The fire was almost dead. I was sitting on the living room couch, thinking about all the things that happened today. My head was still hurting a bit from fainting and hitting the table. Watching the fire die in our fireplace, it felt like something was ending. Randy was long gone. I was not upset about this. Well, maybe just a little bit. Riley was here now. She will not go anywhere. I knew that was for sure.

“How are you, babe?” Mary asked me gently while softly squeezing my hand.

I smiled at her and nodded.

“I’m fine, big sis. It still hurts a little. But overall, I’m okay. Ready to face the world.” I said in a rather determined manner.

“Wow, I would not want to mess with you.” Mary replied giggling and tickling me a bit.

I laughed out loud because I am very ticklish. I extended my arms trying to tickle her back but Mary’s arms were longer and all of a sudden my big sis was on top of me, tickling me really hard. I could not stop laughing and begged her to stop. All of a sudden, I heard mom’s voice. Mary stopped her tickle attack.

“Look at you two silly girls. Isn’t that adorable. However, you two need to go to bed soon. Riley, I will let you stay home from school on Tuesday. I need to talk to you if you intend to go to school as Riley or rather as Randy for now. If you chose Riley, we have to talk to the school’s administration about that. We also have to address the threat against you with the school.” mom said sounding worried.

“I know. There is no way back, mom. I am Riley.” I replied in a matter of fact kind of manner. Mary looked at mom and me and nodded.

“What have you two sisters planned for tomorrow?” mom asked us.

Mary and I looked at each other and smiled.

“We want to meet with Sammy at Claire’s Cafe tomorrow around lunchtime. Mary is dying to finally get to know my girl. And Sammy can’t wait to meet my big sis.” I said with pride in my voice.

“I met Sammy for a brief moment tonight but I didn't really get a chance to talk to her. I have to check if this Samantha chic is the right girl for my baby sister.” Mary said bursting out laughing.

I looked at Mary in disbelief and then jumped on her tickling her like crazy. She begged me to stop but I showed no mercy. In the background, I heard my mom say something like silly girls.

When we finally stopped we kissed good night, hugged and went to bed. I was out like a light and fell into deep sleep. I woke up around eight the next morning. Feeling refreshed I walked downstairs into the kitchen looking for breakfast. Mom was already there starting to make some eggs.

“Good morning, mom.” I said walking over to her and giving her a hug.

“Good morning, sweetie.” mom replied while hugging me tightly.

“Did you sleep well, honey?” she wanted to know.

“Yes, I did. Slept like a rock. I am so excited that Mary and Sammy will finally get to know each other.” I told her.

“Yeah, that is great. Listen, I talked to your father last night and he agrees that we have to make sure we are doing all the right steps so that you can be Riley and be as safe as possible. We wanted to talk to you and Mary tomorrow afternoon. We want your input and ideas. What do you think?” mom asked me sounding a bit worried but also serious.

“Okay. Yeah, that makes sense. I have to agree and I believe Mary feels the same way.” I said feeling thoughtful.

“Good. First, have a nice time with your get together with Sammy.” mom said smiling.

“Oh, we will.” Mary said while coming into the kitchen and hugging me and mom.

“Oh, there has been a little bit of a change of plans if you and mom don’t mind.” Mary said.

Mom and I looked at each other puzzled.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“Well, I texted with Alyssa and Sammy. Sammy gave me her number yesterday at our brief encounter. They both want to come over to our house first and maybe have a little bit of a fashion show if that is okay with you?”

“Mom, can we?” I asked putting on my cutest face.

“Oh my, alright. You are not playing fair looking and acting all cute.” mom said acting a bit like she was mad but nevertheless smiling.

Mary and I both screamed and hugged each other. Before we talked about the details of Mary’s plans, we had breakfast. Mom made delicious eggs with a bit of bacon and some greens.

After breakfast, Mary and headed upstairs to get dressed. I asked Mary what I should wear and she said I should just put on some cute jeans and a top.

“Don’t worry, lil sis. We will dress you up nice today. Let us girls work our magic. Later we will go out together. You will love it.” Mary assured me.

I felt so light-hearted and happy. I completely forgot about the threat made against me.

Once I got dressed I went into Mary’s room. We settled on her bed and snuggled a bit. I loved our snuggle sessions. I had to think about everything that has happened and again how lucky I was to have this amazing family.

“Babe, you are so awesome. I can’t wait until the girls are here so we can have fun. I am sure you will enjoy it.” Mary told me while snuggling up to me.

“Yeah, this will be super fun.” I told my sister while enjoying her warmth and closeness.

We snuggled a bit more and after a while, Sammy texted me that she will be at my house soon. Shortly after that, Alyssa also texted that she will be here in a few minutes. My heart jumped with joy at the thought that these two lovely ladies will be here soon and that they and my sister will teach me all about fashion and maybe even womanhood.

The doorbell rang, my mom let the girls in and soon I heard footsteps coming up the stairs. Sammy peeked in the door first with a big smile on her face and we embraced in a hug and a kiss. Once we let go, I realized that Sammy was carrying a big bag. Alyssa came through the door, also carrying a big bag. She and Mary hugged and then she came over to me and hugged and kissed me. I enjoyed the attention and excitement.

“Oh, I see how it is. My baby sis gets a hug and a kiss but no kiss for me.” Mary said jokingly.

Alyssa smiled and walked straight over to Mary and kissed her on the lips. For a second I thought I could see their tongues touching. I must have imagined that.

“Wow, that was a nice, warm welcome.” Sammy said glowing a bit.

I looked at Sammy’s and Alyssa’s clothing choices. Both were wearing cute skirts with black tights. Sammy had on a black wool sweater with a red pattern and Alyssa had a greenish top on. They both looked very nice. I felt a bit underdressed in my jeans.

“What’s in the bags?” I asked them.

“Clothes for you to try on, silly.” Alyssa said with a smile on her face.

“So many?” I inquired feeling the excitement growing.

“Yeah, since you don’t really have a wardrobe yet we decided to give you some of our own clothes we don’t wear anymore. I mean, if that is okay with you?” Sammy asked me.

“Are you kidding me? This is wonderful!” I said jumping for joy.

“The bags have dresses, skirts, sweaters, tops, jeans, stockings, pantyhose, panties, socks and bras in them. By the way, the panties were never worn before. They are still in the original package. We were thinking that you could try on three outfits and then we will go to Claire's Cafe and have a great lunch.” Sammy suggested.

“That is a wonderful idea.” I responded.

“I will go with you to your room to help you change. Then we will come back and show Mary and Sammy. I think it will be good if I help you so Mary and Sammy can start getting to know each other a bit while they wait for us to return.” Alyssa said.

Everyone nodded. We emptied the bags and organized the different items. Sammy suggested trying a black dress with black pantyhose. I was all over that. Alyssa took the items and took me by the hand to go over to my room. Meanwhile, Sammy and Mary got comfortable on Mary’s bed.

I tried on the dress and black sheer pantyhose while Alyssa was watching and giving advice. She helped me adjust the dress and hose here and there. She also gave me some flats she still had and wore when she was younger. I looked at myself in the mirror and I was amazed by how I looked.

“You look super cute. We just need to do something with your hair. Maybe we can take a trip to the salon some time. Maybe also get your nails done. What do you think?” she asked me.

“Yes, that would be great.” I replied.

We went back into Mary’s room holding hands. Mary and Sammy seemed deep in conversation. They both looked up and smiled.

“You look wonderful, Riley.” Sammy complimented me.

“Very cute, babe.” Mary added.

“Thank you, lovely ladies. I feel good wearing this outfit. What else do you think I should wear?” I asked.

“How about one of the nice summer dresses?” Mary suggested.

“Okay. That sounds good.” I replied.

Alyssa took a blue summer dress with pink flowers and soon we were back in my room. We chit-chatted a bit and she helped me adjust it.

“Do you have some nude pantyhose to go with this?” I asked her.

“Sure, darling. I’ll be right back.” Alyssa told me.

In under a minute, she returned with a pair of nude pantyhose and helped me put it on. I loved the feel of her hands on my silky legs. She didn’t seem to mind either and I think I could sense that she actually enjoyed it. I felt a bit guilty though because I had a girlfriend, who was sitting in the room across the hallway, talking to Mary..

We presented this outfit which also created a lot of excitement. The last outfit was a nice skirt with a red top and black tights.

“This looks great. You should go out with us wearing this since it is still very cold.” Mary stated. All the others nodded.

“Okay. But what about my hair? Does it look girlie enough?” I said hesitantly.

“Not yet. I can fix that though. No worries.” Sammy said giving me an encouraging look.

I nodded. Sammy took some utensils out of her purse and told me to sit in front of Mary’s makeup table. Alyssa and Mary started chatting while Sammy fixed up my hair. The transformation was amazing. I could not believe what I was seeing.

“You look wonderful.” Sammy said kissing me on the cheek.

“Very cute!” Mary added.

“Alright, ladies. Let’s get bundled up and go to Claire’s Cafe.” Alyssa commanded us.

We all went downstairs and put our coats on. Mary gave me one of her old pink winter coats from a few years ago. My outfit was perfect. Just as we were about to walk out the front door, my mom appeared and told us to wait.

“Hold on, young ladies. Where are you going now?” mom asked seeming concerned.

“We want to go to Claire’s Cafe.” Mary said sounding a bit annoyed.

“With Riley dressed as Riley?” mom inquired.

All of us nodded.

“I’m not sure if that is a good idea.” mom said sounding nervous.

“Mom, I promise I will take good care of her. All of us will. We will just go to Claire’s Cafe and then come right back.” Mary said giving my mom a pleading look.

“Alright. But be careful. We still don’t know for sure where that threat came from.” mom warned us.

“We will be back before you know it.” Mary said and out the door, we went. Mary drove us to Claire’s Cafe. Once we were in the car, loud chit chat started breaking out. Sammy and I were sitting in the back holding hands.

You looked fantastic in those outfits you tried on. You are such a pretty girl.” Sammy said smiling at me.

I started blushing while smiling back at her.

“And you have wonderful hair styling skills. My hair looks so pretty now, thanks to you. I feel so feminine. And I am proud that you are my girlfriend.” I told Sammy from all of my heart.

“Awww, you two are too cute.” Mary said. Everyone just started laughing.
“I love spending time with all of you. Thank you for showing me how to be a girl.” I said to all the wonderful ladies in this car.

“Of course, now let’s think about what we want to discuss when we are at Claire’s Cafe.” Mary asked us.

“Riley, I think we should talk about your situation with school.” Sammy suggested.

“Agreed. Mom and dad want to talk to Mary and me about that tomorrow.” I mentioned.

We pulled into a parking lot near the cafe and walked a bit. I felt so comfortable wearing the skirt and tights. The nylon felt great on my legs. We arrived at the Cafe and got seated right away. The cafe has a wonderfully warm atmosphere. I loved to come here. It simply feels cozy. After the waitress took our order we started talking.

“I am not sure what to do about school. I most definitely do not want to go back being Randy. Even if it would be temporarily. It would not feel right or authentic.” I stated.

“Agreed. But what if Riley is attacked at school? We cannot always be there and protect her.” Sammy said.

“I have to learn how to protect myself. I was thinking about taking self-defense or boxing class. What do you think?” I asked my girls.

“That’s actually a great idea. However, that will take some time and doesn’t help us now.” Mary pointed out.

“True. But it is a great idea to plan for the future. Will your parents talk to the school’s administration about this?” Alyssa asked.

“I am sure they will. I hope they will be supportive but I am not so sure.” Mary said sounding a bit worried.

“I hope so too. I feel braver and stronger than ever but I am also nervous about threats and that other persons will attack me just because of who I am.” I stated.

Everyone got quiet. We all looked at each other seeming thoughtful.

“We will talk to mom and dad about it tomorrow. There has to be some kind of solution. For now, we should maybe talk about something more positive.” Mary said.

“I agree. I think I am going to need some more girl things.” I said pouting a bit. Everyone laughed.

For the rest of our lunch, we talked about all kinds of things. Mostly girl stuff. I asked them more about fashion and we talked a little bit about boys. Mary said she is seeing this guy right now in Oregon but she did not give a lot of details. When we are alone I might feel her out a bit because I was very curious about that.

We finished our lunch and headed back to the house. All four of us went back to my room and cozied up on Mary’s bed. Sammy sat on my left side and snuggled up to me and Alyssa was on my right side. Sammy’s nylon covered legs were touching mine and Alyssa’s legs were touching my legs also. This felt so wonderful. I was one of the girls and I loved it.

We chatted some more and after a while, it got very quiet. Everyone started dozing a bit and a little while later, I fell asleep.

I woke up with Sammy’s and my legs entangled. Sammy was also slowly waking up while Mary and Alyssa slept snuggled up close. I was a bit surprised that they were so comfortable with each other. Then I remembered the bit of tongue dance between the two of them. Could it be that they had something going on in the past?

I looked Sammy in the eyes and I started to kiss her. It felt so wonderful. We kissed a bit more and when we were done I saw Mary and Alyssa kissing from the corner of my eye.

“I didn’t know you two were lovers.” I boldly said towards my big sister and Alyssa.

They stopped kissing and looked at me with a mischievous smile.

“Well, we kind of are. But not really. Let’s say we are friends who are very close and comfortable with each other.” Mary said still grinning.

Alyssa also still had a big smile on her face.

“Actually, you and Alyssa kissing on the day all three of us went to the mall inspired me. Alyssa has such beautiful and luscious lips and I thought…” Mary just stopped abruptly her smile freezing.

At first, I did not understand what was going on. It dawned on me when I heard Sammy’s disturbed sounding voice.

Alyssa and I gave each other a quick clueless look. We both seemed unsure of how to respond.

“Well, Sammy. I understand how you feel. It was a spontaneous idea. And how Mary just said, Alyssa has such luscious and beautiful lips. I could not resist. Also, it was before we were girlfriend and girlfriend and I want you to know that I love being your girlfriend and that I love you a whole lot and that…” I rambled on and just had to stop because Sammy’s expression did not change.

“Ah ha!” Sammy said sharply.

I started getting upset and could feel tears starting to run down my face.

“Sammy, please. I didn't mean to hurt you. Please believe me.” I begged her.

“Well, I am not so sure. I will call you tomorrow.” Sammy said.

She walked out the door without another word.

“I should probably just go now too. I will call you two tomorrow also.” Alyssa said discreetly and left rather quickly.

I felt so alone and hurt. Why didn’t Sammy believe me? I never meant to hurt her. How could this beautiful day turn to be so bad in a matter of minutes?

I felt alone until my big sister gently hugged me from behind and whispered words of comfort softly into my ear. I turned around and she gave me a full hug and we stood there for a while just hugging. Two sisters and endless love and support.

After we both calmed down we sat on Mary’s bed and started talking.

“Babe, I’m sorry I am such a blabbermouth. I didn't mean to tell about you and Alyssa kissing. I’m so sorry. Will you forgive me?” Mary asked me seeming concerned.

“Yeah, it’s my own fault. I should have told Sammy about that from the beginning. I just conveniently forgot about the kisses I shared with Alyssa. By the way, she does have luscious lips.” I said smiling a bit again.

“Haha! Now seriously. Are you two going to be okay? I ruined everything for you.” Mary insisted seeming to get upset again.

“I will talk to her tomorrow. If not, then we don’t have a basis to be girlfriend and girlfriend. A good strong basis should not be this fragile.” I said matter of factly.

Mary looked like her jaw just dropped.

“How did you get so wise?” my big sister asked me with a perplexed look on her face.

I just shrugged. I didn’t give it much thought but I guess Mary was right. An insight that just seemed natural to me. I decided to give it a little bit of deeper thought later.

“Do you want to talk about tomorrow and our conversation with mom and dad?” Mary wanted to know.

“Yes. I think we should do that. I feel that mom and dad will do their best to support me. I just hope the school will cooperate and give me support too.” I said feeling a bit worried.

Mary looked me deeply in the eyes seeming lost in thought.
“I sincerely hope so. Otherwise, you are going to have a hard time at school. I’m worried that you won’t be accepted and respected as the person that you are. That thought makes me sick to my stomach.” Mary said sounding very concerned,

“I know but I have to be strong. I cannot take shit from anybody. I have to stand up for myself. I have to stand up for what is right. That’s a part of life. No matter if you are transgender or not. I have to overcome these challenges.” I pointed out matter of factly.

“Babe, you amaze me.” Mary said full of admiration while hugging and kissing me.

“What are we going to do about the Sammy situation? Should I talk to her?” Mary asked.

“No, I will fix that. I will text her a bit and feel her out. She probably just needs to calm down. I’m sure it will be okay.” I assured her.

“I hope so.” Mary added.

“By the way, what about you and Alyssa? Are you two dating?” I asked bluntly.

“Well, not in a real dating kind of way. Just in a let’s be friends with a little extra kind of way.” Mary tried to explain while smiling.

“A little extra kind of way? What is that supposed to mean?” I inquired while trying not to burst out in laughter.

We both looked at each other and started laughing so hard.

“Babe, you know you are my only true love.” Mary said going down on one knee like she was about to propose and then falling on the floor because she seemed to have stomach cramps from not being able to stop laughing.

I jumped on top of my sister and acted like I was going to tickle her which made her squirm underneath me begging for mercy. We both finally collapsed and finished our laughing. I loved being silly with my big sis. Soon it was time for dinner.

We had a nice supper after this with mom and dad. Even though I could sense that everyone was concerned about the future and especially about me, we had a good time as a family. We cracked jokes, acted silly and just had a good time. I had to think that no matter what happened, we will stick together. After dinner, we all sat in the living room and relaxed. Mom read a magazine, Mary and dad played a game of chess and I read a book and just enjoyed being together with my loved ones. Around 10:30 we all decided to go to bed and have another family day tomorrow. Of course, we were going to have our strategy discussion on how to move forward from this point.

I woke up around eight o’clock after a good night’s sleep. Sammy didn’t text yesterday and I decided to leave her alone. This morning I sent her a quick text wishing her a Good Morning and asking if she would be available to talk on the phone later. She texted back at lunchtime and said that she wanted to talk in an hour. I was a bit nervous but felt confident that I will be able to handle it. Soon my phone rang. I picked up full of determination to fix this in a calm manner.

“Hello Sammy” I said calmly.

“Hey there…” she replied also sounding calm.

“Listen, about yesterday. I’m so sorry again. I never meant to hurt you.” I said intensely waiting for her response.

“I understand. I think I overreacted a bit too. I know this happened before we became girlfriend and girlfriend. I’m sorry I just stormed out.” Sammy apologized.

“That’s okay. I’m glad you understand. So, you accept my apology?” I asked her feeling relieved.

“Only if you accept mine.” Sammy replied.

“Of course. I’m glad you are not mad at me anymore.” I said feeling relieved.

“No, it was just the first shock but now I am okay.” she assured me.

We chit-chatted a bit more and then finished our conversation. Mary and I watched some Netflix that night and cuddled under the blanket. I told her about my good phone conversation with Sammy and Mary seemed happy and relieved about that. Soon this day was over and Sunday came by. During the afternoon our parents asked us to join them in the living room so that we could have the long-awaited conversation about Riley and what will become of her. Of course, Mary and I sat next to each other, holding hands.

“Riley, you are absolutely sure that you want to be Riley when going back to school?” mom asked me.

“Yes, mom. Riley is the true me. If I would try to be Randy again, it would not be authentic.” I stated with full determination.

“I understand. I will call the school tomorrow and let you know what they said. If they are not going to support you, we are going to have to find you another school. Your dad and I discussed this already and we might be able to get you into a private school. We have some money saved up.” mom told us.

“This might be the best solution for you, babe. Starting at a new school as Riley. A school where nobody knows anything about you. It would be a fresh start.” Mary pointed out.

“Mary is right. A private school is most likely the best option for you. You would also get a better education.” my dad said convincingly.

‘I agree with all of you. It would feel a little bit like running away though. I would miss hanging out with Sammy and I have just been getting to know her friends.” I said feeling a bit sad.

“I understand how you feel. However, some people are unpredictable. The letter you received might not have been the last threat. The idea of my little girl getting hurt makes me sick to my stomach. A private school most likely will offer you better protection until you are an adult. What do you think, Riley?” dad asked me looking at me deeply.

Did dad just call me my little girl? My heart jumped for joy and must have skipped a beat. I decided to get up and give him a hug. Soon Mary and mom joined us. There we were. All four of us hugging. After the love scene was over, we all agreed to ponder the idea of me going to a private school. It was certainly a possible solution. First, we had to wait and see what my current school will say. I knew what dad meant when talking about being sick to his stomach. I started to get that feeling myself when I looked at Mary because I knew tomorrow I have to say goodbye again. Even if it was going to be for only about a month. I requested a private sibling conference.

I felt relieved when my big sis Mary entered my room. I wanted to talk to her about this private school idea and about her and Alyssa making out.

“Hey, sis. Finally, we can talk. I am not sure what to think about going to a private school. It would open a lot of opportunities but I think I would miss Sammy, mom and dad and our town too much. I don’t want to just run away.” I told Mary, feeling unsure about how to proceed.

“I understand, babe. This will be a tough decision. At a private school, you could get a fresh start. I know there are two private schools within under an hour drive away from here. So, if you would go to one of those schools, you would still have time to see Sammy and her friends. Besides, I bet you would look cute in one of those little skirts and you could wear pantyhose, tights or stockings.” Mary said while smiling at me.

“Haha! Yeah, I think I would look cute in one of those. While we are talking about looking cute and flirting, what’s with you and Alyssa? Are you two dating? Since when did you know that you like girls?” I asked her impatiently.

“No, I am not dating Alyssa but we feel affection for one another. I think I discovered liking girls when I was 14. I had a crush on this super cute girl in one of my art classes. I never made a move though. I just admired her silently.” Mary confessed.

“OMG! That is adorable. I had no idea but I understand you. Girls are awesome.”I said feeling proud.

“We are. No doubt about it. I can tell that you have a lot of affection for Sammy. I think it’s great that you two are girlfriends. I hope she loves you as much as you love her.” Mary said sounding a bit thoughtful.

“I hope so too. Anyways, what about this young man you are seeing back in Portland. Can I ask some questions regarding this manner?” I asked her.

“Sure. You are the only one who is allowed to ask. He is nice and fun to be around but I don’t think we are going to have a long term relationship.” Mary said while moving closer to me and putting one arm around my hip.

“Babe, you are my only true love.” Mary said declaring her love and loyalty to me.

The next moment, Mary burst out with laughter and started tickling me. I laughed so hard, it was amazing. My big sister is just the most amazing person I know. After our short but intense tickle session, we returned to normal and snuggled on the bed. All of a sudden, I started feeling sad. The thought of Mary leaving soon overcame me.

“What is going on, babe? Mary seeming concerned suddenly.

“I am sad that you will be leaving again.” I told her honestly getting teary-eyed.

“I know. It has been amazing to get to know my baby sister Riley. Do not despair though. I will be back home soon again and then we will have more time together. There is a cute girl named Sammy waiting to spend more time with you.” she said smiling at me.

“You are right.” I said thoughtfully wiping away my tears. I felt better again. My big sister always knows how to cheer me up when I am upset. I decided to get up and give her a hug.

“What is that for?” Mary asked me while hugging me back.

“Just because you are the best.” I told her.

“Aren’t you the cutest thing.” Mary assured me.

“I know.” I replied with a grin on my face.

“So, do you want to come with me and dad tomorrow to the airport or would you prefer a quick good-bye. I think it will be tough for both of us either way.” Mary pointed out seeming sad now.

“We should probably just say good-bye here. It will be just like ripping off a band-aid. The pain will be intense but hopefully, it will pass quickly.” I said having a lot of mixed emotions.

Mary nodded and agreed. We kissed each other and said goodnight. I undressed and got ready for bed. I decided to put on one of the nightgowns Alyssa gave me amongst other clothes. It was pink and a bit long for me but I loved the way wearing it felt. When I was back in my bed my brain seemed in overdrive.

My thoughts were putting me on a roller coaster ride and everything and everyone was invited to ride along. I thought about Mary and how much love I had for her. I thought about my mom and dad and how happy I am that they are supporting me now. About my girlfriend Sammy, my new friend Alyssa and about Michelle which made me sad and angry at the same time. And I thought about my first encounter with Sammy at the pantyhose section at Macy's. I eventually fell asleep.

It was rough to say good-bye to Mary the next morning. I hugged her tightly, kissed her and let go of her hand. She gave me another look over her shoulder before she stepped out of the door. It was a reassuring look. A look that said: Don’t worry little sis. It will be okay. Mary got into my dad’s car and the next minute she was gone. Fortunately, mom was there and realized I could use a big hug.

After hugging for a while and crying a little bit, mom asked me to sit with her at the kitchen table.

“Once the day will begin, I will call your school and dad and I will hopefully be able to meet with the principal to discuss our situation. Does that sound okay to you?” mom asked me.

I nodded. “Sure. That sounds good. However, I am not sure how I feel about going back to school as a girl. I was not accepted as Randy. I am also very worried about threats, bullying or worse.” I pointed out feeling nervous.

Mom walked over to me to give me another hug and whispered in my ear.

“I won’t let anything happen to my baby girl.” she said gently.

It felt really good to hear her say the words baby girl. I took a deep breath and after our conversation, I went back to my bedroom. I asked mom if she would mind if I try on some of the clothes Alyssa gave me and she had no objections. Mom told me that she will call the school as soon as possible and request a meeting with the principal.

I tried on a few skirts and tops. I particularly liked a navy blue skirt with a flower pattern on it. I looked at myself in the mirror and admired how pretty I looked. I wondered how this outfit would look like with black sheer pantyhose. I didn’t wait much longer and tried on a pair with the skirt. The silky feeling on my legs made me giddy. I looked at myself in the mirror again and thought about how much I loved the fashion shows with the girls. We got to have another one once everyone is back together.

After a little while more of trying on different outfits, I decided to take a break and lounge on my bed. Soon mom called me down for breakfast. I forgot how hungry I was. Mom and I enjoyed breakfast together and then she wanted to talk to me.

“I love the skirt you are wearing with the flowers.. Looks especially good with the black sheer pantyhose, honey.” mom complimented me and smiled.

“Thanks, mom. Have you talked to my school?” I asked her feeling anxious.

“Yes I have. The principal is willing to meet with us but he seemed bothered and annoyed because I did not want to reveal the nature of our meeting. I thought it was too personal to discuss on the phone.” mom told me.

“Thank you! I appreciate that you are trying to protect me. When will the meeting take place?” I asked her.

“Tomorrow morning at 9 AM in the principal’s office. I want you to stay home that day too. Maybe Sammy can get your homework?” mom suggested.

“Good idea, mom. If Sammy wants, can she hang out too? Maybe even stay for dinner?” I asked mom giving her a big smile.

“Oh, all right. Your cute little smile there is dangerous. You already know how to work it.” mom pointed out also smiling.

I went right to my room and grabbed my phone so I could text Sammy about the meeting with the principal and ask her about getting my homework. Sammy happily agreed to this. Later that day we talked on the phone.

“Hey sweetie! It's your girlfriend Riley.” I said feeling that I recovered from Mary's departure.

“Hey darling. I got your homework. Lucky you. I missed you today in school. You said in your text that the meeting with your parents and the principal will happen tomorrow morning. How do you feel about this?” Sammy asked me.

“I feel okay, I guess. My mom said that she did not reveal the nature of the meeting request because she thought it was too personal to discuss on the phone. So, it will be hard to say how they are going to react. The good news is that my parents have a plan in place if this doesn't work out.” I said feeling a bit anxious.

“That sounds good. Your family is just wonderful. I know you had a bit of a tough time with them when you first revealed that you are a girl. I think they have come around though.” Sammy pointed out.

“I would agree. I am very lucky. Anyways, I wanted to ask you if you would like to stay until dinner and spend some more time with me?” I asked her hoping she would say yes.

“Of course. I will ask my mom but I am sure it will be okay. I could bring some more clothes we could try on if you want.” Sammy suggested.

“That is a great idea. I will see you soon.” I told her.

We said goodbye soon after that. I felt giddy and excited. I texted my big sister about Sammy coming over and I also asked her when she thinks that she will be back at College. Mary didn't respond for a while because she was still traveling. I decided to keep wearing the Navy blue skirt and the black sheer pantyhose.

Soon Sammy was there with a big bag of what seemed to be clothes. I felt excited at the prospect of trying on more outfits with my girlfriend. We hugged each other tightly and kissed a bit. Sammy was also wearing a dark skirt with some nice black tights.

“You are looking cute, girly” Sammy complimented me.

“You too. Let's try on some clothes. I was thinking a bit about some different I saw when flipping through an issue of Cosmo the other day. I don’t have any high-end stuff but with your old clothes and a little bit of creativity we can make it work.” I declared in an almost festive manner.”

“You are so amazing. I love your enthusiasm and willingness to work around problems Now let’s have some fun..” Sammy insisted.

We tried on a million different outfits and had so much fun doing it. I felt like such a girly girl and I loved feeling so close to Sammy. After trying every possible combination of skirts, tops, dresses, pantyhose, and tights we were exhausted from our fashion show and decided to take a break.

“I hope your parents’ meeting with the principal will go well. I am worried that he might not care about you and your transformation to girlhood.” Sammy said seeming concerned.

“I know what you mean. But I also know that my parents will protect me at all costs. Even if that means switching schools. Maybe we can find a private school that is not super expensive and will take me.” I said letting my thoughts

“I really like your optimistic attitude. It's contagious. Though I have to say that thinking about you leaving our school makes me very sad. I mean, I know you need to do what is best for you and I support that. Especially if you don’t feel safe at our school. I just would really miss you a lot.” Sammy told me looking upset.

I leaned over and gave her a big hug.

“I know. I would miss you like crazy. I guess we just have to wait and see what happens.” I pointed out feeling thoughtful.

I loved that Sammy and I could have light-hearted fun together but also were able to have deep and meaningful conversations. I felt really close and connected to her. We talked and laughed for a while more and soon it was supper time.

Sammy sat in Mary’s seat which I offered to her. Sammy, my parents and I had some nice conversations. Meanwhile, Mary texted us that she was back in Oregon and was going to take a nap. I was glad she arrived safely but also missed my big sister like crazy already. After supper, Sammy and I kissed good-bye. I promised to text her after my parents meeting with the principal. I helped clean up after supper and soon my parents and I decided to relax in the living room. My dad read a science magazine, my mom decided to knit and I wanted to read “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” a bit more. It felt refreshing to leave the TV turned off.

After a while of relaxing and reading I decided to sit next to my dad.

“Dad, I wanted to thank you again for the “birthday cake”. Before I fainted I suggested that just the two of us could go do something. Are you still interested?” I asked him, hoping he would say yes.

“Absolutely. What do you want to do, sweetie?” he asked me with a big smile on my face.

“I thought we could go to Hansen’s bookstore and after that, we could maybe get a piece of pie at Claire’s Cafe.” I suggested.

“That sounds great. It’s a daddy-daughter date.” he said cheerfully.

My heart jumped for joy. I gave my dad a big hug. From the corner of my eyes, I could see my mom smiling.

“Riley, your mom and I wanted to talk to you about some important things. This will be a meeting that concerns the whole family. We want your big sister to be a part of this. Would it be okay for you if she joins us via Skype?” my dad asked me.

“Of course. She might have just woken up from her nap but I am sure she wants to be a part of this.” I pointed out feeling a little anxious.

My mom asked me to use our smart TV to get in touch with Mary. Soon enough, her beautiful and a bit tired looking face was on our TV.

“Hey sis!” I said feeling excited to see my soul mate.

“Hey babe. Hello mom and dad. How is everyone doing over there? I terribly miss all of you already.” Mary told us.

“We miss you too. I am asking dad to start.” mom replied.

“Yes, let’s have our meeting. First, we think it is a good idea to take that letter to the police. We would be foolish to take this threat lightly. Your mom and I talked about this earlier in the afternoon. What do you two think?” he asked Mary and me.

“Agreed. I think that’s probably the best move. What do you think, babe?” Mary asked me seeming a bit nervous.

“Yes, that is probably what’s best.” I said feeling a bit gloomy now.

“Okay. Your dad and I will stop by the police first thing in the morning before we go to your school.” mom said sounding concerned.

“Meanwhile, I researched the internet a bit and I found a good therapist who works with young adults who identify as transgender. She has been highly recommended. Her name is Dr. Green. Would you like to give that a try?” dad asked me.

“Sure. That sounds good. I think this can help me. Where is her office?” I asked my parents.

“Well, that is a problem. It’s in Boston.” mom said.

“How is Riley going to get there on a regular basis with having to go to school here?” Mary wanted to know.
“Well, I thought about that too. I found and contacted two private schools in or near Boston. They are both very interested in you, Riley.” dad told us.

I was astonished. How did he pull that off so quickly?

“Sounds great, dad. My only question is how will I get there on a regular basis?” I asked looking at both of my parents. I exchanged glances with Mary who seemed puzzled too.

“They are boarding schools.” mom pointed out.

“You mean that Riley would live there?” Mary asked seeming more confused.

“Exactly. Now there are a few hurdles to overcome before we can start thinking about it. Only if you want to consider going there, Riley.” dad pointed out.

“I am not sure what to say or think. What are some of those hurdles?” I asked while a million thoughts were going through my head.

“First, I got to see if we can finance it. Your mom and I were running some numbers and we think we can do it. Second, they must accept that you are transgender and protect your privacy. Third, you have to pass an entrance exam and lastly, you have to like it of course. You have to be okay with living there without us. Of course, you would be home throughout the summers and holidays.” dad said looking at me seeming eager to hear my answer.

I was stunned, puzzled and overwhelmed. All of a sudden, Mary spoke.

“Those are all good ideas. I request a private sibling conference. Riley, transfer our call to your smartphone, please. My babe and I need to talk.” Mary requested.

“Sounds like a good idea. We will resume this tomorrow evening. Then we can talk about the meeting with Riley’s principal and our encounter with the police. Everybody okay with that?” mom asked.

Everyone agreed. I gave mom and dad hugs and kissed them goodnight. I carried my big sister up the stairs who was smiling at me through my smartphone. We had lots to talk about and I could not wait to share my thoughts and ideas with the best sister in the world.

“What do you think, babe?” Mary asked me as soon as I closed my door.

“I am not sure. The idea of going to a private boarding school frightens and excites me at the same time.” I said feeling unsure about my future.

“I know that you will make the right decision for you. Just follow your gut feeling and what’s in your heart.” Mary advised me.

“I will. Thanks sis. You always know what to do. I think I need to ponder this some more. First we have to wait and see what the principal says tomorrow. I hope they will show that they care. Even if I decide to go to a private school, that won’t happen right away, of course.”I told Mary feeling thoughtful.

“I agree. Take you time and talk it through with mom and dad. We could all have a big discussion when I come back home for Christmas. Does that sound good to you?” Mary asked.

I nodded and with that we ended our conversation. We made little kissy faces and noises and soon after I finished my night routine I went to bed and fell into a deep hole of sleep. When I woke up in the morning, my first thoughts were about our previous discussions we had with mom and dad and then just us sisters. I got up, went to the bathroom, got dressed with some snug black leggings I got from Mary and I put on a pink shirt. I went downstairs into the kitchen to see mom and dad having breakfast.

“Good morning, honey.” mom came over and gave me a hug and a kiss.

“Good morning, you two. How are you this morning?” I asked both of my parents.

“We are doing okay. It will be interesting to see how the principal is going to react. Your mom and I talked about this not too long ago and we had an idea.” dad said sounding a bit mysterious.

I looked at both of them curiously. I nodded.

“If you are okay with it, your dad and I won’t tell you about the meeting until this evening. We would like to have Mary on the TV again when we discuss the whole thing. What do you think?” mom asked me.

I was a little perplexed but I liked the idea.

“Okay.” I said quietly.

“I was also thinking that you and I could go to lunch and then to the book store if you want. It would be like a little daddy-daughter date.” my dad said sounding a bit shy and unsure.

“That would be great.” I said excitedly and gave my dad a big hug.

We all had breakfast together and then my parents left to stop by the police and then go to their meeting. I was not sure what to do. I decided to go to my room and read Harry Potter. Soon I left this world and entered a world full of witches, wizards and all kinds of magic. I read for a long time and eventually put my book down and soon feel asleep. The next thing I remember was my dad softly waking me up.

“Hi honey. Did you sleep well?” he asked me.

“Yes. Thanks.” I said yawning a bit.

“Good. It’s almost lunch time. Do you want to go on our date?” my dad asked me seeming excited.

“Yes.. I just need to pick a nice outfit.” I told him feeling excited and thrilled to go out with my dad dressed as his daughter.

“I will meet you downstairs in 20 minutes if that is okay?” my dad asked.

I nodded and almost jumped out of bed. I tried on a few different outfits and decided to wear a brownish skirt, black tights and a nice sweater. When I walked down the stairs, my dad was standing right there beaming with pride. He took my hand and helped me down the last bit of stairs which wasn’t necessary but a sweet gesture. We hugged and soon we were in the car on our way to our special date. We didn’t talk much but we smiled at each other the whole time. I then decided to talk after a while.

“Hey dad. I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate your support and understanding. I can imagine that this hasn’t always been easy for you.” I said to him mildly.

“Of course. I’m sorry it took me so long to understand. I know I haven’t always been good with expressing my feelings but I think I have gotten better with it. I can see the shine in your eyes since you have been Riley full time. You have been making so many new friends, you are outgoing, witty and fun to be around. And I won a new daughter.” my dad said proudly.

I was shocked to hear my dad expressing his feelings so openly. Tears of joy started running down my face.

“Thank you, daddy. I love you!” I told him with all my heart.

“I love you too, honey.” he told me while squeezing my hand.

Soon we arrived at a cute fifties style diner. I realized how hungry I was. We settled into a booth and after our waitress took our order we continued our conversation.

“Dad, I know we all agreed not to talk about the meeting until tonight but can you give me a little hint about how it went.?” I cautiously asked.

“No, sorry. Let’s talk about something else. Have you been thinking about the possible private school option?” he asked me.

“Yes, I have. In some ways, I do really like the idea a lot. In other ways, not so much. However, I feel thrilled about the prospect of starting a whole new adventure.” I pointed out.

“That is true, Riley. It would be a whole new adventure for you and I know you would master it.” my dad stated convincingly.

“Thank you, dad. I’m sure I would master it.” I agreed bathing in my dad’s confidence he had for me.

We ordered milkshakes for dessert and were soon on our way to the bookstore. I roamed around in the young adult section while my dad looked for science books. We both took a seat in a cozy reading corner and read for a long time. I enjoyed stretching my legs out and seeing and feeling that I wore a pretty skirt and some nice tights. After a while of reading, my dad and I went home. I realized how important this bonding experience was for both of us when I sat in my room thinking about the day.
Soon it was dinner time and my parents and I had a nice time talking about today’s events. Dad and I talked rapidly about our fun date and my mom seemed excited and happy for both of us. I didn't dare to ask about their meeting with my school’s principal but I wondered what we will talk about when Mary was ready to join us. We cleaned up after supper and soon gathered in the living room. I turned on our smart TV and soon my big sister’s pretty face was on the screen.

“So, mom and dad, what happened today at the meeting?” I asked them feeling anxious.

“Well, the principal said that he understands your situation and he also was concerned about the threatening letter. However, he also said that he will not give you any special treatment because he doesn’t think it is fair towards the other students who are not treated in a special manner. He believes that you just might be confused about your gender issues and that it all just might blow over. He said you would not be allowed to use the girl’s restrooms but you could use a staff bathroom.” my dad said matter of factly.

I listened anxiously and was not sure what to think. Mary looked a little confused.

“He also reminded us that if you would decide to go to a private school that in the meantime you are required to attend school here until you would be admitted at a private school.” my mom pointed out.

“Okay.” I said cooly.

I looked at Mary and she also seemed not sure what to think.

“What do you think?” my dad asked me and Mary.

“I think I would like to look into the private school and maybe go visit and talk to them?”

“Good idea!” my mom, dad and Mary almost said at the same time.

I smiled.

“Honey, how do you feel about going back to your school as Riley?” mom asked me.

“Well, I will not go back to being Randy. So, that is the only option.” I said feeling determined.

“Okay. Like we said before, your mom and I went to the police before and they were supportive and understanding. They will investigate the letter and also said that if we want, they could send a police car to your school or our house sometimes. They also recommended that you should make sure you have someone with you when you go to school and home. Maybe your mom might wait with you at the bus stop or we can arrange something else. Sometimes you could also possibly stay at Sammy’s overnight and then go to school from there. How does that sound?” dad asked me.

“Okay. That could work.” I said feeling still unsure.

“When do you think are you going to take Riley to those private schools?” Mary intervened.

“As soon as possible. I will call both boarding schools tomorrow. I hope we can go for a visit before Christmas.” dad said.

“That sounds good. The thought of going to one of those schools excites me more and more. However, I got to talk to Sammy about this very soon.” I told my family.

“Are we going all together then? You know I will be home on December 19?” Mary asked with a bit of a devilish grin on her face.

We all looked at each other and smiled and I started talking in a super girly way.

“OMG! Sisters fun! Mary, that will be so awesome. We can go shopping in Boston and have some girly time. And we can see all the beautiful Christmas decorations and you will be home for longer and we can have a few fashion shows and….” I screeched rather rapidly.

“Slow down, girl!” my mom said smiling.

Everybody’s mood seemed to brighten. We talked for a while longer and then decided that I will go back to school as Riley tomorrow. Mom will come with me for the first period in order to meet with guidance. We also agreed that I will take the bus home with Sammy and spend some time with her in the afternoon if she and her parents were okay with it. I was worried about her reaction of me possibly going to a private boarding school. I talked some more with Mary in private. She believed that attending a boarding school would present tons of opportunities for me. I had to agree.

When I woke up the next morning, I felt weird inside. I was happy to go to school as myself. I was excited about picking a girly outfit. I was worried about being harassed, bullied, intimidated or worse. I had to be brave and face this. I put on a cute skirt, some black tights and a pink sweater. I went downstairs and hugged mom who was waiting in the kitchen for me. We gave each other a knowing look and soon we were out the door. We didn’t talk much on the way to school. I felt excited and tense at the same time. We entered the guidance counselors office and met with Ms. Young, who was very sweet and warm. She let me know that all of my teachers were informed of my name change from Randy to Riley and I should let them know if I run into any trouble or if I am threatened. I told them that I will. I said goodbye to my mom and waited in guidance until the start of the second period. I went to my locker to put a few things in while I mingled with other students.I got a few stares and a whole lot of smiles from other students walking by. Soon it was time for math class. I ran into Sammy before I entered the classroom. We gave each other a big hug and a kiss.

“Hey girl! Welcome back. How are you feeling?” Sammy asked me while smiling.

“I am fine. A bit nervous but feeling calmer by the minute.” I said.

“That’s good. I talked to my crew and the girls want to sit together at lunch and celebrate your first school day as Riley.” Sammy told me excitedly.

Of course I agreed to this proposal and felt excited. It was hard to concentrate on the math class but I gave it my best try. It was especially hard because Sammy and I couldn’t stop looking at each other. When math class was over I chatted with my girlfriend a bit more and then we parted.. The next few periods were uneventful. I felt more and more comfortable in my own skin and in my pretty clothes. At lunch time, Sammy, the girls and I met up in the cafeteria. Everyone seemed excited and thrilled. It was great to see Hannah and Kaylee again. After a while of exciting girly talk, I decided to go up to my locker. Sammy offered to come with me but I felt confident enough to go there without an escort.

Everyone was at lunch so the hallways were deserted most of the time. It felt good to walk those hallways feeling the silky fabric of my tights on my legs. I arrived at my locker to get a few things out of it when I heard someone speaking who must have been standing behind me.

“Hey there. You are that girl with a little extra in her panties.” a smug and arrogant sounding voice said to me.

I turned around quickly and saw a boy standing there who I recognized being on the football team. I felt angry and also a bit panicky which I tried to hide.

“What’s in my panties is none of your business.If you excuse me, I have to go back to the cafeteria.” I told him trying to walk away but he blocked me.

“Oh no, sissy boy. You are going nowhere. I want to see what’s in your little panties first.” he confronted me and came so close I could smell his disgusting breath.

I checked the hallway for help but there wasn’t a single soul. A part of me wanted to give up and faint but a bigger part of me was ready for a fight.

“Alright, if you insist. If you would hold my books for me so I can pull down my skirt, tights and panties for you, I would be happy to show you. Will you let me leave after that?” I asked gently.

“Of course!” he said trying to sound cool with a smug little grin on his face.

I nodded and gave him the books I was holding. In that moment he let his guard down which presented a golden opportunity for me. I am not into sports but if you give me the perfect pass, I was going to sink that ball into the back of the net. I took a step back and acted like I was going to slide my skirt down. The rest happened in slow motion. With all my strength I kicked my foot into his privates. I saw how his smug grin changed into an expression of surprise and shock while he dropped my books. He fell down on his side and screamed in pain. I felt shocked but also strangely satisfied by my response. Then I started to feel worried that he might recover quickly and then who knows what he was going to do. I needed to be sure. I stepped up to him and kicked my foot right into his face. He screamed again in surprise while he coughed up blood and I saw a tooth flying out from one corner of his mouth. I started screaming insults at him that would make a sailor blush while I saw students and teachers rushing to the scene probably wondering where all the noise was coming from.

For a moment I wasn't sure what was happening to me. It felt like I was dreaming a bizarre dream. A dream where I am the main person but also just a bystander. It was simply a paradox. Impossible. But the drama was unfolding in front of my eyes.

Students and teachers came running to the hallway so that they could figure out where the noises were coming from. Sammy and her friends arrived first. They looked confused and shocked when they saw a boy who was wearing a football jersey lying in front of the lockers, screaming in pain and holding his bloody face.

Meanwhile, other students arrived at the scene.

“What happened, Riley?” Sammy wanted to know with a strong urgency in her voice.

“ This little jerk here threatened me. He wanted to see what is in my panties. I kicked him in the nuts and in his face after he went down like a sack of stones.” I explained starting to feel like I entered the real world again.

“OMG! Are you okay?” Hannah wanted to know.

“I think I am. I was able to defend myself and that feels good.” I stated proudly.

“Maybe we should get him some help?” Kaylee suggested.

“Sure, why not?” I said sounding a bit icy.

The principal arrived having a look of disbelief on his face.

“What on earth is going on?” he asked looking at us girls.

“I was threatened by him and I defended myself.” I told the principal.

“She lies! I just wanted to flirt with her a little bit and she viciously attacked me.” the jerk in the jersey claimed seeming to recover slowly.

“You are the liar! You blocked me when I tried to leave and said you wanted to know what is in my little panties. Well, at least you know now how my foot feels.” I said sounding a little smug.

“That is enough. I will discuss this with the both of you in my office. For now, I need you to go to the nurse's office and get you checked out and Riley, I want to talk to you first in my office. The vice-principal and your guidance counselor will be there too.” the principal said sounding determined.

Sammy and the girls walked me to his office. I was not sure how to feel. The only thing I knew was that I did the right thing to defend myself and for that I felt proud. Sure, I could have run away after I kicked him in the nuts and some people might think that it was unnecessary to kick him in the face but I could care less about that. I was so angry that I was threatened by him. I’m learning more and more how important it is to stand up for yourself. We finally arrived at the principal's office.

“You girls can go back to lunch and get ready for your next class.” the principal, Mr.Selinsky, barked at my girlfriend and friends.

“I will stay with Riley. She is my girlfriend.” Sammy demanded.

“You are her girlfriend? What kind of world do we live in? This is nuts. I must ask you to leave. You need to go to your next class.” the principal demanded sounding annoyed.

Sammy gave me a worried look and Hannah and Kaylee looked upset. I nodded towards all three of them and they left. The principal led me into his big office. I was still fired up about the incident but started to calm down. Mr. Selinsky said that he will talk to my guidance counselor and the vice principal and that they will be right back. I sat on a bench and tried to reflect on this day. Four hours ago I was still at home, picking an outfit and getting ready for school. Now I am sitting in the darn principal’s office and I am being treated like it was somehow my fault that I was attacked.

I texted my mom and dad to come to pick me up. I told them that there was an incident at school but that I am okay. They seemed alarmed and told me that they will get to school as fast as they could. Meanwhile, the principal came back followed by the vice-principal and my guidance counselor. All three of them had dark looks on their faces and seemed like they were ready to go to war. This looked really promising. Ugh!

“Riley, we talked to Mitch. The young boy who interacted with you at the lockers. He said that you assaulted him viciously while he tried to help you by carrying your books. Do you have any comments on that?” my guidance counselor, Ms. Young asked me.

“What? That is crazy. He threatened me. He blocked me from leaving and said that he wanted to see what is in my little panties. This was the only way to defend me. I was glad I was able to think and act quickly.” I said in a determined manner starting to feel exhausted though.

“Okay, Riley. I find that hard to believe. You come back to school as Riley. Before Thanksgiving break you were still Randy. The first day you are back there is trouble. I tried to be as accommodating as possible and you already are a troublemaker. Mitch is one of our best players on the Junior High football team and you injured him with your nasty attack. Why did you have to kick him in the face after he went down?” Mr. Selinsky asked me.

“Easy. I had to do that before he recovers and does god knows what to me. I needed to be sure.” I said starting to feel dizzy. The whole incident was getting to me. Where were my parents?

“Interesting version of what happened today.” the vice principal said in a matter of fact kind of way.

Three adults attacking and shouting at me, believing this smug little jerk. I wanted to go home. I wanted Mary or my mom to hold me. I needed to be protected. This was too much.

“I will not say anything else without my parents. They will be here soon.” I said feeling weak.

All three of them looked at me and then at one another. Mr.Selinsky nodded and they left without another word.

Shortly after my mom and dad opened the door and I ran into their arms and collapsed. My dad carried me to the car and gently kissed me on the forehead. My mom sat with me in the back and held me and whispered soothing things in my ear. When we arrived home my parents tucked me into bed and a few seconds later I drifted off into a deep sleep.

My alarm clock said 5:13 PM when I woke up. I was still wearing my tights and panties. My skirt was sitting on a chair carefully folded. All of the day's events popped into my head again. What a bizarre day. I did not know what to do or how to feel. I looked for my phone and found it sitting on my desk, charging. I checked my text messages and saw that I had thirteen messages from Sammy. She was extremely worried and upset.I texted her back that I was okay and that I needed to talk to my parents first but I would call her later.

I changed into a pair of pink pajamas and made my way downstairs. I found my parents sitting in the living room. They both got up right away when they saw me. We all hugged and this opened the floodgates. I started crying really hard. I could not calm down for a while. My mom held me and once all of the tears I had left my body, I felt better.

All three of us were sitting in the living room, protecting each other and simply being there for each other. I was shaken up by the incident but I knew I was going to be okay because my family was with me. After a long time of hugging, we started to talk about what happened at school.

I told my parents the honest truth about what happened. Of course, they believed me.

“Honey, I am so proud of you for defending yourself.” my mom said while squeezing my hand gently.

“Me too, sweetheart. Unfortunately, I have to tell you that the principal suspended you for three days from school.” my dad said looking very upset.

“I don’t believe it,” I said my jaw-dropping.

“This is totally unfair. I am the victim here.” I stated still in disbelief.

“I don’t want to tell you that you should get used to it but women are often not believed.” my mom said sadly.

“I’m slowly beginning to understand that. It just hurts so badly. All I want is to be my authentic self. I did not provoke this boy. He all of the sudden was there and started harassing me. However, I was able to think on my feet if you know what I mean,” I said smiling.

Mom and dad laughed at my clever joke. It brightened the mood a bit. Mom suggested that I should call Mary and Sammy and tell them both what happened. I decided that this was a good idea. I went back to my room and called Sammy first.

“Hey, girl. How are you feeling?” Sammy wanted to know.

“I’m okay. You will not believe what happened in the principal's office. I was not believed and I was yelled at by two administrators plus guidance counselor. My parents told me that the principal suspended me for three days .” I told her.

“Unbelievable. That is totally unfair. However, I am not completely surprised. Girls are often not believed.” Sammy said sounding sad.

“I know. I’m beginning to understand that more and more. My mom said the same thing earlier today. Anyways, can you bring me the math homework every day?” I asked my girlfriend.

“Sure. If you behave I will even smooch you a bit.” Sammy suggested in a flirty manner.

“That sounds good. Why do you want me to behave? Don’t you like bad girls?” I asked her starting to feel flirty as well.

“OMG! You are so bad. What happened to the shy boy named Randy who turned bright red like a tomato when I caught him looking at pantyhose?” Sammy reminded me.

“Ran….dy? Never heard of him.” I told my beautiful girlfriend.

“You are a sassy girl that kicks butt and does not take crap from anyone. I love you.” Sammy declared.

“I love you too.” I replied feeling butterflies in my stomach.

“I will stop by tomorrow to bring you the homework,” Sammy said.

“Okay. I will call my big sister soon. I need to tell her what happened.” I told Sammy.

We ended our conversation. I threw myself on my bed and felt warm and fuzzy inside. I was still upset about the incident at school but nevertheless felt confident that I could master this challenge emotionally and physically. I texted Mary and we agreed to talk soon.

“Hey, sis. I love you!” I told Mary and started crying.

“Babe. Are you okay? I love you too.” Mary said sounding teary.

“Yes. I just started feeling a bit emotional. I had a crazy day. I know that mom and dad told you a little bit.” I told her wondering how Mary will respond once I gave her all the details.

“Yes, they did. Can’t wait to hear it. What happened at school?” Mary wanted to know.

I told her everything. Mary was aghast. Sometimes she expressed concern, sounded sad or perplexed.

“You really kicked him in the nuts?” she inquired.

“Yep.” I stated in a matter of fact kind of way.

“Babe. I would not want to mess with you. That was brilliant.” Mary declared sounding proud.

“I was so mad that he thought he could harass me and get away with it. I just had to defend myself.” I told her.

“You did the right thing. I still can’t believe though that the darn school suspended you for three days. Of course, they believe the football star.” Mary said sounding upset.

“I know. I’m liking this private school idea more and more. Sammy will bring me my homework while I am not in school. I am worried about how it will be when I return.” I told Mary.

“I understand. I would feel the same way. I’m sure you’ll be okay. You showed that you will stand up for yourself.” Mary assured me.

“You are right, sis. I’m so lucky I have you. Love you.” I told her feeling proud to have the best sister in the world.

“Awww, thank you baby sis. I love you too. We should talk again soon.’ Mary let me know.

I agreed and after that, we finished our talk. I made myself comfortable and read a science fiction book. After a while of reading, my mom and dad asked me to come downstairs. They wanted to discuss something with me. Once I made myself comfortable in the living room, my mom started speaking.

“Hey sweetie, your dad and I both discussed this for a while and we had the idea that you could be homeschooled by me until you would get to go to one of the private schools we discussed. Only if you want...” mom suggested

I smiled.

“I like that idea. This sounds lovely.” I said seeing my mom smile at me.

“I would have to file the paperwork with the state asap. I would send in lesson plans, tests, and notes.” my mom told me.

I walked over to my mom and gave her a hug. The more I thought about it the more I liked the idea.

“It’s decided then. I will contact the state tomorrow then and I will also inform your school.” mom said enthusiastically.

“That’s great. I will go and tell Mary and Sammy right away.” I almost yelled out.

“I am glad that you like the idea. I think that is probably the best choice. I will call both private schools and I will set something up for a visit. I think we can explain to the private school what happened regarding your suspension once we get to the admission process.” my dad pointed out.

“That’s great, dad. Thank you so much.” I told him while giving him a hug.

“Riley, you should go to bed early tonight. You need some extra rest. I talked to Sammy’s mom and she said that she will drop her off with the homework tomorrow afternoon. I was also thinking that maybe this weekend the two of us could do some Christmas shopping and we could do some shopping for a possible trip to Boston. What do you think?” mom asked me smiling.

“That sounds fantastic. I’m looking forward to it.” I told my mom while hugging her.

After discussing shopping plans some more with my mom and playing a game of chess with my dad, which I won, of course, thanks to my mentor Mary, I decided to go upstairs and ponder the upcoming days. A lot of exciting things were waiting for me.

After a while of pondering the idea of being home schooled by my mom and thinking about going up to Boston right before Christmas, I felt excited. I was still upset about the incident at school but I was also proud of myself. I felt proud because I didn’t let a bully treat me like garbage. I didn’t let him treat me like a second class person. I have the same right to be myself as much as anybody else. Being threatened because of that is simply unacceptable. I tried to forget this incident for the moment and focus on more positive things.

I liked the idea of starting new at a private school more and more. What adventures would wait for me? And what would happen to Sammy and me? Would I lose my first girlfriend or would we be able to keep our relationship? All of these questions were running through my head before I drifted off to sleep.

When I woke up the next morning my alarm clock read 8:21 AM. I felt exhausted after yesterday and it looks like I needed this extra sleep. I decided to go downstairs to see what mom was up to and maybe I was able to find some breakfast. I walked into the kitchen and saw mom preparing something that resembled breakfast.

“Hey mom! Good morning!” I said to her yawning and feeling a little sleepy.

“Hey sleepyhead. Did you get some good rest last night?” mom wanted to know.

“I sure did. Looks like you are making breakfast…” I inquired, smiling.

“Yes, sweetie. I am almost done. Let’s sit down and eat and talk a bit.” mom suggested while giving me a hug.

I nodded and pulled up a chair. I looked at my mom while she served us breakfast and I had to think about how much I loved her and how much I appreciated her support. Of course, there was the incident when Mary and I stormed out because my mom was shocked when she found out that I am a girl. I give her a lot of credit for adjusting quickly and for deciding to help me in every possible way.

“So honey, since I still have to figure out what the state requirements are for homeschooling, I was thinking we could take the day off and have some fun. What do you think?” mom asked me, seeming excited.

“Sure. That sounds great. What do you have in mind?” I asked not sure what to expect.
“I thought we could go shopping a little bit and then have lunch at the mall. After that we are going to a place. I can’t tell you what it is because it is a surprise.” mom said sounding a bit mysterious.

“A surprise? Alright. That sounds exciting. I am in.” I told her.

“Yes! A mother-daughter date. Wonderful. Now let’s finish our breakfast and then we should get dressed. I was thinking we could also maybe go to that book store in town and browse for some books.” mom suggested.

“Yes. Great idea. I will be back in about half an hour. Maybe forty five minutes. A pretty girl needs a fair amount of time to get ready in the morning.” I said, sounding a bit more dramatic than I intended.

Mom laughed at this and nodded. I finished up breakfast and went back to my room. I opened my closet and tried to decide which outfit I should wear. With all the clothes I got from Mary, Alyssa and Sammy I did have some options. However, I need to develop my own style as well and for that I am going to need some more clothes. I chose a red and brownish skirt, black tights and a cute reddish sweater. Before I got dressed I went to the bathroom and completed my morning routine.

Once I was dressed I went downstairs and saw that mom was ready to go. We smiled at each other and soon we were in the car on our way to the mall.

“This is fun. Not being in school right now feels a little naughty.” I confessed to my mom.

“I can see that. Don’t get used to it though. This is an exception. We are going to do this the proper way, young lady.” mom said sounding mostly serious with a slight grin on her face.

I tried to be serious and nodded, almost saluting her like a soldier in the army while trying to suppress yelling out a “Yes, ma'am.”.

While mom focused on driving, I contemplated many things. I especially thought about how I changed as a person when I started becoming Riley and how the relationships with my family members changed. I also considered how I mastered the threat by the bully in the hallway. I don’t think Randy would have been able to manage that. I made a mental note to bring these thoughts up when I will talk to Mary again. I also should share these thoughts with my mom.

While we were driving to the mall, I took in the scenery. It was a cold, gloomy and rainy day but I didn’t let this ruin my good mood. I was excited that my mom and I will spend some quality time together going shopping and having lunch and of course we will spend a lot more time together when she will homeschool me.

Soon we approached the mall and my mom found a place to park quickly as the mall was rather deserted on a weekday morning. We entered smiling at each other. I was ready to shop.

At first mom took me to a clothing store for young girls and women. I was amazed by all the outfits and the rather large selection. I tried on different combinations and decided to go for a black dress, a skirt and several tops I could wear with all kinds of outfits. Mom definitely approved of my taste. It felt fantastic to be able to buy women’s clothes openly. I could just be myself and I did not have to do it in secret.

We went to several more clothing stores and I purchased a few more items. Most of those items were accessories like a pretty silk scarf or some sunglasses.

Mom and I decided to go for lunch so we could take a break.

“Riley, I like all the stuff you bought. You have an eye for good fashion.`` Mom complimented me.

“Thanks, mom. That’s because I have the best teacher.” I said while smiling at her.

“Awww, now you got me blushing. Anyways, I thought that after the mall we could go to the bookstore you like.” mom suggested.

“That is a great idea.” I said excitedly. Books were something I liked even more than pretty clothes.

We finished our lunch and on the way home we stopped at the little corner bookstore. I decided to look for science fiction books and just browse. I found a few books and made myself comfortable in one of the cozy armchairs. Soon I got sucked into reading and left this world.

All of a sudden, I was taken back into this world by a distant voice.

“Is this seat free?” a stunning blonde girl asked me while holding a bunch of books and smiling at me.

“Well, yes. I think so.” I said feeling unsure of myself.

“Thanks. Sorry I interrupted your deep reading session. Must be something worthwhile.” the pretty girl remarked.

“This? Oh, it is just some science fiction. Nothing special really.” I said trying not to stutter while this amazing girl smiled at me. I noticed how fashionable she was. She also had a bit of an accent which I was curious about.

“I never read science fiction but maybe I will give it a try. By the way, my name is Angela.” she said reaching out her hand and smiling at me.

“It’s nice to meet you, Angela. I am Riley.” I said feeling a little light headed.

I took her hand and it felt warm and soft. Where did she come from? Why did I never run into her before? Was she a student at my school? Was she just travelling and happened to stop in our little town. While I love living here, our town is not really a tourist attraction.

“So, do you live here, if you don’t mind me asking?” I asked her wanting to know everything about her.

“No, the first half of my life I grew up in Boston but when my parents got separated I moved in with my dad to live in Florence, Italy. I’m here because my mom just moved out here and I am in the States to visit her. I will go back to Florence after Christmas.” she told me while getting comfortable in the chair next me.

This is amazing. A beautiful Italian American girl stumbled into the bookstore of our little town and strikes up a conversation with a dork like me. I wasn’t sure what to say. I decided to not overthink it and just go with it.

“That is amazing. What kind of books do you like to read?” I asked her.

“I love all kinds of books. While I read a lot of different novels I have been getting more into non fiction books lately. Oh, and I love the Harry Potter series. I read it in English and in Italian.” she said

“What about you, Riley? What do you like?” she wanted to know.

I almost laughed and wanted to say I like you but I restrained myself.

“I love Harry Potter as well.Hermione Granger is my favorite.” I said while giggling a bit.

“Me too. That is great. What do you do for fun, Riley? I will be here for a little while and I don’t know anybody yet. I just arrived two days ago and my mom wanted to introduce me to a few people but there is no one who is my age. I’m excited I met you.” Angela told me while seeming to giggle also.

“I like to hang out with my friends and my big sister Mary. She is away in Oregon for College but will be home for Christmas soon. We are actually planning a trip to Boston to look for a private school for me. I can’t go longer to my regular school. It’s a long story.” I told her.

“I hope this is not too personal, but is it hard to be far away from your mom all the time?” I inquired.

“Yes, fortunately my parents are getting along very well and there wasn’t a lot of fighting when they got seperated. I just decided I wanted to live with my dad. My mom visits often though.” Angela told me.

“I hope I am not boring you with my life story.” Angela said.

“Oh no. Absolutely not. Listen, my mom and I will probably leave soon. I would like to meet again if you want. We could go to Claire’s Cafe and chat a bit more.” I bravely asked her.

“Are you inviting me on a date?” she asked, smiling at me.

“Maybe.” I told her feeling confident and a bit feisty.

“That sounds good. Let me give you my phone number. I will ask my mom but I am sure it will be okay. We can then text or talk about our date.” she suggested.

“Great.” I said feeling excited.

We exchanged phone numbers and we parted. Soon my mom and I were in the car on our way home.

“What are you smiling and giggling about?” mom wanted to know.

“Oh nothing.” I said giggling.

Mom looked at me in a skeptical way.

“Spill your beans, girl!” mom almost demanded.

“Fine. When I was reading my book in the store, this beautiful Italian girl sat herself next to me and we just started talking.” I told my mom giggling.

“Interesting. How do you know she was Italian?” mom inquired.

“Well, she told me. She is visiting her mom who is from Boston. Her mom just moved out here. Angela lives with her dad in Florence but sometimes she visits her mom in the States.” I told her excitedly.

“It looks like you two talked about a lot of things.” mom said sounding a bit suspicious.

“What is that supposed to mean?” I wanted to know, feeling my mood changing from happy and excited to annoyed and even a bit angry.

“Well, you told this girl you barely know all kinds of stuff about you. You have to be careful these days.” mom said a bit forceful.

“I don’t understand. She was nice and friendly and was not trying to hurt me. Calm down!” I told my mom.

“Excuse me? You shouldn’t talk to me this way. I am your mom and I have to protect you. There are a lot of bad people out there. Especially bad people who want to hurt trans gender people.” mom said, seeming to get upset.

“Angela does not intend anything like that. I’m sure she is okay.” I said, feeling determined to prove my mom wrong.

“How do you know that?” my mom pressed on.

“I just know.” I said feeling like pouting.

“Riley, you do not have the life experience yet to always make the correct assumption. Please be careful with that kind of stuff. Remember the threat we received? That was bone chilling.”my mom reminded me.

“Oh yeah? I did not forget that. It was a threat against me. I am the one who passed out and hit her head.” I reminded my mom.

“I think it is best we drop the matter for now.” my mom suggested.

I could see tears running down her face. I felt close to crying myself. I nodded. When we arrived at home we silently put our purchases away. We then looked at each other for a moment. Both hurt and upset but softening up a bit.

I walked over to her and hugged her tightly. We both cried.

After my mom and I were able to calm down we sat down in the kitchen and talked about what just happened. My family discusses these kinds of things and does not let them fester and create more pain or problems.

“Mom, I am sorry for my reaction. I didn’t want to hurt your feelings.” I assured her.

“Honey, that is okay. I think I overreacted too. I just wanted to protect my baby girl.” she told me, looking a bit upset still while holding my hand for a minute.

“I understand. I promise I will be more careful.” I told her while squeezing her hand.

“Oh mom, I almost forgot. What was the surprise you talked about?”

“Oh, I am so sorry sweetie. I totally forgot. I wanted to take you to a nail place to get your nails done, if you’d like that.” mom told me.

“That is great. I would love that. Or we could maybe just do it on our own and you could show me how to do it.” I suggested.

Mom smiled and nodded.

We both hugged again and I went back up to my room. I threw myself on my bed and started thinking about the encounter with the Italian beauty. Then I remembered that she gave me her phone number. I felt excited instantly and thought about calling or texting her. Then I remembered Sammy and felt guilty. I don’t want to hurt my girlfriends’ feelings. This was a difficult situation. I had to smile though because not too long ago when I was Randy, girls never talked to me and if they did, I was never able to say anything that resembled an intelligent sentence.

Maybe I could just innocently text her? I have to admit that I loved that Angela didn’t know I was trans. She saw me as a real girl and treated me accordingly. The thought that I would have to tell her eventually also occurred to me.

I sent a text to Angela, telling her that it was nice to meet her. I also offered to maybe meet again sometime soon so I could show her my town. Angela sounded excited through her texts. Another thing I shared with her was that my girlfriend Samantha might want to join us and if that would be okay. Angela agreed and we decided to text or call another time.

I felt relieved that I told her about my girlfriend and decided to take a little nap. After speaking to mom briefly about the upcoming trip to Boston I passed out on my bed.

The next few days were event less. Mom and I had a good time teaching and learning together. Five days before Christmas, Mary was supposed to come home. Dad and I were going to pick her up at the airport.

We embraced in a big hug and gave each other sweet little kisses when we reunited at baggage claim.

“I missed you, big sis.” I told her while we were holding each other tightly.

“I missed you too, baby sis.” Mary whispered in my ear.

I could feel all the beautiful love between her and me. The world was right again.

Dad drove us home and Mary and I were sitting in the back holding hands.
I could see dad looking in the rear view mirror and smiling at us every once in a while.

“What did my two lovley girls plan for this vacation time?” dad asked us.

“Riley and I want to do a million things. I also want to catch up with Alyssa who will be home as well.” Mary said.

“Yes. And I want to spend time with Sammy and I want to introduce Angela to Sammy.” I told them.

“Who is Angela?” Mary and dad said at the same time.

We all burst out laughing.

“Well, she is this Italian girl I made friends with while mom and I were in the book store.” I said trying to sound casual.

My dad looked at me in disbelief while I saw Mary’s jaw drop.

“Babe, you are unbelievable. You are making new friends so fast, it makes my head spin. Randy would never have been able to do that.” Mary told me with a big smile on her face.

“True. Angela was very sweet and fashionable. She is also kind of cute.” I said boldly.

“Wow, babe. Slow down. Remember, you have a girlfriend.” Mary reminded me.

“I know, I know. What’s wrong with a little eye candy?” I asked her trying to sound innocent.

“Babe, stop it!” Mary said bursting out laughing.

“Time to get home so you two giddy girls can calm down a bit.” dad said, trying to sound serious.

However, he could not hide that smile on his face. I put my head on Mary’s shoulder and we snuggled a bit in the car. Soon we were in our driveway.

After big hugs with mom, my big sister settled in quickly. Mary took a rest in her room for a while and I decided to read in my room. After about two hours I heard a knock on my door.

“Come in.” I said softly.

“Hey babe!” Mary said while giving me a big smile, a hug and a kiss.

She sat herself on the bed next to me and we snuggled. I loved feeling this close to my big sis. Our love for each other was so strong. I felt at ease and just happy.

A little while later, she started talking.

“So, my babe is into Italian girls?” Mary asked.

It sounded more like a statement and not so much like a question.

“Well, Angela is very sweet. Don’t worry though. I love Sammy. I will tell her about meeting Angela soon. I already told Angela that I have a girlfriend.” I assured Mary.

“That’s good. Anyways, we need to talk about our upcoming trip to Boston.” Mary said, sounding excited.

“Yes. I cannot wait. Looking forward to going shopping with you and mom and some sister time. Can we have some more fashion shows?” I asked her.

“Of course. I have been talking to Alyssa and she might be able to join us for one of the days of our trip.” Mary told me.

“Yay. Alyssa is a lot of fun. Are you two going to smooch again?” I asked her, feeling comfortable asking my big sister an intimate question.

“Well, it is possible.” Mary said with a grin on her face.

“Mary, can I ask you another question about smooching and sex?” I asked her, trying to be bold.

“Sure.” Mary replied with a curious look on her face.

“How does it feel to have sex? I can assume that you have done it with boys and girls, if you don’t mind me asking?” I wanted to know, feeling bolder.

“You can ask me anything, babe. Yes, I have done it with boys and girls and it is incredible. Each in its own way. Girls are more sensual. I think I like doing it with girls better but it is a lot of fun with boys too because usually they take command and you can be submissive. Have you thought about having sex?” Mary wanted to know.

“Yes, sort of. I don’t feel ready yet though. Sammy and I smooched. Nothing else happened. I think I am still a bit young but I am interested.” I told her.

“If you get to that point you will know it. If you are still unsure you can always come to me.” Mary said, seeming a bit thoughtful.

“I am so lucky to have the best big sister in the world.” I stated, while giving Mary a hug.

“Aw, thanks sis. You are the best. Let’s make some more detailed plans about our trip. Mom and dad said we will leave in two days so that we can go see those private schools.” Mary said, sounding excited.

“Good idea. I will also text Sammy. I want to spend some more time with her before we leave.” I said, while thinking about some snuggle time with my girlfriend.

“I will go back to my room and think about what I want to pack. Maybe we can watch some Gilmore Girls later?” Mary asked me.

“That sounds delightful.” I replied.

The next day I talked to Sammy. I asked mom if she can come over to our house. Mom agreed. I decided to wear a cute skirt and some black tights.

Soon there was a knock on my door and Sammy came in with a smile.
We hugged and kissed. She looked beautiful, also wearing a skirt and black tights.

“Looks like we had the same idea regarding our outfits.” Sammy said casually.

“Yeah, looks like it, darling” I said while giving her another kiss.

We settled on my bed and after a slow and nice make out session we started talking.

“I wanted to ask you about your trip to Boston. When are you leaving?” Sammy asked me.

“In two days. I’m very excited about visiting those private schools and more importantly going shopping with my sister.” I told her, smiling.

“I wish I could join you. I have a lot of family stuff going on myself. I also don’t want to just invite myself. However, I hope that when you come back that you and I could hang out with your sister and her friend Alyssa again. I had so much fun last time.” Sammy said, seeming excited.

“It was a lot of fun. I love doing those fashion shows together. I also loved being intimate with you.” I confessed.

“Me too. Being so intimate with you feels fantastic. I also didn’t hate watching your sister and Alyssa making out. Do you think they smooch a lot?” Sammy wanted to know.

“I am not sure about a lot but Mary also enjoys being with girls. Her and I just talked about this.” I told her.

“I am not surprised. You and Mary are so close. It is adorable and to be honest a bit disgusting.” Sammy told me with a big grin on her face.

“What is that supposed to mean?” I said pretending to be angry.

“You two are just super cute little love birds right from a Disney movie.” Sammy stated while laughing.

“That’s it!” I said while tackling her and starting a tickle attack.

We both were on top of one another and tickling each other with full force. We eventually had to stop because it was too much.

I looked Sammy deep in the eyes and gave her a passionate kiss. I loved feeling our nylon encased legs rubbing and touching. We kissed a bit more and soon my mom called us down for dinner.

My entire family and Sammy enjoyed a nice meal together while us three girls giggled and smiled at each other. Soon it was time to go on more adventures and I was ready for it.

We chatted away until the evening suddenly took a different turn when dad asked me a question.

“How is your Italian girlfriend?” dad asked me jokingly.

Mary, my mom and I stopped eating right away. The room fell silent. I looked over to Sammy who seemed to have frozen in time.

With an icy voice she asked me the question that I knew was coming.

“What Italian girlfriend?”

The next ten seconds felt like ten years. My mind was racing and I cursed myself for not bringing up Angela earlier. How can I explain to my girlfriend what happened?

I felt close to tears for a second but then pulled myself together quickly.

“Sammy, my dad was just joking. I wanted to tell you about this nice Italian girl I met at the bookstore. I made the mistake of waiting too long. I am sorry. Please don’t be mad.” I told Sammy.

Sammy seemed a bit unsure about how to respond but then she softened up a little and smiled.

“It’s okay. I trust you. I felt jealous and a bit upset when your dad said it but it’s okay. Thanks for explaining.” Sammy said.

“I am sorry I didn’t ask you first before making that joke, Riley.” dad said, looking a bit upset.

“That’s okay, dad. I should have told Sammy right away. Let’s forget about it.” I assured him.

“And? Is she cute?” Sammy wanted to know.

“According to Riley, she is. She also seems very fashionable.” Mary told her before I could say anything.

“I did tell Angela that I have a girlfriend and that maybe we can all hang out before she is going back to Italy.” I let Sammy know.

“Sure. I want to meet this mysterious Angela.” Sammy said with a big smile on her face.

We finished dinner and soon Sammy had to go back home. We kissed and said good-bye. Throughout the next two days, Mary and I spend a lot of time together getting ourselves ready for the trip. Mom, dad, Mary and I were soon getting into our fully packed car on our way to Boston.

The car ride was a lot of fun. We talked, laughed, cracked jokes and just had awesome family time. I know there are families out there who fight and argue a lot. Even though my family had conflicts we always figured out how to resolve them. I felt bad for the families who were not able to do that.

In the late afternoon, we arrived in Boston at our hotel. Mom and dad were sharing a room and so were Mary and me. We excitedly opened the door to our room and started making ourselves comfortable. The room was very big and had a great view of the city. In a short while we were planning on going out to eat and we wanted to discuss further plans.

“Mary, what should I wear for dinner tonight. I desperately need some nicer clothes for going out to eat.” I asked my big sis.

“It’s okay. I will help you put an outfit together. I brought some of my old clothes for you to try. I thought you might like that.” Mary told me while smiling.

I gave my big sis a hug.

“You are the best. What kind of clothes do you have for me?” I wanted to know.

“I have a few dresses, skirts and tops for you to try. For tonight I was thinking you could wear a black dress with polka dots and black sheer pantyhose.” Mary suggested.

“Sounds great.” I assured her.

I tried it on and it looked great. I felt excited and giddy. Mary made me spin around.

“Looking good, darling.” Mary said, seeming happy.

We were both standing in front of the mirror.

“I agree. It looks fantastic and I love how it feels.” I told my personal hero.

“Great. Let’s meet mom and dad in the lobby. Don’t forget your coat, scarf and gloves.” Mary reminded me.

We met up with our parents and went to an upper class Italian restaurant. I felt happy to be with my family. Once we were seated and put our orders in, we started talking about our plans for tomorrow.

“You two girls look fantastic.” Dad complimented us.

“Thanks” Mary and I said at the same time. We laughed.

“What are we going to do tomorrow?” I asked my parents.

“First of all, we will have breakfast at the hotel and then we will go to visit the first private school. It’s a bit outside of the city. So it will be about a half our drive. I spoke to the principal and they are excited to meet you. Then we will have lunch and go back to the hotel. You ladies probably want to go shopping, correct?” dad asked us as if that was unclear.

“Funny, dad.” Mary said.

“Just kidding. You three go have fun and then the day after tomorrow we will go to the second private school and then go home. Riley, we can all have a discussion about your thoughts but you are the one who makes the ultimate decision. Both schools cost about the same.” Dad assured me.

“Dad is right. I want you to choose the school you think you will be comfortable learning and just being.” Mom wanted me to know.

“Sounds good. I am sure I will make the right decision for myself.” I told my family.

With that we all had a delicious meal and we enjoyed our evening. When we were back at the hotel, Mary and I entered our room and we got ourselves comfortable on one of the beds.I snuggled up to my big sister and we started talking.

“I enjoyed dinner. That was some first class food.” I said.

Mary nodded and then gave me a thoughtful look.

“Riley, I am so happy you are my baby sis. I love you so much.” Mary said getting a little teary.

“Are you okay?” asking her while giving her a hug.

“Yes, I am fine. I just feel so proud of you. All the things that you have accomplished in this short period of time. You make new friends like it is the easiest thing in the world. You are funny, witty and awesome to be around with. And you have a great taste in girls.” Mary teased me.

I laughed.

“Aw, thanks sis. I have always been proud to have you as my big sister. I am so glad that we are close friends and that I can tell you anything.” I let Mary know.

“How do you feel about going to those private schools? Are you nervous?” Mary asked me.

“Actually, I don’t feel nervous at all. Just curious and excited.” I told her.

“That is cool. I remembered when I went on College visits. I was so nervous.” Mary said, sounding thoughtful.

“Wait a minute. You were nervous? I never thought that would be possible.” I shared with Mary.

“Of course, sweetie. A big sister can be nervous too. I mean, I understand that it might seem this way sometimes. That I never get nervous. Believe me, it does happen.” Mary told me.

When I thought about it more, it made perfect sense. I have seen my big sister as a role model my whole life. In my eyes, she has always been confident. Nothing could shake her. However, Mary was a human being with weaknesses and flaws. Just like me and everyone else.

“Yeah, I suppose you are right. We are all just humans. We are not perfect.” I said.

Mary and I talked, laughed and simply had a good time. We didn’t go to bed until past midnight. I loved wearing the pretty dress. I didn’t want to take it off. At 7 AM our alarm went off. We had to get ready for our first visit after a quick breakfast in the hotel.

Mom and dad were already downstairs, waiting for us. I decided to wear my nicest skirt and black tights. We enjoyed our breakfast and soon we were on the road. After half an hour of driving, we arrived at a private school called “Cherry Blossom Hill”. Like the name suggested, it was on a big hill and there were a lot of trees which I assumed were cherry blossoms.

The school reminded me of Hogwarts from Harry Potter. I was excited. After we parked our car and several minutes of walking, we arrived at the gates. A little bit later, we met with the principal, vice principal and guidance counselor. They were all very nice and helpful.

Our hosts gave us a quick lesson about the history of the school and they also had some snacks for us. The principal, Mr. McManaman addressed me directly.

“Riley, I would like to offer you to meet with one of our students. Her name is Katie and she will give you a private tour. Katie does this a lot. You will be able to drop in on some classes and see our whole facilities. If your big sister, Mary, wants to join, she can.” Mr McManaman suggested while looking at Mary.

Mary and I looked at each other and smiled. We nodded at the same time.

“Excellent. I will call down to the office and Katie will be here in about 5 minutes. When you are done with your tour, we will all meet here again. Your tour will probably be over after lunch. You three will have lunch in the cafeteria.” Mr. Mc told us.

Over three hours? How big was this school I asked myself. We were led out of the principal’s office and waited in another room. Five minutes later, Katie arrived. I gasped. She had blonde long hair, beautiful blue eyes and a drop dead smile. I also loved her cute school uniform. She walked right up to me.

“Hi, you must be Riley? I am Katie. It is nice to meet you.” Katie said while shaking my hand.

All I could do was smile. Mary pushed my back softly a bit.

“Oh...well…..it is ah...nice to meet you too..I guess…” was all I could stutter.

“I’m Mary. Riley’s big sister.” Mary let Katie know while shaking her hand.

Katie looked a bit confused.

“Okay, why don’t we go down and start the tour.” Katie suggested.

Katie talked fast and seemed to have a bubbly personality. I liked that.

We started at the entrance and entered a big hall. The hall had beautiful wooden floors, tables and benches. I saw a few students who appeared to be studying or talking. The hall also had glass stained windows that were beautiful.

We exited the hall and found ourselves in a big, friendly hallway.

“This hallway leads to all kinds of classrooms. Let me show you one of our nicest buildings. The library. Our library has a lot of books of course, haha, but also many cozy sofas and chairs where you can hang out with your friends and read or study. It also has a little cafe where you can get coffee, pastries and even sandwiches.” Katie explained.

“I bet the library is nice. Maybe we can study together sometime if I should attend this school.” I asked Katie.

“Yeah, that would be great. I will introduce you to my friends.” Katie said while smiling at me.

“Wonderful.” I replied while smiling back at her.

We exited another door at the end of the hallway and across a walking path was what appeared to be the library. It was a beautiful old building. The three of us stepped inside and I have to say that Katie didn’t promise too much. So many books I could read. So many new friends I could make. I noticed one thing though. I have not seen any boys yet.

“Katie, I haven’t seen any boys yet. Is that because they are kept in a secret place or is this an all girls school?” I wanted to know.

“Oh, this is an all girls school. Sorry, I thought you knew that.” Katie answered my question.

“That’s quite alright. I like that.” I assured her while smiling.

“Excellent. I am also going to show you two girls our gym, basketball and tennis court and our pool.” Katie let us know.

I was very impressed by all this. We went to the gym. It was huge and very modern. Katie, Mary and I hung out a bit and soon noticed a group of six girls who were playing a basketball pickup game. We decided to watch them a little bit and sat ourselves near them. The girls played hard and seemed to have a lot of fun. After five minutes or so they took a break. One of the girls, brunette and brown eyes made eye contact with me.

We both smiled at each other and then she came over and introduced herself to me.

“Hi, I am Trish. I have never seen you here before. Are you new?” she wanted to know.

“Hey Trish, I am Riley. Well, sort of. I am visiting your nice school. I might be going here soon. By the way, this is my big sister Mary. She is home from College right now and decided to join me on this visit.” I explained.

“Awesome. Listen, would you and Mary be interested in joining our game. We will finish this one in a minute and then play one more. I think that four on four would be more fun than three on three.” Trish asked me confidently.

“Oh, I don’t know. I don’t really do sports.” I said.

“Just a little game. Some of my friends here can give you shorts and a jersey. It’s easy. You know the rules of basketball, right?” Trish insisted.

“Yeah, Riley. Let’s play.” Mary suddenly spoke up.

“But mom and dad expect us back at the agreed time.” I pointed out.

“I will text them real quick.” Mary said with a big grin on her face.

Of course, my athletic sister knows how to play sports. I am too short and too clumsy. I did not want to embarrass myself.

Two other girls brought each of us a jersey and shorts and a minute later we found ourselves in the locker room. Katie did not seem upset that she couldn’t play.

“Off with the skirt and tights.” Mary commanded me.

I gave her a mean look.

“This is not funny. I will make a fool out of myself. Why can’t Katie play instead of me?” I asked her.

“Because they invited us. You don’t want to be rude. Besides, it will be a lot of fun. I am sure there will be a quick warming up period. I will show you what to do. You need to step out of your comfort zone once in a while.” Mary insisted.

“Fine. I will do it.” I agreed.

I changed into the basketball shorts and jersey. I kind of liked how it looked. Before we joined the others, Mary took me aside.

“Hey sis, how do you like this Katie girl?” Mary inquired.

“She is nice. She seems very friendly and smart.” I told her.

“Listen, Riley. I am not trying to be mean. I just want to let you know that I am worried about you falling in love with every new cute girl that you meet. Do I have the right impression?” Mary asked me, seeming serious.

“Well, okay. I just like her. I understand that I might seem a bit over enthusiastic sometimes. I just love meeting new people. Why are you so worried?” I asked my big sis.

“I don’t know. It’s just a feeling that I have. I am not trying to put the breaks on your excitement. I feel as your big sister, I had to make you aware of this.” Mary told me while giving me a hug.

“Thanks, sis. I appreciate it. I think you are right. I might get a little too excited sometimes.” I said, feeling thoughtful.

“It’s okay. Let’s go out and have some fun.” Mary said.

We stepped back into the gym and some things have changed while Mary and I were in the locker room. A new class period must have started and there were a bunch more students who got themselves comfortable and appeared to be waiting to watch our game. I also saw mom and dad there, who Mary has texted before we changed into our basketball clothes.

Trish came over to me and told me I was with her team and Mary with the other team. We were going to warm up for a few minutes and then play.

I felt insecure and anxious. What would all those people think if I did not do well?

Trish waved me over to her and the other girls who were warming up by taking shots. I saw Mary walking in the other direction and talking to my soon to be opponents on the basketball court.

“How are you doing, Riley? Are you ready to play?” Trish wanted to know.

“I am not sure. I will try my best.” I said more to myself. I made sure the sneakers that I received on loan were tied well.

Trish briefly introduced me to the other girls. They all seemed very nice and friendly.

Another girl jumped in to be the referee and soon our game was on the way. I remember watching a bit of NBA basketball with my dad but of course, I didn’t pay a lot of attention.

The two tallest girls set themselves up in the middle to get ready for the jump ball. Mary was that girl on the other team. It felt odd that I was going to play against my big sis.

Mary secured the ball and passed it to another girl. She threw another pass to a girl that was right in front of me. I tried to defend but without knowing what exactly happened, the girl blew past me and scored.

Wonderful. I messed up my first chance to at least show that I tried hard. Quickly the ball was passed to me by one of my teammates. I dribbled, walked forward and passed it to a girl on my team. That girl passed to another member of our team and she scored from beyond the arch. Three points!

I ran back but again wasn’t fast enough. A few quick passes and the ball ended in Mary’s hands who charged right to the middle and jumped all the way to dunk the ball. The people in the crowd cheered and applauded. I was impressed. My big sister never ceases to amaze me.

We played back and forth a few more times and I was glad and happy I didn’t make a fool out of myself like I thought I would. I even almost scored one time. Not bad for a clumsy non athletic girl.

When the game was over my teammates came up to high five and hug me. Finally, I got to hug my big sis.
“Mary, that was amazing how you dunked the ball.” I told her.

“Thank you, babe. You did well too for someone who isn’t athletic.” Mary assured me.

Mom and dad came up to hug us too.

“Good job, Riley.” Dad told me while giving me a big hug.

“Thanks, dad. It means a lot.” I told him.

Finally I talked to Katie.

“Good job, Riley. You did well.” Katie assured me.

“Thanks, Katie. I actually had fun even though I never play sports. I am more of a reader.” I told her.

“I know what you mean. I feel the same way. I can tell that you and your sister are close.” Katie pointed out.

“Yes, we sure are. She is my role model and my best friend.” I let Katie now.

“That is great. Why don’t you two change back and we shall finish our tour.” Katie encouraged us.

We changed back into our regular clothes. We didn’t shower even though we needed it but decided to save it for the hotel so we can be fresh for our afternoon shopping trip.After showing us a few more buildings and facilities, we had a delicious lunch in the cafeteria. I felt sad that the visit was almost over. I enjoyed being at this school.

Mary and I said goodbye to Katie and we were on our way back to the hotel.

“I loved watching you two play basketball against one another. This was something I have never seen before.” mom told us.

“I thought I was literally going to drop the ball or pass it accidentally to an opponent. I was glad I didn’t fail.” I told mom.

“I knew you wouldn’t fail. Trust your big sister.” Mary said while smiling at me.

“I do trust you. It’s just that sometimes I doubt myself.” I told my family.

“Everyone feels this way once in a while.” Dad added to the conversation.

Wasn’t that the truth. We chatted and laughed a bit more on our way back. Before we went on our shopping trip, Mary and I each took a shower and put on nice clothes. Mom and dad met with both of us in our room before they let us spend some serious cash.

“Riley, what do you think about Cherry Blossom Hill?” mom wanted to know.

“I loved it. I think it would be a good place for me to go to school and more importantly become the girl and later young woman I want to be.” I told my family.

“I feel the same way. I had an excellent impression of the school, students and people who run it. I believe that Riley could thrive there. We already experienced it with the basketball game and we were only at school for a few hours. Granted, Riley won’t be the next Michael Jordan within such a short time..That might take the whole school year.” Mary pointed out.

Everyone laughed.

“Maybe Karl Malone.” dad added to the conversation.

Everyone but me laughed again.

“Is he a basketball player too?” I asked my family.

Everyone was howling with laughter.

“Good one, Riley.” dad said.

“Oh yeah, you know me. Always up for a joke.” I told dad.

I made a mental note to google Karl Malone later.

Mom joined Mary and me for part of our Boston shopping extravaganza. The three of us decided to go to several department stores and also hit up more expensive individual stores downtown. Mary suggested trying on leggings which I haven't really considered yet.

I tried on a few pairs in combination with different kinds of tops and I liked them a lot. I ended up buying a few pairs. Mary approved of my good taste.

Dinner happened a little differently that evening. Mom and dad decided to go out by themselves and so it was just us sisters which was fine by me. Mary found a nice small restaurant near our hotel with the help of her phone.

We dressed up in pretty clothes and settled in.

“Mary, it is so much fun going out with you. I could do this every night. I especially like dressing up. ” I told my sister.

“I feel the same way. It’s always awesome to spend time with you.” Mary replied.

We ordered our dinners and talked about all kinds of things. We discussed fashion, our shopping trips and the private school. Suddenly Mary seemed serious.

“Babe, have you texted or talked to Sammy since we have left town?” Mary asked me.

“Oh no! I knew I forgot something.” I said, feeling ashamed.

“Babe, how come you forgot to talk to your girlfriend? I am a bit worried. She loves you a lot and I know you love her. You know I brought this up earlier. You do still love her, right?” Mary wanted to know, looking very concerned.

“I do. I do. It’s just that I was so excited to see the private school. I don’t know why I forgot. I feel bad.” I assured my big sister.

“It’s okay, Riley. I was thinking about this a lot today and sometimes it seems that you are in love with being a girl and with being in love in general. Does that sound right?” Mary inquired a bit more.

“Well, maybe. I am not sure, sis.” I said, feeling close to tears.

Mary noticed. She left her seat and came over to my side. She gave me a big hug.

“Listen, I didn’t want to make you upset. I wanted to make you aware of this. Whatever you do, it will be your decision. You have grown so much the last few months. I am so amazed by the person, the girl, you have become. I understand that this is all super exciting. If you go to this school, I know you will make new friends with light speed. This is just a suggestion, but maybe you should think about yourself and Sammy and if you will be able to continue your relationship if you decide to go to school here. Trust me, it will be hard. You two won’t see each other a lot which means your relationship cannot grow a lot while you are separated. Does that sound okay to you?” Mary asked me while looking at me with anticipation.

I stared at my big sister for a minute. I had to ponder this.

“Well, yes. It sounds plausible. I have not given these things much thought. I will think about it.” I said.

“Good. I feel as my big sister it is my job to watch out for you and also to tell you the truth. Even if the truth is uncomfortable.” Mary pointed out.

I nodded.

We finished our dinner with less talking. I was deep in thought considering Mary’s words. When we were almost ready to leave, Mary started talking again.

“You know what, babe? I can’t believe that you actually played basketball against me.” Mary said while smiling.

“I can’t believe that you dunked that ball.” I replied.

We both laughed. Back at the hotel we watched some silly TV, laughed, joked around and acted silly. We didn’t go to bed until 1 AM.

We checked out of our hotel at 8 in the morning and were on our way to the second private school. I liked that school too but not as much as Cherry Blossom Hill. After our visit we went home, happy and exhausted. Christmas was around the corner and I was excited to spend more time with my family and Sammy.

I texted Sammy after we left the hotel and when we were on our way home. We decided to meet the next day at Claire’s Cafe for a hot chocolate and a pastry.

Mary also had plans to hang out with Alyssa. I am sure the two of them had some smooching to catch up on. I was hoping for another fashion show with us four girls sometime soon.

When we arrived home, everyone settled in and took a break. We all agreed that I should ponder the private school for a few days before I make a decision. If I would decide in favor of a private school I would start right away after new years.

Now that I had some more time to think about it, I felt overwhelmed. The trip and meeting all these new people was so much fun. I didn’t have a lot of time to consider the big picture. Mary’s words left a lasting impression on me. What about Sammy if I should say yes to Boston and Cherry Blossom Hill?

When we finally returned home, I felt exhausted but happy. So many things were going on in my mind. What about Sammy and me if I decide to attend Cherry Blossom Hill? I wanted to make a decision soon but not immediately.

Mary and I lounged in the living room a bit and relaxed. I wanted to go to bed early so I could get enough sleep and have a nice date with Sammy the next day. After a short snuggle session with my big sis and a few texts with Sammy, we decided to meet at 10 in the morning at Claire's Cafe. Mary agreed to drop me off in town and pick me back up later. She and Alyssa wanted to meet at the mall to hang out.

Sammy and I hugged tightly when I saw her waiting for me in front of the Cafe.  We kissed for a moment and then found a table to sit and place our order.  She asked me a lot of questions about my trip to Boston and I excitedly told her everything. However, I could see a bit of sadness in her eyes when I studied her  face a bit more.

"So, it sounds like you might be good fit for Cherry Blossom Hill and vice versa. What are you going to do?" Sammy asked me while looking at me intently.

"Honestly, I am strongly leaning towards going there. Home schooling with my mom is great but I believe this school can offer me so much more." I told her.

"I understand. I know it would be too dangerous to go back to our school.  As we know, you would not get support from the principal." Sammy said sounding genuine.

"I think you are right. However, I would miss you a whole lot. We won't see each other that often." I told Sammy, feeling sad.

"I had those thoughts too. They scared me but I think we could try a long distance relationship. I am sure you'll be able to come home maybe on some weekends when there is a holiday on the following Monday or the Friday before. Does that sound good to you?" Sammy wanted to know.

"Yes, that sounds fantastic. By the way, I am sorry I didn't text or call when I was in Boston. I was so overwhelmed with all the new things I explored." I let Sammy know, feeling a little guilty.

"That's alright. I understand. On a side note, when are we going to have another fashion show and what are your plans for Christmas?" Sammy inquired.

"Oh, good questions. I was hoping we could do a fashion show with us, my sis and Alyssa. Regarding Christmas, I have not made any plans yet but I was hoping we could spend some major time together." I suggested.

Sammy lightened up.

"That sounds good to me." Sammy assured me, smiling. Gosh, her eyes were so beautiful.

"What should we do with the rest of our day?" I asked her.

Sammy's smile turned into a wicked little grin.

"What is Mary doing right now?" Sammy asked me.

"Well, she went to meet Alyssa at the mall. Why?" I wanted to know.

"If she is not busy we could get together for a fashion show and maybe we could get dinner and watch a movie?" Sammy suggested.

"Yeah, that sounds good to me. I will text Mary and ask my parents if they are okay with that." I said to Sammy.

Mary was totally up for it and Alyssa wanted to join us also. Tons of fun were not far away.

Mary picked me up after I texted her. She was also excited about another fashion show. Our parents didn't mind us girls having fun this evening. They suggested to order pizza and then they wanted to leave us girls alone and go out. Alyssa and Sammy both agreed to be at the house at 6 in the evening. Mary and I went up to her room when we came back home for an important sister conference. I thought I saw my dad rolling his eyes and my mom sounded like she sighed. Though they both seemed to smile.

"OMG! This is going to be so much fun! I can't wait." I told my big sis while jumping up and down.

"Oh yes, girl. It will be. I think we should make it a bit more special and exciting." Mary suggested.

"What do you have in mind?" I asked her.

"I think we should make it into a competition. Nothing too crazy. A friendly competition. The girl that has the winning outfit will get a price or something."

"So, you mean a competition with all of us. Who is going to be the judge?" I asked her.

"Well, I haven't gotten this far yet. There is still time to think about it." Mary assured me.

"Alrighty. If you say so." I told her.

"I have an idea too." I said with a wicked grin.

"What?" Mary inquired with a skeptical look on her face.

"We will have a fun fashion show, eat some pizza and have some girly talk time. After that we could all rest and have some alone time. You and Alyssa in your room and Sammy and me in my room. Mom and dad won't be home for a while, right?" I asked my big sister while trying to sound as innocent as possible. Of course, I was not able to fool her.

"Riley, I thought you said not too long ago that you weren't ready for sex yet?" Mary asked me seeming concerned.

"I know but I am curious too. I don't want to push Sammy into anything but you know sometimes things just develop and you never know..." I said trying to sound convincing.

"I don't know, babe. I understand how you feel but I think you are too young for this. Take my advice. Wait a bit longer until you are more mature. Also, mom and dad trust us. You don't want to ruthlessly take advantage of that, do you?" Mary quizzed me.

I looked at her intently and felt a bit ashamed. Seeing it from that perspective, I think I was able to understand.

I nodded slowly.

"You are right." I said quietly.

Mary gave me a big hug.

"Thanks!"

"That's what big sisters are for."

"Now let's focus on our fashion show. We should start setting up soon." Mary commanded me gently.

"Agreed. Do we need to go shopping for anything? I think mom just went not too long ago. We should have a lot of snacks and drinks." I told my sister.

"I think you are right. I think most importantly, we are going to need to set up which clothes we want to wear. Maybe we should take some pictures. We could also use one of your music apps to play appropriate music. I think we could have the runway start in your room and end in my room.  What do you think?" Mary wanted to know.

"That's brilliant. We just have to think who is going to judge our outfits. I will ask Sammy if she has an idea. Maybe you can ask Alyssa?"

"Good idea. Even if we don't come up with an idea it will  be a lot of fun. I asked Alyssa to bring a fair amount of clothes for the show. Did you ask Sammy to bring lots of cool clothes?"

"Yes, I did. We might be able to borrow certain items from one another. Oh, I am so excited. This will be super fun." I assured my big sis.

Mary and I prepared more for our big show. Soon the girls were here and everyone was sitting in the kitchen, eating pizza and having a good time. My parents were hanging out a bit with us but soon left to go on their date.  We finished dinner, cleaned up and headed upstairs.

Sammy and Alyssa had each a huge bag of clothes. I could not wait to try on so many different outfits. Before we started our show, we hang out in Mary's room and got ourselves comfortable.

"Mary and I talked about having someone judge our show, so we could have a winner. I don't want us to get too competitive because the fun is the most important part. However, it would be kind of nice to have someone be the winner." I pointed out.

"Well, I don't know who would be a good judge who is not biased." Sammy mentioned.

"I have an idea. Why don't we post it on Instagram and let the people decide which outfit do they like the best?" Alyssa suggested.

"That is not a bad idea. But what if someone recognizes Riley who then might discover her secret? I think we should be cautious." Mary warned us.

"True. Why don't we have mom and dad decide when they come back? We could take pictures  and simply keep them private. Trust me, they would not favor Mary or me only because we are their daughters." I told my favorite girls.

"I think that would be alright."  All the other girls said almost at the same time.

With that being sad, we started setting up. We decided that each girl should create four different outfits from their own clothes and borrow one part of the outfit from any of the other girls. We had a ton of fun. I wore different combinations of dresses, skirts, tops, leg wear, shoes, accessories and for every outfit I borrowed an item from every girl.

It was so much fun. We laughed, giggled, hugged, kissed and simply had a good time. I was glad that we took a lot of pictures to hold on to these beautiful memories.

My parents came home shortly after we were done. We let my parents settle in a little bit. I was eager to ask them about who they think was wearing the best outfit. My mom and dad enjoyed seeing how much fun we had. We waited excitedly for their answer. After a while they still didn't say anything.

"So, who do you think has the best outfit?" I quizzed them.

"Well, we think that Alyssa has the best outfit." My mom said while almost showing no emotion.

"Why?" Mary asked while looking at my mom intently.

"And Sammy" my dad added.

"And Mary" my mom said.

"And Riley" my dad completed the short list.

"That's not fair!" I pointed out.

My mom and dad both smiled at us.

"Come on, girls! The most important thing is that you had fun and enjoyed each others company." my dad wanted to make us understand.

"Ha! Very clever, dad." Mary said, pretending to pout.

The girls left soon and Mary and I went upstairs to clean up. I was still wearing a beautiful creme colored dress and nude pantyhose.

"You look cute in that outfit." Mary complimented me.

"Well thanks, darling." I told her while blowing her little kisses.

We settled on her bed and snuggled a bit.

"I love those fashion shows with you and your adorable girlfriend." Mary assured me.

"Thanks. Me too. I felt so great. I want to do that all the time." I told her.

"So, what else do you want to do this Christmas?" Mary asked me.

"Anything and everything. As you know, our town will have a German style Christmas market. I love all the food they have and the lights are gorgeous." I said while recalling past memories of said market.

"That sounds good. Maybe all four of us girls can go together. Maybe your new and stylish Italian girlfriend can meet us there. I would love to meet this mysterious Angela." Mary said more to herself than to me.

"By the way, have you given Boston and Cherry Blossom Hill some more thought?"

"Yes, I have. I think I want to go there if mom and dad are okay with it."

"Good decision. I am certain that you are going to have a great time there and learn a lot. Can I ask how your date with Sammy was this morning? We didn't get a chance to really talk about it."

"I think it went well. We decided to try a long distance relationship. We both think it is worth trying."

"I agree. You should not just give up. I hope it will work out for you two." 

We talked a bit more and soon went to bed. I had such warm and fuzzy feelings inside. What a wonderful day this was. I felt excited about this Christmas season and all the great things to come.

I woke up a little after 8 on December 20. Christmas was almost here. I was excited about today because my girlfriend Sammy, my big sister Mary, our friend Alyssa and I were planning on going to the German style Christmas market in town. The market had a cozy atmosphere and beautiful Christmas lights. 

We agreed to meet Angela there after her and I exchanged several texts. All my girls were super excited to finally meet the mysterious Italian dream girl. 

Sammy and I were walking along in the center of our beautiful little town. I loved holding hands with her which we did causally but often. I was a bit worried about people possibly staring or even verbally attacking Sammy and me but those thoughts disappeared quickly. The girls helped me pick a cute outfit which consisted of a light brownish skirt, brown tights, and a red sweater with white snowflakes on it. Sammy also styled my hair which turned out to be super cute. I looked like a real girl and felt confident about being myself. The incident at school taught me to stand up for myself. Besides, I am sure by now the entire school knows or at least heard rumors about the trans girl who kicked a football player in the nuts during lunch out in the hallway. If someone recognizes me, so what? I was here to enjoy myself and have a good time with my girlfriend, friends and family.

The market looked beautiful. I loved all the festive white lights and adorable decorations. I learned that Christmas markets were and still are a big thing in Germany. My town has a strong German heritage and therefore the Christmas market has been an exciting event for decades. One day I would love to travel to Europe and see France, Germany and Italy. By the way, where was my Italian dream?

"She didn't say where exactly we were going to meet. She just said at the Christmas market. I figured that would be enough since the market is not that big." I told Sammy who was right next to me, holding my hand.

"Well, it is rather crowded though." Mary pointed out. She and Alyssa were also holding hands and walking right in front of us.

"That is true. I'm sure we will find her soon." I tried to convince my girls.

"I hope so. Maybe this Italian dream girl really was just a dream." Alyssa commented while smiling at me.

"Very funny. If we don't find her soon, I will text her again." I assured my peeps.

Slowly, we made our way through the market. While I was trying to find Angela, I also wanted to take in all the market had to offer. The wonderful lights, the smells, the decorations and the little stands that sold candles, ornaments and all kinds of things. My parents would join us later and have dinner with us.

"Hey Riley. Over here." I could hear someone yell.

All four of us turned our heads and tried to find where the voice was coming from. There were still a lot of people in front of us, so it was hard to  see. A little while later, the crowds cleared a bit and there she was walking right up to me, giving me a big hug and a little kiss on each cheek.

"Hi Angela! I'm glad you could make it." I told her while slowly letting go of her hug. While she hugged me, I could see my sister, girlfriend and friend smiling. They also displayed looks of astonishment and surprise.

Since there were so many people on this market and our little welcome party was interrupting the flow, I signaled to everyone to find a quiet corner where we could be a bit by ourselves so that I could properly introduce Angela to my posse.

"Everyone, this is Angela from Florence, Italy. Angela, this is my girlfriend Sammy, my big sister Mary and our friend Alyssa." I introduced her. Angela gave everyone a hug and two kisses on their respective cheeks. Judging the reaction of my girls, they weren't hating it.

"It is so nice to meet all of you. Should we try to find a place to eat and talk?" Angela suggested. All four of us nodded and smiled.

After a short while, we found a food stand that had a few seats open. We picked up our food (Bratwursts) and settled down. I was so excited that I could introduce Angela to everyone. Of course, she was dressed in a very stylish manner. She wore a beautiful, beige colored skirt, brown tights and a very expensive looking coat. Her purse was also super chic.

"Seriously, we thought you were just a myth because how often do pretty and classy Italian girls hang out in our little town. On the other hand, my baby sister is not a liar so I thought maybe Riley was day dreaming or something like that." Mary said while giggling a bit.

"You think I am pretty and classy? Thank you, sweet heart." Angela said while putting her hand softly on Mary's arm.

"Riley told me that you are visiting your mom here. How long are you staying?" Sammy inquired.

"Until January 5. My mom just moved out here because it was getting too expensive in Boston. Fortunately, her company let's her work from home. She only has to go to the office twice a week at the most. How long have you been girlfriends?" Angela asked, while looking at Sammy and me.

"Only for a few months. Sammy is in my math class but that is not how we got to know each other. It is kind of an unusual story." I told her.

Angela looked a bit confused.

"We will tell you some time in private." Sammy assured her.

"Wow, that sounds mysterious.  I can't wait to hear details." Angela said more to herself.

"You will. No worries!" I assured her.

"Tell us about Florence. I bet it is beautiful." Mary said while looking at Angela directly and full of anticipation.

"Oh, Florence is a great city. A lot of wonderful restaurants, beautiful narrow streets and alleys. I know every little corner there and the people are friendly." Angela said with a big smile on her face.

"That sounds great. Can I ask you if you have a boyfriend or a girlfriend?" Mary asked her while resting a hand on Angela's arm. I noticed that Mary took over the conversation. She was also very flirty.

"Oh no! Right now I don't have a boyfriend or girlfriend. A girlfriend would be nice for a change though." Angela stated while smiling at my big sister who seemed to blush a little bit.

"I might take you up on that, Angela." Mary said in a super flirty voice.

Alyssa, Sammy and I stared at the two of them with open mouths while they flirted away.

"Do you two want to be alone for a while?" Sammy inquired.

We were all silent for a few seconds and then we were howling with laughter which abruptly brought Angela and my big sis back to reality. Nevertheless, everyone was in good spirits and had an excellent time.

We chatted and laughed a bit more. Angela seemed to get along great with us giggly girls. We finished up our snacks and treats.  Angela asked if we can all meet a few more times before she had to go back to Florence. She wanted to spend a lot of time with her mom who still had to work throughout the holidays. Angela didn't know anyone else here so of course we agreed. Naturally, I had to ask my mom and Angela had to ask hers. When Angela's mom picked her up, we waited with her to say hi. Her mom seemed very nice and was okay with all of us girls hanging out again.

Later that night, we met up with my parents for dinner at a nearby restaurant. Sammy and Alyssa were also invited which they were excited about. All of us had a wonderful time chatting and eating. Alyssa agreed to to take Sammy home as it was getting late. Before we left, my mom had a request.

"I know it's late and cold. I would like the four of us to go back to the Christmas market and walk around one more time. I am aware that they are probably closing soon but I think it will be more enjoyable with fewer people." Mom asked us with a hint of sad puppy eyes.

Of course, we agreed. Even though I started feeling like Anna from Frozen. My mom was right, it was more enjoyable now that most people were gone. Mom and dad walked slowly in front of us, holding hands, talking. Mary and I were also holding hands and talking a bit.

"Look at them. They have been married for almost twenty years. Still in love like on the first day." Mary pointed out.

"I know. They are so cute. I love them both so much." I told the best sister in the world.

"Me too." Mary said, sounding dreamy.

"So you are also into Italian dream girls, huh?" I asked Mary trying to tease her.

"How did you get that idea?" Mary replied with a big grin on her face.

"That's it!" I yelled out while picking up some snow from the ground and stuffing it between her neck and jacket.

Mary yelled out a high pitched shout while trying to overcome the sudden coldness and the element of surprise. My big sister recovered quickly and before I knew it I had a bunch of snow in my face. I yelled out a similar sound and soon Mary and I were rolling on the ground trying to stuff snow into in each other's faces while laughing hysterically. From the corner of my eyes I could see our parents smiling at us. Eventually we had enough and just looked at each other peacefully. We brushed the snow off each others jackets and hugged and held each other tightly.

I decided to take a good look Christmas market before it will close up shop. I felt warm inside and peaceful.

Suddenly, a weird feeling came over me again. I stopped abruptly and turned around. Nobody was there. I felt like I was being watched. Just like in the mall.

Mary looked at me concerned. She hesitated a bit.

"What's the matter, babe? Everything okay?" Mary asked me gently.

"I am not sure. I feel like I am being watched again." I told my big sister.

Meanwhile my parents stopped because they realized that something was wrong.

"Come on, you coward. Show yourself!" I yelled out loud.

Nothing happened. Mary, mom and dad all stood there while looking at me seeming deeply concerned.   

"Riley, are you okay?" Mom asked me.

"Yes, why?" I replied, feeling a bit annoyed.  I wasn't annoyed at my mom. More at the situation.

"Who do you mean by Show yourself ?" my dad wanted to know.

"I don't know. I suddenly felt strongly that someone was watching me." 

"What if she is right?" Mary added, seeming a bit nervous and concerned.

"Then we will deal with it. Maybe we should go home now. It's late and cold." my mom suggested.

We walked our last round and went back to a side street where my dad parked the car. Everyone was rather quiet on the short drive home. Mary and I sat in the back and snuggled a bit. As much as the seat belts would allow it.

When we arrived home, we changed into our pajamas and hung out in the living room before it was time to go to bed. Mom and dad decided to have a brief chat about my feeling of being watched. They assured me that they will protect me as much as possible. We all went to bed shortly after that. 

I didn't know what to think. My mind was racing. I had trouble falling asleep because I felt nervous again. Nervous about being attacked. It made me angry and sad at the same time. Eventually I drifted off to sleep. 

When I woke up the next morning I had to think about how great the time spent with my big sister and all my girlfriends was at the Christmas market. Of course, finally introducing Angela to my crew was amazing. They were all impressed. 

Then I remembered the feeling of being watched and it made me a bit upset.  Nobody likes feeling this way and the thought that this might be something I somehow have to get used to went under my skin. I pondered these thoughts but eventually let them go. Being constantly scared or worried was not an option.

After a nice breakfast with my big sis and my parents, we planned our day.

"What are you two cute girls doing today?" My mom wanted to know.

"Mary and I wanted to spend some time at the bookstore. I was actually thinking about hanging out with Angela a bit. She wanted me to text her and see if we can spend some time together. Her mom is meeting some people for work or something like that." I let my family know.

"Sure. Why don't you invite her over and maybe, if she wants and her mom allows it, she can stay for dinner?" Mom suggested.

" That sounds good. I will text her right away." I replied.

Angela agreed and got her moms permission. I wanted to ask her some advice about fashion. She was so stylish. I also wanted to talk to her alone. I felt that I should tell her that I was trans. Now that we are actually getting to know each other. Soon Mary and I would go to the book store and after that we would go home and help mom with cleaning and getting the house ready for Christmas.

I always enjoyed browsing for books and so did my big sister. We had a good time trying to find some new reading material. The store was so cozy. I loved to lose myself while searching and reading. It was simply great not feeling rushed. Especially during a hectic holiday season. After several hours of finding books, Mary and I decided to leave in order to help mom and dad get the house ready. It was about 5 PM when we were finished.

I decided to text Angela and asked her if she wanted to meet with me and maybe Mary as well? I suggested to her to come to my house. Angela's mom did not have a problem with having her stay with us. Her mom dropped her off but was able to come inside for a few minutes to chat with my parents. I talked to Mary before Angela arrived. I told her that I will  tell Angela that I was trans but that I want to do this myself. Mary liked the idea but also reminded me if I needed support that she'll be there in a flash.

I waited downstairs when Angela entered my house. I briefly spoke with her mom and then Angela and I decided to go to my room. We sat down. relaxed a bit and then started chatting.

"Will Mary hang out with us too?" Angela asked with a big smile on her face. 

I smiled back at her and nodded.

"Yes, she will hang out soon. However, first I wanted to talk to you alone. I need to tell you something." I said in a serious sounding manner.

Angela's mood changed right away and she seemed concerned.

"What is it? Is it something bad?" Angela wanted to know.

"Well, maybe. That depends on how you look at it." I told her.

"Sorry Riley, I am a bit confused. Are you a bank robber on the run?" Angela tried to guess what I was going to tell her.

"No, actually I was born a boy." I said softly.

"What do you mean? How is that possible. You look like a girl to me." Angela said seeming even more confused.

I just stared at her hoping she would get it within the next few seconds without having to explain it more.

"Wait a minute. Are you trans?" Angela asked me, seeming to get it slowly.

I nodded and felt relieved because I said it out loud and I could see Angela starting to smile. She leaned forward and took my hand.

"I am speechless. You are so beautiful and look like a biological girl to me. Since when have you known?" she wanted to know.

"I have known for a long time. My girlfriend Sammy brought out the girl in me. Everything happened only because of a pair of pantyhose."

"A pair of pantyhose? How odd! Tell me more." Angela demanded seeming to get excited.

I told her the whole story. It was fun to watch her facial expressions  change from astonishment to disbelief and back to excitement.

"That is amazing. You are so brave! I wish you the best for your future. I know you will go your own way." she told me sounding very encouraging

What a wonderful new friend I made. Angela and I blabbed a little more and soon Mary joined us and the three of us had a blast.

"Oh, Angela. I wanted to ask you something. I have been learning a lot about fashion but I could use some more advice. I was wondering if you might be willing to help me with that. I love how stylish you are." I asked her feeling a bit shy.

"Me? Sure. I am not an expert but I will try my best." Angela responded, blushing a bit.

"Yay! Thank you so much!" I told her while giving her a hug.

Angela, Mary and I had a good time. We talked, acted silly and Mary and I loved to listen to Angela's descriptions of  specifically Florence and Italy in general. Unfortunately, this evening ended at some point and we had to part ways. Mary and I invited Angela to another fashion show with all my girls, right after Christmas. I could not wait. Mary requested a private sister conference before the night was over.

"Hey babe. I wanted to tell you that I am proud of you for telling Angela today that you are trans. I am glad she didn't have a problem with it but that is not the point I am trying to make. My question to you is: How are you going to handle this at Cherry Blossom Hill?' Mary inquired.

"That is a good question. I was thinking about that a lot lately. I think I will be as honest and upfront as possible. Especially when making new friends. Of course, I have the right to privacy as well and don't have to have it written on my forehead so everyone I interact with can see it. However, once I will attend this school I am sure that the identity of the new girl will spread with warp speed."

"Good point, Riley. I am also concerned about the bathroom question. Will you be able to attend the girls' room or will they give you access to private bathrooms?"

"CBH seems like a very open and friendly school. I think I will need to talk to the principal and ask him these questions. The same applies to phys ed classes and if I ever choose any sports like basketball, which I most likely won't but you never know." I pointed out. Those were all important questions that needed to be answered before attending.

The rest of the evening went uneventful. Mary and I snuggled a bit and talked a lot about Angela and her amazing sense of fashion. We couldn't wait to  see what other lovely clothes she had. My big sister and I also discussed that tomorrow I will tell mom and dad that I want to attend Cherry Blossom Hill. Just the thought about going to a wonderful school like that excited me beyond reason.

Christmas was just around the corner and there was a lot to do to get the house ready. Mary and I would do our best to support our parents to help them get everything set up. Mary and I cleaned and help set up our house like crazy. I know that mom and dad appreciated it.

After supper and after everyone got some good rest, I decided to call in a family meeting. All of use were sitting in the living room already anyways. I got cozy right next to Mary and started talking. Reading my parents' body language I could tell already they knew what was coming.

"Everyone, I would like to attend Cherry Blossom Hill as soon as possible." I announced feeling goose bumps on my arms. Mary grabbed me first and gave me a big hug. Mom and dad followed shortly after.

"Then it is decided. We should start the paperwork right after Christmas." dad pointed out.

"Agreed. I am so excited. Before we all go to sleep tonight, Mary and I discussed how soon I should tell people that I am trans. I decided that I have a right to privacy so not everyone needs to know right away but when making new friends, I will be up front and tell them as soon as possible or as the situation allows it. Also, I need to discuss the bathroom and locker room questions with the principal before I sign up."

"Smart girl!" mom pointed out.

Everyone seemed excited and in good spirits before calling it a night. I fell into a deep sleep quickly. The next morning I took my time waking up. I spent a little bit more time in bed contemplating the last week's events and things that happened.

Suddenly my day dreaming was roughly interrupted by a loud noise from downstairs . It was a big bang followed by something that sounded like broken glass. I jumped out of bed and ran toward my door. Once I opened my door I was met by my entire family with frightened looks on their faces who were about to run down the stairs. Mary grabbed my hand as we made our way downstairs, wondering what possible nightmare to expect.

I almost fell down the stairs because Mary was going so fast while holding my hand very strongly. When all four of us made it downstairs we checked everywhere to see what happened. Shortly after all the lights were turned on, we discovered the reason for the rude wake up call.

It seemed like a brick was thrown into one of our living room windows. Mary and I looked at each other in disbelief. We were simply shocked. I had no idea what to do or how to react. I looked at mom and dad who were visibly upset but also seemed kind of calm at the same time. They were each on their phone talking almost calmly using low voices. I was not able to understand what they were talking about.  I could not comprehend that.

"Mary, did you notice that our parents almost seem calm?" I asked my big sister.

"Yes. Actually I did notice that. It is kind of weird." Mary remarked.

"Agreed. I am so nervous and scared. Obviously, this was another threat. A very loud threat."

"True. It is super scary." Mary pointed out while giving me a hug.

After I calmed down a bit I approached mom and asked her what her thoughts were on the situation we were  in. She gave me a big hug and told me that her and dad have it under control.

"What do you mean, you have it under control? This whole thing just happened not even ten minutes ago." I said, feeling  super anxious.

"Yeah, how can you possibly have the situation under control? Whoever did this might try to hurt us." Mary told my mom while bursting into tears and holding on to my hips.

"I understand. Please trust us. We have it under control. Please go to one of your rooms and wait for us there. Maybe take some drinks and snacks with you. After you calmed down a bit, I need you each to take a shower and get dressed. Your dad and I will call you when you can come downstairs again." mom told us with a firm voice.

Mary and I were both perplexed. We nodded and did what we were told to do. We decided to go and wait in Mary's room. We didn't talk at first because we were still too shocked. I simply could not comprehend this. Soon we noticed red and blue lights flashing. Looking through the window, Mary and I saw a lot of police cars pulling up in front of our house and in our drive way. 

"What should we do?" I asked my sister feeling defeated.

"I don't know, babe. I simply don't know." Mary said softly while pulling me gently towards her.

We both decided to get our showers and get dressed and simply wait for mom and dad. We could hear a lot of talking from downstairs in rather hushed voices. I expected a lot of hectic talking and commotion but it seemed almost calm. I simply did not understand that. I don't like the idea of panicking either but this was....almost outrageous.

After about another half hour, mom and dad said we could come down again. Most of the police cars were gone.

"The police is done here. They are collecting the last bits and pieces of evidence. We have to go down to the police station to give them statements. The  last few days your mom and I have been in close contact with Detective Michaels.We will see him soon. Let's go, girls!" dad said seeming to have it all under control. Mary and I looked at each other in disbelief and got in the car.

The car ride to the police station was short and quiet. Mary and I didn't dare to speak up. After five minutes, we arrived and got out of the car immediately. Once we entered the building, we were lead right to Detective Michaels' office. The detective  greeted us and told us to get comfortable. He addressed Mary and me right away.

"You must be Riley?" he said looking at me while smiling.

I nodded.

"And you are her sister, Mary, right?" the detective said while still smiling.

Mary nodded as well.

"Your mom and dad already told us what happened. We collected all kinds of evidence. I am assuming you haven't seen the front wall of your house below the broken window yet since the sun is rising only now?" Detective Michaels asked us.

We both shook our heads.

"The officers who were still at the crime scene took a picture which they texted me minutes ago. Take a look." the Detective said while showing us his phone.

Mary and I leaned over to see it better.

"Freaks, get out!" was written in big bold red letters under and next to our broken living room window.

Mary and I were simply speechless.

"Now, here is the good news. We believe we already caught the suspects. I am sure you might be wondering how we did this this fast?!"

Mary and I nodded again slowly.

"Your mom and dad called us last night when you thought you were being watched at the Christmas market, Riley. Of course, we were still investigating the first threat you received a while ago. We took this very seriously. Anyways, our little town doesn't have a lot of crime so we had some people working on the case. We talked to your school several times as well. We talked to the principal, Mr. Selinsky, and he told us about the incidence at school between you and a football player. Is that correct, Riley?" Detective Michaels asked me.

I could only nod again.

"The principal told us that you attacked the football player. To be honest, I found that a little hard to believe. So we got in touch with your parents again and they told us what really happened. He harassed you. You simply defended yourself. Is that right, Riley?" he wanted to know.

I nodded.

"Well done! Don't let anybody treat you this way. We also spoke to your girlfriend Sammy. She actually called us after your encounter with the young man who plays football and expressed her concern. Sammy knew about the already ongoing investigation regarding the threat your received via that letter. We highly appreciated her call. So, we decided to keep an eye on your house which we also spoke to your parents about. Again, they were very appreciative. Going back to yesterday after your parents called us, I decided to have a normal patrol car swing by your house every once in a while." the Detective let us know.

I was listening in awe.

"Guess what? This morning, we got "lucky". Of course, we don't want anything to happen to your family or house, but we could observe how two suspects were riding on bikes wearing dark jackets. Our undercover car discovered them first and alarmed some of the patrol cars. Nothing illegal happened yet but it was suspicious of course. We kept observing and bingo! The suspects had flashlights which one of them was holding towards the wall on your house. The other suspect sprayed the "lovely" message I already showed you on that wall and then the other suspect took a brick out of a backpack and threw it into your window. Both of them took off immediately. The rest is history. We let them ride along for a minute but then they were arrested."

I could not believe what I was hearing.

"Who were they? Do I know them? Was it Michelle?" I wanted to know.

"Since the investigation is still going on, I can't say that yet. I can tell you that we found a spray bottle and a flashlight in their backpack which will be enough evidence. Obviously, the officers who witnessed this entire event count as well." Detective Michaels let us know.

"What should I do now?"

"My suggestion is that you should get something to eat and some rest. We will call you as soon as the investigation is over. Your mom and dad still have to sign some statements before you leave. You are also going to need that for insurance purposes so that this awful message can be removed and the window can be repaired. Let me give you my card. Please call me anytime you need something, okay Riley?" he asked me.

"I will, I will."

"Great. From what I have heard, you are an incredible young lady. And you have an incredible and very caring family and girlfriend. You might want to give all of them an extra hug." the Detective suggested.

I nodded and smiled again. We parted shortly after that. Mom and dad signed those statements and received some paperwork for the insurance. Dad suggested to get breakfast at a diner. Nobody objected. Mary gave me a ton of hugs on the way to the diner. We settled in and started talking.

"I can't thank you all enough for taking such good care of me. I can't believe all of the things that happened in such a short time and that right before Christmas. Once we are home again I need to call Sammy and tell her everything that happened and especially thank her for everything she has done for me." I said getting a bit teary eyed.

"Of course, babe. We will always take good care of you. I am not sure how I feel about going back to the house yet. I think the window needs to be fixed as soon as possible. I can imagine it will be pretty cold in there until it is fixed." Mary added to the conversation.

"Yes, that is true. I need to find a company who can at least temporarily fix it. I will work on that right after we are done with breakfast. Meanwhile, I think it might be a good idea to not sleep at home tonight. Maybe you can kindly ask your friends to stay overnight. I am sure they are more than willing to accommodate you. Of course, we will make it up to them." dad told us.

"I think that is a good idea. Mary, you could ask Alyssa and Riley, you could ask Sammy. What do you think?" mom asked us.

Mary and I both nodded. After breakfast we texted and called our friends. Both friends and their respective parents agreed. I could not wait to tell Sammy everything and of course to give her an extra hug and kiss. Our parents took us back to the house where we packed our bags with some clothes and essentials. Sammy's mom was able to pick Mary and me up. She would drop Mary off at Alyssa's while on the way back to Sammy's house. When we dropped off Mary we agreed all to meet for dinner around 6 at Enrico's.

Once we arrived at Sammy's, my girlfriend and I decided to go up to her room and discuss today's events.

"I am still frazzled. I can't believe this happened." I said while holding hands with Sammy.

"I know. I am glad though that they seem to have arrested the right suspects." Sammy pointed out.

"True. Sammy I can't thank you enough for being so caring. Thanks for making that phone call and talking to Detective Michaels."

"Of course, sweetie. I care a lot about you. I love you!"

"I love you too!" I said while giving my girlfriend a big hug and a kiss.

"What should we do now?" Sammy wanted to know.

"Beats me."

"Well, maybe you want to help me clean up my room? I was actually thinking about organizing my closet." Samantha said while giving me a cute smile.

"Deal!"

Sammy and I cleaned and picked up her room and worked on her closet for several hours. Whenever we took a break, I texted with Mary and Alyssa and also with mom and dad. My parents told me that they found a company to temporarily fix the window. Mom also told me that they were able to briefly speak to the principal at Cherry Blossom Hill who had a few answers for my questions. He said I can use the girl's bathroom or one of the many family bathrooms they have if I wanted more privacy. He also said that we can start the admission process right after Christmas. The students' were still on break but their offices will be occupied. Those were good news.

Six o'clock soon arrived and we all met at Enrico's for dinner. Mary and Alyssa, mom and dad, Sammy and I all had a good time despite the horrible occurrence from this morning which seemed ages away. Dad told us that the window won't be fixed until after Christmas. Mom also talked a little bit about my new school.

"Honey, your new school has a special request." mom announced.

We all looked at each other puzzled.

"What kind of request?" I wanted to know.

"It looks like you and Mary made quite an impression with your basketball game. If you are admitted they would like you to bring your big sister with you." mom said as it would be the most logical thing in the world.

"Mom, how is that going to work? Mary has to go back to College on January 10." I said feeling confused.

"That would not be a problem." mom mentioned in a matter of fact kind of way.

Mary and I looked at each other in disbelief.

I simply could not comprehend what my mom was talking about. Maybe the attack on our family confused her?

"Mom, I can't go with Riley to Cherry Blossom Hill. Just like Riley pointed out, I have to go back to Oregon a few days later. Besides, what am I going to learn there, I already finished high school?" Mary asked my mom trying to figure out what she was up to.

"Don't worry, girls. I haven't lost my marbles yet. I am sure you remember the girl named Katie, the one that gave you the tour. She is also part of the school newspaper club and she wanted to do an interview with the both of you. Riley as the new student and Mary as her big sister and role model." mom  told us.

Mary and I both nodded slowly and  let mom continue.

"Mary would only stay with Riley a few extra days. After seeing you two playing basketball, some of the students became interested in both of you. Katie spoke to the principal if it would be okay if Mary could join Riley for a little while. The basketball coach heard about Mary's performance and would like her to participate in a practice session and talk to the students." mom explained.

Mary and I were smiling at each other.

"What do you think?" mom asked the both of us.

"That sounds great. I would love to get to know Riley's new school a little bit more. Only if you are okay with it, babe?" Mary asked with a big smile on her  face.

"Are you kidding me? A few extra days with my big sis at my new school? Sign me up." I replied, almost bouncing off my chair.

"Great. The school will provide you room and board and pay you a bit of money for your time. You can just book a plane ticket that gets you back to Oregon directly from Boston." mom let us know.

"Fantastic. College students are poor and could always use a little extra money." Mary told us excitedly.

"Then this is settled. Let's finish our breakfast and get you girls back to your temporary families." dad stated.

We finished up and Mary and I texted our respective hosts to pick us back up soon. This was arranged swiftly. Dad created a group text for all of us so we could stay in touch regarding all future developments. I was excited when Sammy's mom arrived. I could not wait to tell my girlfriend the big news. Finally, Sammy's mom pulled up with Sammy in the back. I hopped in with a big smile on my face.

Sammy and I kissed briefly and then I started talking real fast trying to make sure to let Sammy and her mom know everything that happened.

"Slow down, girl! I know you are excited but please start at the beginning." Sammy asked me calmly.

I told her everything that happened and did not leave out any detail.

"Yes, and then Mary and I thought our mom lost her marbles when she suggested that my new school asked Mary to accompany me." I told my girlfriend.

Sammy laughed.

"I can imagine that. I am happy for you that your big sis can join you for a few days. I wish I could too." Sammy told me, looking a bit sad.

I squeezed her hand and looked her deep in the eyes.

"I am sorry, Sammy. I wish you could come too. I will not forget you when I start at CBH. Pinky promise."

"Thank you. It means a lot." Sammy said, seeming deeply in thought.

Sammie's mom interrupted our moment while we pulled in the driveway.

"We are home, ladies. Why don't you two go up to Sammy's room for now. Read some books or fashion magazines." Sammy's mom said with a smile and a little wink .

"Oh, and please leave the door open. I might need you two to help me with getting the house ready for Christmas eve  tomorrow." she requested more serious looking.

We both nodded and went right up to Sammy's room. We made ourselves comfortable. Sammy's mom brought us up some snacks and beverages after a short while.  After reading fashion magazines and discussing various outfits, Sammy and I started talking about our new Italian friend.

"What do you think Angela is doing right now?" Sammy asked me.

"I have no idea. Why don't we text her and find out?" I suggested.

I texted Angela and she answered right away. She was reading a book but wasn't doing anything else really. Later this evening she was going to have supper with her mom.

"I have an idea. I know it might be a bit extreme, but I think this is our only chance."

"What are you talking about, Riley?"

"I think we need to find a way to have a big fashion show with all the girls. You, Mary, Alyssa, Angela and me. Since Mary and Alyssa will be going back to College soon, Angela will go back to Italy and I will of course start CBH. This is our only chance. We could have it the day after Christmas." I suggested.

Sammy started smiling.

"Out of convenience we could have it here since you will be staying here for a few days as it seems. I bet I could charm my mom to buy into this idea. Gosh, I want to see what cool and probably expensive clothes Angela has." Sammy replied.

"Me too. She looks so fabulous. Anyways, we should do a really good and thorough job helping your mom with getting the house ready. Maybe we can earn a little credit?"

"Good thinking, Riley. Why don't you text the Italian dream girl and see if she is up for this idea. OMG! This will be so much fun."

"Yes, it will be. I can't wait. I will also text Mary and Alyssa. We just need to promise your mom that the house will look exactly like it was before we had our fashion show."

"Yes, Ma'am!" Sammy said in a serious matter while saluting me.

Angela was excited about the idea and Mary and Alyssa were also thrilled. Soon we went back downstairs and asked Sammy's mom where and with what she needed help. She seemed a little surprised about our eagerness to help but gladly agreed to it. She had us do a lot of cleaning, picking up and we also helped with meal prep. Right before supper time, Sammy's mom took us aside because she wanted to ask us something.

"Okay, mom. What is it?" Sammy asked trying to sound innocent.

"What do you want?" she asked both of us looking at each of us with a serious face.

"What do you mean?" Sammy replied seeming clueless.

"Come on, quit playing games. I can see it coming out of your ears. You two are up to something." she told us.

"Well, alright. Riley had this idea of having one more fashion show before Angela leaves for Italy and Mary and Alyssa leave for College. Could we possibly have it here?" Sammy requested while trying to hit the right tone.

The suspension was killing me. Sammy's mom took a deep breath and I could not read her at all.

"Well, I think about it. I will let you know later tonight." she told us.

We both ran up to her and hugged her. She seemed a bit reserved but I could see a little bit of a smile on her face. I felt optimistic about our chances. After a delicious dinner with Sammy's family, we went back up to her room to spend the rest of the evening there and to get ready for bed. Using the group text my dad created, my family and I decided that Mary stays with Alyssa and her family and I will stay with Sammy and her family for a bit longer. Sammy's mom helped me get set up and ready for the night in their guest bedroom. My girlfriend and I decided to hang out in her room some more and talk.

"Do you think your mom will say yes to our fashion show proposal?" I asked my special girl.

"I hope so. How can she say no to such nice girls like us who helped so much getting the house ready?" Sammy remarked.

"I don't know. How could I?" Sammy's mom said who all of a sudden was standing in the door.

"Oh mom, you startled me."

"I am sorry, sweetie. I actually wanted to check if you two need anything before it is time to go to bed? Riley, just go ahead and grab yourself a bottle of water from the kitchen or anything else you might need. I put a pair of Sammie's old pj's on your bed in the guest room."

"Thank you so much. I am so grateful I can stay here."

"Of course, Riley. You are my daughters girlfriend and therefore part of the family. Oh, one more thing. You can have your fashion show." Sammy's mom said causally and went downstairs again.

Sammy and I started hugging and kissing . This was so awesome. I couldn't wait to tell Mary and all the others. Of course, we texted them right away. After all of this excitement it was soon time to get ready for bed. I fell into a deep sleep and when I woke up, it was Christmas eve.

The alarm clock said 7:47. It took me a few seconds to remember where I was. I had to smile because it was so nice how welcoming and loving Sammie's family has been. The upcoming fashion show made me smile even more. However, first there was Christmas eve and Christmas day. So many things in my life have changed since I became Riley. It is unbelievable. Things have progressed with light speed and I still was only at the beginning. Soon I would attend Cherry Blossom Hill. What awesome adventures would wait for me there?

I heard breakfast noises downstairs and decided to investigate who is up and if I can get some food. Sammy and her mom were in the kitchen working on getting breakfast ready.

"Good morning, sleepy head." Sammy greeted me.

"Sleepy head? You are kidding me. It's not even 8 o'clock yet."

"I only got up a little while before you did, well I guess I am kidding. However, I still got up before you." my girlfriend told me while sticking out her tongue at me.

"Is that so?" I replied while sticking out my tongue.

"Girls, stop being silly and rather help me get breakfast ready. I texted with your parents, Riley. They said they will drop by for a little while today after they spent some time at Alyssa's house. Your mom asked me if you can stay until the 27th. I told her since you are a part of the family that you can stay as long as you like. It makes more sense since you silly girls will have your epic fashion show the day after Christmas." Sammie's mom told us.

I walked over to her and gave her a hug.

"Thank you so much, you have no idea how much that means to me."

"You are welcome, sweetie. Now why don't we have some breakfast and enjoy the next two days."

Sammy and I both nodded. I was starving. It was nice to sit in the kitchen with Sammy and her mom and eat breakfast together.

I had to think how Christmas was going to be with Sammy's family. It felt a little weird not doing the traditional Christmas things we do at my house. However, on the other hand it was interesting and refreshing to change that routine up. I enjoyed my time with Sammy's family. I texted with Mary a bit and later that evening her and Alyssa facetimed with Sammy and me. It was a lot of fun and we laughed and giggled a lot. I noticed that Mary and Alyssa both had a mischievous grin on their faces the whole time. I wondered what they have been up to? I guess I can picture it in my head....

Christmas eve and Christmas day went by in a flash. Both days were a bit overshadowed with preparations for our epic fashion show. We tried to be good and be in the moment. We ate wonderful food, had great conversations and played some board games. It actually was very similar to Christmas at my house. Mom and dad dropped by for a little while. They were still working to get our house back in order. My dad was actually successful with getting someone to come out and temporary fix our window. The actual fix was supposed to happen one week later.

On December 26, Sammy and I were working hard to get our fashion show set up. I intended to take a ton of pictures and maybe even make some videos of this epic event. Sammy's mom took us shopping to buy beverages and snacks. We set up a temporary runway that lead out of Sammy's room and into her mom's office. I created a few playlists to have music that fit our little undertaking. My mom kindly dropped a few of my clothes by. Soon Alyssa, Mary and my Italian dream girl Angela will be here. The girls arrived with bags and suitcases full of stuff. It was totally crazy.

After an exciting "Welcome and hello" beginning with lots of hugs, kisses and smooches, we finally set up our clothes. We decided that every girls gets to present three outfits. The other girls who were not presenting were supposed to take notes on each outfit and share their thoughts with us. We started eating snacks and drinking Coke, Fanta and all kinds of other beverages. Everyone talked excitedly and giggled and laughed. Angela had a huge smile on her face. I got a little bit the vibe from her that she might feel lonely with just her and her mom. Nobody around who was her age.  She really opened up a lot.

The first girl to present her outfit was our guest Angela. It felt a little tight with so many girls within such a small space. Granted, Sammy's house wasn't small but the upstairs rooms weren't that big. I had to say though that I liked that too. It made the whole event more intimate. I felt like I will be connected to those girls for the rest of my life. There was a strong bond that we shared and the fashion show made it even stronger.

Angela was wearing a beautiful creme colored dress made by Gucci. She was wearing suntan pantyhose with the dress. She looked gorgeous. All the other girls and me were in awe. What a beautiful young lady.

Then it was my turn. I decided to got for a simple black dress with black pantyhose. Mary's first outfit was a cute skirt and a top. Alyssa wore a beautiful blue floral summer dress and Sammy decided to wear a short skirt, a cute top, black tights and forbidden looking boots.

Every time  a girl walked on our improvised cat walk, all the other girls pretended to be the audience or be a reporter from the local newspaper. We all made sounds of astonishment and amazement. With the music playing  and our loud and rapid talking, we must have been unbearable for Sammy's parents. I believe they decided to go out shortly after we started. Wise decision.

After presenting a lot of different outfits, we were exhausted and collapsed all on Sammy's bed. Her bed wasn't small but five girls was a lot for this bed to support. Most of the girls were wearing pantyhose and our pantyhosed legs were touching. This feeling was just indescribable to me.

"That was so much fun. Thank you so much again for inviting me. You girls are awesome." Andrea told us with a big smile on her face.

"No problem. We loved having you. I am so glad I ran into you at the book store." I told her.

"Yeah, it was a ton of fun. I enjoyed it." Alyssa said.

"It was fantastic. We should do this in the summer some time. Then we can do it outside with a lot more room." Sammy remarked.

"Agreed. It was super fun. You girls are the best." Mary said enthusiastically.

We all laughed and hugged each other. I looked at the clock  and could not believe how much time had passed. We slowly had to start cleaning up. I didn't want this to end. After a bit more snuggling and bonding time we cleaned up the place and made it look like the way it was before our fashion show just like we promised. When we were done, Angela texted her mom to come and pick her up. Mary and Alyssa went back home in Alyssa's car and so it was Sammy and me again. Soon her parents were home. They brought us pizza for dinner.

After we had our pizza, Sammy and I went back to her room. We started talking and reflecting about this amazing day.

"This was so much fun. I loved all of your outfits." I let Sammy know.

"I loved all of yours. I loved the big smile on your face the most though."

"Aww, thank you dear!"

"You are welcome. So what's with your sister and Alyssa?"

"What do you mean?"

"Didn't you notice the way they smiled at each other the whole time?"

"Actually, I did notice that."

"Do you think, they....you know...are doing it?"

"Yeah, I get that vibe. It's written all over their faces."

"Interesting."

"Yes, very interesting."

"Riley, I really love you. I know that we are both too young for this but I want you to know that I would like you to be my first. In a few years or so." Sammy said looking like she was going to cry in a minute.

I leaned over to her and gave her a big hug.

"You know, I am worried that when you are at CBH that you will fall in love with a cute girl and forget all about me." Sammy told me now  really crying.

"Shhhh...it's going to be okay. I love you a whole lot. I will never let you go." I promised her while gently rocking her back and forth in my arms.

After snuggling for a while we called it a night. I went back to the guest room and changed into pj's. I soon fell asleep because I was exhausted after this beautiful and eventful day.

The next few days went by in a flash. Mom , Mary and I worked hard to get my stuff ready for Cherry Blossom Hill. The big day came closer and closer. Sammy and I hung out a few more times and Angela joined us on occasion. Mary and Alyssa joined us as well every once in a while  but often spent time alone.

New Years Eve and New Years Day was rather low key this year. Our front window had been replaced and everything in the house went back to normal.Sammy and I spent a bit more time together and so did Mary and I of course. I was so excited she was going to join me at CBH.

My big day was only one day away. I decided that Mary and I needed to have a sister conference before we were to depart for the next chapter of my life. We were sitting on the bed in my room and snuggling a bit.

"How are you feeling, babe?" Mary wanted to know.

"I am feeling great. Ready for the next exciting chapter of my life."

"Great. I am thrilled I can join you a bit. I think this will be a great fit for you."

"I agree. I will learn so many things and get to know so many interesting people."

"Yes, you will. I just want you to know that I am proud of you and that I will always be there for you, baby sis." Mary assured me.

"Oh, Mary. I know. I love you so much. You are my rock, my role model, the most important person of my life. I could not have become Riley without your help." I told her, feeling a bit teary.

"Aw, thanks babe. I sometimes can't believe the self confident and wonderful person you have become. You never cease to amaze me." Mary said to me while getting a bit teary eyed herself.

We hugged which felt like an eternity. Soon it was time to go to sleep. Our suitcases were packed and dad was ready to take us to Boston tomorrow morning.

I had trouble sleeping but eventually dozed off. Before I knew it, the next morning was here and it was time to go. With dad's help, we loaded his car with our suitcases and after saying good-bye to mom with lot's of hugs and kisses, we were en route to Cherry Blossom Hill. What adventures were waiting for me there?

My still sleepy eyes saw cars go by fast on the highway. I yawned and snuggled a little bit with Mary. It was still early and the sun was not going to rise for another two hours. I felt a little bit anxious but mostly excited about this new beginning. Mary smiled at me and squeezed my hand, just to reassure me that everything will be okay. Sometimes sisters just know.

After a few more hours we were coming closer to the city of Boston. The school was not far from the city. We were almost there. Soon we were going up several hills. A sign informed us that we were entering private property. My dad parked the car and all three of us headed to the main entrance with a ton of Mary's and my luggage. We arrived at the front desk and checked in with the secretary who made a quick phone call to get some staff people down here to take our luggage. Mary and I were impressed how quickly they showed up. One of the staff people asked us to follow her so that she could show me my new dorm and show Mary where she would stay for the next few days.

At first I was shown my new dorm which I would be sharing with a girl named Alice. She was not there right now because classes were in session. The dorm was bigger than I thought it would be. It had a large window that would let a lot of sunlight in. I probably would have to wait until spring because it was just another dark and grey day out there. Typical for January. The window had some fancy looking blue curtains. On the right side of the room was a bed that looked like it hasn't been used in a while. On the opposite side was another bed which obviously belonged to Alice. A pink care bear was sitting in one of the corners. There were a lot of pictures on the wall with different people. Mostly girls from my new school I assumed. In one of the other corners was a nice little couch and a flat screen TV. There were also two desks and a large bookshelf. I was impressed. Mary and my dad took it all in, just like me. I could not wait to meet my new roommate.

Dad helped me put my luggage in the corner next to my bed. I was sure that I would find time to put my stuff away later. Soon we moved on to see the place where Mary would stay for a few days. I was so excited my big sister was here with me. We walked quite a bit until we came to a big door that said “Guest rooms”. We entered another small hallway and found ourselves in front of a big door that said “Princess suite”. This part of the school looked fancy and more exclusive. The door was made of nice looking wood and the size of the door hinted that this room was going to be bigger than my dorm. The nice staff lady opened the door and we walked in. I was aghast.

The “Princess suite” deserved its name for sure. This was a fancy room. It had a beautiful four poster bed, worthy of any princess. The dark blue sheets on the bed looked expensive. I estimated that the fancy looking sheets were at least five hundred thread count sheets. The room had a beautiful big window. There was a section with a nice couch, a beautiful armchair and a big screen TV.

I looked at Mary and dad. Both were as amazed as I was. We admired this beautiful room.

“How come Mary gets to be a princess and not me?” I asked, pretending to pout a little bit.

“You will always be my little princess, babe.” Mary assured me while trying not to laugh.

“Haha, very funny.” I replied while sticking my tongue out a bit at her.

“This is amazing. I am worried Mary just might stay and forget about College in Oregon.” dad added to the conversation.

“That is tempting. Who knows. Maybe I might just stay here and never leave.” Mary said, seeming a bit thoughtful.

“I don’t blame you. Alright, girls. I think I better get going. Riley, have a wonderful time here. You too, Mary. Have a safe trip back to Oregon. I can’t believe that both of your rooms are going to be empty for a while.” dad told us, while seeming to get a bit teary eyed.

Mary and I looked at each other. We walked over to dad and both gave him a big hug. All three of us cried a little. After a few more hugs and kisses, dad left and was on his way back home. Of course, we promised to stay in touch with him and mom.

There I was. At the beginning of a new life. Half a year ago, I was a nerdy boy who didn’t have any friends and was the target of bullying. After my beautiful transformation, thanks to Sammy, Mary, Alyssa and my parents, I am now a self confident girl who is ready for adventures.

Mary and I admired her room a bit more as she started settling in. I decided to go back to my room and we agreed to meet in the cafeteria for lunch. Katie, the cute girl who gave us a tour the first time we visited this school, would meet us there. The rest of the afternoon was free for us to use any way we wanted. Mary and I wanted to decide later what we were going to do. A sisters conference would probably be in order.

I entered my new dorm. I still couldn’t believe that I was here. I looked around a little while more, getting lost in thought. What kind of girl and roommate would Alice be, I wondered. I started unpacking by putting my laptop and other school stuff on the desk. I was also eager to put my clothes into my closet which I started doing next. I wanted to feel at home as soon as possible. It seemed that Alice and I had to share a closet because I could see only one in the entire dorm. I actually didn’t mind that at all. I decided to throw my stuff in there. I was planning on organizing it later.

When I completed that task I took a little break and tried to decide what I should do next. I put the new sheets that were sitting on top of the bed on it. I assumed they didn’t put them on the bed so that they could show me they were new and clean. After I got my bed ready, I decided to test it out and read a book while getting myself comfortable. I must have dozed off after reading for a bit because my smart phone, making the text message noise, woke me up.

I checked my messages and saw that Mary texted me. She wanted to know if I was coming to the cafeteria soon as it was almost time for lunch. I told her that I will pick her up so that we could go together. A few minutes later, Mary and I entered the cafeteria which slowly started to fill up with students.

The cafeteria at Cherry Blossom Hill wasn’t unlike normal cafeterias. It looked more like a fancy lounge you can find in first class hotels or at the airport, if you are a member of one of their exclusive clubs. Mary and I were amazed. We tried to keep our eyes open for Katie. We were told she was going to meet us here. After waiting for a few minutes, I heard someone calling Mary’s and my name. Katie was a little bit further down on the other side. There seemed to be several access points to this impressive building.

Finally, Katie made it to the other side of the cafeteria. She seemed to be holding several folders in her hand.

“Hi, Riley and Mary. How are you two doing?” Katie wanted to know.

“I am well. Thanks, Katie. It is good to see you again.” I told her.

“Me too. It is very nice to see you again.” Mary added.

“Same here, ladies. Why don’t we sit down and I will give you a few welcome folders. We should go over a few items so that Riley will have a good start.”

Mary and I both nodded and smiled. We soon found an empty booth and got ourselves comfortable. I loved that the cafeteria had cozy little booths everywhere which made hanging out fun.

“This won’t take long. I bet you are hungry. We should get ourselves some lunch after we are done. They have a lot of yummy choices.” Katie assured us.

Katie gave each one of us a folder. The folders contained several interesting items.

“So, there is a map of the entire school. A cafeteria card which you can use to pay for your meals. You can always add funds if you need to. The school decided to give each one of you $ 25. I guess that Mary can give her card to Riley when she leaves since she won’t need it anymore. Also, there are other maps and brochures of the surrounding area, a list with important phone numbers, emergency procedures and a fancy pen. Finally, the school decided to give each one of you a $ 50 gift card for the book store where you can buy a lot more than books. They have cool hoodies, school supplies and all kinds of other stuff you could possibly need.” Katie told us.

“That is great. I might just buy some stuff I can use for College.” Mary pointed out.

“You should. Let’s get some lunch. I am hungry.” I urged the other two girls on.

“I am alright with that.” Mary agreed.

“Just follow me, ladies.” Katie said, leading us toward the order section of the cafeteria.

There were so many choices. This cafeteria had fried chicken, pizza, hamburgers but also a lot of healthy options such as salads, fruits, a broad variety of vegetables which were cooked in many different ways, a yogurt bar and a smoothie station. I was very impressed. I decided to go with a chicken salad and some yogurt.

After we settled back in our booth we started eating. For a little while there was silence because everyone was focused on getting their tummies filled up. After we were finished, we started chatting again.

“So, what are your plans for the rest of the day? I am sure that you both feel overwhelmed, especially you Riley.” Katie wanted to know.

“I was hoping to meet my new roommate, Alice. Other than that, Mary and I don’t have any other plans. We just wanted to rest. Maybe you, Alice, Mary and I could go for supper somewhere if we can find a way to get into town. If not, I am assuming that the cafeteria here will offer dinner as well?” I inquired.

“Yes, it does. The cafeteria offers a lot of choices for dinner. You won’t be disappointed.” Katie promised us.

“Why don’t we just eat here tonight. It will be convenient and save us time.” Mary suggested.

Katie and I both nodded. We chatted a bit more and soon finished our lunches. Mary and I decided to go back to my dorm. Katie wanted to meet with us again for dinner to discuss the next few days.

Mary and I took a detour with the goal to explore the school a little bit before we went back to my dorm. We used one of the maps Katie gave us to kind of have an idea in which part of the school we were.

We walked a bit while I observed my surroundings carefully. The architecture of the buildings was impressive but I was more interested in the different people who came here to get an excellent education and to make friends. I paid close attention during class changes when the hallways filled up with girls who had to go to their next classes. I especially loved the school uniforms. All the girls were wearing a white shirt, a red tie, a red and grey skirt and black tights. I could not wait to put on one of those uniforms and be one of the girls.

After more walking and getting lost in thought, we discovered the bookstore Katie talked about. As book lovers, Mary and I could not wait to browse for interesting and exciting new books. The bookstore offered a lot more than just books. Katie mentioned during lunch that you can buy all kinds of things there and she didn’t lie. They offered a lot of clothes with the school’s name on it. School supplies, beverages, candy, feminine hygiene products and a whole lot more was on display. Mary and I took ourselves time. My big sister decided to buy a nice hoodie with my new school’s name and crest on it. We eventually made our way back to my dorm.

Mary and I had a sisters conference right after we entered my dorm. We made ourselves comfortable on my new bed.

“So, babe. What do you think?”

“I already love this place. I think I will do very well here. I can’t wait to get started.”

“I can tell that you are thrilled. Do you need me to help you set up anything?”

“I already set up my work station on the desk. The only thing I still need to do is to organize my clothes. I already stuffed them in the closet. It appears that Alice and I have to share one. That doesn’t bother me.”

“Okay. Cool. Let’s see if I can help you out.”

Mary walked over to the closet and started folding and dividing up my clothes. I also walked over to the closet so that I could help her. Looking to the side for a moment, I remembered the pink care bear that was sitting on Alice's’ bed. I decided to pick it up and take it with me on my walk over there. It was super cute.

I offered Mary help and tried to instruct her where to put what when I discovered that on the right side of the closet were some beautiful sparkly dresses. One of them looked like Princess Elsa in Frozen could have worn it. Another one looked like Elsa’s sister Anna owned this gorgeous dress once. I started to take these dresses out so that I could show them to Mary.

“What do you think? Don’t they look cute?”

“Oh wow. They are pretty cute. I bet you would look good on either one of them.”

“Wait, Mary. There is more cool stuff.”

I took out another dress, which was actually more of a costume. I believe it was a cat-woman costume. It looked rather sexy.

“Check this out, Mary! I could be cat-woman.”

“Nice! That is actually kind of sexy.”

“That was my thought as well. Do you think I should try the Elsa or Anna dress on?”

“Try the Elsa one on. I bet you will look super cute.”

“I will. It looks like Alice and I have the same size.”

“Hurry, can’t wait to see how adorable you will look.”

I went back to my bed and started undressing. Mary watched me carefully with a big smile on her face. I needed her help to close the zipper in the back. Once I had it on, I checked myself in the mirror. I thought I looked very nice. I was holding the care bear again for extra cuteness.

“Wow, babe. You look beautiful and cute. Now sing “Let it go”.

“Ha ha, very funny. I like how it feels too.”

“Well, I am glad that you like to wear my dress but why are you holding Mr. Snuggles? What do you two think you are doing here anyways?” a girl who was suddenly standing there wanted to know. This must be Alice.

Mary and I were under shock. I felt so embarrassed. I didn’t know what to say but just looked at the girl intently. I didn’t feel comfortable at all but I noticed one quick thought rushing through my brain. That thought was: “She is kind of cute.”

What have I done? I simply got so excited about the dresses I found in the closet that I totally forgot they were not mine and that the owner, Alice, my new roommate, would maybe strongly disagree that I took the dresses and tried them on without asking permission.

“So?” Alice asked, seeming very angry and upset.

“I am so sorry. I mean, we are so sorry. We got very excited about being here and we realized that there was only one closet for Riley’s stuff, so we checked it out and we got excited about the pretty dresses and one thing led to another and we just want to say, we are so terribly sorry.” Mary said, seeming to ramble a bit.

Alice stared at us and did not move. After what seemed a long time, she finally spoke.

“What about Mr. Snuggles?” Alice wanted to know.

“Oh, you mean the care bear? I’m sorry about that too. I know I shouldn’t have taken him. Please accept my sincere apology. I won’t do it again.” I pleaded with Alice.

I looked at Alice and she still seemed like she wanted to smack me. I briefly looked over to Mary, who also gave her an intense look. Mary seemed close to tears.

“Okay. Thanks for your apology. I will need some time to think about it.” Alice said.

“I appreciate it. I have an idea. Would you like to come to dinner with us? I would like to treat you. We can talk things over and maybe start getting to know each other. Mary and I could leave for a while and let you be by yourself to consider your feelings. If you are interested by tonight, we could meet at the cafeteria for dinner and if not, I would totally understand.” I suggested.

“That sounds like a good idea. I might see you tonight.” Alice responded.

With that, Mary and I left. I still felt so embarrassed and I was sure that Mary felt the same way. We silently made our way back to the Princess suite. We both settled down on Mary’s bed. None of us spoke for a while. Eventually, Mary decided to speak.

“Listen, babe. I am so sorry about my behavior. I just got so excited about those dresses that I didn’t realize that what I was doing was highly inappropriate. I am sorry if I got you into a whole lot of trouble with Alice.” Mary told me while looking like she was about to cry any minute.

“It’s okay. It was my fault too. I should not have let myself get carried away like that. I only hope that Alice will give me another chance.” I said more to myself than to my big sister.

“Yeah, let’s hope that she will.” Mary added not sounding very convincing.

In the meantime, we decided to take a nap in Mary’s princess bed. I snuggled up close to my big sister. Soon I fell into a deep sleep. When I tried to wake up again, the room was dark.

Mary was still sleeping peacefully by my side.
It is crazy that so many things have happened already and I have been here for only about half a day. I decided to not wake my big sister up right away. It felt nice just lying here with her. I listened to her breathing while she was right next to me. I just hoped so much that Alice would forgive me.

After Mary woke up we decided to freshen up a bit. Soon, we were on our way to the cafeteria. We found a booth and got ourselves comfortable. I kept looking for Alice but she was nowhere to be seen. I started feeling sad inside. I felt like beating myself up for not being more conscientious and paying attention.

After waiting a while longer, Mary and I started talking about getting food because it didn’t look like Alice would be eating with us. Suddenly, there she was. I felt relieved because she looked at me with a little smile on her face.

“Hey there. Looks like this time we are meeting under more normal circumstances.“ Alice said, still smiling a bit.

“I am so sorry again! I sincerely hope that you will forgive me.“ I told her.

“Me too. Please don’t hate us.“ Mary pleaded.

“I won’t hate you! I believe everyone deserves a second chance. Welcome, Riley!“ Alice said to me while smiling.

She looked like she tried to shake my hand. I just felt overwhelmed and gave her a big hug.

Alice seemed to be taken by surprise at first and backed up a little. I almost fell because of her backing up. We both looked at each other while the surprise moment disappeared. We had huge smiles on our faces and then started laughing while holding each other, slowly sinking to the floor.

There we were. Two young girls being silly. After we sat on the floor for a second, we both recovered slowly and tried to get up. I looked at my big sister and saw her chuckle.

Let’s get something to eat!“ Mary suggested.

I was on board with that as my stomach was pretty empty. We got ourselves sandwiches and settled back in the booth.

“So, you both like to wear dresses, too?“ Alice inquired.

“I guess you could say that.“ I responded, making the three of us laugh.

“I see. Looking at it from a distance, I have to say that I might have overreacted a little bit. I feel a little flattered that you were so excited about them. I put a lot of work into them when I made them. I just happened to feel very protective of them.” Alice told us.

I was perplexed.

“You made these?” I said while looking at her in disbelief. I looked over to Mary and she also seemed stunned.

“Sure. You seem surprised.” Alice remarked with a grin on her face.

“This is awesome. These dresses are beautiful. They look professionally designed and made. You certainly have my respect.” I assured her.

“I agree with my baby sister. The dresses are gorgeous.” Mary added enthusiastically.

Now Alice looked perplexed. She was actually blushing a bit. I thought that the look on her face was very cute. I could see her beautiful blue bright eyes smiling at me.

“What should we do now?” Mary inquired while interrupting my thoughts on Alice.

“We could go back to the dorm and talk a little bit more.” Alice suggested.

“That’s a great idea!” I said maybe sounding a little bit too excited.

I looked at Mary who seemed to have a little bit of a weird look on her face. She nodded at me slowly which made me remember that I have a girlfriend back home. Oh boy! I only talked to Alice for not even half an hour and I felt something already. I looked over to Mary who gave me a dark look. Then I remembered something else.

“Oh, Alice. I have to tell you something important. I need to talk about that first before we get to know each other more. Are you okay with that?” I asked her.

“Okay. Sure. I hope it’s nothing unpleasant.” Alice responded.

“You will see!” I assured her. Alice nodded and we made our way back to the dorm.

Once the three of us settled back in and got ourselves comfortable, I took charge of the conversation.

“I am not going to beat around the bush. I am a trans girl. I used to be a boy. The school said that I don’t have to tell people but that it would be a good idea to at least tell close friends and especially my new roommate. I hope that you don’t mind. I really want to be your roommate.” I told Alice while feeling emotional.

Alice seemed surprised. A few moments later, she smiled.

“Darling, you don’t have to be nervous. I absolutely don’t mind. I think it’s wonderful that you are brave enough to be yourself. I have a lot of respect for that. You go Riley!”

I was so thrilled and relieved when Alice let me know her thoughts. Mary also had a big smile on her face.

“Riley,? I hope you don’t mind me asking but when did you realize that you are a girl?” Alice wanted to know.

“I think I have always known deep inside. My whole girl adventure actually started with a pair of pantyhose.” I told her.

Alice seemed amazed. Mary and I told her the whole story of how Randy became Riley. We talked about how Sammy “caught” me at Macys with a pair of pantyhose in my hand. We told her about Sammy’s and my first date, about our fashion shows, about evil Michelle and the football player I got to kick in the nuts. We told her about mom and dad discovering by accident that I am Riley when we woke them up with our silly behavior at one of our fashion shows. We talked about our escape attempt and about having fun with Alyssa. I let her know about my Italian dream girl Angela and our visit to the German Christmas market.

Alice patiently listened. Her facial expressions were all over the place while Mary and I told her everything. When we were done, Mary and I were exhausted and all talked out. The three of us sat in silence for a little while until Alice decided to speak.

“What about your girlfriend Sammy. Will you be having a long distance relationship?” Alice inquired.

“Yes, we will try our best. I tried hard to go to my former school as Riley but it was impossible.” I said, feeling a bit sad.

“That’s quite a roller coaster ride you two had. Totally awesome! I love how close you two sisters are. You are lucky to have each other. To be honest, I am actually a little jealous because I don’t have any siblings.”

Alice went on to tell us her life story. It was interesting to learn that she lived the first years of her life in Northern California before her family moved to Boston. She obviously loved fashion and was also interested in reading, music and sports like running or riding her bike.

“I do like to exercise but I am too tiny to play a contact sport like soccer, boxing or basketball.” she let us know.

“Riley believed that too but she did a decent job with her first pick up game here at the school when we came to visit first a while ago.” Mary added to the conversation.

“Wait a minute. That was you two? Now I understand. For about a week, the big sister was the talk of the school. The tall, pretty girl who dunked the ball several times.“ Alice said excitedly.

“They think I am pretty?“ Mary asked, seeming overwhelmed.

“My big sister was the talk of the school?“I asked feeling proud and a little bit jealous all of a sudden.

“Of course! I just can’t believe that I didn’t make the connection right away. We don’t get visitors or new students all the time but it is not unheard of.“

All of a sudden, Alice seemed super excited and started talking fast.

“Riley, you like to wear pantyhose, dresses and pretty clothes, correct?” she asked me.

I was a bit surprised by her sudden change in demeanor, so I nodded slowly.

“This could work. Hold on, let me get my measuring tape. We are about the same size but I want to be sure.” Alice told me getting more excited by the second.

I was too perplexed to speak. Alice soon returned with her measuring tape. She took my hand and slowly moved me into the light of a nearby lamp. The next moment, Alice was all over me and measured my entire body. I looked over to Mary who seemed as clueless as I was. Alice took some notes and finished up.

“Riley, I have a proposal to make. How would you like it to change your name to Isabelle? It would only be for a short time?” Alice asked me while giving me a cute puppy eyes kind of look.

I didn’t know what to answer. This girl must have lost her mind.

“Wait and see. I think that you are going to love it.” Alice said enthusiastically.

I was still confused but I decided to trust her. When she measured me, she was really close by. I could smell her deodorant which smelled like a waterfall warmed by the spring sun. I also noticed that my hands were a bit shaky. Feeling the warmth coming from her body felt wonderful.

I looked over to Mary who still looked confused but I could also see a little smile on her face. Mary noticed that I was looking at her. I was able to see the warmth in her eyes. I could feel her love which never ceased to amaze me.

“Done.” Alice said, smiling at me while holding up a notepad where she recorded my measurements.

“And what exactly are we done with?” I wanted to know.

“Here is the thing. I am part of the musical crew and responsible for costumes. As you might know, our school is rather small and we always kind of struggle with having enough people who want to do it. We have the full crew almost together but our director, Miss Taylor said that we can’t have it if we don’t have a backup Belle. Long story short, we are showing Beauty and the Beast this year. So you would be Isabelle. I’m not sure if Miss Taylor will be convinced but I bet we have a good chance. What do you think, Riley?” Alice said while looking at me with the most adorable puppy dog eyes.

“Well, it sounds kind of intriguing.”

“Hold on a minute. Don’t you have to know how to sing and act and all that stuff?” Mary inquired.

“Well, technically yes. Riley could learn some of those things quickly. She will just be the backup and while learning it, Miss Taylor probably will have something else for her to do so she can be a part of the musical no matter what.” Alice almost pleaded.

“I do like the name Belle.” I said more to myself.

“Is that a yes?” Alice asked with a big smile on her face.

“Why not? It sounds like fun.”

Alice started screaming and jumping up and down while running towards me trying to give me a big hug.

I embraced her hug and loved to feel her warmth again. My knees felt a bit weak.

After a short while, I looked at Mary who smiled but at the same time looked a bit lost in thoughts.

“Babe looks like you are going to have to learn a lot if the director lets you be a backup Belle. I have to say that I would be happy for you to be able to have this experience. I don’t want to be a Debby Downer, but please make sure you know what you are signing up for. On the other hand, I think that you will look super cute in that yellow dress.” Mary shared with me.

Alice and I were standing close together. I was holding hands with her which I just noticed when I carefully considered her words.

“You are right, big sister! I know that you are telling me this from a place of love, care, and consideration.”

“Your big sister is so wise.” Alice added.

“Yes, she is!” I agreed.

Mary looked a little like she was blushing. I decided it was time to start organizing my things and getting set up for my new life at Cherry Blossom Hill and my cute new roommate Alice.

Alice and Mary helped me with this daring task. My new friend graciously offered some room in her closet for items that had to be hung up.

After a while of organizing, I felt tired. We decided to take a break. It was already past 9 PM. Mary decided to go back to the Princess room and I changed into a pair of cute girly pajamas.

Alice and I decided to sit on the couch a little bit and talk.

“Oh, I was supposed to give you this. It’s your class schedule and a welcome package with all of the important information you might need. I believe it even has a map of the school. Also, this bag contains your school uniform. There are several of them in there.”

“Thanks so much. I can’t wait to wear that cute uniform. Should I just start with my first class in the morning?” I inquired.

“I would say so. We have a longer time for lunch. I would like to introduce you to some of my friends and we should go see Mrs. Taylor and ask her about the musical.” Alice suggested.

“Great idea. I really hope that I can be a backup Belle.”

“Yes, that would be perfect. It would be great to have you!”

Alice and I hang out a bit more. We were planning on going to bed soon but ended up talking a whole lot more. It felt so good to know that my new roommate and I will after a bit of a bumpy start get along and hopefully become friends.

I fell into a deep sleep and soon enough my alarm went off. I didn’t mind because I was eager to start classes at my new school. I went to the bathroom and got myself ready. I put on the school uniform which looked fantastic. The skirt was so cute and I loved to wear it with black tights or pantyhose. I also kind of liked the tie. Alice got herself ready too and soon we were on our way to my homeroom which fortunately Alice had at the same location.

I got to meet some of the other students and my homeroom teacher, Mr. Daniels. Alice introduced me and everyone was super nice.

My first class was Biology. Alice had Math first period. She promised to pick me back up after my last period before lunch which I was looking forward to. My last class before lunch was going to be Philosophy 101, which was not offered at my old school. I was told that this class involved a lot of reading, so I was definitely interested.

Biology and History class were interesting and every teacher introduced me warmly to the other students. Both classes went by quickly and I started feeling more comfortable and confident. Then it was time to go to Philosophy class. Fortunately, the different classrooms were not far apart from one another, so I had no problem finding my next class.

I walked into the classroom and looked around trying to find an empty seat. When I approached my chosen seat, I heard a voice behind me.

“You must be the new girl?” this mysterious voice said softly.

I turned around and could not believe that I was looking into the eyes of a stunning red-headed girl smiling at me.

“Ah….yes. I…I..I am Riley.” I said not sure what to think.

“Well, hello Riley. I am Liliana. Nice to meet you.” this drop-dead beautiful girl responded while holding out her hand to me.

I nervously shook it. Liliana looked super cute in that uniform. I wondered what she would look like in normal clothes. I bet she had a lot of elegant designer clothes.

“You can sit next to me if you want. I will gladly help you get caught up on the current assignments. I am assuming they didn’t offer Philosophy at your old school, right?”

“No, they did not. Thank you so much. I really appreciate it.”

“Not a problem. We are reading Sokrates right now. I like so many of his ideas.” Liliana told me enthusiastically.

I nodded and smiled. I tried to listen but I paid more attention to her gorgeous face. The teacher, Miss Howard, asked me to stay after class so that she can get me caught up with all of the assignments. The class started with a brief review of the last class and then was followed by a lively discussion about some of Sokrates’ writings and ideas.

I was hastily taking good notes to make sure I wouldn’t miss anything. It was hard to keep up for many reasons. I didn’t know anything about Philosophy, the class was moving kind of fast, and oh yeah, there was this stunning red-headed angel named Liliana sitting right next to me. Sometimes I moved my head slightly to the left and glanced at her. Every now and then she noticed and smiled at me briefly which I reciprocated.

Just like I promised to Miss Howard, I stayed after class. So did Liliana for some reason. My new Philosophy teacher handed me a few books and papers. The papers included some handouts and reading assignments. Oh boy! This class will not be easy was my first thought.

“Don’t worry, Miss. H.! I will take good care of Riley. I can tutor her a little bit if she is okay with that?” Liliana told the teacher while smiling at me.

“That sounds great. What do you think, Riley? Would that be acceptable?” Miss Howard asked me. Both were looking at me directly.

“Are you kidding me? Oh, I mean..I guess it’s okay. Thank you, Liliana. That would be great.” I said in a bit calmer voice to erase the over-enthusiasm I had at the beginning of my answer.

“Fantastic. Let’s meet tomorrow at the end of the day in the library. I can show you around a bit if you want, Riley?” Lilly offered.

“Great. I am looking forward to it. I will see you then.”

Liliana and I walked out of the classroom together. This was so exciting. I must have had a huge smile on my face. When I turned my head, I saw Mary and Alice standing in the hallway, waiting for me.

When Liliana was just about to leave, I decided to introduce Lilly to my big sister and new roommate.

“Everyone, this is Liliana. She is a classmate in my Philosophy class. Liliana, this is my big sister Mary and my new roommate Alice.”

“It is so nice to meet you!” Liliana said to both of them.

“Likewise!” Mary and Alice said both at the same time which made all of us laugh.

“The three of us are going to lunch now. Riley, Mary, and I have a lot to discuss. I’ll see you around. Maybe you can join us for lunch tomorrow? Mary is just visiting and won’t be here for a whole lot longer” Alice said trying to sound friendly.

“I see. Yeah, that sounds great. I offered Riley to tutor her a bit in Philosophy after school tomorrow in the library. So I get to hang out with her twice outside of class. How exciting!” Lilly said while turning around and leaving.

Mary and Alice turned towards me their jaws dropping.

“Babe, how do you do it? You are making new friends so fast it makes me dizzy.” Mary commented.

All three of us giggly girls laughed.

“I guess I am just a natural.” I replied confidently.

“You sure are! Soon everyone in the school knows who Riley is.” Alice added to our silly conversation.

“Alright, you two. Let’s go to lunch. We have some stuff to discuss.” Alice almost commanded us.
Amazingly we made it to the cafeteria without me making any more new friends. We found a nice booth and settled down a bit.

“Oh Mary, what did you do this morning?” I asked my big sister.

“I got to visit a few 10th and 11th-grade classes to talk about College. They were so excited that a College student who goes to a College on the west coast was talking to them. I learned that some of the students that I met are planning on going to Stanford, UCLA, or USC.” Mary told us.

“That sounds like fun. Did you have a good time?” I wanted to know.

“Yes, absolutely. I am glad I came here for a few days. That way I can also keep an eye on our lover girl here.” Mary said while looking at me intensively.

All three of us laughed again.

“Alright, alright. I will tone it down. Just for the two of you.” I promised. Well, sort of.

“Now ladies. We have to talk about the important things. The musical. You still want to do it?” Alice asked me looking a bit concerned.

“Yes! Totally!” I said without a doubt in my voice.

“Great. We are going to meet with Mrs. Taylor right after lunch is over.” Alice informed us.

“So soon? Alright. That should be interesting. I can’t wait to try on that yellow dress.”

“Babe, remember?! You have to learn how to sing and dance quickly. At least somewhat.” Mary added to our conversation.

“I know and I will. How difficult can it be?”

“I’m afraid it is very difficult.” Mary pointed out sounding serious.

“Don’t worry big sis! I got this!”

“Ladies! We got to go soon. Mrs. Taylor is waiting for us.” Alice demanded.

We finished our lunch and soon were on our way. I was starting to feel a bit nervous. Maybe I was a bit too confident a few minutes ago?

When we arrived at her classroom, Alice introduced us. All four of us found a table to sit down and after a little bit of chit chat she came right down to business.

“Riley. Are you really okay with all the demands this role has? No offense, normally I would not take in someone who doesn’t have any acting or singing experience. I’m sure like Alice already told you, we are a bit desperate here. If you are going to commit, you have to show up and work hard for this. Is that understood?” Mrs. Taylor said sounding dead serious.

“Yes! I won’t let you down. I promise.” I responded.

“Welcome on board, Riley! Mrs. Taylor said while shaking my hand.

All of us cheered. Alice squeezed my hand and hugged me tightly. This felt wonderful. My whole body felt like it has been tickled.

“What do we do now?” I wanted to know.

“I suggest you better learn how to sing and dance quickly. Not that we are really going to need you but I guess it won’t hurt.” A voice coming from the classroom door stated sounding a bit harsh.

All four of us turned our heads towards the classroom door. A beautiful blonde girl was standing there looking at us rather skeptically. She did not seem friendly at all.

“Riley and Mary, this is Madison. She is our original Belle.” Mrs. Taylor introduced us.

I felt intimidated. She seemed like a person you would not want to make angry.

“Hi Madison! It’s nice to meet you!” I said while getting up and reaching out my hand for a handshake.

Madison rolled her eyes and ignored me. Fantastic! I looked like a total fool. I slowly retreated and went back to my seat. My first rejection at my new school did not feel good.

“Okay, now Riley. I am going to need you to meet with and work with Madison over the next few weeks so she can tell you all about the role of Belle. Listen to her! She will teach you a thing or two about singing and dancing.” Mrs. Taylor told me as if the rejection I just received did not happen at all.

“Sure. I just thought that Alice was going to work with me.” I replied feeling a bit dizzy.

The thought of working with Madison was not attractive at all. Unless she is someone who simply needs time to get to know new people. Let’s hope that this was the case.

“Alice will work with you regarding the costume. Madison will take care of the acting and dancing since she is our best actress and the lead in our musical.” the teacher said matter of factly.

“Then it is settled. Why don’t you girls talk to each other a bit more and set up some future after-school meetings so that Riley can learn acting and singing. Of course, Riley is required to come to musical during after-school hours as well.” Mrs. Taylor told us while pushing us out the door.

I felt overwhelmed. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea anymore. I decided to try to talk to Madison again.

“Hey Madison. When is a good time for you to meet?” I inquired while trying to sound friendly.

Madison rolled her eyes and sighed.

“Whenever. I will find you!” was her response. With that she left us three standing in the hallway.

I looked at my big sis and Alice who both looked perplexed.

What on earth did I get myself into?

“Don’t worry, Riley! It will be okay.” Alice almost pleaded with me.

“Famous last words. You forgot to mention that the girl who is playing the Beauty is actually a Beast.” I told Alice.

“Oh come on! I promise it will be okay. Let’s get to our afternoon classes. We can all meet again after school and talk strategy” Alice said seeming a bit stressed out.

“Alright! Sorry, Alice! I am simply feeling nervous about having to work with Madison.”

“That may not be the worst thing. I think you have been floating up in Care Bear Wonderland for a little bit too long. Sometimes a kick in the pants can work wonders.” Mary added with a big smile on her face.

“Hey! That’s not funny! I mean it.” trying to come across as super serious but not being able to hold back my own smile.

We all looked at each other and burst out laughing.

The afternoon classes were uneventful. They were interesting but nothing was as much fun as Philosophy. Mainly because a super cute little redhead was sitting right next to me. There go my thoughts. Drifting off to the topic of cute girls. I don’t think the day has enough hours to make it possible for me to fall in love with every cute girl in this school. I mean, I probably would have to show up for class sometimes, right?

When Alice, Mary, and I met in Cherry Blossom Hill’s beautiful library, I felt thrilled again about being Belle number two again. I couldn’t wait to try on that dress.

“Okay, Riley. Here is my plan. I will try to find out when Madison wants to work with you. If you want, I can try to be there with you during your sessions.” Alice offered.

“Yeah, that would be great.”

“Babe, sorry to have to contradict you again but I believe that you should do this alone. You have to master that challenge. It will be good practice for you if you learn how to deal with difficult situations and people. I’m not saying that asking for help is wrong. I’m trying to tell you that it is not all going to be the previously mentioned Care Bear wonderland.”
I felt a knot in my stomach. I didn’t like to hear that but I knew that Mary was right.

I looked my big sister deep into those beautiful blue eyes and nodded slowly.

“You’re right!” I said almost whispering. I felt humbled.

Mary nodded slowly. I prefer to live in Care Bear Wonderland but a trip to earth wouldn’t hurt once in a while. My Mary is the best!

The three of us made plans for tomorrow. Mary let us know that she was interviewed by the school newspaper about College life. She seemed to like sharing her experiences with soon-to-be College students. Mary also told me that Katie, the girl who gave us the tour when I visited the first time, told her to let me know that she wanted to interview me too since she worked for the school newspaper.

Alice and I went up to our dorm to do homework. Mary decided to meet with some 12th-grade girls she made friends with. I believe they talked about playing basketball.

It felt wonderful sitting with my new friend Alice in our dorm. She was a great and fun person to be around. We silently completed our homework. After several hours we were finished and decided to sit together on the couch, sharing a blanket. I could feel the warmth coming from her little body which felt fantastic.

We talked a little bit about school and then Alice changed the topic.

“I need to ask you something.” Alice said sounding serious all of a sudden.

The tone in her voice made me nervous.

“What is it, Alice?”

“Are you ticklish?”

“Well, actually…” I started saying but I was not able to finish my sentence. Alice jumped on top of me and started tickling the hell out of me. I laughed so hard that eventually, I got trouble breathing. I begged her to stop.

Alice stopped. My heart was beating fast. I was holding both of her wrists in my hands to stop her from tickling me. My tight grip loosened. We were deeply looking into each other’s eyes for I’m not sure how long. I could not wait any longer. I had to be brave and find out.

I closed my eyes and gently kissed her on the lips. Fireworks were going off. I opened my eyes again. Alice had a huge smile on her face and kissed me back. I felt butterflies in my stomach. We kissed each other for a while until I heard a knock on the door.

Before either of us was able to react, Mary walked in.

“Hey ladies, I wanted to ask you if you would like to go to dinn…” Mary tried to say while stopping mid-sentence when she spotted us on the couch lying on top of each other.

Alice and I were in shock and neither of us could utter a word. I felt like a deer in headlights. I looked at Mary’s face for any clues about her feelings.

Mary seemed shocked as well but soon recovered and started talking.

“Sorry to interrupt…whatever you two were doing. Riley, could I see you for a quick sisters conference in the Princess Suite?” Mary asked abruptly and walked out rather quickly.

I looked at Alice. She seemed confused and a bit upset.

“That was rude. I appreciate that your sister knocked but she came in before any of us could say Come in or anything at all.”

“I know. I will talk to her. I think I know why Mary is upset.”

“What about me? I’m upset because you stopped kissing me.”

“No worries. I’m sure we can find some more time soon.” I assured my roommate.

“Good. Now go talk to Mary and come back soon.” Alice almost commanded me while giving me a kiss on the cheek.

I nodded and walked towards the door. I took myself time to get to the Princess suite. Of course, I knew what this is about. I have a girlfriend at home but there are like a million cute and pretty girls here. I should have known better. I knew what I had to do.

I knocked on the door and Mary let me know that I could come in.

“Hey sis, I am sorry you had to find out this way.”

“I’m not sure what to say here. Even though it was easy to tell that you were falling in love with every cute girl you get to talk to.” Mary told me sounding annoyed.

“I mean, yes. I love being a girl and I love meeting new girls. I know that it seems a bit fast sometimes. I simply need to find my own way and that takes time.”

“It is not fair towards Sammy.”

“I know. All of the excitement of this school and all of those wonderful girls are overwhelming me. I still love Sammy but kissing Alice made it clear to me that a long-distance relationship with her won’t work.”

“Evidently.”

I started feeling tears streaming down my face.

“Look, Mary. I am sorry I made you mad and I don’t want to break Sammy’s heart. Especially after all she has done for me. She made me discover Riley and I would not be where I am today without her. However, my feelings are my feelings and I also believe that Sammy knew that this wasn’t very realistic. I wanted to hold on to something I simply was not able to.”

“I think you have a phone call to make.” Mary said still seeming angry and frustrated.

“Sis, please. Slow down! I will talk to Sammy. I will tell her the truth and apologize for my behavior. I want to be friends with her. I will never forget what she has done for me. I don’t want her to wait for me back home and miss out on making those experiences.”

Mary stared at me for a while and then nodded. She left me alone. I walked back to my dorm and decided to make that phone call right now. Before dinner and before I could kiss Alice some more.

I was almost back at my dorm when I started crying and shaking uncontrollably. Poor Sammy. Why did I do this to her? I hated myself in this moment. I calmed myself down and entered the dorm.

Alice was sitting on the couch watching TV. She heard me come in, turned her head, and smiled at me. After she looked at me her expression changed. Alice seemed concerned.

“Hey, Riley! Are you okay? You looked like you have been crying.”

“I have! I had a bit of an argument with my sister which we never had before. I mean, we had differences of opinion but this was on another level.” I let Alice know.

She came right over to me and gave me a big hug.

“I am so sorry, Riley. Can I ask what you argued about?”

We both sat ourselves back on the couch and got comfortable. Alice was holding my hand which felt nice.

“Mary is mad that I kissed you while I have a girlfriend at home. I completely understand where she is coming from. I don’t know how you feel about this. I mean we are not dating. At least not yet. I don’t want to break Sammy’s heart. I think I still have to do this because Mary pointed out correctly that it is not fair to her.”

Alice seemed deep in thought. We were both silent for a while and then Alice spoke.

“I agree with your big sister. You should at least talk to Sammy. She deserves it.”

“I will text her and see if she is able to talk.”

Only five minutes after I sent her a message she texted back. She had time to talk.

“Hey, Riley. How are you?”

“I’m okay. I guess. Listen, we have to talk about something.”

“Oh no! What’s wrong?”

“I am not sure how to tell you this…but…”

“Riley, what is it? You are scaring me.”

“I am so sorry but I don’t think I can be your girlfriend anymore. I am meeting a lot of interesting girls and it’s not fair to you to have you keep waiting for me while I am having a blast…and I…” I stopped mid-sentence. I heard a weird loud noise which was Samantha crying really hard.

I felt tears running down my cheeks.

“Sammy, I am so sorry! Can you forgive me?” I pleaded.

Sammy was crying a bit more but calmed down a little bit.

“I got to go, Riley. I will talk to you later.” Sammy said quickly and hung up.

I felt numb. I couldn’t cry anymore.

“Look at me. Making my big sister angry and my girlfriend very upset and heartbroken. All within 15 minutes on my second day at my new school. Go, Riley!” I said sarcastically.

“Oh, and not to forget. I ticked off the star of the upcoming musical. I can’t wait to see what I can do after a couple of weeks or a few months.” I added feeling upset with myself.

“Don’t forget. You also kissed your new roommate.” Alice said while smiling a little bit which made me smile a bit too.

Alice came close to me and gave me a big hug. She was just about to kiss me when I heard a knock on the door.”

“Come in!” Alice said.

Mary entered. She came forward but stopped after a short distance. She looked like she has been crying because her eyes were all red.

I got up from the couch and we stood still while looking at each other for a while. I took another step forward and that broke the spell.

We both ran into each other’s arms and hugged tightly. The thought of Mary being upset with me still scared me a lot but I felt a little shift. It didn’t feel as scary as it used to be and sometimes even the closest sisters can fight about something and still be okay.

Mary and I hugged for a while which made me calm down a bit. Soon all three of us were sitting on the couch making ourselves comfortable.

“Did you talk to Sammy?”

“Yes. It wasn’t pretty but it could have been worse. Sammy was very upset and ended the conversation quickly. I worry about her.”

“It’s understandable that you do. I hope she won’t be too upset with you.”
“I am glad you told her how you feel. Thanks, babe” Mary added.

“Sure. I feel relieved. Even though it was difficult to do.” I pointed out.

We all took a break from talking and decided to relax for a minute.

“So, what about that cute redhead from your Philosophy class?” Mary wanted to know.

“I don’t know. What about her?” I asked trying to sound ambivalent.

“You think she is hot, right?” Mary pressed on.

“Well, yeah! I simply got to get to know her a little bit more though.”

Mary had a skeptical look on her face.

“Is she hotter than me?” Alice inquired.

I didn’t say anything. I shrugged and tried to appear clueless.

All three of us laughed. Alice gave me a nice hug which felt great. Mary joined us as well.

“With all of the excitement going on, I just realized that I didn’t have any supper yet.” Mary pointed out.

“True. Should we go down to the cafeteria? I could eat.” I replied.

“Let’s go. I am super hungry.” Alice stated.

We almost ran into the cafeteria. Supper was great. All three of us giggly girls had a lot to talk about. We especially discussed the “Madison situation”. There must be a way to work with Madison in a civil manner. She doesn’t have to be my new best friend but I don’t want to fight with her all the time.

After dinner, we made our way back to the dorm. Mary asked me to join her in the Princess suite again. Alice said she wanted to pick up in our dorm a little bit. I was looking forward to spending more time with her again.

Mary and I got ourselves comfortable on the Princess bed. I laid my head in her lap while Mary was gently playing with my hair.

“Babe, sorry if I was a little harsh earlier. I felt strongly about being fair to Sammy. That’s why I pushed you. Also, I did feel a bit frustrated as well.”

“I understand. On some level, I felt frustrated with myself. The way I behaved was not fair to Sammy. I hope she is okay.”

“Maybe you can check on her tomorrow again? I hope we can all stay friends. We have to do more fashion shows when we are both home from school. Speaking of that, I talked to Alyssa today. It was actually really nice.”

“Wow, that is interesting. Are you ladies dating?”

“I think so. We don’t want to be too serious but we also want at least somewhat committed to one another. It’s strange. If you would not have met Sammy at Macy’s, you would not have become Riley and therefore we would not have gone to Allysa’s place when we tried to run away and so on…”

“True. I couldn’t be happier. Oh, and sis, can I ask you something personal?”

“Sure. If I will answer is a different question though but go ahead.”

“Have you and Alyssa, you know…done it?”

Mary blushed.

“Yeah, we did do it.”

“Wow, and how did it feel?”

“Wonderful. Hard to describe. Wait a minute. You are not thinking about doing it soon, are you?”

“Oh no, I know I am way too young but I am interested in learning about it. I want to be prepared.”

“That’s a good attitude. Keep up the good work. I think that Alyssa and I are a good fit. Even though we can’t be together right now since we are both in College.”

“I hope that Alice and I are too. I’m not sure what I want to do. I simply need to get to know her more. I think she is a great person. Very down to earth. I could learn from here and this might help me not spend so much time in Care Bear Wonderland above the clouds.”

“That is great, babe. You two look cute together. Nothing wrong though with taking a vacation in Care Bear Wonderland once in a while.”

“I agree. You are so smart.”

I looked at Mary for a while and she did the same with me. Suddenly I started feeling sad.

“Mary, I know you will leave me soon which makes me sad. I don’t want you to leave but of course, I understand why you must. I like having you here with me and we both hate good-byes.”

“I get it sweet little sister. I’m sad about that too. However, I’m sure that you understand now that you have to fight your own battles which you did very well when challenged to do so.”

‘That is true. I still can’t believe I was able to dribble and pass a basketball successfully in a game. Even though it was just a pickup game but my goodness was it fun.”

“Babe, I was so proud of you! I can’t wait to see what else you will do here.” Mary said and gave me a little kiss on my forehead.

I closed my eyes and enjoyed this time with my big sis. We eventually decided to call it a night. I went back to my dorm where I found Alice sitting on the couch reading.

“Hey, how did your sister conference go?”

“Very well. We had some good conversations. I am a little bit sad because she will be leaving soon but she has to go back to Oregon.”

“I understand. Do you want to join me on the couch for some reading or TV?”

“Absolutely, maybe we can find some Gilmore Girls?”

“Possibly. We can give it a try.”

It felt great to snuggle under the blanket with Alice. We watched silly TV, talked a lot and of course smooched a bit. Soon it was time to go to bed and I fell into a deep sleep.

I felt rested when my alarm clock woke me up. Alice, Mary, and I met in the cafeteria for breakfast. Mary will have another day of talking to soon-to-be College students and I was looking forward to Philosophy class when all of a sudden something was dropped right in front of me.

It was a note. I looked up but was not able to see who dropped it in front of me because there were just too many students walking by. It could have been anybody.

The note said:

“Hey, Princess! Meet me in the library right after school today. We need to start working together. Madison.”

I was not sure how to feel about this. I thought this was a rude way to contact me. On the other hand, she addressed me with “Princess” which made me feel good. I wasn’t sure if she meant it in a bad way but that didn’t matter to me. Maybe there is hope and Madison and I can work together?

“Unbelievable. That is so rude!” I pointed out.

“Yes, I agree. I understand that she is not crazy about the idea of having to teach you dancing, singing, and acting. She could at least be professional about it.” Mary added to our weird little discussion.

“Absolutely true! She may feel frustrated about having to work with Riley but without Riley being willing to take the part of backup Belle there wouldn’t be a musical.” Alice pointed out.

“Oh, Alice I have a question. I wanted to ask you for a while but I kept forgetting. Who will play the beast in the musical?”

Alice laughed.

“Actually, since we rather are an unconventional school, us being an all-girls school, we changed the role and therefore the beast is a female character as well. Played by a girl of course.”

“Who is she?¨ I wanted to know.

“Oh, her name is Maria. She is an international student from Spain. You will meet her during the next musical meeting after school. She is very friendly and sweet.”

Maria from Spain?! Wow! I was excited about meeting her. I had to think about my friend Angela. I made a mental note to text her later.

The three of us discussed this further and we came to the conclusion that I simply had to make the best out of this situation and work hard to solve this problem. Easier said than done but I will give it my best shot.

When we left the cafeteria, I remembered something.

“Wait a minute. I am supposed to meet Liliana right after school in the library. I can’t meet with both of them at the same time.” I pointed out.

“Seems like an easy decision even though I understand that hanging out with the cute little redhead seems more attractive. You got to learn singing and dancing and of course, acting and you got to learn it quickly.” Mary told me once again.

“Alright, big sis! I know this by now. I will talk to Liliana before this afternoon. I am sure that she and I can find another time. Hopefully, she won’t be too disappointed.”

“I think she’ll be okay. I got to get my last day of hanging out with 12th graders started. I hope you two cuties will have a great day of classes.” Mary wished us.

Mary was right. We needed to get moving. Alice and I made it to homeroom. We sat ourselves down and got comfortable. My morning classes went by quickly. Soon it was time for my favorite class, Philosophy.

As soon as I walked into the classroom, my new and super cute friend was already sitting at her desk, bubbly as ever.

“Hey, girl! Are you ready for exploring the exciting and fascinating time of ancient Philosophy?” Liliana asked me when I was approaching her.

“Oh yes! I sure am ready. I love your enthusiasm. You should do public relations for this class.” I said, jokingly.

This made Liliana laugh.

“Well, thank you, Miss Riley! By the way, I am so excited about our meeting after school in the library.” Lilly said enthusiastically.

“Oh, about that. I am sorry, Liliana but I don’t think I’ll be able to meet you today. I was accepted as backup Belle for the musical and I have to work with this girl named Madison who is our star. She asked me to meet her in the library right after school. Could we meet another time?”

“Yeah, sure! I understand. How do you feel about tomorrow? Oh, and I think it is great that you are going to be back up Belle. You have to tell me all about that, okay?” Lilly wanted to know.

“I most certainly will. Thanks for being so flexible. I hope that I didn’t disappoint you.”

“Oh no! Not at all! I guess we have to pay attention to class now or we will get in trouble.” Lilly told me, smiling.

I was relieved she didn’t get upset. Maybe people are not as fragile as I think they are sometimes. Including myself.

Philosophy class was so interesting again. Today I learned a bit about Aristotle. After class, I met with my new bestie Alice and my big sis in the cafeteria for lunch.

“Hey girls!” Alice said to me and Mary.

“How is everyone?” Mary asked.

“Fantastic. How was your morning, big sis?”

“Great. I met with some of the 12th-grade girls again and they have a proposal for you, babe!”

“Some of them were the basketball players at the game we played when we first visited. They want another basketball game with you and me. It would be kind of like a “goodbye present” for me. I felt that I connected with them and vice versa.”

“Do they want me to play again? I mean, I didn’t do too bad but are they sure they want me to play?”

“I think you should do it. I heard about the basketball game with the two pretty visitors. I want to see you in action.” Alice almost demanded.

I felt a little overwhelmed. I am going to get started to work with Madison today. I am sure I am going to need all the help I can get to become a somewhat decent actor and singer. Would I have time for this?

“Well, I am going to need to think about that for a little while. Until when do they need my decision?” I asked Mary.

“Rather sooner than later. I will tell them that you need some time.” Mary assured me.

“Great. Thanks! I need to focus on my “date” with Madison.”

“Oh, how did Liliana react when you told her that the two of you won’t be able to meet today?” Alice inquired.

“She seemed a bit disappointed but I am sure she was fine. Anyways, I am nervous about meeting Madison but I will try to be strong. I mean, she’s not going to bite me, right?”

“Probably only if you want and if you ask her nicely.” Alice stated sounding sassy.

All three of us laughed.

Soon enough my afternoon classes started and my “date” with Madison was about to happen. I walked over to the library right after school trying to hurry because I did not want to be late. I entered Cherry Blossom Hill’s beautiful library and found myself a place to sit. Sure enough, I didn’t have to wait for a long time because a determined-looking Madison walked right up to me.

“Hey, Princess! Let’s go to one of the study rooms so we can have a little chat about expectations.” Madison ordered me.

I followed her into the first empty study room feeling anxious about how this will turn out. We got ourselves comfortable and Madison did not waste a second.

“Listen, Princess! Only because you are new, cute, and pretty doesn’t mean you will be treated like a little Princess. I need to teach you how to act, sing and dance halfway decently. This will be a long shot but we got to try. You need to work hard so that the musical crew and I can rest easy about having at least a somewhat good backup. I hope you understand what a commitment this is. If you are going to be a snowflake, you might as well leave. Have I made myself clear?” Madison barked at me.

I started feeling dizzy. Her words hit me like icicles. A part of me wanted to cry and hide somewhere and have Mary right next to me whispering soothing things in my ear.

However, there was this other feeling inside of me which was anger. How dare she talk to me like that? Why not try something else for a change?

“Look, darling! While I understand that you are trying to watch out for your musical crew, I want you to treat me with courtesy and respect! Throwing a note at me while I’m having breakfast is unacceptable and just flat-out rude. I know that without me being back up Belle, there will be no musical. I suggest that we better start working together or else I will not be back up Belle. Is that understood? Oh, and one more thing. You can call me Riley for now.” I asked her feeling brave.

Madison looked shocked and her face was turning red. For a minute, time seemed to have frozen.

After what seemed like an eternity, she slowly seemed to recover.

“Okay. Why don’t we take a ten-minute break and then start again? I will go to the bathroom and freshen up. Is that okay, Riley?”

I nodded. Madison left the room and I felt weird but also proud of myself. I stood up to being bullied. Our musical star had it coming.

I got myself comfortable and waited for Belle numero uno to return. Sure enough, Madison returned soon.

“Hey, Riley. I wanted to apologize to you for my unacceptable behavior. I went way overboard. I was prejudiced and didn’t even give you a chance. I sincerely hope that you will accept my apology.”

I felt shocked that Madison said this. I slowly nodded. The tall blonde girl in front of me actually showed me a little smile.

“Apology accepted. Thanks for considering my words. I hope that I wasn’t too harsh.”

“Oh no! I was way too harsh. There are a lot of things going on in my life now. Things that I have to sort out. I just let that influence my mood and I let it out on you. Not fair at all.” Madison assured me.

“Thanks for explaining. I think we should start working on making me Belle numero dos.”

“Totally agree. I thought we could start with some singing lessons. I brought some handouts and other reading material. There are also some great videos on YouTube I would like you to watch.”

“That sounds good. I will most definitely start working on that. Are we going to actually practice singing in the library?”

“Oh no! We should go to my dorm. We would have some privacy there.” Madison suggested.

I agreed and soon we made our way to her dorm. It felt good that we have made up but I also felt a little weird being invited to her dorm after our yelling at each other and apology session. However, I was curious to learn more about Madison.

When I entered her dorm, I was amazed at how neatly it was set up and decorated. She had a beautiful big bed, a lot of pictures on the wall which displayed her and friends I assumed. Some of the walls had LED lights. The room felt open, friendly, and inviting. The windows had some cute Creme-colored curtains.

Madison and I made ourselves comfortable and got to work right away. We practiced mostly singing by starting to try to sing some basic notes. According to Madison, I didn’t do too badly. I tried hard because I wanted to master this challenge.

We stopped practicing after thirty minutes. Madison and I thanked one another. She reminded me that in two days will be the next after-school musical meeting when I will get to know the entire cast and crew. I walked back to my dorm with a smile on my face.

I could not wait to tell Mary and Alice about my encounter with Madison. After a few more minutes I entered my dorm and saw Alice and Mary hanging out on the couch while having what seemed like a nice conversation.

“How did it go?” both asked me at the same time.

We all laughed.

“Oh, it was fine. I felt nervous and a bit intimidated at first. It was quite a bit uncomfortable. Madison thought she could continue to boss me around.”

Alice and Mary looked at me confused.

“What happened next?” Alice pressed on.

“Madison got really mean and started saying bad things to me. She expressed her skepticism about my little to non existent skills in regards to singing, acting, and dancing.”

“What did you do, babe? How did you respond?” Mary was dying to know.

“Well, my first thought was to hide in a corner but I quickly realized that I can’t hide from this. So I told myself to be strong and let her have it. I raised my voice and told her that I am to be treated with courtesy and respect and that without me, there wouldn’t even be a musical. So, I told her she better get her stuff together.” I said with a big smile on my face.

Mary and Alice looked shocked. I saw their jaws drop in slow motion. They seemed speechless. I enjoyed this moment.

“Respect, girl!” Alice said to me.

“Yes, go Riley!” my big sister cheered me on.

“How did Madison react?” Alice wanted to know.

“She seemed frazzled. She took a five-minute break and came back and apologized to me. It sounded very sincere.”

“You are kidding me! Looks like you tamed the beast.” Alice proudly announced.

“Well, will see about that. We are off to a good start though. Let’s hope it stays that way.”

“You are just amazing. I knew you would be able to solve problems like this on your own.” Mary added, also seeming proud.

“Thanks, sis!”

“Oh, before I forget it. You have to make a decision regarding the basketball game.”

“Sure, why not. I know I don’t have a lot of time available right now but I think I can manage.” I assured my two girls.

Mary promised to let the 12th-grade girls know. In the meantime, Mary and I decided to go to the bookstore. We still haven’t gotten a chance to explore the local town nearby. The weather definitely played its part with the cold and gloominess. I looked out the window and I thought I couldn’t wait to see all the cherry trees in full bloom.

The bookstore had a decent size, considering it was inside the school building. Mary and I had fun browsing. I looked for science fiction books and I saw Mary carrying a huge pile of all kinds of books to one of the tables next to the cozy armchairs that were provided for reading.

We both got comfortable and started reading. I got lost in my book quickly until a soft voice woke me up.

“Hi, Miss Riley! Sorry to interrupt your deep reading session but I thought I talk to you anyways.” Liliana, who seemed to have appeared out of nowhere, said to me with a big smile on her face.

“Oh, hey girl! How nice to see you.” I replied.

“Same here. Whatcha doing tomorrow after school?” Lilly wanted to know.

“I will play at a basketball game with some twelfth-grade girls. Once I got my shower and after changing, I have nothing else planned.” I said with a big smile on my face.

“Alright. Maybe I can take you out for a victory coffee after your shower?” Lilly asked me with an even bigger smile.

“That sounds good. How about five o’clock right here at the bookstore? We can get some coffee here at the Cafe and sit on one of those cozy couches.” Lilliana suggested.

“That sounds good to me.”

“Okay, sweetie. I will see you tomorrow.” Lilly responded and slowly walked away.

I simply couldn’t stop smiling. I turned around to get back to my book when suddenly Mary was standing there with a serious look on her face.

“Going on a date with the next pretty girl?” Mary demanded to know.

“It’s not a date. We are just going out for coffee.” I replied maybe a little louder than I intended to.

“Oh sure. That’s why you had that big smile on your face the whole time Lilly talked to you.” Mary insisted.

“Can a girl just be happy to make new friends?” I answered, starting to feel a little angry.

“Riley, come on! Don’t play games with me. I know you inside and out. You need to settle down. You are way too hyper while flirting with all of those girls.”

“Listen, I don’t want to argue right now. Can we do this later?”

“Sure.” Mary responded and walked away without another word.

I felt like crying a bit but I also felt angry and worked up. I knew Mary was right and I knew she had been warning me countless times. On the other hand, I want to keep exploring and making new friends. I want to have that freedom and if sometimes I get a little flirty what is the harm?

I decided to ponder this some more. I needed to clear my head. I went back to my dorm. Alice wasn’t there when I entered. I was actually a bit relieved. I wanted some alone time. I decided to make myself comfortable with a book on the couch. After reading for a while, I decided to text Sammy and see how mad at me she was. I was surprised that she responded. She suggested we talk on the phone.

“Hey, Sammy. How are you?”

“Not very good. I am still mad at you. I am not sure how long this will last but that is how I feel right now.”

“I understand. I don’t want to say I am sorry again, because I don’t think it will help you. Maybe after a while, you could possibly consider still being friends? If you find it within your heart. If not, I would understand.”

“It is not impossible. I cried my eyes out. I need some more time and space. I will get back to you eventually. However, I wanted to tell you something.”

“What do you want to tell me?”
“That I miss you. A whole lot.”

For a long moment, everything was still. Neither of us talked. Then, beautiful memories were going through my mind. All of our fashion shows, our rides to the mall, the awesome time we had with Angela at the German Christmas market, the fun times with Mary and Alyssa, the silliness, and of course our first encounter in the pantyhose section at Macy’s.

“Are you still there, Riley?” Sammy wanted to know.

“Oh, I am sorry. My mind just drifted away for a minute.”

“What were you thinking about?”

“I thought about how you “caught” me looking at pantyhose at Macy’s.”

“Oh, that. You had this cute look on your face. I could see that there was a pretty girl hiding right away.” Sammy said, giggling a bit.

“Thank you. Without you, I wouldn’t be at this amazing school and I wouldn’t be Riley of course.”

Sammy was silent for a few seconds.

“Maybe. I believe though that Riley would have come out to play either way. Anyways, are you taking any interesting classes at CBH?”

“I am. My favorite class by far is philosophy.”

“Why is that?”

“The writings of Sokrates and Aristotle are so interesting.”

“Oh yeah? What’s her name and is she cute?” Sammy wanted to know.

I was shocked for a moment.

“Liliana and yes. Am I really that easy to read?”

“I am afraid so. The excitement in your voice was an easy giveaway. If I could see you right now, I bet I could see it written all over your face. It’s okay, Riley. I can understand why you feel this way. A new school and a new life. Nobody knows about Randy. I can see the appeal. You are one of the girls. You don’t have to worry about football players who are lurking in the hallway so that they can harass and assault a trans girl who is just going to her locker minding her own business.”

This made me cringe and smile at the same time.

“That is true. Even though this girl knows how to defend herself.”

“Of course she does. Nobody will ever forget the school-wide famous kick in the nuts. Even though nobody besides you and Mr. football player Mc slime ball has actually seen it.”

Football player Mc slime ball? That made me giggle on the inside.

“Wait a minute. That is still being talked about?”

“Oh, darling. You have no idea.”

That comment actually made me giggle out loud.

“I like that we can talk to each other again.” I said to Sammy.

“I like that too. Don’t think everything is back to normal again though. I’m still very hurt and I can’t believe that you dumped me this quickly.” Sammy said, letting me know her feelings.

That made me cringe a bit because I knew that this was the truth.

I didn’t know what else to say. Sammy was the one who spoke again after a minute.

“Let’s talk some more another time. I hope that things will continue to go well at your new school.”

“Okay. That sounds good. Bye.”

“Bye, Riley.”

I took a short breather and decided to take a little break. Knowing that Sammy probably won’t hate me forever had a calming effect. I felt a little better but getting so excited every time I meet a new, cute girl made me think a bit. I knew Mary was right. We had conflicts in the past but the thought of her being really upset with me made me sad. I wasn’t sure what to do, so I decided to continue reading. After a while, I dozed off and got woken up by Alice who was suddenly standing next to me.

“Hey, sleepy head. Wake up.” Alice said gently.

“Hey. I must have fallen asleep.”

“Evidently. Listen, your sister told me to remind you that the basketball game will take place tomorrow and you are supposed to go to a practice session tonight. Mary will be there too but she said that you are probably on your own for dinner. Were you two fighting or something?” Alice wanted to know, seeming concerned.

“Yeah, I think so. I screwed up big time. She was mad because I flirted with Liliana. She wants to go out with me right after the basketball game.” I told her.

Both of us remained silent for a moment.

“Oh no! What did I do?” I asked while being close to tears.

Alice realized this and hugged me.

“I don’t think it is that bad. It’s a bit annoying. I get that. You are simply trying to find out who you are. Maybe Mary has been a bit too harsh?” Alice suggested.

“Maybe. Maybe we both made a mistake.”

Alice gave me another hug.

“It’s okay. Just leave her alone for now. She might just need time to think. She’ll come around.”

“I think you are right. Can we get dinner? When is the basketball practice?”

“It’s in roughly two hours.”

“Darn! We have to hurry. We can get dinner after practice.”

After flirting with, I mean talking to Lilly and being lectured by my big sister, I totally forgot about basketball practice. I wondered how Mary would act toward me and these thoughts made me nervous. Alice and I made our way to the gym a little while later. I was kind of hungry so I ate some fruit and little snacks. We eventually made our way to the event of the evening.

“Alice, I don’t think I can play. I don’t even have gym shorts, a jersey, or sneakers.” I insisted while we walked to the gym.

“Darling, that has all been taken care of. One of the girls on your team, Sidney, approached me yesterday to let me know that they will have all that for you in the locker room.” Alice assured me.

“Sidney, huh? That’s a nice name.” I commented.

“Riley, don’t even start again. Focus on your basketball skills. If you have any.” Alice fired at me.

Where did that come from? Instead of getting upset about it or seeing it as an attack, I decided to move on and stay in a good mood.

“You’re right. Don’t you worry! I will try to be as good as Lebron Jordan or Michael James.” I said proudly as we entered the gym.

“Lebron Jordan? Seriously? Good luck with that.” Alice wished me with a smile and pointed towards the locker rooms while pushing me in that direction a little bit.

I was a bit confused. Did I get the basketball players wrong again? I have to find some time to educate myself regarding this topic.

“Alright. I will see you after practice.” I told her while giving her a kiss on the cheek.

I had to walk toward the other side of the gym to get to the locker room. There were quite a lot of people here, considering that this was only a practice and a practice game. I looked around and I was delighted to have spotted Lilly with her beautiful, long red hair which was easy to notice, considering most people had blonde, black, or some shade of brown hair.

I decided to walk over there to say hi.

“Hey, Lilly. How are you? It is good to see you.” I said while smiling.

“Oh, Riley. Good to see you too, sweetie. I can’t wait to go out for a coffee after the game tomorrow.” Lilly told me, seeming excited.

“I can’t wait either. I have to go to the locker room now. I will see you soon.” I assured her.

Once I entered the locker room, a tall girl came up to me and introduced herself.

“Hi, Riley. I am Sidney. It is nice to meet you. Glad to have you on my team.” Sidney said.

Sidney had sandy blonde hair, was very athletic and tall, and was also kind of cute. She had warm and beautiful blue eyes.

“Oh, thanks. I am excited to play with you.” I told her.

“Great. Let me introduce the coaching staff to you. They will be here at practice and tomorrow during the actual game since this is more of an organized event and not just a pickup game. Oh, and I also have a jersey, shorts, and sneakers for you.” Sidney let me know.

“Thanks so much. I can’t wait to get started.” I cheerfully said. I meant it. I started feeling a bit more confident about this challenge.

After meeting the coaching staff and the other players, we got ready for warm-ups. I was told that the other half of the team was in a separate part of the locker rooms. That’s why I didn’t see my big sis yet. Some of my teammates kept asking me about Mary and her slam dunk. It appeared that someone recorded her dunking with their phone and the video went viral at Cherry Blossom Hill.

Fine. My big sis can dunk a ball. If I would be a little bit taller, I could do it too. Wait a minute. Was I feeling jealous? Or just competitive? I told myself to focus on practice. Sidney gave me the jersey, shorts, and sneakers. I changed and soon followed the other girls back to the basketball court.

A few minutes later, the other half of my school’s team, or my opponents tomorrow, came out too. Mary was right at the front and seemed excited as well. We gave each other a quick look but I could not read what she was thinking or feeling.

I focused on the warm-up and I tried to listen carefully to what my teammates and coaches were telling me. Coach Karl, a really nice man, checked on me several times and asked if I needed help. I was fine with most of the warm-up and stretching. Soon we were getting ready for our practice game.

Coach Karl blew his whistle and everyone lined up in the middle of the gym. My opposing team seemed to wear the slightly more colored home jerseys of the Cherry Blossom Warriors while my team was wearing the lighter-looking away jerseys.

The tip-off was won by my sister and her team. Coach Karl asked us to play hard but not too hard since he needs healthy players for the second half of the season. I could certainly understand that.

Mary’s team showed good offense right away and scored. My team was going forward next but lost the ball quickly. Mary was able to steal it and throw a great pass to one of her teammates who scored with a nice layup. Four for them, nothing for my team. This was starting to annoy me already.

We moved forward again but one of my teammates missed the jump shot. The other team got the rebound and guess who scored for them on the fast break?! Yes, my big sis.

Zero to six. This was starting to get a bit embarrassing. Meanwhile, coach Karl called for a time-out, so that he could talk to us.

“What is going on?” he demanded to know.

“I am not sure. We are just not moving the ball forward fast enough.” Sidney told him.

“That sounds about right. Get moving, ladies.” the coach told us.

We all nodded and got back into the game. The atmosphere already felt like game day. There were a lot more people here than I anticipated. Just for practice. I reminded myself to ask Sidney about it. I focused on the game but when I had a moment I tried to see what Lilly was doing.

Moving forward with determination, I was able to find a spot where no player of the opposing time was for the moment. I tried to see where the ball was and before I knew it, it was coming right at me. I was able to hold out my hands to catch it, which I did successfully. I decided within a split second to go for the basket which I narrowly missed. However, one of my teammates was able to get the rebound and score for us. Yes! Our first two points. Two to six.

I started feeling more confident and this showed on the court. I called for the ball quite often and most of the time, I passed which lead to points. Sometimes I went for it though and I actually did score a few times which I could not believe. It felt good.

Mary and I made eye contact every so often but not a lot else happened between us. She was doing a good job but it felt a little like she was holding back a bit. Maybe she was saving her energy for the actual game. Since this was only a practice game, it was much shorter than a regular game. When it ended, the final score was 31-39 for the home jersey Warriors. I was exhausted and laid myself flat on the court. I closed my eyes. When I opened them, I looked into the faces of Lilly and Alice. Sadly, Mary wasn’t there. She must have left already.

Both were holding out their hands for me. I grabbed one hand from each of them and they pulled me up.

“I think you need a shower.” Alice said jokingly while acting I would smell to high heavens.

“I think she is right.” Lilly added.

All three of us started laughing.

“Alright, alright. I will. Thanks for coming, Lilly.” I told my cute classmate.

“You’re welcome. I am still looking forward to our date tomorrow.” Lilly said with a big smile on her face.

“Me too. Of course, I will shower after that game too.” I assured my favorite person to discuss philosophy with.

“ Great! I will see you tomorrow afternoon.” Lilly said, smiling and taking off.

“Now it is just us two. What do you want to do after your shower?” Alice inquired.

Meanwhile, the gym was nearly empty. It felt kind of strange to see it this way since it was filled up pretty well not too long ago.

“I am not sure. Do you want to grab a bite to eat and then maybe talk about this day?”

“Sounds like a good idea.” Alice replied.

We walked back to our dorm where I grabbed some shower gel, shampoo, a couple of towels, and other toiletries to hit one of the private showers. Once I was refreshed, Alice and I went to the cafeteria to get some dinner. I sent Mary a text to invite her to come along but I did not receive a response which worried me.

“Overall, what do you think?” Alice asked me looking thoughtful.

“The practice game was good. Everyone was nice and I especially liked playing for coach Karl. He is fun and very smart. The most amazing thing was that I scored four points.” I pointed out, feeling proud.

“Yes. That’s great. I was very impressed. Maybe you want to try out for the Warriors?”

“Who knows? It’s kind of funny. I just had to think about how my dad desperately wanted me to try out for the soccer team at my old school. I always refused. Now I am considering trying out for a sport I have never played before. Crazy!”

“I can understand that you feel this way. What about your sister Mary?”

“I am not sure. We never had a fight like this. It worries me. On the other hand, it is probably better to get the different opinions, emotions, and perceptions out in the open. I am sure she’ll come around.” I said, not sounding very convincing at this moment.

“How do you feel about the game tomorrow?” Alice wanted to know.

“Pretty good. I think the practice game was a lot of help.”

“Fantastic. I am sure you’ll do well. Maybe Lilly wants to sit with me when I watch you two sisters play basketball.”

“Awesome. Let’s go back to the dorm so we can get some rest. I need my sleep. I am excited about tomorrow but also a bit sad because it will be Mary’s last full day. The day after that, Mary will fly back to Oregon.

I fell asleep quickly and woke up feeling well-rested. Basketball was the first thing that popped into my head. I was so amazed that I am actually able to score sometimes. The next thought included Mary. I hope she won’t leave tomorrow without having discussed our disagreement or misunderstanding. Whatever one wants to call it.

I got dressed and had a big breakfast so that I was strong enough tonight. Soon I was sitting with Alice in our homeroom. The school day went by quickly. Lilly and I had fun with philosophy again. The afternoon came and it was time to prepare for this epic event.

I grabbed a water bottle and some other items I might need and Alice and I made our way down the gym again. It was still a bit early, but the gym started getting crowded. How amazing. Shortly, Lilly spotted us and waved for us to come over. We chatted a bit. Alice and Lilly decided to sit together and cheer for team Riley. Yay!

I went into the locker room where Sidney greeted me with another pair of fresh and clean basketball attire. I was pumped and ready to go. Soon we were on the court for some warm-ups. It was nice to see and talk to coach Karl again. He was very caring and asked if I needed help with anything.

After warm-ups were completed, we walked out to the court. People started cheering and applauding. It seemed like the entire school was here. Insane!

We lined up in the middle of the court. The referee got the teams set up for tip-off which Mary yet won again. Mary seemed very concentrated and determined. The game started off pretty evenly. Mary scored a few times, I was able to pass the ball quite often for assists and I scored twice again which was even more amazing because it was only the first quarter.

I played as hard as I could. It showed. I was able to defend several times successfully by covering my opponent closely and thus forcing turnovers.

Mary also played hard and scored countless times. Sidney, who was my team captain, had a close matchup with my big sis often. They both seemed evenly matched. Again, Mary and I made eye contact every once in a while but never for too long.

Soon I was substituted so that I could have a bit of a break. That gave me an opportunity to evaluate this weird event from the outside. When I was in the game, I did not notice the crowd that much. I was too focused on my tasks.

What an amazing atmosphere that was. Just a fun game during the mid-season break. While I was sitting on the bench, I observed coach Karl a lot. This guy was amazing. He was tough, fair, caring, and smart. I totally could see myself playing for him. I would probably learn a lot.

Mary was substituted too. I also observed her closely but she hardly gave me any eye contact which was fine. The game went on and it seemed evenly matched. The score at halftime was 32 for my team and 36 for Mary’s team.

I welcomed half-time since it gave me the opportunity to freshen up. We went back to the locker room and soon coach Karl gave his little halftime speech. He encouraged us to show more offense so that we can even the score or maybe take the lead. When we were on our way out again, coach Karl asked me to wait a minute.

“Hey, Riley. Nice job out there. Considering you never played before, you picked this sport up quickly. Keep up the good work.” he told me with a smile.

“Thanks coach. I will!” I assured him.

The second half began and I was in the lineup again. I continued playing hard. I wanted to impress coach Karl.

I scored a few more times. Sidney decided to fire up the hyper jets and started to go on a scoring streak. Every basket was a hit. She was on fire. It turned out that I was able to give her a fair number of assists. I enjoyed this more and more.

Sidney seemed unstoppable which Mary decided was unacceptable. She covered Sidney more and more aggressively. I think that this made Sidney mad. She responded with insane determination.

We were on the attack again and Sidney, who was covered by Mary, decided to dunk on her which she was able to do. Mary almost lost balance when she tried to block Sidney but she was able to catch herself. The look in Mary’s eyes was outright scary. It communicated something like ‘This means war’.

Sidney high-fived me when we retreated back to our own half. I felt like celebrating which was a mistake because the other Warrior team attacked us with light speed. Before I knew it, Mary blew past me and dunked the ball with a determination that I have not seen before. The basket was literally shaking from this effect. The crowd went wild.

I had no idea what was happening. Coach Karl called for a time-out. The score was 51-52 with Mary’s team having the lead. It was the fourth quarter and there were only nine seconds to play. Coach Karl looked at me and Sidney. He was holding a little board with a basketball court printed on it. He drew some arrows and showed us where we were to position ourselves for this, hopefully being able to win this game.

He told one of my other teammates to pass the ball to me.

“Riley, I want you to pass the ball then to Sidney, who will position herself here.” he pointed to a spot near the paint.”

“Sidney, all you have to do is to score from there.” he told her.

Sidney nodded. She and I both looked at the coach and at each other. We nodded and soon we were back in the game. This was it. Time to be a hero.

My teammate who did the throw-in passed the ball to me. I looked for Sidney, made eye contact with her and passed the ball. However, out of nowhere, my sister came flying at me to block the ball. She was not very successful. She got a hand on it but the pass still happened. However, it was deflected and did not get to Sidney.

Fortunately, the ball got into the hands of one of my teammates who passed it to me again. I did not think. I simply reacted by passing it right back to Sidney, who dunked it with all of her strength. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion.

I looked at the game clock and it said 1.1 seconds left. The score now was 53-52 for my team. Mary’s team had the ball back but they were not able to get the ball anywhere near our basket before time was up. At least they tried. The buzzing noise that ended the game filled our ears loud and clear.

I raised my arms to celebrate and hug my other teammates. The crowd went wild and everyone congratulated me for my assist and Sidney of course, for her amazing, game-winning dunk. What a feeling that was. Sidney gave me a big bear hug. Now I know for most of the game, both teams didn’t play super hard because coach Karl said that he doesn’t want any injured players. I do believe though that everyone did their best and played their hearts out.

I wondered how I would do in a regular season or playoff game. I’m sure not as well as today since I just started learning how this game works. I do believe though that this game had the right kind of mix. It was fun, yet still competitive.

When I looked around the gym, I saw Mary lying on the floor, looking exhausted and disappointed.

I walked over to her. I bent a little bit and extended my hand. She realized that I was there. She turned her head and looked me deep in the eyes.