Belle of Vicksburg
-6-
Mrs. Bookkeeper and Counter Attacking.

I took a deep breath as I slowly made my way down the hallway, it seemed to take forever to travel the short distance from Mr. Wick's classroom to the front office. Once I reached the front office. I pushed open the door and slowly approached the secretary that was working the front desk. The middle aged woman looked up from the letter she was typing and peered directly at me.

“Mr. Wicks.” I said, handing the note to her. “Told me to give this to Mrs. Bookkeeper.” I said, shifting my eyes away from her. The woman nodded her head and reached out and took the note from my hand. She then unfolded the note and started to scan it. She then closed the note and nodded her head and vanished behind the corner.

A few tense minutes passed before she appeared again. “Mrs. Bookkeeper will see you now Ms. Hull.” She said as she took her seat again and started to work on her letter. After a few tense moments the sound of her curled up fingers striking the keyboard once more filled the office.

I was dumb struck, I felt like somebody had just taken an iron skillet and smashed it upside my head. It was all I could do just not bolt out the door and run into the hills that surrounded town. What was going to happen to me now? Was I going to told off? Was she going to paddle me? Was she going to lock me in a tiny cell under the school and throw away the key? Would she understand? Would she even listen to me? Or was she about to kick me out of school?

All of these thoughts swirled around my head as I just stood there. I felt like a tree rooted in the ground. Finally the secretary looked up and frowned a little. She then pushed her chair back and stood straight up and in a stern, almost scolding tone of voice she said.

“Ms. Hull. I said that Mrs. Bookkeeper will see you now. It's best if you do not keep her waiting too long.” She said in a tense tone of voice. Then as a kind of barb or a fleeting afterthought she added. “As you know Mrs. Bookkeeper is a very busy woman. And it's very rude of you to keep her waiting.”

I nodded my head. I guess it was time to face the music. Gathering up my courage, I walked behind the desk and started to make my way toward the Mrs. Bookkeeper's office. The office was located at the very back. To get to the office one had to walk down a long hallway, it was a very long hallway. It was like you were walking toward your doom.

Finally I found the door I was looking for. The door was a plain oak door, with a brass doorknob a little to the right and a thin sheet of copper brass screwed into the center. A name was engraved in the thin sheet of copper that read 'Mrs. Bookkeeper' and under it 'Principal'.

Collecting myself I took a deep breath and slowly I started to knock upon the door. A brief moment of silence passed and so I knocked again, a little louder this time, again a brief moment of silence passed. And so I knocked again. The third knock must have been the magic number. Because from within the room I heard a voice call out “Come in. The door's not locked.”

I crossed myself. Something I've seen done countless times in movies and such, no, I'm not Catholic or Episcopal, but I've picked up the habit from watching countless old time movies about the settling of the west. And I guess at that moment it felt right.
A few seconds later, I found myself walking into the office. The office was furnished like your average office. The American flag was standing in one corner and directly across from it was the new state flag of Mississippi. A wooden, mahogany desk stood between them. Tacked across the wall were framed Diplomas. Sitting behind the desk was a woman who appeared to be around thirty.

“Good morning. Mr. Hull.” Mrs. Bookkeeper said as she shuffled a few loose sheets of paper around. She then bundled the papers up and stabled them together and slipped them into her desk. She then took a deep breath. “Or should I address you as Ms. Hull, considering how you are dressed?”

“It doesn't really matter ma'am.” I said as I looked down at the ground. For the second time that morning I prayed that the ground would open up and swallow me whole. And again for the second time that morning nobody bothered to answer my prayers.

“Which one would you prefer?” Mrs. Bookkeeper said as she shuffled a few more loose sheets of paper around and once more she bundled the papers up and stabled them together before slipping them into her desk. I really wished she would stop shuffling her papers and look me in the eyes.

“I guess..” I said, taking a deep breath. “Ms. Hull suits me just fine.” I said, taking a deep breath.

“Full name?” Mrs. Bookkeeper said as she put away her stabler and turned toward her computer.

“Ashley Christina Hull.” I said, taking a deep breath as I once more looked down.

“A very good name. Did you think of it on your own?” Mrs. Bookkeeper said as she typed something on her computer. She then shifted her gaze toward me and for a moment I wanted to duck down. I swear if looks could kill I would have been dead in a matter of moments.

“Yes ma'am.” I said meekly.

“Well.. Ms. Hull, here is what we're going to do.” She said, smiling sweetly. “I will be taking you out of Mr. Wick's class and placing you in Mrs. Anderson's second period. Count your lucky stars we have more than one World History teacher here at Vicksburg High. Mrs. Anderson's a bit on the liberal side. She is also a bit younger than Mr. Wick's and not as set in her ways as he is. That should solve one of your problems.”

I blinked and blinked again.

“Thank you ma'am!” I said starting to blush.

“Don't thank me yet. Now, I would strongly suggest you make a point to go see our school counselor. In fact I'll make an appointment with her. She is off today, so the earliest time you can see her will be Monday afternoon.” Mrs. Bookkeeper said in a stern tone of voice. “And before you ask, yes I am aware you made a bet with David Lynn. Had you shown up in my office looking like a boy who just put on a skirt for a bucket of giggles. I promise you, right now you would have been bent over this desk and you would have been given a good twelve licks with the paddle.” She added.

I felt my blood run cold.

“But you put effort into your look. And for that I decided to give you a pass.” Mrs. Bookkeeper said as she peered across the desk at me. “But I'm warning you Ms. Hull. Just because I'm giving you a pass. Does not mean you should abuse it. This is very much a Republican run state. What I’m doing is giving you a chance to sort things out the best I can and afford you the fullest measure of protection I can.” Mrs. Bookkeeper said in a stern tone of voice.
“Yes ma’am.” I added.
“So this ‘Pass’ does not mean you should abuse it. Or flaunt the rules. This is a very rigid state we live in and our current governor has made his stance on people like you very clear. In fact, I would go as far to say that I believe he’s set Mississippi back at least fifty or so years in social progress.” Mrs. Bookkeeper said as she leaned back in her chair and peered upward into the air. 
“In short, I want you to give Mrs. Anderson the respect she deserves and do your best to help her, help you get to the bottom of this. Do you catch my drift young lady? 
“Yes ma'am.” I said, taking a deep breath.

“I will be blunt with you.” Mrs. Bookkeeper said as she stood up and walked from behind the desk. “I was expecting to see a boy in a skirt and not a demure looking young lady. I'm going to assume there is something ticking in that head of yours. Make no mistake, you are breaking at least a dozen school rules right now, you are in clear violation of the school dress code. But I'm going to assume you are questioning your gender right now. I think the word I'm looking for is 'Gender dysphoria.' I'm going to assume that is it. That is why I want you to see Mrs. Anderson as soon as possible. If it's a legit case of gender dysphoria then we will work on making the proper changes. If not. Then you will have a one on one meeting with the 'Board of Education' do I make myself clear?” She said as she peered into my eyes.

“Yes ma'am.” I muttered under my breath.

“Good. Now get to class. I have other matters to attend to.” She said and with that she dismissed me. I nodded my head, stood up and made my way toward the door. I was just about to wrap my fingers around the brass door handle when Mrs. Bookkeeper called out.

“Also. Ms. Hull, I see your next period of PE. Have you given any thoughts on how Coach Shard will respond to having you show up in his P.E class wearing a blouse, stocking, a skirt and heels?” She asked as she folded her hands on her desk. The look she was giving me could melt through a solid sheet of ice. It made me feel small, smaller than a church mouse.

“No ma'am. I was going to sit out today and take the zero.” I said blushing a little.

“That won't due. I'll tell you what. Go see Coach Adams. She should have a spare P.E Uniform for you to wear, it would be the girl's PE uniform. You can change into that and until we know for certain what is rolling around in that head of yours. I'm afraid we'll just have to keep you in the boy's P.E class.” Mrs. Bookkeeper paused and then leaned back on her desk.

“Oh what a barrel of fish you have gotten yourself into.” She said, “Yes, I'm afraid that I will just have to do. You will have to take the boy's P.E Class for the rest of the year or until we know something. And You will have to wear the girl's P.E uniform.. consider this your punishment.. Anyway, I have other business to tend to.”

At that very moment I wanted the ground to open up and swallow me whole. But instead I stood up. Smiled and walked out of the office. I could feel my skirt starting to swish around. I started to notice how the fabric hugged my legs. And as I left the office, I noticed the boys started to look at me. Well I'd noticed them looking at me before, but this time their eyes lingered.

“I told you dude. That new girl is a looker.” One of the boys said as he pointed toward me.

“Right. But you heard Cadet Sergeant Lynn. That new girl is supposed to be a transvestite” The other guy said.

“Man fuck that guy.” The other boy said. “I really wish Sergeant Gunner would demote him. The dude is unhinged. I mean it, I heard he once dropped a guy because he had to drop out of formation to take a squat. Thing is, Sergeant Gunner said it was fine. But the dude went total ape shit on him.”

“I heard the only reason he's in JROTC anyway is to keep the Jocks off his back. I heard some people give him grief because he plays some kind of card game or something. But man, really the guy is unhinged. Like in the second period, I heard him promising some kid that he'll make him a corporal if he smashes all that girl's front teeth in. Dude really unhinged right now.”

I blinked and blinked again. I took a deep breath and slowly I turned to face the two guys. I then put on my best southern belle air. Quickly I flashed both boys a sweet smile and then I walked up to them.

“Pardon gentleman?” I said trying my best to sound lost, frightened and scared. “But I couldn't help but hear you two talking about a Mr. Lynn, and how he wishes to do me harm?” I peered into each of their eyes and smiled. And much to my utter amusement they started to blush and their ears started to turn a bright red.

“Yes?” The first one spoke. I knew enough about the JROTC program to tell the two golden chevron's sewn onto his shoulders denoted him as an cadet corporal and his friend was the same rank. “We heard it from somebody, one of the Freshmen. He was promised a fast promotion if he jumped you after school.” He shuttered out.

“Oh mercy me.” I said, sighing. “It's only my first day here and already I have a brute of a man making trouble for me. Gentleman, would you please accompany me to  the instructor of your JROTC program. Since you heard the remark, then you can help me.” I then reached over and took both their hands into mine and pulled them closer.

“Please, As a Gentleman of the South. As sons of the South. You must, by your sacred honor, and the oaths you have taken. As gentlemen, first and foremost report this matter or at the very least accompany me to report this cruel man.” I said in a pleading tone of voice. For a moment I thought of myself taking on the role of Scarlett O'Hara. Lord Knows I've read Gone with the Wind more than my fair share of times. Maybe that is why I could slip into the persona of a southern belle so easy.

“Yes,” one of the cadets said as he bowed his head.

“Cadet Robert Woodlift at service.” Robert said as he straightened his back up and heck he even snapped to attention. And my friend, Batman Cadet John Whitman.” Robert said as he introduced me to the guy standing beside him.

“A pleasure ma'am.” John Whitman said as he liked his friend offered a little bow before snapping his heels to attention.

I wanted to laugh, I wanted to cry, I wanted to get snarky as hell with the two. But instead, I smiled and offered them both a curtsy, a little old fashion? Yes. A little out of date? Yes? But then again Mississippi is a generation and a half behind the rest of the damn union. So what of it?

“Shall we gentleman?” I said as I stood and motioned for them to lead the way. You see, there were two things David cherished more than anything else in this world. The first one was his stash or should I say collection of Hentai DVD's he brought using a fake ID from the FYE at the mall using a fake ID and the second was the 'rank' he held in the JROTC program. I was about to take the second one away from him. No doubt once the instructor found out about his little comments. He'll be swiftly demoted to the lowest rank possible and stripped of all his hard earned honors and decorations. Now, as a guy I would have never done this. But as a girl it just seemed right. Like the worst revenge possible seemed like the best possible one. And with that I started toward the JROTC building. PE could wait. I had personal matters to tend too.