The nurse entered the restroom. She pushes her way to reach me. Ellie looks on trying to keep me from breaking down again. My brief moment of calm evaporated when I realize how small I feel. The onlookers tower over me, pitying my diminutive frame crumpled on the ground. He didn’t mean to, I rationalize, but Taylor made me feel helpless, afraid. I couldn’t shake that feeling even though I knew he didn’t deserve the abuse from Monica. I hated myself for being so fragile.

The nurse coaxes the growing crowd out the door before turning her attention to me. “What’s your name young lady?” the nurse cooed softly to me. Ellie won’t leave my side.

“Aaron, Aaron Stewart.” I moan softly, I’m on the edge of tears again. I’m hugging my knees to my chest. The drumbeat of my heart still rattling. I feel my bottom resting on the cold floor, my skirt fans out around me. When I realize I’m exposed, I start to tug at my skirt. Casey drapes her jacket on my knees. The jacket is long enough to keep me covered. Casey then helps usher the rest of the girls out of the restroom.

“Okay, Aaron, honey, are you hurt anywhere?” The nurse is so gentle with me. I feel like I’m made of glass.

I shake my head, “no.”

She raises her hand to touch my shoulder, I flinch immediately. She recoils, “It’s okay sweetheart. I won’t touch you without asking okay?”

My pulse crests then ebbs.

“Excuse me, dear” the nurse politely murmurs to Ellie. Ellie stands to give the nurse room to work on me. Ellie looks on at me as a mother looks on at her distressed child.

The nurse carefully examines me and my clothing making sure to let me know where she would touch me. When she is satisfied with her initial assessment of me. She asks me to return with her to the nurse’s office. I didn’t even notice the bell which signals the end of lunch had sounded. The hallways were empty, and I was grateful for that. Ellie retrieves my backpack and walks side by side with me as the nurse trailed behind us. I’m uninjured but humiliated. What had started out as a wonderful day for me, now had me walking in shame to the nurse’s office.

During the whole ordeal, I was afraid, terrified even. Guys aren’t supposed to be this… vulnerable. Everyone saw it. Me, dressed as a cheerleader, sobbing, after being pulled into the boy’s bathroom, then running out like a scared little girl, in a panic.

The nurse escorts me into the examination room. Ellie follows silently in behind us. The nurse leaves us in the room and closes the door.

“Are you alright now?” Her voice is soft as a feather. Ellie's eyes are wide, and her lips are pursed, trying to mask her worry to keep me calm. She’s really concerned about me.

Embarrassed, I breathe out. “Taylor kind of caught me off guard.”

That surprises Ellie. “You know that guy?”

“Yes, and if I listened to him in the first place, I probably wouldn’t have been in this mess, to begin with.” I take a seat at the examination table. I hear the crinkle of the paper below me, and I cross my legs instinctively.

“What do you mean?”, her curiosity grows.

“He was there when I pulled the prank,” I say with a sigh.

“And he left you to take all the blame?”

“No, He actually tried to talk me out of it.”

Ellie’s brows knit together. “What?”

“Taylor and I have been friends since elementary. We used to pull these pranks together. It kept the bullies off of us. When we got to high school, he thought we didn’t need to pull pranks anymore. He didn’t know about the prank until I pulled the air horn out of my backpack. He then tried to talk me out of it.”

“That doesn’t make any sense, why would pulling pranks keep you from being bullied?”

“Because people don’t bully the ones that made everyone else laugh. We deflected attention away from us to others. Our targets were the ones that were bullied and not us.”

“That’s pretty mean.” I can see Ellie’s disdain growing.

“Well, Taylor didn’t think it was a good idea anymore, and I thought it would be one last prank.”

“Wait! I was on top of the other pyramid. That could have been me that was hurt, not Amber. If I got hurt, then what? You didn’t know me… I could have been laying there on the ground, hurt, in a coma, fighting for my life, my folks wondering if I would survive. Was that what you wanted? Was that what your prank could have done to me?”

“I’m sorry, I really wish I listened to Taylor. Ellie, we’re friends now. I wouldn’t want anything bad to happen to you.” I slide off the table and reach out to her, and she recoils. A chill runs through me.

“I… this is a lot to think about. I mean, you did that to Amber, after your friend told you not to? You went ahead and pulled the prank anyway? How could you?”

“Ellie, please… I’m so sorry... It just got out of hand.”

“And what about me, I was nothing to you at the time! If I was hurt… I… I can’t be in here with you right now.”

“Ellie, please don’t go!” I’m feeling our friendship start to grow dim. In desperation, I beg of her, “Ellie? Please don’t be mad at me. I… I can’t have you and Amber mad at me. I’m so sorry!”

Ellie angrily turns from me and stomps to the door opening it.

“Ellie? Don’t leave me alone, please?”

Ellie pauses at the doorway. She grabs the knob on the door pulling it closed behind her.

I’m too numb to cry. Ellie was my lifeline. The one that gave me a chance to be her friend even when the rest of the squad spurned me. Ellie had every right to be angry with me. Only their arrangement kept her from Amber’s fate. If Ellie were on the left and Amber on the right, it would have been Ellie that was hurt and not Amber. Ellie was as much of a sister to me as Amber. I’ve hurt them both. I damaged the bond I had with each of them. I had no idea how to fix it.

Taylor was the more pressing problem. No doubt that he’s being grilled by Dr. Corning at the moment. This is another mess that I’ve created. I can’t let this go any farther. A knock on the door. It’s the nurse. “Is everything alright? I just saw the young lady you were with running away in tears.”

“It's all my fault. Everything is my fault.” I murmur, “I need to speak with Dr. Corning about Taylor Brown.”

“The boy that assaulted you? Whatever for? They called his parents, and they are questioning him as we speak.”

I run for the door in a full sprint in the direction of Dr. Corning’s office. The nurse trails behind, her heels clip-clop on the linoleum floor behind me. I’m wearing tennis shoes and can manage a much faster speed. I dash past the front counter taking everyone by surprise. I stop short of crashing into Dr. Corning’s door and start knocking in rapid succession.

An exasperated “yes?” comes through the door. I enter, Taylor is in my chair. Dr. Corning looks annoyed. “Miss Stewart, you should be in the nurse’s office.” I turn to look over at Taylor, he has the look of a confused puppy.

I slowly regain my breath and compose myself. Dr. Corning looks at me patiently annoyed. “I’m sorry Dr. Corning, but there has been a misunderstanding.”

“Miss Stewart, you will have your opportunity to speak after I have had my opportunity to…

“This is really important Dr. Corning. Please hear me out.”

“Mr. Brown?” Dr. Corning gazes sternly at him.

“Yes, Dr. Corning.” Taylor response in a somber tone.

“I have a feeling that Miss Stewart is about to intercede on your behalf. Would you excuse us for a moment?”

Taylor stands and faces me. “Aaron, What’s going on? Why is Dr. Corning referring to you as a girl? Why…”

“Taylor,” I say softly, looking at him with doe eyes. “please let me try to clear this up with Dr. Corning. Please?” I start to rub his arm. I immediately pull my hand back when I realize what I had just done. Taylor doesn’t know what to do. He looks over at Dr. Corning whose eyes are about as wide as Taylor’s.

“Mr. Brown, please excuse us.”

He looks over at me. “Aaron, I can defend myself. I don’t need…” I bring my hand to his mouth to signal for his silence.

“Please, let me have a chance to make this right?”

He again looks over at Dr. Corning. The confused puppy look reemerges on his face, “Looks like I’m outnumbered. Excuse me Dr. Corning, ‘Miss’ Stewart.” He walks hesitantly out the door. I close the door behind him.

“Now then, Miss Stewart, you had something to say?”

“Yes, Dr. Corning, Taylor was just looking out for me. He pulled me into the restroom because he didn’t know what was going on. He thought someone was forcing me to wear the uniform. He didn’t hurt me. He’s my friend, this was all just a mistake. You have to believe me. He’s not a bad guy, this is my fault for not telling him what was going on. He was reacting to all this, the only way he knew how. Please don’t do anything to him.”

“Young lady, I understand perfectly what has transpired. There is the matter that he pulled you into the restroom against your will. Detained you there and was observed physically assaulting you.”

“He was just trying to protect me.” I protest. “I’ve known him almost my whole life, he wouldn’t hurt me. I… I was just scared. I was caught off guard. He was trying to make me get a hold of myself. Please don’t do anything that would… I don’t want to see another person hurt because of my prank.” A knock on the door.

“Are you finished, Miss Stewart?”

I slightly nod my head.

“Come in.” Dr. Corning announces.

“Mr. Brown’s parents are here.”

“Thank you, Ms. Wilkes. If you will excuse us, Miss Stewart?”

“Please let me stay, I can’t help but feel responsible for what happened earlier. Taylor’s parents deserve to hear an explanation from me. It would be unfair to Taylor for his parents not to hear what I have to say.”

“This is highly unusual. I will speak with Mr. Brown’s parents alone. Now, if you will excuse us, Miss Stewart.”

“Please, I can’t have my friend’s future…”

“Miss Stewart, you are trying my patience, I am aware of the impact that this would have. You have had your opportunity to speak, out of turn, I may add. I suggest you join Mr. Brown outside while I speak with his parents.”

My resolve has left me. I lower my head and walk slowly out the door.

“Please show Mr. Brown’s parents in.”

I pass Taylor’s parents on the way out to the lobby. They don’t recognize me. I take a seat opposite Taylor in the lobby area.

Taylor looks up at me. “Can you please tell me what’s going on? What happened to you in the last month? You disappear after school, you’re almost never home. You practically dropped off the face of the earth then show up to school in a girl’s cheerleader uniform?”

“I dropped off the planet? Where were you? I was alone for the last month. You were gone. I tried calling you a dozen times. You just ignored me.”

“I was pissed, I told you not to do it! You didn’t want to listen to me. What else was I supposed to do? I figured, if I lay low, I wouldn’t be caught up in the mess YOU made.”

“I’m sorry, Taylor. You’re wrapped up in this ‘mess’ because of me. I didn’t mean for any of this to happen. I tried my best to explain what happened to Dr. Corning, I’m not sure what would happen now.”

“I’m being expelled.”

“What?”

“Zero tolerance. Dr. Corning is informing my parents that I’m to be transferred to another school in the District.”

“That’s so unfair!”

“At least they can’t file criminal charges because I’m a minor.”

“Criminal Charges? This has gotten way out of hand.”

“That’s life, ‘little girl.’ Dr. Corning grilled me and after the tongue lashing from the pissed off cheer bitch and her ogre. I’m probably not welcomed at this school after ‘assaulting’ the school’s newest cheerleader. Now, can you please tell me what you are doing in a girl’s cheerleader uniform?”

“I’m a cheerleader. Well, at least I was one.” I say sadly.

“Why do you have to be a girl cheerleader?”

“I’m not, I borrowed Amber’s uniform because we were trying to honor the death of Coach T. I don’t have a uniform of my own.”

“How did you go from almost killing your sister to replacing her?”

“My folks and the coaches, They came up with this punishment. They thought it would…”

“Make a ‘man’ out of you?”

“Taylor!” I throw an angry glare at him.

“I know, I know…” he says with a smile.

“Anyway, they thought I could do all the charity and fundraising on Amber’s behalf so she could stay on the squad while she recovered.”

“So, you’re not a girl? I mean, not trying to be a girl?”

“No,” I say, crossing my legs.

“Are you sure about that?”

“Taylor, this is just to honor Coach T.” I felt myself getting flushed.

“And the hair?”

“Oh, you like it?” I turn my head from side to side. “Gina, Lisa’s cousin, did a wonderful job with it. They’re extensions. Cute, don’t you think?”

I garner a puzzled look from Taylor. “Are you sure there isn’t more to this?”

“Why do you say that?”

“I don’t know… You’ve been acting weird, even for you.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m still me.” I say with a huff.

“You? Dr. Corning has repeatedly been calling you ‘Miss Stewart’, and you don’t bat an eyelash, you freak out about being in the boy’s bathroom, and in the principal’s office, you rubbed my arm. You’re even pouting like a girl. Are you even aware that you’re sitting like one?”

I look down, I uncross my legs and try to splay my legs open. I look up to a smirking Taylor. My modesty takes over, and my legs cross again.

“You can’t even sit like a guy for even a second, can you?”

“Well, It doesn’t feel right to do that wearing a skirt.”

“You feel right wearing the skirt, but not without crossing your legs?” He shakes his head. “Look, I’m not here to judge you. I don’t know any more of what’s going on with you than you do. You had better start asking yourself some serious questions. Your actions have consequences. You’ve already seen that in action. Heck, so far, everyone you know has been hurt by your little prank. Imagine what pretending to be a girl would do. I’m being expelled. What else could happen?”

“Where are you going with this?”

“You need, to be honest with yourself.”

“What does that even mean? Everyone from Dr. Corning to the girls on the cheer squad has asked me to ‘be honest with myself.’ What could I possibly be lying to myself about?”

“Mr. Brown, Dr. Corning would like to see you now.” Janice Wilkes interrupts.

Taylor looks over at Janice then to me, “I have to go face the music for my choices. It’s time for you to grow up and face what’s going on in your life. Goodbye, Miss Stewart.”

“Bye Taylor,” I say sadly.

---

After a few minutes. Taylor and his parents emerge from Dr. Corning’s office, they’re speaking cordially with each other.

Taylor’s expression is downcast. He walks over to me with his parents trailing behind. “Aaron?”

“Taylor, what happened?”

“I’m sorry I pulled you into the bathroom, I’m also sorry that I pinned you against the wall and made you scared.”

“Taylor? What’s going to happen to you?”

Mr. Brown interjects. “Aaron, under the circumstances I think it best that you have no further interaction with Taylor.”

“What? No, you can’t do that! That’s not fair. This was a misunderstanding. He was trying to…”

“Aaron, we understand what Taylor’s intentions were, and you don’t need to explain yourself. What Taylor did was wrong, despite his intentions. He’s apologizing and is asking for forgiveness.”

“Taylor’s been expelled hasn’t he?” I ask rhetorically. Their faces tell me all I need to know. “Oh god Taylor, this is all my fault. I’m so sorry for making you so worried about me. I didn’t think. Please forgive me?” I walk over to Taylor and pull him into a hug and start sobbing on his shoulder. He’s caught off guard. He doesn’t move.

“Aaron, we have to take Taylor home now.” Taylor’s dad says plainly.

I pull away from Taylor who has a bewildered look on him. Taylor’s mother puts an arm around my shoulder and pulls me into a hug. “Aaron, sweetheart, you look very pretty in your uniform, and it’s sweet of you to apologize, but you have it all wrong. All of this is because of what Taylor did, and not because of who you are. You’re still welcome in our home, young lady. Okay? If you need to talk, I’m here for you.”

Even Taylor’s parents think I’m a girl? Has everyone gone nuts?

---

I’m told to take a seat in Dr. Corning’s office. At least my chair is warm.

Dr. Corning and Mrs. Yates enter the room. “Miss Stewart.” Dr. Corning begins. Mrs. Yates’ eyes go wide as she turns to Dr. Corning. “I want you to know that regardless of how you are dressed, it is not your fault. Okay? We do not tolerate that type of act upon our students.”

“Of course this is my fault!” I whine. “It’s all my fault. It’s my fault that Amber’s in the hospital! It was my stupid prank that got me into cheerleading. It was my fault that I’m in a cheerleader’s uniform!” With each exclamation, my voice raises an octave. “It was my fault for making Taylor worry about me! It was my fault for being so vulnerable to be pulled into the boy’s bathroom! It’s my fault that I’m crying like a girl!” Tears spill from my eyes. I let out a high-pitched yelp before breaking down again.

Dr. Corning rushes over to me, pulls me into her. I’m crying violently now. How can all of this be anything, but my fault! She’s rubbing my back trying to calm me. Each wail out of me pierces through me. I cry myself into exhaustion.

“Shhh. Shhh. It’s alright, sweetheart, It’s going to be alright.” Dr. Corning waits for me to calm down. I’m embarrassed at being so emotional. My lungs burn from my wailing, and my cheeks are raw. My makeup is all but washed off. A few more minutes go by as I pull another tissue from the box that rests on my lap. “Miss Stewart, are you feeling any better now?”

I nod my head.

“Young lady,” Dr. Corning addresses me. “I want you to listen very carefully to me. Can you do that?”

Again, I nod my head.

“You must not blame yourself for this. Okay? Mr. Brown should have had more respect for you as a student and as a young lady to abuse you in any way.”

“But…”

“No buts, Miss Stewart, you did nothing to deserve being treated that way.” Dr. Corning tries to reassure me. “Do you believe me?”

I nod my head.

Mrs. Yates turns to Dr. Corning. “Gloria, I’d like to speak with Miss Stewart alone for a few minutes?”

“Of course, I’ll be right outside.” Dr. Corning walks towards the doorway and pulls the door gingerly closed. The door shuts with a muffled thud.

“First off, Aaron, May I call you Aaron or is there another name you prefer?”

“Aaron is fine,” I say, my fingers running along the perforated opening of the tissue box.

“Aaron, I want you to know that whatever you tell me is strictly between you and me. Unless I have reason to believe that you may harm yourself or others, I cannot share what is said here with anyone else, not your parents, your teachers, or Dr. Corning. Is that alright?” her voice is soft and nurturing.

“Okay.”

“To be honest, I was a bit surprised when Dr. Corning said your name. You looked like a completely different person from the young man I met yesterday.”

“I’m curious, How do you feel when she refers to you as a female? Does that bother you to be referred to as a female?”

“Well, no. I’m sure people are reacting to how I look.”

“Do you like how you look?”

“I’m just glad I don’t look like a boy in a dress.”

“You certainly don’t. I love what you did with your hair. Extensions?”

“Oh yes, Lisa’s cousin Gina did a wonderful job on it. It's so pretty, isn’t it? I thought we should have gone with a wig, but I was wrong, this looks really natural. Don’t you think?”

“Yes, You look lovely in a cheer uniform.”

I feel the corners of my mouth edge slightly upward.

“Is that your uniform?” Her question posed ever so gently.

“No, I borrowed Amber's.”

“I see, have you ever borrowed any other clothing from Amber?”

I shake my head, “No.”

“How do you feel about wearing it?

“I don’t know, sad I guess. Amber really should be the one wearing this, it’s her uniform after all.”

“May I ask, why you are wearing it?”

“The girls and I thought it would be a nice tribute to Coach T, for us to wear the uniform to school.”

“You don’t have a uniform of your own?”

“No, I only recently joined the squad, after Amber was hurt.”

“I see, we’ll touch on that in a bit. Do you like how you look wearing the uniform?”

“At first it felt… I kind of felt naked wearing it. I mean, it shows so much skin.” I cross my legs, and the tissue box falls and smacks the floor. I close my eyes, shake my head, uncross my legs, then reach down to pick up the tissue box and lay it on Dr. Corning’s Desk. “Sorry.”

“How did you feel as the day wore on?”

“It took some time to get used to it, Ellie had to tell me to stop pulling at the hem of my skirt a few times on the walk to school.”

“I have to commend you for being brave enough to come to school wearing a girl’s cheer uniform to honor Coach T. Aside from the incident with Taylor this afternoon. How have you been treated?”

“People have treated me differently all day. I thought I’d be seen as a weirdo. Some guy in a cheerleader outfit. But it’s been different.”

“Is that a good thing?”

“On one hand, people have been friendlier to me than they ever have. A few complimented me on how pretty I was in my uniform.” I can’t stop the grin on my face. “On the other hand,” I feel my smile begin to wilt. “I'm not used to this much attention. The incident in the bathroom with Taylor showed me how vulnerable I was. All I could think about at the moment was how afraid I was.” I feel the anxiety building within me. I cross my arms over my chest, and my knees are squeezing together. “When I was pulled into the bathroom, it wasn’t Taylor that pulled me in there. I mean it was Taylor, but to me?” I cringe. “It was some guy that pulled me into a place where…” I hug myself tighter. “I wouldn’t be able to stop him…” I look up feeling distraught. “Do you know what that’s like?”

“For someone in your position…”

“My position? This entire day, people have treated me like a girl, as if it as the most natural thing in the world. People had been asking me to be honest with myself. Asking if this is who I really am. Some were even happy that I was no longer ‘hiding.’ I don’t know what to make of it. What I do know is that I…”

I start to recall how I felt when Taylor grabbed me, The shock of being pulled against my will. The fear of the unknown consequences of donning a girl’s uniform, in concert with feeling so naked. Then to have Taylor pin me against the wall and not knowing what would happen next. That nobody was there to stop him. “I don’t want to be that vulnerable. I don’t want to be that helpless. I don’t ever want to be that scared!” I cover my face with my hand hanging my head, sobbing. I quietly utter, “This has been the best and worst day of my life.”

Mrs. Yates gives me a moment to calm down.

“Aaron, you’ve been through a lot. Not just today but at least the last month. You’re in a new school, your sister was injured, and you feel responsible. You were forced on to the squad and then was removed. Your coach passed away, and you were assaulted on your first day at school dressed as a young lady. That’s a lot for anyone to handle. You are under a lot of stress. That stress is something that will continue to build unless you find a way to manage it.”

“How would I do that?”

“You could work with a counselor, someone you feel comfortable speaking with.”

“Aren’t you the counselor?”

“Well yes and no. I’m only contracted with the district on an as-needed basis. There isn’t enough money to staff a counselor full time for the district let alone each school.”

“Oh, I don’t think my parents can afford a therapist. We’re barely making ends meet as it is.”

“How about this? I’ll give you my card, and you can have your parents call me, maybe we can work something out. In the meantime, I’m contracted for the next week, so we can meet either during lunch or after school if you would like.” She hands me one of her cards. Then I realize the uniform doesn’t have any pockets.

“I’d like that.” I sheepishly accept the card.

“I have to ask, do you intend to continue dressing as a young woman?”

“No, it was just supposed to be for today.”

There is a soft knock on the door. Dr. Corning peeks her head in. “How are things going in here?”

Mrs. Yates walks over to Dr. Corning, “Gloria, may I speak with you for a moment?”

“Of course, Teresa.”

“Oh, Miss Stewart? I believe you left this in the Nurse’s office.” Dr. Corning holds out my backpack which I accept happily.

I place the card in the backpack pouch. “I have to use the restroom, may I?”

“You may use the restroom by the nurse’s office, but return here afterward.” Dr. Corning says to me, looking at the clock on her wall.

I use the commode which is definitely cleaner than the ones in the ladies room. Sitting just to pee is kind of odd for me, but it’s better than splashing my bare legs.

I walk over to the mirror. My makeup is a mess. That irks me for some reason. I grab a paper towel from the dispenser and wet it at the sink. I dab the areas under my eyes, where dark streaks from my tears had dried. I gently dab at my cheeks as well. My lips are a mess. I walk over to my backpack and retrieve the lipgloss. I walk over to the mirror and smooth a coat of the lacquer on my lips as I hear a knock on the door.

“Aaron?” Dr. Corning peeks her head in. She spies me at the mirror. She watches me as if studying me, She waits for me to finish. I close the tube of lipgloss and turn around and give her a slightly embarrassed smile.

“Sorry, Dr. Corning. I was just…” I cast my eyes downward. “I didn’t mean to keep you waiting.”

“Nonsense, Miss Stewart, you don’t have to apologize… It’s perfectly natural for a young lady to want to make herself presentable. Now, please follow me to my office will you? I’d like to continue our conversation.”

I walk with Dr. Corning to her office. Mrs. Yates is already there. Dr. Corning takes a seat at her desk, and I take my seat this time remembering to tuck my skirt under me and cross my legs with my fingers laced over my knee. I take a deep breath. “Okay.”

I’m not sure what was said. They asked me questions, and I answered. I kept thinking about all the people that my prank had hurt. I needed to make it up to them, I just didn’t know how. I thought going to the field to watch practice would help clear my head.

I found the field empty. I had forgotten that there was no coach to supervise the practice and give access to the locker rooms.

I started the day surrounded by the girls on the squad. I felt like I was one of them, part of a team. They had accepted me into their fold. Defended me, rallied around me when I was assaulted. I felt the bond with them grow and the pain of watching Ellie's anguish from her realization of what might have happened to her from my actions.

I needed to repair the chasm between Amber and me. I needed bridge the gulf growing between Ellie and me. I needed my sisters. I have not returned their kindness. Perhaps, it took losing the people close to me to realize how important they are to me. They had been so selfless towards me. Taylor risked his future in trying to help me. Ellie risked the ire of the squad in reaching out to me. Monica risked the respect of the squad by welcoming me in. I’ve done nothing to be worthy of their kindness. It's time I changed that.

At day’s end, I’m looking out on an empty field. Is this what the future holds without a coach? Is there still a squad? I need them so much. Sadly, I leave the field and start my long walk home. Alone.

---

Author's note: I hope you all don't mind the early and longer chapter. I knew I didn't have web access on Monday to upload this chapter, so I posted it early. I'll resume the Monday posting schedule with Chapter 13. Thank you all for reading, commenting, and encouraging this story along.

Special thanks to those that PM'd me with their input on how to improve this story. I love you all for taking an interest and helping to make me become a better writer!

Hugs!
Leila