I woke up a little late the following morning. The sound of mom hammering on my bedroom door jarred me from my sleep. It took only a brief glance down at my phone to tell me why my mom was hammering on my bedroom door. I had overslept by a good half hour and was now running behind. Going into panic mode, I jumped out of bed, threw on a school blouse, slipped on a pair of panties, slipped on a skirt and forced on some socks and laced up my shoes.

I then bolted out of my bedroom and down the hallway, and then down the stairs. Running like a mad woman, I reached over and snatched my school satchel up. Mom greeted me at the door with a pre-packed lunch, large enough to share with Ben and a bottle of water and another of fresh brewed sweet tea. Kissing her on the cheeks, I bolted down the brick paved walkway.

My mind rushing ninety-nine miles an hour, I rounded the corner and slipped onto the trolley. My sister Lily who was calmly flipping through the newest issue of ‘Sweet Seventeen’ just looked up and rolled her eyes as she moved her backpack over. Smiling I flopped my bottom down upon the hard wooden seat.

“You missed a spot,” Lily said looking over at me. “Several too, and you need to brush your hair.” She said in a matter of fact tone of voice as she reached into her pack and pulled out a large wooden hairbrush. She handed me the brush, handle side first and several ponytail holders.

I felt a deep blush coloring my cheeks as I peered toward Lily, muttering something under my breath, I reached down and took the offered brush and slowly I started to brush out my hair. The trolley then lurched to life and started to roll down the street.

“You know, they're totally going to tease you today right? I mean, like for real girl, you smell of fruit.” Lily said as she reached up and pinched her nose and rolled her eyes. “You could have at least took a bath or something..” She added as she shifted her eyes toward me.

“Wow, somebody in full bitch mode today,” I respond as I rolled my eyes and shot glares toward my sister.

A deep, dark blush colored Lily face. I learned something since we’ll I become a girl. Girls often get catty with each other. A big sister could one day be your best friend and the next she could be a mortal enemy. And that wholesome image of a polite southern belle sitting on the front porch swing, sipping tea with a gloved hand and fanning herself with a paper fan was total nonsense. Nobody does that down here, okay maybe around Vicksburg and Natchez’s but in Benton, Nah.

“Okay, okay sorry,” Lily said as she sighed. “It was wrong for me to tease you, I’m sorry.” She said at last.

“And it was wrong for me to call you a bitch, even if you're acting like one.” I retorted as settled into my seat. I was still fuming about last night.

Lily sighed and rolled her eyes again as she looked out the window.

“I guess. I guess I have been acting like one. With me and Robin trying to open up that anime maid-café business downtown, doing stuff down at the bakery and trying to keep on top of my school work. I’m sure I might have been a little short with you sometimes. And I kind of went overboard with the whole gallon of ice cream thing. Even though that was my favorite flavor.”

“Hey, you gotta have something sweet when you watch Sword Art Online..” I said pouting a little.

Lily rolled her eyes and then she reached over and wrapped her arms around me and pulled me into a one arm hug. Sighing again she muttered under her breath, “Your such a dork, but I love you to death girl.” She then released me and smiled.

I smiled too, the hug had pretty much vanished the tension building between us. Peering out the window I noticed we were near the school. Sensing time was fleeting, I gathered up my courage and asked a question. One that had been bothering for days on end.

“Hey, Lily?”

Lily blinked and turned around and stared at me for a minute. Finally, after what felt like hours of her peering into my soul, she said.

“What?”

“So, it been on my mind a lot. Why did you ask Madeline if she can become a petite, but like I’m your sister and you totally did not ask me?” I said quickly before my courage could fade away.

Lily blinked and blinked again as her eyes widen. She then took a deep breath and after a few tense seconds, she spoke and when she spoke there was a certain understanding of her worlds.

“Okay, totally did not expect you to be into that type of thing. Like the uniforms are these cute anime maid theme ones right. You know like a risqué version of the French maid one. And since you declined to dress up this past Halloween. I thought its not your thing. And you don’t really bake or brew too a lot. I mean you help with the cooking and you did bake like an apple pie from scratch last week that both mom and Aunt Molly swore tasted just like grannies, and you don’t really wear heels much..” Lily started.

I nodded my head, I felt my cheeks starting to flush with color. I was starting to understand, that even though Lily and I where sisters, we were totally different in some ways. And let's be honest, no big sister ever wants her dorky little sister hanging around her. And the way the conversation was going.. I felt Lily was about to let me down and gently reject my offer.

“But, you’re my sister… and were family. So I guess if you want I can talk to Robin about. I mean would you mind wearing a risqué French maid costume in front of the whole town, while serving tea and cakes and such?” She inquired.

“Sure,” I said blushing.

“And would mind taking a few pies for charity?” She said added the last part. “We talked to Madeline about doing something of an ‘Pie the Petite’ event for her. And since your going to our second petite, that is a student learning the trade. We might need to do the same for you.”

“Lily…” I said rolling my eyes.

“Jamie..” She said smirking.

“I’ve been gunged twice! First one for the homecoming thing, the whole ‘Hostage’ exchange and the second one was just last night. Heck, I’m figuring if I’m going to become a superhero or not from contest expose to the stuff.” I said returning her own smirk with one of my own.

“God your such a dork!”

I could not respond to her comment, for at that moment the trolley stopped and soon the mad scramble to get off the carriage and into school started in earnest. Since I was sitting on the outside, I was the first to stand up, followed by Lily. Soon our feet where touching concrete as the bell on top the trolley rang and pulled away. Taking a deep breath I peered toward the schoolhouse that loomed ahead like a sprawling giant.

“I’ll send Robin a text after the first period. And by lunch, I should have an answer for you. I don’t think she’ll have a problem with it since you’re my little sister and all. But if by chance she says no.. then no hard feeling right?”

I adjusted the straps on my satchel and peered over my shoulder at Lily. Lily stood there shifting her weight from one foot to the other her baby blue eyes were cast down at the ground and a worried look graced her face. I could tell she was weighing the pros and cons in her head.

“Nah, it's your life. If she says no then no big deal. Robin, Madeline and You could handle things..” I said. And with that, I started to walk toward the doors. I felt, I oddly felt tears starting to build at the corner of my eyes. And I could not explain why those tears were starting to build, being Jamie was so totally different than being James in more ways than one. I can’t really list the reasons, they're too personal to name. But the biggest thing affecting me right now was my mood. One moment everything would be happy fields of smiling trees, prancing bunnies, puppies and a big ol’ smiling sun high in a baby blue sky. The next, everything was gray and dead, tombstones replaced the smiling trees, zombies the prancing bunnies and rotting flowers the green grace and instead of a big ol’ smiling sun in a clear blue sky, there would be only gray, dark sky’s with rain pouring down in sheets and white-hot lighting crisscrossing the sky.

Yep, today was going to be one of those days.