Today was Monday, and that meant it was seven days till the annual 'Summer Carnival' a school-wide celebration that would mark the end of the school year. The dark, stormy days of exam's had passed. I was feeling pretty good about my chances of passing. The week of exams had been like passing through the seven rings of hell. Despite having endured the riggers of exams, and to be honest that had pushed me to my limits. But, somehow I had survived the whole ordeal.

Anyway returning to the story. Despite school being almost over, we were still required to attend the last seven days, the departing seniors were there, most of them where lording over us underclassman who by tradition were required to wait hand and foot on them, in return for our services, they would reward us with some trinket or something. I'm not sure, it's just one of those weird school's traditions. Thankfully, given my “Special Statues” as the school's only transgender student, I had been allowed to opt out of that little bit of Benton Academy tradition. Playing the school's hostage had been more than enough for me.

Anyway, it early in the afternoon. The morning had been spent with the whole school attending a reward ceremony. In the ceremony varies student organizations had handed out plagues to varies students in recognition for achievements in either varsity sports or for academic excellence.

I myself had been reward the 'School Spirit' reward for having played this years hostage in the two thousand and eighteen homecoming football game. Much to my embarrassment they played several clips from that game, including the one where I, dressed in a vintage cheerleader was marched into the gunge tank.

Beside 'School Spirit' I had also been awarded a plaque for 'Academic Excellence'. And finally a medal for 'Good behavior' the last one made me grin, since it seems they did not count my little prank with putting the fish in the school fountain had been counted. Anyway it was early afternoon and for once, we had been given a decent meal. All around me, I could see paper plates that were piled high with golden, crinkle cut french fries and fillets of seasoned, breaded catfish fillets.

Pitchers of sweet tea, the house wine and the beverage of choice where sitting at every table.It was a meal that was fit for the gods. A true bone-a-filed southern comfort meal. I was about to go for seconds, when the intercom crackled to life. And over the wire the voice of the headmistress came crackling through. What can I say, the intercom system of Benton Academy was as old as the hills. The voice often faded in and out and at times it there was so much static in the line that the announcements seemed like short, choppy statements instead of flowing sentences.

“Good afternoon students of Benton Academy.” A pause followed by the buzzing and humming of crossed wires. “And members of the staff.” Another pause followed by a low muttering and grunting. All eyes where now hyper focused on the small brown sound box.

“Congratulations to those who received rewards..” Another pause followed by another low muttering and grunting noises followed by more static and discounting noise. “We also need one more volunteer for the dunking booth attraction for upcoming school wide celebration. If you'd like to volunteer please come by the headmasters office after school and pick up a permission form.” And with that, the announcement came to an end.

“Man,” A girl to the left of me said. “You think they would have fixed that by now.” She said as she shifted her gaze from the brown box toward me. “Like the whole school is falling apart. Girl, I even heard there mold growing in the boys bathroom. And there that real strong chemical smell that haunts the 'Natural Science' classroom too.”

I nodded my head. Now I'd been attending Benton Academy for all my life, and in that time, I'd seen the school slowly fall apart. The school was well over fifty years. Okay time for a minor history lesson, back in nineteen seventy Benton along with Yazoo City where undergoing a transformation. Benton Agricultural High School along with Yazoo City High School where pressured from the federal government where undergoing integration. As a result, hundreds of white families fled from the public school system and formed private academies. This is how Manchester and Benton Academy came into being. That was fifty years. A lot has changed since then. I'm not going to list the changes here, as there are too many to list, but things have gotten better. But Benton Academy operates on a string budget, after all, the school is starting to fall apart bit by bit. Good thing I only have around three or so years left in this place till I could claim my diploma and put this school behind me.

“Right.” I said to the girl. “Maybe its on the list of things to fix over the summer holiday. You know, there doing a lot fixer-up projects around the school.”

“I wish, like they really need to do something about the food too! The only time we get anything good is the week of Homecoming and maybe the last week of school.”

I could only silently agree with her. But I had other things on my mind. It seemed I'll be paying the headmistress a visit this afternoon. I made a quick mental note to do just that. As soon as I made my mental note, the bell rung, heralding the end of lunch and a return to class. And so the day dragged on by, with only one week remaining and exams finished, most of the teachers had culled there lesson plans. We were quite free to either sleep, read or find our own way to pass the time. We were not allowed however to play with our phones and use the school's Wi-Fi to check facebook or other social media websites from our phones.. then again, we've never been allowed too.

I myself spent the other three or so remaining hours of the school day to catch up on my beauty sleep. There nothing more refreshing than sleeping with your head down upon a wooden school desk that has had dozens or so names carved into its wooden surface. One of those names happen to be my father, and oddly enough under his, sister had also carved her name. I pondered carving my own name under Father's who had transferred to Manchester in his junior year, but had logged two years here. My aunt, had also seen it fit to curve her name under her older brothers name. Lily, my older sister had also seen it fit to add her name under our aunts name. After a minute of pondering, I decided to forgo this odd family tradition, I had already gotten my tail whipped for putting plastic fish in the school's fountain.

And adding a 'Defacing School's Property' was not something I was keen on. How the other three had managed to do it, I'm not really sure. But I myself was not about to take that chance. Anyway, the rest of the day passed slowly and soon enough we were free. Instead of joining the mass exodus of students rushing toward home or downtown to the malt shops, I instead stayed behind and slowly made my way toward the main office. Once there I told the woman behind the desk, I needed to see the headmistress.

She remembered me well enough, after all, it's hard not to forget somebody who came in first because of some gender issues that “Threaten” the morality of the school, followed another episode of “General Hospital: Teenage Edition” okay maybe I'm being a bit silly on that one. And finally a third time for having pulled, and I'm quoting my older sister her when I say this, “The lamest prank in school history.” that ended up with me getting my very first paddling at school.

Anyway, since she packing up and heading for the front door she waved me through without giving me a second look. Once she waved me through, I started to make my way down the hallway and soon I reached the headmasters office. I was just about to knock on the door, when the door opened and there in the doorway stood Mrs. Cartwright, our eyes met and for a passing second there was a moment of tension.

“Oh..” She said blushing as she tried to gather her wits, no doubt my sudden appearance had thrown a wrench into her planes of an early escape. “Jamie, behaving yourself I trust? Haven't pulled any more pranks again have you?” She said smirking a little as she eased her purse down upon the ground and folded her arms across her chest and leaned against the frame of the door.

“No, I kind of need to talk to you about something.” I said pushing past the fact that I knew I was blushing up a storm. “That is, are you still looking for somebody to volunteer for the ducking booth.” I quickly asked before my courage had a chance to fail me. At this, Mrs. Cartwright raised her eyebrows and gave me a good firm level look. “Yes, we still need a freshman volunteer. Why, do you know somebody? Or maybe, you'll like to volunteer yourself?”

“I would like to volunteer.” I said taking a deep breath. “That's why I'm here, I was wondering if you could give me a permission form to fill out.”

Mrs. Cartwright blinked and blinked again as she stepped aside and motioned for me to enter into her office. “Sure, I can do that, but first, I think we need to have a little talk.” She paused and then added as if it were an afterthought. “Women to women.”

I nodded my head and walked into the office. Mrs. Cartwright closed the door behind me, she then walked around her, she then eased herself down into her chair and motioned for me to take the offered seat. Nodding my head, I took a seat I was mindful to smooth out my skirt and to sit with my back straight up and to keep my hands folded in my lap. Once I was seated, I reached up and brushed a loose strain of my hair back behind my ear. Mrs. Cartwright who had been watching me like a hawk the whole time nodded her approval.

“I guess, You can teach demure to a boy.” She with a smirk. “Your full of surprises Ms. Potter. When I first took this job, I was informed that one of the students was special in a way.” She said as she reached into her desk and pulled out the permission slip and slipped it toward me. “

“Don't get me wrong, I'm glad we have,” She paused and leaned back in her chair. “A Transgender student here, I mean I'm all for it. It variety is the spice of life after all, or so the old saying goes. I'm just concerned.” She shifted her eyes toward my chest. “Like, when I first saw you, I thought you were just a really flat girl. I mean a late bloomer. I mean this year you've jumped from what a training bra to an A cub or something.” She said shrugging her shoulders.

“B” I said in a flat tone of voice. “I wear a B cub when it comes to bras.” I said reaching over and taking the form into my hand, quickly I folded it up and slipped it into my bag.

“Impressive. Anyway, about that area.” She said pointing down. “How that coming? I mean do you still have you know..” She started to blush.

“A Penis?” I said again in a flat tone of voice.

“Yes...” She said blushing.

“That goes bye-bye this summer.” I said rolling my eyes. “Beside that, I sit to pee and poop. I mean, I do use the staff's bathroom to do my business and change into my P.E kit. Somehow you guys are okay with me taking P.E with the rest of the girls, and boy do I pay for it. Everybody else had to run a mile to pass the final, I had to run three miles.” I said sighing.

“Okay, Okay,” She said still blushing. “I just needed to know the cause, like your going to be wearing a swimsuit for the dunking booth. So, maybe choose something that will keep that area smooth and flat.” She said looking down at her desk. “Also, I heard you had a boyfriend, does he know as well and have you done, you know what boys and girls do.”

I blinked and blinked again. Slowly I started to count backwards starting at twenty and when I reached six, I had the perfect response ready, one I'm quite sure will rattle her chains. Smirking a little, I reached up and started to twirl a loose strand of my hair around my finger. “Oh yes, he knows. And yes, we've kissed before. Kind of waiting for some good along time with him. Going to blindfold him, and chain him to the bed and ride that meat rocket all the way to mars.”

You should have seen how her face twisted as all the color started to drain from it. She swallowed hard and her eyes started to widen as she tried to process my latest statement. Sensing the ball was once more back in my court, I decided to press the advantage. We country girls can be quite frank when we need too.

“Like, I've been teasing him on and off. Might as well give him a piece of this pie.” I said with a wink, I then stood up and twirled around and made for the door. As I reached down and wrapped my fingers around the doorknob I looked over my shoulder and winked and giggled. “But keep that between us girls, I want to surprise him.”

I chuckled to myself as I left the room. Leaving a stunned and speechless headmistress in my wake.