Rock Star Makeover, Part 1
“You can't be serious!”
“Why not enter the contest? ”
“Well, duh, its for girls?”
“Doesn't say that anywhere. Says you have to be 15 or older, that's it.”
“Come on! I know you like Cathy Mason, and that the contest winner gets a meting with her, as well as a trip to Hollywood for the winner, their parents and a friend. But it also includes a new wardrobe, as well as a 'makeover'. You know, like makeup and stuff?”
He just grinned at me.
“He” was Gavin Martin, and my best friend, and this is our story. I am Noah Alexander, and we were both 16 years old.
“And besides which, wouldn't you need your parents permission?”
“I have already talked to them, dude”
“You always did plan ahead”
He smiled at me, and I had to shake my head. In the eight years I have known him, he has always been a bit.... off. But since by then I was already at the bottom of the social pile, he and I became friends, and honestly, I have not regretted it.
But this idea...entering a contest mostly directed at girls, it seemed to hold a strange fascination with him, I was not sure just what to make of it.
“Alright dude. Its not like your chances are good anyway.”
“Maybe. But since the contest is doing one of her songs, and since I know all the words to all her songs by heart, I’ve got as good a chance as anybody”
“Want me to help you do the video?”
“Got it all figured out, besides, I want to surprise you with the result.”
“Well, have fun”
I went back to my house, and greeted my brother, Adam.
“Hey”
“'Sup bro?”
“Just got in from being at Gavin's”
He shook his head, and said, “I don't know why you hang out with that guy. Most of your school thinks he's gay, and therefore are wondering about you”
“Let ‘em wonder. Fact is, when I didnt have a friend to my name, he reached out to me, and has done it every time I have needed since. Whatever he is or will be, I owe him.”
“Ok, bro. I will do my best to keep the creeps off your back”
“Appreciate it.”
The next couple of days were pretty typical for us, except whenever I tried to ask him about the contest. He would just smile, and change the subject.
Then, things got weird at school. I was used to being shunned for being with him, but now the whispers and stares seemed much worse than usual. When I got home that afternoon, my brother came in, and said, “You got to see what is online. Someone forwarded this to me, and it is making the rounds at your school.”
I went to the computer, and soon I saw...
He really had gone all out. He looked just like the singer....
And that wasn’t the only thing. He had taken one of her songs, a happy little piece about experimenting with another girl, and turned it into … a lament, a wish, a need........
To be a girl.
I found myself moved to tears watching. I thought to myself, “If he wasn’t just acting, if this video represented his true self.... God, why didn’t he ever tell me?”
I turned off the computer, and called his house. His sister Terry answered, and said, “Gavin told me to expect your call. He asked me to tell you to come over if you really want to talk.”
That was an easy call.
I went.
When I got to his house, his mom ushered me in, and called up to his room, “Sweetheart, your friend Noah is here. You ready to see him?”
“Send him up.” I heard coming from upstairs.
Before I could go, Gavin’s mom stopped me and said, “I take it you saw the video.”
“I did. It was...moving.”
She looked at me, and said, “That’s the response my …. child was hoping for. I hope your friendship survives this.”
“Mrs. Martin, I don’t exactly know what to make of it. But … I don’t plan on going anywhere.”
“I think my … child will be happy to hear that right now.”
I went upstairs, and knocked on Gavin’s door. “Its Noah, Gavin.”
“Come in. I have... been making some changes, though.”
I went in, and for a second, I thought I was in the wrong room. He didn’t look like Gavin at all.
He was.... a girl. It wasnt the clothes, it was.... just everything about her.
I sat down on his (her?) bed, and said, “Oh. I guessed, from the video, but … wow.”
“I’m sorry you had to find out like this. I just couldn’t think of how to tell you.”
“You were not acting in that video, where you? You want to be a girl for real?”
“Close, Noah. I.... think I already am one. I just want to be able to not have to hide that anymore.”
I looked at her. “I … I think I see that. In the video, you looked relaxed, happier than I have ever seen you.”
“I was, and I am.”
“But one thing. We have been friends forever. How come you didn’t tell me before this?”
“I was scared, Noah.”
“Of me?”
“No. of me. For a long time, I was scared that I was … crazy. I tried to hold it in, because I thought as long as I didn’t say it out loud, it wasn’t true. But it was killing me. Finally I just had to come clean. I told my folks, and then tried to figure out how to tell you. When this contest came up, it seemed like ….. it was the right time. I’m so sorry.”
I came close, and opened up my arms. She hugged me, and I said, “I .. I’m so sorry you have had to deal with this on your own. If you let me, I want to help, okay?”
“Thanks.” She said, and then the broke the hug.
“Anytime. How are you folks doing with it?”
“It was pretty shaky at first. Mom is still struggling, I think. Dad is actually doing okay.”
“What are you going to do about school? “
“Try and hold on until spring break. If I don’t win the contest, I will spend the time figuring out what the next step is.”
“Well, I … don’t know how much of this I understand. But you have supported me and been my friend though a lot of crap. I will be here for you.”
“I was.... hoping that would be how you felt.”
“One more question.”
“What?”
“What the heck do I call you? I mean, Gavin is no name for a girl.”
“I have been thinking of … Gabrielle .”
“Cool. Nice to finally meet you , Gabbi.”
She smiled, and it lit up the room.
We chatted for a while, and then I looked at my watch, and said, “I better go. Mom will be wondering what I am up to. “
“You could tell her you’re in a girls bedroom.”
“I don’t think she would be happy to hear that But with your permission, I’ll tell her about you … being Gabbi.”
“I guess. How do you think she’ll feel? You think she ‘ll still let us... hang out?”
“I donnkow. I think she’ll be okay. You still want to hang out tomorrow if she doesn’t freak about it?”
“If you’re okay with spending your Saturday with a girl. I don’t want to have to pretend to be Gavin anymore than I have to anymore.”
“You still like bad sci fi, don’t you? We were going to see the festival at the Art Theater.”
“Yeh. It’s still ME, in here. I ‘m not going to turn into some stereotype girl. A lot of stuff about me will stay the same.”
“Then that sounds cool to me. I wasnt ready for a tea party with you, or whatever.”
“No worries there.”
“Then I’ll see you tomorrow.”
I went home, and told my brother and my mom about Gavin/Gabbi. My brother said, “I … guess I should have seen that. From the way he, she acts....It makes sense.”
“How about you Mom? You okay with me still being her friend?”
“its not going to be easy for either of you, sweetie. But I am proud of you for not abandoning her.”
“That’s how you’ve raised me, mom.”
“I hate to break up this love-fest, but I’m hungry” My brother said.
We all laughed, and started supper.
The next morning, I got ready, and went over to Gabbi’s house. She answered the door wearing a pair of jeans that stopped high enough that I could see she had no socks, flat but very girly shoes, and t shirt with the main character from the anime “Ranma ½”
Weirdest was she …. filled out the t-shirt a bit. I hadn’t really registered that yesterday, but but she definitely had a bit up top. She grinned, and said, “Geeze. I’ve been dressing as a girl for such a short time, and I’ve already got guys checking out my assets.”
I blushed, and said, “Its not like that. I just didn’t expect you to have assets at all.”
“Not my own, at least not yet. But a little padding goes a long way in passing, or so I’ve been told.”
We headed to the theater, and I asked, “Speaking of passing, are you scared? I mean going out in public?”
“A little, but my sister took me to a mall on the other side of town last week. Nobody gave me a second look, so I think I do okay. But that’s one reason why I chose not to wear a dress or skirt today.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Noah, when we get to the theater, look at what the other girls are wearing. You wont see many in dresses. I don’t want to stand out, at least not today.”
We got to the theater, and taking her advice, I peeked at the girls’ outfits. There weren’t a lot of girls there, but Gabbi was right. A few were in costumes, but most were dressed a lot like her. We grabbed popcorn, and settled into seats near the back, like we always did.
I found it strange. Gabbi was a girl, in more than just her clothing. And it was clear she was … happier, more comfortable than I had ever seen her. Sometimes that kinda threw me. I wasn't used to spending a lot of time with girls. But at the same time bits of my old friend were still there. The intelligence modified by goofy humor, especially.
She must have noticed my occasional double takes, because she said, “You are having some trouble with this, aren’t you?”
“Sorry, Gabbi. I guess its going to take me some time to adjust. But I am not going anywhere. That I can promise.”
“Thanks. Monday is not going to be fun.”
“Why not go as Gabbi? I mean, everyone has had to have seen the video by now.”
“No. We need to clear it with the school first. I will just have to be Gavin, and hold on.”
“Well, you wont be alone.”
“Thanks again.”
We went back to watching the movies, doing our usual snickers at the crappy special effects until the festival was over, and then we went to Gabbi’s house. I said goodnight, and she looked funny.
“You okay?” I asked.
“Yeh, thanks for letting today be so … .normal.”
“Normal? I wouldn’t know normal if it ran me over, Gabbi.”
“Yeh, but it felt the same as the last time we did that, and … I needed that.” She fidgeted, then started moving close to me, and then suddenly stopped, and turned and went inside.
“Now what the heck was that about?” I thought to myself, and then went home.
Sunday morning, as I got ready for church, my mom called me down. I came down the stairs to see Gabbi’s sister, and Gabbi herself, wearing a rather pretty pale blue dress.
“Hay, Gabbi, I... I didn’t expect to see you today.”
“I... I wanted to have one day of looking pretty, before I had to go back to being Gavin again.”
“You look lovely, dear.” My mom said, “Don’t you agree, Noah?”
I looked at her, and saw something in her eyes that made me want to make her happy, so I said “You... look very pretty, Gabbi.”
She beamed so brightly, I could hardly look at her.
Church was fine, and if anybody thought there was anything unusual about Gabbi, they didn't show it. Once again, I felt weird being around her. She was girly, there wasnt any doubt about it. But the little bits of Gavin that peeked out threw me.
“You’re really happier now, aren’t you ?” I asked her after the service.
“I am, Noah. To be honest, to not have to hide... Its such a relief.”
“Then I am happy for you.”
“Thanks, Noah. your support makes this much easier.”
“You’re still my best friend, Gabbi. What kind of friend would I be If I let you down when you needed me most?”
She smiled, but there was something wrong with it, and she kept quiet the rest of the way home.
After she left. I told my mom about her attitude, and she smiled. “It sounds like she may be hoping to be more than your friend, hon.”
“No way. Why wouldn’t she just say so?”
“Maybe she isnt sure herself. Or maybe because she is scared of losing your friendship if you don’t feel the same.”
I shook my head. “I.... I got to think about this, Mom. I... I don’t want to hurt her, but I don’t know if I can be anything but her friend.”
“Take some time, hon. Both of you are having to make some adjustments in terms of how you relate to each other. But try and not take too long, or it might ruin what you do have.”
I went to bed that night with my head spinning.
Monday morning, I went to school, half-expecting to see Gabbi. Instead, she was back to being Gavin again. He looked miserable, and I went up to him, and said, “Hay bud. You are going to get through this, okay?”
He gave me a sad smile, and said, “Thanks, Noah.”
“No problem. Chin up.”
We went inside, and as I suspected, we were even more outcasts than usual. I kept Gavin close to try and prevent physical stuff, but the occasional shove became the norm. Finally, I said, to Gavin, “Gav, we got to get you some backup. You are going to get seriously hurt.”
He shrugged. “Like who?”
“I could call my brother. Or we could talk to the principal.”
“Appreciate the thought, but its only for a short time. They should be announcing the winner of the contest tonight, and either I will be going to L.A., over spring break, or not. Either way, when I come back, I expect to be attending school as Gabbi. Either at this school or somewhere else.”
“I hope its here. I’d be lonely without you.”
He gave me a smile, and for a moment, I saw Gabbi again.
The rest of the day, moments like that would keep happening. One minute, he was all Gavin, except even more depressed than usual. The next, Gabbi would peek out, and she would smile, and then there would be this struggle to put Gabbi back in hiding again.
I started to have trouble believing this could go on even a week....
That night, with our parents permission, we sat together with a laptop waiting to hear if Gabbi had won or not. I had mixed feelings about this contest, and it must have shown, because Gabbi asked, “You worried about me?”
“Yeh. On the one hand, I could tell how much you want this. But I wonder if you’ve really thought it through. I’m assuming you want to be Gabbi for the trip, but you’d have had to entered as Gavin. You ready for a bunch of strangers to know they are one and the same?”
“I guess I figure it might actually be easier with strangers. Plus, its in L.A. I cant be the first transsexual person they’ve met.”
We waited, and finally, the site holding the contest said that Cathy Mason herself would be announcing the winner in one minute. We both fidgeted, and then the screen changed, and Cathy Mason was in front of a microphone. She opened up an envelope, and announced...
“Gavin Martin!”
Gabbi squealed.
I pointed at the screen, and it replayed the video Gabbi had entered, while Cathy said how much she admired the bravery it must have taken to enter it.
Gabby hugged me so hard I thought she might bruise something.....
Finally, I got her to let go, and I left to go home. Once I did, I told my family about what happened, and I told my mom about being worried about Gabbi.
“Well, hon. If you are that worried, why don't you ask to go with her? Didn’t you say that the contest allows the winner to bring a friend?” she asked.
“I figured she would take her sister. So they can do girl stuff together.”
“That may be the case, Noah. But you could ask.”
“Would you be okay with me going? I mean, if she wanted me?”
“I think we would survive without you over the break. And her mom would be there to keep the two of you in line.”
“I don’t know, Mom. If you’re right about her feelings, that might be awkward.”
“Maybe. Or maybe it would give you both a chance to figure out where you stand with each other.”
“I guess I’m still struggling with that idea, Mom.”
“I know, but ask yourself a question. If you found that you could … fall for her, would that be a bad thing?”
I had no answer for that, so I went to bed.
The next day, as Gavin and I navigated around to get to classes, I noticed a difference in how people treated him. There was still a lot of rejection, but a number of people congratulated him on winning the contest, and many of them said they had been moved by Cathy Mason’s comments. At the end of the day, I said to him “Quite a bit of improvement, yes?”
“Yeh. But it makes waiting harder.”
“You’ll make it. I’ll help too.”
“Thanks I’ll hold you to that.” She smiled, and it was all Gabbi talking.
I had trouble meeting her eyes.
“What?”
I blushed. ‘I... I was going to ask about the trip. I guess you are going to take your sister? Have some girl time?”
“Actually, I … was meaning to talk to you about that. What ….what would you say about going with me? I … I’d would love it if you would come.”
I thought about what my mom had said, and looked at her in a way I hadn’t dared to before.
I started thinking hard. <”Would it really be so bad? To fall for a girl like Gabbi?” She is... fun to be with, we have a lot in common, and she already knows just about everything about me. And when she dresses like a girl, she’s pretty, actually. What more could I want?”>
“I...I gotta ask, Ga...Gavin.” I was stalling, and I was sure he knew it, because I could see the disappointment on his face.
She had tears in her eyes, and said, “I.. I understand. I guess I was …. asking for too much. Maybe I should keep my distance. Maybe you’d rather not be around a freak.”
She started to leave, and I shouted, “Wait!”
She ignored me, and ran off.
“Crap.” I muttered to myself, and went home.
By suppertime, I couldn’t hide my misery, and told my mom. By this point, I was in tears, and she held me for a bit until I breathe again.
“I messed up, Mom. What the heck do I do?”
“Your only hope is to tell her that hon. It will work out exactly the way its supposed to.”
I tried to phone her, but she wouldn’t take my calls. Finally, I had no choice but to go to bed.
Wednesday morning rolled around, and I went to school, and got more depressed as the day went on. Every time I tried to approach Gavin to apologise, he would cut me off, and walk away. Desperate, at lunch, I decided to talk to Mrs. Franklin. She was my Art teacher, and one of the few I had ever talked to before, so she was the obvious choice.
She not only listened, but she helped me make something that might at least get Gabbi to listen long enough for me to apologize. When I was done, I hid it, and waited for the end of the school day. I snuck out of my last class, and went to where he would exit the building. I pulled out the little project I had worked on.
I figured this might work better if she couldn’t see me, so I left my little gift on the sidewalk, hid in a nearby bush, and waited for her to come. I tried to control my breathing, but I kept thinking, “If this doesn’t work....”
After a few minutes, I could see her coming, and took a moment to say a prayer as she got close. She slowed, and looked at the little bit of artwork I had managed to cobble together over lunch. I had drawn me on my knees, crying, begging toward an angel with her face. Words like “Sorry”, “I was wrong” “Forgive me” were all over the picture.
To me, it was like the whole world held it’s breath, waiting for her to decide what to do. Finally, a small smile came on her face, and she said, “Noah? You can come out.”
I came out of the bushes, and went on my knees. “Gabbi, I’m sorry. Please forgive me.”
“I’m sorry too, Noah I....I guess I was asking for a lot from you.”
“Gabbi, look at the back of the drawing.”
She flipped it over, and then reacted just as I had hoped. She dropped the paper, threw her arms around me, and actually kissed me on the lips. When we came up for air, I glanced at the paper on the ground. The back side was up, and the three little words shone in glitter.
“I LOVE YOU.”
*******
Rock Star Makeover, Part 2
(Author's note: Its probably a good idea to read part 1 first)
We walked to my house hand in hand. We didn’t say much, but the contact seemed to say all we needed to say at that moment. We went inside, and told my mom what happened. My brother came in the room in time to hear Gabbi tell my mom about the card, and he grinned.
“Pretty mushy, Noah.” He said.
“It worked. I got my girl.” I said, grinning back.
Gabbi slipped her arm around me, and said, “And I got my guy.”
I couldn’t help myself. I gave her a kiss right then.
My mom cleared her throat, and said, “As sweet as a first romance is, I have to call an end to this for now. Gabbi, you have to go home, if I don’t miss my guess.”
“You’re right.” She looked at me, and said, “I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?”
“Okay Gabbi. One thing though. How do you want to play it at school? You gonna be okay being my girlfriend?”
“If you are okay being my boyfriend. Its not like we can be any more outsiders than we are now.”
“I was kinda hoping you’d say that.” I said, and gave her another kiss.
“Bye.” she said, and left.
Adam asked, “You sure you’re gonna be okay with doing PDA with her in public dude?”
“Bro, when I thought I had lost her, my world turned to ash, so I’m not losing her again. And anybody who can’t see she is a girl needs to get their eyes checked. Besides, she’s right. we were never gonna be in the popular crowd anyway.”
The next morning, she met me at the door to school, and she said, “I..I’d understand if you … well, you know, have trouble being with me while I’m still dressed as a boy, Noah.”
I looked her in her beautiful eyes, and said, “Gabbi, I’m the luckiest boy in this school to have you, and I don’t care who knows it. In fact...” I paused, and raised my voice, attracting the attention of people around us, and said “You are the most wonderful person in the world. I love you!” and kissed her.
After our kiss, I peeked at the other students. Some grumbled, some shook their heads, one or two looked angry and repulsed. But a lot of people smiled, and a couple of people actually applauded.
She blushed, and we went in to classes. The rest of the day, whenever I could, I made a point of holding her had, putting my arm around her, making contact any way I could. I had a few scary moments with some of the jocks, but it seemed like every time somebody would try and start trouble, another student would step in and defend us.
After school, we decided to stop by her house first, and we shared the news with her mom. Her mom said, “I.....I’m not sure about all this. Ga...Ga.. dear, please. This is all is... happening so fast, I can’t keep up.”
“I’m sorry mom. Things seem to have got rolling faster than even I thought they could.”
“I... I know, but I... I wanted to tell you. I... I have decided to not go with you to L.A. “
“How can I go without you Mom? I still need a parent for the trip.”
“I know. I have asked your father to go, and he agreed. I assume you still want Noah to come with you?”
“Of course, Mom.”
“How is that going to work? I looked into it, and they provide only one room with two beds. I’m... not comfortable with you and Noah sharing a room.”
“Mom, think about what you just said. If I was still pretending to be Gavin, would you have minded? “
Gabbi’s mom looked shocked, and silence reigned for a while. Finally, I said, “I need to go home. See you at school tomorrow, Gabbi. I gave her a hug, and she kissed me on the cheek. Her mom almost choked, so I broke off, and left.
The next morning, I met Gabbi at the door of school, and she looked horrible. I held her, and asked, “What happened?”
“My mom and Dad had a fight over me. They were actually yelling at each other. They never yell. Its all my fault!” She started crying.
I held her as tight as I could, and then pulled her chin up so she was looking at me “Gabbi, please. Its not your fault. You had to do this. Trying to be Gavin was killing you. They would be burying their son soon, and that would be much harder for them then having you as a daughter.”
“Th....thanks”
“Welcome. Come on. we’ll be late for class.”
The rest of the day, I could see how she was struggling to keep going. I drew her a a heart-shaped hug in Art class, and she smiled, but it faded fairly quickly. I felt totally out of my depth. Finally, the day was done, and I invited her back to my house, hoping my mom could cheer her up.
Mom was great, as she often is with me. She listened to Gabbi, let her cry, and we both held her tight. After a while, she looked up at the clock, and said, “I... gotta go. Sorry, Mrs. Alexander, I.. I...”
“Young lady, you have nothing to be sorry for.. You are NOT responsible for your parents choices. You have been given …. a huge burden, and you are making the sanest choice possible, in my opinion.”
“Gabbi,” I said, “I want you to promise me you wont give up. Your dad will help, your sister too. And of course, you got me, and my family too. Okay?”
“O....Okay. But I better go.” She said, and then left.
After she left, my mom, my brother, and I prayed for her. Prayer is a funny thing, at least for us. Its a...recognition that we don't run the universe. Maybe you can’t prove anybody was listening, but letting go of the stuff you can’t control anyway seems to help. At least it did for me, enough that I was able to sleep that night.
The next morning, I went over to her house, and her sister answered the door. I went in, and saw Gabbi dressed in her boy clothes, sitting stiffly across from his mom. Her dad was hovering nearby. Everything was quiet, but tense, like a fight had just been suspended by my arrival. Gabbi gave me a sad smile, and said, “Noah, I need to spend some time with my mom before I go.”
She must have noticed my blood start to boil, because before I could explode at her mom, she said, “It’ll be okay, Noah. Terry can you go with him?”
Terry surprised me a bit by saying, “Sure. We’ll see you later.” and ushered me out.
After we left, I turned to Terry, and said, “Okay. You can go do your own thing. You don’t need to babysit me I just wish I knew why your mom is hurting Gabbi.”
“Noah, please. Shes... struggling with this. You did too, remember?”
“I know. I just... hate seeing her hurting.”
“Me too."
"But what’s going on? Can’t you tell me why she’s acting like this?”
“Its … not my story to tell, Noah. Just believe she isn't acting out of malice.”
“Fine. So what do I do with my day? I had planned to spend some time with Gabbi before we went to L.A. “
“You sound like a man in love.”
“I.. I am. Probably seems a bit weird.”
“If Gabbi wasn’t Gabbi, maybe. But I’m happy for her. She deserves a good man.”
“She does. So I’m going to do everything I can to be one for her.”
We walked toward the local mall, when I made a decision. I decided that as soon as I could, I would ditch Terry and slip back to Gabbi’s house. I caught a break not long after we got to the mall, because a couple of Terry’s friends showed up, and wanted her to go power shopping with them. She looked at me, and I said, “Go ahead, I will just wander around.”
With her gone, I headed back to Gabbi’s house. I went around to the back, and found the spare key Gabbi had shown me years ago I hesitated. I realized I didn’t have the right to do this. I went back around to the front, and rang the bell. Gabbi answered, and I said, “I’m sorry, Gabbi. I … I really want to be with you Please?”
Gabbi let me in, and “Okay.” She took my hand, went to her mother, and asked, “Why mom? Why can’t you see this is who I am, what I need to do?”
“You dont understand …”
“You’re right. I don’t. Not unless you tell me. I think I deserve the truth. Because it feels like my own mother hates me, and anything would be better than that.” Gabbi turned from her mother, and I held her.
Her mother said, “I don’t hate you. Gabrielle, look at me.”
Gabbi turned back.
“You are my child, and I love you . And that’s why I wish you wouldn’t do this.”
“But why, Mom?”
“Because I’m scared for you Gabrielle . You’ve been … lucky so far, but all its going to take is one person who doesn’t understand or accept you for you to get hurt or...I don’t want that to happen. Not again.”
“Again?”
Her mom sighed, and said, “I... I should have told you as soon as you came out. You’re … not the first person I’ve known that was like you. I... had a friend, once. When her parents caught her playing dress up with me, they freaked. A couple of months later, they shipped her off to a military school to make a man out of her. She...never came back.”
Gabbi left my arms and ran to her mom and held her. “Mom,” she said, “Things are...better now. People actually congratulated me on my bravery at school. And Noah... he kissed me mom, right in front of everybody, and you know what happened? People applauded!”
I blushed a bit, and added, “And she has something else your friend didn’t.”
“What’s that?” Gabbi’s mom asked.
“Parents who accept her, and wont try to make a man out of her.”
She reached for me, pulled me in, and hugged us both, while I and Gabbi hugged each other. And …. well.... there are some times, when its okay for a guy to cry, you know?
Rock Star Makeover, Part 3
(Author's note: Its probably a good idea to read parts 1 and 2 first)
The next morning, I was happy to see Gabbi with her mom waiting for us to come to church.
“You both look fantastic!” I said.
Gabbi blushed, and her mom smiled.
We went to church, and it was pretty good. After it was over, I whispered to Gabbi “I think your mom is impressed by how everyone here is so cool with you.”
“Yeh, well, before I came here as Gabbi for the first time, I talked with the pastor.”
“That’s so like you . Planning ahead.”
She just grinned at me.
After the service, we parted ways, because I had to pack. I was going to meet them in a couple of hours, and we were hoping to be on our way to L.A. by just after supper. I went to my room, and mom had left me a nice suitcase to use for the trip. Pretty quickly I packed a weeks worth of clothes, smiling at the thought of how different this kind of activity must be for Gabbi now. I took my church clothes as the closest thing I had to a suit, in case there was something formal required. I also packed my Art kit figuring I could at least doodle while Gabbi was getting pampered.
Once I was packed and said my goodbyes to my family, I headed for Gabbi’s house. When I got there, there was a different feeling in the place. The tension had lifted, and the release of pressure was demonstrated in every smile and touch between the members of her family. We piled into her dad’s car and took off, her mom and dad in the front, me, Gabbi, and her sister in the back.
“Good thing you guys got a big van, huh Gabbi?” I said.
“Good thing for you, Noah. Otherwise, you would be on the roof.”
“As long as I get to ride inside the plane.” I said.
We went to a restaurant to get a bite while Gabbi’s dad went to pick up the tickets. When he came back I caught him giving Gabbi a wink, and wondered what was up.
“Well,” he said, “I guess its time to get going.”
“I’m sorry, Mark. I wish I could go too.” Gabbi’s mom said.
“I was hoping you would say that. Cause I got you a ticket.” He said.
“You did what? How? And what about the things I would need to pack?”
“You are going, because our daughters need their mother for this trip. I’m not coming, so that’s why you can go. And thanks to your two daughters, everything you need is in the suitcases.”
“And what would you have done if I didn’t want to go?” She said.
“Tell you nothing of mine is packed. And convince you that you wouldn’t want me running around L.A. in your skirts.”
“I’m almost tempted to make you go, in that case.” She smiled at him.
“Next time, dear. I would need to shave my legs first.” He grinned.
“Fine, I surrender. I’ll go.” she said, and a lot of hugging and kissing followed.
We went into the line to get on the plane, and I noticed they had brought in people to do pat-downs on passengers. I looked at Gabbi, and whispered, “What are you going to do, Gabbi. They pat you down, they may find you’re ‘smuggling’ something you’d rather them not know about.”
“Already on it, Noah.” She said, and whispered something in her mother’s ear.
When it was her turn, her mom whispered something to the woman who came forward to pat her down, and they stepped behind a screen. A few moments later, they came out, and were waved through, and it was my turn. I didn’t enjoy being touched, but got through it, and joined them at the entrance to the plane.
“What did you tell her?” I asked Gabbi.
“The truth, of course.”
“A bit risky.” I said.
“Maybe, but less risky than letting her find out the truth the hard way.” She said.
I had no reply to that, so I just took her hand and went into the plane. After we boarded, I told Gabbi that I was a little anxious about flying, and she held my hand. I wasn’t that anxious, but having an excuse to hold her hand didn’t hurt at all.
When we got to L.A., we were met by a representative of the record company, and were whisked away by limo to a nearby hotel. We were told to check in, and we would be picked up in the morning. That’s when I noticed we only had the one room.
“Gabbi, what are we going to do? I’m not sure your mom will like the idea of us sharing bed space now.”
“You’re right, I’m not going to let you two share a bed.” Her mom said.
“But then, what do we do, mom? Noah cant sleep in the hall.”
“Don’t worry, hon.” her mom said, “There are two beds in these rooms.”
We went up to the room, opened the door, and sure enough, there were two beds.
“But...”
“Its simple. Gabbi and I will take one bed, and you can have the other. We’ll make it work.”
“Thanks mom.” Gabbi said.
“Welcome.”
It was a little awkward, but we did make it work. I sleep in a t-shirt and shorts, so I had no worries there, and it turned out that Gabbi and her mom actually had matching PJs . I took a double take, and Gabbi giggled.
“Cute.” I said.
“So are you, when you have your mouth hanging open. But no drooling at my mom.”
“You are the only girl I’ll drool at, Gabbi”
“You say the sweetest things. Mom, I think I’ll keep him.”
“Go to sleep before I swat you both.” Her mom said.
“Yes Ma'am” I said, and slid under the covers of my bed. As I lay in the bed, I realized how much I had changed in my view of Gabbi. Even in pajamas, even knowing she still had male parts inside them, I couldn’t even think of her as anything other than all girl.
And I was utterly in love with her.
Finally, I fell asleep.
The next morning, I got dressed, and packed my art stuff in a backpack. Soon, we were back down in the lobby waiting. A few minutes later, the rep came back, and with her was the rock star herself.
“Cathy Mason!” Gabbi squealed.
“You must be our winner. I’m assuming you aren’t going by Gavin at the moment, so what can I call you?”
“Ga...Gabrielle, ma’am.”
“Call me Cathy, and its nice to meet you, Gabrielle. And who is the handsome young man with you?”
“I’m Noah.” I said, “I’m Gabbi’s boyfriend.”
“Nice to meet you, Noah. Well, Gabrielle, I’m here to help you with your makeover, although it doesn’t look like you need much.”
“Th...thanks. But I do have some ideas, if its okay.”
“You won the contest hon. What are you thinking of?”
“Well, basically, all I have that’s girl stuff is some hand-me-downs from my sister, and that’s that cool. But I need.... well I need a good bra.” She blushed, and then continued, And shoes, and maybe some makeup.”
And so, off we went.
We went to a mall, and went into a Victoria Secret shop. I hesitated, while turning red and trying hard not to look at the posters on the walls of models in their underwear. Gabbi saw my blush, and grinned at me. She went to a rack of bras, and held one up against her chest. She said, “What do you think, Noah. wouldn’t you like to see me in this?”
I couldn’t help imagining Gabbi with real “assets” instead of just padding, blushed even deeper, while stammering trying to craft a response. Then she held the bra against my chest, and said, “Maybe we should get a matching set, so you can try one too.”
I pushed her away, hard, and said, “Stop it, Gabbi. That’s not funny.” I stormed out of the store. I sat down beside a fountain, and tried to pretend it was the spray that was making my face wet. A minute later, I felt someone approach, and looked up to see Gabbi’s mom.
“Noah, talk to me, please.”
I looked up at her, and said, “Doesn’t Gabbi understand how HARD this is for me? When I realized I loved her I wondered, what does that make me? Am I gay, straight, what? And now she wants me to wear a bra? What does she see me as? Who does she want me to be?”
I was seeing everything a little blurry, so I didn’t see Gabbi come up. “Noah,” She said. “I’m sorry. I... Well, you heard my mom and dad before we left home. They tease each other like that all the time, So I … thought we could have what they have.”
I got up, and looked at her. “Gabbi, I love you, please never doubt it. But I... I can’t be a girl for you. I ...I like being a boy. I... I’m sorry.”
“”Noah, “ Gabbi’s mom said, “Ron is a man, and nobody would doubt it for a minute, even if he was wearing one of my dresses. And its because he knows it, and knows I know it, that he can tease me like that. “
“Noah,” Gabbi added, “You asked who do I want you to be? I want you to be Noah. Happy, healthy, and …...mine, if you can forgive me.”
I took her into my arms, and gave her a kiss. “Forgiven. You forgive me?” I said.
She kissed me back, and said, “Does that answer your question?”
We kissed again, until her mom coughed, and said, “Okay. if the sorries are done, lets get back to the store, before Cathy wonders what happened to us.”
“I’ll wait for you guys here.” I said.
“You sure, Noah? I promise, no more teasing.” Gabbi said
“Its okay. I brought my art stuff so I could work while you get pretty, anyway.”
She gave me another kiss, and said. “Okay. Love you.”
“Love you too.”
They took off, leaving me to think of what I wanted to draw. I smiled to myself, as an idea came to me. “I bet Gabbi will love this...” I said to myself.
Pulling out my stuff, I went to work.
Rock Star Makeover, Part 4:
(Author's note: Nope, not doing a summary. If you need to know what happened before, read the first 3 chapters.)
I was so far into my work I had no idea how much time passed. The next time I was really aware of the outside world was when Gabbi, her mom, and Cathy came up to me. They were each carrying a couple of bags, and it looked like both Gabbi and her mom had taken the opportunity to get a new hairstyle and makeup. The effect on Gabbi was … electric, at least for me.
“Wow. Oh...wow.” Is all I could manage.
“You like the look, Noah?” She asked
“Wow.”
“You said that. Can I assume that’s a yes?”
“Yes.”
“Good.” She looked at my work, and asked, “Is it finished, Noah? Can we look?”
“Just putting on my second signature.”
“Second signature, Noah?” Cathy asked.
“I always put on two. One is hidden in the work, the other is in the traditional place.”
“It’s a fun exercise to try and find the first one, Cathy.” Gabbi said.
I finished my signature, and turned the paper around, so they could see it.
“Wow.” Gabbi said.
“Can I assume that means you like it?”
“Darn right you can.” Gabbi said.
Cathy took a look at it, and asked, “Can I have this, Noah?”
“I kinda meant to give it to Gabbi” I said.
“I love it, Noah, but I would be okay if you wanted to give it to Cathy.”
“I’d really like it, Noah.” Cathy said.
“Okay. If its okay with Gabbi, its yours.”
“Thank you.” Cathy said, and then took all of us for lunch.
After we ate, Cathy said, “I will have to go soon. I have to rehearse tonight, because the concerts at the Staple Center are Wednesday and Thursday. I’ll give you guys some backstage passes to the dress rehearsal tomorrow, and front row seats for both shows.”
I said, “Thanks, Cathy. Honestly, I’m surprised at how much time you’re gave us today as it was.”
“I’ll be honest with you Noah, I hadn’t originally planned to spend this much time with the winner of this contest. But when I saw Gabrielle’s entry, I just had to do more than just meet her. Gabrielle, you are one of the bravest girls I have ever met, to do what you are trying to do.”
“Th...thank you.”
She paid for our meals, and then walked us back to our ride. She gave Gabbi a hug, and then, to my surprise, gave me one too.
“Thank you for the drawing, Noah.” she said.
“You’re...you’re welcome.” I managed
“He’s very talented, as you can see, Cathy.” Gabbi said.
“Yes, I see that. So are you, Gabbi. Its been...an honor to meet you both.”
We both blushed.
She started to walk away, and then turned, and said, “You two make a cute couple, by the way. See you both at the rehearsal tomorrow.”
She turned away, started walking, and soon was out of sight.
I looked at Gabbi’s mom, and asked. “What do we do now?”
“Well, we should drop off this stuff at the hotel, and then maybe we could do some sightseeing. Might not get another chance to see L.A.”
“Sounds good to me, Mom.”
We went back to the hotel, and dropped everything off in our room. Going back to the lobby, we picked up a map of the sites, and tried to figure out what we could squeeze in. The rest of the day, we had a blast. Being geeks, we made sure a visit to the tar pits and the natural history museum were on our list of things to see. We also did a lot of the places more common for tourism, including the walk of fame and a visit to the Warner Brothers studio.
At that stop, I said to Gabbi, “I hoped we might be able to see a comic-book movie being made.”
“No such luck, Noah. But I’m having a pretty good day anyway, as long as you’re with me.”
“I feel the same about you, Gabbi.” I said, and gave her a kiss.
Finally, we went back to the hotel, and crashed.
The next morning, we got up early, and after we got dressed and had a quick breakfast, I asked Gabbi’s mom, “What time do we have to be at the rehearsal?”
“Its not until 8 tonight, so we have the day to ourselves. Any suggestions as to what we should do?”
“Mom, could we go to Disneyland?”
“Sweetie, that’s in Anaheim.”
“Oh.”
“But we could make Universal studios, if we hurry.”
“Sounds good to me, Mom. I always wanted to meet Bruce.”
“Bruce?”
“The mechanical shark. From the movie Jaws.”
“Fine. We will meet Bruce.”
So off we went.
We were lucky in terms of traffic, and made good time. When we got there, Gabbi’s mom said, “We probably wont have time to see everything, so pick and choose your priorities now, okay?”
“Okay.”
The day was great. Bruce was as scary as Gabbi and I hoped, and I discovered the reason why guys ask girls to scary movies. It gives the girl an excuse to hold the guy tight.....
Finally, we had to go if we wanted to make it back in time, so we left the park. The road was crowded, but we moved quickly enough, and got back to the Staples Center with time to spare for the rehearsal.
Cathy came over, and said, “Hi Noah, Gabbi, Mrs. Martin. I cant talk long, but my assistant will show you around.”
“Thank you” Gabbi and I said together.
She smiled at us, and said, “Mrs. Martin, I said it yesterday. These two make a very cute couple, don’t you think?”
“They do. I’m glad Gabbi is happy, that’s what matters.”
“I am, mom.”
“I’ll talk to you guys later. My assistant Alice will take care of you while I rehearse.”
For the next little while I think Gabbi was in heaven. She was introduced to all the people who make a performance possible, and was able to ask them about lighting, sound, costumes, and just about everything else needed to run one.
At the end, Alice was smiling and said, “Gabbi, you should definitely make theater or music a career. Do you take Drama at school?”
Gabbi said, “No. Drama would have been …. torture. To be that close to such beautiful clothes and not be able to wear them, I... I couldn’t take that.”
“But there are lots of plays where a boy plays a girl. You could gone for that, surely?” Alice asked.
“I....I was scared. I was convinced they’d figure out the real reason, that I really was Gabbi. In fact, last year, they were doing a production of Cinderella, and offered me the part of one of the step sisters, and.I ….turned them down and...it hurt so much, That’s when I made the decision to come out, I couldn’t take it anymore.”
I held her tight, and said, “Its behind you now, Gabbi. You’re moving forward. Look how far you’ve come.”
“I would have to agree, hon.” Gabbi’s mom said.
Gabbi wiped her eyes, and we went back to where Cathy was finishing her rehearsal. “Did you guys have fun?”
“Yes, thanks” Gabbi said.
“Gabbi could have a real future in show business, Cathy.” Her assistant Alice said.
“That’s wonderful. Do you plan to go to a performing art school after you graduate?”
“I...I can’t. I have to tap into most of what we’ve saved for college to …. take care of my situation.”
“I’m sorry, Gabbi. I wish we could do both.” Her mom said.
“Have faith, Gabbi. You will find a way. You’re a smart girl.” Cathy said.
“Th...thank you.” Gabbi managed.
“Anyway, here are your backstage passes for the concerts. Do you want to go to both shows, or is there something you guys haven’t had a chance to do yet you would like to?”
Gabbi said, “We were hoping to go to Disneyland but its too far away if we have anything else to do that day.”
“Tell you what. Come to tomorrow’s show. And I will send tickets to Disneyland to your hotel for Thursday.”
“We....we couldn’t ask you to do that.”
“You’re not asking, I’m giving. See you tomorrow night.”
She gave Gabbi a hug, and then we left.
We went back to the hotel, and got ready for bed. Soon I was asleep, and dreaming.
The next morning, Gabi asked, “What should we do today, Mom?”
“I thought we might take it easy until the concert. We’ve been spending pretty freely.”
“I’m sorry mom. I should’ve been thinking of that.”
“Its okay hon. You guys deserved to take advantage of this opportunity.”
“Thanks mom.”
“Welcome. Lets go eat some breakfast.”
We had fairly quiet day. Gabbi watched TV, her mom read, and I worked on some drawings. Even dressed casually and not wearing makeup, Gabbi looked good. Especially when she would catch me looking at her, and she’d smile. It warmed me inside, every time she did.
Finally, it was time to go to the concert, and we got changed, and went downstairs. A limo arrived, and we got the red carpet treatment when we arrived. The best part was a number of people took pictures of us, and everyone who did complimented Gabbi on how pretty she was, which made her glow.
Once backstage, Mrs. Mason took a moment to say to Gabbi, “Part of winning this contest means you will be announced during my opening song. You okay with that?”
“S...sure.” Gabbi stammered.
“You’ll be okay. Your mom and I will be right beside you.” I said.
“Okay.” She managed.
We went to our seats, and settled in. Soon, the lights went down, and the opening act came out. I was not familiar with them, but they were pretty good. After about a half-hour, they were done, and the lights went down again. Cathy Mason came out, and the Staples Center exploded with cheers and applause.
When it finally calmed down, Cathy went to a microphone, and said. “Thank you very much. Before we get this place rocking, I want to take a moment to give props to a very brave girl. She won the ‘Rock Star Makeover’ contest, and here is her entry.”
A video monitor dropped down, and Gabbi’s entry was played. The monitor went back up, and the place was dead silent. Gabbi squeezed my hand tight as the moment seemed to stretch for several minutes.
Then Cathy spoke again. “I can tell you I was moved by her courage. And now I’ve had a chance to meet her in person, and she is even braver than I thought. Some people would hate her, for wanting to be true to who she is. But, even knowing that could happen, she is doing it anyway, and I am in awe of her. She had to enter the contest with her boy name, but I want to introduce her tonight by her true one. Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, I give you … Gabrielle ‘Gabbi’ Martin!”
A light shone on our seats, and Gabbi’s mom nudged her. “Stand up, hon.” She said.
Gabbi shook, but managed to stand. She tugged on my hand, whispering “Come stand with me. We’re in this together..”
I stood, and Gabbi managed a shaky wave. I raised my free hand and sort of wiggled my fingers. Mrs. Mason said, “That’s Gabbi’s boyfriend with her. His name is Noah. He’s a brave young man too. Come on, folks, give them both a hand.”
The applause almost deafened me.
The rest of the concert was pretty good too.
Rock Star Makeover, Part 5
Authors note: I'm not sure if not supplying a summary is annoying people. If it is, let me know, okay? I'm sorry that this chapter is so short.
The next morning, we were woken early by a message from the front desk, saying there was a message for us. We dressed, and went down The message turned out to be from Cathy, and it said, “Here is everything you will need for a good time at Disneyland. There is also an outfit for Gabbi included.”
The outfit turned out to be a copy of Cinderella’s dress.
She changed into it, and I said, “Wow. You really look like a princess.”
“Maybe. But if I am, its because I have got my Prince Charming already.” .
We went to the park, and found out that the tickets were V.I.P., and included having our own tour guide and front of the line at every ride we wanted. One of the coolest moments was when we were having lunch, and a whole section of trees and flowers suddenly lifted up to reveal a stage underneath. They then took kids from the audience to “fight” Darth Vader with lightsabers. They looked they had a blast. I sure did watching them.
The other cool thing was just watching Gabbi be a princess. Everyone, not just park employees complimented her on her outfit, and every time they did, her smile got a little bigger. The day ended with the Fantasmic fireworks show. It includes using water as a screen to show videos on. Gabbi watched beside me with her arm around my waist, my arm on her shoulder, and her mom holding on to her other hand.
It was a moment to treasure, forever.
Finally, it was time to leave, and we made our slow way back to hotel for one last sleep.
The next morning, we had a leisurely breakfast, and packed up for the trip home. Gabbi looked rather sad, so I asked her, “Are you okay?”
She managed a sad smile, and said, “I will be. I guess I’m a little nervous about going back to school Monday.”
“Why nervous?” I asked.
“Because I want to go back as I am. I don’t want to have to go back to pretending I’m a boy.”
“You will go back as Gabbi, honey.” Her mom said.
“You mean it mom?”
“Sweetie, for the last week I’ve had a chance to really see Gabrielle in public. Not only are you happier, healthier, and a nicer person to be around....”
“Thanks mom.”
“Let me finish. I have also watched how others treat you. Not one person thought you were a boy in a dress. I.... I’m less scared for you now. Yes, you might have trouble with people who remember Gavin, and so you will still have to be careful. But I know now how much it means to you to try. So you have my support.”
Gabbi gave her mom a big hug, and said, “Thanks!”
We finished packing, and called for our ride. Soon, we were going through the airport procedures, and boarded our flight home. Once we were on board, Gabbi looked at me, and said, “Now, its my turn to ask. You okay, Noah?”
“I’m fine, Gabbi. I just realized I haven’t spent a lot of time this week thinking of my own family. I hope they’re okay.”
“I’m sure they’re fine, Noah. I know you’ve been phoning every night.” Gabbi’s mom said.
‘Yeh. But also, its gonna be a bit weird to go back to school after all this.” I said.
“You’ll be okay. After all, you got me with you.” Gabbi said.
“That I do, Gabbi, that I do.” I smiled.
Once we got back to our hometown, I found my own family waiting for us, along with Gabbi’s dad. They had a banner saying “Welcome home.”Hugs were exchanged, and we all went to the restaurant in the airport to share stories.
“We had a pretty quiet week, Noah.” My mom said.
“Speak for yourself.” My brother said, “I found a girlfriend. I’ll introduce you to her tomorrow.”
“I’m happy for you, Adam.” I said, “I’m sure I’ll like her.”
I then told them all about our trip. Gabbi jumped in to add her own story, and we showed pictures we had taken. Finally, I must have been yawning, because my mom said, “It looks like you’re pretty tired Noah. time to go home, I think.”
“Kay, mom.”
I gave Gabbi a hug, and then said, “See you tomorrow, Gabbi.”
“Night, Noah. Sweet dreams.”
“Only if they are of you .”
That got me a big kiss that lasted until my mom cleared her throat.
“Come on, Romeo.” She said, and took me by the hand.
“Bye Gabbi, Love you.” I said as I walked away.
“Love you too” I heard her say, and then we were out of range.
I was three quarters asleep by the time I got home.
Rock Star Makeover, Part 6:
Authors note: No summary, the audience has spoken. If you have not read the first 5 parts, (or if you have forgotten them) read those first.
The next morning,. I phoned Gabbi, and said, “Gabbi, I should hang around here today, I’ve … kinda missed my family.”
She said, “That’s cool Noah. I’m sure my sis and I can find some girly stuff to do.”
I chuckled. “Have fun, Gabbi.” I said.
I had a nice breakfast with my family, and while we ate, I asked my brother Adam “You going to bring this girl around? I want to meet her.”
‘I was just about to ask Mom. You cool with her dropping by?” He said.
“Sure hon, but why don’t you go over there and bring her back. I actually need to talk to your brother alone.”
“Kay, mom.”
After he left, my mom started cleaning up, and after a while, I asked her, “What’s on your mind, Mom?”
“This isn’t going to be an easy subject, Noah. But .. how far have you and Gabbi gone?”
I turned red, and said, “Mom! Gabbi’s mom was with us the whole time.”
“Okay, dear. But you do realize, if you stay together you’ll want to to get a little … closer … physically than you’ve been. Have you thought about that?”
“I kinda like where we are right now, Mom.”
“And nothing wrong with that, but in case you do go further, you need to plan for it. Because Gabbi has... a flaw, physically, how are you going to handle that?”
“I don’t know, Mom. I don’t see us going that far right now.”
“Sweetie, you went from friends to boyfriend/girlfriend almost overnight. I’ve seen the kisses you’ve given her, you are going pretty fast, if you think about it.”
“Well, what do you suggest? “
“I hope you two hold off the heavy stuff for a while yet. But if you feel like moving forward, have an honest conversation with her about any concerns you have. If I know Gabbi, she has already some thoughts on the subject.”
I blushed again, and said, “Not to change the topic, but have you met this new girl of Adam's?”
“Not to change the topic my behind. Don’t avoid the issue. Talk with her.”
“Okay, okay. I will, I promise. Now, about Adam’s girlfriend ? “
“Her name is Francine, and she seems nice.”
“Good. Alan deserves it. I don’t know why its taken him this long.”
“He got badly hurt in the last breakup, as you should recall.”
“Yeh, I remember.”
“Good. I know you will, but be nice to her, okay?”
“You got it, Mom.”
I played video games until Adam came back with Francine. She was tall, with dark hair, and casually dressed. I stood up and put out my hand, but she turned quickly to Adam, and said, “Let’s go out, okay?”
Adam and I looked at each other in confusion, but he recovered, and said, “Sure, Francine, let’s go.”
They left, and I went into the kitchen, and told my mom what happened.
“Mom, that was totally weird. Wonder why she acted like that?”
“Not sure, Noah. Maybe we can ask Adam when he comes back.”
I shrugged, and went back to my games.
Less than an hour later, Adam came back in, and his eyes were wet.
“What happened?” Mom asked.
“I just dumped Francine.” He said, and sat down heavily.
“Geeze, bro. What happened?”
“She recognized you, Noah. Apparently. your little moment in the spotlight at the concert has gone viral, and some people....” his voice shook, and he took a breath before he continued, “Some people are making less than kind comments about you and Gabbi.”
“I’m sorry, Adam.” Mom said.
He said, “I’m going to my room,” and left.
I went to leave myself, but Mom said, “Wait, Noah.”
I turned to her and said, “Mom, its my fault! If I ...”
She looked at me hard, and interrupted, “Don’t you dare. Don’t you dare say sorry for loving Gabbi. She is a brave, beautiful girl, and I’m proud of you for standing with her. We knew that there were going to be people who had a problem with Gabbi. Don’t let a bigoted girl stop you.”
“But how do I help Adam? He’s been the best big brother I could hope for, and now...What do I do?”
“Let him be for now, Noah. ”
“I gotta do something, Mom!”
“Go clear your head. Take a walk, and maybe you’ll feel better.”
“Okay.” I grabbed a light jacket, and went out.
As I walked, I realized I had a serious problem. I didn’t know what to tell Gabbi. If I told her what happened, she would be sure to blame herself. But did I have the right to keep it from her? Then an idea hit me, I could ask her sister, Terry. I tried Gabbi’s house, but they were both out, and I ended up just leaving a message with her mom.
I went home, and talked to my mom about telling Gabbi.
“I’m not sure, Noah. I know if I was in her shoes, I’d rather hear it from you than find out any other way.”
“But it’ll hurt her mom, won’t it?”
“Not as much as thinking you hid the truth from her.”
“I gotta think about this, Mom.”
“Do. And pray, too.”
I wrestled with the question the rest of the day. Lunch was quiet, and none of us ate much. After lunch, Adam went back to his room. I was going to try and talk to him, but just then, Terry got back to me, and I told her I would talk to Gabbi tomorrow. My mom looked at me with concern while I was on the phone, so when I got off, I said, “I’m sorry Mom. I’m just not ready. I still got to think about this.”
“I understand hon.”
“I can’t hurt Gabbi, mom. I’m … supposed to protect her. Isn’t that my job as her boyfriend?”
“Which is exactly why she needs to hear it from you, hon. If she finds out you kept it from her, you think she won’t lose her trust in you?”
“Mom, what am I supposed to say? That a girl just dumped my brother because Gabbi and I are dating? “
“You will find a way hon.”
And like that, a light bulb went off in my head, and I knew how I could tell her.
I went and grabbed my art stuff, and began working.
The rest of the day, I worked on my project. At some point, Adam came out.
“Hey, bro.” He said.
“Hey, Adam. You... okay?”
“I won’t lie, bro. It hurts.”
“I’m sorry Adam.”
“Its not your fault, Noah. Or Gabbi’s. “
We both did this stupid male thing where you really should just give a hug, but because we were both guys, we couldn’t do that. So instead we just stood there, awkwardly. Finally, I said, “Well, I better get back to work.”
“Its almost supper time, Noah. Come eat, and then go back to it.”
“Okay. Adam?”
“Yeh?”
“I...”
“Yeh. Me too, bro. me too.”
I found I had a much better appetite. Looking across at Adam, it looked like he had a better appetite too. After supper, he said, “You want some help?”
“Sure.”
He messed up my hair, and I pushed his hand away, and then we sat down, and got busy.
The next morning we got ready for church . Gabbi and her family stopped by to join us. I gave Gabbi my project just before church service, and told her to look at it as soon as we were done. We went for lunch after, and she opened up the paper. On it was a comic strip version of what had happened to Adam, with him as a shining knight refusing to be corrupted by an evil witch.
She looked at him, and he told her about Francine had done, and how he had responded.
She said, “I’m sorry, Adam. You... didn’t have to do that, not for me.”
He gave her a half-smile, and said, “Yes, I did, Gabbi. I wouldn’t have been able to look myself in the mirror if I hadn’t”
Finally, he got the hug he had deserved.
From Gabbi, of course.
*******
Rock Star Makeover, Parts 7 & 8
Author's note: As promised, here is both parts 7 and 8. I hope the bit of darkness in part 7 doesn't scare too many people off. All comments, even negative ones, are appreciated.
Part 7:
After lunch, Gabbi came with me back to my place, and we hung out for the rest of the day. Gabbi made sure to include Adam in our games, and by the end of the day he was smiling again. After she left, I asked Adam, “Well, that was pretty close to how we would’ve hung out before she came out to me, don’t you think?”
He said, “Well, except for the occasional kisses you were sharing.”
“Yep, that part’s new. But fun, I’d have to confess.”
“I’m glad for you bro. Too bad I can’t find somebody like her.”
“You will. You’re too good a guy to go without for long.”
“Okay. That’s enough mushy stuff for the day. Let’s eat supper.”
That night, as I slept, I had a dream Gabbi and I being in a maze. At the start of the maze, she was Gavin again, and at various “stations” within the maze she became a little bit more feminine. What made it odd was that there were voices around us. Some were encouraging, but some where trying to get Gabbi to turn around and go back to the beginning. Then Gabbi seemed to be stuck in the floor, and she started crying. Then her cries turned into my alarm ringing, and I woke up.
I went to school, and was totally taken back by seeing Gabbi dressed in her boy clothes. I went up to her, and asked. “Gabbi, what happened? I thought you were going to start attending school as your real self.”
“After what happened with Adam, I …. got scared and decided to come to school as Gavin. I’m.... I’m sorry. Are you disappointed in me?” she said.
I gave her a hug, and said, “No way. I … I can only imagine how it must feel. I just...I just hope you don’t get hurt trying to be somebody you’re not.”
“Thanks Noah. I .. I knew it wouldn't be easy. I... I thought I had thought of everything. But I... I’m more scared than I thought.”
“It will be okay, Gabbi. But as far as I’m concerned, you don’t need to be wearing a skirt to be … Gabbi. You’re just in tomboy mode, and that’s cool too.”
That got me a kiss.
The rest of the day was hard, to put it mildly. I could get her to brighten up for brief periods, but they wouldn’t last. At the end of the day, I told her. “Gabbi, I have to help my art teacher. You going to be okay to go home alone?”
“You and your projects. Okay... I’ll be all right.”
Once she was safely on her way home, I ran to the Principal's office. I lucked out, he was still in, so I knocked on his door.
“Come in.” he said.
I came in, and sat down.
He looked at me, and said, “What can I do for you? Its... Noah, isn’t it?”
“‘I’m... surprised you know my name, sir.”
“I’m not totally blind to what’s been going on the last while. About your …. friend?”
“She’s more than that now.”
“Ah... so its ‘she’ is it? Well, .. that explains a few things. It might not surprise you to know her mother booked an appointment to see me today, but canceled.”
“I think that’s because Gabbi made her. She found out my brother lost a girlfriend over her, and I … think she’s …”
“Blaming herself?.”
“Yeh. Can... can you help her? Please?”
“I’ll do what I can. Thank you for coming and telling me.”
“Thanks” I said, and left.
I felt much better on the way home. I was almost to my door before I realized I had just blown it, big time. I suddenly remembered what my mom had said about hiding the truth from Gabbi. I realized that I had just done worse than that. I had lied to her. I had gone behind her back and told the principal.
“Gotta make this right. “ I said to myself.
I made a quick call home, and went to Gabbi’s house. I rang the bell, and Gabbi answered.
She was still in boy clothes.
“Gabbi, can I come in?”
She let me in, and I said, “Gabbi, I …. I have a confession. I … I lied to you. I didn’t have a project with my Art teacher. I went to see the principal. I … told him whats been going on.”
“How could you do that, Noah? If I wanted him to know, I would have told him myself. How could you betray me? I don’t want to see you again!” She stormed up to her room.
Her mom came in, and said, “I heard, Noah.”
“I’m sorry, Mrs. Martin. I … I was scared for her. Can’t she see I just didn’t want to lose her?”
“I’m sorry Noah. I’m worried too.”
She gave me a hug, and I left, and went home.
That night, I dreamed again. It was like the dream I had the night before, except Gabbi was alone in the maze. She was also a bright, shining flame, that got brighter the closer she got to the end. Then she got stuck, and cried out. I tried to reach for her, but it was like I was behind glass. I could see her, but I couldn’t touch her. Then she got unstuck, but headed back to the beginning. As she did, her glow dimmed. I screamed for her to stop before the glow went out entirely …..
Then I woke up in a cold sweat.
My mom took one look at me when I came downstairs, and sent me back to bed. I went, and fell back to sleep almost as soon as my head hit the pillow. It seemed like only seconds later when my mom shook me awake.
“Sweetie, you want some lunch?” she said.
“No thanks.” I mumbled.
She put a hand on my shoulder, “Sweetie, have you at least tried to talk to God?”
I shook her hand off. “I can’t tell God from Satan right now. Just let me be, okay?”
“Okay. I love you.” she left my room.
I made no reply. I just curled up tighter and fell asleep again. The next time mom shook me awake again, it was dark outside.
“Get up, Noah. You have someplace to be.”
I managed to get dressed, and dragged myself downstairs, and climbed into our car. My mom got into the driver’s side, and we took off.
“Where we going?” I asked groggily.
“To see Dr. Mitchel.”
“He can’t help me, Mom.”
“Don’t you remember, hon? He helped when your dad died.”
“Gabbi helped too.”
“At least talk to him hon.”
So I did.
When our session was over, Mom took me home again.
“Any better, sweetie?” she asked.
“I... don’t know, Mom. He gave me some things to think about.”
We arrived home to find Adam waiting for us with a worried look on his face.
“Noah?” He said, in a choke. “Please bro. I … just hang in there. For me? I … don’t think I could take much more loss right now.”
I looked at him, and remembered how much he had to be hurting. Losing Francine, then me scaring him, it had to be tearing him up. I straightened up myself, and said, “I’ll try, bro.”
He actually hugged me.
*********
Part 8
The next morning, I felt a touch better, so I prepared to go to school. My mom fussed a bit, but let me go. If you have ever read about “heartbreak” and thought it was just a word, well, you were wrong. My heart literally ached. I felt worse than when my dad had died. It was like without Gabbi, I was totally off balance, and could fall over at any moment.
It wasn’t until the first class we shared that I realized she wasn’t there. I started really getting worried, and all kinds of recriminations ran through my head. Finally, on my free period, I went to the office. I wasn’t really sure what I could do, but I had to see the principal again.
I actually ran into Gabbi.
I picked myself up, realized who it was, and said, “Gabbi!”
I was honestly not sure what to do. I wanted to hold her so bad it hurt. But I just stood there for a minute, and then said quickly, “Gabbi, I’m so sorry. I’ve been so scared, and then I thought you hated me and...”
“Noah, just stop.” she said.
I looked at her in agony. All I could think of was, “shes going to send me out of her life, for good.”
“Please, Gabbi...”
“Let me talk first. I’m so, so, sorry. Please forgive me.”
“Oh God, Gabbi I...” I pulled her into my arms, and held her tight.
She had tears in her eyes as she said, “I’ve been worried about you too. Your mom told me how hard you were taking things. I couldn’t bear the thought of something happening to you. I’d have done anything to prevent that. And then I realized that’s exactly how you must have felt. when you went to the principal.”
“I’m sorry Gabbi. I should’ve never lied to you.”
“I understand, Noah. You probably thought I wouldn’t have let you go if I‘d known, and you would’ve been right. And I got good news.” She smiled, and added, “The principal is going to make an announcement this afternoon about tolerance, and tomorrow, I come to school as Gabbi, for good. “
“That’s great! And... what about us? Are we good.”
“Don’t be a goof. You aren’t getting rid of me that easily.”
“Good to know.”
I gave her a kiss.
Right after my spare period it was lunch, so Gabbi and I ate together. We talked about what the principal would say that afternoon. Finally, the bell rang, and we heard the announcement to go to the gym. We went, and the principal waved to us, directing us to sit in the front row.
He said, “Good afternoon, students and staff. I will keep this short, and to the point. In September, the school board passed a policy of tolerance towards students who are gay, lesbian, or transgendered. I didn’t like that policy then, and I don’t like it today.”
Gabbi gasped.
He continued, “I didn’t like it because I don’t believe it goes nearly far enough. We shouldn’t just ‘tolerate’ students who are different. We should take the extra step, and make them feel like they belong. There are students here today who have … struggled in this area, and at least thought about hurting themselves, thanks to our ‘tolerance’. And if even one of my students acted on those kind of thoughts, it would eat at my soul. And I hope it would eat at yours.”
He paused, and took a breath, and then continued again, “Up until now, that policy has just been words on a paper. But that changes today, because one brave student has come forward to ask for permission to live as the gender she knows herself to be. But like I said, the policy isn’t enough.
He took a look around the room, and then said, “ I can demand her safety from abuse. I can tell you that any hazing or mistreatment will be dealt with severely. But I’m looking for more. I’m hoping that you can put aside any discomfort, and reach out to her, and make her feel welcome. I can’t demand those things. I can only ask for them. But i do ask, because I believe they are right. Now, Gabbi, step forward.”
Gabbi managed to stand up, and he brought her to the microphone he was using.
The principal said, “Most of you probably saw the video that introduced this young woman to the world. Almost none of you can understand how much courage it took to make it, and how much more it takes to stand here now. She was once known as Gavin Martin, but she is asking all of us, from now on, to call her by her true name. Young lady, please introduce yourself.”
He handed Gabbi the mic, and she managed, “C... call me Gabbi.”
The reaction was mixed. Some people were obviously offended, some looked shocked or confused, and some clapped. The principal took back the mic, and said, “All right. Back to classes, everyone.”
The students filed out, and I turned to the principal and said, “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome Noah. Now go back to class.”
I took Gabbi’s hand, and did as I was told.
As luck would have it, we shared our first class after lunch, so I got a chance to see how well the announcement worked. When Gabbi put her hand up, she was called “Gabbi” by the teacher, and based on the reaction of the other students, it seemed like a majority were at least okay with her. After the class ended, I gave her hand a squeeze, and then went to my next class.
At the end of the day, we met up, and I asked her how it went, and she said, “It was okay for a first day. But there are a lot of students on the fence, and I don’t know which way they’ll jump. “
“I’m with you no matter how they react, Gabbi.”
“I know.” she said, and gave me a kiss. Hand in hand, we walked home.
When we got to my place, Gabbi shared with my mom and Adam about how it went.. My mom gave her a hug, and Adam congratulated us. After a while, she said, “I should go home. See you tomorrow?”
“Couldn’t keep me away.” I said, and gave her a kiss.
The next morning, She showed up in a skirt, and her school time as Gabbi really got under way. The rest of the week passed in a blur. She got more and more confident each day, and our relationship grew stronger and stronger. Then, Friday night, as we were in my house, my mom said, Noah, I think you need to have that talk with Gabbi soon.”
“Okay Mom, I will.”
Saturday, I went over to her house, and was a little shocked to discover she was alone.
“Where’s your mom, and sister, Gabbi?”
She reddened, and said, “My mom thought we needed to talk about some stuff, and thought we might need some privacy.”
I blushed, and said, “I’m guessing she was thinking of the same thing my mom was. She thought we should talk about where our relationship is going. And when we might get more... intimate.”
Gabbi asked, “Can we talk about it? Right now?”
“I guess. I’m … a little nervous, Gabbi.”
“I think I know why. But maybe you should tell me anyway.”
“Gabbi … I … I mean, what we do now is good. But when we are ready for more, I’m a little worried about wigging out.”
“Because my body is more male than female.”
‘Yeh. Sorry.” I said.
“Don’t be. It’ll be okay. I’m not without ideas.”
“I’m assuming that means you already have a plan.” I said.
She gave me a grin, and said, “What would be the odds I hadn’t?”
“Care to share with the slow lane?” I said.
“You’re not slow.”
“Slower than you. But really, what is your idea?”
“I’m already on hormones.” She said.
“I’ve been reading up on the transition thing. That means you will get more of a girl shape over time, right?”
“Got it in one, yes. Its early yet, so you wouldn’t notice unless you saw me naked.”
“I think I’ll leave that one alone. So what’s the bottom line?” I asked.
She smiled at me and said, “It kinda depends on you and how far we could go without you feeling uncomfortable.”
“That’s the thing, Gabbi. I honestly don’t know. I might be fine all the way through, right now. But I might freak out too. But I don’t know any way to find out without trying, and if the wrong result happens.... I don’t want to hurt you.”
“I know, Noah. But you should know I have the same fears you do.”
“I don’t understand.”
“When I look at me, without all the makeup and the padding, I see a boy. And I know you’re straight. I’ve tried to imagine you and me … and well, I keep seeing you hate me.”
“I couldn’t hate you hon.”
“I know. But I think the point is moot at the moment.”
“Why?” I asked.
“Because neither of us is ready. If you think about it, we haven’t been ‘dating’ all that long. I think we need to be together a bit longer, maybe do a bit more growing up first. “
“I think you’re right Gabbi. As long as you don’t think I’m... rejecting you.”
“I could say the same, Noah.”
“No way, Gabbi. Now, what the heck are we doing with our day?”
“Isn’t there a Mystery Science Theater marathon on at the Art Theater?.”
“Now that’s the geek I remember!”
“Of course.”
“Well, what are you waiting for, girl. Lets get going!”
It was just like old times for us.
Only a lot better.
Rock Star Makeover, Part 9:
Author's note: Here's chapter 9. Enjoy, and make sure you tip your waitress, er, I mean, leave a comment....
Monday, during lunch, Gabbi had a pensive expression, “Whats up?” I asked.
“This note got left in my locker this morning.” She handed me the note, and I read it.
“‘I’m like you’? What do you think it means?” I asked.
“The only thing that makes sense is that they are transgendered.” she said.
“I guess that would be cool. But who, and why send you the note?”
“I don’t know who, but obviously, someone who feels not ready to fully come out yet.”
“What can we do?” I asked.
“I can’t see that we can do anything at the moment. Unless they give us some way to contact them, we’re helpless to help them.”
“That doesn’t sit well with me, Gabbi.”
“I understand, Noah. But I can’t see what else we can do.” She said.
“Okay.” I said, and we finished our lunch.
The rest of the day, I had my radar up, trying to see who it might be, but had no luck. At the end of the day, I told Gabbi what I had been doing, and she giggled at me.
“What, Gabbi?”
“Noah, there probably no way to find them unless they made the first move. There is no “type” of person who struggles with their gender. Some start acting obviously feminine at an early age, some go all macho to try and fight against it.
Some even become bullies, translating self-hate into hate of anyone who demonstrates the qualities they hate in themselves.”
“I guess that makes sense, Gabbi.” I said.
“There isn’t even any guarantee that it was a guy feeling like a girl. It could be someone going the other way.”
“Really Gabbi?” I asked.
“I’m afraid so.”
“I guess we’re stuck until they make another contact.”
“Probably. I have posted a email people can use to contact me on the school’s page, with the permission of the principal. Maybe they will get a hold of me that way.” She said.
“Isn’t that a bit … well, you could get a lot of hate mail, or viruses, or anything.”
“It’s not my home mail. Its a separate account, one the school made. The school already scans it for viruses before I read it. And I … am getting better at dealing with hate mail.”
“Okay, Gabbi. You want to check now, before we go home?”
“Might as well.”
We went to the library, accessed the school’s connection to the ‘net with the librarian's permission, and she went to the mailbox she had created. I looked over her shoulder as she read the messages left for her. There were a bunch of variations on “You rock, girl!”, a bunch that were along the lines of “I don’t understand, can you explain what you’re doing?”, and then....
“Bible verses?” I said aloud.
“Been getting a few of these a day since I opened this mailbox.”
“Sorry Gabbi.”
“Its okay. At first, I tried to send some kind of response, but they … dont want to hear anything I have to say. Makes me ashamed of my faith, at times.”
“I know what you mean, Gabbi. I’m glad our church is okay with you. I would hate to have to not be able to go because they couldn’t accept you.”
“I’m glad too. I’ve talked to others like me who are Christians. It helps to know I’m not the only one.”
“Me too hon. But any sign of our mystery person.” I said.
“Yeh. But look at this, its from the principal.”
“Open it, Gabbi.”
She did, and it said, “Here is some news that might interest you.” with an attachment. She opened the attachment, and read. “I don’t believe it.” she said.
I read it twice. “Cathy Mason is coming here? To play a concert?” I asked.
“Looks like, “ she said, “And look! there is a note at the bottom.”
It was from the principal, and it read “Mrs. Mason asked me to pass this along to you Gabbi. And she asked me to tell you two front row tickets are waiting for you and Noah. She has also given me a email address you can leave your contact information with. Apparently, she’s hoping you can act as a guide while shes in town.”
Gabbi stood up and squeezed me hard. “Isn’t that the coolest, Noah?”
“The coolest.” I said.
Rock Star Makeover, Part 10.
Author's note: enjoy part 10, folks. It might have to sustain you for a while.
We went home, and I told my mom what happened.
“That’s good news about the concert, Noah. But who do you think might have sent Gabbi the note?”
“Not a clue, Mom.”
“What about you, Gabbi, any ideas?”
“Actually, I have one. But it means you have to make a sacrifice, Noah.”
“Sacrifice?” I asked.
“Yes. I … I want you to give up your seat to the concert,”
“But why, Gabbi?”
“I want to announce at school about the concert and the tickets. Then I will say you have a previous engagement and can’t come. Then I will ask for anyone who wants to go with me to leave a message in my school mailbox.” Gabbi said.
“I’m confused, Gabbi. How will that help you figure out who sent the note?”
“Well, maybe they would want to take the opportunity and go with me. When would be a better time to talk with me about their own struggle in private?”
“Maybe, but they sure wouldn’t be the only one wanting to go. She has a pretty solid fan base here. So how would you figure out who it is that way?” I asked.
“Talking about the concert would only get the ball rolling.” The main thing would be making people aware of the mailbox. I could reassure people that the mailbox is secure, with only the principal and myself having access.”
“I get it now. If they know they can come forward without coming all the way out.”
“Right, Noah” she said.
“Wait a minute, Gabbi. You’re already getting mail. Don’t most people know the mailbox exists already?” I asked.
“Maybe, maybe not. No real announcement was made except a note on the school’s home page. Not everyone may have seen it, and even those who did may not realize that they can post anonymously.”
“Well, I guess its our only shot. Too bad, I wouldn’t mind seeing Cathy Mason again, but I’ll do it, if it helps.”
“Thanks Noah.” She said, and gave me a squeeze and a kiss.
The next day, we went early so she could talk to the principal, and during the first period, he made the announcement. Sure enough, during the second period, he did, and the class I was in started buzzing about it. The weirdest thing was a number of people asked me why I wasn’t going with her. I made a lame excuse about a family commitment, but it was seriously strange to see looks of sympathy from my classmates.
At lunch, I told Gabbi what had been going on, ending with “I hope this is worth it, Gabbi. I actually got the impression people think we’re ... having couple trouble.”
She giggled, and said, “Who’d of thought of THAT a year ago.”
I had to grin at that.
“Seriously, Gabbi, do you think this will actually work?”
“I hope so. I’ll check the mailbox tonight, and see.”
That night, I sat with Gabbi, and we saw this message: “Gabbi, I’m envious of you. Like you, I’m a girl stuck in a boy’s body. Unlike you I don’t think I’ll be anything else. It comes down to a simple difference between us. You pass. You look like a regular girl, and I would never look like anything but a guy in a dress. I spend a lot of time on chat sites, because that’s the only place where my appearance doesn’t matter. Maybe we could chat there, if you want to. Btw, Noah is a cutie, especially when he blushes.”
At the bottom of the message was an Yahoo address with a signature at the bottom that said, “inthecloset”
Gabbi actually had tears in her eyes.
“What can we do, Gabbi?”
“I’d like to give her my own Yahoo address. That way, we could talk in real time.”
“Sounds good, Gabbi. Give them mine as well.”
Gabbi started to type, and wrote; “Dear inthecloset. I’m sorry you feel like you can’t come out. Without seeing you, I can’t tell if your opinion that you can’t pass is true or if you’re being too hard on yourself. But if it would help you at all, you can chat with me or Noah online anytime we are on. I’ll give you both of our Yahoo addresses, but no flirting with my boyfriend, okay? Hugs from Gabbi.”
At the bottom of her message she put both of our addresses, and hit “send.”
“I hope it helps her, Gabbi.”
“Me too Noah, me too.”
The rest of the week things fell into a pattern. We withdrew my “previous commitment” and told people I was going to the concert. Every night Gabbi would talk to “inthecloset”, and sometimes, I joined in. Funny thing was, chatting with her online, you could really see the girl in her. Somehow, her feminine nature shown through, even though all we could see of her was words on a computer screen. We started to feel like she was a friend, but she was reluctant to tell us who she was, so that contact was all we had.
Finally, on Thursday at lunchtime, Gabbi said to me, “I have an idea, Noah. What if we invited her to come over to your house, or mine this weekend?”
“I’d be okay with it Gabbi. But would she go for it? I mean, she hasn’t even told us her real name.”
“I’ll try and make her understand she wouldn’t have to come as a girl, if that was too hard. She could just pop by in boy mode, and we would make her feel welcome.” she said.
“Of course we would. I just hope she believes that.”
“I can only try.” She said, and went to the library to use the computer.
That night, just after supper, Gabbi called and told me that “inthecloset” had left a message saying they would think about it. I said, “Gabbi, what if this some kind of game to get you to give your address?”
“There are a lot easier ways to find out where I live, surely.”
“Just a sec, Gabbi. I have an idea.” I said. I put the phone down and told my mom about this girl, and asked, “What if they met here instead of Gabbi’s house?”
“I would have no problem with that, Noah. Except I’m going to be out for a good part of Saturday.”
“Mom, I’ll watch over them.” Adam volunteered.
“Good enough for me.” My mom said.
“I picked up the phone, and told Gabbi my idea.
“Okay, Noah. I will give them your address, if that’s what you want.”
“I’ll be happier knowing you’re safe, Gabbi.”
“Thanks. Love you.” she said, and hung up.
The next day, at lunch, Gabbi said, “You look worried, Noah.”
“Just a touch, Gabbi. I’m just hoping this turns out to be legit.”
She gave my hand a squeeze, and we continued lunch.
That night, Gabbi phoned me and said, “She’s coming! She’ll be there at noon tomorrow”
“Okay Gabbi. Come over at eleven, so we’re ready when she comes.”
“Got it.” she said, and hung up.
Just before eleven the next morning, Gabbi came over, and she, Adam, and prepared for our guests. It felt like we had gone over every detail twice when the doorbell rang.
I went to the door and nearly fainted.
“Hi.” said the tall boy who was at the door.
Gabbi came to my side, and said, “Luke Mathews?”
And it was him. Captain of of our basketball team in the flesh, looking more nervous and scared than I had ever seen him during a game.
“Come in, Luke.” Gabbi said.
He gave her a smile, and said, “Would it... would be okay if you called me... Lisa?”
Gabbi took her by the hand, and said, “Nice to meet you, Lisa.”
Rock Star Makeover, Part 11:
(Author's note: I hope that if you are enjoying this series, you will take the time to leave a comment. Kudos are good too...)
My brother Adam came from the kitchen, and Lisa flinched.
“Its okay. Adam was just here in case something wasn’t on the up and up.” Gabbi said.
“I... I heard you introduce yourself, Lisa. I promise, you are safe in this house, okay?”
“Th....thank you.”
She came in, and we had a pretty good day together. Watching her uncoil like a wound-up spring was amazing. Despite not having a single piece of female clothing on, within an hour around Gabbi they were like a pair of girlfriends chatting.
At one point, Gabbi said to her, “You would look okay as a girl, you know. A little tall, maybe, but there are lots of tall girls”
She lit up like a Christmas tree at that comment.
She also talked about her dad, saying, “He has this dream of me being a pro one day. But I have talked to college scouts, and they tell me I need to ‘bulk up’ if I want a real shot. And more than one has hinted I should take some ‘supplements’ to help me do just that. And you can guess what that means.”
“Sorry, Lisa.” Adam said at that point.. “Just be strong, Next year, you’ll be finished school, and can make your own decisions.”
He got a hug for that.
After she left, I said so to Gabbi, and she said, “I saw that too, Noah.” She looked at Adam and said, “I saw something else too. You found a reason to hang around, didn’t you Adam?”
Adam actually blushed, and said, “I just figured since I was filling in for mom, I should help make her feel comfortable, Gabbi.”
“If you say so. But it might interest you to know I caught her looking at you, too.”
Adam turned even redder, and said, “I better go clean up.” He went toward the kitchen, and then turned back and said to her, “You’re sure, Gabbi?”
“Trust a girl’s intuition, Adam. At the very least, I don’t think she’d mind coming by again.”
“Thanks, Gabbi.” He said, and then went into the kitchen to clean up.
That night, Gabbi shared with me a message she sent to Lisa online; “”Lisa, thank you so much for coming, and being brave enough to share your real name with us. If you ever have the need to have a safe place to talk in person (as opposed to online), you can come over anytime.” Gabbi also left her home number, her cell, and my home number in the message.
The next day after we came home from church, Gabbi shared with me a message Lisa had sent back. “Thank you, Gabbi, and thank Noah and Adam for me as well. I hope you forgive me if I don’t make a lot of contact at school, I’m still pretty scared about being outed. But if its okay, I’ll try and figure out a way to come over on any night I don’t have b ball practice. Thanks again, Lisa.”
We went to school Monday, and were shocked to meet Luke waiting for us. Loud enough to be heard by those around us, he said, ‘I hear you’re pretty smart. I’ve been told I gotta get my grades up, so would you help me study?” He gave Gabbi a wink.
Gabbi smiled, and said, “I’d be glad to help. Least I can do for the school’s best basketball player.”
Leaning in close, Luke whispered, “Thanks, Gabbi. Should’ve thought of this before.”
“Not a worry - Lisa.” she whispered back.
She grinned, and walked away.
That night, she came over, and the first thing she said was “I’m sorry, I’m such a coward. I’m afraid of even being your friend in public.”
Gabbi said, “Lisa, I’m not offended. Noah and I were already social outcasts, so we had less to lose. And I’ve hung around enough jocks to know they aren’t the most enlightened group.”
She sat down on a chair in the kitchen, and said with tears in her eyes, “Thank you for understanding. I’m so scared all the time, I...”
Adam was home, and he put a hand on her shoulder, and said, “It’ll be okay, Lisa. A couple of months and you graduate, and nobody can touch you then.”
She placed her hand over his, looked up at him and said, “Thank you, Adam.”
Even I could see the electricity between them.
After she left, Gabbi said to Adam, “So, when are you going to ask her out?”
He shook his head, and said, “She’s got a lot on her plate as it is. I dont have the right to add to it.”
“Adam, having a boyfriend wont add to her stress as much as what would happen if she feels rejected will. Take it from me, sometimes a girl like me feels like a fake, and needs all the reassurance she can get.”
“You struggle with feeling like a fake, Gabbi?” I asked.
“Sometimes, Noah. But having you helps me fight that feeling.”
“Glad I help.” I said, and kissed her.
The rest of the week passed without too much trouble. On Saturday, Lisa came over again, and we hung out together, and both Adam and my mom made a point of making her feel welcome..
“Lisa,” Gabbi asked, “Do you have any feminine things? You don’t have to, but you are welcome to wear them here if that helps you feel comfortable.”
“Thanks, but I don’t. I … I’ve been too scared to shop. I don’t even know my sizes.”
My mom said, “Just a minute. Lisa. I have a tape measure. I’ll can find out your size, if you want me to.”
“Thank you.” Lisa said.
She took some measurements, and wrote them down for Lisa.
While she was being measured, Adam said, “I’m sure we can find some stuff for you, Lisa. I mean … If you don’t mind us looking.”
She smiled at him, and said, “That’s ….kind of you, Adam. Thank you.”
“Welcome.” He said, and left the room.
“Adam is a … kind man, Mrs. Alexander.” Lisa said, after he was out of sight.
“You’re a little sweet on him, aren’t you?” My mom asked.
She blushed, and said, “He …. he’s nice. I’m glad he doesn’t mind me coming over.”
“I think its a bit more than that. “ Gabbi said.
“You might like to know, he doesn’t usually hang around on Saturday, Lisa. But he’s found a reason to stick around today, and I’m sure its not for us.” I added.
I didn’t know a person could turn as red as she did.
Later, after she left, my mom talked with Adam. “Adam, I’m not blind. You like her, don’t you?”
“I guess I do, Mom.” he said.
“So what are you going to do about it?”
“I don’t know. Mom. What kind of relationship could we have, even if she wants one? She’s so scared she can’t even wear a skirt around here, much less go on a date. Its …. hopeless.”
“She’s just starting out, Adam. But knowing you’re in her corner will help her confidence.” Gabi said.
“So what do you suggest?” He asked.
“Find a way to tell her your feelings, Adam.” my Mom said.
“I could help.” I said. “You know how my drawing helped explain to Gabbi about Francine.”
He smiled at me, and said, Thanks, little bro. I’ll call on you when I’m ready.”
“You’ll do fine.” my Mom said.
“No question.” Gabbi added.
“Thanks, all.” he said, and went to his room.
“If you two are done matchmaking, Gabbi, you owe me a rematch on our game.” I said, and we went back to the living room to play.
The next week, Gabbi and my mom started having little ‘conferences’ and Adam spent time in his room. That left me on my own, but I just used to time to draw, and a few were given to Adam as part of what he was making. Saturday, when Lisa came over, it was pretty clear that she and Adam were flirting gently, but neither seemed ready to go further than that.
But then Gabbi and my mother sprung their surprise. They sent Adam out for some snacks, and then they came into the living room with a couple of bags.
“Lisa, these are for you.” Gabbi said.
She opened the bags, and there was a dress, a wig, a pair of shoes, and a set of underthings I tried not to look too closely at.
“For me?” She asked.
Gabbi nodded, and she hugged both my mom and Gabbi. “Thank you!” she said.
“Go try them on.”
She did, and when she came out, Gabbi gave a whistle.
“Looking good, girl!” She said.
“Not bad at all!” I added.
Just then, Adam came back, and did a double take.
“Oh wow, Lisa, you look fantastic!”
“You like it? Your mom and Gabbi got this outfit for me.”
“I do like it. A lot.”
My mom gave him a nudge, and he added, “Actually since we’re giving you gifts, I have one for you. Just one moment.” He went to his room, and came out with a disk. He took Lisa to the couch, and put the disk into the DVD player, and then he hit “play.”
It was a video of Adam, sitting playing a guitar. Behind him, were some of the drawings I had made for him. He sang of his love of Lisa, who started crying watching the video. At the end of the song, the video showed Adam asking Lisa to go out with him.
She turned to the real Adam and said one word.
“Yes”
Rock Star Makeover, Part 12:
(Author's note. Well, this is the end of Rock Star Makeover, folks. I hope you enjoyed it. Will Noah, Gabbi, and company be back? You never know....)
After church, we were hanging around, when Adam came into the living room and asked, “Would it be okay if Lisa came over for supper?”
“Sure, Adam.” My mom said
She came over, changed into her dress, and we had just sat down to eat when the doorbell rang. My mom answered it, and we were all shocked to see Cathy Mason herself standing there, with her assistant Alice.
“Hello. You must be the famous Cathy Mason.” my mom said.
“Thank you, and call me Cathy This is my assistant, Alice..” Cathy said.
“Well, come in.” My mom said.
I got out of my chair, went to the door and said, “Cathy, I thought you weren’t coming for a week, at the earliest. The concert is a week from Thursday.”
“Yes, but I wanted to do the tourist stuff before rehearsals make me busy.”
“That’s cool, Cathy” Gabbi said, “But we have school tomorrow.”
“I think you could skip the day, just this once.” My mother said, “But you will have to confirm that with your folks, Gabbi.”
They came in, and my brother got up and said, “I’m Noah’s brother, Adam.”
“Nice to meet you. And who is this?” Cathy pointed at Lisa, who looked like she was trying to blend into the woodwork. Lisa stammered, and finally managed to say, “I....I’m Lisa”
“Lisa is … my girlfriend … Cathy.” Adam said, and put an arm around her.
Cathy smiled, and said, “Nice to meet you. I see both your sons have … good taste in girlfriends, Mrs. Alexander. You must be proud of them both.”
“I am. Would you like to stay for dinner?” My mother offered.
“Thank you, but no. I only stopped by to see if my guides for could be free tomorrow.” Cathy said.
“I’ll check with my folks.” Gabbi said.
“Sounds good. Nice to meet you all. “ Cathy said, and stepped out.
We had a nice dinner, and Lisa changed into her boy clothes, and put them into a bag. She went to leave, and said, . “Thank you for having me over.”
“You’re quite welcome.” my mom said.
“I’ll see you out, Lisa.” Adam said.
I watched, as they went to the door. She gave him a hug, and whispered something in his ear. Then, to his obvious surprise, she kissed him. After a moment, he kissed her back.
“What did she say, bro?” I asked Adam.
“You’ll find out.” He grinned, and went to the kitchen, and started cleaning up.
The next morning, just after breakfast, Cathy and Alice came over, and we chatted for a while. We were just about to go when the doorbell rang, and it was Lisa. She was dressed in her girl clothes, and I said, “Lisa, what are you doing here? And dressed?”
“I took the day off school. My dad thinks I’m helping a friend, but I decided it was time to take the plunge.”
Cathy came up and said, “Take the plunge?”
“Can I tell her, Lisa?” Adam asked, and Lisa nodded.
“Its.... Lisa’s first time going out in public. As herself.”
“Then, lets make it a good experience for her.” Cathy said, and off we went.
Its funny. You live in a place your whole life, and it seems so ordinary. You can’t imagine tourists coming, because there’s nothing to see. Well, that’s how I felt about our hometown. We don’t live somewhere like L.A., or anything, so why would anybody want to be shown around? Well, Cathy’s visit changed my mind. Seeing my town through her eyes made me see it completely differently.
And it was beautiful.
The other thing was Lisa. With every stop, her confidence grew, and it was amazing to witness. Gabbi caught my smile, and said, “She’s doing pretty good, isn’t she?”
“Yeh. Was your first time like that?”
“A little. I had my sister, and that helped a bit. But the turning point for me was going to the Sci-Fi movie marathon with you. I wasn’t even in a skirt, but no one looked at us twice, and It was at that moment I realized I really could make it work.”
“I’m glad.”
After we were finished, Cathy asked Lisa, “Can we drop you off at home? Or do you need to change first?”
“I’m tempted to confront my dad with the truth right now.” Lisa said.
Gabbi said, “I’d wait, Lisa. In less than a month, we’ll be having finals, and then you graduate. After that, you can do what you need to do, and he can’t stop you.”
“Okay, Gabbi. I’ll change first.”
“Be strong, love.” Adam said, and kissed her.
“With you, I sure can be.” She smiled.
She quickly changed, and then went home.
Cathy then dropped Gabbi off, and I kissed her goodbye.
“See you at school tomorrow, Gabbi.”
“See you.” she said, and waved, and went into her house.
Finally, she dropped the rest of us off at my house, and said, “Thanks for showing me around. I’ll see you all at the concert, I hope?”
“I wish I could go, but I don’t think Lisa is up to that, just yet.” Adam said.
“Okay, I understand. Nice to meet you though.” Cathy said.
“Nice to meet you too. For a big star, you’re a … pretty down to earth lady.”
“Good friends keep me grounded. But thank you.” Cathy said. She gave Gabbi and I a hug, and then walked back to her car, and was gone.
The next week and a half went by in a blur. I handed in my final assignments, took my final tests, and squeezed in what time I could with Gabbi. Finally, we were done, and it was the day of the concert. We found our seats, and enjoyed the opening act. Then the stage went black, and Cathy Mason’s voice came out of a speaker.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, I have a special announcement. A few months back I met a brave young woman, and I got a chance to applaud her willingness to risk everything to live as her true self. That was pretty cool. But I got another amazing gift that week, but I didn’t get a chance to thank the person who gave it to me. So I want to do that tonight. Noah Alexander, please stand up.”
A spotlight shone on me, and Gabbi made me stand.
A screen above the stage came to life, and Cathy’s voice continued. “Noah made a drawing that he ended up giving to me. I’m pleased to announce tonight, that drawing is going to be the cover of my next album.”
The screen showed the drawing I had made in the mall in L.A., bigger and brighter than I had remembered. It was a picture of Gabbi, emerging from a cocoon, with bright and beautiful wings.
“And Noah, you should know that as the artist who made the cover, you will get a share in the royalties too. I can think of a girl you can help with that, like maybe pay for her …. transformation?”
I turned to Gabbi and said, “Of course I will.”
She said, “Fine, but you have to help Lisa too.”
“Deal” I said, and gave her a kiss.
The audience went nuts.
Do I even need to say we enjoyed the rest of the show?
Fin.