CHAPTER 20 – Do You Remember

In autumn the temperatures stay warm in Southern California so I lay in bed wearing just my chemise reflecting on events.

Someone had a crush on me for some reason and thought I’d rejected them. The weird thing was I didn’t know what I’d done to make them think that except for the conversation I’d had with Sam. He was a really nice guy but he’d never shown his true feelings toward me since my transformation. How was I to know he felt like that? I wondered if he really was the one leaving dead flowers in my locker, it really seemed so out of character and besides he had been with us at the photo shoot for the new school uniform when it had all been planted. I wasn’t sure if I actually would have gone out with him in all honesty but I had never gone out of my way to hurt him either. Was he correct about how boys perceived me, was I really that pretty? It was hard because as a girl you tend to look at yourself in kind of a harsh light and not as the world sees you. You look at all the little flaws and try to hide them sometimes forgetting about all the good things too.

My recent experience with Morgan had also helped me understand my vulnerability as a girl. I was physically weaker than most guys and some of them took that as a right to dominate or control the women in their lives. I’d already been through enough to see how it all worked. But I also had fantastic role models in my life women that showed me how my actions and words would dictate how others might treat me. I wasn’t about to let all this negative stuff determine who I was or how I responded to it but that was easier said than done.

That brought me back to whoever it was that seemed hell bent on freaking me out. So what was this person’s intention for me? Did they want revenge or to scare me, how far would they go?

Suddenly my phone went off and I think I left my imprint on the ceiling it gave me such a fright. It was Jasmine who had yet another idea to catch the culprit.

“We need to spy on your locker!”

“What do you mean spy on my locker, are you mad how are we going to do that?” incredulity dripping from me

“We need to make a spy hole across the corridor from your locker, the girls toilets are there we just have to drill a hole so we can spy through the wall”

I was amazed, the girl wanted to drill a hole in the wall of the school so we could spy on a locker, she really was mad. This was not only why I loved her but also looked forward to every day. She turned life into an adventure although I pitied anyone who got on the wrong side of this girl except Tim of course.
“What the heck” I said “let’s do it” and so for the next ten minutes we discussed how.

As she outlined her plan I threw some of my own suggestions in this time, it was important no public humiliation happened. Mrs Shirley had taught me well on that score. We would also let whoever it was go knowing we knew who he was. I hoped that would be enough to make him stop and leave me alone.

Jaz agreed although she wasn’t too sure about the letting him go with just a warning part even though I was.

The house was still and silent after we hung up. Mom had worked a late shift last night and was still fast asleep and I heard nothing coming from Jacinta or the boy’s rooms. This was always a special time of day for me, most teenagers slept in as long as they could but since becoming female I would wake up quite early. Most mornings I would usually lie in bed, look at my phone or maybe read a book. Currently I was crying through ‘The Fault in our Stars’ and wondered how anybody could have the heart and courage to write such a story.

Today I decided to get up and enjoy the morning before I had to go to school. I threw on some panties some old track pants and a thin sweat shirt. I had no bra on and my nipples poked through the material rubbing sensually as I walked. I had to roll up the arms so my hands could poke through and I marvelled at how small they were now, my fingers long and feminine, my nails painted.

I felt my breasts bounce as I moved; it was the most feminine feeling, one that every woman identified with and no man ever could. Walking outside my breath turned to vapour in the still fresh air as I stood in the grass and revelled in the cool dew between my wiggling toes. My nipples were instantly hard and I folded my arms around them, hugging myself keeping me warm. The sound of the distant surf crashing against the beach filled me up with its beauty and rawness while pink and yellow light played around my feet turning even the ugly old street lamps into works of art as the sun rose wrapping everything in its warmth. Behind me the old blue weatherboards of our house turned into silver slivers reflecting the light making me squint if I looked at them. I loved this old place it was home.

As the world around me slumbered I had those fleeting minutes to soak in my world and feel one with it. I thought of Nick and of Phil, my life up to this point and the amazing people in it. Especially I wondered what would happen to us and how we would get through all the craziness.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I met Jaz as early as I could that morning. We locked ourselves into a cubicle in the girl’s toilets opposite my locker and climbed onto a toilet seat balancing precariously. Jaz produced her dad’s cordless drill from her bag with a big drill bit in it to make the hole. It looked huge in her delicate hands.

“Did you charge the battery?” I asked

She cocked an eyebrow at me as if to ask ‘Do I look stupid?’ then grinned as she tweaked the trigger making the drill turn.

“Of course sweetie” she giggled then looking around she began work making a hole in the dry wall. It took seconds and we had a hole to spy through just high enough to see everything without having to tip toe. I walked into the corridor and looked up. The hole was almost unnoticeable amongst the grime high on the wall. All we needed to do now was cut classes, stand on a toilet seat and spy on my locker. I felt like I was in one of those horror movies where there were eyes in a painting looking at the unsuspecting victim. Except I was the eye and my stalker was the victim.

For those who have never tried it standing on a toilet seat looking through a hole is hard work.

"Was that you?" I asked at one point

Jaz looked over her smile a mixture of wicked pity.

"Macrobiotic diet" she simply stated

"Lucky I love you sister" I retorted back grinning

Jaz and I took turns but nothing happened for two hours. At recess we took a break and stood around in the corridor talking with friends. Sam hurried past me at one stage and I caught him by his shirtsleeve.

“Can we talk please?” I asked “we really have lots to discuss.”

He looked bashful and wouldn’t meet my eyes but mumbled a yes. I was glad.

When the bell rang Jaz and I slunk back into the toilets and waited until the corridor cleared. Suddenly I heard a sharp intake of breath as Jaz squinted through the hole.

“No!” she exclaimed “look!”

I jumped up on the seat and watched through the hole as another dead flower was taped to my locker door and a note slipped inside. I couldn’t believe who it was.

Jaz and I looked at each other amazed and dismayed.

“What should we do?” I asked

“I have no freaking idea” Jaz responded “This is way out of my comfort zone”

We exited the stall. While Jaz packed her bag I leaned against the door staring into space. So this was the person who had a crush on me, who thought I’d rejected them. It was the last person I’d have ever thought of. I needed to talk to them but how, what could I say?

I didn’t have the courage to do it not yet and I swore Jaz to silence.

We went out to my locker and I carefully removed the flower. The corridor was deserted as we read the note. It didn’t really matter what it said we both knew who my rejected admirer was. There were only two words;

UNDYING LOVE

The flower was a pink carnation.

CHAPTER 21 – You and Your Heart

We all gathered at our place straight after school, I especially wanted to forget all the stupid dramas there. Jaz had brought a bag to school and then caught the bus with me. Tyler had jumped on too and sat between us chattering away and without even trying had won Jasmine’s heart as well. I could only imagine how many girlfriends he would have when he got older.

Pete eventually showed up with his girlfriend Elley who we had known for a little while and all liked. She was shorter with one of those bubble butts, large breasts and long dark hair. She adored Pete and he adored her and as far as he was concerned it was a match made in heaven. Packing the Kombi took no time as we threw in pillows and bags of food that would probably feed an army plus anything else we thought we needed.

Mom gave us all a kiss and told us to be careful as we clattered off, the Volkswagen motor roaring its air cooled message to the world.

Black’s Beach wasn’t that far away and we parked in the car park then lugged our stuff into the dunes. We kept to the northern end of the beach because the southern was the most popular and also got nudists although at this time of the year we didn’t really think there would be that many. The boys kept commenting on ‘shrinkage’ because it was cooler, thinking they were hilarious.

The guys erected the tents behind a dune while we girls laid a large plastic sheet on the ground, set up chairs and dragged an old log over for a seat and began to prepare a meal. It was too late to surf by that time so we sat around a little camp fire we had made munching on slabs of bread filled with salads, salami and cheese. We kind of fell into a natural order where Pete and Elley sat together, Jeff and Jacinta and Tim and Jaz who made a very cute looking couple in my esteemed opinion. She adored him, her loyalty to him had no bounds and he treated her like a princess. Well a princess who would have to put up with motorbikes, surfboards and grease. Secretly I knew she would absolutely love being part of his world, I certainly had no objections; I’d get to spend lots of time with her.

Although I didn’t have anyone as far as a guy I wasn’t made to feel left out as we talked and cackled together.

The topic of Jacinta and the money came up though and for a while we were serious.

“How come Dave hasn’t given the money back yet?” Tim contemplated

“Maybe he just wants to keep it” said Pete in between mouthfuls of bread

“Nah I don’t think so, he’s not like that. He knows that this Melville dude wants it and thinks Dave is negotiating to get it back. I figure they’re putting some serious time into trying to find it themselves but they also know Dave’s probably their best bet on getting it back so they’re playing the waiting game.” Jeff spoke with authority and we all listened “Dave knows the money is his only bargaining chip and if he gives it up there is no guarantee that they still won’t come after us and try and take Jacinta back.”

“They have to find us first” Tim said grimly

“Yeah true, so Dave’s walking a fine line between how long they’ll wait and how much he can get from them to protect us. All that’s really keeping us safe is that they don’t know he actually has the cash.”

As they spoke I looked into the fire meditating on their words. I was sitting on a log next to Jaz and had involuntarily scrunched closer to her without even knowing it. She held my hand as I realized she probably didn’t know what we were talking about. ‘Better fix that’ I thought and whispered a hurried explanation into her ear. Her smile became a serious frown as she looked around at us. The gravity of our situation thundered in like a freight train. We huddled together resolute and determined. Us against the world.

The morning dawned clear and calm with a slight breeze coming in from the east and blowing down across the dunes and out to sea. I knew it would pick up throughout the day and the waves would jack up and be spectacular by about mid-day. I sat alone on the fore dune looking out to sea wrapped in my sleeping bag as the sun’s rays crept relentlessly across the beach then onto the ocean. A lone surfer was out there making the most of his solitude and the fact he had every wave to himself. He was really ripping it up turning and twisting his board like a pro. Looking closer I noticed he had a shock of black hair and was tall and wide. Recognizing the figure I got up and raced back to the tent and threw on my wetsuit picked up my board and sprinted for the ocean. I was breathless as I hit the cold water but paddled hard through the break zone and came up my hair streaming while I spat out salt water.

Nick Kelly sat on his board about 25 metres away watching me. As recognition dawned he tried to look nonchalant but couldn’t keep the huge grin off his face. Paddling over to me he was all power and the muscles in his shoulders writhed like snakes under his thin wetsuit. I was wet with arousal and could feel my body pulsate as he drew closer.

“You came then” I said smiling

“Wouldn’t miss a certain girls birthday for the world” he said “Happy Birthday”

“Thanks” I breathed as he kissed me softly on the cheek. I’d never felt like this about anybody else in my entire life and I ached to have him close to me.

“Can’t waste these waves” he grinned and for the next hour we surfed together just he and I. I noticed he let me have all the best waves and whenever I surfed he watched me, as I sat on my board he watched me. When he surfed I marvelled at his skill and power. That hour alone with him was incredibly special and something I knew I’d remember for the rest of my life.

As we walked out of the water through the swash and backwash of the waves his hand sought mine. We walked hand in hand up the beach and if he had wanted to take me somewhere alone I knew I would willingly give him my body and my soul. I also knew that without a shadow of a doubt he felt the same about me.

We got to where he had left his stuff and he knelt down to pick up his towel. I thought he would use it to dry himself but instead he put it around me and rubbed my back while he stared into my eyes. Leaning back down he pulled a small box from his bag and offered it to me.

“For you” he simply said

I opened it and sitting inside was a delicate piece of green stone carved into the most exquisite shape. Like a figure eight but the top part of the ‘O’ was smaller than the bottom and it twisted together. It was held by a fine gold chain. He picked it out and put it around my neck as I held my hair out of the way for him.

It’s greenstone, or Jade. There’s a little country way down in the South Pacific called New Zealand. Their indigenous people are called Maori and their name for it is Pounamu. That shape means ‘infinity’ to them or ‘forever’ hope you like it”

Like it, it must have cost a small fortune and it was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen.

“Thank you, I um I don’t know what to say, it’s beautiful. I love it” I really did. Softly I kissed him on the lips.

We strolled across the sand dunes to our little camp and I introduced him to everyone. The boys already knew of him and welcomed him like a brother shaking hands while the girls all raved over my necklace.

We surfed together for the rest of the day and Nick hardly left my side. He constantly gave me encouragement and praise for my surfing while the crowds that eventually turned up made way for him like he was royalty. Which he was, surfing royalty and therefore by extension I became his Princess. I felt like one all day and decided this was by far the best day of my life so far bar none.

To my delight Nick decided to stay the night with us and threw some gear he had in his car into the boy’s tent. ‘Funny he just happened to have a sleeping bag in his car’ I thought and as we sat around our little camp fire again that night the circle was complete. We fit like hand in glove and as Nick told jokes and we all laughed and chattered our problems seemed a long way behind us.

They came for us that night. It was a little past midnight when they turned up their footfalls making no sound in the soft sand. All three of them carried guns, I was fast asleep.