Chamberlin and believe me I appreciate all you and your family are doing. I have no way of paying you back but I promise if ever I can I will.”

“Yes well” Mom huffed “call me Michelle, that’s my first name, you can stay but when you can you pay your way by helping out round here, doing dishes, cleaning up okay.”

“Of course, thank you so much”

And so it was settled, I wasn’t sure if it was a fun thing to settle but Jacinta was staying. I think Jeff was the most happy about it but we were all determined to help. I got up and gave Jacinta a hug. I was really beginning to like how girls could just do that.

My next concern of course was school. Mom took me aside and led me into my bedroom and I sat on the bed next to her shoulder to shoulder.

“You ready for tomorrow?”

“Nope, but I’m going, I’m guessing everyone knows about me by now or at least all the ones in on the gossip will.”

“Hmm, probably, I’ve made an appointment with your Deputy Principal, Mrs Shirley just to fill her in on everything. I’ve got all the paperwork you’ll need. We see her at 8.30am sharp.”

“All good Mom, thanks” and I meant it.

“So what do you want to wear tomorrow, you really need to start out how you mean to go on.”

“Yeah I was thinking about that, I figured just jeans and a t-shirt, you know it’s pretty much what I used to wear all the time anyway.”

“Yes but Jade you’re a girl now and a very pretty one, how about a nice dress?”

“Aw mom on the first day come on that’s just not gonna happen”

“Alright how about a skirt and a nice top you can wear those strappy sandals I got you at the mall you would look so cute.”

I sighed but finally we agreed on a skirt and the sandals although I insisted on wearing a t-shirt with capped sleeves and a surf logo on it. That way I would keep at least a part of my identity. Mom picked out a pleated dark blue skirt that came about half way down my thighs and teamed with the sandals I had to admit it looked pretty cute. I also decided to wear the ring I had been given at the hospital. It had become an important symbol of my journey so far and I had become really attached to it.

“Now remember you have to keep your legs together when you sit wearing a skirt okay, none of this legs apart let them see your panties stuff and if it gets windy you have to hold the skirt down so it doesn’t blow up and embarrass you. Oh and don’t fool around with your bra in public, go to the restroom and adjust it I just hate seeing girls do that.”

“Yes Mom” I said looking at her with my best exasperated look.

“Well this is your first day back; it’s all going to be new.”

I laughed, “that’s for sure”

The next morning came quickly, it was autumn now but where we lived in Southern California the temperature was still pretty warm and so I didn’t bother with a coat or jacket.

Mom had pulled my hair back in a ponytail and I had put mascara and lip gloss on. I knew girls at school weren’t really meant to but no one ever really said anything.

Picking up my bag mom drove us both into school. I didn’t know Mrs Shirley that well she was about 55 I guessed and about 5’ 4” tall and about the same wide. She had huge boobs that kind of were in your face and she seemed to have this restless energy that made me feel like she was going to suddenly jump up and start dancing on her desk. I tried to keep the smirk off my face as I thought about it.

“Yes well Jay, Jade” she corrected herself “nice to have you back. I’ve read your file and I must say you’ve certainly been through an ordeal. I must say though you really seem to have come through it all rather well, you are just stunning young lady.”

‘Why did middle aged women always insist on calling me young lady’ I mused ‘and “I must say” honestly what was up with that?’

“Thank you Mrs Shirley” I mumbled tempted to say ‘old lady’ but Mom was beside me and I didn’t want to risk a quick clip around the ear.

“You’re timetable is still the same and I see you have Geography first up with Mr Hendricks. How about you tootle off and I’ll just finish all the paperwork with your mother.”

“Yes Miss” I said and giving Mom a quick hug I threw my bag on my back and headed out into the school grounds. The last thing I heard was Mrs Shirley saying “My look at those beautiful long legs, do you think she’d consider trying out for the cheer leading team?”

Fat chance I thought more like the surf team.

I enjoyed Geography, Mr Hendricks was funny and made the subject enjoyable. He would often talk about the ocean and the coast which always had my interest and besides Josh, Sam and Jasmine were all in the same class so at least I had some friends. Unfortunately Morgan Chapman was there too so I would have to deal with him.

I got to class as the first bell rang and walked in. The class went silent, I mean really quiet like you could hear a pin drop. Several of the boys just stared with their mouths open and I thought they would start drooling. Neither Josh, Sam or Morgan had arrived yet but Jasmine was there and she waved to me indicating a free seat next to her. Mr Hendricks didn’t use a seating plan and just let us sit anywhere so I walked over and sat down.

“Wow, Jayden is that you?”

“Yup it’s me but I’m Jade now. As you can see there have been a couple of changes.”

“A couple to say the least, so what happened, the last I knew you were in hospital after nearly drowning then I heard on the weekend that you’d had a sex change. I didn’t believe it till now. I mean wow”

“It was a disease” I explained and the whole class was silent listening to our conversation, “really rare I didn’t so much have a sex change like you’d think but my body was changed completely from my chromosomes to well everything. I’m just like you I have you know, ovaries and stuff, I can even have a period.”

Jasmine looked at me wide eyed “Really? That’s incredible so you’re completely a girl?”

“Yup, completely no going back fully one hundred percent female” I replied smiling.

Jasmine just hugged me then and pulled out her exercise book ready to start work.

“What that was it, you just accept me?” I said.

“Of course silly, actually I’d always had a thing for you, I’d always hoped you’d ask me out but you never did. Now you’re a girl well I just hope we can be friends, maybe we can hang out do stuff together, you know, if you want?”

I looked at her and one of the guys sitting behind me piped up. “Yeah Jade, you’re the coolest chick, any time you want to hang out that’s all good with me. We all heard about what happened to you but no one believed it. We all thought it was lies but seeing you now and how you’re handling it all. You were always nice to everyone you met from the first day you got here and we all knew how much you loved to surf. Far as I’m concerned dude or chick we got your back.”

Murmurs of consent went around the class and I looked at everyone tears in my eyes.

“Thanks” was all I could get out but then Morgan Chapman walked into the room and stared at me.

“So it’s true aye Chamberlin, you’re a bitch now. How ironic, specially since I was going to kick your butt in the comp this year, but I guess you’ll have to compete with all the other little girls in their competition.”

“Hello Morgan” I said staring him down, “who knows what competition I’ll be in but there’s one thing I know for sure I’d kick your ass whether I was a boy or a girl and you know what every other girl surfing out there would too. Oh and one other thing I am nobodies ‘bitch’”

The class was dead silent listening to this exchange wondering how Morgan would react. He had a reputation for having a short fuse and he looked at me grinding his teeth.

“Just cause you’re a little girly girl now doesn’t mean I won’t smash your teeth down your throat” he hissed

“Yeah, just try you half-witted little dick” I said glaring at him.

At that moment Josh and Sam walked in and spotted me sitting next to Jasmine. They walked over sensing the tension in the room. Although Sam Gibson was a pretty normal 14 year old Josh Sayers wasn’t. He played line backer for the school football team and even at his age a couple of colleges were interested in him and were involved in his coaching. When I first got to the school after we had moved here Josh had kind of adopted me. With my easy going attitude and the fact he saw me as another athlete albeit a surfer, we kind of just clicked. We were mates from then on and as far as Sam was concerned any mate of Josh’s was a mate of his so it was kind of a two for one deal. Josh stood at about 5’ 11” but everyone knew he was going to get huge. He had broad shoulders already and was easily the strongest kid in school.

He came over and looked down at me, “That you Jay” he enquired.

“Yup it’s me” I said, “okay with that?”

“You’re smoking hot now dude, chick, whatever. Damn I’m okay with that.”

He sat down next to me and pulled out his books just looking at Morgan.

“Sit down Chapman you’re fat ass is blocking my view” said Josh and at that the tension in the room vanished.

Jasmine leaned over toward me “that’s the bravest thing I’ve ever seen another girl do”

“Yeah well” I grinned at her “I hate people swearing”

She giggled and squeezed my arm. Josh looked over at me and did that guy flick of his eyebrows. Mom had already shown me how to pluck and shape mine so they were girls’ eyebrows but I did the same back at him and we grinned together.

Mr Hendricks walked in saying sorry he was late and immediately began the lesson by calling out the attendance. When he got to my name he read it out “Jade Chamberlin”

“Yes sir” I answered and he looked up at me. “Really nice to have you back Miss Chamberlin, you were missed.”

“Thank you sir”

And with that we got on with some Geography. I knew eventually things were going to come to a head with Morgan and I also knew he could be both dangerous and malicious especially when he was with his friends but as long as I had my own friends and my family I felt I could deal with him. Time would tell.

CHAPTER 6 - Good People

After Geography the day kind of went smoothly with only the odd bump in the road. I mistakenly walked into the boys bathroom at one point and caused a minor ruckus when one boy rushed too fast to pull up his fly and got his penis stuck in the zipper. I went beetroot red and backed out of there pretty quickly. When I told the story at lunch both Josh and Sam laughed so hard they just about couldn’t breathe.

Jasmine bought four of her friends over to introduce to me and all of a sudden I found myself included in the group. They were all nice girls and I felt that Jasmine was making a special effort for me. I wasn’t sure if it was because of her previous crush but I found myself embroiled in their discussions and gossip about who was hot and who was not, what teachers were cool and who wasn’t, was this new singer Lorde just the best new artist out there her lyrics were soooooo deep and so on.

Jasmine was the unmistakable leader of the group and by the end of lunch I had been roped into going to a sleep over at her place on Friday night with the other girls. Since I’d never been to a sleepover before in my life Jasmine gave me a bit of a run down of what to expect.

To me it seemed like everyone was just going to sit around and cry at a chick flick, eat really bad food, talk more about boys and do it all in pyjamas. Jasmine just laughed at that and said “Yup, pretty much”

“Sounds good then” I quipped “I’ll be there” and I think that cemented our friendship. I was now officially part of the girl’s in crowd.

Toward the end of lunch I excused myself from the group and went off by myself. I wanted to text Mom that I’d be late home. I was going to catch a bus down to the beach and talk with Dave McIntyre about my job and working at the shop. I hadn’t had the chance the day before because of all the drama with Jacinta.

Dave had kind of been a bit of a father figure to me before and I was anxious to see if his attitude was different toward me now I was a girl. It would mean I’d have to walk the four blocks back to our house but I didn’t mind it would be a good time to just think and reflect about a few things.

Mom texted back saying it was okay but also saying I had to stay in the open and I had to make sure I was home before it got dark; it wasn’t safe for young girls to be walking around then, something I had never really thought of as a boy.

At the end of the day I said my goodbyes with the obligatory hugs and waves while Josh and Sam gave me the big eyebrow flick heading down to football practice. This time I just waved back and smiled at them deciding it wasn’t quite lady like to mimic their actions.

The bus was full of school kids but I found a seat near the back and pulled out my iphone and started playing a game while listening to some music through my ear phones. A little boy from the local elementary school with a back pack nearly the same size as him came and literally plonked himself next to me letting out a huge sigh. He had the biggest brown eyes and looked up at me until I took notice of him. Putting down my phone and pulling out my ear phones I said “Hey little dude what’s your name?”

“Tyler” he said as he just continued to stare at me “I’m six what’s your name?”

“Jade, so how was your day at school?”

“Oh it was alright but my teacher got grumpy at me, I think it was cause I farted in class.”

I stifled a giggle and tried to look serious but it wasn’t happening.

He grinned up at me then. “Your eyes are green” he remarked “do you think I could get green eyes like yours they look cool.”

“Aw nah Tyler, I don’t think so everyone gets to keep the eyes they have when they’re born. Anyway your eyes are really awesome just the way they are”

“Oh, really? I think we should be able to change them whenever we want. I’m gonna talk to God about that tonight before I go to sleep.”

I smiled down at him “Yeah dude you should do that I reckon God always listens to children.”

“He does you know” he said with a serious look on his face.

I felt his little hand slip into mine then and he looked at me smiling. Resting his head on my arm he continued to talk to me about all the stuff in his life, his favourite toy dump truck, how his Mom never lets him stay up after 8.00pm, who his best friend at school was but all I really felt was this little hand in mine. He felt safe with me, secure. This was one of the most wonderful feelings in the world I thought.

“You’re really pretty” he said to me out of the blue “can we be friends, I don’t have many friends who are girls?”

“Sure Tyler, I’d like that, we can be friends.”

“This is my stop and that’s my house over there the white one” he said pointing “you can come over to play whenever you want I’ve got a tree house out the back.”

Jumping up he gave me a little wave and started to walk toward the door.

“See ya”

“See ya” I said

Looking out the window I saw a woman probably in her late twenties standing by the gate waiting for her little boy to get home.

For the first time ever I’d fallen in love with a boy and all he’d wanted was to just be my friend.

“If only life could be that easy sometimes” I muttered under my breath.

Getting off at my stop I straightened out my skirt and adjusted my bra in public.

‘Dammit girl you just broke one of your Mom’s rules’ I was thinking as I walked through the front door of the shop.

There were a couple of guys looking at surfboards and they both stopped and looked at me as I walked in.

“Wow” one mouthed to the other as they turned back to looking at the boards.

Dave was behind the counter and glanced up as I walked toward him.

“Help you miss? He asked

“Hey Dave, it’s me Jay” I said and he looked up and gaped at me.

“Jay? Wow, shit, oops sorry, far out, is that really you?”

“Yeah it’s me, I was kind of wondering if we could, you know talk and all, about me still working here?”

One of the guys looking at boards spoke up saying “Dave, bra, if you let her work here I can guarantee you’ll double the number of male customers you get within a week.”

Dave glowered at him “Hey Rich, don’t you talk like that okay, this girl here she’s like a daughter to me so show some respect.”

Rich looked properly subdued saying “sorry Dave, sorry Miss” to me then turning away. I smiled brightly back at him replying

“Only double huh?”

Looking back at Dave

“So that’s a yes then?”

“Yeah well” Dave looked sheepish, “your brothers and your Mom came in and talked to me and explained it all and well, shit, oops I mean far out, dang it all will I have to stop swearing if you come back?”

“No” I said “I don’t want a single thing to change, in fact I need a bit of stable in my life at the moment and this place well it’s…….” I trailed off “anyway what do you mean I’m like a daughter to you?”

Dave looked down and up again “You were like my son before Jay, now you’re like my daughter, simple as that.”

Relief flooded through me and I felt tears welling in my eyes. I didn’t want to cry in front of Dave but I didn’t think I could hold them back.

“Stupid hormones” I whispered and he came around the counter to give me a huge hug.

“Hey fellas” he said to the other two “piss off for a while will ya, Jay and me we got things to talk about.”

We stood like that for a minute or two then Dave stepped back and held me at arms length.

“Still gonna surf?”

“Do bears poop in the woods?” I answered “do one legged ducks swim in circles?”

“Good there’s a girl’s comp coming up soon we could enter you in that.”

“Actually I was thinking of entering the next boys comp. I want to smash Morgan Chapman out of the water.”

Dave grinned, around here girls could enter the boy’s competitions but boys couldn’t enter the girls. It was kind of a fairness thing and I really wanted to enter.

“We’ll have to train pretty hard, get your core strength up, work on a few more moves.”

“Anything it takes”

“Start tomorrow?”

“Deal” I said “I better go gotta walk home”

“Want a lift I can drive you.”

“No thanks I have a few things to think about, the fresh air will do me good.”

“See you tomorrow then and I will give you a lift home after young lady cause I doubt you’ll be able to walk after I’ve finished with you.”

There was that young lady thing again but I grinned at Dave and gave him another hug.

“See ya tomorrow”

“Looking forward to it”

I walked out of the shop feeling like a million tons had been lifted from my shoulders and began to head for home.

About half way there I heard a loud car coming from behind me at speed then suddenly skidding to a halt about five metres in front of me.

Looking at the car three guys and a girl piled out and stood in front of me.

Shit Morgan but this time he was with some skanky looking girl and another two of his mates Mark and Brett. They were older than Morgan and the car was theirs, both were losers and only hung around Morgan because he had his parents’ money.

“Well fuck me look who it is, little Miss freak”

“What do you want Morgan?” I rounded on him “leave me alone”

“Yeah well we aren’t finished bitch not after this morning in class.”

“I told you I’m not your bitch” I said it calmly but inside I was feeling that fight or flight thing and began to shake.

Morgan wanted to show off for his friends and reached for his crotch pretending to shake it at me. “Bet you’ve never had a real guy yet bitch, you could suck this.”

“Well” I looked around “show me a real guy and maybe I’d be interested.”

Morgan’s eyes became slits and he looked frighteningly dangerous. Without warning he struck out and slapped me hard across the face. I wasn’t ready for it and gasped at how strong he was or rather how much weaker I had become. I dropped to my knees on the ground as tears came to my eyes and my cheek stung. Morgan stepped toward me and kicked me hard in the side and I grunted in pain as his foot connected with my ribs. My eyes blurred and I lay undignified and panting on the ground my skirt up around my hips.

“What do you fucking say now bitch?” he whispered in my ear as he leaned over me.

I tried to move but the pain in my side held me there then all of a sudden a tiny shape, a body came flying toward me and stood over me. I heard a little voice high pitched and angry scream out.

“Leave her alone, she’s my friend”

Peering up I saw a six year old boy glaring menacingly at Morgan his fists clenched his mouth set.

Just to my right was a white house with a tree hut out the back.

“What the hell?” said Morgan then Tyler’s Mom rushed out screaming, “Leave her alone you little thugs I’ve called the police”

Morgan and his mates looked at each other then beat a hasty retreat jumping in the car and roaring off while Tyler fell to his knees and cradled my head in his arms. Tears flowed down my cheeks as his Mom ran over. She pulled my skirt down to give me some dignity then helped me sit up.

“Are you all right, what did those little punks do to you? What did they want?”

“It’s kind of a long story” I said “we go to school together”

“You weren’t his girlfriend or anything were you he’s just a horrible little boy”

“No” I tried to smile but my lip was split and it hurt.

“Come inside and we’ll clean you up, Tyler seems to know you somehow.”

“Yeah we met on the bus after school, he told me about his day”

“So your Jade, Tyler couldn’t stop talking about you as soon as he got in. He said he’d met an angel who had green eyes and had been kind to him, that you were his friend.”

“Well I’m not sure about the angel part but yeah we became friends” I said looking down at my little saviour. “That was the bravest thing I’ve ever seen dude” I said to him

He looked up at me and once again his little hand slipped inside mine. We walked like that into his home while his Mom carried my bag.

After cleaning me up Tyler’s mom, her name was Jean, gave me a lift home. Her husband wasn’t home from work yet so Tyler had to come with us sitting in his car seat, chatting away back there in a non-stop one way conversation.

It wasn’t far to my place and Jean stopped outside.

“Would you like me to come in and explain what happened to your Mom?” she offered

“No it’s okay I can explain it all. My Mom knows about Morgan. She’ll understand although I have a feeling she’s going to want to talk to his parents.”

“Yes well any little thug that can go around hitting girls like that should be arrested.”

“Trust me, after my Mom gets through with him he’s going to wish he had been.”

Saying goodbye to Jean and waving to Tyler after planting a big kiss on his cheek I grabbed my bag and walked toward the door. Evening had fallen and light spilled out from our house onto the weed strewn driveway. As I walked in the overpowering smell of vomit hit me like a sack of cement between the eyes.

It looked or rather smelled like Jacinta was well and truly going through her withdrawal.