When Max attended her scheduled weekly meeting with her counselor. She had an emotional breakdown as the weight of what happened to her came crashing down on her. Her mother had informed her that the police were trying to locate Shawn Grubbs since he was the one responsible for attacking her.

As for the video that had been posted on the student portal of her being shot at by the slingshot. It had been removed and the person who had posted the video was charged with accessory to murder. The person that had been charged happened to be the same guy that pulled her skirt down in school and exposed her panties to everyone.

He recorded the video of Shawn Grubbs shooting her with the slingshot and posting it on the school’s student portal. The school suspended Stephen and he was charged with a hate crime, plus murder charges. The judge in the case didn’t feel that he should serve time in jail but did fill he should pay for what he did. So, he was sentenced and sent to a program designed to straighten out troubled kids. It was run by a group of ex-military personnel with the backing of the state.

As for Shawn Grubbs, his parents washed their hands of him. He had run away from home and they didn’t know where he was. All he left was a letter saying he was fed up with the small-town life and how the town was being overrun by gays, lesbians, and freaks that were boys, who thought they were girls, and vice-versa.

Max ended up taking summer school to make up for some of her classes. When Max got out of summer school, she would work with Greg and Greg’s father. Since Mr. Collins owned a lawn care service, which meant he was going to be busy and would need part-time help.

Greg was slowly becoming more and more comfortable with Max’s appearance and choices. When he learned that Max had been shot at by a slingshot and had to be taken to the hospital. He had been worried sick and angry as well. He came by the hospital with his parents to visit Max when she was there.

Greg looks over towards Max, as she raked the grass clippings into a pile. He saw that she was wearing a head scarf to hide the wound in the middle of her head. The wound was still healing, and Max had a bandage covering it.

Greg noticed that Max was wearing her wide-brim straw hat as well. He had to admit that the shorts she was wearing showed off her long tone legs. The short sleeve shirt that she was wearing had his father’s business name on it and his logo that filled out the back of the shirt.

Max stops to wipe the sweat from her forehead. The head scarf she was wearing to cover up her wound and bandage was absorbing most of the sweat. It was unusually hot and humid out. She looks over toward Greg and smiles. She has caught him a few times watching her work. She knew he was concerned about how she was feeling.

Mr. Collins has been watching her as well. She knew he was concerned for her health and told her if she starts feeling dizzy or sick. She should stop what she is doing and take a break.

It was around seven thirty in the evening when they finished up the huge yard they have been working on. They have been here since Mr. Collins picked her up from summer school.

She helps Mr. Collins and Greg load everything back on the trailer. She couldn’t wait to get home and take a nice relaxing cold bath.

“God, when is it going to rain?” Greg looks up at the sky when he asks that question.

“You know, when it rains, we don’t make any money.” Mr. Collins looks at Greg when he says that.

“True, but we would be a lot cooler.” Max didn’t like showing her bandage.

Mr. Collins looks at Max “How’s your head feeling?”

“It’s doing okay, Mr. Collins. I took some Advil before leaving school.” Max’s doctor told her that if she was feeling discomfort from the wound. To take the painkillers he prescribed to her.

“Okay. Well, I know your mother will be expecting you home. So, let's go ahead and get you home.”

“Okay.” Max gets in the truck first, to sit between Greg and Mr. Collins.

Max watches as Mr. Collins drives them back home. Since she was sitting in the middle, she had control of the radio. She knew Mr. Collins liked the same type of music as she and Greg, so she finds a good station and listen to the music as it plays.

She noticed Greg was leaning against the wall of the cab and was looking sleepy. A smirk appears on her face as she leans back into the seat and relaxes. She closes her eyes and enjoys the ride.

After a little while, she feels herself shaken.

“Max, wake up.” Mr. Collins gently shakes Max’s shoulder.

Max wakes up and looks at Mr. Collins “Did I drift off to sleep?”

“Yes, both you and Greg did.” Mr. Collins had a smile on his face.

“I must have been more tired than I thought.” Max yawns as she gets out of the truck.

“Max, do you have class tomorrow?” Mr. Collins had a big job he could use Max’s help on.

“No sir. Also, I’ll be free next week. I’m done with summer school, after Friday.” Max was glad summer school was almost over.

“Alright, I’ll be by tomorrow morning at seven.” Mr. Collins watches as Max waves goodbye and walks toward her house.

Max hears Mr. Collins drive off as she enters the house. She noticed her mom’s car and her sister’s car parked in the driveway. As she opens the front door “Mom, I’m home.”

“There’s some dinner for you in the refrigerator, Max.” Laura comes walking from the den when she heard Max’s voice.

Max looks at her mother and smiles. She was glad her mother didn’t disapprove of her wanting to be a girl.

“How was work and school?” Laura wonders how Max’s, day has been.

“School was fine. I got a hundred on the test I took today. I have tomorrow off from class.”

“That’s good. Are you working with Mr. Collins tomorrow then?” Laura knew Mr. Collins has been employing Greg and Max to work with him.

He was paying them a minimal wage for helping him. Which was fine, since Max was saving half of the money to buy parts for the Vespa scooter she was fixing. The rest of the money was being saved to either get her breasts enlarged or to put towards her surgery when she gets older.

“Yes ma’am. He’s coming by at seven tomorrow morning to pick me up.” Max knew she’ll have to set her alarm clock for five-thirty, so she could be ready to go.

“Since it’s been so hot and humid lately, why don’t you take the big cooler with you tomorrow? You can load it up with water and tea for you guys to drink.”

“Okay, Mom.”

Laura hugs her youngest daughter before heading back into the den. She was still upset that someone tried to kill her little girl. The detectives on the case were still searching for Shawn Grubbs. Some leads had come in, informing them that he had headed towards Augusta, Georgia with several members of the Brotherhood.

Detective Spade said that he was in contact with the detectives in Augusta PD and was sending them everything they had collected so far. Which he hopes will allow them to find Shawn Grubbs and bring him back to Gordonsville to stand trial for what he did to Max.

Max goes into the kitchen and open the refrigerator door and spotted a KFC box on the shelf for herself. She takes it out and removes the coleslaw, before heating the rest of the items. Afterward, she heads up to her bedroom and eats her dinner, while watching NCIS: Los Angeles.

After Max is done eating, she takes her trash downstairs and throws it away. Her mother didn’t mind her eating in her bedroom, but she couldn’t leave her trash in her bedroom. Once she was done throwing her trash away. She heads back upstairs and takes a nice relaxing shower before heading to bed.